Christmas

12-24-13

Clara hanging with Grandma

Adelyn getting ready
to go to Grandpa Dykstra's

This was the girls' first Christmas.  Like I have stated in previous posts, I am a sucker for rituals and traditions.  I am so excited to discover Christmas all over again through my girls' eyes!  Christmas actually started a week earlier at my dad's house.  On Friday December 20th, I took Adelyn to my dad's for Christmas.  I left Clara with my mom because I was exhausted.  The girls hadn't been sleeping well and Clara was being SUPER "sensitive."  I figured that trying to pack around two car seats, two babies (one being super fussy), and presents was going to be a little much so I made the "Mom" decision to leave Clara with Grandma and Grandpa Marquardt.
     My step sisters have little kids and there is always a lot of action and screaming at my dad's so I didn't want it to over stimulate Clara, which I knew it would.  Obviously next year they will both come since they will both be able to walk and will be a little more self sufficient, but this year, I needed some peace and Clara needed a calm environment.  She was missed by all, but I stand by my decision as her mom.

 Christmas Eve was spent at my mom's house.  The girls both had colds so it was EXTRA fun...Before I left to go to my mom's my friend Katie surprised me with a visit of presents.  It was sooo sweet of her and her family to think of my girls during the holidays.  She showered them with a couple gifts and she was gone as soon as she arrived.  It was completely out of the blue and very much appreciated.  My other friend Jill showed up, as well, with gifts for the girls and we did a present exchange for our kids; I still think it so cool that I get to say "my kids."  I just feel so lucky to have so many wonderful people in my life.    
     We arrived around 3 pm at my mom's and I set the girls up in girls' room.  They fell asleep

Marquardts

immediately! Luckily they slept through dinner and were up and awake during presents.  I don't get to see Allison and gang hardly enough so it was fun for them to be able to play with the girls.

Adelyn telling cousin McKenna what she wanted for Christmas

Adelyn had some precious time with Auntie Alli

Christmas morning started around 7:30 am.  The girls got up for the day and we had breakfast.  After breakfast, I moved their lounge chairs near the tree and we opened presents.  I had to take a couple token Christmas photos and then they went down for their nap.  The girls were pretty much sleeping for the rest of the day...their colds pretty much wiped them out.
     Over all it was a great Christmas and I am super excited for next year when the girls will actually have some awareness of
what is going on around them

First Cold

12-24-13

Adelyn is powering through her cold!

Well...the inevitable happened...the girls got their first cold.  Adelyn caught it first.  On Christmas Eve she woke up with a runny nose, cough, and sneezes.  She was pretty miserable all day but despite that, she wore her smiles like a champ.  I called the doctor and he basically said that I should unclog her nose with the pump ball thingy and make a saline solution (1/8 tp salt to 8oz water) and put it in her nose.

Clara was trying to sleep off her cold in this pic

     She did NOT like the saline solution going into her nose but it did seem to help her breathe better.  The ball pump thingy didn't really do much.  I think it is too big for her nostrils.
     Clara eventually got the cold as well.  It hit her full force today (12-26) and her poor little nose is just a running away.  She doesn't mind me wiping it unlike Adelyn who puts herself into a fit when I try to clean her nose.  It must be sooo sensitive.  Poor girl.  I just want to make it all better for her!!!

   So far, luckily, I have avoided the germs that are flying around this house...thank god for

EmergenC!
     We are on day three of being sick so hopefully it has run it's course and will be moving on here soon!!

Purple Crying

Saturday Dec. 14, 2013


     Soooo, update on the feeding....we are back to our regular schedule.  The book is on the bookshelf to be re looked at, at a later date.  The girls are feeding about every 3-4 hours during the day and they are drinking about 3-6 oz. a time depending on the time of day.  I wake the girls up (or get us as close to) 10 pm as possible.  That is the GOLDEN hour.  They drink about 3-4 oz then and they will sleep all the way to 6 am ish.  I have a monitor in my bedroom so usually I hear one of them stirring around 3 am but they put themselves back to sleep.  Last night I didn't hear any stirring until 4 am so we have gained an hour of soundless sleep :).

     I keep the 6 am feeding silent.  No lights, no noise, and no talking to the girls.  I change them and then take them to the kitchen for a feeding.  They only feed for about 10 min (drink about 3-4 oz) and then back to bed for three hours.

     Our day starts at 9 - 9:30 ish.  I turn the lights on, open the blinds, and sing my "good morning" song to the girls.  I try to make it as inviting as possible.  The girls pick out their clothes for the day; usually they pick out a onsie and a pair of pants.  They are such fashionistas already, at such a young age. I wonder where they get it from?  Just kidding, I am just glad the outfit is in the same general color scheme.  Sometimes matchy matchy, most times not.  :) Sorry Grandma.

     During my endless hours of research to make sure I am doing what I am suppose to be doing, a friend sent me this link that explained a lot.  Did you know there is a thing called the "witching hour" or "happy hour" for babies?  Apparently starting at 2 weeks of age til about 12 weeks of age, babies tend to cry for no reason and more so in the evening time.  I had no idea, but it explains A LOT.  From my research I found that people call it "PURPLE" crying.



      The research says that it peaks at 8 weeks of age; sooooo true because my girls are 9 weeks old now and I was pulling out my hair trying to understand what was going on.  After finding this article it makes more sense.  The girls are doing what they are suppose to be doing!  I am doing what I am suppose to be doing; phew.
     I wish there was ONE book that walked new parents through the stages.  I have to find all this important info in so many different resources.  I guess that is one of the main reasons for this blog.  I want any new mom that comes across it, to have the info they need in ONE place.  I am such a trail blazer; ha, just kidding :)...just being my typical overachieving self :).  Always an adventure :).

Sleeping Update 2

Tuesday Dec. 10, 2013

Sooooo.....things might be working out.....

I have been putting Clara in a swaddle and in my bedroom in the napper and I put Adelyn in the crib in the nursery.  Adelyn likes to sleep with her hands above her head so I don't swaddle her. Adelyn will sleep at least 30-45 minutes before stirring.  I give her about 5 minutes of fussing before I go to her but lately, she has put herself back to sleep.  WAHOO.

To be continued... :)

Sleeping

12-8-13

Another day in pair...adise...

It is amazing how much you don't appreciate sleep until you don't get it anymore.  I have given up on the dream of a solid eight hours of sleep.  Maybe someday...

My girls have such different personalities already in their early lives.  Clara is my amazing sleeper.  Adelyn, not so much.  From the first day they came home from the hospital they have dictated their sleeping arrangements.  They didn't want to sleep in the bassinet so for the first three weeks of their lives they slept in the swings in the living room, while I slept on the couch; not the most comfortable for me but they slept, which was key.

After three weeks, I discovered that they love sleeping in their nappers.  I arranged the nappers on my bed and for the next couple weeks...life was great.  They were on a 3 hour schedule during the day.  For example, wake up at 8, change, feed, play, then around 9, back to bed; they would sleep for 2 hours and we would repeat. Life was great for all.  They were on a routine and I had a life I could work around.  If I tried to get them to sleep anywhere else, crying would ensue so it was back to the nappers. At least I was back in my bed and not sleeping on the couch anymore, even if I was limited to a single width on my queen size bed; them sleeping is key however it works.

Then at 6 weeks life took us on another adventure.  Clara is still my perfect sleeper.  I swaddle her, place her in the napper, give her a pacifier and she is out...she is out in seconds.  ahhh....heaven.  Adelyn, not so much.  I swaddle her, put her in her napper (she hates the pacifier..so we skip that part) and then....screams.  She just doesn't want to go to sleep.  She is sooo alert during the day; she stares at everything and she just doesn't want to miss out on anything by going to sleep.  Now, I swaddle her and rock her for about 5 minutes until she passes out.  Then I am able to put her in the napper and she will sleep for about 30 minutes and screams again.  I get her and bring her to the living room and in about 15 minutes she is sleeping soundly on my chest.  She is out.  If I try to put her back in the napper, she wakes up immediately but if I let her just cuddle on my chest, she will then sleep the rest of the hour til the next feeding.  Needless to say, I can't get things done during that time but I also love the bonding time.  I feel guilty that I don't have that cuddle time with Clara because she sleeps so soundly in her napper.

Now we are at 8 weeks, almost 9 weeks old.  Adelyn STILL doesn't like to go to sleep during the day; both girls are good night sleepers so I am thankful for that.  We have our last feeding at 10 pm and they will both go right to sleep until 3 am and then again until 5:30 am. I am looking forward to the day we can skip that 3 am feeding.

Today...I may have found a solution....I am probably jinxing myself by writing about it but I am hoping that any mom reading this blog may have advice for me.  I fed both girls at 8 and then they get twin time.  They play in the crib for 30-45 minutes and then I put them to bed.  Now up to this day, both girls sleep only in their nappers.  So I take them out, swaddle them, and put them down.  Clara went right to sleep; Adelyn, nope.  I took Adelyn out of my room and put her back in the crib.  I figured she could entertain herself for a while longer and then fall asleep and sure enough....at 10:15 (1 hour 15 min later) she is asleep in the crib.  HALLELUJAH !  I am writing this while she is sleeping so I don't know how long it is going to last.  So far it has been 10 minutes.

Update....it is 10:30 and Adelyn is awake again...she isn't crying tho....I am going to leave her in the crib and hopefully she will put herself back to sleep.  Life is good when there isn't any crying :)

Grandma Daycare Trial Run

Tuesday December 3, 2013

I had to go into school today to give a lecture on my experience at Auschwitz to the 8th grade classes so we had a trial run at Grandma Daycare today.  I got up at 5:15 am and was able to feed, change, shower, eat, and be out the door to Mom's house by 6:20...proud of myself if I do say so! Mom watched the girls from 6:30 am to 12 pm and I have to say Mom had more of an adventure than I did today :)....It is always an adventure with the twins.

It is still difficult for me to leave the girls.  I miss them tremendously as soon as I step out the door to leave.  I did call Grandma's house every chance I could to see how the twins were doing and they were always fine.  I feel lucky I have my mom to leave them with instead of a stranger at some germ infested daycare (my take).

Being a single parent is NEVER easy but it has become my normal so I have to laugh now when I reflect on the day. I arrived at Mom's, after I left school, just in time to help with the noon feeding. Right after that, she couldn't shoo me out of the house fast enough.  I think she actually said, "I hate to kick you out, but...."  Truthfully, I'm sure she was exhausted.  The girls gave her a workout and she was ready for a break.  I know how much she loves the girls, and me, so I didn't take the quick exit as anything insulting.  She said she will be better prepared for tomorrow when I have to go back to school and give my presentation again :)

This is a picture Mom emailed me to show me that everything was great....little did I know at the time that this peaceful bliss lasted only 5 minutes (suppose to be "twin time" to play but turned into a quick nap time) and then they were awake and fussy

Here is Mom's facebook post about today:

"Took Care of the 8 week old Twins this morning ALONE while Emily made her yearly History presentation at her Mid-High School upon request. I remember saying "Oh sure, no problem, I'll watch the girls"....From 6:30am to 12:45pm I was BUSY. Couldn't seem to synchronize anything (key)...Started out fine and soon the girls wanted to see me run so they changed it up a bit...One wanted to eat and the other didn't...One wanted to sleep and the other didn't...They both wanted to be held at the same time (figure that one out)...ALL MORNING LONG. I tried making some breakfast for myself three times. Longest morning I've had in a long time. OMG. Glad Emily knows I love those twins 'cuz I felt a tad guilty pushing all 3 out the door in a hurry when Emily finally showed up to take them home. An interesting experience for Grandma Sharon for sure..............."

2 Month Check Up

12/2/13

Today the girls had their 2 month doctor appointment.  This is a big appointment because they get their vaccinations today.  Mom came with me to help with the girls.  I don't know what I would do without her help!  The girls are so lucky to have her for a grandma!

Stats:
   Adelyn:  weighs 10 pounds 14 oz (50 percentile)
                22 inches long
                head is 38 cm
                has a rash on her chest but turns out it is baby acne.  Will go away over time
                Vaccinations:  3 shots in one thigh and 2 shots in the other thigh; 1 oral
             
 She cried through the whole ordeal; her thighs are very swollen now and she is VERY fussy.  She cried through out her feeding and it took a lot to get her to calm down.  Doctor said to give her a bath because the warm water should help.  I will do that after she wakes up.  Poor girl.  It is hard on a mom to watch your children in pain and not be able to soothe them.  She should be better by tomorrow though.

   Clara:  weighs 9 pounds 14 oz (24 percentile)
             22 inches long
             head is 38 cm
             Dr. said to add 2 oz of water a day to help with her bowel movements
             added 400 IU of vit. D supplement a day
             Right eye is still goopy.  Eye tear duct is not fully developed.  Dr. said it could take up to 10 months to fully develop.
              Vaccinations:  3 shots in one thigh and 2 shots in the other thigh; 1 oral

She SCREAMED through the shots.  Her Mariah Carey lungs were in full octave force.  Pretty sure she could have shattered glass if there had been any around.  She is still extremely fussy and keeping her lungs ready for American Idol tryouts.

While I was holding the one getting the shots, Grandma Sharon was out in the hall comforting the other!  I definitely couldn't have gone through this experience without her!  It was so nice having her there to help comfort the girls, and me :).

Going to be a long night for me. It is hard to comfort two screaming babies,,,,headache meds are on the ready.

Update:  Clara continued to scream through out the night and Grandpa Lloyd and Grandma Sharon came over to help me at 6:30.  It is very hard to comfort two screaming babies when you are only one person!  Thank goodness they live close!!

At the 10 pm feeding I was back on my own and both girls were over the hump.  They were both so happy that I almost didn't want to put them to bed.  Even Clara was all smiles!!!!  I love my girls!

Black Friday

Friday Nov. 29, 2013

It has been a tradition since I was a little girl to get up and go shopping on Black Friday.  When I was little, my grandma, mom, and aunt would take me to downtown Seattle and we would have lunch at Fredricks and Nelsons and do some Christmas shopping.  I always got to pick out my "Christmas outfit" that would be wrapped and put under the tree.
     As my grandma got older, my aunt and I would still take her Black Friday shopping.  We would leave the house around 7 am and head to Northgate Mall (later years it turned into Alderwood Mall) and once there, we would split up.  I would take a couple hours to do my Christmas shopping and find my "outfit" that Grandma would still buy and put under the tree.  We would then meet for lunch and when we got home, we would show Grandpa all our purchases.
    When Grandma passed, I still kept the tradition alive.  My aunt lives three hours away so she didn't go anymore, but I would get up around 7 and go and do my Christmas shopping.  7 am is a perfect time to go because all the 5 am crazies are done and tired and the later crew usually starts about 10/11.

  This is my girls first Black Friday and despite being 7 weeks old, we are keeping the tradition alive.  Mom arrived at my house at 7 am and we gave the girls a quick feeding to tie them over.  We loaded up the girls and took off for the Alderwood Mall.  Sure enough, there was plenty of parking and there were not that many people at the Mall...don't get me wrong...there was still a significant amount of people at the mall on a Friday at 8 am but not so many that would drive you bonkers.
    Mom and I had our lists of people to buy for and set off to accomplish as much as we could before the girls demanded we go home.  We actually got a lot done...well Mom did;  we got a lot of people checked off her list while I stood with the stroller to the side of everyone's way.  Apparently double strollers are not the easiest to maneuver in skinny shopping aisles.  It was ok.  I get stressed when I am in people's way anyway so I stayed to the side while Mom checked people off her list one by one.
     After the first store, Adelyn just didn't want to go to sleep so I put her in the Baby Bjorn and carried her on my chest.  It worked out great actually because she loves to look around!  She is such a people watcher already.  Clara was fast asleep and shortly after Adelyn was as well.  It was a good thing that I took Adelyn out because it gave us room to put all the bags that Mom was buying.  Is it sad that we had to remove a baby just to find room for purchases?  Aunt Mary Jane would be proud tho...all discounted purchases :).
    At 10 am Mom had most people checked off

and I got a couple people taken care of so we headed to the car to feed the girls and change them.  We waved a couple cars off that were hoping to get our spot.  We weren't leaving until AFTER the feeding.
    Once the girls were fed, changed and back in their car seats, we set off for our final destination.  We finished our Black Friday at Fred Meyer's and got a couple great deals there as well.  By 12:30 pm, I was home and the girls were ready to be fed again.  It was a great day and I am excited to continue this tradition with my girls as they get older.  :)

Roll Over

Tuesday Nov. 26, 2013

It is official....Adelyn rolled from her stomach to her back, on her own!!!  She did it yesterday too but I didn't know if it was a fluke or not because she wouldn't do it again.  I put her down today for her stomach time after the Turkey Trot at Cavelero and sure enough, she rolled right over.  She did it pretty quickly too!  After I got done clapping for her and praising her, I grabbed my camera to take some pictures of the girls...enjoy :)

Clara and Adelyn

Adelyn is "talking:

They are always holding hands or have their arms crossed

Clara is talking and singing :)

Santa Photos

Tuesday November 26, 2013

I am really into the holidays, normally, and now I get to see them for the first time through my daughters' eyes.  For the next several years, I get to live through their enjoyment of everything Thanksgiving and Christmas and it just makes me even more excited for the holidays.
     Not only am I excited about the holidays, I am big on traditions.  I love traditions.  They give me something to look forward to and I am looking forward to passing them on to my girls.  One of the traditions, of course, is the Santa photo...  The Santa photo is such an American thing to do and the more the child cries, the funnier the photo...yet, I wanted my girls to have the "perfect" photo...ha...reality check.

Adelyn and Clara

     Before we left for the mall, I dressed the girls in their new
Christmas dresses that Grandpa John and Nana Kelly got them.  I wanted to have my own photo shoot before we did the official picture.  Mom is really good at taking pictures and has an eye for details so we had fun propping the girls next to the tree and taking tons of photos, hoping that at least one of them was a good shot :).

Adelyn

Clara

Mom and daughters :) 

     Mom and I took the girls to the Everett Mall to get their photo.  I figured, every kid should be in school, so there would be no lines and then I wouldn't feel pressured to get the girls situated and calmed before the photo was taken.  First of all...Santa was weird.   He was the skinniest Santa I have ever seen (granted, it is Everett), and he had a couple hippie braids going down his back.  When he came to talk to me, before the photo, I am pretty sure he had fangs as well..oh jeez...I would have thought Santa was exempt from all the vampire craze...guess not.
    Santa took me over to the photo selections to let me know that we didn't have to do a "traditional" photo.  Excuse me, I am ALL about tradition.  There were pictures of him laying on his back, draped over the chair with the babies lying on his stomach...there were pictures of the kids just sitting on the chair and he was standing next to it...umm....I told him to start with the "traditional" first and we would go from there.  

Clara and Adelyn

   Mom helped position the girls while I went next to the computer to see the picture.  We took a couple and I picked the "traditional" picture.  if it isn't broken, don't fix it :).  The girls were asleep so it wasn't the best picture of them BUT it is their first Santa photo and I think they are beautiful no matter what.
   On a side note, it is amazing what having twins does to the general public.  Almost every woman that walked by us, had to stop and coo and awww...and tell me what beautiful girls they were.  They wanted to know how old they are and were they identical?....they are only 7 weeks old and are already celebrities :).

One Thing After Another

Tuesday November 19, 2013


This was one of those days were you just have to sit back and laugh...

     Apparently it started with my mom at her house...picture it...a cold morning; it had rained a ton the night before; Mom steps out onto the porch to wipe off the slider window and the canopy tarp bumped and sent a ton of freezing, cold rain water down her back.  Not particularly the best way to start your morning...definitely a good way to wake you up, but not a way to put you in a good mood.
     Mom and I had a bunch of errands to run today and when you have kids, you can't just pack up and go.  I have to schedule my outings around the girls' feedings.  The last thing I want to have happen is to be out on the road and have two screaming kids in the back seat because they are starving or need diaper changes, or heaven forbid...their pacifier falls out of their mouth.  Usually I try to get what I can get done in a three hour window because that is how long it usually is between feedings.
     Our first errand, mom and I and the girls, took us to Albertsons.  As mentioned in previous entries, we had excess formula so Mom wanted to take back one we weren't using.  She stayed with the girls in the car and I ran in...the return happened smoothly so I went to Rite Aid, right next door.  A side note,  my mom and I are a little OCD in our errand runs.  You have to plan out the locations in almost a circle type occurrence.  You have to plan out the places so that your time is most effectively used so our agenda was:

                 Albertsons-Rite Aid-Target-Safeway-Freeway-Church-Vet-Overlake Rep. Health

     I got a lot of newborn diapers and my girls are now in size one.  I had heard that if you take unopened diapers back, you can exchange them for a bigger size.  One of the diapers had a Rite Aid name brand on it so that was next on the list.  I ran in and the guy couldn't just exchange it.  The diapers would have to be "returned" and since I didn't have a receipt, the money would be put on a gift card and then I could use that gift card to buy a bigger size of diapers...jeez...
    As he was doing the return he needed my drivers license...which I didn't have...it was in the car. So I had to run to the car and back...all while...I am trying to get everything done within a three hour window.  In the end, the diapers were only worth four dollars so it was put on the gift card.
     Next was Target.  I had a preemie outfit to return (with receipt), a bra, and a box of diapers (both with no receipts).  My luck the lady at the return next was NEW and about 70 years old.  Seriously...I looked around to see if I was on some hidden camera show.  I must have told the lady that the preemie outfits were on the receipts about five times.  Finally she got that returned.  Then the bra...she had to put that on a gift card...yet another new experience for her.  10 minutes later we finally get to the box of diapers.  Mind you, Mom is with the girls in the car and I knew Clara had started to whimper when I left to go into the store.
    Apparently you can only return ONE item without a receipt a time at Target and the diapers just sent the system into a crash down.  The lady had to have her superior help her...who was busy running around everywhere BUT customer service and then had to call the home office to get some override code.  The first time she called, the system hung up on her.  By this time, there are about eight people in line behind me, it has been about 20 minutes, and I am clearly frustrated.  Some young store employee took the line of people behind me so I could continue to wait for the superior lady re called home office.  They gave her the override code and we began to make up some time...then another delay.  I had to go get another box of diapers to trade and when I got back, they made me wait in line AGAIN.  I had to wait behind three people...(tick tock...tick tock)....
    I got back up to the counter and the lady had to re ring the new box and put the value on a gift card and at this point I am just waiting for Ashton Kutcher from Punked to jump out from behind the counter.
    When I left Target, Mom was no where to be found.  I called her cell and she came to pick me up.  Clara was crying so Mom drove around hoping to put her to sleep...no such luck.  Because of the serious delay in time,  we bumped our Safeway stop to the end of our errand list decided to take an impromtu McDonalds stop because we were hungry. I have discovered since having kids that my slow eating of food doesn't exist anymore.  I no longer taste most of the food I eat because I have to shove it in before some child starts screaming and I need to tend to that child.  So in the parking lot, I am shoving fries and a cheeseburger into my mouth at the same time because I knew I would have to get Clara and change her diaper, in the car.
    Diaper changed, recharged and now onto church.  I had left the girls' baptism certificates there so we quickly picked those up. While there I mixed up some formula sitting in the car; the powder made it more on my lap than into the bottles. What is a little milk powder smell in the car...Mom won't mind :)...sorry Mom.  Next stop, the vet, to get another bag of special diet dog food for Lucy.
     After Koenig's office, we evaluated if we should really make trek to Bellevue or bag it and head home.  I convinced Mom that since we were already on the road to just head there.

     Along the way, as we were entering the freeway, a seagull flew over us and pooped all over the front windshield and on the sun roof.  Really????  Least we had Christmas music to listen to on the radio even though it isn't even Thanksgiving.  It is amazing how the 10th rendition of Drummer Boy you hear, really puts you in the festive spirit.
     The days journey really did pay off when we got to Overlake.  It was so great to show off the girls to the amazing, special team that helped my dream come true.  The girls were perfect!  The doctors got to hold them and the love on all their faces really made my heart happy. There were a lot of factors that went into my girls and the amazing staff at Overlake was definitely a major factor.

     After Overlake we headed home.  We never did make it to
Safeway...we had to put that location on another day's errands.  All in all, the girls made it in one piece and Mom and laughed at the day's events.  Plus...it gives me something fun/truthful to write about in my Blog :).

Baptism

Sunday November 17, 2013

before service

I want to start this entry off with a little background...Today was a very special day for me. Today my girls were baptized in the Lutheran church.  I am not a person that goes to church every Sunday but I do have a strong faith and it was very important to me that my girls be baptized.  I want my girls to be raised in the church and have a structure that will help guide them through struggles and joyous occasions in life.  Once they are old enough, they can make their own choices regarding their faith, but I want to create that foundation.
   I had my girls baptized at Central Lutheran Church.  This is the
church that I was baptized at.  My grandparents were members of this church and were a big part of their membership and even though they have passed, I know they are up in heaven watching over my girls.  My grandparents (both sides) were very important to me and I know they are proud of me.

Me in 1975 in the gown

     Not only was the ceremony itself important to me, the location, and

Adelyn in 2013 in the gown

family connection, the gown Adelyn wore is very sentimental too.  My grandma Adelaide's aunt handmade the gown in 1917 and it was worn by my grandmother, my grandmother's siblings, their children, and then of course down the line to me.  Adelyn is the 4th generation (Adelaide, John, Me, Adelyn)  I remember visiting my aunt this summer when she brought the gown out of the safe and told me the history of the gown.  I was moved to tears at the thought of my own daughter being able to wear the gown.
     People have asked me how I picked which daughter was going to wear it; I chose Adelyn just because she has part of Adelaide's name.  I love Clara just as much and I want her to have a tradition of her own so I searched and searched for her own perfect gown.  She will be able to hand down her gown to her daughter(s) and create a new story.
   
Now the day:

Adelyn

Godparents:  Guy and Rhonda Martin

  We had to be at the church at 9:30 am to go over the service.  We met Rhonda and Guy Martin there beforehand.  Rhonda and Guy are the Godparents and I am so honored that they agreed to do so.  I know my girls are so lucky to have them in their lives and if they ever needed anything, spiritually or otherwise, Rhonda and Guy would always be there for them.
   
Mom and  I got the girls dressed at the church because there was no way to transport them in their gowns in the car seats.  Besides, I was so stressed...not about the ceremony...just about Adelyn spitting up all over this gown that is 96 years old.  I just had this vision of Adelyn spitting up all over it,

Clara

staining it and then the perfect dress would be yellow for all the future generations.  Aunt Mary Jane told me to relax and that spit up was a normal activity for babies and not to worry about it...yeah right.

    The girls did look so angelic in their gowns and I had to hold back the tears of happiness and pride.  Rhonda and Guy held the girls through the church service; the baptism part wasn't until the end.  I had fed the girls and changed them before but...man...bullets of sweat were rolling down my face praying that the girls wouldn't start crying.

Uncle Dan and Aunt Mary Jane

     I only had to step out to change Adelyn once, and Rhonda fed Clara a little bit of a bottle.  The actual baptism part went so smoothly and my heart was happy.  After our part was over, I took Adelyn out to change and everyone else stayed the duration.  Aunt Mary Jane told me that while she
was holding Clara at the end of the service, everyone sang a song that was Grandma's favorite.  I told her that it was a sign that Grandma was there with us.

Guy holding Adelyn

Rhonda holding Clara

 

Pastor Jeff

After the service, Dad and Kelly held a very nice reception at their house.  Everyone went over there for some tasty treats and great conversation.  It was nice to have everyone in one place.  My friends and family took their turns holding the girls and after an hour or so, the girls were hungry so we said our goodbyes and headed home.
     It was a long day, but a good day.  My heart was and is full with love and the day couldn't have gone any better.  I am thankful for the people that showed up to witness the day and I am thankful to have you all in my life.  My girls are truly blessed!
   

One Day

Friday 11-15-13

Well...I lasted one day having Clara on the hypoallergenic formula....so much for the five days I was going to try to go.  She absolutely HATED the taste and screamed more than she normally did while on the standard formula.  My heart strings couldn't handle her discomfort so I gave her the standard formula back.  Clara continued to drink the standard formula today, along with breast milk.  Just like other feedings, she continued to grunt, get red in the face, and contract her stomach as if in pain.
     Mid morning I got a Facebook message from a friend who had read my previous post and told me Clara's symptoms sounded just like her daughters.  Andrea suggested that I try soy since that had been the miracle formula for her daughter.  I really wanted to, but I didn't want to switch to yet another formula for it not to work (soy was the ONE type of formula that I hadn't tried yet).  I mean it...my cupboards are stocked with every brand of formula you could think of.  I am prepared for any ailment
the girls may have in the future....anyone want to buy some formula???? So...I called the doctor, set up an appointment for Monday morning and decided to just stick with the standard formula til then.
     As the day went on, Andrea's message stuck with me and I kept thinking about it.  Then around dinner time, my mom and Lloyd suggested I try the soy as well.  At least that way when we do go to the doctor on Monday, we can say we tried ALL the formulas and none worked.  When I say we tried "all" formulas, I mean we tried A LOT.  None of them have worked so far so I didn't have the highest hopes for the soy.

    At the 7 pm feeding the girls got their first bottle of the soy formula.  A hush fell upon the room as all the adults waited to hear and see how Clara, particularly, liked it or not.  I actually think I held my breath as I waited for the screams to fill the air.  Nothing happened....no screams, minimal grunting and she actually was drinking the bottle.  OMG.  SUCCESS!!  Hopefully!  She drank most of her bottle and fell asleep instantly.  Poor girl was probably soo exhausted from having an upset stomach for so long that she even slept upright on the couch.  Adelyn even liked it so all might be right in the world.
     We shall see how the rest of the night goes and tomorrow.  I am definitely sticking with the soy until Monday.  I will then share the experiences with the doctor and let him tell me what I should officially do.

Trouble with Eating

Thursday 11-14-13

It has been a long couple days.  It started on Tuesday when we went to the doctor because Adelyn had a small amount of blood in her stool.  Doctor showed me that she has a small tear near her anus and it could be just because or it could be because she is allergic to cow's milk (standard formula).  He suggested that I try soy milk formula but he warned that most likely if they are allergic to cow's milk, they will probably be allergic to soy milk. If that is the case, I have to use a special hypoallergenic formula ($$$).  I figured I wouldn't waste time with the middle man so went straight to the expensive stuff (long run, went back to the original formula)
     Adelyn used it for one feeding later that night (they get breast milk in bottles during the day) and she hated it. She refused to drink it, cried and closed her mouth. I went back to standard formula for her; even though  the doctor did say to wait 5 days for her sore to heal...me and my impatience (limited)...
    Meanwhile, my guess is that Clara has had a difficult time eating since the beginning.  She had difficulty latching (her smaller weight and size) and
while she drinks her bottle, she is constantly grunting and getting red in the face.  I think she is trying to poop however it seems super difficult for her.  I did some research online and it could be a number of things.  It could be "grunting baby syndrome" which is where newborn bowels aren't fully developed yet (?) so she could need more time to develop and then perhaps pooping will become an easier process.  It could be reflux and/or colic as well. Does a mother have to be a physician to figure this stuff out? I'm glad I have What to expect: The first year and the internet to refer to for advice. Either way, it only happens when she is eating so it most likely has to do with the cow's milk...I don't know. SOOO I am going to try for 5 days putting her on the hypo formula.
 

 After all day of breast milk (grunting as well), her first feeding of the new formula was at 2 pm.  She drank it and continued to cry.  Mom tried putting her to bed but she continued screaming.  Finally I had her lay on my chest and she feel asleep.  Apparently she just needed my warmth to calm her down (awww).  We slept like that for about 30 minutes. Then I was able to put her into her own bed.
    Around 4:30pm Tina and her daughter Becca came over for a visit and it was time for another feeding.  Again, I made her a special bottle.  She drank about 2 oz of it with difficulty and then didn't want anymore.  When I attempted to give her more, she pushed it away and screamed.  I burped her, coddled her, and rocked her. Nothing seemed to work.  After 20 min of screaming, I caved (my nerves were shot) and gave her a sip of the standard cow's milk formula.  She sucked it right down...and fell asleep. Worked for me.

     Mom reminded me that I have to stay STRONG and give her 5 days of the new formula as requested by her physician.  Mom says she eventually will drink it.  I want to make my baby happy and comforted and I am sure the new formula will help her stomach issues but man, the screaming and discomfort really hurts my heart.  I feel like I want to call the doctor and have them tell me what's wrong but I know that it doesn't work that way...the book says to put in ear plugs (NOT!).
     So...I will try to stay strong.  Let's see if my post 5 days from now shares my hopes at this moment.

On a side note....Nalla was feeling left out so she cuddled up with the boppies :)