Luci and Nicholas at Three Months
12 Comments posted by Kristi on Friday, January 16, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Luci and Nicholas turned three months old yesterday.
In many ways, it doesn't seem possible that this much time has passed since they were born. In others, these have been the longest months of my life.
I'm writing this on a good day. They're currently both asleep, something that rarely happens during the day. We're coming off two excellent nights, which I hope is a direct result of our new nighttime approach: nursing around 7 or 8pm, followed immediately by swaddling and placement in the pack-n-play in the living room. Both nights have resulted in large stretches of sleep, the likes of which are unheard of here.
But they are still very fussy babies. I suspect that Nicholas (and perhaps Luci too) has reflux. His nursing sessions often end with him screaming uncontrollably for 10 minutes or more. Their pediatrician is recommending small doses of milk of magnesia to help, since gas drops and gripe water haven't been helping.
I've noticed they nurse a lot better individually than they do when I'm feeding them together. It's certainly more comfortable for me to nurse them this way, and I really enjoy the luxury of snuggling with just one baby, but more often than not, I'm pressed for time and I have to nurse them together. When I'm by myself and the suspected reflux kicks in, it is unfun. Very, very unfun.
On the brighter side of things, they have started smiling a whole lot more this past month, and have started to coo. This makes tolerating their hours-long screaming fests a bit easier. But only a bit.
They both seem to enjoy spending time under the floor gym, Nicholas especially. They love the bee mobile above the changing table, and their big sister too. I think she's the recipient of most of their smiles. I spend the day rotating them through the various baby apparati: our swings, the bouncy seats, the floor gym, the pack-n-play. But by far, they spend the largest chunks of their days tucked into the Bjorn. They calm down immediately when they're in there. I have learned to do just about everything with a baby strapped to my chest. Am strong like bull.
I've noticed that Nicholas is growing a lot faster than Luci. At their two-month appointment, there was a 10 ounce difference between them, but while he's noticeably grown since that visit, I don't think she has. This has me slightly concerned. They were both under the 5th percentile for both height and weight at their 2-month checkup, so that's encouraging (if only because they're both under-achievers) but I'll be very interested to learn of their growth at their 4-month checkup next month.
Luci and Nicholas have yet to develop any kind of predictable waking and sleeping schedule, which is just killing me. I never know what's going to happen from minute to minute. I have no idea when they'll awaken for the day, when they'll nap, whether I'll have to nurse them together because they're both screaming, or when I can nurse one at a time. They might be fast asleep when I need to get Isabella up and fed in the morning, or they might be screaming because they're hungry, or need attention. I might be able to drag my arse out of bed at 6am and run on the treadmill while the hubs gets ready for work, or I might be pacing the floor trying to rock one (or both) of them back to sleep. I might eat my breakfast at 7am, or it might be 10am before I get a spare second to myself. For a tightly wound and highly scheduled person such as myself, this is incredibly frustrating.
Because of their erratic sleeping and waking patterns, we're breaking all the sleeping rules with them. We let them sleep in their swings. They'll sleep for hours in their car seats. I'm nursing them back to sleep. But at this point, I just don't care.
At this point, we're still in survival mode. Nothing about our lives is normal. We've had exactly one person (one of my friends) over to our house in the evening (when all hell is usually breaking loose) in the past three months, and he bolted for the door soon after the twins started their nightly crying jag. I can't expect things to be as they were, to have the time to collapse in exhaustion on the couch once Isabella is in bed and watch very bad reality tv (is anyone watching The Bachelor? I have lots to say about this show. Stay tuned!) until it's time for bed. Their adjusted age is only 6.5 weeks, after all.
But I am looking forward to the day when we an look back at our lives right now and wonder how in the hell it was that we managed to maintain some semblance of sanity.
They're lucky that their parents find them pretty cute. A droolly smile can serve you well when you're three months old.
In many ways, it doesn't seem possible that this much time has passed since they were born. In others, these have been the longest months of my life.
I'm writing this on a good day. They're currently both asleep, something that rarely happens during the day. We're coming off two excellent nights, which I hope is a direct result of our new nighttime approach: nursing around 7 or 8pm, followed immediately by swaddling and placement in the pack-n-play in the living room. Both nights have resulted in large stretches of sleep, the likes of which are unheard of here.
But they are still very fussy babies. I suspect that Nicholas (and perhaps Luci too) has reflux. His nursing sessions often end with him screaming uncontrollably for 10 minutes or more. Their pediatrician is recommending small doses of milk of magnesia to help, since gas drops and gripe water haven't been helping.
I've noticed they nurse a lot better individually than they do when I'm feeding them together. It's certainly more comfortable for me to nurse them this way, and I really enjoy the luxury of snuggling with just one baby, but more often than not, I'm pressed for time and I have to nurse them together. When I'm by myself and the suspected reflux kicks in, it is unfun. Very, very unfun.
On the brighter side of things, they have started smiling a whole lot more this past month, and have started to coo. This makes tolerating their hours-long screaming fests a bit easier. But only a bit.
They both seem to enjoy spending time under the floor gym, Nicholas especially. They love the bee mobile above the changing table, and their big sister too. I think she's the recipient of most of their smiles. I spend the day rotating them through the various baby apparati: our swings, the bouncy seats, the floor gym, the pack-n-play. But by far, they spend the largest chunks of their days tucked into the Bjorn. They calm down immediately when they're in there. I have learned to do just about everything with a baby strapped to my chest. Am strong like bull.
I've noticed that Nicholas is growing a lot faster than Luci. At their two-month appointment, there was a 10 ounce difference between them, but while he's noticeably grown since that visit, I don't think she has. This has me slightly concerned. They were both under the 5th percentile for both height and weight at their 2-month checkup, so that's encouraging (if only because they're both under-achievers) but I'll be very interested to learn of their growth at their 4-month checkup next month.
Luci and Nicholas have yet to develop any kind of predictable waking and sleeping schedule, which is just killing me. I never know what's going to happen from minute to minute. I have no idea when they'll awaken for the day, when they'll nap, whether I'll have to nurse them together because they're both screaming, or when I can nurse one at a time. They might be fast asleep when I need to get Isabella up and fed in the morning, or they might be screaming because they're hungry, or need attention. I might be able to drag my arse out of bed at 6am and run on the treadmill while the hubs gets ready for work, or I might be pacing the floor trying to rock one (or both) of them back to sleep. I might eat my breakfast at 7am, or it might be 10am before I get a spare second to myself. For a tightly wound and highly scheduled person such as myself, this is incredibly frustrating.
Because of their erratic sleeping and waking patterns, we're breaking all the sleeping rules with them. We let them sleep in their swings. They'll sleep for hours in their car seats. I'm nursing them back to sleep. But at this point, I just don't care.
At this point, we're still in survival mode. Nothing about our lives is normal. We've had exactly one person (one of my friends) over to our house in the evening (when all hell is usually breaking loose) in the past three months, and he bolted for the door soon after the twins started their nightly crying jag. I can't expect things to be as they were, to have the time to collapse in exhaustion on the couch once Isabella is in bed and watch very bad reality tv (is anyone watching The Bachelor? I have lots to say about this show. Stay tuned!) until it's time for bed. Their adjusted age is only 6.5 weeks, after all.
But I am looking forward to the day when we an look back at our lives right now and wonder how in the hell it was that we managed to maintain some semblance of sanity.
They're lucky that their parents find them pretty cute. A droolly smile can serve you well when you're three months old.
Oh I am *all* about survival mode. You do what you have to! Flipper slept in his travel system for ALL his naps for the first 6 months. Seriously. I was like, LET SLEEPING BABIES LIE. So what if the books say you should move them to the cot. I've been tempted to throw many an authors baby book at the authors heads. You do what you can. Judging by your pictures your kids are perfectly healthy babies - so don't stress. Oh and one more thing - kids develop differently. I only have two boys to judge by - and they're totally different - so I'm guessing the difference between boy/girl is HUGE, even if they are twins. Don't sweat it. Boys are way more physical anyway, you'll probably find that Luci starts to talk way before Nicholas, because while she may not be as physical, she's probably memorizing lists of vocab right now!!
Keep at it, you're doing great!!
I can't believe how much Nicholas looks like a little boy baby. Luci is adorable too.
So sorry for the reflux. That makes it fun, eh? Survival mode sounds like the right coping strategy to me. You're doing a great job.
Even at 3.5 years, Bridget's sleep patterns are still unpredicatble. She didn't come in our bed until 5AM today, but usually it's anywhere between 11:00 and 3:00, and then no one sleeps well. When she was an infant, though, the total lack of sleep was almost unbearable. There were many times I'd get up at 4AM, swaddle her, plop her in her swing and go back to bed for an hour or two. You do what you have to do, especially when you have other children to take care of. There's definitely no more "nap when the baby naps."
I'm really hoping the milk of magnesia helps with after-feeding crying . . .
They are just too precious! And it is funny how you can really tell which is which, regardless of their outfits.
First of all, DAMN. They're beautiful. You guys make some gorgeous kids.
Second, from what you write, I can't imagine anyone doing anything other than just surviving. You ARE doing it. You've made it 3 months. And each 3 months will be dramatically different. You guys keep on holding onto each other and remembering that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.
Hugs.
First of all...they are both so cute! They look nothing alike though.
Secondly, I couldn't agree more about nursing both at once. I don't do that unless they are both completely freaking out. They never seem satisfied afterward,and I get myself in a position where I can't help either one get in a proper position. I hate it....it actually gives me the heebs a little bit...kind of like I'm not actually human...just a milk machine. Yet, when I nurse just one baby I still feel that nurturing, bonding thing. It's definitely weird.
Those babies are so damned cute. And I went back to check out some old Isabella shots, and they look so similar and yet so different. I agree with your other reader, your kids are gorgeous.
Now, onto you. You're amazing and doing a great job. Hope it gets easy for you all soon.
Lorelei loves it when I come to your blog and sees the babies... she also loves Chas' too... but she gets all happy in seeing the photos... so maybe that will make the crazy days better... that the photos makes a crazy toddler happy lol...
But, I really do hope things go better soon! Hang in there sweetie!
What sweet little faces! They look so angelic, like they would never be such trouble causers! Oh well. I know those baby looks can ve very deceiving.
I think Nicholas looks a lot like Isabella.
I am sure you're going nuts still, but they are REALLY cute and those smiles have got to warm your heart. I'm still in awe of you surviving. I could barely nurse one. If I had twins they'd have been on formula before a month was out. I'm going to think of you whenever I start bemoaning being pregnant or any of the hard baby stuff.
Great photos..... they are soooo cute! Nicholas looks so much like Isabella!
I read your pre-school post (it's taken me about 4 visits to your blog to read through your posts - I'm finally up to date and can comment!) and thought, gee, that would suck having a 'back-seat' parent, and lo, one teeny tiny "innocent" observation on my own blog, has resulted in a string of emails from the other side of the world from my very own 'back-seat' parent!! My conclusion: Do what you've gotta do. I'm glad Isabella enjoyed her day at Pre-school.
My wonderful pediatrician told me with my first son that the smiling technique evolved in babies as a survival mechanism. He said if babies hadn't learned how to smile, parents would have abandoned them after a few months. My husband and I often tell each other "you know, if [insert child's name here] wasn't so freaking cute, he'd get in a heck of a lot more trouble!"