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 :)

One Month Old

Saturday November 9, 2013

The girls are one month old today.  I know everyone says that time flies fast, but man oh man...it does.  The nine months being pregnant seemed to last a life time...heck the 2 years it took me to get pregnant seemed to take forever, but this last month happened in a blink of an eye.  I couldn't love my girls anymore than I already do.  They are growing so much every day and I love just staring at them and watching their personalities develop.
    I had a lactation appointment yesterday.  The only reason I was excited for the appointment was to get the weight on the girls'.  On a side note, Judy didn't smell as bad this time (last time it seemed as though she could have used a shower & clean clothes) and the girls actually were able to breast feed :).  Success!! Adelyn weighs 8 lbs., 2.6 oz and Clara weights 7 lbs., 14.9 oz.  Judy said that the girls should grow about an oz a day so Clara should be into the 8 lbs by today.  Clara has already doubled her weight. Wow. Adelyn was able to drink 1.5 oz in 20 minutes and Clara drank 1.1 oz.  That was AWESOME!  They normally drink about 3 oz a feeding so they can start getting part of that directly from me now :).
     Here are the developments in the first month:

     *started life eating 1-2 oz.  By the end of the 1st month, eating 3-4 oz.
     *feeds every 3 hours
     *about 8 feedings a day
     *at least 8+ diaper changes per child.  Adelyn averages about 10-12 and Clara about 8-10.
     *usual routine is to change before feeding.  Adelyn usually has a poopy diaper and Clara a wet one.  Then during the feeding, one or both of them will need another change.  Sometimes there are two additional changes after the feeding within 30 minutes...lots of diaper changes (a good thing health wise).
     * Sleep 2-3 hours a time
     *eat, poop, sleep, poop, eat, play....repeat
     *sleeps in bear suit in car seat (super cute & warm)
     *Clara uses a pacifier
     *Adelyn hates the pacifier...but will use it on small amounts & then spit it out (cute)
     *Clara has a hard time eating....swallowing issues?  The 9-10 pm feeding is the toughest for her.
     * Both girls spit up after eating (normal)...even comes out their nose sometimes (no biggy)
    *  Mom stayed with me 24 hours a day the first 3 weeks.  She would go home for short periods to get new clothes, feed her pets (Lloyd out of town for work), etc.
 

   *After the 1st three weeks, the new schedule is that Mom comes over around 9am to help with day time feedings and play with the girls (I am VERY LUCKY LUCKY LUCKY to have her around)
    *girls don't like to sleep flat.  Have to sleep in nappers on the bed (for their preferred slight incline)
     *wore preemie diapers the first week, and now in newborn diapers
     *too big for most of newborn clothes that I have....wearing 0-3 months now. :)

November 2013

Monday November 4, 2013

Clara is on the left; Adelyn is on the right

The girls are three and half weeks today.  I can't believe that it has almost been a month.  When people say that "time flies" I can totally understand what they mean.  Just a little over three weeks ago, I was lying on my couch, trying everything under the sun to self -induce labor and here we are now and the girls are almost one month old.
     Their little personalities are totally developing.  I love watching them and getting to know their subtle behaviors.
      Adelyn is a great sleeper and doesn't particularly like using a pacifier.  I have been saying she is my drama queen because she has a sob that tugs at my heart strings.  It is a slow, emotional, whimper that melts my heart.  Her eyes are big and bright and her neck/head strength is already well advanced.  During play time, she likes playing on her stomach and she is pretty calm most of the time.
     Clara equally has her own personality.  She is also a sound sleeper when she falls asleep but getting to sleep is a little harder for her.  She seems to have stomach issues between 10 pm and 12 am and it is hard to get her down.  She has a high pitch cry that gets your attention now matter what room in the house you are in.  Her scream particularly gets to my mom.  Clara can't latch to breast feeding yet so she relies on the bottle.  She loves the pacifier and tends to quiet down fairly quickly once she has one. Her neck/head strength seems normal although she doesn't like to spend time on her stomach very much.
     Both girls are pretty easy considering.  They eat every 3 hours or so and eat about 3 ounces every feeding.  Since I am not breast feeding, they eat 3 ounces of pumped breast milk and then I supplement with formula if they need anymore.  So far we do a 10 pm feeding and then our next feeding is around 2 am.  They sleep about 4 hours before that 2 am feeding and then they feed again around 8:30.  That's about 6 hours. I am sure that won't become routine, but when it does happen, it nice to get the extra sleep time.  Funny thing is that the 2 am feeding isn't that bad...the 8 am feeding is the brutal one.  I am super exhausted at that feeding, even though it is daylight,  and my body wants to sleep through at that time.
      My girls are perfect and I love their facial expressions and when they "smile" in their sleep.  Someone said that when babies smile in their sleep, it is God giving them a kiss.  I like thinking that is true.  I know that God is looking over my girls along with their great grandparents.  Despite how beyond exhausted I am, I wouldn't trade the bonding time that I am having with my girls.  I love them deeply.

On My Own

Saturday Nov. 2, 2013

I have a new appreciation for single mom's...especially for single mom's of twins.  As anyone will say if you ask them about me, when I put my mind to something I get 'er done...but man, being a single mom has been a new challenge for me.
     For the first 3 weeks my mom stayed pretty much 24 hours a day at my house.  She was (and is)  a blessing.  During the day, when you are awake, feedings, diaper changes, and taking care of the girls is fairly easy.  Night shifts are the killer.  It was nice having Mom here so when the girls woke up at 3am for their feeding, she would change them, while I got their bottles ready.
     Now I am on my own.  Day two of being on my own and I am still alive :).  I have the girls set up in the bedroom (which is a nice change from sleeping on the couch in the living room for the last three weeks).  The girls have had a pretty consistent feeding schedule.  They usually have a 9pm feeding or so, then around midnight...those shifts aren't too bad.  The 4 am shift is the brutal one.  Your body had finally broke down and is trying to grasp any ounce of sleep you can get and you have to force yourself awake again to feed to screaming babies.  Surround sound screaming babies is a little hard on the ears :(.
     The girls are 3 weeks, 3 days old so I know things will get easier as time goes on. As much as I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my girls, this is not my favorite stage .
    The next feeding is at 11:15 am and Adelyn woke up around 10 am wanting attention.  I have to say how precious it feels to hold your child against your chest.  Adelyn and I had some bonding time and finally I put her in the Baby Bjorn and she fell asleep against my chest.  The new baby smell is filling the air around me as I can feel her chest against mine and her warm breath breathing on me.  I am so thankful for my girls and I so appreciate these little moments that I know will be gone all too soon.