9.5 hours...

Is how long my baby boys slept last night! I couldn't believe it when I woke up at 5am! Well I actually woke up at 1 (their normal feeding time) to go to the bathroom and I listened... SILENCE! I shrugged and went back to sleep thinking I would have to get up in a few minutes. four hours later Maximus woke up crying. I had to wake C up to tell him, "THE BABIES SLEPT NINE AND A HALF HOURS!!!". I'm praying this isn't a fluke!

After their 5 am feed they went back to sleep til 8. I feel quite rested today, to say the least! Fingers are crossed for tonight!

Bath time fun...

Rocco

Rocco

Maximus

Maximus

The boys really do love their bath.  We give them one EVERY NIGHT!  I think a night time routine is crucial... especially for twins. Usually at about 7pm they start getting fussy, letting us know they are ready for bed.  We take them upstairs and as soon as they hit the warm lavender infused H2O, the tears subside and they are calm. Baths take no more than 5 min at this point so it really isn't  a hassle.  And we don't always soap them up, but always get their bottoms nice and clean... no diaper rashes please!

I have had one REALLY bad diaper rash experience.  Maximus had one where it left his poor lil bottom raw.  It took weeks to heal.  I wouldn't use wipes just would give him a "bidet" in the sink!  Since then, I learned why.  The boys were pooping at EVERY feeding and I had not been putting any protection, i.e. Butt Paste!  I swear by Bordeaux's Butt Paste now!  At every changing I smother their lil bottoms with the stuff and since then we have been diaper rash FREE!

After bath we feed and then read a story, or two.  They LOVE story time.  Its adorable hearing their coo's and giggles while I'm reading.  They watch me read so intently.  I think starting reading young is also so important!  My SIL never read to her baby now her 14 month old won't sit still for a story!  He doesn't understand it!  Maybe its the teacher in me, but I love to read to them and I hope it instills their desire to read as well.

After story time, I kiss them good night and turn out the lights.  Sometimes they fall right asleep and sometimes they just lay there for a while.  But they know its time for bed and they eventually fall asleep, without fussing.

I love routines!

6 more lbs...

I am now 6 lbs away from my pre-IVF weight and 3 lbs away from my pre pregnancy weight.  Although, I don't really know if IVF is what caused me to gain 3 lbs because we did IVF over the holidays so I could have been just over indulging.  Actually, I believe 1 year ago today I was on BCP's and gearing up for the dreaded Lupron shots.  Its so crazy to think how much has changed in one year!

Anyway,  I'm back in my jeans (yay!) and only a few more to go to get back to my "fighting weight!"  However, my body (abs) have definitely changed.  My stomach seems much flabbier than it did before (hello... you just delivers TWINS!) and it makes me feel like I need to lose even more weight than previously.  My waist is bigger (per measuring).

What I've been doing to get back into shape and lose the baby weight...

• Breastfeeding TWO babies (Lost 30 right away, then plateaued.  Started watching my diet more and now have lost 6.4 more!)
• Jogging/walking (almost everyday I get outside and do one or the other!  I had to invest in a NO-BOUNCE sports bra... works wonders for my new size!)
• Pilates (The best ab tightening core workouts I know of)
• Eating right! I thought because I was breastfeeding I could eat whatever I wanted and how much!  NOT SO MUCH!  It did get me so far, but to lose the last 10-15, my diet needed some tweaking!  I was worried it would affect my supply, but I have plenty!

My final weight gain from my twin pregnancy... 38 lbs (post IVF) and 41 lbs (pre IVF).  Not too bad!  However, my body needs much more work!  My mother said it takes about a year for your body to get back to normal.  We'll see.  I think most people don't start eating right and exercising right away!  February we are headed to Kauai with our babies, so I have extra motivation to get in a bikini :)

MY LIL SUPER HERO'S

HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN!  We've been quite busy lately, sorry for the blog hiatus!  I haven't had much to blog about though.  My new life is amazing and I am loving every second!  Although I cannot  wait for an eight hour sleep!  They are still waking up in the middle of the night.  The boys go down at 8pm, then up at 1am then 5am....  Its exhausting still!  They are 13 weeks old today (8 adjusted) so I guess I can't ask for much more!

For Halloween we ended up going down town and walking around with friends and their babies.  It was really crazy and crowded.  I don't think we'll do that again next year.  Trick or Treating sounds like much more fun!  Hopefully our church will have an event going on!

The boys are full of smiles now so each day is so fun!  Although you can't tell by these pics :-/  Its hard to make them smile from behind my giant camera!

Hope you all enjoyed your holiday!

ALL BY MYSELF...

I FINALLY ventured out of the house today... ALL BY MYSELF (and the babies, of course!)!!!  Thank you to Calmly Chaotic for giving me the motivation to do so!  "If she can do it so can I," I told myself.  Now, I am not as brave to breast feed in public, however.  I have my babies on a strict schedule so when one is hungry, the BOTH are hungry at the same time!  Today, I decided to go to this shopping center.  Its basically one stop shopping.  I needed to return our cable box, since we just got Verizon Fios (LOVE IT!), stopped at Carters and picked up a couple 3 month outfits, walked over to REI and purchased the drink console for the BOB stroller, next went to ULTA to get some make up (yay!), and after that it was feeding time again!  I almost went home, but decided I am going to breast feed in my car!  I brought my My Breast Friend pillow fed the boys, changed them and then went to Whole Foods Market.  Yes, this was a lot of work, but so worth it!  I need to feel like a normal human being again.  And I am VERY proud of myself for having the courage to do this with 10 week old twins!  YAY ME!

LOVE MY BOB!!

Finally the boys are able to go in my BOB double jogger... with the added head support, of course!  They love it and I love it!  They do look super tiny in my giant stroller, but that's okay!

Last week they had their two month check up, and yes that included shots!  Both babies are now with in the normal curve, which means they are catching up!  Rocco weighed in at a whopping 10 lbs even and Maximus was right behind at 9 lbs 8 oz!  They are in the 5th and 10th percentile for 10 week olds, but in the 50th and 75th for their adjusted age with is 5 week olds!  The doctor made the remark that "their going to be linebackers!"  Of course my husband loved hearing that!  The shots were pretty sad, I couldn't look, but I just held their little hands and gave them a pacifier!  As soon as they were done I picked them up and they stopped crying immediately.  I love how they see me as comfort :)

Saturday night, we had a MUCH needed date night!  Our boys stayed home with Grandpa and Grandma, which they thoroughly enjoyed.  For some reason its getting MORE difficult to leave the boys, the more I'm with them.  I'm am becoming more and more attached!  Anyways, it was nice to get dressed up.  Because we all looked so nice we took a family photo before heading out the door...

I love LOVE this pic!  The boys are 10 weeks old here.  I'm holding Rocco and C is holding Maximus.  Here is one of just the boys...

Maximus is looking nice a wide eyed and Rocco has a little grin.  Rocco has began giving us social smile this week at 9 weeks old (4 weeks adjusted)!  They absolutely melt my heart!

Back to date night... We went to Captain Jacks in Sunset Beach.  Its a really nice steak and seafood restaurant right in the harbor.  The best part of the dinner was when C and I were waiting in the bar.  We had a nice and cozy table, I had a glass of wine, he had a martini, we had an appetizer of a steamed artichoke and we felt like we were dating again!  I got a little buzzed from my glass of wine and I couldn't keep my hands off of my husband!  It was so perfect!

As much as we love our little boys, part of making them #1 in our lives means keeping our marriage #1 first (second to God of course!).  Taking time for each other without the boys, is crucial, in making that "lovin feelin" continue!

P.S.  I started the Birth Control Pills.  Its bitter sweet!

Two Months!

Chubby legs...

Rocco Gianni

Maximus Matteo

Maximus and Rocco

 Rocco Gianni

Maximus Matteo

Its been 9 almost 10 weeks and I'm still breastfeeding these lil guys!  I'm starting to get a little stir crazy, however.  I have about an hour window after a feed to either run an errand or go for a jog (yes I started jogging again!). It is near impossible to breastfeed twins any where but home. I'm not about to lug my my breast friend pillow around!  Plus, usually I only have the energy to do one of those PER DAY!  Its a lot of work to feed, change, and put two babies in car seats.  I am trying to find the energy to do that twice a day!  I'm sure once they start sleeping through the night I'll find it, but until then... I'm a home body!

Do any of you twin moms have any tips for going out and about during the day?

The boys two month check up is tomorrow!  I can't wait to find out their weights!  I'm sure Rocco is over 10lbs and Maximus isn't far behind.  I'm pretty sure they both started smiling this week, but I have yet to capture it on camera.  Last night I was taking to Rocco while he was in the bath asking him to smile for mama, and he did!! A nice and big one while looking at me!  We'll see if he does it again today, then I can be sure!  Maximus has also had moments of smiling while looking at me, but when I have him try to do it again, he looks away.  I'll keep trying, I'm dying for their gorgeous smiles :)