A walk in the park

Caring for twins sure aint a walk in the park.. However, we did take our first walk on Wednesday and I think the boys enjoyed the different scenery. It made me enjoy our neighborhood even more than I already do. We have a really nice park and pool across the street. The boys will get great use out of it really soon, I'm sure. I'm ready for the weather to start getting nicer so we can take many more walks.

Carter is still waking up every three hours to be fed. Luke can sleep for four and five hours easily so it makes it pretty challenging as we're trying to get on a consistent schedule. I've been reading (like 3 pages at a time, but almost finished) Baby Wise. I heard really great things about the book so hopefully I can finish it before the boys are 1.

I think I mentioned in the last post that the boys are lifting their heads. They're at the stage where I don't think they realize just how heavy their heads are, so we're getting a lot of head butts and nose dives to our chest. I just trimmed fingernails the other day and now I'm working on trimming them all again today. I have 17 more. Yes, 17..Carter allowed me to do three of his before he started making a tight fist. The boys are starting to fit into 3 month clothing (as they approach 4 months old). So, we are getting bigger and H E A V I E R.

I'm enjoying being home right now, even as hectic as it can get some days. All I gotta do is think about traveling to the hospital to see them and I quickly can snap out of it. I mean, anyone who doesn't know what it's like to have two infants at the same time has no idea how much of a HOT MESS a person can actually be! It's literally juggling babies at time. My mother in law says, "I just grab the baby who cries louder." Andddd, that's what you gotta do folks! No, it's really not that bad. Luckily, God has blessed us with a really patient baby so poor thing, he tends to get held and fed 2nd on most occasions. However, we make up for it when the other is sound asleep.

I sure can't wait to see what kind of personalities they'll evolve into. But for now...I'll soak up the little bundles they can be. (Speaking of bundle,Luke can literally roll into a ball) See..

Sneak Peek

Luke in turquoise hat, Carter in red hat

many more to come..

We've come a long way

February

January

December

November

reflux perhaps

Phew! I can breathe. Nana is here all week helping out and she has that special touch when I need a break. It will be really hard next week after she has to go back to work. I ran up the street to get some groceries and I got stuck waiting at the pharmacy for a prescription because they had the name Luke Carter Coffey on the profile so they could not give me the medicine that was originally prescribed for Carter..long story short..I waited for 45 minutes while they straightened things out. Mom was at home with two hungry babies and she got to experience the crying war! Wait, did I saw war? I mean the Carter-cry-fest. He just loves to cry. He doesn't do it too often but once he starts he doesn't stop until he gets really loud. And when we're in the middle of feeding Luke, it's tough to console him. Luke is so patient through everything.

We went to the doctor on Monday and the boys are doing great and growing well. The pediatrician cleared up a lot of questions for me. All the fussiness is most likely related to the high calorie formula. They also might be suffering from some reflux which requires them to be upright more often than we think; we got some medicine to help with that. I was really praying we didn't have a little colic baby on our hands.

Luke now weighs 8 lbs and 9 oz.
Carter weighs 9 lbs and 8 oz.
Chubby babies..and oh sooo cute! Just waiting for some more hair to grow in.


They are such blessings to us.

Uncle Chuy and Aunt Angie

Nana and Luke

Grandpa and Carter

Aunt Kat and Luke

Great Grandma

Grandma

It's the little things

Carter sounds like a lamb when he cries.

Luke doesn't cry much at all.

Carter likes to peek out of one eye before waking up fully.

Luke could sleep all day if we let him.

Carter has a small scar under his nose, probably from the nasal cannula.

Luke is smaller than Carter.

Carter has to have a paci in his mouth at all times.

Luke doesn't need a paci at all but will take it if we give it to him.

Carter fusses until he gets fed and during the feeding.

Luke takes a long time to finish a bottle.

Carter burps twice every feed.

Luke is just plain hard to burp.

They both throw their hands in the air when startled.

They both love music.

They both love to lay on their tummies.

They both toot a lot.

They both try to eat our sleeves when hungry.

They both want to be held 24-7.

and they both dirty their diapers on the same days.

I think we need a baby expert to come live with us for ohhh........about 6 months! Because this is tough.

We just wish we knew how other families handled two! The simultaneous fussiness, the simultaneous crying, and the constant need to be held. I wish I had two more arms, really. It is merely impossible to console two screaming babies and it is impossible to feed them both. I believe that it's absolutely manageable to raise twins but HOLY COW! We have so many really sweet moments each day that we soak up every second of but how does a person not go crazy when things get CrAzY? And How can I drink a cup of coffee before it gets cold? ha. I believe that I'm a hard worker and this brings new meaning to multi tasking! In all honesty, this is a fun kind of busy but it's a new kind of work. It's like learning a new job all over again. We're still trying to develop a schedule so things are still in the rough but these babies have been through enough and to see them crying and we can't figure out why it breaks our heart..I guess any parent would feel that way. We know babies cry, and they fuss, and they whine, they feel sick, they're dirty etc etc. the list goes on but no one ever tells you just how hard parenting is, or the beginning of it at least...orrr the whole rest of our lives And theirs, I guess! Sean and I, as educators are life long learners and I believe that this takes a whole new kind of patients and skills that we are learning about every day.

It's all me today

I have had some wonderful help with the babies the last two weeks and today I'm all alone. Me, the boys and Harley.

I apologize I haven't updated the blog in a few days..it's been a little crazy around here. We're still getting used to everything, on top of two different developing personalities.

Yesterday Melissa and I took the boys to the eye doctor for a follow up. We, and other former NICU families reunited while we all waited for over two hours for our appointments. Mr. Rogers, I mean Dr. Lefler needed three minutes for the eye exams and we all waited in a tiny waiting room with a dozen other families for way too long. Thank goodness we didn't bring the stroller because it wouldn't have fit in the room. I never thought I would have to consider certain things such as my stroller not fitting in an elevator or a small waiting room. Now, I'll always consider it. Thankfully, the boys eyes are developing just fine so we will not be seeing red sweater Lefler anymore.

Auntie Mel and the boys

Some brotherly love last night

 

The boys are growing! And I say that because they're getting heavier and heavier everyday. They still roll up into a ball like a roley poley when we hold them but the ball is quite dense! Both of them have been lifting their heads everyday and we noticed Carter has been trying to pull himself up if we grab his hands. Luke attempted (not knowing what we was really doing) but attempted to pull himself over after grabbing the side of the changing table. It's so fun to see the start of new little things each day, even just a little smirk on their faces. Just a couple weeks ago, these babies were lying in a hospital bed and now they're already showing their personalities. It still amazes me that I am a mother to TWO. I'm trying to make every single moment of this count because I know it will fly by so fast and these little bundles will be walking before we know it.

Oops, I did it again!

Alright, I gave in.

Or should I say, I had to do something! I painted a fingernail; poor Carter. He was the closest victim.

With my lack of assertiveness or a lack of sleep, I mixed up the boys again. This morning I handed a baby over to my mother in law. I gave her specific directions to feed him at this time and with this amount, follow it with his breathing treatment, etc. etc. I'm not sure how or when it dawned on me that I was holding the baby that needed those instructions, the blue paci, and the breathing treatment....but something hit me and sure enough I was calling Luke Carter and Carter Luke.

That darn wrinkle in Luke's forehead just isn't working, so..poor Carter he got painted.

Our first mix up

Well you heard it!

We mixed em up.

Carter was Luke and Luke was Carter. We took the babies on their first outing to Nana and Grandpa's for the super bowl. When we got home, we both grabbed a baby from the backseat (one of which I had to console the whole way home..I swore it was Luke..but it was dark.) We get inside, Sean starts the breathing treatment but half way through I questioned if he was giving the treatment to the right baby. We went back and forth questioning who was who. We went on for nearly two minutes trying to find Luke's distinct little wrinkle on his forehead. Needless to say, we were e x h a u s t e d, the babies were in the same car seats, same outfits, same pacis, just different socks. We couldn't find a difference between the two until I remembered, Luke was in a different shirt after peeing on himself while getting his diaper changed. Phew, thank goodness for that! Luckily, it was only a breathing treatment. I have a feeling this will be the first of many mix ups.

 
 Alas, we are making it. We are tired, we eat meals at crazy times and we get the babies confused in the dark but we're lovin' every second. We always wanted a big family..a loud one at that and now, I think we are getting what we wished for and it is so much fun!

Are they looking more alike?

  

Or is it just me?

Sometimes we forget to count our blessings when things are going so great so I thank God today for the little miracles that were brought into our lives and I thank him for the patience I have been given.

"Patience does not develop overnight. God’s power and goodness are crucial to the development of patience."

We didn't get out in the snow the last few days but we did dress up really warm and we cuddled as long as possible.

 

Why didn't I think of that Earlier??

Fussy babies...common sense- try swaddling, feeding, changing, consoling, singing, walking, rocking, etc. etc. and when none of that works.....

PUT THEM TOGETHER FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!!!

 Duhhhhhhhhh, Amy!

When all else fails.......

The best nap yet

Enjoyed together. The start of many, many memories.

The timing of this icy weather and school closings has been perfect because I've gotten to have my hubby home with me all week.

Little Sleepers

Things are going really good around the Coffey home. Ya know, the night before they came home I was an emotional wreck. I mean a bad, Wreck! Sean was worried about me and I didn't know what had taken over me. It was truly a horrible sight. I was having the most negative thoughts, I was dealing with self esteem issues, tears because none of my clothes were fitting and our house didn't feel ready enough. Everything was just not perfect for the arrival of the babies. It needed to be perfect and in my mind there were still To Do's on the list. Alright so I probably sound like a psycho. I had no idea how I was supposed to be feeling or what I should've been doing to prepare just a little more. I was looking far past the excitement of their arrival and them being healthy and ready to come home and I was letting all these "other things" get in the way. I think back on it today and it didn't matter if there were still boxes to unpack and clean clothes to put away; it really did not matter and I was allowing these chores to get in the way of the excitement I was suppose to be feeling. I wasn't putting God first and I was definitely not allowing my partner to console me. I had so many fears and frustrations that I could not control my emotions. During all of this, I was trying to get ready for my Mom's 60th Surprise Party. Needless to say, I was so out of sorts, I had a ton of trouble transitioning to "Surprise Mom! mode" I sit here today and try to remember what specifics finally calmed me down.. I just prayed. I asked God to just be here. I needed my tears dried and my spirits lifted.                Now for crying out loud Amy--You had TWINS coming home, why would you be crying and frustrated, why would you act like a crazy person?? The Lord only knows. And he's the only one who knows why they came so early.

I have to say, we had noooo idea what to expect and I was scared ****less! Guys never really show these emotions so I didn't feel like he was with me on this. Things that didn't get done were just not important..why didn't I see that? It didn't matter. The babies finally healthy and about to come home. Praise God because he heals and comforts.

The babies are doing really good. They actually slept last night from 11pm-5:04am! Sean and I got some guh-ood sleep, let me tell you! They love when we sing to them and they love being held, what more could we ask for.

Maybe next time, we'll get 2 smiles. Orrr, will we ever?

Look how awesome Sean is when he knows Mommy is tired!