Birth Announcement for Twins and Photo Shoots

Back in December I started thinking about making a birth announcement for the twins.  I like to plan my crafts way ahead of time (I'm already stressing about Halloween costumes...)  For their announcement I wanted to do something that involved Scarlett and I wanted to do something that played on the fact that they are identical twins.  I came up with this crazy idea using a copy machine.  Well one evening Jake and I went into Office Depot and spoke with the office manager (Jackie).  She loved the idea (once she realized that I didn't want to actually photocopy my babies).  So a few weeks after they were born - and while my mom, dad, and Jami were all in town - we took our caravan to the Office Depot for a photo shoot.  It took lots of fruit snacks and seriously was way more stressful than I thought.  Especially since everyone in the store was watching us.  My mom took TONS of photos but it was hard to find one where all 3 girls weren't crying and Scarlett was pushing the green button.  Oh man, there were moments when I was cursing my crazy idea - but I'm so glad we stuck with it!  I think they're darling!  I love my girls!

We had another photo shoot to get their head shots - using my bedspread and and ironing board to make a little backdrop.  The babies weren't too happy about the whole thing - then I got the idea to put my heat pad under the blanket so they would be warm and they fell right asleep!  We tried to do some that day with Scarlett but she just ran away screaming!

Before my mom left I told her I wanted to get a family picture with all of us.  Family picture fail.  The place we previously picked was infested with mosquitoes!  By the time we realized it wouldn't work, packed everything back up, and drove all the way home - Scarlett was soooo tired and the babies were starving.  As a last attempt we took a few outside our house and called it good.  I think it will be awhile before we try them again.  I need some time to recuperate.

First Smiles and Coos

The girls are starting to really ham it up.  They love to smile and coo at me after their 6am feeding but I never have my camera (I'm lucky if I can stay awake while nursing them).  Here's a video of them kinda smiling and cooing.  It's really long for just quick little smiles but it's all I have right now.  I will try to get more smiles and coos on film.

Mirror Mirror

Lately I've been learning a lot about twins (wonder why...)  The term "identical" twins is actually misleading.  It is more accurate to call them "monozygotic" twins (doesn't that just roll off the tongue).  There are normal genetic mutations that occur during development in utero that can lead to "identical" twins being not so identical. But more and more our girls are starting to look alike.

With a few exceptions.

We noticed that they have a few mirrored features.  Turns out that can happen, but it's kind of rare. There's no test that says they are mirrored twins and there's no rhyme or reason to what features or how many are mirrored.  In a few extreme cases there have been twins that were completely mirrored (like one had a heart on the right [aka wrong] side)!  They can even write with opposite hands. So far this is what we've noticed...

Siena had a blocked tear duct in her right eye.  Jaide had one in her left eye.

They both have a tiny little bump on the outside of one ear.  Siena has a left Spock ear and Jaide has a right Spock ear.

Spock Ear:

Smooth Ear:

Not convinced yet of their mirrorednessness?  Here's the best one!  They both have a cowlick on the back of their head that swirls a different way.  Siena's is counterclockwise and Jaide's is clockwise.  Cool!

I'm not sure that it makes any difference except we will always be able to tell them apart.  Or at least someday they will read this post and realize that we accidentally switched them...  Oops! Sorry girls!

Productive Weekend

We had a productive weekend.  We were all finally feeling well and the babies slept for a 6 hour segment Fri night!

Jake put together his new bike trailer (he ended up having to fabricate a bracket to fit his bike).  Scarlett was so excited to wear her helmet and go for a ride.

I found a metal filing cabinet on Craiglist for $20.  I brought it home, spray painted it flat black and covered the drawers with contact paper left over from when I did our mantle.  When I went to pick it up I found several blank checks and a passport that had fallen behind one of the drawers.  Some lady was selling it for her friend, she was so grateful I returned those items but when she looked at the passport she was puzzled.  The passport wasn't even the same nationality as her friend!  Who knows how long it's been in there??  When I was cleaning it at home I found an old used q-tip and a plastic press on finger nail.  Gross!  Needless to say I wiped it down with some disinfectant before bringing it into our home.

Jake spent most of Saturday installing metal swinging stair gates.  Due to our floor trim he had to manufacture a few components to get it to work properly.  We've been wanting something more permanent for awhile... especially with all these little girls.  All our kitchen cabinets are child proofed, knobs all have covers, and outlets are plugged.  Basically it's really annoying to try to do anything or go anywhere inside our home.

And we found out that Scarlett can roll her tongue!

Also, Scarlett calls "oatmeal" "chainmail" and when I repeat back what she said she just seems confused.  I think she really thinks she's saying "oatmeal."

Last night Scarlett found a Winnie the Pooh book to read before bed.  When I finished she wanted to read it again so she started yelling "MORE POOP!"  hahahaha  I couldn't stop laughing!  And tonight she picked it up and said "poop!"  oh my!  Who named Winnie the Pooh?

Lately Scarlett has been repeating everything.  But not after it's said - no - she likes to repeat things while they're being said.  For example: when we pray she likes to pray simultaneously with me.  When watching a show she talks with the characters - especially if it's a show she's seen over and over.  Right now she's really into the movie Cars.  She gets so excited when she sees any trophy now "it's a piston cup!"  Love her!

Kandy Dandy!

Kandy came the same day Jake's parents left.  The timing was PERFECT cause Jake got strep throat and was totally out of commission for almost 7 full days.  It was really nice to have Kandy here to help with the Scarlett and the twins (plus they seemed to not feel well, got better, then got a little sick again after their shots).

Here Kandy is facetiming with her girls - showing them the aerial fireworks my neighbor was shooting (we had perfect seats in our living room) and all the fireflies.

 Siena-nena & Jaidey Lady in their new outfits - thanks Kandy!!!

The day after the doctor both girls started social smiling - just a little bit.  Especially Siena (can see in this picture she's smiling at Aunt Kandy).

Scarlett wouldn't wear clothes almost the whole time Kandy was here.  I had to bribe her to put on clothes to ride in the car.  We re-did Kandy's red in her hair - it looks fabulous!

The weather was all over the place.  I think Kandy understands now why they say if you hate the weather in Michigan you just have to wait 5 minutes.  One afternoon we got about 10 minutes of crazy hail.  These pieces weren't even the biggest ones we saw!

Kandy brought her this darling outfit that she would only wear with blue socks and snowflake gloves. Scarlett didn't want her photo taken... "Stop!"

It was so great to have sister time.  Her 6 day trip was waaaay too short.  If you adjust for the "twin vortex factor" she was only here for 17 minutes!  But we got some projects done and had a great time together.  I love spending time with her!!!  Lovest you Kandy Dandy, who's oh so Handy!

2 Month Checkup

Siena

• Height: 20.25" (0%) (though the first time they measured she was the same as Jaide... not very accurate)
• Weight: 9 lbs 11 oz (15%)
• Head: 14.25 cm (1%)

Jaide

• Height: 20.75" (2%) 
• Weight: 9 lbs 0 oz (6%)
• Head: 14.25 cm (1%)

The girls went to the doctor this week for their 2 week check up and shots.  They each got 3 shots - little champions!  The doctor said they look amazing.  I was a little worried cause they weren't really smiling but she said that essentially they are only a month old and we need to look at their development from their due date (June 2) not their birth date (May 2).  She said they are right on track.  (see their little camo bandaids?)

Siena has a small red raised bump by her mouth (infantile hemangioma).  The doctor said it's a collection of superficial blood vessels and would go away over the next year, but it will probably look worse before it gets better.

She also said that she doesn't think she's ever had a twin mom who was still exclusively breastfeeding at the 2 month mark.  She told me that I deserve a gold plaque!  :-)

More photos of our routine..............
Two ways to burp them by myself.  Also, you can see my hair band bracelets. I switch what wrist they are on right before a feeding so the girls oscillate which side they eat on.

The double carry

Putting them to sleep

Bouncing them with my feet while I work on the computer

Sleeping in their swings at night.  The swing on the left doesn't plug in and the batteries die every 2 weeks or so.  I can't change them in the middle of the night or the babies will wake up - so I engineered a solution using two straps meant to hook toys onto the stroller.  Yep, that's right - one baby is towing the other one!

Allergist Round 2

Jake's allergies have been worse lately.  So while I was at the allergist a few weeks ago I made an appointment for Jake (not with the pediatrician - that's just for me).

They did a pollen scratch test on his back.  They said it "lit up like a Christmas tree."  So if our girls have bad allergies - it's not just my fault!  They gave him more meds and told him that he will have hay fever in the spring, summer, and fall.  Um, thanks.  And they also suggested that he have his wife mow the lawn!!!  hahahaha!  Poor Jakey.

Basically don't be surprised if most of our family fun time is indoors!

4th of July

I got a text before the 4th from Angela (from CT ward, cut my hair, wonderfully amazing!).  They were driving out to UT and wondered if they could stop by to say hi - um, HECK YES!!!  

So for the 4th of July we had a BBQ with Jake's parents and the Bowes.  We had such a great time catching up, meeting Calvin, seeing how big their girls are, and visiting.  I wish they lived closer!!!  Hopefully all their future road trips to UT will include a stay at our house (hint hint).  

 Yummy hamburgers - Jake's secret recipe cooked by our resident grill master!

I made a patriotic jello salad - ironically I used the same bowl for my jello disaster of 2009.  (quick recap: P&W potluck at work, decided to bring a Utah classic: jello, made a blue jello with red swedish fish in a glass fish looking bowl, didn't have a refrigerator at work to put it in, really hot day, by the time the pot luck started the jello had melted/separated into a gooey gross mess and the fish became engorged/white and were floating at the top like dead fish....... soooo embarrassing.  Needless to say once I saw the condition of my beautiful work of art and immediately grabbed it and hid it at my desk.  Mortifying.  In fact, I had flashbacks while making this jello but luckily this one turned out ok - you can't go wrong with cream cheese!)

The girls had so much fun.  Scarlett was a sweaty, sticky mess!

Scarlett saw the older girls playing horse so she just jumped on Lucy's back.  Lucy was a great sport and gave her a ride around the yard!  The next morning Scarlett kept asking "Lucy go?"

 Fireworks, Fireflies, Popsicles, and Glow Jewelry... a great day!!!

Glauser Parents Trip to MI

Jake's parents came last week to help us with the babies.  The timing was great for us because I was sick the first half of their trip and Jake was sick the last half.  Probably not the most fun - but we really appreciated having the extra help while we weren't feeling well.

Scarlett went on lots of outside adventures with Grandma and Grandpa.  I think most of them ended at the bird bath - she loves that thing!

Right before my in-laws arrived I mentioned to Laura how I would probably need a larger nursing cover.  I love my old one that Jamie made me but I bought a new twin nursing pillow (one upstairs, one downstairs) and the cover wouldn't fit around it.  I was telling Laura how I have a design in my head and she just whipped it out with her sewing machine - full 360deg coverage!  I have such talented friends.  Thanks Jamie and Laura!!!  (and I'm sure my father-in-law thanks you too for the coverage you provided!)

 We ate such delicious food!  And my kitchen was spotless.

During their bath at night I use my heating pad to warm up their clothes.  Then right after we get them dressed I turn it off and lay it on top of them.  They fall fast asleep!

Mom G mowed our lawn while Dad G pruned all our trees and shrubs!  Thank you!!!!!

Scarlett wanted to be swaddled and use a binky one night.

Grandma came to MI with new books for Scarlett - each individually wrapped.  Scarlett loved opening them "a present!" and they would sit and read them together.  So sweet!

We loved having you here!!!  Thanks so much for all your help and much needed R&R.  :-)

(Scarlett decided that she would NOT be in this picture - someone is definitely two years old!)