SURVIVING THE TWINPOSSIBLE

Here I sit at 10:00pm, frantically adding things to my to-do-list. I love lists, I always have. I’m a “doer.” I like to get things done. I just love the satisfaction of accomplishing a task and crossing it off. Although lately, my lists are very daunting. This is because I keep adding to the list, but unfortunately, it seems that not much is getting crossed off. I can’t keep up. I’m trying to prioritize, but each and every thing is a priority in its own way! I need more TIME!

I have another list of blog posts and topics that I have yet to write about and yet another list of precious photos I need to upload to the blog. But it’s been almost 3 weeks since my last post. And now, as the boys’ first birthday is NEXT WEEK, I’m wondering if I’ll ever find time to do everything I want and need to get done? AHHHH!!!!

But don’t you worry, as I’ve come to the conclusion that will solve all my problems. It’s a genius idea, really! I just need some help perfecting it. I have realized that I think I would have the time I need if only………I never had to sleep! Can you imagine? I’d have so much time while the babies were sleeping during the night to actually accomplish some tasks. So…any ideas of how I can not need to sleep? Why didn’t God give mothers the ability to not need sleep? That’s one of the top questions I will ask first when I get to heaven. He better have a good answer. :)

I thought life would be getting easier with the twins as they are becoming more independent, and it seemed like it was for a while. I was finally getting to the point where I thought, “I can do this!” But as soon as I started feeling more comfortable, the feeling of defeat quickly reared it's ugly head. These last weeks, as their first birthday is fast approaching, have revealed it’s becoming more difficult to get these little dudes to sleep. They are so wired and just want to party! (And trust me, it’s hard to get two crying babies to sleep all by yourself at the same time. VERY hard.) And no, they still do not sleep through the night. It's torture, pure torture. During feeding times, they have turned into little terrors, ripping off their bibs and spitting out food all over the dining room. Oh, who am I kidding…they spit mostly out all over ME!

Oh, and Eli says “MOM” very strongly. I wish I could say it was that he knows I am his mother and he’s affectionately calling out to me. But the way he says it, it’s more of a curse word that he uses when he’s frustrated or angry. I think my dear sweet Eli is swearing at me! And Will is so physically strong. He’s all over the place and trying to pull himself up, climb all over everything, and squeezing himself into the smallest spaces possible. He moves chairs, pulls vents up, and opens doors with safety locks on. He also likes to chew on everything, including his brother. And this is not a good thing now that he has 4 teeth. (I’m sure you get the idea.) So, I can’t take my eyes off them for a second.

I know these are normal things most babies do. But is it so wrong of me to think that I would be the exception? Why can't I have babies who sleep through the night, eat without getting dirty, and act like perfect angels? Hum...maybe it's because there's two of them? I'm not sure, but I am feeling defeated and unworthy of this precious gift of motherhood as I am ashamed to admit that I wished for my “pre-child” life back in a moment of misery tonight as tears streamed down my face.

However, amidst the chaos and frustration, I’m trying to remember that my “normal” is something very special. Very, very special. Something that most people will never experience. I’ll never know what it’s like to only have one child, but they'll never know what it's like to have twins. My life is everything times two. Twice the work and hard times, but twice the blessings and happiness. I am so thankful for our miracles, even if the hardest of times.

I pray this blog full of my crazy posts gives you a tiny peek into my sleep deprived wild world of raising twin boys. We have good times and we have bad times, and day by day, I know we will survive the twinpossible!

FAMILY VACATION

Every year in August we make the trip up to Detroit Lakes, MN for the annual Vincelli Golf Vacation. Most of the Vincelli's gather each year and with the next generation of new little kiddos, next year there will be about 30 of us! The men play in a week long golf tournament, the "Pine to Palm" at Detroit Lakes Country Club. Needless to say, if you have any Vincelli blood, you are a golfer. But I've learned there's actually really no choice in the matter. Even if your last name is Vincelli and have no blood relation (like me) you still need to golf or at least seem interested in it. :) In fact, one of my first gifts from Nick's dad was a set of golf clubs he collected for me from various sets. That's when I knew it was serious...

Nick's family has been going for over 35 years. It's tradition and I would imagine Elijah and Will will be playing in the tournament in 15 short years when they turn 16. Short years...ha, yeah right! And like I said, there's no choice, they'll just be golfers. But I must mention there will be no pressure from me!

This trip usually falls right on my birthday, which has it's pros and cons. It's great because I'm on vacation, but that also means Nick's usually off golfing. This year I invited my sister, Corrie, to come with for a few days to help out with the babies.

We met the most adorable twin girls who were vacationing at the Lodge the same week we were. Charlotte and Juliette are 10 years old and live in New York. They are such beautiful, sweet, and fun girls. Elijah and Will had such a fun time playing with them. They were so polite and helpful. It was like we had our own little babysitters to help keep the boys happy and occupied! We have since kept in touch and both sets of twins are now penpals. It is the cutest thing ever!

Here are a couple of the girl twins with the boy twins!





Here are a few photos to sum our trip up! Enjoy!

(Of course we realized after that we never took a family photo of all the Vincelli family together. We also didn't really get many photos at all of the Vincelli clan. Not sure how that could happen for being there 7 days, but I guess it did! )


We stopped for a quick picnic on the drive to Detroit Lakes...


Elijah had fun on the swings...


And Will did too!


Lovin' those little hotel room cribs!


Peek-a-boo!


Watching daddy golf!


Playing with second cousins, Tessa and Nolan


We take so many photos of the babies, we forgot to take photos of just Nick and I together! But look we actually took one! So in love...


On a walk by the lake...



Snack time outside...


Mommy & Elijah...


Stroller Ride


Auntie Corrie with the boys...


Elijah sleeping...


Poor Will was stuck sleeping in the bathroom!


Eli and Will's first time at Zorbaz. Awesome pizza!


We love our walks!


Playing with cousin, Owen and second cousin, Nolan


Tickle Party


Relaxing outside


Daddy & Will on the beach


Daddy & Elijah swimming in the pool


Will & Auntie Corrie in the pool


Handsome Will


Seriously, I deserve the BEST CADDY AWARD for carrying Nick's clubs and his kids.
(Okay so this photo may or may not have been staged!)


My little family


The Three Musketeers: cousins Will, Eli, and Max


Having a glass of wine relaxing by the lake on our last night!


What? Another photo of Amy & Nick. That makes 2 for this trip! Amazing! (The boys were peacefully sleeping!)

PHOTO SHOOT

A distant relative, Julie, took these adorable photos of the boys. Julie is AWESOME! She is so patient and creative. Words just cannot express my thankfulness for the amazing photos she took. My heart is overjoyed with the precious moments she captured of my precious little miracles! I'm so in love with these photos and can't wait to have her take more in the future. Thank you, Julie!!

Poor Will was so scared and cried and cried, but Julie still managed to get some cute shots. But Eli just hammed it up and smiled.

A few of my favorites...







Amy & Elijah

Amy & Will




Will Clarence (10 months old in this photo.)


Nick & Will


Nick & Elijah


Elijah Kinsley (10 months old in this photo)

PRAYING

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

I'm praying for my sister, Erin, who is due in one week with her first baby girl.

I'm praying for my friend who is newly pregnant for the fifth time (with 2 children on earth and 2 angel babies in heaven) and is not announcing her pregnancy for she is fearful of yet another miscarriage.

I'm praying for my friend, Melanie, who was scheduled to do her first cycle of IVF this month, but had to postpone it due to not having enough follicles.

I'm praying for my friend, Heidi, who is mourning the loss of her 2 precious twin babies, Charlie & Savannah, born at 22 weeks gestation.

I'm praying for all those women struggling with infertility who so desperately want to become mothers.

I'm praying for the women who are thinking of having an abortion. I'm praying that they see the precious gift of life in each and every little baby and carry their baby to term.


Dear God,
Please be with all of these women as they are all in different "stages" of wanting to be a mother. Hold them close, giving them comfort and hope for the future. Give them the peace and faith that you have a perfect plan for their lives and their family.
In Jesus' name. Amen.

MY 31st BIRTHDAY

You read that right, I turned 31 today. I know, I can barely believe it myself. I try not to think about the number of how old I am. I just give thanks for another year and celebrate life's precious gifts!

It was my first birthday as a mommy. And a special one it was! We had a nice day together on vacation in Detroit Lakes, MN. It was a beautiful day in at the Lodge. We took the boys in the lake and played on the beach. It was their first time in a lake and on sand. Elijah was really into the sand and probably ate a good teaspoon or so! And Will was throwing it all around.

Even though I took 5 minutes as I passed a mirror to pull out about 20 gray hairs, (Yuck!) I'm not going to let it bother me. Such is life. Ahh, a beautiful thing. And I suppose I can always start dyeing my hair. :)

Family photo on the hotel room bed with self timer on the dresser. Not too shabby! :)


Playing on the sand for the first time. Elijah enjoyed eating it (that guy was so fast and sneaky at getting it into his mouth before we could stop him!) and Will was throwing it around!


Will's first time in the lake!


Elijah's first time in the lake!

ANGEL BABIES IN HEAVEN, Charlie & Savannah

Last month, we sold our double strollers, infant car seats, etc. on Craig's List to a woman named Heidi, who was expecting twins. I looked her up on facebook and was surprised to find we had a few mutual friends. After emailing back and forth, we realized that her and Nick were freshman in the same dorm complex in college and were acquaintances. We also had another mutual friend whom I just met last summer at a church convention! And we both did IVF at the Mayo Clinic as well. I felt an instant connection with her and was excited to keep in touch with her twin's progress.

The day after she bought our items and we met in person, she found out the sexes of her babies, a boy and a girl! But after some complications and almost 4 weeks of bedrest, trying to keep the babies in as long as possible, on July 28th, Heidi's two precious twin babies were born and passed away one short hour later. Charlie and Savannah were born at 22 weeks gestation. Savannah was 1 pound and 11.5 inches long. Charlie was 1 pound, 2 ounces and 11.25 inches long. They joined their 5 previous siblings that died in previous ectopic pregnancies.

Dearest Heidi,

Words cannot begin to express my heartfelt compassion for you and Aaron. Even though I've only known you a short time, I can't help but feel a connection to you. Please know that you are not alone and that I feel with you and for you. I have prayed for you everyday since we met and I will continue to. I don't know what it's like to lose one baby, yet alone now 7 as you have, but I do know what it feels like to long so desperately for a baby. My heart is breaking and aching for you. I wish I could take away all the hurt and pain for you.

I don't know what to say to you. I don't know what to do for you. And I wish I knew why this had to happen. I don't know any of those things, but there is one thing and that I am sure of. I know that your precious angel babies are safe in the arms of Jesus. He is keeping watch over them until one day when you and Aaron will be reunited with them in heaven FOREVER! This life on earth is just temporary, so keep holding on to the faith that one day you will all spend forever together.

Whenever a loved one of mine passes away, I always imagine them dancing with Jesus. So as I think of precious little Charlie and Savannah, I picture them dancing with Jesus in heaven. They are safe, they are loved, and they are side by side with each other and their other 5 siblings.

Bless you sweet baby angels, Charlie and Savannah. You may have only been on this earth a short time, but you will live on forever in the hearts of many. Your mommy and daddy love you so much. Your tiny feet have left big imprints on my heart. I will never forget you.

Heidi & Aaron, every life no matter how fragile or brief forever changes the world. Thinking of you and remembering Charlie & Savannah.

All my love,
Amy

TOY JACKPOT

Look at what I purchased this morning! All of these awesome & clean toys were $24 total! Yahoo!!!!!

Thankfully I had time to run to one garage sale quick this morning and as you can see, I hit jackpot! Garage sales are so hit or miss for me. It seems like I either find absolutely nothing or hit jackpot, such as this! Thank you www.owatonnagaragesales.com for allowing me to view what people are selling ahead of time, so I don't have to waste my time on sales that don't have what I am looking for right now...which are boy clothing and toys, toys, toys!!