warning- this site contains content which may be offensive to people who have an aversion to poo and/or pee. It also contains some newborn nudity.
Welcome to www.twinupdate.com
This site is to update everyone on the status of the twins.
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I apologize to the people who were the next click past the hundreds of spam entries!
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Happy Alaska Day
Do I want my daughters growing up in the 5th dumbest state? Hmmm... YOU BET!
We project our experiences onto our children. What I wish for my girls is that they be comfortable in all social situations, whether it is trying to work through a disagreement with a coworker, or answering irrelevant yet pointed questions at a press conference. I guess you could call that a "social IQ". This is part of the learning process, like everything else.
We've taken the girls to many public functions already. The State Fair, Alaska OT conference, Costco, berry picking. We try to introduce them to adults as much as possible. Get them familiar to new faces, new voices at a very young age. On one hand you are tempted to say "don't be afraid of strangers" but then you think about why we say "don't talk to strangers". Well, certain boundaries must be set and rigidly adhered to. By attempting to protect our children from the child molester hiding behind every tree, we deprive them of valuable social skills.
The first time I saw a Harley Davidson Motorcycle was when Dimond High math teacher Daryl Misner pulled into our driveway on a hog. I ran crying into the house yelling "robber! robber!" because I had been told that only Hells Angels ride loud motorcycles and all they do is rob banks. Thinking back to this situation, what would you think the best reaction would have been for a young child? Email me your answer at chazmo@alaska.net. Mr. Misner later attempted to teach me linear algebra in 12th grade.
Sleeping
Update September 24th
July 12
Daddy's first day back at work..
Morning shift Sadie's problem finally went away... BIG TIME... click here for a graphic photo of the poopy diaper.
What kind of diapers are the best, Pampers or Huggies? Father knows best.... SAFEWAY!!!
Why pay $13 or more for an inferior, perfume laden, pre-yellowed Pampers when you can get this kind of quality for only 7 bucks?
By now, I bet you are just itching to see the photo, aren't you?
This one is Natalie
Here's one for the high-school yearbook!
This one is Sadie
Geez mom, I can't believe you bought Safeway diapers... Didn't I teach you anything?
Sadie went in for a special weight check, because I'm a first-time parents and I freak out about everything. She weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce which is cruisin..... No problem!
Chariot Maiden Voyage
Thanks to Richard Kurtz for the bike hitch, Joyce Chase for the infant sling, David Hall & Family for the stroller wheels, Michelle Champion and her crew of OT's for the main unit! Here's what it looks like in action. The kids are 27 days old- 1 day shy of 1 month, so we are pushing the 1-10 month age limits for the sling... No biking yet!
6/27 4:45 AM
Waiting for Sadie to wake up. Natalie just downed 120 ML and then had a massive poo. Now she is sleeping. Sadie didn't poo for 48 hours this past weekend, so we got worried. When the dam finally burst, it was runny, brown and everywhere. That was about 5:30 Saturday morning. Sadie hasn't been eating as much as Natalie, now it is her turn to grow.
Adam Sandler
Was on Letterman tonight. He had a daughter named Sadie 6 weeks ago. When asked if he wanted a boy, he replied, "I just am happy that the baby is healthy, but I went out and bought her a football and penis." He also made the observation that the 3 most attractive men in Hollywood just had girls- Cruise, Pitt and himself. We're all celebrating our first father's day together... It all happened at once.
Happy Father's Day!
If the babies were delivered full term, I would have missed it this year.
Baby Registry
I think Mom got the registries fixed. We purchased a Duoglider, among other items. REI's awesome registry is a-ok. All items ordered have been received.
6/16 Night Shift
Happy Babies
Pretty boring, actually. No crying here.
2:30AM feeding
Natalie chugged 80ml, stopping only to breathe a bit. This will get her gaining weight.
Sadie chugged 60ml, even though I had 30 more on deck for her.
I get their formula ready at 2 hours, 15 minutes since they last ate. I only prepare enough for one baby at a time. I microwave 60ml of filtered water for exactly 12 seconds, unless it is hi-cal, which I only use 50ml. This ratio would be the same as 5 ounces to 3 scoops vs. 6 ounces to 3 scoops, since 30ml is roughly 1 ounce. This gets the water to a comfortable temperature. I sterilize all bottles and nipples at the beginning of shift by placing them in boiling water in a 4 qt. Revereware stainless pot w/lid and copper bottom. After feeding the babies, I sometimes place them in a car seat, using gravity to help the ingested fluid settle into their digestive tract. When I place them in the bassinette, I am careful to lay them on their sides to keep their airway functioning at max performance. A passed-out vomiting drunk has a much higher chance of survival if they are laying on their side. Otherwise, they may choke on their vomit.
I've been told the American Association of Pediatrics now recommends that infants be placed ON THEIR BACKS, which makes no sense to me. I can see that a child placed on their belly could suffocate. Noone really knows what causes sids, but there are many factors which point to anoxia. The latest "theory" is the Continual activation theory, which hypothesizes that there are 2 keep-alive reflexes, that somehow do not fire when the child is asleep. Fluffy pillows, soft mattresses, porous used mattresses, parental characteristics are all risk factors. This all sort of points towards the child not getting enough oxygen for some reason and then not being able to wake themselves, or to fix the cause of the oxygen deficit.
Breastfed babies are 1/5th as likely to get SIDS. My guess is that a formula fed baby can ingest a huge amount of liquid in a short time, thereby increasing the risk of spitting-up while they are sleeping.
Babies want quiet
At midnight, I played a lullaby on the guitar while they were drifting off to sleep. Natalie yelped.....so I stopped. They want peace and quiet. I think a lot of activity, whether it be TV noise or people talking and holding them actually agitates the babies so they are cantankerous for a couple hours after. Could also be the daylight vs. nighttime, but I'm not so sure. I smell a science experiment!
I told the doctor that they don't cry at all during the night when I am taking care of them. He replied "if the baby is awake, they should be feeding." That's right folks- stuff 'em full of food. Their brains are developing very quickly at this point and to deprive the child of food may affect brain development.
Another factor to consider is that you should not feed more often than every hour. These 2 things lend themselves nicely to a 2-1/2 hour feeding schedule. Try to feed them nonstop until their eyes roll into the back of their head and their limbs are limp with sleep. None of this nickle and dime stuff, give them the full meal deal. Supersize it! As Grace Slick says: "Feed your (their) head(s)".
6/15 Night Shift
It's 1 am and Buffalo just dropped a massive load in her diaper.
It takes about 25 minutes to change, mix formula, feed and burp 1 twin. If you are smart, you get them on a staggered schedule 30 minutes apart. I would breast feed the kids, but I'm missing some hardware. If there's one time I wish I had functional teats, it's right now. I'd design a velcro bra and baby suit. Look Ma, no hands.
So that means it takes one hour every 3 hours to take care of the kids. You get 2 hours of sleep at a time, or you can do something more productive, like dropping by to play a game with your friends at the local bingo parlor.
Another successful feeding
Doctor Time
Just back from the Pediatrician. Here are the stats:
Natalie- 5# 13 oz. 20 1/4"
Sadie 5# 4 oz. 20 1/16"
Natalie is gaining half of what they would like to see. Prescribed high-calorie formula, which is merely a higher concentration of powder in the water.
Correction
Babies won't sleep through the night for up to 14 months, not 1-3 as previously stated.
John Rosemond
John writes a syndicated column every week. He's caught our attention, because he has written about "helicopter parents" and "tough love". His six-point plan on cassette.
Happy Babies, Nightwatch 6/14 wee hours
One down, one to go
My secret to happy babies?
Change diaper, if needed
Feed them until they just can't take anymore. If the start sleeping on the job, wake them.
Burp them by holding them chest-to-chest, head turned away from you and then !!gently!! patting/pressing the small of their back, coincident with their exhalation. You'll know when you get it right.
Wrap them snugly in their receiving blanket.
Lay them gently in their cradle, so their body weight locks the loose end of the blankie.
If you've trained them right, you should be without a peep for about 2-1/2 hours.
You might say I'm crazy, but if you listen closely to the kid, you can tell exactly when they've soiled their diaper. If you respond quickly and predictably, they'll fuss less and even let you know before it happens. This is what is called Elimination Communication. Mothers in third world countries don't use diapers, yet no accidents occur!
Status- nightwatch
Kids threw their tizzy-fit early tonight, while dad was taking his pre-shift nap. YAY! This may be the beginning of the kids being more active during the day. Geez, their heads are getting huge. Mom is looking to sleep maybe 6 hours? Kiddo Babylon dreaming... making funny whimpering noises. Both kids chugged 60ml for their early morning snack. After properly burping them, I Set Aegis up in a car seat and Bear in the "good vibrations" seat. Both fell asleep right away. I figure the semi-upright position helps with the burping after a big meal.
Status- Day 12, 6/12
Tried an experiment last night and it failed miserably. We both slept in the family room with the babies so they could b-feed periodically throughout the nite. Now instead of one parent (ME) not sleeping, both parents are sleep-deprived.
Babies are "chunking up"... Look out Arnold! They can drink 45mL at a time, up from 30mL.
IQ Test
They took IQ tests, they both scored 130. They passed their MSATS last week.
Sleep
Babies sleep through the night beginning anywhere from 1-3 months.
Status- Day 11, 6/11
Not much has changed, except the babies keep growing and going through slight changes, such as their eyes opening and focusing more.
Blankies
Here's my thoughts on receiving blankets, now that I am an "expert" on them. Square is in.. Anything else is problematic. Woven is best, knits are not good due to their stretch. 100% cotton only. Best size is 36"x36".
Chariot
Today the Chariot was delivered by Michele. The generousity of mom's coworkers is beyond laudation. Dad can't wait to use it, but is being cautioned that the kiddos are still too small. Missing the jogging kit, even though REI registry shows it as being fulfilled. We've no way to determine where it is! Got the bike kit and it got it hooked up ok. We also received the Infant Sling and I'll hook that up this morning (6/13). I'm getting the bikes all in tip-top shape so they are up to the very important task of towing or riding in formation.
STATUS June 8th 12:28PM-
Second doctor's visit. Sadie gained 5 ounces in 2 days.
Natalie- 5# 10 oz.
Sadie 4# 15 oz.
Now Kid A has a blocked tear duct. Kid B chugged 60 ml of formula last night at 1:20AM. It is a puzzle trying to figure out what the kid wants when they are crying. Here is my checklist:
Soiled diaper?
Got milk?
Burp 'em.
Cold? Sleepy?
So after Sadie chugged 30 ml at 12:48 AM, she would not stop crying even after the checklist was complete. So.. I mixed up 30 ml more and she gulped it straight down. Happy baby. I spilled a whole scoop on the floor, as I fell asleep at the very moment I was pouring into the bottle.
STATUS June 6th 1:32PM-
Phew! Back from the pediatrician. Kid B has blocked tear duct, which is due in part to her small size. Ointment was prescribed, along with frequent cleansing.
Dimensions:
Natalie 19-1/8", 5#-8oz.
Sadie 19" 4#-10oz.
STATUS June 6th 12:46AM-
Night watchman on duty, so mom can get some sleep. Last night was rough, the girls moving into a new home. We weren't entirely set up for diaper changes, twin nursing, so it was a sleepless night.
Our 18 year old cat is taking it all in stride. She splits when she hears the dirty diaper scream.
Sadie just chugged 50ml and didn't spit up.
We are using both bottle and breast, as recommended by the girls health care providers.
We're logging both input and output.
Tomorrow they go to see the doctor and will be weighed. Stay tuned for the results!
Names
We finally picked some names- 4 to be exact.
note: the middle names are now correct
Baby "A" - Natalie Tavis
Baby "B" - Sadie Emerson
Social Security's top name list Gertrude, Bertha and Matilda are not in the top 1000. Check out the top 1000 for 1920 or 1880.... Some names that were popular back then aren't even around anymore!
STATUS June 3rd 11pM-
Woohoo! Battleship sucks as hard
as her sister. Got so much colostrum that she passed up the bottle! Aconcagua sucked for 30 minutes and then sucked some more- 12ml more to be exact.
Weights
I don't have time to set up an Excel Graph of their weight status, but here's the stats:
Arugula lost 1 ounce today
Beetroot gained 2.5 ounces today. The difference is that she's been chugging formula, while her sis is suck-suck-sucking drippy drops of colostrum.
They were right-little one's going to catch up!
Ohmigosh! Little one is so happy, when the nurse stripped her down to weigh her, her diaper was full of everything! She smiled through the whole thing.
STATUS June 3rd 11AM-
Baker is chugging formula and trying to suck. She only sucks a little. She gulped 14ml this morning and then passed out. The wonderful nurse showed me appropriate bottle feeding technique. Anaconda sucked for 25 minutes this morning. They spend 3-5 hours each night in the nursery, and the nurses make sure they get fed. No change in weight, but we're looking for a gain tonight. BTW, their poo is still tarry and their pee has very little color.
STATUS June 2nd 11:47 PM-
Having trouble posting photos to directnic server. I'll host them from charliebader.com and embed them here.
Glug, glug, glug- Goofy Girl Baby B sucked down 11ml, then 15ml more, then 15ml more and finally 15ml more of Enfamil when it was first offered to her, as recommended by their pediatrician. Ahhh, happy, sleepy baby! She even pooped and peed without a peep.
A just wants to sleep, but has been better at nursing. Not a whole lot of crying, amazing enough. They've lost about 10 ounces each. Bilirubin was up, which means they are a little dehydrated. The 56ml of formula should help Bravo out.
STATUS AS OF June 1st 4:30 PM-
Avocet is feeding ok, Boxer is having some trouble.
Mom is getting sleep this afternoon until about 6 or so.
Names- we're working on it. Mom wants to be more or less drug-free. We don't want to name them "morphy", "perky" , "Cody" or "Oxy".
STATUS AS OF June 1st 10:30 AM-
Not much sleep last night. Sleep all day, waaaaah all night. If you have 2 wahs, would that make a stereo wah?
Mom was on morphine after the spinal wore off, but they've switched her to Oxycodone. She can stand up on her own and should be running in the Mayors Marathon June 17th, while pushing a stroller.
Arrival of Muconium
Alfa made her first mess at 3 AM. It wasn't long before Bravo made a perfect pile of tarry poo, without even soiling herself. Good Girl! Did you know that muconium is sterile?
STATUS AS OF May 31st 4:00PM-
Two baby girls were delivered by Cesarean Section right after 11 AM. They are as of yet unnamed.
Everyone take a deep breath and relax, 'cause everything's cool!
We are at week 37 Note: 40 weeks is considered full-term. Twins usually deliver early by 1-3 weeks.
Anything past 37 weeks avoids the NICU, which is certainly a bonus.
Call Providence or the cell phone.
2 belly casts made at 36 weeks!
Last (full) ultrasound was last week (35) and the combined weight of babies was about
12 lbs. Everything is "normal", if there is such a thing.
Bedrest... is history!
We check them every day, because we are very bored.
Sadie went in for a special weight check, because I'm a first-time parents and I freak out about everything. She weighed 7 pounds 1 ounce which is cruisin..... No problem!
