Singing Babies!

Rick and I purchased a chariot stroller last weekend, now its time for me to start biking the girls around!!  Rick and I are going to jog this weekend with the girls too.  Can't wait:)  I can't believe I have over a month left before I have to go back to work, time has gone by sooo fast in the last six months!  Six of my girlfriends are now pregnant so I kinda feel like I need to join the group (just kidding).

Reflecting back, I feel super lucky that Rick is a super father to the girls and great husband.  I've had a lot of time to relax, shop, go to the gym, play tennis, go to the spa, and go out with my friends.  I've definitely been spoiled with a lot of downtime despite having twins and exclusively nursing.  We've joined a rock climbing gym again so that will be our regular date night activity!

The girls have met a lot of new friends in the last few months.  I've committed a lot of time now to go on regular playdates with my friends, at least three a week just for fun!  They've also been swimming alot in the public kiddie pools.  They love swimming.  Their latest trick is now singing like opera singers.  Here's a cute but loud video of the girls:

Dancing All Day!

The girls are finally better!  Keira and Naomi both got sick on two different weeks and erupted into raspberries for a couple of days post fever.  When they were sick, they wanted to nurse more at night because they refused to eat solids during the day.  Sooo, they picked up a couple of bad habits.  Rick and I had to sleep train them in a tough way but it worked!  We used a gradual version of the cry it out method and the most they cried before falling asleep was 30 minutes.  Both are also sleeping 11 to 12 hours at night now, with an occasional early morning feed after 10 hours of sleep.  They still wake up every now and then but are able to fall back asleep on their own now:)

We recently had a race of both girls crawling, Keira is crawling a lot faster! Keira started crawling right after she recovered from being sick.





The girls started dancing this morning when Rick was playing his iphone.  So I decided to play music all day and they danced all day!!  Here's a quick version of what happen today. 

7-10 Months Twin Routine!

The girls are all grown up! I just wanted to post my twin routine for interest sake.

The biggest changes are as follows: The girls are nursing less frequently (4.5 -5 hours between feedings), don't nap or hardly nap at all when they are on the go (ex: riding in the stroller, carseats), are down to two naps and sleep longer at night.  I make an effort to have the girls nap in their cribs at home now because they are much happier, playful and easier to take care of when I do so.   Its a small short term sacrifice and the payoff is huge (happy girls!)

The girls are awake 2.15 - 2.5 hours before taking their first nap, then stay up for 3 -3.5 hours before taking their second nap and 4-4.5 hours before going to bed.

This routine is +/- 30 minutes
5 am - early morning feed (occasionally each of the girls sleep through this feeding)
7 am - wake up time, playtime
8 am - solids
9:15 am - nurse then nap (nap on average 1.5 hours)
11 pm - awake, playtime
12 pm- lunch solids
2 pm - nurse then nap (nap on average 1.5 hours)
3:30 - awake, playtime
5:00 - dinner solids
7:30 - bedtime

I really hate having routines when I don't work, its predictable, repetitive and boring!!  BUT I think its mandatory when you have twins!!  It made my life way easier :)

10 Months Old - Standing!!

The girls are standing on furniture!!  They are getting stronger by the day.  They are drinking from a sippy cup, drinking some milk, getting heavier, leaner and taller.  Their hair is also getting really long, I might have to start fixing their hair before we go out. They always have bed head.

Recently, Naomi became very sick with a fever, loss of appetite and some vomiting.  Now she has erupted into a rash.  She is starting to feel a bit better but its heartbreaking when little Naomi, the bubbly playful extrovert is super unhappy, doesn't want to play and almost nothing makes her happy.  She has a virus that's taking a while for her to recover.  Keira seems mainly ok, a little cranky but nothing like her sister.

Rick did a bit a baby proofing in the house, now the tv area looks great!  Here's a picture of our new tv station!

Girls are accelerating!!

Naomi and Keira are very mobile now!!  Naomi loves crawling on her knees and pulling herself up on furniture.   I can't believe its only been a week since Naomi started to crawl!! Keira is content with sitting or standing in one area.  Pretty soon, the girls will be cruisin on all the furniture. So Rick and I have made a commitment to spend the weekend babyproofing the house!!

The girls are on and off with their separation anxiety but it quickly fades away if daddy is home or if someone they know well is in the same room, thank god!!  I think their anxiety is associated with their mobility, they know that people can move away from them and they won't be able to catch up!!  But no biggie since they are ok with mom leaving the house and great in public.

Girls are starting to sleep and eat a lot better now that their teeth have cut through the gums, Rick has been doing a great job sleep training them to fall back asleep without any bum patting in the last few days.  They normally go to bed around 7-8 and wake for a feeding at 5-6 am and then sleep until 7-8 am!!  Occasionally, if they learn a new skill, they will practice it at 5/5:30 and fall asleep an hour later in their crib.  There's some crying/fussing involved but each day is getting better.  Keira still wakes up a few times on and off due to separation anxiety but she is learning to fall back asleep very quickly:)  I think they are learning to ignore each other's cries now.  Hard to make two babies happy in the same room!!

They are down to two naps, four feedings, three solids meals and on the road together to 12 hours of sleep overnight, finally!!  They are big kids now :))  The baby stage is almost over, boo, but I'm also looking forward to them walking and talking in a couple of months.

Here's a cute video of them playing footsies after finishing a meal.  They do this everyday :)

Going on to 10 Months!

Last week the girls had their nine month check up, they are doing great.  The girls on are track with their weights and on the same growth patterns.  Naomi is over 18 lbs and Keira is almost 17 lbs!  AND of course, they still have 90th percentiles heads compared to other nine month olds!!

The girls are sitting up super well now, and its awesome! I can plunk both girls in the shopping carts and go shopping!!  Finally, I can pick up a full load of groceries rather than sticking stuff underneath the stroller.  The best places to take the girls shopping is Canadian Tire. The girls love the police carts.






Now that the girls are staying up a lot longer, its so much easier to do things with them, like going out for dinner or having dinner parties or going to all afternoon parties.  We've been going to lots of playdates too. Here's a recent picture of three sets of twin girls!   They actually play with each other now. Its soo cute.  The babies have known each other  for over a year!!






Its been a very hot summer.  So hot that both girls tan and sweat within minutes of getting out of the van. Here's a video of the girls enjoying a nemo mister at a recent birthday party.

New Milestones:  The girls are creeping and crawling.  They love clapping, waving and saying da da!  Here's a few videos demonstrating their new skills :)

And finally, I have full time help!!!  Its super awesome. I feel like a new person.  Having another person around to attend to one babies needs is sooo much easier than having to tend to both babies needs all the time.  I have a great live out nanny right now whose helping me till end of August.  We recently went swimming. Here's a cute video of them swimming :)

Fighting! Nine Months old!!

Smiley Keira

Independent Naomi

Keira is learning to say 'mama' when she's upset now.  Just before she goes to bed, she likes to see mommy and if she doesn't, she will yell out "ma ma' until I see her and then she falls asleep :) Out of the two, Keira is more dependent on mom but each day, its getting better and better.  She also has a little tooth sprouting out of her gums. The other day, I taught her to clap her hands and now she loves doing it, here's a quick video:

I make an effort to get the girls the exact same toys now.  Otherwise, they fight!! Naomi is impulsive, she gets what she wants and rolls around the living room getting it.  Keira is more comfortable playing in her little spot and sometimes steals toys from Naomi but Naomi is often ok with it.  Here's a video of them fighting.  Notice that Keira looks at me when her toy is stolen :)

The girls have been on and off refusing solids for a few days each week.  I realize that their gums are sore and they don't want to eat.  Now that each of them have a tooth, they eat a lot better.

The girls have very different personalities!  If I had to guess, Naomi is much more like me and Keira is much like Rick.  Naomi loves to smile and laugh out loud with teeth showing.  She loves being noticed, gets what she wants, and talks out loud.  She's restless too, she can't sit in one spot for too long.  Keira is more dainty, much more dependent on mommy and daddy to get her toys back, she's content with sitting in one spot and smiles a lot with no teeth/gums showing.  Identical girls with opposite personalities (at least for now!)