My Crazy Life

I would give anything if I could have a video of me at 5:00 p.m. last night. I would post it here so all could see my crazy life (that I really love!). I was sitting on the couch trying to check my e-mail. I had my 2 boys laying next to me on the couch facing each other. One would cry a little, and I would put a pacie in his mouth. He would fall asleepand drop the pacie, and a few seconds later the other brother would start crying. I could only find one pacie at the time (plus I have decided that they are just going to have to share germs bc/ there is no way I can keep who's who's pacie straight!). They went back and forth like that about 5 times, one fell asleep and as if on cue the other awoke! It was so funny and so representative of my life with my double blessings!

While I was typing the door rang, and it was the FedEx fairy with 12 cans of formula! How great is that? They give free stuff to twins. My doctor said sometimes it's a 1 time delivery, and sometimes it keeps coming for a month- here's to wishing the FedEx fairy remembers my address!!

OK, all of you keep telling me, "I've been thinking about you but didn't want to call bc/ I was afraid you'd be sleeping." Seriously? Two babies here, not to mention a non-napping 4 year old. If you want to call, please call. If I'm sleeping I either won't answer or will be able to talk to you and return to sleep within 30 seconds! Besides, I'm going a little stir crazy here. This is after all the same room I've been confined to since May! I'm ready to go places but am terrified to take the twins in public bc/ they are so little and still too young, but also bc/ they seem to attract a lot of attention which is the last thing you want little ones to do. At least I can go visit people (hinting for invites here-haha!). We got to go to MawMaw's and Gram's for the first time Sunday, and I can't believe I forgot my camera. I guess I'm off my game! Then last night I took them, and we went to Jen's for Bible study. Though it takes me a while to get ready (although I am able to carry 2 out and put them in car seats at the same time now), it has been nice getting out!

Hope to hear from all of you soon!

The Case of the Missing...

umbilical cord?????? Yesterday, when I put Wesley down for his nap he had his cord hanging on by a string. When I changed his diaper it was gone. I shook out clothes, rechecked the diaper, and felt all around his bed- nothing. How gross is that? At least I don't save them in their baby books like some of you crazy people (you know who you are-AJ!).

My boys are 2 weeks old today and growing! Will weighed 6lb10oz, a gain of 4 oz in 10 days and 2oz over his birthweight. And quickly trying to gain the lead, little brother. Saturday he was at 6lbs, his birth weight. Today, 4 short days later, he was 6lb. 8 oz. A gain of 8 oz in 4 days, wow! He's only 2 behind big brother now, though he still looks much smaller than Will. In fact, Ashton was calling Will "Fat Head" tonight. Aren't big sisters sweet?

Today, when I told Ashton we were going to the doctor she wanted to know if they were getting shots. When I told her they were just going to weigh them and see how big they were she asked who was going to help them stand up (like on the scales). I thought that was so cute and a really good question! She "babysat" today. The boys were downstairs, and I ran up to take a shower giving her specific instructions to come get me if they started crying without touching them! I took a speedy shower and ran to the top of the stairs to ask her if they had cried and she said, "No, they're just perrrrrrrrrfect!" She took full credit for their being quiet due to her being a great babysitter. Perhaps I praised her too much bc/ when my mom was here both boys woke up crying at the same time, and Ashton told her she was a bad baysitter bc/ they were crying!

We had our first real get wet baths tonight (I got a horrible headache and wasn't up for it last night). Will thought it would be fun if Mommy got to tkae a bath too and hosed me down REALLY good while I had him on my shoulder!

The boys have been a little constipated being on formula. The doctor told me to put a tsp of Karo syrup in their bottles. I was just curious if any of you have ever heard of this before? It seems strange and like a lot of sugar to me. Don't know yet if it works. I'm sure I'll find out about 3a.m.!

Jackson is realizing how big out family is now bc/ his homework was to put all our names in alphabetical order. I asked him if he wanted to include the dog or not, and he said he did. Then when we got down to the twins he was tired of doing homework and told me, "I changed my mind I don't want to include them." I then had to explain that it was one thing not to include the dog, but he really had no choice about including his brothers!

We had Open House last night. It was amazing how many things Jackson's teacher does just like I did in my classroom: reading workshop, writer's workshop, grammer morning work, math meeting, individualized spelling, etc. She must really be a GREAT teacher (hee hee!). Please give me your opinion on this: while helping Jackson study for spelling I told him a little hint. This week all his spelling words and word families had a as the vowel, so he would know on his test he should only use a's. I meant for it to be a testing tip and help him notice things to help him remember and see patterns, but then it hit me that I might be undermining him really learning the words! Tricky stuff this studying!

Today Is My Due Date!

Today is my due date, 40 weeks since we started on this wild journey. I wonder if I am more sleep deprived with 2 newborns or would be 40 weeks pregnant? I'm pretty happy with the former as I sit here with my 2 sweet boys laying next to me, happy and DRY (I changed 4 wet outfits in 2 hours this morning!).

We had a big event this morning. Will's umbilical cord fell off in the kitchen floor and Ashton said, "What's that?" Wesley's is hanging on by a thread, so it looks like it will be real bath night around here!

Last night when Jon finally got home from baseball practice, and I fed my 13th bottle of the day, he let me go upstairs to sleep the first shift. I just stood in the bathroom struggling with the age-old question faced by new mothers everywhere- sleep or cleanliness? I was in DESPERATE need of a bath! That is one thing that is a lot harder if not impossible with twins. "This One" or "That One" (Jon's nicknames for them :) is always asleep. I can't figure out how to carry them both upstairs while they stay asleep so I can shower! As dirty as I was, I was also about as tired as I've ever been so didn't want to give up the sleep time a shower would take! All of you living within the Spring Hill zip code will be happy to know I opted for cleanliness and even shaved (Amy).

I was telling Ashton last night to put her stamps away bc/ it was bedtime. She asked me, "Why are you always 'magging' me?" Jon swears she didn't learn nagging, or magging, from him, but I'm not convinced, though she did say she saw it on Hannah Montana!

Last night Jon took the first shift. I told him to come get me when they woke up to feed. He says he came and told me they were ready to eat and I said, "Well, feed them then," and went right back to sleep. I have no recollection of this, and, bless his heart, he went and fed them and stayed up way too long! He has been so sweet taking turns at night even though he's back at work. There's only one problem. I make 7 bottles a day for each baby. We always feed one right after the other. Yet, the last 2 times Jon has been in charge when I wake up, one baby has one more bottle than the other (their bottles are different bc/ Will uses a #2 nipple since he's a lazy sucker while Wes is a #1)! I have no idea what he does- does he forget to feed one or give one the other's bottle?

Jackson is full throttle in first grade. We've been busy studying for his first spelling test Friday! I am so nervous because he knows how to spell all the words but he's never had a test before, and I wonder if he'll get nervous or careless? Jon says I'm worried too much, but being a teacher mom means you think your child has to be the star student. I know it's wrong, but he's my only outlet for teaching!

That's what's going on around here with the 6 of us. Life is great; sleeps's overrated any way, as is a clean house! Have to sign off as dirty diapers are calling!!!!

Pee Pee SOS

So, I've had a boy before, and I know that diapers leak. However, I am changing clothes on the boys EVERY hour or 2, literally! Every other time they pee it gets on their gown, bed, couch, blanket, me, Jon, etc... I have tried Pampers preemie and newborn and Huggies. Am I forgetting some trick to prevent this? They can only wear preemie clothes and newborn gowns, so they are in limited number. I'm washing clothes once or twice a day!

I got tickled at my life last night as I was washing, making formula and filling 14 bottles! It reminded me of scenes from those shows where they have 6 kids, and now I have a piece of that! Jon and I decided this weekend as we changed dirty outfit after outfit and lay one sleeping babe down to have the other wake up, that you can either laugh (sometimes hysterically) or cry! We're trying our hardest to laugh! Hope you can laugh with us and not at us, too much anyway!

Formula Drive

So, breastfeeding didn't go so well. Just like the sibling they resemble, Will (like Jackson) wouldn't latch on and wouldn't wake up to eat. Wesley (like Ashton) was the exact opposite and sucked so hard he... well I'll spare you the gory details. Let's just say I started pumping to give them a chance to heal. I was pumping enough for one baby but not 2. They have been on half breast milk half formula for a week. They've done great and are already back at their birth weight! Pumping started hurting and reinjuring me. Then I realized I was spending 4 hours a day pumping! That's a lot of time for a mother of 4! After talking to several of you to get over my guilt, I've decided to quit pumping. I'm slowly trying to let it dry up- ouch!

We are using Enfamil with Lipil and Iron. The big cans of powder have gone up $5 since Ashton was little, and I am already flying through it with 2 and they only take 2 ounces now! When I was telling Kyla she said we should do a formula drive bc/ she had some free samples she had never used. I've decided with 2 babies to feed I can't be proud. I got free samples at the doctor last week and when I had to take Wesley in today for an eye infection. I had a different nurse so asked for more! Then a different doctor saw us and asked what kind of formula we werre using and brought me more. I didn't tell him the nurse had already given us some! For once, I think I made money at the doctor's office or at least broke even with my co-pay (which I don't feel too guilty over since they made me wait and hour and fifteen minutes with a newborn!).

I can't imagine how much we'll go through when they begin to use 5 or 6 a feeding! So, I am using to my blog to shamelessly ask for any coupons or unused samples you might have of Enfamil!!!! If you are really feeling sorry for me, you can even ask for samples when you go to the doctor-haha! I have several things where I can fill out for free samples and coupons by mail. I wonder if I can use the grandparents address and register for more than one? If you start getting formula in the mail I might have used yours too- just kidding! I know this sounds awful, but I'm pretty sure with all this, Enfamil will still make a tidy profit off the Dodd boys!

Both boys are asleep again, so I should like clean the house or something, which crazily enough I'm still enjoying!

Feeling 16 Again

I sound conceited first feeling skinny and now 16 again? That is because tonight I drove for the first time since the middle of May. I felt so free and excited! I was nervous for some reason, and it took me 5 minutes to back out of my driveway!

Even better, I was on my way to scrapbooking! My sweet husband watched all 4 kids and let me go scrapbooking! How great is he? I had a great time at my 1st crop since April!

I know all of you want to know what life with twins is like. I wish I had a webcam on right now so you could see. It is 12:30 at night, and I have 2 little papooses laying beside me. My boys are swaddled and each laying next to a leg as I type on my lap. They are both half asleep but peek out every once in a while, just enough that I can't lay them down and go to sleep myself!

To describe what life is like- IT IS ALWAYS SOMETHING!!!! They couldn't be more different, and they are both needing different things at the same time. For example, Will is now awake because he had a dirty diaper and Wesley is awake bc/ he's a little spoiled. My poor Wesley has an eye infection that keeps drying where he can't open it which I think is upsetting him.

Will is not a morning person. He is fussy and wants to be held in the mornings while Wesley sleeps. Then Wesley is alert and needy in the afternoon while Will snoozes! At least they are getting one-on-one time with Mommy! I suspect they worked the schedule out!

I guess I should sign off as it is 1 a.m. and they are both asleep. This might not happen again tonight!

Alive and skinny!

OK so maybe I'm not skinny by the world's standards, but I can see my toes, I can climb the stairs in less than 2 minutes, I can bend over and pick things up, I can lay on the couch to snuggle my big kids, and I can almost fit back in my non-maternity clothes. I weighed at the dr's office Monday and had lost 20 pounds in six days! Oh well, I know you don't want to read about me any more!

Sorry it has taken me over a week to post. Jon worked really hard on a video using pics all from the day they were born only to find ut it was too big to post or e-mail! I still don't have a way to do pics on my laptop so I haven't wanted to blog bc/ it's not as much fun to tell you how perfect my boys are without the pics to show off! Today I decided to post anyway and make Jon hook the internet up to my pic computer this weekend.

So, I'm sure all of you have heard about our miraculous birth. I got to the hospital to be induced Wed. at 6:30. I started getting pitocin around 9:00 but was already at a 4. They also did an ultrasound to make sure both were head down and apparently sitting up all night worked bc/ they were! Then I got my epidural at 10 and was barely a five. I thought I'd get some rest but it wasn't to be. At 10:30 I told her I felt like I needed to push. She checked me and I was a 9. They started running around frantically to get ready, but then I told her I was pushing. She checked me again, and I had gone to a 10 on 1 contraction. Then things got really exciting as they immediately started rolling me down the hall to the OR (all twins are delivered there in case of emergency c-section). Jon was left in the room frantically trying to get his "McDreamy" scrubs on. They also had student nurses there who had told me earlier they'd love to see twins born but doubted I'd deliver before they left at 11. Since it was 10:30 they asked me if they could watch so I said why not. I had 15 people watching me give birth! Everyone was so excited though, so it was neat and weird at the same time!

I literally thought I would give birth in the hall as I coouldn't stop pushing! I was also worried Jon wouldn't make it bc/ we'd left him behind getting dressed. Dr. Dykes got there just in time. I pushed for about 10 minutes and Will was born at 10:55. I didn't really get to see him as they whisked him away (after he peed on the doctor and nurse). Two nurses immediately pushed down on Wesley to keep him from flipping and Dr. Dykes broke his water which makes it harder for him to move and guided him down. She told me to stop pushing while she got ready, but I wasn't. He was born without me pushing 8 minutes later. I literally had no pain with either one. It was so bizarre. I felt like I was missing out on it bc/ it went too fast and seemed so easy it had to be a dream.

They showed me the babies before they left for the nursery with Daddy. That's when it took a bad turn. They couldn't get me to stop bleeding. They gave me medicine and worked for a while before it stopped. Then it started back after the doctor left(When she left she actually thanked me and said it was the most fun she'd had in a while!). I saw the worried looks the nurses were giving each other, and it was really scary without Jon there. It stopped again and I got to go back to my room. The babies came in right after me. I was having severe shakes but good besides that. Then the family and big kids came in and we got to show the boys off.

Everything happened so fast but was so wonderful. It was amazing looking at the 2 of them and how different they were! They were both 19 and 3 fourths inches. Will weighed 6 lbs 8oz and Wesley 6 lbs even. We think Will looks just like Jackson and me and Wesley looks like Ashton and Jon, which is appropriate since he's Jon Wesley. The kids loved them and were so sweet.

That's the story of the big day. I'll post again soon (hopefully) about life since then!

Awake and Vertical

It is 2:30 a.m., and I am wide awake. I know it is ridiculous, but I'm scared to lay down because that is when the baby likes to flip! I thought I would sleep vertically in the recliner, but every time I get sleepy I start thinking of the next 24 hours and am wide awake! I know I need my rest to give birth TWICE (can you even imagine? Me neither!). I couldn't sleep the night before I was induced with Jackson or the night I was in labor all night with Ashton, so I guess it's an unfortunate tradition. Jon has a tradition of his own: the same thing he does every night...sleep soundly! Actually, he was so sweet. He knew I wouldn't sleep so offered to sleep on the couch while I was in the recliner. I told him to please sleep in his bed bc/ he woun't exactly have a comfy bed at the hospital the next 2 nights (yes, I'm one of those wives who won't let their husbands leave them at the hospital!).

Actually, I have been having contractions every 20 minutes since midnight. If only they would get a little closer, we could go to the hospital and get this show on the road!

We had a great last "Dodd Family Fun Night" as a family of 4. We went to Chuck E. Cheese. The kids had a great time, as did all the people watching the 38 week prego ride the snowboarding game! I thought the shaking of the game would jumpstart labor a little, but all it did was make my nose itch! The kids are really excited about tomorrow. Being my children, they are most excited about the fact that I told them it was their job to take pics of everyone in the waiting room. Jackson especially is my little photog! He takes pics like Austin Powers (surely some of you get that reference?!), without looking at times and one right after the other. I love that he shares my passion, but he wants to take all the pics now and it's hard to share:(
Just in case the kids aren't crazy about their borthers, we have sone really cool gifts for them from the twins. They both get books: A's "Julias, Baby of the World" and J's "Pirates Don't Change Diapers." Then Ashton gets the Mommy Make Me Better Doll she's been begging for. Jackson is getting a neo-pet (Ashley, is that right?) and Daddy bought him his first BIG boy (no cartoon characters involved) tackle box and fishing pole with REAL HOOKS! I was so touched that Jon wanted to get his gift to show Jackon that he'd always be his big Buddy!

Wow, contraction at 16 minutes that time. Maybe I should keep blogging! I'll stop now as I know you are all just checking this to see if there are pics of the boys yet. Thanks though, writing to you has really helped pass the time!

I wish I could take my laptop to the hospital and blog everything Well, highlights anyway)- what a cool remembrance that would be! Unfortunately, you'll just have to wait for phone updates I guess! Hoepfully, I'll be in labor before you sleeping beauties even awake- unbelievable!

Another New Plan...

Well, God answered prayer and Baby B turned!!!!!! They are both head down. It's so funny that I was finally making peace with the whole c-section and now I'm back to delivering "traditionally." I go in at 6:00 a.m. to be induced in the morning. I was hoping not to have to be induced, but it is a lot better than giving him a chance to turn again! I told them I'm going to sleep standing up so maybe gravity would keep them in position! Do you think that will work?

So, I'm VERY happy that all my prayers have been answered- 38 weeks and heaad down, God is so good!!!!!!!!!!!! I told you all that I'd have the babies around 9 tomorrow, and I'm sure that won't change- ha!ha! We'll start the phone tree and let all of you know as soon as possible. Now I'm REALLY wondering how big they are!

Excited Mommy with VERY well-behaved babies:)

The End is Fast Approaching...

So, this blog has been a wonderful way to document this unbelievable journey of a double pregnancy. Now this chapter has a scheduled end which is truly just the beginning of an even more amazing (and still hard to imagine) journey. I can't wait for you to be able to check this blog to see pics of my cute boys and their big sibs!

I go in the morning for one last ultrasound (it will be my 18th for this pregnancy-wow! Let's just say I think the radiologist just bought a beach house!). I am still praying fervently that he will turn. I keep quoting the verse where Jesus says we can tell a mountain to move, but am not sure if it applies to a baby in utero! So, I have been struggling with my plan in my head for the type of birth I pictured changing at the last minute. My new favorite Bible verse is "I know the plans I have for you says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you." Therefore, I'm praying for trust for this new plan which is hard for me but a great lesson to learn!

Having said that, I haven't been sleeping very well this last week! The last 2 nights I have had the craziest dreams! You know me, I'm most worried about the amount and picture quality that occurs in a c-section. So I dreamed that Jon went into the OR and brought me out a baby girl with red hair (wasn't that nice of Jon to bring the baby to me without me even being there?). Then I realized I didn't have a camera. I was screaming at everyone to go get me a camera and all the women from my scrapbook magazines were there and wouldn't go get my camera! I refused to hold the next baby until I had my camera (what priorities I have?). Then they were telling me not to move bc/ of my c-section, and I was crawling to the parking lot to get my camera! Needless to say, I WILL have my camera Wednesday!

Last night were my favorite dreams. I dreamed I was holding my baby showing my Mawmaw and she asked where the other one was. Then I realized they had forgotten to get the other twin out so I was going to have to do it all over again! Then I was carrying a baby around showing him off to everyone when I looked at him and realized he wasn't exactly the same race as me! There was a lady that, let's just say matched him better who was holding a baby that looked just like Jackson. I kept trying to tell everyone that I think they mixed the babies up, but they kept ignoring me! Then the baby started humming a song I didn't know, so I was telling everyone, "See I don'tknow that song!" Apparently the fact that he knew a song I didn't was supposed to be more convincing than the different races!

Notice how in all these dreams I've never had 2 boys! It's like even in my crazy dreams I can't wrap my mind around twin boys! It will be real soon enough! I am to be at the hospital 6:00 a.m. Wednesday morning with my c-section scheduled around 9. Then (to borrow from Ashley's blog) it will be last call for Dodd party of 4 and get ready for DODD PARTY OF 6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Please keep us fervently in your prayers and check back as I hope to add pics as soon as possible! 39 hours and counting...

What JON"S Son Did

At 4:00 a.m. Little Jon (literally since his name will be "Jon Wesley" aka Baby B) decided to flip around. He's now in the breech position. He has been head down almost my entire pregnancy and now that it's go time he flips! Now I have to go see Dr. Woodall Monday to schedule my c-section. I'm so upset bc/ I don't want a c-section! Now I'm praying he will flip again. I keep trying to push down on him!

She measured me today just for curiosity's sake. I measured at 46, so I am like being 46 weeks pregnant! Lucky me!

I guess one way or the other, they'll be here soon. I don't know if my kids will recognize me since we were watching video from last August and Jackson said, "Who's that?" I told him it was me, and he said, "You don't even look pregnant." Have I so scarred my children that they don't remember a mommy who could get off the couch, play with them or bend over? Probably not since they both call me "Big Mama" and love to do impersonations of me yelling for Daddy to bring me water or put the kids to bed! Of course, now with a c-section, I'll be 6 more weeks before I can be fun mommy again :(