REALLY LONG POST...

Nathan & Alexa are growing like weeds! Here is a cute video I took of them this morning. They are so much fun!


Many of you have asked if I'm getting any sleep, if I'm completely exhausted, etc... Well there are many answers to that. The short answer is that I'm actually getting more sleep than a mother of 3 1/2 week old twins should. Don't get me wrong... it's not much but it's enough to keep me going. I'm not even a zombie most of the time. Want to know my secret? Are you sure? It's *gasp* keeping them on a schedule! And I even *double gasp* wake sleeping babies to eat! Now I must admit, I had a head start because they came home on a 3 hour schedule because of the NICU but "parent directed feeding" rather than "demand feeding" was the plan anyhow. We eat, have wake time for up to an hour, than lay down for a nap until time for the next feeding. No wake time in the middle of the night, of course... & I actually have stopped waking them to eat at night since they're full-term age & so they do four hour stretches. To be honest, I have almost never had to wake both of them. If it's time to eat, 90% of the time, one of them will start waking up on their own right on time. My "schedule" is primarily based on the somewhat controversial book, "On Becoming Babywise" although there are a few things I don't use. If you've ever heard bad things about "Babywise," I would just say, "Don't knock it till you try it." It doesn't encourage craziness & rigidity. It encourages scheduling with flexibility when needed.

Here's the bonus: babies that will sleep 8 hours by 9 weeks old & 12 hours by 3 months old... & for now, knowing how to plan my day. It would make me crazy if I were running around trying to get things done not knowing what was coming next with the babies. That just seems chaotic & Babywise really does just make sense to me. I honestly don't think I would survive without it. I didn't go into this plan blind; I was introduced to "Babywise" by my sister-in-law, Jennie Jo, who has had sucess with it with her 3 children. I also have many other friends & family members who have tried it & it worked for them. I would never do something that would hurt my babies. They are getting enough to eat. I know that because of the 3 things all moms look for to determine if they eat enough: wet diapers, poopie diapers & weight gain (check, check, check!) And they're definitely cuddled, kissed & loved on as much as any baby could handle!

I will say this, it may not be for everyone, although I do wish more people would give it a shot. I am a firm believer, though, that a stressed mommy is not good & if you tried it & it was just too much for you to think about, I would say do what works for you. I'm not going to be ignorant enough to say one plan is right for every one or every baby. But for me, especially with twins, it's a must. I really would encourage all of my mommy friends to at least look into it so you can be informed. And like I said, use your brain. I follow it about 80%. I don't think anything out of a book should be followed 100% (with the exception of the scriptures, of course! ha!). And if you have any questions, let me know. Oh, & you CAN start with an older baby.

Ok, enough of that. I have to tell you one more thing. My wonderfully talented friend, & first Rick's College Roommate, Diana, has started a business called Baby Bumpkins. They make DARLING hair clips for little girls & have just started doing t-shirts. Check them out by clicking on this button:

Whew-- told you this was a long one... that's all for now! (Oh, & to answer another question, I have time to blog because I am attached to a machine named the "Ugly Baby" 8-10 times a day. In case you're confused, I pump & bottle feed Nathan & Alexa!)