The Art of Almost Sleeping

Of all the things that changed when I became a mother (what didn't?) - the one that took the hardest hit was my sleeping schedule. My first pregnancy didn't really affect my sleep at all - just gave me license to enjoy those afternoon naps even more. However, none of my babies have been "good sleepers" - so when my first son was born I had to make some serious changes and adjust to living on less, much less, sleep.

Now with four small kiddos to look after I have pretty much made my peace with just not getting as much sleep as I would like. And most days I have enough energy to get through the day without a nap, although I do occasionally take a little "power nap" at about 8:30pm when they are all finally, blissfully, peacefully sleeping.

Part of my adjustment to this stage of life and less-than-ideal sleep is my perfection of what I like to call The Art of Almost Sleeping. After many years of stumbling through in a sleep-deprived stupor, I've mastered a few levels of almost sleeping...

1. Sleeping in the car, or a chair, straight up. I always used to find my head bobbing when I'd attempt sleeping in a car or bus, but somehow after having kids I am able to sit with my head straight up and basically lock it into position and almost sleep...

2. Sleeping while the kids watch TV. This isn't something I do very often, but occasionally when I am in desperate need of a little power nap I am somehow able to simultaneously block out whatever children's program is on, while still keeping my ears open for crying babies or whining children. And when the program is over? Somehow I miraculously wake up right when it is over so the kids don't end up watching hours of TV while I snooze on the sofa.

3. Nursing babies while lying down. I may have mentioned before how lazy I am when it comes to night wakings. As my confidence in nursing grew, I started bringing the baby to bed with me, nursing them on my side and enjoying a few moments of almost sleeping. Of course, there are times when I wake up about two hours later and think I should probably put this baby back in the crib...

4. The "One-Eyed Mama". This is a technique I developed which makes the night wakings much easier. You can read about it in detail here. The past few weeks haven't been easy with the twins being sick and waking up multiple times each, and this technique not only helps me forget how many times I get up every night, but I'm getting so good at it, I could probably walk to the twins room and back with my eyes completely closed. Just have to make sure I pick up the right twin and return them to their own crib. So far I have not woken up in the morning to find two twins in the same crib, but it may well happen at least once! 

And if that's not almost sleeping, I don't know what is....

A Day in the Life with Four Kids

Note: all times are approximate and only in a very vague way represents a "typical" day...

10:00pm - 4:30am Not even going to guess how many times I was up to nurse or put another baby back to bed...

5:00am (ish) Notice Lucas getting into our bed and falling asleep. Take Lisa back to her crib.
5:50 Leila up to nurse, doesn't go back to sleep.
6:10 Take Leila to bathroom in her rocking chair so mommy can have a shower.
6:20 Shower done, Lucas is up. Go to get changed and find Lisa awake as well.
6:30 Everyone in the living room except for Elena (still sleeping) Nurse Lisa.
6:45 Elena gets up. Change twins diapers, clean up kitchen and start getting breakfast ready. Fruit and juice for Lucas, banana and granola with milk for Elena and mommy.
7:00 Lie babies down in their pack n play with bottles of milk, while we eat breakfast.
7:15 Make oatmeal with apples and cinnamon for the twins breakfast.
7:30 Dressing older kids for school and feeding babies.
7:45 Getting everyone cleaned up, shoes on, hair done and into the car.
8:00 Leave for school.
8:15 Return home with twins. Leila fell asleep in the car, Lisa follows about 10 minutes later.
8:30-10:00 Mommy cleans up the house, does dishes and has second breakfast (finally, a cup of tea!), while babies nap.
10:15 Lisa is up from her unusually long nap. Leila follows about 15 minutes later.
10:30 Nurse Lisa and then Leila.
11:00 Wash dishes and prepare lunch for babies.
11:30 Lunch for babies - rice, carrots, broccoli and beans. Fruit for dessert.
12:00 Bath time for twins. It's much easier to give them a bath in the morning when the older kids are at school!
12:20 Bottles for babies
12:30 Play time
1:00 Lisa goes down for a nap, Leila is tired, but resists.
1:00-1:30 Alternate between eating lunch and trying to put Leila down for her nap.

doesn't she look tired?

1:30 Try lying down with Leila to rest a bit. Doesn't work.
1:50 Give up with the napping and buckle Leila into the car seat to go pick up the kids from school. One minute in the car and Leila is sleeping. Lisa stays (sleeping) at home with daddy.
2:10 Return with kids.
2:15 Leave big kids with daddy and buckle Lisa into her seat to go to the doctor.
2:30 Leave for doctors appointment. Spend ten minutes driving around the office trying to find parking. Nurse Lisa while we wait to see the dr.
3:45 Finish at doctors (routine check up) and head to the pharmacy to pick up a few things.
4:15 Home again, nurse Leila.
4:30 Wake Elena from her nap.
5:20 Whip up some supper for the twins.
5:30 Supper for the twins and making supper for the rest of us. Elena helps to feed the twins as I run back and forth between them and the stove.
6:15 Supper - whole family at the table, twins having their fruit dessert.
6:30-7:00 Kids watch one of their favorite TV shows, Jelly Jamm.
7:00-7:45 Big kids have baths with daddy, mommy gets twins changed and ready for bed, nurses Leila and then Lisa, dressing the big kids in between.
7:45 Daddy takes the big kids to bed, mommy finishes getting twins to bed, one more bottle and some medicine for Lisa.
8:15 Twins are out.
8:40 Big kids are out.
8:45 - 11:00 Mommy enjoys a cup of tea, conversation with hubby and a TV show before hitting the sack (a little later than usual - and it caught up with her when all the kids woke up before six the next day!)

If you made it all the way through that, congratulations! Today is shaping up to be pretty similar - at least until 10:30am - twins are waking up from their nap now. Onward and upward we go! Have a great day, readers!

Speaking Grace

Grace. It's kind of my word for the year.

Do you ever look at your children and feel like you are seeing them with fresh eyes? Almost as though you are seeing them for the first time, again? You notice the curve of their slightly upturned nose, the unique shape of their head. When I consider my children, they are Grace personified to me. I truly don't deserve them. They are not mine, but they are a gift to me. From the true Giver of Grace. And when I am struggling in the trenches of motherhood, feeling unworthy and under qualified, I am reminded of how much I need God's grace in my own life.

I want to speak grace.

I never really saw myself as overly impatient or quick to speak rashly or harshly. That, of course, was before I had kids! Somehow, in a matter of seconds, events escalate and I realize I am not speaking to them gracefully or graciously. Acknowledging that we are all sinners in need of a Savior has truly impacted the way I see my children - yes, they are beautiful, smart, unique, capable of many good things, but they are also sinners. And it is my job to guide and lead them to the only source of true goodness; a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and the work of His Holy Spirit to change their hearts. The way that I demonstrate this is often through my words - I want to speak of His love, His amazing grace. A book that my hubby and I are reading right now has really helped us to frame our everyday conversations (and confrontations) with our kids through the lens of grace. It's called (not surprisingly) "Give them Grace" by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick.

For me to speak grace into their lives, it needs to be working in my heart as well. I find myself mulling over this precious truth of God's grace in my life and praying for it to overflow to my kids. I want them to have a sense of grace in their lives and to see it at work in me.

So what does it mean to speak grace into the lives of my kids? It starts in my heart, receiving God's grace, allowing it to affect every area of my life. I pray for the fruit of the Spirit to be evident in my life; speaking with love, joy and patience. Being kind, gentle and compassionate. Always speaking the truth so that my kids can trust me. Using self-control when situations start to get out of hand. And in all things, good and bad, pointing my kids back to the heart-truth - that only through God's grace can I give grace to them.

Of course, I fail. All the time. I raise my voice, react too quickly, speak without thinking.

And that is what's so amazing about God's grace. He doesn't treat us as we deserve. Instead of seeing the sinful, broken being, He sees Jesus' righteousness and blesses us. This is the kind of grace I want to show my kids. And when I fail, His grace is sufficient for me.

He is working in my weakness to demonstrate His strength.

Two Peas in a Pod

... Or not!

Aside from sharing womb time, Lisa and Leila are as different as any other two siblings. People love to know just exactly how different they are, often asking "who is more happy / sleepy / loud / smiley" etc. We have a tendency to make a lot of comparisons between our children - Lucas did such and such at this age, Elena didn't do such and such like that. Of course we never quite remember exactly  how it was with the older children, so it is quite interesting to be able to compare the twins in "real time" as they are growing up together - going through the same stages at their own pace and in their own way. 

So how similar are Lisa and Leila? In some ways about as similar as night and day! Lisa is our loud one - she was born first with a great big wail of a cry, bringing tears to my eyes. When Leila was taken out she had a small, delicate little cry. This has continued to be the case when they get vaccinations or when they had their ears pierced.

Leila in her favorite toy on the left and Lisa in hers on the right. 

As we've moved past the sleeping-all-day part, we now get to enjoy watching the two of them play "together" - side by side usually, and occasionally one crawls on top of the other. Leila is much more easily occupied by our baby toys, and quite happy to sit on her own inspecting the small details of all our toys and books. Lisa is much happier when she's close to someone (and thankfully Leila helps with that) and is much more intrigued with household objects like spatulas and TV remotes. Of course with the two of them everything also goes into the mouth... As I sit here writing this, they are playing on the floor fighting over sharing a balloon. 

We started our wonderful solid food journey about two months ago, and at the beginning Leila refused to eat off the spoon. So I'd let her experiment by herself with the food on her tray and feed Lisa with the spoon. I would say we do a mix of baby-led eating with finger foods and purees / spoon fed meals. 

Sleeping is where they seem to differ the most. Lisa is a cat-napper, often lasting no more than half an hour in the crib. She prefers to nap in a stroller or bouncy chair. Leila takes good, long naps, sprawled out on her belly in the crib. Lisa needs to be coaxed (rocked, bounced etc) into sleep, Leila gets fussy and we lie her down and within minutes she is sleeping. This has made it interesting to try to get them on any sort of reliable schedule together!

Lisa is our more "high maintenance" baby and Leila is just so laid-back it is amazing. They both love to smile, babble in different ways, play with Lucas and Elena and be held by mommy and daddy. 

With all their differences there is one thing that remains the same; every day we fall in love with them even more. What a surprise it was to learn we would be having twins - and each day they surprise us as they each grow into their own unique little person. Such a privilege to be a twin mommy! 

Four in Tow

This past weekend I had the opportunity to get all the kids out of the house for a birthday party. Hubby, unfortunately had other responsibilities so it was just me and the kiddos. Now with four kids age five and under, you might think it's a little crazy to go trekking across the city with them as the only adult. While it can be stressful, it beats being stuck inside the house all day, so I decided to go for it. There are several things to do to make going out with your kids an enjoyable time for everyone.

1. The Destination
Obviously I'm not going to want to take my kids to an event that is unsuitable - say, where they have to all sit quietly for a long time. We were headed to a kids birthday party, so I knew there would be lots to entertain the older kids. It was primarily for them that we went. There would be kids we knew for them to play with, and people to help with the twins.

2. Set Expectations
We had attended another birthday party at this same location about a year and a half ago. I had taken the kids by myself (obviously without the twins) and we'd had some issues with behavior and obedience. So this time I made sure to set the expectations of what we would do and how the kids were to behave while we were there. Combined with the fact that they are a little bit older and more mature, it helped to prepare them for going out.

3. Be Prepared
This means a fully stocked diaper bag; food for babies, snacks for older kids, changes of clothes for everyone, sippy cups and pacifiers, toys, blankets, bottles, etc. (See the next point for where to keep the mounds of baggage you need.) I knew we'd be parking on the street so I planned to arrive a little "early" - i.e., party is set to start at 2:00 and we arrived at 2:30 - basically the first guests apart from the family. This meant we were able to get a good parking spot close to their building. I would guess most of the guests arrived between 3:00 and 4:00. This is pretty typical for Brazil.

4. Use your stroller
While strollers are useful for carrying children (especially multiples), they offer more than just that and storage for all your stuff; the stroller becomes "home base". The older kids can easily find us when we're out. The stroller also helps keep us all together - when we cross the roads the older kids know to hold onto the sides of the stroller. They also discovered that they can ride on the sides of it. When momma says the train is pulling out, they hop right on. It's pretty hilarious (and heavy to push!), but helps when we need to get moving.

5. Stand Out
I learned this tip from an article about taking your kids to the beach. Dress them in brightly colored shirts so you can easily spot them from far away. I took this to the next level and also dressed in a bright shirt so they'd easily be able to spot me if they needed something. Here in Brazil it also helps to have blond haired kids as they're in the minority and easy to spot in a crowd.

6. Accept Help
One thing I have really noticed with twins is that people are much more willing to help. I had so many people offer to hold one of the twins while I nursed / bottle fed / changed the other. I met another mom of twins who could empathize with me. Also I can strike up a conversation with anyone on the basis of my babies. (Great for an introvert like me.) Some of the dads there pitched in as well - helping Lucas go on the monkey bars and watching Elena play.

All in all we had a great time; the kids basically slept all the way there and back in the car (about an hour and a half each way) and we all thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to get out, play with friends, eat good food, celebrate and make connections with our church (and wider) community.

What other tips do you have for getting out with your gang?

NOT a first time mom

I'm so glad I'm not a first time mom...

You wouldn't believe how many times I have thought this since the twins were born.

I remember feeling so overwhelmed before Lucas was born. I had hardly held a baby, dare I say it, I think I hadn't even changed a diaper. And now they were going to let me leave the hospital with this baby; that I was to feed, change, bathe, love and care for - without instructions? 

Due to his somewhat stressful arrival, it was hours before we really got to see and hold him. The feeling of cradling that swaddled little boy for the first time was so amazing. And, did I mention, overwhelming? We unwrapped his little blankets, holding him so gently, and also a little awkwardly as we tried to figure out how to hold a newborn...

Of course, after a day or two it all seems very natural, and you can hardly remember what life was like before. The learning curve for new moms is so steep, coupled with recovery from labor and delivery and at least a few weeks of severe sleep deprivation - it's no easy feat! And yet, we keep going back and doing it again? Why?

I think the answer to that is pretty obvious; it gets "easier" with each successive baby. I'll admit, when we were expecting Elena I felt quite anxious about going through the whole baby thing again, and questioned myself over so many details of the infant stage; would she breastfeed well? how would I balance a baby and a toddler? when and how will we start solids? can we synchronize their naps? And all that worrying for nothing - Elena integrated herself into our life so seamlessly and all those stages and milestones passed by so quickly and easily. (I know it's easy to say that now with two potty trained, sleep trained, food trained pre-schoolers, and at the time it probably all didn't "feel" easy - it just turned out easier than I expected)

I guess that's why they say the third time's the charm! When we first found out we were pregnant with baby #3, I had no doubts about my abilities as a mother and very few worries about how to include a baby within our day to day routine.

Then we found out we were having twins!

This unexpected surprise threw me for a bit, and my mind immediately raced weeks and months ahead as I tried to imagine nursing, bathing, feeding, soothing and looking after two little ones. So as we prepared for their arrival and made it through the first few hard weeks of infancy, this thought kept coming back to me, "I'm so glad I'm not a first time mom!". I think it would be so hard to have twins as your first baby experience and I'm glad I didn't have to go through that! Lucas and Elena prepared me so well for another baby - even the fact that they are so close in age! I already knew how to do all the newborn things - now it was just a matter of learning to do it with two.

So if you're a first time mom, or even a second-time mom, wondering about this journey of motherhood, be encouraged. It does get easier; and those skills of nurturing and caring for a baby come so quickly. Don't worry about having all the right "stuff" or following all the rules. Even if there were no cribs, strollers, car seats, baby bathtubs, bottles, pacifiers, baby swings (ok, this list could go on for.ev.er...) all your baby needs is you! Isn't that amazing? So don't stress out if your baby is hungry 2.8 hours after their last feed, or if they haven't had a bath in two days, or if they need an extra nap one day. Respond to their cries, listen to them, and gently guide them and grow them.

The biggest lesson I've learned from my twins so far has been about sacrifice. It was easy for me to imagine adding one other little one to our lives. So easy, and so little sacrifice. With twins I am constantly reminded of my need to give of myself - my time, my body, my dreams, for their well-being.

And we all know, that in the end, the sacrifice will be worth it. 

Why I'm glad my kids misbehave in church

Like many an idealist, I have an image of a perfect Sunday morning. It includes the mother, who, rising early, has time to shower and dress in her Sunday best before setting the breakfast table for the family. The children appear, well rested from a full nights sleep and take their places at the table without complaining. In a relaxed manner, the children are dressed, hair brushed, faces clean, shoes on and in the car ahead of schedule. The drive to church is pleasant and fighting-free. Children are polite to family and friends at church, sitting through the service without making a peep.

Ok, who am I kidding? This would never happen. At least not in our house. Sunday mornings are a rush of hastily downed cereal, chasing down toddlers to get dressed, tending to crying babies and trying to get everyone decent looking and in the car by 9:15 to make an hour long drive to church. And if we're lucky, momma leaves the house with matching shoes and no spit-up on her clothes.

Getting through the service is another feat. Easily distracted children with a short attention span, attending a service in their second language. Not to mention twins who used up a good portion of their morning nap in the car and generally need to be fed and changed. And did I mention my hubby works at the church and usually has responsibilities during the service?

But I am glad my kids misbehave during church. Ok, maybe not glad, but it sure helps teach me a few much needed lessons.

For one, it keeps me humble. There's not a lot of pride when you're on your hands and knees, crawling under the chairs to retrieve the toy car that went rolling off your son's chair. At other times, it's necessary to retrieve the child from under the chairs, or keep them from running around the room. (This was particularly difficult when I was 6+ months pregnant with twins.)

Lucas and Elena on the right side, actually paying attention to the children's talk.

 Secondly, it guards me against judging other families. I know how hard it is to teach and train your kids in acceptable church behavior and I'm far too busy splitting up a fight over the crayons to notice how your kids are behaving.

Lucas and I in the bottom left, and my best-behaved child (Leila) on the right.

Finally, it reminds me of how much I need God's help to get through every day. I do a lot of praying throughout the service, asking God for strength and patience as I wrangle my kids away from the communion table. It reminds me that's it's not about me. And isn't that the point, really?

So, on the occasional Sunday when you do find me, nursing one baby, with the other sleeping and my two angels sitting contentedly side by side sharing the crayons, I hope it's an encouragement to bring your family to church - no matter how they behave.

How to Bathe Twins

This was one of the things I thought about a lot before the twins were born. The logistics of how, exactly, was I going to bathe them both myself, and keep them together? (mostly a safety issue with the other kids around.)

Turns out it's not too difficult, as long as you have a decently sized bathroom, a big changing pad on the floor and a bouncy chair. And the bathtub, of course. 

Since our two are distinctly different looking, this doesn't happen in our house...

So once we get all set up - two sets of clothes, diapers, warm water, towels, soap, sponges, one baby on the changing pad (1st to be bathed) and one in the bouncy chair (next in line), it's just a matter of keeping them both happy while being washed, or waiting. 

Unless, of course, this happens...

And we all know you shouldn't wake a sleeping baby...

Adventures

Do you have perfect kids? The ones who are always dressed immaculately, use their forks and spoons correctly, have impeccable manners, obey on the spot and rarely need to be disciplined? Yeah, me neither...

Everyone said life would be tough adding twins to a household where the other two kids are not yet five. Of course, it's not the twins that are problematic; it's the older two! Plenty of interesting things happen to keep this momma on her toes, and to make life exciting. Here are a few "gems" from the past few days:

Lucas is pouring himself some juice into a rather large cup...
Me: Lucas, I think that's enough juice,
Lucas: No mommy, it's not enough, my tummy will be disappointed!

-------------------------

This one happened while I was away, and I'm really glad I didn't have to deal with it firsthand. I was spending the night at my in-laws with the twins, preparing for Elena's birthday party which we hosted at their place the next day. David stayed home with the kids and had to get them up on Sunday morning and ready for church. This is what he found when he walked into our living room...

Yup, a frying pan, filled with uncooked beans, three big boxes of juice (what didn't fit in the pan found it's way onto our carpet) a packet of jello mix and a stir-happy little boy. According to David, when he found them Lucas was mixing away and Elena was dancing around the carpet. Let's just say we're really glad we have a fake leather sofa...

                                                            -------------------------

Enjoying a nice breakfast-for-dinner meal last night, Lucas finished his crepes and started licking the syrup off his plate. He then asked for, "more syrup, please". Despite his polite request I insisted he couldn't eat syrup plain, he needed to eat it with another crepe. He acquiesced, plopping another crepe onto his plate. I dribbled a little bit of syrup on top. He proceeded to roll up his crepe, then held it vertically over his plate, and squeezed all the syrup out. Crepe aside, he licked his plate, declared himself done, and offered his syrup-less left-overs to Elena. (Of course, you know she ate it, too)

And after all this was said and done, he had the audacity to ask for dessert! 

                                                             -------------------------

Never a dull moment with these two, I tell ya! 

Happy Friday everyone! 

Spontaneous vs. Scheduled

Every birth is different. Unique and filled with a myriad of emotion. No matter how you plan to have your baby. And while every woman generally knows what to expect in labor and delivery, you never really know what to expect. Things can change in a heartbeat and your birth plan goes out the window.

I've been very blessed to have three deliveries that were low risk and without complications. On one end of the spontaneous vs scheduled spectrum I've had one completely natural birth, and on the other end, a scheduled c-section. My middle child, fittingly, was in the middle - a scheduled induction.

I loved not knowing exactly when Lucas would be born, waiting the last few days, anxiously anticipating my first birthing experience. You can read his full birth story here; it was definitely an interesting one!

It is so amazing to me how a woman's body works; throughout the pregnancy growing that small, tiny collection of cells into a whole person, and at the right time creating the perfect conditions for giving birth. It is something so natural, beautiful, painful and messy.

Now, my kids have all loved being in the womb, the first two almost overstayed their welcome - which is why I had an induced birth with Elena. In many ways it was the easiest of my pregnancies and deliveries. We sauntered in to the hospital on the day of her birth, got some drugs and relaxed until the contractions started. Nine hours later Elena arrived and I got to spend the first hour of her life nursing her in the labor and delivery room while I was under observation. It was time I never got with my other kids.

After having two vaginal deliveries, I thought the third one would be easy as pie. Then we found out it was twins! I had high hopes for the first few months that I'd still be able to have a natural delivery, but by about 32 weeks both girls were heads up and I was getting anxious to get them out! Since the birth I've basically been told that doctors here rarely allow a natural twin delivery. It was quite a different feeling to know almost exactly when they would be born (barring complications, of course). Despite a little scare a week before their "due date" they were pretty happy in the womb. I'm not sure how much longer I could have gone though!

36 Weeks and 1 day - in the hospital just about to be prepped for surgery.

So at 36 weeks we checked in to the hospital and got prepped. Honestly I kind of felt like I was cheating by skipping the whole painful labor part. (Of course I knew I would probably make up for it with a painful recovery). It was my first ever surgery. The weird thing is they remove the babies and they get whisked away to be cleaned and checked. Ours went to the ICU for observation seeing as they were technically "preemies". Then you spend about 45 minutes getting sewn up from the surgery and taken to an observation wing to wait for hours as the anesthesia wears off. It is this bizarre time, feeling frozen and "alone", sensing that something is just missing. I spent many minutes wondering about where all four of my kids were, what they were doing, and when I'd be able to see and hold my new babies.

If I were to do it again (which I am not) - I would try again for a natural delivery, probably with an epidural. The recovery just seemed so much harder and prolonged with a c-section. This could also be because it was twins, or because it is the most recent of my birthing experiences. I am, however, so thankful to have had a c-section in a time and place where it is safe, routine and relatively "low risk". If I'd had minimal medical resources, I probably would've died trying to deliver two babies who were in breech and transverse positions!

Beyond all that, of course, is the fact that I have four healthy, thriving kids and I'll be glad to share with them the amazing ways they entered the world.

Things to do while nursing

When my eldest child was a newborn, I loved our nursing times together. Armed with a tall glass of water, a snack and usually a book, we'd settle down and I'd promptly lose myself in whatever I was reading. Often a good forty minutes would fly by before we switched sides. Needless to say, he was a chubby little baby.

Nowadays, with four kids aged four and under and a set of newborn twins, nursing is still enjoyable, but also a little more, um, shall we say, challenging? And considerably less relaxed. When I'm not feeding both the girls at the same time, I've discovered quite a litany of things that I can do while nursing one of them. These include things relating to the other baby; rocking them in a chair with my foot, feeding them with a bottle, burping them over one shoulder. Still haven't had to change a diaper while nursing, but you know, it may be necessary one day.

Nursing Lisa and bottle feeding Leila

Other things I do relate to the two older kids running around our house; reading books, putting on socks, mediating fights, helping with potty runs. Nursing certainly doesn't mean getting to put my feet up for a few minutes.

Nursing Lisa and reading to Lucas

I've also discovered a lot of household things that I can get done with one baby nursing; cleaning bottles, preparing snacks for the older kids or coffee for momma.

And on the rare occasion when the older kids are sleeping or otherwise quietly and peacefully occupied, I enjoy a cup of tea and my iPad for a few minutes of catching up on Facebook, email, blogs, playing a game or two and of course, writing blog posts.

They're Here!

This post is going to be short and sweet - just wanted to announce the arrival of Lisa Beth Portela and Leila Joy Portela!

On their way to the ICU, sharing an incubator

More specifics later of my delivery and recovery, but for now...

Lisa Beth Portela

20 May 2013 at 1:14pm

Weight: 2.665 kilos (5.8 lbs)

Length: 46 cm

Leila Joy Portela

20 May 2013 at 1:15pm

Weight: 2.425 kilos (5.3 lbs)

Length: 46.5 cm

On our way home from the hospital - Thursday. 

Still can't quite wrap my head around the fact that I have twins, and four kids! My older two have been home with daddy, nana and auntie Jaz for the past few days and since they are all still getting over colds, I'll be staying with my in-laws and the twins for a few more days before heading home.

We praise God for healthy, happy (and currently very sleepy) babies. The girls only had to stay in the ICU for a few hours for observation and then we had them in my recovery room. We did make good use of the nursery at night though, as my recovery was a little harder than I expected. Tonight will be my first night with the girls on my own (and my mother-in-law to help).

Thanks for all your prayers and congratulations. 

The Bump: 36 Weeks

How far along: 36 Weeks as of May 19
Development: Well, we're at the finish line, folks. In the last week I had two doctor's appointments, three non-stress tests, and an ultrasound. Everything looks great but the girls are both heads up so we are going ahead with a scheduled c-section tomorrow! They are estimated to be about 45 cm long and about 2.3 kilos (about 5 lbs). It will be interesting to see what their actual measurements are after all this monitoring and guessing.
Movement: The girls are really very active. I'm hoping all this kicking and exercising has helped them become strong so they'll do well when they're born.
Weight Gain: Total weight gain this pregnancy - 6.6 kgs (14 and a half lbs)
Maternity Clothes: Full on with maternity pants and long, long tops and dresses.
Stretch Marks: My belly is so stretched it is shiny and I've lost feeling right above my belly button. It is the weirdest sensation to poke it and not really feel it at all.
Best moment of my week: Although it's been hard to be away from my kids, it has been so nice to rest and relax at my in-laws place. We lived here for a while, so it feels like another home to me. Plus, I don't have to cook, wash dishes, do laundry, or run after rambunctious pre-schoolers!
Worst moment: Last Monday when I went to my doctor's appointment with a serious cold and fever. The fever raised the girls heart rates and so I had to spend the whole afternoon in the hospital doing another stress-test, ultrasound and wearing an annoying mask that made my glasses fog up. At least my mil treated me to Starbucks when we were done with our four-hour hospital ordeal.
Sleep: Have had some bad nights, but overall can't complain too much. I know how little sleep I'll be getting in the next few months so I'm trying to get as much as I can right now. It is hard to turn around and I'm pretty achy in the morning.
Miss Anything: Feeling comfortable.
Food Cravings: No cravings - just hungry and thirsty all the time.
Aversions: Nope - just have to be careful about what I eat so I don't get heartburn or acid reflux.
Gender: Girls!
Labor signs: A few random contractions here and there.
Belly Button: What belly button?
Rings: On
Mood: Feeling just about every emotion possible about my upcoming (and first ever) surgery to have these girls - excited, anxious, nervous, worried, happy.
Looking forward: There are so many things I'm looking forward to this week! Mostly losing my belly and being able to sleep on my tummy, and back, and being able to turn around without massive effort. And although I know the c-section recovery will not be quick, I'm looking forward to getting my post-baby body back! More energy and ability to play with and snuggle and cuddle ALL my kids!

If you're the praying type - please pray for the surgery tomorrow. As I mentioned it's my first surgery ever, and while I feel totally safe and comfortable with my doctor, we would appreciate your prayers for her and the girls - that they would be born healthy, that their lungs would be fully developed, and that they won't need an extensive stay in the hospital. Thanks!

Want to read my other "bump" updates? 15 Weeks, 18 Weeks, 21 Weeks, 24 Weeks, 27 Weeks, 30 Weeks and 33 Weeks. 

You know you're having twins when....

My last appointment with my doctor - she'll be doing my c-section
on Monday morning. 

1. People have been asking from 6 months on, "oh, are you due soon?"

2. Even your maternity shirts aren't long enough to cover your growing bump.

3. You can't see your belly button when you're standing up, let alone your feet. 

4. Your belly stretches so much that parts of it become numb to the touch.

5. You kind of forget how big your belly is and keep bumping it when you open doors.

6. You use your laptop on your lap and can't see the keyboard.

7. You've been for so many ultrasounds and exams that the people know you at the labs.

Sometimes it feels very surreal that we are having twins. We have everything ready for the two of them; a big crib for them to share, two carseats, a double stroller, oodles of diapers and clothes and bottles and  pacifiers. I've done ten ultrasounds, and every time I see the two of them, hear their heartbeats, and as they've grown I can feel them kicking, pushing and rolling inside me. And yet I think it will still only be "real" to me when I see them both born and hold them in my arms. Three days to go!

The Calm before the Storm

and a 35 week update.

If you read my Mother's Day post here, you'll see that I have a pretty awesome mother and mother-in-law. As I head into the last week of my twin pregnancy their help and support have gone over and beyond what I could ever ask for. 

You see, we live in a small-ish city just outside of Sao Paulo. On a Sunday, we can make it into the center of Sao Paulo in less than an hour. On a weekday, during rush hour(s), it can take upwards of 2 and a half hours. When Elena was born, we were living in Sao Paulo and we had a great labor and delivery experience at a Maternity hospital here that is very close to my in-laws. Also, my doctor is around the corner. So for the last eight months I've been coming here for all my ultrasounds and doctor's appointments. With the increased risk in a multiple pregnancy, my doctor suggested I spend at least the last week of my pregnancy at my in-laws. 

So when my mom planned her trip here for the twins birth, she came a few weeks early so she could stay at our home with the kids, while I have sort of bed-rest at my in-laws. This way the kids can keep up with their normal routine before life gets crazy! And I get a little time to rest before the twins are born. 

Yesterday we had a little hiccup with our plan for a nice calm week before the storm of birth, newborns and all that. I suddenly developed a bad cold/cough/fever on Sunday night and by my doctor's appointment on Monday I was feeling distinctly under the weather. When we checked the babies' heart rates they were elevated. As we monitored them for about 15 minutes, they continued that way. My doctor was pretty sure it was a result of my fever, so she gave me some medicine and sent me off to the hospital to do another ultrasound and another session of monitoring the girls' hearts. If they had not returned to normal (which they did, thankfully!) I may have had an emergency c-section last night! Although we are technically "ready" for their birth, I am so thankful that I have a few more days to recover from this cold. 

And while I am missing my kiddos like crazy, I know they are in the capable hands of my mom. We are going to surprise them tomorrow when we go back to our home after picking up my sister, who is also arriving to help with the kids and twins. 

It's going to be a full house! 

And here we are at 35 Weeks...

I'm not going to go through the whole list thing - I'll save that for my last update - when I hit 36 weeks on Sunday! It is true that the last few weeks are the hardest. For me probably from about 34 weeks I started to feel very massive, and have quite a bit of pain during the day and a hard time getting comfortable in any position. Sleep - well, let's just say the twins are already preparing me for multiple mid-night wake-up calls! All in all, I am so thankful for having an easy and uncomplicated multiple pregnancy, and being able to still (mostly) care for my kids up until this week. I'm sure looking forward to losing this belly, getting back my ability to pick up and carry all my kids, and holding my sweet little girls on my lap. I do wish I could get at least an extra hand though; how do you carry both of them and do anything else? ;)

Mother's Day

This is a pretty special Mother's Day for me. I've spent three Mother's Days pregnant, and this will be my sixth Mother's Day since Lucas first made me a mom. But what makes this one special is that it is the first Mother's Day I get to spend with my mother since I became a mom. We've been separated by a continent or two for the last 10 years, and the upcoming birth of my twins (next week! YIKES!) is what allowed her to be here with me this year.

My two precious children who made me a mom.

Becoming a mother is what enables you to really appreciate your own mom. Nothing like a few years of being pregnant, nursing, changing diapers, tucking into bed, potty training, snuggling, tickling and playing to make you think of all your mom did for you. All she did to prepare you to become a mom yourself one day. And now I have the opportunity to see my mother not only as mom, but also as a grandma.

Top left: Holding her first born's first born (Lucas). Top right: Holding the second born (Elena)
Bottom: This week - enjoying ice cream together.

 At this point in my life, I am so grateful to have my mom around. Feeling massively pregnant my mom has been a wonderful help around the house in the last 10 days since she arrived in Brazil. I'm not quite sure how I would be managing without her. The kids love her and are having a great time with Nana around.

Mom, in the midst of this sure-to-be-life-changing event, I am cherishing the quiet moments we have together to drink tea, talk and pray together, and enjoy the friendship we have developed despite living so far apart normally. I am inspired by your selfless servant's heart and I hope you know how loved and valued you are. Love you!!

Of course, there is also the other side of our family, and I could not do a Mother's Day post without also talking about my amazing mother-in-law. All the clichéd jokes about mothers-in-law are totally irrelevant in our case (although I do like to clean my house before my mil arrives - even if she's coming to help me clean...) I have been welcomed into the family as a true daughter and my mother-in-law continually shows her love for me and our little family in a multitude of ways that would take too long to mention here. I'm also not quite sure how I would have managed the past few months without her.

Top left: With Lucas (one of our first few days in Brazil) Top right: With Elena
Bottom: Reading to both kids

Mom, I have been so blessed to spend the last few Mother's Days with you. You continue to amaze me with the way you are constantly serving those around you and opening your home to anyone who needs a place to stay. I am so thankful for our relationship that has flourished over the last few years as you've helped me adapt to Brazil, go through two pregnancies and strengthened me as a mom and wife. Love you!

A rare moment with my Mom,  Mother-in-law and my kids. (At the Zoo in Sao Paulo)

So I guess this is a doubly special Mother's Day as I get to spend it in anticipation of two more little blessings and in the wonderful company of my two moms and two crazy kids (who for some reason got up early today and haven't yet figured out that mom needs at least one day to sleep in and get breakfast in bed). Maybe next year?

Happy Mother's Day!

The Bump: 33 Weeks

How far along: 33 Weeks as of April 28
Development: Had another ultrasound this week and the girls are doing great. Unfortunately one of them still has her head up and she may not have enough room to turn around. So it may be a c-section delivery since she is the first in line to be born.

Movement: Lots and lots of movement, mostly around the top of my belly as there's a little more wiggle room up there.
Weight Gain: Total weight gain this pregnancy - 6.2 kgs
Maternity Clothes: Starting to find my maternity shirts feeling short - so it's a lot of dresses with jeans and leggings these days.
Stretch Marks: Not too many new ones, but my tummy is super red from being stretched so much.
Best moment of my week: Doing my maternity photo shoot! Can't wait to write a post about it.
Worst moment: Having both kids get sick in the past two weeks with pneumonia, bad nights and antibiotics. I guess they're getting me ready for getting up every two hours during the night?
Sleep: Starting to have some difficulty getting good sleep and finding a comfortable position, but I do wake up in the morning with a lot more energy and less pain than when I get to bed by night time.
Miss Anything: Being able to run after my kids! They can seriously outrun me right now.
Food Cravings: Everything! I am so hungry these days, but my stomach is so cramped for space I have to eat a little bit every hour. My girls need to gain a lot of weight in the next few weeks so I'll take advantage of it.
Aversions: Nope
Gender: Girls!
Labor signs: A few random contractions here and there.
Belly Button: Totally spread out. In fact I can hardly see it when I stand up!
Rings: On
Mood: Feeling a little hormonally challenged some days, trying to cherish the time with only two kids and yet looking forward to meeting my little girls.
Looking forward: My mom is arriving this week! So looking forward to spending time with her and having her here to help with the kids and the babies.

With the kids being so sick the past few weeks I haven't been keeping up with my weekly photos, but I'll give you a quick peek at some of my maternity shots. They were taken at 32 weeks.

It looks like I'll probably only have one more bump update for you all - if the girls continue to gain weight and reach well over 2 kilos each by about 36 weeks and if they stay in their current position, we'll probably have a scheduled c-section on or around May 19th!

Want to read my other "bump" updates? 15 Weeks, 18 Weeks, 21 Weeks, 24 Weeks, 27 Weeks and 30 Weeks.

Preparing for the Twins - The Kids - Part 2

I can't quite believe that in a little over four weeks we'll be welcoming our twins into the world! There are lots of things to get ready still in our house, and while we can do a lot to prepare, we can't really predict how our kids will react to the twins.

A few weeks ago we had a visit from their Aunt Grace and cousin Kevin and were able to spend a few days with them. Kevin turned 9 months old during their trip here. We haven't had a lot of interaction with smaller babies recently, so I was interested to see how they would behave around Kevin.

Lots of fun with family! 

 I was happy to see how gentle Lucas and Elena were with Kevin. We discovered pretty quickly that it was much better to have only one of them playing with Kevin at a time - otherwise the poor little guy was a little overwhelmed with two cousins so close. So I guess it's good we'll have two little girls - each big kid can entertain a little one. :)

I'm not sure exactly what game these two were playing, but it sure looked like they were getting ready to hold their baby sisters! 

Thankfully both my kids were pretty good eaters as babies, but I can already imagine how much more challenging it will be with feeding two at the same time - so I'm sure I'll be asking my little helpers to pitch in. While Kevin was here, both Lucas and Elena had a chance to help feed him. It was pretty cute. Check it out...

Any other tips for helping my kids prepare for the twins' arrival?

Blessed

There's really no other word for it.

We have been amazingly and generously blessed by family and friends as we prepare for our twins arrival. 

When we first considered adding another little one to our family, we thought we basically had all our bases covered; crib - check, infant car seat - check, stroller - check, boy clothes - check, girl clothes - check, you get the idea. Learning we were having twins meant needing double of almost everything! Or something that works for twins - like a double stroller. Through many different circumstances and connections we've received a second-hand infant car seat, baby rocker, crib, high chair, diaper bag and lots of little girls clothes. The only big purchase I've made is for our double stroller - hand delivered to Brazil from Canada by my brother! :)  

We were also blessed to have a baby shower put on by my sisters and friends from church. Since I really love making invitations, I made the one for our shower.

Roughly translated it says:

Twins - A double dose of joy. 

Or we might say something like "Twins - twice as nice!"

We're expecting you

for our

Baby Shower

Date and Info

My sister-in-law Grace did the simple and sweet decorations.

Very labor intensive project - but so useful for the momma in the months to come.
I think 84 diapers were used to make these two "cakes"

Lots of kids at the shower! Elena was so excited to pick out her own dress. Later on Daddy took her and Lucas out for a bit. Before the shower Lucas played with grandpa. 

Friends and family made it a very special occasion.

My father-in-law got roped into sharing a short meditation and we were blessed to have good friends pray for us and the girls.

After that we had some fun games which included one where three of us had to try to decipher the ingredients of a jar of baby food. Man, that stuff is gross. I was totally wrong in my guesses! The guests also had to write a short note saying how they had met me, or a funny incident that we shared (without including their name). My other sister-in-law, Aline, gave me each note, and I read it aloud (good for my Portuguese practice!) and if I guessed the person incorrectly I would get another item to wear. The point is basically to make the mom look ridiculous.This is an integral part of any Brazilian baby shower. Thankfully most people were nice and obvious in their notes, so I only ended up with the funny streamer hat. 

The kids helped me open the gifts.

 With my baby shower for Elena, I had to guess what each gift contained - got a lot more of those wrong and ended up looking like this...

Almost all the women who attended the shower.

 The Loot! Total diaper tally so far - 714.

Already have an occasion picked out for those two matching black dress / lace legging outfits. :) 

I will end with the video that my sweet sister, Aline, made for the shower. 

Transliteration of the Portuguese text:

The Portelas - Part 4
The Journey Continues

Once upon a time there was a very cute baby girl...
and a big chubby baby boy...

Who met and began a beautiful journey together...
First came Lucas,
and then Elena arrived

But the couple still didn't feel that their family was complete...
...who knows, another boy or another girl..
...but who knew it would be TWO GIRLS!?...

Today, Taara's world is full of pink
...and the little girls are just growing...
...and growing (it's already getting a little tight in there)

We're waiting anxiously to meet you, little princesses. May God bring you out healthy and bless this beautiful family.

Do you think they'll stop there? Place your bets...

The Bump: 30 Weeks

How far along: 30 Weeks as of April 7
Development: Are you surprised that I'm going to write about having another ultrasound? Well, I have one scheduled for Friday and it's probably not going to be the last! They really love ultrasounds here and especially with twins I'll be getting more ultrasounds in the last month to monitor the girls growth, approximate weight and the uterine fluid levels. The most important thing from this point onward is that they both grow at basically the same rate - if one gets too much bigger than the other it can necessitate an early delivery. Our goal is to get to 36 weeks.
Movement: Definite "alien-esque" movements these days as my belly routinely stretches to one side or the other.
Weight Gain: Um, I'll update after my doctors visit this week - I don't really make a habit of stepping on the scale. ever.
Maternity Clothes: I finally went through my dresser and put away all the regular sized jeans and pants. Going to need to go through my tops and t-shirts as they are all starting to feel short. Time to get into hubby's shirts maybe?
Stretch Marks: Lots of new ones right around my belly. Applying cream to help as well as relieve itching.
Best moment of my week: Having almost two week's worth of groceries bought and delivered, thanks to my awesome in-laws. Standing in the grocery line is torture sometimes!
Worst moment: Leg. Cramps. Enough said.
Sleep: Power naps are a must during the day. Starting to get some back and hip pain regularly at night. Seriously, turning over is like doing a five point turn.
Miss Anything: Being able to get up from sitting without feeling back, leg and hip pain.
Food Cravings: Coffee and spicy noodles. Both not good for heartburn. :(
Aversions: Nope
Gender: Girls!
Labor signs: A few random contractions here and there.
Belly Button: Out and totally off-center. I think by the end I may not have a belly button at all as it is almost the only place on my belly that has any stretch left to it!
Rings: On
Mood: Excited, exhausted and a little anxious of the transition to a family of six!
Looking forward: Taking some family and maternity photos next weekend. I never did anything in my previous two pregnancies, and since this is our last (and we haven't had a good family photo in a while) I thought I'd better do it while we can. It's not everyday that you're pregnant with twins! :)

And here are a few "progress" shots from weeks 27-30...

Want to read my other "bump" updates? 15 Weeks, 18 Weeks, 21 Weeks, 24 Weeks and 27 Weeks