Twin Tip Tuesday; The Doctor Is In

Today’s twin tip may be common sense, but still oh so important. It also applies to all parents.
Twin Tip: Take the time to find the right pediatrician. (If your current pediatrician isn’t working out; find a different one!)
The right pediatrician is going to look different for each and every person. I suggest that you make a list of what is important to your family health wise/medically. Take this list and interview prospects. Yes, interview them.

Our pediatrician: Is very in tune to our parenting methods. This is why we choose her. She is very intelligent, and tries preventing troubles that may occur later in life (for instance keeping a close eye on Xander for possible hip dysplasia). She uses methods other than medication if at all possible (something that is extremely important to me), like testing for food allergies before prescribing medication to mask a problem. She was on board with our choice to try breastfeeding, encouraging me to set more realistic goals(so glad she did this). She applauded my efforts, and did not make me feel like a failure when I had decided to quit after two months. Lastly, mom and dad’s health is extremely important to her.
Why I LOVE our pediatrician: Our boys have (mostly) slept through the night since they were six weeks old. (Except through teething episodes.) We find ourselves extremely lucky. Some households have one baby/toddler who doesn’t sleep well, I could not imagine having two! I sincerely feel that our pediatrician is the primary reason for this (and the stars were all aligned at the exact moment our boys were born) She always asked about their sleep patterns, and gave us suggestions for getting them sleep to sleep through the night. She would give a follow-up call to check up on us. She also made sure that I knew to call if our methods weren’t working. Because mom and dad need to be healthy for baby to be healthy.
What I look for in a pediatrician is going to be different from your family’s needs. That being said, it is so important that you find a doctor who’s practice align with your values and chosen parenting methods.
Before you curse me too much here’s my disclaimer: Every situation is different! I am not bragging, criticizing, passing judgment, or claiming myself to be an expert mother. I know how lucky we are. I am just trying to offer avenues that I have found helpful, things we have had to figure out on our own that may make life easier for others if shared.

Crochet Creation, Menu, and Goals

Weekends fly by around here. Actually time in general flies around here. The good news is that I think I am out of my winter slumps.

I haven’t posted any of my crochet creations lately (mainly because I have forgotten to take pictures before giving them to their new owners). Here is my latest:

Ms. Multi-Personality Grey”

This is the second hat that I made like this (I wish I had taken pictures of the white one). The hat pattern is from Red Heart. I really wish I would have taken notes both times I made this. I had to change the increases, then frog it because it was too big, do it again, and on and on. I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn. Please don’t ask what size hook, that’s how early I quit taking notes…

I made up the small red flower, so no pattern. The pink flower is from this pattern. I used this tutorial as inspiration for the white flower (I didn’t stack the flowers, just made a larger center and crocheted both layers into the center). The larger red flower is made following this pattern.

I sewed a button to the finished hat. When making the flowers I used a chain 6 ring for the center. This ensured the flowers’ centers were the same size, and large enough to fit and stay on the button.

And because I have to, here’s the boring stuff:

MENU

• Sunday- Chili
• Monday- Red Beans and Rice
• Tuesday- Asian Chicken
• Wednesday- Spaghetti
• Thursday- Tuna Noodle Bake
• Friday- Pizza
• Saturday- Leftovers

*A little note about our menu: You may notice that some meals carry over from the previous week. My goal for our menu plan is to have everything in the house for 5-6 meals at the beginning of the week. Another goal is to have easy meals planned for busy nights (like nights of step-son’s basketball games). Usually I make way too much, so that meal turns into two, and another meal gets pushed to the following week. It’s what works for us.

GOALS

• Finish minimum of 3 etsy listings
• Make spare bedroom toddler-friendly (or at least walk-through-able)
• Clean out my closet
• Deliver maternity clothes
• Spend 30 minutes/day sewing
• Blog 3 times this week

Your turn, go make some goals.

Hope your week is wonderful!

Why Journaling Is On My To-Do List

If you have been reading for a while you may have noticed that journaling for my husband and kids is always on my to-do list. I still haven’t done it.

If it is something that is continually put off, why is it on my list?

Because of a gift I was left. The night before my wedding I was given this:

It’s from my dad. He left one for each one of us, my mom (actually she had several), my brother, and I. We had no idea they even existed, mom found them by accident. They are not anything fancy. Just a notebook in the color that represented us in my father’s eyes, emblazoned with his art/handwriting (to me his handwriting will always be art). They weren’t even wrote in regularly.

But WOW!

What a gift to get on the eve of your wedding. I literally walked around with cold spoons over my eyes the morning of our big day.

So why have I been dragging my feet on starting them for my husband and children?

Honestly, I’m not sure. Sometimes I think I’ll just remember everything and tell them. Stupid, I know. Sometimes I feel like it is a ‘death sentence.’ If I write down my thoughts, feelings, and dreams to my family; I might die too. I know this is irrational thinking, my journal was started at least ten years before dad’s accident (just a guess- he didn’t date it). Sometimes I feel that those feelings are mine, not to be shared. This is purely selfish, something I need to work on- breaking down my wall. Other times I get paralyzed, my perfectionist takes over and tells me, “You know you’re not going to be regular about journaling, so why bother?”

Enough excuses! This is very important to me. It is important that even after I am gone (hopefully a very, very long time from now) that my family knows my love for them. It is important that they know my feelings, dreams, insecurities, proud moments, and everything in between.

I may forget to tell them. I may tell them, and they may forget.

I want to have a gift to share with my family, just like the gift left for me.

So I start. I start a journal for each one of my men. Just like mine, theirs’ get emblazoned with my art, and written with my hand.

I am not going to beat myself up about regularity. I am not going to guard my heart. I AM going to be deliberate about recording our memories.

What gift had the most impact on your life?

Menu, on Tuesday…

No Twin Tip this week.

I know, I know; I’m sorry.

The thing is, I have been in a bit of a funk this last week. I have been unmotivated, uninspired, and feeling pretty lazy.

I even failed at my 365 days of creating. I would go into my sewing room, look around, wander a bit, wallow about how I need to do something, and then not do anything.

Anyways, enough of the boo-hoo-ing. Want to know what we are eating this week? (a little late…)

• Sunday- Ginger Chicken or leftovers (the leftovers are for the picky eater around here)
• Monday- Nachos (step-son’s choice)
• Tuesday- Chicken Pot Pie
• Wednesday- Tuna Noodle Bake (hubby’s request)
• Thursday- Roast
• Friday- Leftovers, or possibly chili (request by hubby)
• Saturday- see Friday

Menu planning is one of those things that seems daunting to me, but once we I get into the groove life becomes that much easier.

Lately the family has been paying attention. My step-daughter and the neighbor girl were reading the menu board. Neighbor girl says, “Oooh, you guys are eating good food this week. I should come over for dinner.”

The step-son likes knowing what to expect after school or sports. He usually makes a comment on the way to school about what is on the board for dinner tonight. His newfound attention to details has its highs and lows. High- I know he’s paying attention, and dinner is one more security we can plug into his teenage life. Low- I know he’s paying attention. There is no way I can make up a quick batch of grilled cheeses when tacos are scheduled.

The one who’s attention impressed me the most last week? Hubby. He had to make a trip to the store before he was done with work. He picked up shredded cheese for taco night, because he noticed we didn’t have any left, and tacos were scheduled. (I was just planning on shredding up a block.) Thursday night was the best. Hubby says, “we’re still having homemade pizza tomorrow…..right? Pizza sounds really good.” (Funny thing is; this is the man that said I shouldn’t put pizza on the schedule every other Friday because we would just get bored. Good thing I took the kids’ advice.)

How about you, do you find menu planning easy, necessary, daunting, difficult, or unnecessary?

Any tips for getting out of the winter funks? (Besides a tropical vacation, not in the budget)

The Story Looks Up. (a little more about me)

I have tried to pick this story back up quite a few times. And then deleted the posts. The last Letting You In post left off at my dad’s memorial. I wanted, err…felt I needed to continue the story because dad’s death is not the only reason why my life has changed so much in the past couple of years. I’m just having a problem continuing in a story format like before. It didn’t help any that I wrote the series around the holidays. This made it even more emotional for me. I have decided to continue (finally), but I’m just going to bullet some highlights. Here goes:

• School- I finished the semester (despite my teacher’s kind encouragement to take the semester off). I not only finished, I earned myself a spot on the Dean’s List. An accomplishment I am very proud of given all the circumstances I had to face that semester.
• Marriage- We had our wedding, a week and a half after burying my father, and in the midst of a busy school semester. It was the most beautiful wedding ever. I know I am biased, but people are still talking about it.

• Honeymoon- We took our honeymoon a month after our wedding. (After the summer semester of school was over.) I am a planner, my husband is not. We decided to take off without reservations, or a concrete plan. We went where our GPS took us (Pennsylvania), checked out each town’s legacy, and had the most wonderful vacation ever!
• Work- I started working at a nursing home. I’ll never forget the day of my interview. I was offered the job about 15 minutes in. I tried to call dad with my exciting news, left a message for a stranger.
• Nursing- Validated for the (extremely long) waiting list for nursing clinicals. I’m still waiting…
• Family- My mom bought a house closer to us (about a block from me, and about two blocks from my brother). My brother (who also had major life changes during this time) left for his second deployment. Thankfully he is home, safe and sound.

Next week I’ll tell you my pregnancy story.

What do you want to know about me? (If it’s nothing, and you feel these little tidbits waste our time you can let me know that too.)

Twin Tip Tuesday, Cribs or Bassinets?

Happy Tuesday.

I would really like to be more deliberate about posting twin tips. Not because I know it all, because lets face it- I don’t. I want to be more regular, because of the lack of information I was able to find. Keep in mind, I am not trained in any way, shape or form, except for the fact that I am the mama of twins. So without delay, today’s topic:

Bassinets, 1 crib, 2 crib? What do I need?

I was puzzled with this question during most of my pregnancy. I had people (who had never had multiples) tell me I had to have bassinets. I read articles and books that discussed babies sleeping in the same or separate cribs. I had such a hard time making a decision.

This is what we did: I registered for twin pack n play. I mainly wanted it because it is bigger than standard pack n plays. Another reason we choose this piece is because it featured two bassinets. We also had two cribs given to us.

How they slept in the hospital.

The boys hated the bassinets. I understand why. They were smooshed together before they entered this world. They were smooshed together in the hospital. Then we bring them home and separate them into bassinets. As soon as they were out of those things and within eyesight of each other they were happy.

They slept together in one crib for a few months. (Our pediatrician was on board with this.) When they started showing signs of rolling over, we put them into separate cribs. The cribs were side-by-side. (The boys held hands through the cribs, so very adorable.)

This is how they slept for the first few months.

Here’s my tip: If you are on a tight budget, and looking for the bare minimum to buy; one crib will suffice for a few months. (And don’t waste your money on bassinets!)

*Please keep in mind that I am not an expert, I am just sharing what worked for us.

Do you have any twin specific questions? Let me know, I would love to offer any knowledge I have obtained during this adventure.

Back to Basics, Menu Planning and Goal Setting

At the beginning of this blogging adventure, I used to post my weekly goals and menu plan, you know my to-dos. I stopped doing this because I felt it was monotonous and boring for anyone who did happen to read this blog.

After looking at my 30 by 30 list, and having an ‘I’m not getting done what I should get done’ feeling lately (not to mention “what’s for dinner” panic) I have decided to start posting my goals/menu again. Hopefully this can help my direction throughout the week. Thanks in advance for bearing with me!

MENU

• Sunday- Crockpot Steak (used for quesadillas)
• Monday- Leftovers
• Tuesday- Mini Meatloaves (from the freezer)
• Wednesday- Tacos (freezer/crockpot)
• Thursday- Ginger Chicken (freezer)
• Friday- Pizza
• Saturday- (?) Spaghetti or Soup

GOALS

• Start cleaning/purging/organizing spare bedroom
• 3 blog posts
• Work on Etsy listings, at least 3
• Start boys’ journals
• 1 refashion

What are you having for dinner this week? (We LOVE new recipes around here!)