The featured blogger this week is Deb of 2 Dogs, 2 Kids, and Us! Deb is the proud MoM of almost one year old twins Hattie and Drake. I have to say, I love reading her blog to remember all the little things that happened around the one year mark with twins.

Why did you decide to start a blog?

I decided to start a blog mainly because I’m a terrible record keeper. Before blogging, I was also a horrible picture taker. Ultimately, I didn’t want to not remember my kids growing up.

Blogging has helped me stay sane. I am able to keep track of milestones without writing them down on tiny piece of scrap paper, losing the paper, and forgetting when my children got their first teeth. I can share our lives with family members and friends more easily. It also gives me a place to just simply say what I want to say. As wonderful as having multiples is, sometimes you just need to jump on a soapbox.

What was your twins birth like?

Completely unexpected and very quick would best describe it. I was only 32 weeks pregnant, but I’d had contractions for at least a couple months. I was terribly swollen, my feet looked like the belonged on an elephant and my doctor had told me to deal with it. Afterall, it was August and I was pregnant with twins.

My dog woke me up around 5 am and that is when I first noticed pain with the contractions.
From there I went back to sleep only to wake up an hour later in a bit more pain. I decided to go ahead and get ready for work, then call the doctor.

Eventually I had to wake my husband up and tell it it was time we headed to the hospital. We arrived at 7:24 am, had an emergency c-section and had two babies by 8:08 am. I was fully dialated and ready to go, except for a breach and transverse baby. Needless to say, labor was quick for me because I slept through most of it.

The doctor brought Hattie over to me, but Drake was immediately taken to the NICU and all I saw of him was the nurses pumping oxygen to him. I saw Hattie and Drake later in the day and that is when my new life with multiples became real.

What advice could you give to parents who have children in the NICU?

There are a few things: Cherish every minute with your child. Sometimes all the tubes and wires can be intimidating, but nurses and doctors will tell you that your support and love helps them in ways medicine can’t. It’s a rollarcoaster, but enjoy the ups and be strong for your child through the downs.

Have a voice and be involved. Our very first nurse told us, “We have numerous doctors and nurses in this NICU, but your baby only has one mom and dad.” The doctors and nurses see the child’s medical history in a chart, but you know everything. If something seems off, ask questions. Afterall, it is your child even though you do feel helpless at times.

Get to know the staff and other parents. We went to the weekly support group which was led by the occupational therapist. That is where we learned a lot about premature babies and their development. Getting to know other parents can also help in your frustrations and theirs.

You’ve mentioned that you make your own baby food, what are your tips?

I like to take a few hours on a Sunday and make lots of meals. It doesn’t seem like such a burden when you make large batches.

Go to your local Farmer’s Market and pick up fruit and vegetables that you know are organic. I never thought I would be a mom who is picky about what her kids eat, but it has just become something that is important to me.

A lot of people freeze the food in ice cube trays, but I use some 2 oz containers made for baby food. They are wonderful for those times when you will be away from home during feeding times.

Does anyone else have some good tips? I’m always looking for good recipes especially now that my kids are eating a larger range of food.

How have your kids adjusted to daycare? How have you adjusted to having them in daycare?

The kids have adjusted wonderfully. I firmly believe that they have caught up on development because of daycare. They weren’t too far behind, but the teachers really new how to work with the kids in ways that I didn’t. For some reason, a Master’s of Accountancy doesn’t teach you about motherhood.

We just recently moved into a room with new teachers (because we were outgrowing the infant room). I really got to know the teachers in the infant room which made me feel more at ease. I could see how much they cared for my kids.

As for me, I still have my moments. I hate dressing my kids and packing them up for daycare. I bothers me every day, but that has been motivation for my husband and I to work towards being in a place

financially that would allow me to stay home. Any tips on getting over the guilty feeling of being a working mom?

Also, I really get to know the teachers which makes me feel more at ease. I can see how much they cared for my kids. They even have the patience to do art project with infants! I love picking up all the artwork at the end of the month!

What are some of your favorite things to do as a family?

As I mentioned before, we love going to the farmer’s market. We have also been enjoying a lot of pool time lately. Some of our best times are just sitting in the living room playing with toys and laughing. It is amazing to just watch your kids and learn their personalities. We love watching our twins interact. There is just something so special between multiples.

One of our most favorite things to do is attend the basketball games of the college in our town, which is something that has been a tradition for my husband and I. This fall we will be taking the kids with us. I’m really hoping they will play into all the dressing up and cheering.

We also spend a lot of time out in the front yard with our neighbors and their kids. Can we say future babysitters?!?

What questions(s) do you have for the other families in the community?

What are some of your bedtime routine activities? We try books, but that will only last for a minute or two.

Do you have any tips on transitioning to sippy cups? We had a lot of feeding difficulties in the beginning due to prematurity, but sippy cups may take away my sanity before we even get to potty training!

My twins are 10 months old, but I love to do artsy/crafty things with them. Any new ideas?