Wiggle Worm

Makaio is such a squirmer that I already have to be really careful about where I put him down because I could come back seconds later and find him in a completely different position or place. Even though I know this sometimes I think I can move faster than he can and accomplish my task before he moves an inch.

After his bath the other night I put him in his chair without strapping him in so that I could run and get something. When I came back into the living room, this is what I found. I can just hear him saying, "Mom, I promise I didn't move at all while you were gone."

Gratitude

Before I feed the boys, I usually take a minute to pray and give thanks for all that we have been given. I think Kekoa was trying to nicely tell me he was hungry before he started screaming his head off.

Tubby Time

No matter what kind of madness is prevailing in our house, I can always count on bath time to be one of rest and relaxation for all of us. Since the boys have their oxygen on all of the time, I decided that it is okay for it to be removed while they are in the bathtub. Perhaps this is not approved by the doctors but to that I say, "How would you like to have that thing in your nose all day every day?"

So here we are, the first pictures (I think) of the boys without anything obstructing the cuteness of their faces!

Makaio

Kekoa

Kekoa has snatched the title for heaviest baby right out of Makaio's hands without any of us suspecting it. This week Kekoa is a whopping 9 lbs 15 oz and Makaio is 9 lbs 8 oz. Although they both continue to grow, Makaio is growing longer and leaner and Kekoa just keeps packin' on the pounds (as if you couldn't tell by simply looking at the pictures).

For any of you that know us, know that we are very different, at least in temperament. The following pictures are an illustration of how Makaio takes after his daddy and Kekoa takes after his mommy.

Often, not always, Makaio will wake up and look around in his crib, squirm a little bit and patiently wait for me to realize he is awake and ready to eat. He is patient and because of his patience he often eats when Kekoa finishes. He rarely cries but if he does it is because his diaper is wet, his belly is upset or because his patience is slowing diminishing. What I am trying to say is that just like Sterling, it takes a lot to get Makaio worked up.

Kekoa on the other hand lives a life of instant gratification. If he makes a little peep in attempt to inform me that he is hungry and I do not immediately respond, he will begin screaming within seconds. Once his needs are met, he is happy. A happy belly corresponds to a happy baby. Like me, Kekoa gets frustrated easily but is as happy as can be once his problems are resolved.

P.S. Yes, that is a mohawk.

Just so you know, this is what happens at our house when daddy gets home. The boys lay around and enjoy each other's company while mom takes a break and enjoys some alone time. The twins love spending time with Sterling and it seems like they can never get enough of him.

Milk...

it's what's for dinner (at least for the twins)!

I haven't really talked about the breast feeding or pumping since the very beginning of this journey but I think I must at this point. I was talking to one of my best NICU friends and she was telling me that I should be commended for sticking with pumping for so long. I never realized how many NICU mothers find it to be one source of stress of which they can rid themselves. I wouldn't rank pumping amongst my favorite activities but I had to do it for my kids and that kept and keeps me going even today. I didn't like it but I knew two things:

1. I wanted to nurse my children.

2. If I wasn't able to produce enough milk, I wanted to be able to supplement with breast milk.

So here you have it, overwhelming proof that hard work pays off. These are the fruits of my labor.

This is the first freezer that I filled with breast milk.

This is the second freezer that I filled with breast milk. Luckily we managed to save a little bit of space in the bottom drawer for some food for us.

If there are any dairy farmers reading this and you need a milk cow...I'm your gal!

Only Once

I always said that I would never dress the boys in the same exact outfit. Well, that all went out the window the other day when my mother found a 3 month outfit and a newborn outfit that were the same. Since Makaio is wearing 3 month clothing and Kekoa is still wearing newborn clothing, I decided that it would be okay because I wouldn't be taking them in public.

This will probably be the first and last time that this happens so I will post some pictures for all of you to see.

The woman that made this all possible!

My Chaos

With two children to take care of, sometimes things don't go as I had always planned. The boys and I slept in the living room for a little longer than a week once we got home. I was too worried that one of them would pull their cannula out or that I wouldn't hear them when they cried. I was also nervous that I wouldn't be able to meet the needs of both of them all of the time.

It turns out that all of those things happened! I don't know how many times I have walked into their room only to find that one or both of them have successfully removed the cannula from their nose. I have been so tired that I haven't heard them cry right away and Sterling has had to either wake me up or on occasion kick me to get me to wake up. And I have finally realized that meeting both of their needs all of the time is not possible. I would have to be a supermom to get that done and well...I am just their mom and that is enough!

The other night I was so tired that I must have just picked Kekoa up off of the floor next to me and put him on my pillow because this is what I woke up to.

This is what happened to Makaio while I was feeding Kekoa. He managed to pull the burp rag over his face and then suck on it until I could get to him. Thanks buddy for soothing yourself until it was your turn.

Twinners

I love the fact that every now and again the boys will basically do the same thing. Here are a couple of pictures of just that.