Stretching my blog muscles.

ok, here goes

My babies are turning a year old in a week. yes. it has been 1 year since I was this incredibly large, anal retentive, power hungry being that faintly resembled a human. I was nearing the 200 lb mark and definately feeling it in every inch of my body. I prayed, bartered even tried reasoning with God to just hurry up and throw me into labour, and in the same breath, thanking him that he had spared me the long-feared journey of having 2 tiny babies in the NICU. If that doesnt spell mood swings, I dont know what does! Ok, So May 3rd rolls around, Im induced, numbed and sliced open and out pop 2 of the most beautiful little people Ive ever seen. At this point we are 3 and 0 in the cute baby department. After the 4 night stay in the hospital I am begging the nurses to keep me in for any reason they can drum up. My incision hurts; my babies not latching; I cant stand up straight.. HOW AM I GOING TO TAKE CARE OF 2 BABIES!?

The first 6 weeks are a blur. I remember pain. Lots and lots of pain. I definately do not plan on having anymore c-sections in my life time. ESPECIALLY twin c-sections. The next 6 weeks, also a blur. A near white-out storm of screaming, pooping, puking, rashy, tiny babies. And then,
The first smile. Ok, it was worth it.

The first year has definately been a learning experience. I know how to handle one baby. one, individual baby. One baby that I can nap with and easily cart from place to place. How much harder is one more? Let me tell you.

The first thing I came to learn was just how rediculous were the logistics of it all. I began looking at outings as mathematical equations that could daunt even the greatest minds. If I am in the house, and the van is outside at the curb, and I put both babies in the carseats, but due to the on call surgeon mistaking me for an above-the-hips amputee, I am not able to carry more than 8 lbs at a time. Each baby + carrier weighs more than that EACH.
Ok
Let me start again,
Im inside, Van outside, Babies inside. Take one baby to van, wait, that wont work, that means one baby is left alone inside the house. ok Scratch that. Take one baby and put them on the doorstep, then go back in and get the second baby. ok, this could work. I will just leap frog them to the van. yes. Ive solved it!! wait.. its raining!!!

You probably get the jist. I wont even get started on tandem nursing.

The year has been wonderful. Weve learned so much about each other. The kids each have their own distinct personalities. One likes this toy, and the other likes the same toy, but only while the first baby has it. If you take it from the baby who had it first and give it to the baby who wants it so bad that they are screaming and clawing at the first baby... they realise that they infact do not like it as much as once thought.

It was fun guessing who would do what first, and when. And then laughing at our own demise as the kids blew thru milestones. Thank goodness for us, Neither is yet walking. but we can feel it coming faster than a freightrain down a mountain...