The Twinkies

Back when I was pregnant with the twins, I was thinking ahead to the month of May. May has so much significance for me for so many reasons, and last fall, it just seemed so far away. We still had so much to face and experience. But... here we are, the 2nd of May, and my twins are almost 5 months old. I just can't believe it. I don't often enough have time to sit down and recount all of the changes and growth with my sweet baby boys, or my sweet big boy, but I think more important than documenting is to soak in each minute I can. I breathe in my babes every day. I make sure to say "I love you" more times per day than I can count, and I savor each sweet smile I get from my boys. I wondered how I would have enough time, or love, for 3 kids, but the worry was for nothing. I have so much more to give.

My sweet Parker and Cooper are getting so big. At their 4 Month Well Check-up they were 12lbs 13oz, and 13lbs respectively. More amazingly, they are hitting all the milestones of full-term 4 month olds. Preemie, what?! Way to go, you fighters. They are tracking, holding up their heads, rolling over, shifting and scooting, smiling and laughing, and being all around awesome. Have I mentioned that two babies is so much better than one? It is. It so, totally is.

Parker is spunky, which is why he is called Punky. I am pretty sure he will answer to Punky before he learns his name is Parker. Oops. He has the best laugh, and will smile at anyone who looks at him, even an inanimate stuffed animal. Likewise, he is sensitive, and has the most sad cry ever. So sad, that at his 4 Month Check, the nurse who was trying to weigh him was so heartbroken about his sad cry while being weighed that she couldn't handle it, and actually weighed herself on the large scale, and picked him up and weighed again to find his weight. Um, I do believe the Punky won that round. Parker-1, Nurse-0. Parker has discovered his voice and belts out these massively loud high pitch screeches. He is so happy. He loves to sleep and will just take a nap, mid-play, on the play-mat. Hmmmm... sounds like his Dad. Parker is sleeping about 8-9 hours stretch of sleep at night, and wakes up smiling, happy and ready for the day.

Cooper is still my gentle soul. He is content curled up on my chest, just as he was when he was little. He loves to nurse, nap in my arms, and hold his brother's hand. Cooper has a low-growly giggle that seems to take all his energy, and for that, I am grateful every time I get a giggle out of his tiny body. He loves to "talk" and has this sweet gurgly babble that means so much for me to hear. Like I said, I had a hard time imagining this stage when I was watching them in the NICU, hour after hour, wondering if the "NICU fog" would ever lift. Cooper is a bit more temperamental, and doesn't like to wait for food or snuggles. Otherwise, he is content. They both are, and I realize how lucky we are. These babies make having twins easy. The Coop-man is sleeping about 6-7 hours a night, sometimes a little more, but wakes up usually between 3 and 5am to have a quick snack, and goes right back to sleep. I am cool with this. Both babies are still snuggled in little nest-like bassinets next to my side of the bed and I have no intention of changing that anytime soon.

In April I had one of my biggest parenting challenges - an entire week of single-mom while Brian was out of town for work, immediately followed by a 4 hour car trip with 3 kids. Whew. We survived, and while Brian was gone, I even managed to shower EVERY DAY. Win. Total win. It was rough, and I was more than happy when Brian was home, but somehow I managed to survive all day with my three, plus two daycare kids, and all evening by myself. Thankful for helpful neighbors who gave me a short break one of the evenings so that I wasn't found rocking in a corner somewhere babbling to myself about breast pumps and laundry.

Being a mom of twins is so amazing. I am so grateful to be able to be with them everyday. I know these babies better than anyone, and I truly feel honored to have this role. Nobody else can say that about these three boys of mine, and I feel so much pride in how well they are doing. I love that I can hear a grunt from across the house and know, without a doubt, which baby it was. I know them THAT WELL, and well, it's my job.