Grandpa Lee made Lars giggle for the first time ever this weekend, and I happened to get it on video. Enjoy!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
6 Months!
Dear Lars and Odin-
Sleep! You are great sleepers and your parents are SO grateful! The last time we wrote you a letter on your 3 month birthday, we were really struggling with naps, the pictures below show what nap time used to be like...I had to hold you both. Though I miss all that snuggle time with you, we don't need to do that any longer. I think you even sleep better in your own crib. It was a real process to get you sleeping on your own, but you learned so well. It all started when Mama was exhausted and just took you to our bed in the middle of the day for a nap all together...and you slept! We moved onto lying down with you as you fell asleep on our bed, then just putting you in our bed and you fell asleep on your own, finally we could put you in your crib and you would fall asleep and stay asleep on your own. It has been great for you and for your parents to have some time to ourselves and to get some chores done! We've settled into a nice routine of you boys sleeping for about 12 hours at night, from about 7pm to 7am with one feeding somewhere around 3-5am, you usually have two 1.5 hour naps and a 45 minute one later in the day. You get enough sleep that your sunny dispositions shine through almost all the time. One month ago we moved you to your crib in your own room for naps and bedtime sleep. The next step is to ditch the swaddles. We probably should work on getting a second crib, but you sure seem to enjoy sleeping together--no matter how far apart we put you in the crib, you are always snuggled up next to each other when you wake up, even though your mobility is severely limited by being swaddled!
Odin and Lars sleeping on Mama at about 3.5 months old
Sunny boys in the morning!
On October 24th you were baptised at Bethany. Your sponsors are Auntie Karla, Uncle Jared and your cousins Einar and Soren. You wouldn't believe how much family came to support you, there were at least 4 pews full of family! You are lucky little boys who have lots of people that love you. Despite all of the stimulation and lack of naps, you boys did SO well. You are such happy babies and everyone got to see that. You didn't fuss at all during the baptism, even when Pastor Andersen put the water on your head...way to go!
Odin, you are more verbal than physical. You constantly talk to us and tell GREAT stories with all sorts of drama...we are looking forward to hearing the stories continue as you learn English! You also can be talked out of being crabby, all it takes is a good smile and laugh and soon you are smiling and giggling back...it has saved us a couple of times on long car rides! You are so observant with your big wide open eyes and seem very content to hang out and watch and learn. You LOVE to smile at your brother when he is still long enough for you to catch his eye!
We marvel at you both every day--we are the luckiest parents in the world.
You are 6 months old today! It is truly amazing to get to know you as you grow into your individual selves. You are growing like crazy! Just look at how you've changed in the 1.5 months shown in the photos below.
Lars at 4.5 months, then at almost 6 months
Odin at 4.5 months, then at almost 6 months
Odin at 4.5 months, then at almost 6 months
Sleep! You are great sleepers and your parents are SO grateful! The last time we wrote you a letter on your 3 month birthday, we were really struggling with naps, the pictures below show what nap time used to be like...I had to hold you both. Though I miss all that snuggle time with you, we don't need to do that any longer. I think you even sleep better in your own crib. It was a real process to get you sleeping on your own, but you learned so well. It all started when Mama was exhausted and just took you to our bed in the middle of the day for a nap all together...and you slept! We moved onto lying down with you as you fell asleep on our bed, then just putting you in our bed and you fell asleep on your own, finally we could put you in your crib and you would fall asleep and stay asleep on your own. It has been great for you and for your parents to have some time to ourselves and to get some chores done! We've settled into a nice routine of you boys sleeping for about 12 hours at night, from about 7pm to 7am with one feeding somewhere around 3-5am, you usually have two 1.5 hour naps and a 45 minute one later in the day. You get enough sleep that your sunny dispositions shine through almost all the time. One month ago we moved you to your crib in your own room for naps and bedtime sleep. The next step is to ditch the swaddles. We probably should work on getting a second crib, but you sure seem to enjoy sleeping together--no matter how far apart we put you in the crib, you are always snuggled up next to each other when you wake up, even though your mobility is severely limited by being swaddled!
Odin and Lars sleeping on Mama at about 3.5 months old
Sunny boys in the morning!
On October 24th you were baptised at Bethany. Your sponsors are Auntie Karla, Uncle Jared and your cousins Einar and Soren. You wouldn't believe how much family came to support you, there were at least 4 pews full of family! You are lucky little boys who have lots of people that love you. Despite all of the stimulation and lack of naps, you boys did SO well. You are such happy babies and everyone got to see that. You didn't fuss at all during the baptism, even when Pastor Andersen put the water on your head...way to go!
Handsome boys all dressed up for your baptism!
Fun! We have so much fun with you guys, from watching you learning about your world, to seeing you reach each milestone, to laughing with you and giving you zerberts on your tummies, and getting out an about as a whole family.
A picture that could only happen with twins..."Here Lars, let me stick my fingers in your mouth while you puke on me"
Lars says..."Yummy giraffe foot!"
Halloween redux in Wenatchee...Grandma and Grandpa needed to see our little Vikings
On our way to Trick-or-Treating with our PEPS friends in Ballard
You both love it when we sing to you, especially "head, shoulders, knees and toes." Then again, that is about the only song that isn't filled with la la la in place of the real lyrics.
Odin, you are more verbal than physical. You constantly talk to us and tell GREAT stories with all sorts of drama...we are looking forward to hearing the stories continue as you learn English! You also can be talked out of being crabby, all it takes is a good smile and laugh and soon you are smiling and giggling back...it has saved us a couple of times on long car rides! You are so observant with your big wide open eyes and seem very content to hang out and watch and learn. You LOVE to smile at your brother when he is still long enough for you to catch his eye!
Lars, you are more physical than verbal. You are spending a lot of time on your tummy these days moving your body around and it seems that you may be mobile very soon. You are starting to realize that you can move around the room by rolling from back to front, then front to back again. We plan to figure out a baby proofing strategy for the fireplace this weekend! You smile ALL the time with a huge gummy smile and you are starting to laugh, but at this point it sounds more like a sneeze than a laugh...it's really quite cute. You LOVE to put everything in your mouth including your brother's hands or head.
We marvel at you both every day--we are the luckiest parents in the world.
With All Our Love,
Mama and Papa
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Breastfeeding update
I am a member of an online forum for people with twins who breastfeed, I rarely post, but I do read it all the time (thank goodness for my iphone when I'm nursing the boys!). I made a special point to actually pull out the computer to write out a response to a woman who was frustrated and confused about poor weight gain in her 4 month old twins who are breastfeeding after a LOT of work to get them exclusively breastfeeding...it was a VERY familiar problem for us. I realized that I never updated the blog with what has happened in the last few months with breastfeeding, so here is the post in response to that woman's question. Besides that, finding time to post to the blog is so hard that since I spent time to write to this woman I figured I would leverage the work!
Here is my response with some clarifying edits:
Oh I'm so sorry you are dealing with this! I was there about 1.5 months ago, my guys had fallen off the weight curve at their 4 month visit, particularly baby B [Odin]. My pediatrician didn't immediately suggest supplementing [with formula], but he did want us to try and get an additional feeding in [at the breast]. I, like you, was so confused because my guys always seemed so satisfied and happy, they slept 7-9 hours in a stretch at night, napped well, and all in all we were feeling like life was going really well, particularly after all of the problems we had with establishing exclusive breastfeeding. I decided to get data (I'm a chemist and DH [online forum speak for dear husband] is an oceanographer...we like data). I rented a breastfeeding scale and for 2 days fed as usual with trying to get an extra breastfeeding session per day in while weighing before and after each feeding. Baby B [Odin] was only getting 17 ounces and Baby A [Lars] was getting 20-22 ounces, Kelly mom [a fantastic online breastfeeding information site] says the average is 25 ounces for a breastfed baby and the range is 19-30. Looking at the data throughout the day, it was obvious that I had enough milk for them in the first 2 feedings of the day because they would take 5-6 ounces each from the breast, but then after that they were only getting 1-3 ounces in the subsquent feedings. It became obvious that I had a supply issue. Only after we had that data and I had talked to an LC [lactation consultant] did we start offering a bottle after feeding (at first it was EBM [expressed breast milk] from my small stash for going back to work) and they were obviously ravenous (the LC warned that they would probably be bottomless pits with the bottles afterwards for a few days, and she was right!). We used preemie flow nipples and held the bottles almost horizontal so that the bottle wasn't significantly easier than the breast in order to try and avoid them developing a bottle preference. I've done everything I can to increase my supply (domperidone, pumping after each feeding, oatmeal and lots of water) and through continued use of the scale, I saw no increase in what they were getting from the breast...and they are still very happy to eat at the breast, it's not like they were just waiting for the bottle. It took some time, but we have settled into a routine where they tandem feed at the breast for the two first feedings of the day, they alternate for each feeding since lefty just doesn't produce as much as righty, then for the next feedings I feed one from the breast and give him both breasts and the other baby I give a bottle (I do this in tandem using the EZ to nurse pillow, the baby with the bottle sits with his back against me and I give him the bottle). The boys both get about 10 ounces of formula a day and it works out that they get about 2/3 of their intake from the breast (or EBM if I'm at work, I work 3 days a week).
I still don't understand how they could have been so happy if they were not getting enough to eat, it completely baffles me. I struggled and struggled with giving my boys formula and still hate that I have to do it, but I do. It is really gratifying to see them growing and gaining weight before my eyes, it takes some of the sting out when I look at it from their point of view...not as a personal failing. I think I've mostly accepted that they aren't getting breastmilk exclusively, but it has been a process. They came at 34 weeks and I had to bring my milk in with a pump since I couldn't get them to the breast for about 3 weeks, and I think that my body just didn't get the message that there are 2 babies to feed. I keep telling myself that there were many things about their conception and birth that didn't happen as I wanted, but in the end I have the ultimate prize--2 healthy babies who I still do have that breastfeeding relationship with. I intend to do extended breastfeeding and I think my guys will do it...they like the boob. Their weight gain is right on track now, there is just a dip at 4 months.
I hope that you have a case of just needing to up your supply and that your body will respond...by no means do I think that you have the same issues as I do, but I wanted to share my story in case it helps. I've been there and it is SO hard, I can't tell you how many tears I shed. Since your babes are happy, I would suggest you take a couple of days to determine your plan of action so that you can act logically and not too emotionally, that was important for me. I wish you the best of luck and please PM [personal message] me if you want to talk more offline. Take care.
[end of forum post]
So you can see that things were pretty rocky, but we have figured out what works best for all 4 of us. The boys are gaining weight and growing like crazy! I weighed them this morning and Odin was 12 lbs 14.25 oz and Lars was 14 lbs 5 oz. I'm sure the pediatrician will be happy with what he sees at their 6 month appointment in 3 weeks! For reference, Odin weighed 10 lbs 1 oz and Lars weighed 11 lbs 2 oz at their 4 month visit 6 weeks ago.
Here is my response with some clarifying edits:
Oh I'm so sorry you are dealing with this! I was there about 1.5 months ago, my guys had fallen off the weight curve at their 4 month visit, particularly baby B [Odin]. My pediatrician didn't immediately suggest supplementing [with formula], but he did want us to try and get an additional feeding in [at the breast]. I, like you, was so confused because my guys always seemed so satisfied and happy, they slept 7-9 hours in a stretch at night, napped well, and all in all we were feeling like life was going really well, particularly after all of the problems we had with establishing exclusive breastfeeding. I decided to get data (I'm a chemist and DH [online forum speak for dear husband] is an oceanographer...we like data). I rented a breastfeeding scale and for 2 days fed as usual with trying to get an extra breastfeeding session per day in while weighing before and after each feeding. Baby B [Odin] was only getting 17 ounces and Baby A [Lars] was getting 20-22 ounces, Kelly mom [a fantastic online breastfeeding information site] says the average is 25 ounces for a breastfed baby and the range is 19-30. Looking at the data throughout the day, it was obvious that I had enough milk for them in the first 2 feedings of the day because they would take 5-6 ounces each from the breast, but then after that they were only getting 1-3 ounces in the subsquent feedings. It became obvious that I had a supply issue. Only after we had that data and I had talked to an LC [lactation consultant] did we start offering a bottle after feeding (at first it was EBM [expressed breast milk] from my small stash for going back to work) and they were obviously ravenous (the LC warned that they would probably be bottomless pits with the bottles afterwards for a few days, and she was right!). We used preemie flow nipples and held the bottles almost horizontal so that the bottle wasn't significantly easier than the breast in order to try and avoid them developing a bottle preference. I've done everything I can to increase my supply (domperidone, pumping after each feeding, oatmeal and lots of water) and through continued use of the scale, I saw no increase in what they were getting from the breast...and they are still very happy to eat at the breast, it's not like they were just waiting for the bottle. It took some time, but we have settled into a routine where they tandem feed at the breast for the two first feedings of the day, they alternate for each feeding since lefty just doesn't produce as much as righty, then for the next feedings I feed one from the breast and give him both breasts and the other baby I give a bottle (I do this in tandem using the EZ to nurse pillow, the baby with the bottle sits with his back against me and I give him the bottle). The boys both get about 10 ounces of formula a day and it works out that they get about 2/3 of their intake from the breast (or EBM if I'm at work, I work 3 days a week).
I still don't understand how they could have been so happy if they were not getting enough to eat, it completely baffles me. I struggled and struggled with giving my boys formula and still hate that I have to do it, but I do. It is really gratifying to see them growing and gaining weight before my eyes, it takes some of the sting out when I look at it from their point of view...not as a personal failing. I think I've mostly accepted that they aren't getting breastmilk exclusively, but it has been a process. They came at 34 weeks and I had to bring my milk in with a pump since I couldn't get them to the breast for about 3 weeks, and I think that my body just didn't get the message that there are 2 babies to feed. I keep telling myself that there were many things about their conception and birth that didn't happen as I wanted, but in the end I have the ultimate prize--2 healthy babies who I still do have that breastfeeding relationship with. I intend to do extended breastfeeding and I think my guys will do it...they like the boob. Their weight gain is right on track now, there is just a dip at 4 months.
I hope that you have a case of just needing to up your supply and that your body will respond...by no means do I think that you have the same issues as I do, but I wanted to share my story in case it helps. I've been there and it is SO hard, I can't tell you how many tears I shed. Since your babes are happy, I would suggest you take a couple of days to determine your plan of action so that you can act logically and not too emotionally, that was important for me. I wish you the best of luck and please PM [personal message] me if you want to talk more offline. Take care.
[end of forum post]
So you can see that things were pretty rocky, but we have figured out what works best for all 4 of us. The boys are gaining weight and growing like crazy! I weighed them this morning and Odin was 12 lbs 14.25 oz and Lars was 14 lbs 5 oz. I'm sure the pediatrician will be happy with what he sees at their 6 month appointment in 3 weeks! For reference, Odin weighed 10 lbs 1 oz and Lars weighed 11 lbs 2 oz at their 4 month visit 6 weeks ago.
Back to Front
Last Saturday, 10/16 (over a week ago already, gulp!) Lars rolled over from back to tummy for the first time! He got pretty frustrated about his arm being stuck that first time, but he has since learned the finer points of rolling, and now does it all the time with great finesse. Diaper and clothing changes are getting a little more challenging!
Here is crummy cell phone photographic proof of his first back to front roll:
Friday, October 8, 2010
Giggling!
Odin giggled for the first time this morning when Papa was playing with him. Too fun!
Over the last day or so he has also discovered just how loud his voice can be, he may put his cousin Soren's velociraptor screech to shame. Only time will tell. Is it too early for him to understand the concept of 'indoor voices?'
Over the last day or so he has also discovered just how loud his voice can be, he may put his cousin Soren's velociraptor screech to shame. Only time will tell. Is it too early for him to understand the concept of 'indoor voices?'
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Happy Birthday Grandma Lynn!
We dressed up in our finest gear to wish you a happy birthday Grandma! We love you!
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