Sleeping Beauty

Scarlett is at the glorious age where she can now fall asleep almost anywhere.  We have taken advantage of this new skill while on vacation.  A few times she even told us "nap time.  I need a pillow and a blanket!"  

 



Flight to Utah

We're exhausted, sweaty, and a little frazzled. But we made it!

We left the house 3 hours before our flight and still could have used more time.  Getting through security was a circus!  They make you take the sleeping babies out of their carriers and hold them as you walk through the security gate.  So I ended up holding both babies while Scarlett held onto my leg and Jake dismantled our gear and sent it through the xray machine.  There I was - 2 babies and 1 toddler - limping though the metal detector (since Scarlett had my leg in a kung fu master grip) and what do you know... we set off the alarm!  The TSA officer asked if I had any metal... ???? um, I was wearing sweatpants (aka, my normal attire) and was at a loss for what cause it to go off.  The binky holders!!!  I unclipped them (without dropping any children) and gave them to Jake.  We sailed through with no offending alarms!  Then I turned to the officer and asked "do the binky's have to go through the *disgusted face* xray machine?"  He agreed that would be gross and asked Jake to just  hand him the binkies.  The officer took hold of the straps and kept them at arm's length away - like they were a stinky diaper or something!  haha!  Obviously he doesn't have kids.  And after watching us, he probably won't.

 

We finally made it though security and reassembled our caravan.  Jake and I then ducked into a family bathroom with the girls.  We were a sticky, sweaty mess.  We used paper towels to make cold compresses to cool us off.  Seriously - my face was bright red!

We finally got to our gate.  We grabbed some food and I nursed the babies before boarding.  When it was almost time to board we started rearranging our stuff and packing up the stroller and carseats to gate check.  There was a super nice gentleman on our flight that came over and helped us onto the plane.  He said he misses his grandkids and thought we could use the help - he was right. 

Scarlett loved the shuttle ride, the train ride, and the thought of riding on the airplane.  But once we actually got on the plane she broke down into a full on tantrum!!!  We had the only little kids on the plane so it was painfully obvious that the noise was coming from our little family... but everyone seemed super understanding (they were all probably just grateful that they weren't in our shoes).  Jake and I are not allowed to book our tickets on the same row.  Apparently there can only be 1 infant in arms per row.  There are 4 oxygen masks above the 3 seats and they won't let you have more people than masks.  I guess I am glad they're safe, but it was real inconvenient.  Luckily he was sitting right next to me across the aisle.  But I was worried about the poor soul who would get stuck in the window seat next to Scarlett (who at this time was on the ground screaming).  Luckily it was a young dad of 3 boys who wasn't phased at all.  Eventually I had to scoop Scarlett into her seat and constrain her with the seat belt while she cried so we wouldn't get kicked off the plane.  But once we took off with the loud jet engines she calmed right down (yay jet engines!)  I think she was just overwhelmed and scared of the new and strange environment.
 

 

Anyways, the guy next to her was super nice and retrieved stuff for Scarlett, held a baby at one point, and even carried some of our stuff off the plane (cause I had to carry Scarlett and Siena). The flight attendants snuck us lots of extra water bottles (nursing makes me so thirsty).  We had one flight attendant help Jake and I do-si-do so I could nurse the other baby.  They slept facing us in the baby carriers the first half of the flight, I nursed them, then we turned them forward facing for the rest of the flight.  They just watched people and even watched TV!  They were excellent!  And Scarlett, who was sooo overdue for a nap, finally fell asleep. 

The best surprise was my dad was waiting for us when we landed at our gate!  He just got off a different plane for a business trip!  He and Jake got our bags and loaded the car while I changed the babies and nursed them.  All in all, not too bad all things considered.  At least we don't have triplets *knock on wood.*

Less then 48 hours after arriving Jake boarded another plane and headed back to Michigan for a few weeks of work and peace and quiet.  I bought him a bunch of peanut butter treats to enjoy while I'm away.  :-)

Jeggings!

Berlyn and Braxtyn brought the girls these DARLING outfits!  SOOOO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thanks ladies!

Bumbo Buddies

The twins love to watch Scarlett run around.  They will sit in the bumbo while she entertains them.  They seem to really enjoy them for about 20 min.  Then they want to be swaddled.

Houdini babies!  During the night they escape the clutches of the velcro swaddle wrap!

This contraption is hit or miss.  Even when they like it, it's only for a few min.  But Scarlett is real possessive - "my toy!"  Of course.  She hasn't played with it in months.  But since the babies are now using it, it's become the most desirable thing since chocolate milk.  I have a feeling this is only the beginning....

Siena spit up on the floor.  I actually took them to the doctor this week to make sure they were doing ok since they spit a TON every single feeding.  After a long chat with the nurse: spit up is more common with preemies, the upper esophageal sphincter is too loose, will get stronger over the next 10 months, not having a reaction to the food I'm eating, nothing I can do, acid reflex medicine doesn't help spit up - it only raises the pH of the stomach acid so it doesn't burn them - but since my girls aren't fussy they don't seem to have a problem with acid, they are gaining weight beautifully.  To sum up: they're just spitters.  

Siena: 10 lbs 12.5 ozJaide: 10 lbs 2 oz

She gave them both a prescription for diaper rash ointment (actually it's a yeast medicine, the yeast is the dark red shiny spots they get on their bums).  I went to fill them at the same time.  I found out that since the got the exact same prescription and the have the exact same birthday, the pharmacy had to call the insurance and get them to override the system in order to process both medications.  For some reason the system thinks they are trying to run the same person twice.  The pharmacist said I will have this problem every time they get the same medicine.  Great.  I'm pretty sure we're not the first people in the world to have twins.  Seems like a silly problem to have these days.  Oh well, now I know.

"Look mom, a train!"

Scarlett loves to line things up.  Everything.  She will line up food, toys, clothes, shoes, etc.  They she says "Look mom, a train!"  Or sometimes she calls it a "rainbow" or even a "snake".  I love to see her little imagination at work!

These are her "bouncy shoes".

She was walking around with "lots of purses, mom"

Still loves bubble baths!

She discovered she can push her slide around.  I caught her just before she went head first into the corner of our kitchen island.  Silly girl.  We had a long talk, so hopefully this won't happen again.

She loves wearing sunglasses in the car like mommy.

Jake made dinner the other night and asked Scarlett how she liked it: "I want to throw meat in the trash".  haha!  I think it was too spicy for her - not a comment on his cooking skills.

She'll hand us something and say "I have a present for ya."  And if we hand her something she says "Oh, thanks!" like she's so surprised.

If she wants us to do something she'll say "your turn".  She calls m&ms "lemmoms" and often throughout the day she'll ask "where'd dad go" "dad's at wurk" or "what you doing mommy?"  She likes to lick us like a puppy - they are slobbery, wet licks too!  And she will give us "little pinches".

She loves her sisters and thinks they are "soooo cute, mommy, sooooo cute".  She will hug them, hold them, kiss them, and likes to help with their binkies.  Once she even helped me change their diapers!  She is a really sweet big sister!  I only hope that lasts once they start touching her stuff!

Playroom

While my nannies were here I decided to finish the playroom.  We installed an art display wire, new bookshelf and stuffed animal hanging thing (all from IKEA).  It feels so much more organized!  I lined the back of the bookshelf with blue patterned contact paper (I use that stuff for everything!)  Then I decorated one wall with vinyl flower stickers I bought.  The vinyl's nice cause it comes off easy - low commitment.  But it looks a little crazy now with all the decorations.  Oh well, Scarlett loves it so I'll keep it.

I asked her if she loved her new playroom and this is what she did:

I decided to decorate this wall with "Jesus wants me for a Sunbeam" using my Cricut and Sure Cuts a Lot 2 software.

Now onto another room!

Berlyn & Braxtyn Visit

I've realized that having newborn twins and a 2 year old is actually very easy....

...if you have two full-time nannies.  This past week we had two of my nieces come visit.  I was in heaven.  Previously when we had visitors I was recovering from surgery and trying to adjust to everything.  But when Berlyn & Braxtyn arrived I finally felt like a person again.  The twins sleep consistently from 10:30pm-3:30am then wake up every 3 hours.  My c-section doesn't bother me regularly.  Scarlett isn't waking up at night any more.  My body's adjusted and my hemoglobin is back up.  Things are good.  So when help arrived, I was able to finally catch up on a few things.

Braxtyn was Scarlett's buddy.  Seriously I don't think I've seen Scarlett play harder.  She was constantly laughing.  She learned hide and seek.  She wanted to do everything that Braxtyn did.  And Berlyn was the baby whisperer.  She would keep them asleep during their nap time while I worked on my projects.  I even made dinner SEVERAL times! 

I bought Scarlett a little flower sprinkler from Amazon.  (PS - I love Amazon Prime!  Stuff just shows up at your door two days after you decide you want it.  Amazing!)  Scarlett called it "water sprinkler time".  She ate her popsicle in puppy mode - of course.

We watched Despicable Me three times that week!  (well, those of us who were awake at least)

Braxtyn came prepared with yellow, green, and red braces!  And Berlyn's shirt (at the beginning of this post) is color coded too!

 Jake took the girls out for a cruise on the town.

We went to IKEA to buy some stuff for my projects.  My legs were KILLING me that night.  I need to start working out!  While the girls were finishing lunch I found a comfy chair to nurse the babies.  When I don't have my twin pillow I usually nurse them one at a time.  Braxtyn was holding Siena after she ate and making her dance.  The full belly and dance moves didn't have a great effect on her tummy as you can see in the picture below:

See, I told you, she's got mad crazy baby skills!

Braxtyn sent me this snap chat...

I was so sad to see them go.  That next day Scarlett kept asking "Where'd Braxtyn go?" every 20 minutes.  I told her she went home on the airplane.  Even today, a week later, I head Scarlett talking to herself in the toy room "Where's Braxtyn go?  On the err-plane."  We're excited to see them (and the rest of you Utah folks) in just a week!  YAY!!!