I love you Elijah and Will, you are my little angels. I'm so honored and privileged to call you mine. Thank you for picking me to be your mommy!
Monday, May 9, 2011
SWEET LOVE
How long I prayed for these miracles. And my first Mother's Day was worth the wait!
I love you Elijah and Will, you are my little angels. I'm so honored and privileged to call you mine. Thank you for picking me to be your mommy!
I love you Elijah and Will, you are my little angels. I'm so honored and privileged to call you mine. Thank you for picking me to be your mommy!
Friday, May 6, 2011
HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!
There are many women out there that I look up to. And to all of you (if I listed all your names this post would be far too long!)- thank you for showing me the kind of mother I want and hope to be! I am so blessed to have so many amazing mothers, mothers-to-be, and women in my life. Thank you for all you are!
Happy Mother's Day! A day to honor ALL women in our lives...mother or not. To all the amazing women - mothers, non-mothers, mother-in-laws, pregnant moms-to-be, women who so desperately want to be moms, foster moms, step moms, adoptive moms, surrogate moms, mothers of babies and children in heaven, grandmothers, aunts, godmothers, Mr. mom's, daycare moms, & all the other kinds of moms there are!
A big shout out to my momma on Mother's Day. Dear Mom, thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for teaching me how to give. Thank you for teaching me the importance of taking care of your family. Thank you for coming to each and every one of my band and sporting events. Thank you for teaching me the importance of pride, hard work, and honesty. Thank you for praying with me. Thank you for raising me to know Jesus as my Savior. Thank you for your kind notes, gifts, and gestures always showing me how you care. Thank you for always cheering me on. Thank you for all the values you have instilled in me. Thank you for coming to my rescue and basically living with us after the twins were born and helping me make it through those first hard months. I know I wouldn't have survived those first months of motherhood without you. (For real - I'm not kidding one bit!) Thank you for always putting other people before yourself and teaching me what it truly is to be a mother. Thank you for all the joy you bring to my life!
Oh, but you never did teach me how to cook and that has made me suffer a little.(But thank goodness Nick knows how to and likes to cook!) Although on the plus side, that also means that you always made our meals and didn't make your daughters cook them. So I guess that makes you a good mom.
Happy Mother's Day to a beautiful woman, inside and out. I LOVE YOU more and more as each day passes.
Then...
And now...
Happy Mother's Day! A day to honor ALL women in our lives...mother or not. To all the amazing women - mothers, non-mothers, mother-in-laws, pregnant moms-to-be, women who so desperately want to be moms, foster moms, step moms, adoptive moms, surrogate moms, mothers of babies and children in heaven, grandmothers, aunts, godmothers, Mr. mom's, daycare moms, & all the other kinds of moms there are!
A big shout out to my momma on Mother's Day. Dear Mom, thank you for loving me unconditionally. Thank you for teaching me how to give. Thank you for teaching me the importance of taking care of your family. Thank you for coming to each and every one of my band and sporting events. Thank you for teaching me the importance of pride, hard work, and honesty. Thank you for praying with me. Thank you for raising me to know Jesus as my Savior. Thank you for your kind notes, gifts, and gestures always showing me how you care. Thank you for always cheering me on. Thank you for all the values you have instilled in me. Thank you for coming to my rescue and basically living with us after the twins were born and helping me make it through those first hard months. I know I wouldn't have survived those first months of motherhood without you. (For real - I'm not kidding one bit!) Thank you for always putting other people before yourself and teaching me what it truly is to be a mother. Thank you for all the joy you bring to my life!
Oh, but you never did teach me how to cook and that has made me suffer a little.(But thank goodness Nick knows how to and likes to cook!) Although on the plus side, that also means that you always made our meals and didn't make your daughters cook them. So I guess that makes you a good mom.
Happy Mother's Day to a beautiful woman, inside and out. I LOVE YOU more and more as each day passes.
Then...
And now...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
HAPPY MOTHERS-TO-BE-DAY!
Happy Mothers-Day-To-Be to all of my special friends out there! Your courage and sacrifices do NOT go unnoticed. I am praying for you!
The following is by Drew V. Moffitt, M.D. taken from www.attainfertility.com
Mother’s day is upon us. It is not that welcome of a holiday for my patients. Gifts passed out at church or given by a well meaning spouse do little to fill the void of yearning that brings them to my office. We hear stories about the great love, sacrifice and courage that mother’s have for their children, but little is said about the incredible love, sacrifice and courage of my “mothers-to-be”.
It takes incredible courage to acknowledge that there is even a problem. We all want to believe that we are in control of our lives and to acknowledge that there is a fertility problem is to internalize a lack of control over this incredibly sensitive part of their lives.
It takes courage to seek medical attention. No one likes to see doctors (I’m over a year late for my colonoscopy), and the trip to the fertility doctor is a particularly difficult journey.
It takes courage to undergo procedures that are not comfortable and are in an area where discomfort is particularly unwanted.
It takes courage to face the possibility of disappointment. Studies have shown that when a woman experiencing infertility has a period, indicating that once again she is not pregnant, she experiences the same degree of grief as if her brother or sister had just died. Most of us will go through that only once or twice in our lifetime. Imagine going through that every month for years. Then imagine going through a specific procedure to get pregnant and having it not work.
It takes courage to hope that it will work the first time and proceed , and even greater courage to experience a failed attempt and then turn around and have the courage to hope again.
These women undergo great sacrifices.
They sacrifice the intimacy of what was supposed to be a wonderful and intensely personal experience with their partner for a doctor’s office.
They sacrifice time on often repetitive visits for monitoring and procedures.
They sacrifice financial resources as they struggle to have something that everyone around them seems to receive without thought and sometimes with disdain.
They sacrifice personal comfort, sometimes thinking that if they experience pain, they will be more worthy of the “gain” they so desperately seek.
Why? Why do they do this? They do this for the same reason the mother gives her bread and goes without. They do it for love. The only difference is that they do it for a deep abiding love for a child that they have not yet held, a voice they have not yet heard, a smile they have not yet seen, and a touch they have not yet felt.
My patients are the epitome of the courage, sacrifice, and love that characterizes mothers in general and the “mothers-to-be” that I have the privilege of associating with every day.
To each of them and to mother’s everywhere, Happy Mother’s day!
Drew V. Moffitt, M.D., FACOG, is the co-medical director of the Arizona Reproductive Medicine Specialists (ARMS), the director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and an assistant professor at the University of Arizona. He is now president of ARMS and director of the Division of Reproductive Medicine and infertility for the residency program at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Dr. Moffitt has significant clinical experience in assisted reproductive technologies and reproductive surgery.
The following is by Drew V. Moffitt, M.D. taken from www.attainfertility.com
Mother’s day is upon us. It is not that welcome of a holiday for my patients. Gifts passed out at church or given by a well meaning spouse do little to fill the void of yearning that brings them to my office. We hear stories about the great love, sacrifice and courage that mother’s have for their children, but little is said about the incredible love, sacrifice and courage of my “mothers-to-be”.
It takes incredible courage to acknowledge that there is even a problem. We all want to believe that we are in control of our lives and to acknowledge that there is a fertility problem is to internalize a lack of control over this incredibly sensitive part of their lives.
It takes courage to seek medical attention. No one likes to see doctors (I’m over a year late for my colonoscopy), and the trip to the fertility doctor is a particularly difficult journey.
It takes courage to undergo procedures that are not comfortable and are in an area where discomfort is particularly unwanted.
It takes courage to face the possibility of disappointment. Studies have shown that when a woman experiencing infertility has a period, indicating that once again she is not pregnant, she experiences the same degree of grief as if her brother or sister had just died. Most of us will go through that only once or twice in our lifetime. Imagine going through that every month for years. Then imagine going through a specific procedure to get pregnant and having it not work.
It takes courage to hope that it will work the first time and proceed , and even greater courage to experience a failed attempt and then turn around and have the courage to hope again.
These women undergo great sacrifices.
They sacrifice the intimacy of what was supposed to be a wonderful and intensely personal experience with their partner for a doctor’s office.
They sacrifice time on often repetitive visits for monitoring and procedures.
They sacrifice financial resources as they struggle to have something that everyone around them seems to receive without thought and sometimes with disdain.
They sacrifice personal comfort, sometimes thinking that if they experience pain, they will be more worthy of the “gain” they so desperately seek.
Why? Why do they do this? They do this for the same reason the mother gives her bread and goes without. They do it for love. The only difference is that they do it for a deep abiding love for a child that they have not yet held, a voice they have not yet heard, a smile they have not yet seen, and a touch they have not yet felt.
My patients are the epitome of the courage, sacrifice, and love that characterizes mothers in general and the “mothers-to-be” that I have the privilege of associating with every day.
To each of them and to mother’s everywhere, Happy Mother’s day!
Drew V. Moffitt, M.D., FACOG, is the co-medical director of the Arizona Reproductive Medicine Specialists (ARMS), the director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center and an assistant professor at the University of Arizona. He is now president of ARMS and director of the Division of Reproductive Medicine and infertility for the residency program at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Dr. Moffitt has significant clinical experience in assisted reproductive technologies and reproductive surgery.
Monday, May 2, 2011
MOTHER'S DAY IS APPROACHING!
Mother’s Day is coming soon and I am honored this is my first year as a mother. Last year I was 4 months pregnant with the twins on Mother's Day. But this will be my first official Mother’s Day with two precious babies of my own in my arms. It’s a strange transition to go from dreading this holiday to looking forward to it. It's something I've longed to experience for years and years. So, I'm excited to celebrate all that this special occasion brings. But even in my happiness, I can’t help thinking about those who are still longing for a baby, perhaps dreading the celebration of Mother's Day. It can almost seem like a slap in the face reminding you that for yet another year, you are not a mother. There isn't a day that passes that I don't pray for those men and women longing to start their families. I know God has a plan for their family and I pray they trust in that plan.
I know Mother's Day isn't a happy celebration for everyone for various reasons. A person might have a difficult relationship with his or her mom or a mother who is no longer living. A person might be struggling with infertility or a past abortion or a miscarriage, all of which might be emphasized by Mother’s Day. I don't know how those other people feel in those situations, but I do know about how infertility makes one feel.
Infertility is painful and lonely. Acknowledging that someone may be struggling on Mother's day will make her feel understood instead of forgotten. So, please don't forget those longing to be mommies on this special holiday. Tell them you love them and that you care. Tell them that they will be mommies, someday, in some way. I know I will. Because no matter all the happiness I feel, I will never forget that sadness. It's a part of me that's made me stronger and more faithful and trusting.
Thank you, God, for the gift of all mothers.
And dear Elijah and Will, thank you for making me a mommy. You are my miracles and I love you more than you'll ever know.
I know Mother's Day isn't a happy celebration for everyone for various reasons. A person might have a difficult relationship with his or her mom or a mother who is no longer living. A person might be struggling with infertility or a past abortion or a miscarriage, all of which might be emphasized by Mother’s Day. I don't know how those other people feel in those situations, but I do know about how infertility makes one feel.
Infertility is painful and lonely. Acknowledging that someone may be struggling on Mother's day will make her feel understood instead of forgotten. So, please don't forget those longing to be mommies on this special holiday. Tell them you love them and that you care. Tell them that they will be mommies, someday, in some way. I know I will. Because no matter all the happiness I feel, I will never forget that sadness. It's a part of me that's made me stronger and more faithful and trusting.
Thank you, God, for the gift of all mothers.
And dear Elijah and Will, thank you for making me a mommy. You are my miracles and I love you more than you'll ever know.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
THANK YOU DAD!
Back on April 11th, we woke up to a sick and sad little Will. He had his first ever fever accompanied by a runny nose and extreme fussiness. I could tell this was going to be a difficult day trying to take care of two babies with one being sick and wanting to be held all day long. And who knows if Eli was going to get sick as well. Plus Nick was going to be gone all day out of town working and not returning until 8pm. I was panicking.
So, what's a girl to do? Why call in reinforcements, of course! And the best ones at that - my parents! My mom wasn't able to come due to other commitments, but my dear ol' dad left within the hour of me calling and drove the 3.5 hour drive to come to my rescue. (Thank goodness for retired grandparents!)
Oh, he'll never know how much he helped me out and how thankful I am he came to help me. We had a lot of of special father/daughter bonding time. I miss him so much. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful father. I love you, daddio!
Will says, "I don't feel well."
My dad held Will while he napped because Will wouldn't lay in his crib.
My dad cuddled Will and read him stories.
Will says, "I feel so much better, Grandpa!"
So, what's a girl to do? Why call in reinforcements, of course! And the best ones at that - my parents! My mom wasn't able to come due to other commitments, but my dear ol' dad left within the hour of me calling and drove the 3.5 hour drive to come to my rescue. (Thank goodness for retired grandparents!)
Oh, he'll never know how much he helped me out and how thankful I am he came to help me. We had a lot of of special father/daughter bonding time. I miss him so much. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful father. I love you, daddio!
Will says, "I don't feel well."
My dad held Will while he napped because Will wouldn't lay in his crib.
My dad cuddled Will and read him stories.
Will says, "I feel so much better, Grandpa!"
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
NATIONAL INFERTILITY AWARENESS WEEK
It’s National Infertility Awareness Week! As many of us know, difficulty conceiving a child is not uncommon. In fact, 1 in 8 women and men are diagnosed with infertility. (www.resolve.org)
If you know our story, you know that Nick and I are one of those eight. After almost exactly four years from when we started trying to have a baby, we were blessed with our two miracle babies by IVF, fraternal twin boys, Elijah and Will, who were born in September of 2010.
Infertility shouldn’t be a taboo subject. Be aware, be informed, and be supportive.
Take time to watch this wonderful video. It is the song, "I Would Die for That" by Kelley Coffey. It is very touching - have a tissue close by!
Here is another amazing video, which gives a little insight into how someone with infertility may feel.
http://www.tearsandhope.com/emptyarms_video.html
Want to learn more about infertility?
Here are a few of my favorite infertility links.
www.bethany.org/step/
www.infertilityeducation.org/brochure.html
www.dancinguponbarrenland.com
www.resolve.org
http://www.hannah.org
If you know our story, you know that Nick and I are one of those eight. After almost exactly four years from when we started trying to have a baby, we were blessed with our two miracle babies by IVF, fraternal twin boys, Elijah and Will, who were born in September of 2010.
Infertility shouldn’t be a taboo subject. Be aware, be informed, and be supportive.
Take time to watch this wonderful video. It is the song, "I Would Die for That" by Kelley Coffey. It is very touching - have a tissue close by!
Here is another amazing video, which gives a little insight into how someone with infertility may feel.
http://www.tearsandhope.com/emptyarms_video.html
Want to learn more about infertility?
Here are a few of my favorite infertility links.
www.bethany.org/step/
www.infertilityeducation.org/brochure.html
www.dancinguponbarrenland.com
www.resolve.org
http://www.hannah.org
Monday, April 18, 2011
HOMEMADE BABY FOOD
We have been meaning to try making our own baby food for a few weeks now. We thought it'd be a nice way to feed our babies healthy, natural food and save money, all at the same time. Nick and I finally experimented in making green beans and peas last Saturday. And I'm happy and proud to say that it was a BIG success!
I was so nervous to make it. Honestly, I've been nervous about anything that has to do with baby food from what to feed them, to how much, to how often, etc. I'm overly paranoid, I know. And when I thought of making our own food, it made me even more nervous. I don't really know why I thought that, looking back. I just didn't want to do anything wrong and poison my babies. But how could you really? I mean, they're veggies and we eat them. It's all good, right?
Will and Eli are not so sure about the green goop.
Will and Eli say, "What, it's food?...Okay, we're excited now!"
I was so excited because it was super easy. And I'm the worst cook ever, so if I say it's super easy, you know it really is! Here's the simple steps we did:
1. Steam frozen (or fresh!) veggies
2. Add some of the water that was used to steam them and puree together in blender (if it still seems chunky, just keep adding water - use the water that used to steam it with as it is full of lots of good nutrients - and blend, blend, blend)
3. Pour into ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap
4. Freeze
5. Dump out of trays and into large plastic freezer bag (label and date)
6. Take desired amount out and microwave it for 30 seconds
(or thaw out in fridge overnight)
7. EAT!
We hope to try more veggies such as: carrots and some fruits too, such as: peaches, bananas, and apples.
Eli and Will have gobbled up the green beans and peas. WONDERFUL! We were so excited.
Will likes it!
Eli likes it!
I was so nervous to make it. Honestly, I've been nervous about anything that has to do with baby food from what to feed them, to how much, to how often, etc. I'm overly paranoid, I know. And when I thought of making our own food, it made me even more nervous. I don't really know why I thought that, looking back. I just didn't want to do anything wrong and poison my babies. But how could you really? I mean, they're veggies and we eat them. It's all good, right?
Will and Eli are not so sure about the green goop.
Will and Eli say, "What, it's food?...Okay, we're excited now!"
I was so excited because it was super easy. And I'm the worst cook ever, so if I say it's super easy, you know it really is! Here's the simple steps we did:
1. Steam frozen (or fresh!) veggies
2. Add some of the water that was used to steam them and puree together in blender (if it still seems chunky, just keep adding water - use the water that used to steam it with as it is full of lots of good nutrients - and blend, blend, blend)
3. Pour into ice cube trays and cover with plastic wrap
4. Freeze
5. Dump out of trays and into large plastic freezer bag (label and date)
6. Take desired amount out and microwave it for 30 seconds
(or thaw out in fridge overnight)
7. EAT!
We hope to try more veggies such as: carrots and some fruits too, such as: peaches, bananas, and apples.
Eli and Will have gobbled up the green beans and peas. WONDERFUL! We were so excited.
Will likes it!
Eli likes it!
Friday, April 1, 2011
OUR LITTLE PREEMIES AREN’T SO VERY TEENY
It’s hard to believe our tiny little preemies have grown so much in just 6 short months! I’ve taken photos of the boys every month on the 13th next to this same teddy bear to show how they’ve grown.
Here’s a photo of Eli at 2 weeks. He went from 4 pounds 15 ounces (weight leaving the hospital)...
to now exactly 17 pounds today, six and a half months later!
And here’s Will at 2 weeks. He went from 4 pounds 11 ounces (weight leaving the hospital)...
to now 17 pounds 3 ounces, six and a half months later.
It’s amazing that any baby can grow so fast in such a short amount of time! I am in awe of God's amazing handiwork. I read that babies double their birth weight by four months and triple it by one year. They also double their length at one year. Well, our little preemie dudes have tripled their birth weight already. Will had tripled his birth weight right at 5 months and Eli did right at 6 months! They sure caught up fast! Now, let's just hope they slow down a little.
Premature birth (meaning babies born prior to 37 weeks gestation) occurs in about 13 percent of pregnancies and approximately 60 percent of twins. Eli and Will were born at 35 weeks 6 days gestation.
We were told that preemie’s milestones should be based on their due date, not on their actual birth date. This means that even though today Eli and Will are 6 months old, developmentally they may just be doing what a 5 month old should do, because they were born 4 weeks early. So, when it comes to these milestones (first smile, cooing, etc.), we shouldn’t compare the twins to full-term babies. Most premature babies catch up to their peers by the time they are two years old.
But, I do compare. :) It seems that overall, Eli and Will are right on track with what milestones they should be achieving at the correct age. What a blessing! And I do compare them with each other. How can you not? They both learn different things at different paces. And that is just fine with me. They are such unique little boys, so different from each other. Definitely brothers, so similar and so different. I love it!
Here’s a photo of Eli at 2 weeks. He went from 4 pounds 15 ounces (weight leaving the hospital)...
to now exactly 17 pounds today, six and a half months later!
And here’s Will at 2 weeks. He went from 4 pounds 11 ounces (weight leaving the hospital)...
to now 17 pounds 3 ounces, six and a half months later.
It’s amazing that any baby can grow so fast in such a short amount of time! I am in awe of God's amazing handiwork. I read that babies double their birth weight by four months and triple it by one year. They also double their length at one year. Well, our little preemie dudes have tripled their birth weight already. Will had tripled his birth weight right at 5 months and Eli did right at 6 months! They sure caught up fast! Now, let's just hope they slow down a little.
Premature birth (meaning babies born prior to 37 weeks gestation) occurs in about 13 percent of pregnancies and approximately 60 percent of twins. Eli and Will were born at 35 weeks 6 days gestation.
We were told that preemie’s milestones should be based on their due date, not on their actual birth date. This means that even though today Eli and Will are 6 months old, developmentally they may just be doing what a 5 month old should do, because they were born 4 weeks early. So, when it comes to these milestones (first smile, cooing, etc.), we shouldn’t compare the twins to full-term babies. Most premature babies catch up to their peers by the time they are two years old.
But, I do compare. :) It seems that overall, Eli and Will are right on track with what milestones they should be achieving at the correct age. What a blessing! And I do compare them with each other. How can you not? They both learn different things at different paces. And that is just fine with me. They are such unique little boys, so different from each other. Definitely brothers, so similar and so different. I love it!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
LESSONS IN FRUGALITY
I’m a bargain shopper. I take great pride in finding the best deals and saving money. Recycling and reusing makes me very happy! Waste not, want not. Right? I don’t like to throw things away. Am I a hoarder? No way! Let me explain…
Nick and I are very frugal. We try not to overspend. We use coupons for what we can, wait for sales when possible, and put money away. I am so proud to say that my husband is the research king. I adore this about Nick. He loves spending time researching any item before we buy it. This is from everything as simple as laundry detergent to a bigger investment such as a flat screen tv. As you maybe can guess, Consumer Reports is one of his favorite magazines.
I'm the weirdo you seeing walking around using my calculator on my phone in stores, making sure we buy the item that you get the most of, for the best deal. (And it is so shocking to realize that more often than not, buying the items in bulk is not cheaper than a single item. Society teaches you to just assume that bulk is cheaper, but oftentimes, it is not. It’s important to take the time to do that quick simple math as it can save you lots of money!)
I must also note that of course we don't always buy the cheapest. It's not about buying the thing that costs the least amount of money. We believe it's about the best deal for the best quality. Don't get me wrong - we splurge like every normal human being. And we know that the cheapest item isn't always the best, because it's also about quality over cost. Therefore, just because an item costs the least, doesn't necessarily mean it's the best deal. (For example, if you buy a cheap TV and it breaks in a year as opposed to a little more expensive TV that is better quality and lasts 5 years...well, you get the idea.) Another big factor in buying an item is convenience and location. As sad as that may sound, it is so true, convenience is always nice. Especially when you have two little babes in the picture. And last but not least, we believe spending a little more is often worth it in order to support a local business or a business you believe in!
As you can imagine raising twins costs a lot of money. Heck, raising any child costs a lot of money. But here are a few money saving tips on little ways we've found that add up BIG when dealing with babies!
CLOTHING:
Most of the twins’ clothes are on loan, were purchased at garage sales, or were gifts to us. A handful of friends have given us their boy clothes to borrow. And we received many matching outfits as gifts for the twins. But most of all, I did mega mega garage saleing last summer. And my mom also finds a lot of great deals at thrift shops.
I’ve always loved garage saleing (One man’s junk is another’s treasure!), but I used to be the type of person that didn’t like buying used clothing. This all changed when it was time for a baby, or two! Those baby clothes hardly get used and are in such great shape. And they are so very cheap at garage sales. I found such great deals. At one garage sale, it was stuff a paper grocery bag full of any infant clothes for $5. I about had a heart attack, I was so excited!
You can find many other various baby items that haven’t even been used, yet alone opened. A friend of mine found these awesome deals for us last summer: a brand new boppy and cover for $5 total, a brand new Johnny Jump-Up for $5, a bumbo chair and attachable tray for $5, and an activity gym for $5. All of those together brand new would have cost more than $120 and we got it all for $20!
FORUMLA:
I know, I know. Breastfeeding would have been a lot cheaper, but if you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know this just didn’t work out for many different reasons. So, formula it is. We’ve priced compared and found our formula, Enfamil, is cheapest at Target. (Please note Enfamil is not the cheapest formula, but it's the one we choice to use for the twins.) It’s often on sale, so we buy it then, in the bigger bulk refill packages. We use Target coupons and also Enfamil coupons. They let you “double up” coupons there and use 2 at the same time. Plus we have the Target Card, which we receive 5% off purchases. It’s important to shop around and price compare.
BABY GEAR:
Again garage saleing and borrowing from friends.
DIAPERS:
I feel that a diaper is a diaper. It goes on their butts, so why buy brand name, when any kind will work? Thankfully, the twins haven’t had any allergic reactions to any diapers or wipes. So we can just use generic. We have found that we love the Target brand. They are the cheapest, even cheaper than Walmart, (because of our Target 5% off) and we feel they work great. (I know cloth diapers are a good option too, and I did seriously consider it and do a lot of research. But honestly poop scares me. I don’t think I could handle that, especially with twins. So, disposable diapers it is for us!)
DETERGENT:
People tell you to use the brand name baby detergent, Dreft, when washing your baby clothes. But what makes it a baby safe detergent is basically that it is fragrance free. Instead of buying Dreft, because it is horribly expensive, we just use any regular detergent that is fragrance free.
BABY WIPES:
Okay, this is the best secret ever and I am ready to share it with you! Are you ready? Here you go……..tear the baby wipes in half!!! Just tear the wipes in half and they will last TWICE AS LONG! I felt like the wipes were just too big and that so much total area on it was getting unused. What a waste, I thought! I know you fold it over and use more than one area, but it seemed so clumsy, using the whole big wipe. As a result, I just began tearing them in half and it worked so much better. I’m taking full credit for this since I’ve never seen anyone else do it. I think I may be a genius. Send any donations my way for your thankfulness…
BABY FOOD:
I am planning on making baby food to save money. I will report back soon...
That's all I have time to write right now. When I think of more, I will be sure to post!
Nick and I are very frugal. We try not to overspend. We use coupons for what we can, wait for sales when possible, and put money away. I am so proud to say that my husband is the research king. I adore this about Nick. He loves spending time researching any item before we buy it. This is from everything as simple as laundry detergent to a bigger investment such as a flat screen tv. As you maybe can guess, Consumer Reports is one of his favorite magazines.
I'm the weirdo you seeing walking around using my calculator on my phone in stores, making sure we buy the item that you get the most of, for the best deal. (And it is so shocking to realize that more often than not, buying the items in bulk is not cheaper than a single item. Society teaches you to just assume that bulk is cheaper, but oftentimes, it is not. It’s important to take the time to do that quick simple math as it can save you lots of money!)
I must also note that of course we don't always buy the cheapest. It's not about buying the thing that costs the least amount of money. We believe it's about the best deal for the best quality. Don't get me wrong - we splurge like every normal human being. And we know that the cheapest item isn't always the best, because it's also about quality over cost. Therefore, just because an item costs the least, doesn't necessarily mean it's the best deal. (For example, if you buy a cheap TV and it breaks in a year as opposed to a little more expensive TV that is better quality and lasts 5 years...well, you get the idea.) Another big factor in buying an item is convenience and location. As sad as that may sound, it is so true, convenience is always nice. Especially when you have two little babes in the picture. And last but not least, we believe spending a little more is often worth it in order to support a local business or a business you believe in!
As you can imagine raising twins costs a lot of money. Heck, raising any child costs a lot of money. But here are a few money saving tips on little ways we've found that add up BIG when dealing with babies!
CLOTHING:
Most of the twins’ clothes are on loan, were purchased at garage sales, or were gifts to us. A handful of friends have given us their boy clothes to borrow. And we received many matching outfits as gifts for the twins. But most of all, I did mega mega garage saleing last summer. And my mom also finds a lot of great deals at thrift shops.
I’ve always loved garage saleing (One man’s junk is another’s treasure!), but I used to be the type of person that didn’t like buying used clothing. This all changed when it was time for a baby, or two! Those baby clothes hardly get used and are in such great shape. And they are so very cheap at garage sales. I found such great deals. At one garage sale, it was stuff a paper grocery bag full of any infant clothes for $5. I about had a heart attack, I was so excited!
You can find many other various baby items that haven’t even been used, yet alone opened. A friend of mine found these awesome deals for us last summer: a brand new boppy and cover for $5 total, a brand new Johnny Jump-Up for $5, a bumbo chair and attachable tray for $5, and an activity gym for $5. All of those together brand new would have cost more than $120 and we got it all for $20!
FORUMLA:
I know, I know. Breastfeeding would have been a lot cheaper, but if you’ve read any of my previous posts, you know this just didn’t work out for many different reasons. So, formula it is. We’ve priced compared and found our formula, Enfamil, is cheapest at Target. (Please note Enfamil is not the cheapest formula, but it's the one we choice to use for the twins.) It’s often on sale, so we buy it then, in the bigger bulk refill packages. We use Target coupons and also Enfamil coupons. They let you “double up” coupons there and use 2 at the same time. Plus we have the Target Card, which we receive 5% off purchases. It’s important to shop around and price compare.
BABY GEAR:
Again garage saleing and borrowing from friends.
DIAPERS:
I feel that a diaper is a diaper. It goes on their butts, so why buy brand name, when any kind will work? Thankfully, the twins haven’t had any allergic reactions to any diapers or wipes. So we can just use generic. We have found that we love the Target brand. They are the cheapest, even cheaper than Walmart, (because of our Target 5% off) and we feel they work great. (I know cloth diapers are a good option too, and I did seriously consider it and do a lot of research. But honestly poop scares me. I don’t think I could handle that, especially with twins. So, disposable diapers it is for us!)
DETERGENT:
People tell you to use the brand name baby detergent, Dreft, when washing your baby clothes. But what makes it a baby safe detergent is basically that it is fragrance free. Instead of buying Dreft, because it is horribly expensive, we just use any regular detergent that is fragrance free.
BABY WIPES:
Okay, this is the best secret ever and I am ready to share it with you! Are you ready? Here you go……..tear the baby wipes in half!!! Just tear the wipes in half and they will last TWICE AS LONG! I felt like the wipes were just too big and that so much total area on it was getting unused. What a waste, I thought! I know you fold it over and use more than one area, but it seemed so clumsy, using the whole big wipe. As a result, I just began tearing them in half and it worked so much better. I’m taking full credit for this since I’ve never seen anyone else do it. I think I may be a genius. Send any donations my way for your thankfulness…
BABY FOOD:
I am planning on making baby food to save money. I will report back soon...
That's all I have time to write right now. When I think of more, I will be sure to post!
Monday, March 28, 2011
VINCELLI WEEKEND IN OKOBOJI
Eli & Will are all ready for the weekend in their "Okoboji" sweatshirts!
This weekend we met up in Okoboji, Iowa with the extended Vincelli family. It was actually our belated Christmas get together. A little late, yes, but better late than never! No gifts, just good ol' family fun. We all stayed together in two suites at Bridges Bay. It was a great time of swimming, eating, and catching up with all 26 of us. It was great seeing all the next generation of kiddos hanging out. Oh my, what a crazy bunch.
The next generation of the Vincelli family!
This weekend we met up in Okoboji, Iowa with the extended Vincelli family. It was actually our belated Christmas get together. A little late, yes, but better late than never! No gifts, just good ol' family fun. We all stayed together in two suites at Bridges Bay. It was a great time of swimming, eating, and catching up with all 26 of us. It was great seeing all the next generation of kiddos hanging out. Oh my, what a crazy bunch.
The next generation of the Vincelli family!
Friday, March 18, 2011
6 MONTH DOCTOR APPOINTMENT
The twins had their 6 month well baby check today. The poor little guys got 5 immunizations: 4 shots and 1 liquid. This included the flu shot, since they can receive it now that they are 6 months old. (Bad news is we have to go back in one month to get the second shot for the flu shot.) They did great and didn't seem to have any pain later in the day after the initial tears.
Here's a photo of them with their bloody war wounds covered in thick gauze...or actually cute little colorful band-aids. As you can see, they were discussing who was the bigger wuss and cried more after the shots. HA!
Eli says, "You cried more." Will says, "No, you cried more!"
Eli weighed in at 16 pounds 10 ounces. His length is now 27.5 inches and his head circumference is 17.25 in. That puts him in the 31 percentile for weight, 82 percentile for length, and 46 percentile for head size! He's tall and skinny!
Will weighed in at 16 pounds 15 ounces. His length is now 27 inches and his head circumference is 16.5 in. That puts him in the 36 percentile for weight, 65 percentile for length, and 7 percentile for head size. He's half an inch shorter than Eli, but weighs 5 ounces more! And he's got that tiny little head!
Here's a photo of them with their bloody war wounds covered in thick gauze...or actually cute little colorful band-aids. As you can see, they were discussing who was the bigger wuss and cried more after the shots. HA!
Eli says, "You cried more." Will says, "No, you cried more!"Eli weighed in at 16 pounds 10 ounces. His length is now 27.5 inches and his head circumference is 17.25 in. That puts him in the 31 percentile for weight, 82 percentile for length, and 46 percentile for head size! He's tall and skinny!
Will weighed in at 16 pounds 15 ounces. His length is now 27 inches and his head circumference is 16.5 in. That puts him in the 36 percentile for weight, 65 percentile for length, and 7 percentile for head size. He's half an inch shorter than Eli, but weighs 5 ounces more! And he's got that tiny little head!
Sunday, March 13, 2011
HAPPY 6 MONTHS ELIJAH & WILL! and FIRST FOOD EXPERIENCE!
Today was a big day in the Vincelli house. Elijah and Will are 6 months old! Happy Half Birthday my little men!
We are also celebrating big time because this means that Nick and I have managed to keep two babies alive for six months. AMAZING! "Take that!" I say to those of you out there who doubted me. Oh wait, maybe it was only me doubting myself. Well, I guess this is proof enough that we're succeeding at this whole "parenthood thing." Here's to hoping we keep them alive another 6 months! :)
Here are the boys today after church...
Today was a great and special day for a big FIRST! We fed the twins their first food! They ate oatmeal cereal for the first time. They did awesome! I expected a big mess and total chaos, but it went so well. They took their first bites (Can you even call it a bite without teeth? I don't know because that cereal was so runny! It's more like a swallow.) with their engraved, initialed and dated silver spoons for their baptisms from Grandpa and Grandma Cox.
Will was leaning forward and grabbing at the spoon with his hands in his typical frantic Will fashion. And Eli just sort of went slow and took it all in holding his hands on the bumbo chair in his typical laid back Eli fashion. Overall, they seemed to catch on pretty fast. They are just like their mommy and daddy and love to eat!! :)
Getting ready for their first food!
Will is gobbling it down. "I like this mommy!"
Will says, "Yum...I could get used to this!"
Eli says, "I'm not so sure about this quite yet."
Eli is warming up to it. "This is good stuff daddy!"
Double Feedings!
We are also celebrating big time because this means that Nick and I have managed to keep two babies alive for six months. AMAZING! "Take that!" I say to those of you out there who doubted me. Oh wait, maybe it was only me doubting myself. Well, I guess this is proof enough that we're succeeding at this whole "parenthood thing." Here's to hoping we keep them alive another 6 months! :)
Here are the boys today after church...
Today was a great and special day for a big FIRST! We fed the twins their first food! They ate oatmeal cereal for the first time. They did awesome! I expected a big mess and total chaos, but it went so well. They took their first bites (Can you even call it a bite without teeth? I don't know because that cereal was so runny! It's more like a swallow.) with their engraved, initialed and dated silver spoons for their baptisms from Grandpa and Grandma Cox.
Will was leaning forward and grabbing at the spoon with his hands in his typical frantic Will fashion. And Eli just sort of went slow and took it all in holding his hands on the bumbo chair in his typical laid back Eli fashion. Overall, they seemed to catch on pretty fast. They are just like their mommy and daddy and love to eat!! :)
Getting ready for their first food!
Will is gobbling it down. "I like this mommy!"
Will says, "Yum...I could get used to this!"
Eli says, "I'm not so sure about this quite yet."
Eli is warming up to it. "This is good stuff daddy!"
Double Feedings!
Friday, March 11, 2011
BOPPY FUN
Here are the boys practicing sitting up in their Boppy's today. They just end up leaning forward. Eli slobbered alot all over Will's face. Sweet brotherly love...
Playing...
Talking...
Kisses...
Playing...
Talking...
Kisses...
Thursday, March 10, 2011
LOOK...THERE'S SOME HAIR!
Eli and Will's hair seemed to love California. Because right after we got back, both of their hair seemed to have a growth spurt and started spiking up. Must have been all that sun and fresh air. HA! Here are some close-up photos to prove it. Check out the fuzz!
Here's Eli...
Here's Will...
Here's Eli...
Here's Will...
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
ASH WEDNESDAY
Eli and Will attended their first Lenten service tonight on Ash Wednesday.
Pastor Greg drew the sign of the cross on our foreheads. The babies received a lot of "oohs and awes" from the rest of the congregation with those ashes on their tiny foreheads. It reminds us that yes, even babies are sinful and need forgiveness.
"Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
This ancient act is a gesture of repentance and a powerful reminder about the meaning of the day. Ashes can symbolize dust-to-dust and remind worshipers of the need for cleansing, scrubbing and purifying. We were marked as ones redeemed by Christ the crucified! We then washed those dirty ashes off our faces. The water becomes a reminder of the water of our baptisms, where our sins were washed away forever. God's grace abounds!
Pastor Greg drew the sign of the cross on our foreheads. The babies received a lot of "oohs and awes" from the rest of the congregation with those ashes on their tiny foreheads. It reminds us that yes, even babies are sinful and need forgiveness.
"Remember, you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
This ancient act is a gesture of repentance and a powerful reminder about the meaning of the day. Ashes can symbolize dust-to-dust and remind worshipers of the need for cleansing, scrubbing and purifying. We were marked as ones redeemed by Christ the crucified! We then washed those dirty ashes off our faces. The water becomes a reminder of the water of our baptisms, where our sins were washed away forever. God's grace abounds!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
BABY SHADES
Our family truly believes in sun protection. Not only sunscreen for your skin, but protection for our eyes from the sun. Okay, this is partly because Nick is an optometrist, but it's important nonetheless.
Protect your little one's precious eyes with infant sunglasses. These sunglasses by Baby Banz have 100% UV protective lenses and the sunhats are also UV protective. UV damage is cumulative and extended exposure can lead to cataracts and other eye conditions later in life. In fact, most of the sun's damage to your eyes occurs in the first 18 years of life. And this is usually the ages where sunglasses are not worn. Therefore, it is extremely important to have your babies and children wear sunglasses.
These shades are comfortable and have a wraparound band so they stay put easily. Not only do they protect your eyes from the sun's harmful UV rays, but are also comfortable, fun to wear and strong enough to last. They come is many different colors and patterns. They are very affordable and the best part of the hats are that they stay on easily and have an adjustable band that lets your baby use that same hat until 5 years of age! It's a great investment.
Here are a few photos of the twins sporting their sunglasses and hats by BabyBanz. They are affordable and fashionable. The boys loved wearing them on our vacation to California!
Thank you Dr. Beth, Dr. Vincelli (daddy!), and all the ladies at Horizon Eye Care for selling these awesome items!
Hanging out by the pool...
(Oh, and their swim shirts are 100% UV protective as well...bought at Target.)
Eli makes pacifiers look cool...
Ready to hike...
Protect your little one's precious eyes with infant sunglasses. These sunglasses by Baby Banz have 100% UV protective lenses and the sunhats are also UV protective. UV damage is cumulative and extended exposure can lead to cataracts and other eye conditions later in life. In fact, most of the sun's damage to your eyes occurs in the first 18 years of life. And this is usually the ages where sunglasses are not worn. Therefore, it is extremely important to have your babies and children wear sunglasses.
These shades are comfortable and have a wraparound band so they stay put easily. Not only do they protect your eyes from the sun's harmful UV rays, but are also comfortable, fun to wear and strong enough to last. They come is many different colors and patterns. They are very affordable and the best part of the hats are that they stay on easily and have an adjustable band that lets your baby use that same hat until 5 years of age! It's a great investment.
Here are a few photos of the twins sporting their sunglasses and hats by BabyBanz. They are affordable and fashionable. The boys loved wearing them on our vacation to California!
Thank you Dr. Beth, Dr. Vincelli (daddy!), and all the ladies at Horizon Eye Care for selling these awesome items!
Hanging out by the pool...
(Oh, and their swim shirts are 100% UV protective as well...bought at Target.)
Eli makes pacifiers look cool...
Ready to hike...
Monday, March 7, 2011
HIKING AT PALM CANYON IN PALM SPRING, CA
We went hiking at beautiful Palm Canyon on our vacation. We hiked for over 2 hours through the valley with the beautiful palm trees, across the rivers, and up to the top of the mountains looking down. Nick and I each carried a baby in a Baby Bjorn. They slept most of the time, which was wonderful. What a beautiful and peaceful journey through more of God's amazing nature. (Well, mostly peaceful, until Eli peed through this diaper and outfit onto Nick! HA!)
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