I realize mostly I am blogging through pictures and I think it's time to a catch up. Life with 23 month old Matteo and 2 month old twins. It's busy. I have help but it's busy. We are gradually and constantly but not yet completely getting used to our new normal. Sergio has been great at doing so much of night feedings. Between 10pm and 6am they wake maybe once sometimes twice on average. Sergio is amazing to do that, to work so hard at his job and to handle a hormonal wife. I'm impressed.
I have lost about 30 pounds which is more than I gained by three pounds. In my pregnancy with Matteo I gained 28 pounds and was a beast. I really was. With the twins I was in better physical shape when I got pregnant and I gained 27 pounds but was wearing a smaller size of clothing (minus the bump part, coz that was huge).
Physically and emotionally I am healing. Slowly. I am finally off the blood pressure medicine and my blood pressure is stable. That seems to have taken a life time to stabilize. Phew! I have had more trouble with my stomach and what seems like the gastritis flaring up but honestly it's different this time and I fear and wonder if it is gall bladder related. We will see. Emotionally, postpartum has been different and more intense this time around. Things seem to be improving though.
The kiddos are adorable and growing so fast. Matteo will be two sooooooo soon! We are starting to plan a simple little birthday party for him. This time next year I cannot even imagine what it will be like to have all three of them running around like little monkeys!
Easter was fun, we spent it with my family at my parents house. We weren't ready to make our first Sunday at church Easter Sunday when it would be crazy busy when everyone and their Mama decides to go to church. Matteo did an Easter egg hunt with his cousins, Madison and Gunnar. At first he was not totally interested but once I showed him there was jelly beans inside he was hooked.
It's amazing how different we are with the babies compared to how we were with Matteo as an infant. We were so incredibly protective and never put Matteo down. This time it's whatever works. These guys are awesome at eating and being put into their beds and falling asleep, which Matteo was never given the opportunity to do because we always were holding him and putting him in bed sound asleep.
Also, the twins have been around a lot of people and children, we protected Matteo so much. We ask people if they are sick to not be around, or bring their sick children around us all of course but Matteo was limited with who he saw at a tiny age. I get it, when you have your first, it is so different than your second (and third!!).
To answer a common twin question for you. They are fraternal. You can tell by literally looking at them because they don't look alike. They look like brothers but are definitely not identical twins. Massimo looks like Matteo and Sergio. Marco looks like me! Yay! Massimo's eyes are more like Matteo's, kind of silvery/gray and I think will end up brown like Matteo's. Marco's are more blue and I think they will stay that way possibly or also very likely they will end up green like mine! It's fun to have a baby look like me! If you see baby pictures of me, Marco and I are just alike! Got to love that!
To answer another question people often ask. I am not breast feeding. I did in the hospital but once we came home did not for a few different reasons. I was able to double nurse in the hospital, was content and proud and then was over it. I am glad we made the decision not to. Sergio and I talked about it our last night in the hospital and are glad we went forward with only bottle feeding.
At the twins 2 month check up recently Massimo was in the 10th percentile and Marco was in the 50th. Matteo has always been in the 90th percentile or higher! Marco has been turning his head almost always to the left and Dr. Chandler (their amazing and detailed pediatrician) told me to exercise his neck muscles to even it out otherwise his head could become unevenly flat and change shape. We don't want that! Massimo was so fussy with his reflux that he got picked up more so now we are picking up Marco on purpose more than before to get his neck stronger and looking to the right as well as the left.
Massimo has a slight murmur in his heart that was noticed at 2 weeks as well as 2 months but she said she is not that concerned at this point but if it is there at four months then we will see a cardiologist. Let's pray it's gone and not a problem by then. Massimo is also on a new formula, the Enfamil AR (Acid Reflux) and he is like a new baby! No more spitting up, choking, fussing or crying when drinking a bottle. They are both now calm and sweet babies. Thank God for that. Fyi, tmi alert: Massimo was getting constipated because of the new formula so I sent an email out to the moms in my MoM's (Mom's of multiples group) and was given a lot of suggestions. I started giving Massimo a teaspoon of prune juice in a 4 ounce bottle of milk and it solved the problem. So resourceful and so glad the problem was taken care of.
Speaking of MoM's. I joined the Northwest Houston MoM's group a couple months ago and it is amazing. It's a great source for resources, friendship, encouragement and just a good old thang to have because we can relate to each other. I definitely would recommend to any mom of twins, triplets or more to join her local group.
Stollers. Ok, I hate to get started on strollers. We have a single. We have a double. And another double. And another d.o.u.b.l.e. As of now, I still cannot really take all three babies out alone. I have a moby wrap so can stick one of the twins in there but then I'm limited to how I can pick up Matteo if needed. I do take Matteo to mothers day out by myself with the twins in tow but he is not exactly at the age where he will walk and stay with me, so it's possible but a challenge. I need a triple stroller. Not only are they expensive by they are hard to find. I need one that is compatible with the current slim car seats that we have because we had to buy the narrow ones to fit in our car because the boys have to be on the same row, because we are yet to buy a car with a third row. Maybe this is silly but nonetheless I need prayer about this. It's super frustrating to me that I cannot find the right one. Arg!
In the last few months I have seen God answer prayers and have heard him so clearly. He is good. He is my constant source of encouragement and strength. I am so thankful that God gave me Sergio who also keeps me grounded and gives me perspective. I am thankful for the many blessings God has given us. I hope to be able to bless as we have been blessed by others!
