Happy half birthday!!

I'm not sure how this happened....but my boys are 6 months old today!! What?!?!? That's a half a year! Holy moly...did time fly!!!

It has been quite an adventure the past 6 months....can't wait to see what the next 6 months brings...I just hope it doesn't come and go too fast!! 

Proud Mama

Since discovering I had a "crier" a few weeks ago...and shedding some tears about the matter myself....Bryce and I decided we will help her to build a little independence. And so we have continued to take Peyton to her Thursday toddler class and her Saturday dance class. 

Last week when I took Peyton to her toddler class she cried a little...I checked on her (peeking in the window) a few times throughout. She pretty much stuck with the teacher but she eventually stopped pouting and participated. This was huge...the week before she wouldn't participate at all!! This gave me a glimmer of hope! She shed a few tear when I picked her up....but nothing like the week before. 

As of now, I am no longer taking Peyton to dance, Bryce is doing that. Since she can see us pretty much the whole time, we thought she might do better if I wasn't there. 

And so on Saturday I got Peyton dressed and ready for dance and sent her off...hoping for the best. Bryce said she struggled at first but slowly warmed up! By the end she was running around with fairy wings on and checking herself out in the mirror....not listening to the teacher (lol...we'll take what we can get). I was literally so happy I wanted to cry. I'm kind of sad I'm not there to watch...but hopefully in a few weeks I can go again. Her getting used to it is more important. 

Today Peyton had her toddler class. As we were getting ready this morning I kept telling her she had school today....and so all morning she said "school day"....but slowly she started saying she didn't want to got to school...eek!  When I dropped her off I gave her a hug and a kiss and told her I would be back. She cried!!!  After about 15 minutes I checked on her (peeked through the window)...she was playing!! With another kids! Without the teacher!!  If that's not success I don't know what is!  And when I picked her up, she just ran to me with a smile....no tears!!! I was so happy and excited for her!! 

This makes me so excited for Peyton! I hope that she continues to grow and love these classes....because we were optimistic and signed her up for both through the summer!!!

In other news....we have started food with the boys. I was in no rush to start and waited until I thought they were ready. Trevor was starting to express interest in our food so we thought it was time. Much to our surprise, Jensen took right to the food and Trevor....not so much. He threw a fit the first few times we fed him...he yelled at us and kept his lips tight! So we continued feeding Jensen and offered it to Trevor. He slowly improved...he stopped yelling at us but spit everything out! Lol. Until this week...he has actually started taking bites and swallowing!!! I'm so proud of him. 

 

The crier

You might think from looking at the title that I'm talking about one of the boys....but no, I'm talking about Peyton!

I have recently signed Peyton up for 2 different classes. A Pre-preschool class and a dance class. Both classes are once a week and about an hour long. And for both classes parents are out of the room. However, in her dance class has her bestie, Kinley, with her. 

In both classes Peyton is the "crier". Yep, she pouts or cries the ENTIRE time. Granted she has only been to her pre-preschool class twice and her dance class once....but I can't help but be critical of myself as a parent when I see she's the only one in both classes crying. 

I wonder if this is somehow my fault...that because I'm a stay-at-home mom she doesn't get to experience daily activities without me there. And I wonder if I have "held her hand" through too much...that now because of that she can't handle an hour of playing with other kids by herself.

No one enjoys watching their children be upset. So the struggle becomes...do I let her keep pouting or crying in class in hopes that she'll get used to it and let herself have fun? Or do we stop the classes because she's getting upset? 

My mom keeps telling me she's fine and it's just a phase and she'll get used to it. That it's not a reflection of me as a parent and I haven't done anything wrong. She reminds me that all of her kids went through similar things and that my little sister was the worst with it but she eventually learned to do things on her own. 

My motherly instinct is to rescue her...but I worry that "rescuing" her might deprive her of the opportunity to thrive and grow in an environment without mom....to really build independence.  I think about what advice I would give a friend if they were in my situation...and I feel like I would tell them to continue to encourage their child to do the classes because they will eventually get used to it.  That it's teaching independence in a healthy and safe environment.  

I don't know that there is correct solution or way to handle it. Or a specific reason, other than age perhaps, for the behavior. In fact it is probably all pretty normal. But I do know that this mom stuff is hard...and the struggle is real!!

Crib sharing...part 2

Since both boys have really started rolling and moving I have accumulated some adorable crib sharing pictures over the last week. 

Crib sharing

Something you would pretty much NEVER even think about unless you have twins, is.....crib sharing. 

When we first found out we were having twins we said "two cribs"! We didn't want them sharing. Then we said "well, they can start out sharing but we will split them up after a few months, as they start to squirm around". Now here we are at 5 months and they are still crib sharing. 

Bryce has brought up a few times as we watch Trevor kick Jensen in the gut or the head on the baby monitor, if it's time to get another crib...and I quickly shut him down!! I have gone from wanting separate beds to wanting them to sleep together forever....okay that's extreme. But I'm just not ready to let go of them sharing a crib yet; plus, I think they really like it. 

From talking to other twin moms, most have split their twins up by now...but is it really necessary!?!?  Sure they occasionally bump each other or kick each other...but for the most part it doesn't really wake them up. And before me know if they will be moving around in there own and can go where they please in the crib anyways...right?  

Until we start losing sleep....maybe I should say, they start losing sleep...from crib sharing, I think I will stand my ground. They shared a womb for 38 weeks...surely they can navigate a crib together!

Boring update

I haven't posted since we were entering the hell that is....Twins with RSV! Both boys did get it and are now fully recovered!! I didn't realize the seriousness of it until I had countless people tell me hospital stories...so I definitely feel like we dodged a bullet since neither boy had to end up in the hospital. 

Since RSV, life has been pretty boring around here.  Both boys can roll from belly to back....though they consistently choose not to do it! Trevor is matering rolling from belly to back...he seems very proud of himself. Jensen thinks it's fun to just hang out on his side.  They are both getting lots of personality. Trevor is my snuggler and Jensen is super smiley...and has found his feet!!  And the boys just turned 5 months...they are growing so fast!!  We are getting rid of the swaddles (yes!!!) and they look lurk such big boys sleeping without them. 

Peyton is a little pistol...as always! She started a toddler class last week...one day a week for an hour. I was lucky enough to have my mom with me for her class, so one of us could be in there with her if she needed it...that won't be able happen in the future since it will be just me...but I think she'll do great!  In April she starts her first dance class...I'm so excited.  I think she will love it! 

Until next time...

RSV = really shitty virus

Okay, so obviously RSV doesn't stand for  really shitty virus, but it should!  RSV is really just a bad bad cold for babies. It can be scary and not so scary. We are hoping for a not so scary RSV situation. 

Last week we noticed little Trevor had developed a cough...but we figured he seemed fine otherwise, so it would probably just pass. 

Well, it didn't pass; in fact, it got worse and lots of boogies developed. And by the weekend it was clear that the poor little guy didn't feel well and was definitely not sleeping well...he was pretty miserable!

So we took him to the dr first thing Monday morning. The dr noticed a bit of wheezing in his breathing. So she ordered a breathing treatment and an RSV test. 

Watching little Trevor do his breathing treatment was seriously the most pitiful thing I have ever seen!!

The RSV test came back positive.  However, Trevor doesn't have the scary symptoms that accompany RSV and often result in hospital stays. He has no fever, no decreased appetite, his oxygen levels are fine and he isn't struggling too much with breathing. The dr is thinking that tomorrow he may be worse, but he will start to improve after that...based off when his coughing started. We go back tomorrow to follow up and make sure he's still taking it like a champ. 

However, RSV is highly contagious...and guess what...we have 2 babies! So we are fully expecting Jensen to catch it....ugh!! Here's hoping Jensen also has the less scary version of "really shitty virus".