We took the twins out of the house and survived...

Mom and I took Dylan and Owen to the pediatrician last Friday. It was for their hospital follow-up and since we were supposed to get in within the week, we saw a pediatrician that wasn't the one we'll be going to, but he was very thorough and just fine. Andy had put together our double stroller and put it in the van awhile ago, but I didn't want to figure it out in the cold, so mom and I each carried an infant seat into the clinic...small as they are, I'll be needing to figure out that stroller soon!! With the diaper bag, my purse, and jacket, I couldn't imagine doing it on my own...maybe someday I will have this all figured out. It was a workout as is.

We are a spectacle wherever we go...it seems that everyone feels the need to comment about twins. We got some fleece blankets with pink backing from Andy's grandma for Christmas so everyone thought they were either two girls, or a boy and a girl...boys can have pink blankets too!! They were the warmest blankets we have and I threw them over the top of the car seats to keep them extra warm (I used like every blanket we own to bundle them up!).

Andy met us at the appointment so we were both able to talk to the pediatrician and ask questions. He reviewed their discharge papers and was very thorough with checking them out. They got great reviews. They are both gaining weight appropriately and look really good. Dylan was 7lbs 3oz and 19.9in. Owen is 6lbs 10oz and 19.1in. Both had gained good weight from the last time they were weighed...at their Synagis shot on the 31st...they are supposed to gain 0.5-1oz each day, which they are. Go team!

I asked about the iron supplement they are getting once a day in their bottles and the special 22-cal fortified formula...he said at least through their due date (Jan 15), but we could stay on the iron until it's gone or until their 2-month check (we go in Feb 11) for good measure...so we'll stick to both of those things until they are two months old.

Of course I had to ask about RSV since nothing in this world scares me more. We've had lots of visitors and I've heard of parents of multiples following "RSV lockdown" during flu season (the pediatrician we saw uses April 15th as his "flu season" end date, but has seen cases in May) where they really don't go out or let anyone else in. With Ethan, I don't think RSV lockdown is that practical for us, which he agreed that it's not...but did recommend that we limit our visitors. Baby holding can be in full-force come Spring...please understand.

We've started to have a routine of some sort...Andy has been staying up for the late feeding, whatever falls around 11-1am...then he brings D and O upstairs (they are sleeping in their room now as of a few nights ago). I usually go to bed after the feeding that falls before that (8ish), and then I get up for the middle-of-the-night feeding (2-4am ish)...most nights I am able to tackle it myself if one of the babies is up before the other, but I've had to recruit my mom for assistance a few times (she is awesome!). So far, things have been manageable. 'Course we've had some rough nights too...the other night Andy brought the babies upstairs after the late feeding but Dylan was still awake and squawking so I went into their room and rocked him...he seemed hungry, but it hadn't even been two hours since their last feeding, so I held out for another half hour and them fed him, woke Owen and fed him, then held Owen for about a half hour (this seems to help decrease his spit-ups, which are getting better), and then put him back in the crib...after all that effort to keep Owen from spitting, as I put him back in the crib, Dylan spit up...so I got him changed and back to bed and then went back to bed myself...Not so bad, just lots of baby juggling. I seem to be getting enough sleep if you add it up...it's just that it's really fragmented...So, I'm not feeling totally sleep deprived, per se, just totally out of it.

My mom has been cooking up a storm for us (freezing lots of meals), doing all our laundry, dishes, and is just incredible in general. She will head back to KY on Saturday and we will miss her!! While she's been here, Andy and I have had a chance to get out of the house together, which we really haven't done in so long if you think about how long I was on bedrest even before I had the babies...on New Year's Eve we went to a movie and last night we went out to dinner with friends. Drying my hair and putting on makeup...dressing in real clothes (although I'm still wearing those maternity jeans every time I head outside of the house) makes me feel human again...it's good for my psyche!!