The Craun-icles of Brian and Nicole: April 2015

We survived another month! I feel like this past month we've settled into a rhythm, and I find myself thinking all the time, "How did I ever not want one of them?" I can't imagine life without one of them; they both are too perfect!

The only one where they both were looking at the camera

Thug life

Weight and height: Unofficial measurements put them at approximately 23" long, weighing 13 pounds (Chloe) and 11.5 pounds (Will).

Sleeping patterns: For the most part, their sleeping patterns are fairly similar. They each take at least one longer nap during the day, and they sleep in big chunks at night. They both have slept through the night, but Will likes to wake up to eat at least once on a regular basis. Chloe likes her sleep! They go down at 6:30-7ish now that daycare has started. They are also sleeping in their own cribs now that they are both extra squirmy. But they do still like to snuggle.

Will always wiggles closer to Chloe

Monitor shot - They started with heads apart and feet together and this is how I found them.

Eating habits: The only time they were drinking formula was if I had to skip a pump session (like when I was too busy having fun at the diaper party), which is very rare. They each eat about 4 ounces per bottle and typically have 6-7 bottles a day. I had a nice little stash in the fridge but then Will decided to have another growth spurt the past couple of days. Thankfully, a coworker friend donated some of her stash just this evening, so I feel like I can relax some, instead of obsessing over the ounces I get. I'm impressed that I'm still pumping three months in, and I hope that I can make it to six months. Pumping at work is difficult: I have major fear of missing out, some guilt for leaving in the middle of meetings, and anxiety around forgetting to bring everything I need. On the flipside, I was able to quickly go through email and start on other projects because I have a few hours to work in silence.

New discoveries they've made: They've discovered how cute they are, using their smiles to charm us. If you ever need to turn around a bad day, just look at the next two pictures.

In addition to smiling, they love their hands, especially using them to grab things like hair, o-ring balls, and taggies. Chloe is more of the grabber; Will prefers to lift weights.

Right before I started back to work, they both were getting really bored with me. They would randomly cry and the only way I could get them to stop was to move them to a different room for a change of scenery. Pumping this summer while trying to occupy them is going to be an interesting experiment.

Accomplishments: They still get mad about tummy time, but they are getting better with it. They both are pretty steady with their heads so it's getting easier to carry them around and try to do something with the other hand. They're so close to sitting in the Bumbo seat without us spotting their heads! Chloe loves to be upright, and both like to stand.

Places they went: We survived our first road trip, barely, to Sioux City. We have trips to Omaha and Minneapolis coming up. These are for happy times so hopefully Brian and I will cope better with taking care of two infants and a crazy toddler away from home.

Special friends they've made:
Dom remains a favorite. He is able to get the best smiles out of those two! Chloe and Isla hung out together at the diaper party without screaming, so maybe they won't be huge divas together like their first time together. Will and Chloe also got to meet lots of our friends and family, plus a bunch of my coworkers at the diaper party.

Noises and babbles: Will must have heard my plea in the last monthly post - his cry is no longer annoying like it was a few weeks ago! Now he just sounds like a typical baby, and really only cries when he is hungry. Chloe has gotten a little less fussy, so I think my restriction of milk, yogurt, and cheese is working. Both of them talk like crazy, and it is so cute. We're at the point where it sounds like we're having little conversations. And the best thing ever happened earlier this evening when I was changing Will into his jammies: He laughed! I love that little sound. Apparently it's funny when I almost bang my head on their dresser...but whatever. I got to hear his first laugh! (Maybe he laughed for the first time at daycare, but we're going to pretend first events never happen at daycare.)

Firsts:
Easter
We celebrated on Saturday with Brian's parents and the Drews in Ankeny, and on Sunday with my parents at our house. This was the first year that we did an egg hunt, and also the first year that I hid Dom's basket instead of just giving it to him. I thought I hid them basically in plain sight, but both he and Brian needed lots of clues to find their baskets, plus Will's and Chloe's baskets. I had fun hiding them, and I wonder if Mom had as much fun hiding our baskets when we were little.

Pa-pow

Thank you, Ann, for the adorable headband!

Our yummy meal

Bunny dirt cup desserts

Will's and Chloe's baskets - now they each have a bunny like Dom's white one

Diaper Party
Brian's parents hosted a diaper party for us the weekend before I went back to work. Diapers and/or wipes equaled free food and beer. We had an awesome turn out, and we hope that all the diapers will get us through for a while. We go through about 120-140 diapers per week so we are incredibly thankful for everyone coming! And with all the cuddling everyone provided, Brian and I were actually able to enjoy ourselves! I actually finished a beer, three total - watch out. Never mind that it took about 12 hours to finish the three of them.

First Day of Daycare
Their first day of daycare was last Monday. Sending Chloe and Will was much easier than Dom's first day since I absolutely love the woman in charge of the infant room. Plus every time I thought that I could stay home with them, they'd start screaming at the same time, so we were all clearly ready for daycare to start.

Dom was such a proud big brother. Brian said that when he left them at daycare, Dominic stood behind the two carriers watching over them. I did okay with the first few days; I didn't cry but I spent the first hour or so of the day looking at pictures of them. Being back at work is hard (I started last Wednesday). I miss them a lot during the day, and now that they are so tired I don't get to spend very much time with them. I get little pings of jealousy sometimes when I see pictures of them cuddling with someone else at daycare. I miss their smiles and snuggles so I'm very much looking forward to summer!