Tummy Trouble

We have a bug going around our house! Aggrrrh! This is the first episode of diarrhea for the twins. It started almost 10 days ago and it has taken Mommy and Daddy hostage as well. I guess we both are doing better, but the twins are still recovering. I myself have never had anything as bad ever (upset tummy for almost a week - TMI!). RM was the worst hit, RT off and on had bad poopoo. There have been days when I have changed more than 20 diapers.

The babes have been getting extra dose of fluids, and are on a low fiber diet! Fortunately, they haven't thrown up at all, or pooped at night (fingers crossed). Meals have been affected, and tantrums have flared. Can't wait for the all the tummies to be hunky-dory!

2 of Each!

I think we have arrived at the stage where we need 2 of each! We want the same toy! One wants to open a drum, the other wants to shut it. One wants to drag the doodle around, one wants to draw on it. Fun times!! The big ride on toys (example: trike), we have two of those... but some of these tiny ones, we were very content with one thus far, but this month there has been a big explosion of individualisticness(?)! I see a lot of $ spent on toys from now on. Even if I try to find something on craigslist/garage sale... who has 2 of each?

I wonder how we are going to entertain them in the winter!? Probably a tall claim, but I am planning on making them swim champs by the time it is Spring next year. ;) We are getting a family membership at the Y in fall. Twin Mommies: Have you taken your kids swimming alone? How do you handle them? My twins love the water and are not really afraid of it (we did swim lessons). Also, some of you seasoned Moms, do you have any recommendation for indoor toys for the upcoming fall/winter? I was thinking of getting a slide-climber. One of that slide should be enough I would like to imagine! :P

Thank you for your comments about the milk situation! :)

Got Milk?

I had never imagined that I would be putting up this post (especially with RM's experience). RT was never a big milk drinker, but RM loved his milk and at one point of time was taking 40 oz formula. Also, with the reflux they always took really small quantities and fed several times a day (and night?). When we switched them to whole milk around 12 months, I really had to work on bringing down their feeds and total milk for RM.

Now? OMG - how do I get these kids to drink milk? They get milk 3 times in a day... around 6, 6 and 8 oz. If I didn't make them finish their milk at least 2 times out of the 3 - they would be drinking close to 13 oz (or less) only! They do get yogurt, and I do mix in cheese in some of the foods they eat. But, yogurt is sometimes restricted if either of them is constipated (more common with RM). Also, if one decides that they are done with their milk, the other one stops too (twindom)! Now, I am starting to wonder if I should cut down on food and give them more milk! LOL!!

I know they recommend around 16-18 oz, plus a serving of cheese/yogurt. Calcium and other nutrients from milk are important, because food can be a hit or miss.

How much milk does your toddler (around 15 months) drink?

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UPDATE

After a failed attempt around 2 months back with a straw sippy, I reintroduced it today and they loved it! Got the hang of it without me having to show it to them. I hope the interest lasts and we are able to transition to a straw sippy for milk as well (umm... we still do bottles for milk - I don't care if they continue - taking milk in a bottle just 3 times a day for few minutes is not going to ruin their teeth/jaw - but it ain't fun when they get the bottle to drip and think that it's a toy! Though, it will probably also be much more difficult to get rid of the bottle in the future). And as Baby Smiling pointed out in the comments, the volume of milk going in to their tummy might be a matter of the means to provide it. So, we shall see!

15 Months Ped Appointment

15 month Ped appointment was on Friday, July 8th.

Stats for RM:
Weight: 26.18 lbs (75 %ile) (approx 2+ lbs gain)
Height: 32.4 inches (75-90 %ile)
Head Circumference: 19.8 inches ( 95 %ile)

Stats for RT:
Weight: 22.9 lbs (50 %ile) (approx 1.5 lbs gain)
Height: 32.87 inches (90 %ile)
Head Circumference: 19.09 inches (95 %ile)

Both seem to be stable in the development, though RT seems to be gaining weight slightly less than RM. She is such a picky eater and that is probably what is showing in her progress, and RM on the other hand - loves food (gotta watch out in the future)!

RM spiked a fever of 101F on Saturday morning (when effect of the Ibuprofen from last night wore out), though both were under control after another few doses. They both seem to like the sweet taste of the med and were swaying from side to side appreciating the taste. ;)

I still need to schedule their next appointment, slipped out of my mind before leaving the docs office.

Last Year, This Time...

Last year, this time... I was sinking in to motherhood and celebrating my 1 year anniversary of IVF cycle (the non BCP part)! I started my Lupron on 7/2/2009. Those dates seemed so important last year and I could tell them without having to look at my blog timeline. Those dates always will be important, but today I have toddling proof(s) around me 24/7, so I am less sentimental about it.

This year, this time... I am waiting for my insurance/pharmacy to send me my BCP. Our insurance changed in May and they want us to go through an online pharmacy! It has taken 2+ weeks between my OB's office (lazy) staff and the "pharmacy" already... and they are still processing my Rx. Long story short, I spoke to my OB and requested him to send in my BCP Rx so that I can get my lovely aunt back! So, as soon as the pills arrive, I am back to an infertile taking BCPs.

15 months!!

Couple of years ago, when motherhood was still in the waiting, I wondered why on earth did Mommies calculate their kiddos ages in months. I used to think - for heavens sake the child is 1 yr old or 1.5 yrs old... why do you have to call it as 14 months or 18 months! Hehe... and right now I find myself doing the same thing. What I have realized is that the babes change so fast, that every month makes a huge difference in their understanding and growth - and 13 months is just not the same as 1 yr or 1.25 yrs.

So here we are at 15 months. I am getting to a point where I just can't bullet list their progress. They are little people, who understand multi-task directions and are very good at executing them! I feel like we actually have some kind of reciprocation from our toddlers (only, not in a completely verbal form). A few tidbits at 15 months...

-RT still has 12 teeth (same as 14 months), and RM has 14 teeth and is probably working on his left side canines.

-RM has been completely off his reflux medication for 10 days now (last day 06/16) and RT has been over it for a month now! Yippieee! I think their transition from crawling to walking was a big milestone and that time frame has been the period that their bodies transitioned.

-They used to like their medication mixed in with some formula... so we were using formula till we wrapped up the meds (just for meds or may be one feed sometimes). Right now both are taking between 16-20 oz of whole milk total (split in 3 feeds).

-RM has a new found love of self feeding! He has been doing great at lunches and snacks. RT has been feeding herself for the past few months, but she can be such a fussy eater (she is my super animated drama queen), that I have to help her out!

-RM has started giving open mouthed big kisses to everybody. Sometimes RM and RT will hug each other and shower each other with kisses. That is the most adorable thing ever.

-Both of them are starting to get more vocal and repeating words. RT pretty much copies and reapeats any random word every now and then. RM tries to repeat words to... his latest (constantly repeated) word is bay-bay (bye-bye)

-We are pretty close to 1 nap (how long have I been saying that for?). We can go with 1 nap, but then can get very fussy towards the end. So I am still getting them to go in for their 2nd nap.

-We went to NYC today, and the kids loooved it! They were mesmerized by the helicopters at a helipad near by. They always wave goodbye to any flying machine in the air and couldn't digest (initially) the idea of it being on the ground and then taking off! :) We went in to one of the office buildings and they liked the view and wouldn't move away from the window.

-We go in for our 15 month shots on July 8th.

I probably forgot to mention. Our neighbor has a 2.5 yr old (IVF) baby girl and she will be going in for her beta on Monday for project sibling. I am keeping my fingers crossed that this works.

Lingo

Something funny - that kids find! Well, this has been happening for a while now... but I totally missed out on it. Our kids are bilingual (or may be tri... however, spanish is not one of them). We speak one language at home and they are exposed to quite a few English words, songs and sometimes we converse in English too. There is another language that falls on their ears too (via songs). It seems that they can actually kind of identify and relate to these languages. The musical table we have, plays Spanish (like quite a few other toys now a days)... they get such a big kick out of it. They will start giggling and laughing when they hear that. They think it is funny, and this has been happening ever since they were around 10 months old! :)

Weight Issues

Too lazy? Probably!

Well, I am still waiting to shed my pregnancy fat! I am getting to a point where I am just fat, and not fat because I was pregnant with twins or nursing twins (read Mommy hogging). Am I exercising - no... I should be, but I am not. I am on the go constantly. When the twins are napping (not a couch potato), I am mostly cleaning, organizing, prepping and sometimes lazing (some me time?)! I have been trying to eat healthy, but that is not even helping tiny bit.

Now, the tricky one! I still don't have my sweet Aunt, Flo! I stopped pumping in Jan and waited for 3-4 months. Called my OB in April, he asked to wait for a month more and see what happens! I waited, in the interim got sick of waiting and tried a few home remedies to get my hormones in control (tried some body cleansing herbs, and goats rue - supposedly a natural cure for PCOS gal like me). I spotted juuust a little bit in May. I wanted to give natural way a try - because I am not really super concerned about what is happening in my body as I was when we were TTC and I am ready to take chances (time is not at premium right now as it was back then). I know herbal stuff can take time. But, I don't know if I am ready to wait for couple more months! It is a vicious cycle. My hormones (are F'ed up and) are probably not letting me loose weight and the weight is not letting my body tame my hormones. I look back at my 2007 pictures and admire my cheek bones, double chin-less chin, acne free skin. And I crave to go back to it! I was on BCP then and we were prep'ing ourselves to start TTC (I had lost 20 lbs, was eating right and exercising). I think I am going to give in and call my OB! I don't want to be on BCP all my life, but I need to get started towards becoming a healthier Mommy! Exercise and BCP seems like a good combination? I need my AF back!

Sometimes...

Sometimes, I just sit and admire...

-baby soft skin
-disappearing fat roles
-tender tiny fingers
-tiny toe nails
-firm grasp of hand
-growing nostrils
-pearly white teeth
-soft dense hair/curls
-real and fake laughter
-innocent hugs and kisses
-trust
-crocodile tears
...the list goes on!

These things have changed over time and are changing further. I remember how excited I was about their developmental milestone... and now, some of those milestones are becoming an every day thing and are often taken for granted. So, I sit, and stare, and admire ...of what there is. My babies are growing!