A little while back I wrote this post about how my head was spinning a little trying to figure out how life is going to work when we have newborn twins, a special needs infant and a toddler.
I thought I would share how we're doing tackling the list I made of things left to do to prepare for Baby Boy and Baby Girl's arrival. Here goes...
1. Plan an overnight for Christian and me away from the kids and chaos of life.
This idea has officially been nixed... by me... Somewhere around two days after I wrote this down, I began to feel so big that I wouldn't have been able to enjoy a week-end away if I wanted to. However, I did spend two days in bed last week-end from being sick while Christian took care of the kids. In an odd way, laying in bed felt really good to my super-pregnant body. We will have to do a special trip for the two of us another time when I can enjoy it more. We will be having the baby go overnight away soon though, so Christian and I get a little extra rest before the twins come.
2. Clean out the clutter from our house and make room for two more babies.
This is a work in progress, but I do feel like progress is being made. So far Christian and his brother moved all of the big pieces of furniture we don't have room for anymore out of the house, general housework is being kept up with and just this morning, I sat down in our future playroom and spent an hour organzing things to go to the attic, to toss or to give away. It is taking time, but we will get there. My parents are also coming this week-end, so I look forward to having their extra hands around to make even greater progress toward getting the playroom and baby room ready.
3. Tie up as many loose ends as possible before babies get here.
This one is hard. I have loose ends hanging all around (it feels like). Things to do for me, for the dance studio, for my business, for the kids doctor's appointments, for the twins... I am definitely trying to stay on top of things, but being tired ALL the time makes it difficult. I will keep plugging along here.
4. Pack a hospital bag and solidify plans for our kids in case of early delivery.
I am pretty sure we have a plan and a back-up plan for where our kids will be during delivery. But I have still not packed anyone's bags... I feel like it's one of those things that still hangs in the loose ends category. Gotta get on this one... It's kind of important!!
5. Pre-register for birth at the hospital and sign up for birthing
classes, making sure I know the hospitals policies about twin birth
since I want to do it naturally.
I finally made the call yesterday to set up my pre-registration appointment at the hospital. I have decided against birthing classes since a) we have a lot on our plate already and b) I still remember vividly a lot that we learned there and we have pretty much run out of time to sign up.
And that's how we're doing getting ready for the twins to grace us with their grand entry into the world... We still have lots of things to order for the nursery (and 2nd crib, a dresser, etc) but like I said, we are slowly getting there. I know that we are running out of time, but I also can still only move so fast! I told my brother-in-law the other day that I feel like a manitee out of water... I wish I was kidding...
But we are getting lots of help from friends and from a new part-time nanny/housekeeper that I have hired and so I have lots of faith that we will get everything ready in time.
So here is the updated list of what we still have left to do...
1. Clean out the clutter from our house and order what we still need for two more babies.
2. Tie up as many loose ends as possible before the twins get here.
3. Pack a hospital bag for myself and one for each of the kids.
4. Type a general birth plan for my pre-registration meeting at the hospital.
One step at a time!
Love,
Rachel
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Big, Big Babies!
Yesterday, I went in for an ultrasound to see how the twins are doing... They are some big, big babies!
We are 32 weeks preggers now...
Baby Girl was estimated at 4 lbs 7oz.
Baby Boy was estimated at 5 lbs!
That is a WHOLE LOTTA baby goin' on!
Who wants to take guesses at how big these babies are going to be when they are born? (Remember, I will be induced before 39 weeks.) Leave your guess in the comments! :)
We are 32 weeks preggers now...
Baby Girl was estimated at 4 lbs 7oz.
Baby Boy was estimated at 5 lbs!
That is a WHOLE LOTTA baby goin' on!
Who wants to take guesses at how big these babies are going to be when they are born? (Remember, I will be induced before 39 weeks.) Leave your guess in the comments! :)
Sunday, January 13, 2013
31 weeks and couting...
7 weeks left to go...
This time is moving so slowly... Mostly because I am moving so slowly.
But I am trying to take the advice I have read about from others who have endured multiple pregnancy... Take things one day at a time. Make it your goal to keep the babies cooking for one more week. See your life in (very) small chunks of time. This makes life feel more attainable.
So every day, I am trying to make a list of four things I need to do. I can't do ten. I can't do twenty. But (usually) I can do four.
#1 is always "Take care of kids"
#2 is always "Go to appointment" if I have one
then I have a teeny bit of room left to tackle something productive... Small and productive.
This way I don't feel stuck... since it is easy to feel stuck when your body is getting more uncomfortable all the time. (I really can feel four little feet underneath my ribs... I swear Georgia has long toenails that keep scratching the inside of me when I breathe deeply!)
Anyway, so one little step at a time. One moment and one task at a time. Then a break. Then eat. Then do another task. Then rest rest rest.
Just focusing on today...
Love,
Rachel
This time is moving so slowly... Mostly because I am moving so slowly.
But I am trying to take the advice I have read about from others who have endured multiple pregnancy... Take things one day at a time. Make it your goal to keep the babies cooking for one more week. See your life in (very) small chunks of time. This makes life feel more attainable.
So every day, I am trying to make a list of four things I need to do. I can't do ten. I can't do twenty. But (usually) I can do four.
#1 is always "Take care of kids"
#2 is always "Go to appointment" if I have one
then I have a teeny bit of room left to tackle something productive... Small and productive.
This way I don't feel stuck... since it is easy to feel stuck when your body is getting more uncomfortable all the time. (I really can feel four little feet underneath my ribs... I swear Georgia has long toenails that keep scratching the inside of me when I breathe deeply!)
Anyway, so one little step at a time. One moment and one task at a time. Then a break. Then eat. Then do another task. Then rest rest rest.
Just focusing on today...
Love,
Rachel
Monday, January 7, 2013
Inspire Me! Monday... Put your blinders on!
Welcome to the sporadic postings of Inspire Me! Monday. :)
Today will be a short post (okay- in retrospect it's not short at all- ha!), but hopefully a meaningful one as I share a thought with you that has been burning in my brain for days now.
A friend of mine (who I have mentioned before) who has an awesome blog, business and love for Jesus, wrote a post recently that I want to share with you.
Before I link you to it, I want to tell you what stood out to me most. I don't know that these were her exact words, but they are close. Here's what caught me eye (and what I can't get out of my head) from her post.
Here's the link to the Post: Little Bit Funky, A Resolution For Us All!
In general, I don't play the comparison game. I don't look at Crystal's blog and think "She does so much and I feel insecure today, so I think I'll decide that she and others like her must not have her priorities straight." Ummm.... no.
However, I DO fall prey sometimes to looking around at what others are doing and think... "Maybe I should be doing that too? They are obviously amazing at following God and serving their family, so maybe I should follow their example!"
Each day that I am given has a purpose and a plan. And at this point, believe-you-me, it looks different than most other people's lives I know! I am semi- housebound with a low immune-system child and 30 weeks pregnant with twins which makes me feel like a big walrus lumbering around. I am realizing that in order to do what God wants me to do to serve my family in this season, it takes doing a very little bit at a time with a LOT of focus.
What kind of terrible trap would I be setting for myself if I compared my list of *four things* I must do today to another person's of 10, 20 or 50 things to do today? What have I gained if I spend my time chasing and trying to achieve what other people are doing if I am neglecting my own purpose in life?
So for Inspire Me! Monday today, think about God's purpose for you and you alone. Take one step at a time no matter what your life looks like and know that God's plans are greater than what everyone else might be doing. If we as Christians all focus on the His purpose for our lives, that is how we function as one body. All of us have different roles, jobs and amounts of work to do based on our own special abilities. Be encouraged that God created your purpose with you in mind. And there is no shame in obedience to Him- even at the expense of not doing what everyone else is doing. Today I pray that you will lay your life down to the only One that matters and find yourself to be lifted up.
Love,
Rachel
"You are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE thing is needed." Luke 10:42
"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. " Proverbs 4:25-27
Today will be a short post (okay- in retrospect it's not short at all- ha!), but hopefully a meaningful one as I share a thought with you that has been burning in my brain for days now.
A friend of mine (who I have mentioned before) who has an awesome blog, business and love for Jesus, wrote a post recently that I want to share with you.
Before I link you to it, I want to tell you what stood out to me most. I don't know that these were her exact words, but they are close. Here's what caught me eye (and what I can't get out of my head) from her post.
Wake up each day and do what God wants YOU to do. Don't wake up and look at what another blogger, pinterester, friend, etc is doing and then wonder if you are doing enough. Wake up and figure out how YOU are supposed to live YOUR life according to God's plan for YOU. Period.
Here's the link to the Post: Little Bit Funky, A Resolution For Us All!
In general, I don't play the comparison game. I don't look at Crystal's blog and think "She does so much and I feel insecure today, so I think I'll decide that she and others like her must not have her priorities straight." Ummm.... no.
However, I DO fall prey sometimes to looking around at what others are doing and think... "Maybe I should be doing that too? They are obviously amazing at following God and serving their family, so maybe I should follow their example!"
I forget that instead of modeling my life after really great people and all the great things they are doing, I should be modeling my life after ONE person.
Each day that I am given has a purpose and a plan. And at this point, believe-you-me, it looks different than most other people's lives I know! I am semi- housebound with a low immune-system child and 30 weeks pregnant with twins which makes me feel like a big walrus lumbering around. I am realizing that in order to do what God wants me to do to serve my family in this season, it takes doing a very little bit at a time with a LOT of focus.
What kind of terrible trap would I be setting for myself if I compared my list of *four things* I must do today to another person's of 10, 20 or 50 things to do today? What have I gained if I spend my time chasing and trying to achieve what other people are doing if I am neglecting my own purpose in life?
So for Inspire Me! Monday today, think about God's purpose for you and you alone. Take one step at a time no matter what your life looks like and know that God's plans are greater than what everyone else might be doing. If we as Christians all focus on the His purpose for our lives, that is how we function as one body. All of us have different roles, jobs and amounts of work to do based on our own special abilities. Be encouraged that God created your purpose with you in mind. And there is no shame in obedience to Him- even at the expense of not doing what everyone else is doing. Today I pray that you will lay your life down to the only One that matters and find yourself to be lifted up.
Love,
Rachel
"You are worried and upset about many things, but only ONE thing is needed." Luke 10:42
"Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways. Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil. " Proverbs 4:25-27
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Coordinating Diaper Bums
Won't these be so cute on a little baby boy and girl twins?!
Can't wait!
xo,
Rachel
Twins & Diapers & Super-Pregnant
You would not believe how many things are rolling around in my head (okay maybe you would) as I think about how on earth we will get prepared for these twins.
Thoughts about childbirth for twins (want to try to attempt a natural delivery), wondering if I should re-take birth classes at our local hospital, thinking about all of the things to organize and clean, paint, etc... and diapers!
This is one thing I think I've finally made a decision about. Right now my two kids are currently in disposable diapers. Hopefully Melody will potty train sometime soon and there will be no more diapers for her (she is approaching three years old in March) and with my foster son, he has so many doctor's appointments and family visits, etc, I have just never found the motivation to switch him over to cloth. I am also buying clothes for him as I go along and we all know (if you have done cloth) that clothes need to be bigger to fit cloth diapers and I haven't been able to coordinate buying bigger clothes with a time I can also do the necessary laundry to switch him over to cloth.
When I think about what is coming down the pipe with twins (3 kids for sure in diapers, possibly 4!) I just can't imagine cloth diapering all of them.
But the idea of PAYING for HUNDREDS of diapers per week has me shaking in my boots a little too.
So we are headed right down the middle.
I just got done ordering a dozen more prefolds, 2 cute coordinating Thirstie duo covers (they are my favorite!), and some snappies for the twins.
Yep, I am going to cloth diaper twins right from the beginning and let my other two kiddos continue on in disposables as we have been doing. This way I am not overwhelmed by dirty diaper laundry (or the idea of changing 3-4 cloth diapers in a single outing) OR by the amounts of money we would be spending on disposable diapers for 4 kids.
Maybe I am overly optimistic, but I also hope to feel MUCH better after these twins are born, so that I am not intimidated by the laundry situation for four children and two in cloth diapers.
I am chalking up my lack of laundry skills at the moment to being pregnant, having been VERY busy the last six months and still busy even now and being super-pregnant.
In fact, that is what I think I'm going to refer to being pregnant with twins as from now on. When you are pregnant with multiples, you aren't just pregnant.... you are SUPER pregnant. :) It's akin to having a super hero power. In fact, I think handling pregnancy is a super power no matter who you are or how many babies you are having!
Okay, off to be a super hero momma of the twin baking variety. Donning my cape to handle some laundry for a family of four while Baby Peanut naps. Here's hoping he stays asleep long enough for me to accomplish sorting and starting a load!
:)
Love,
Rachel
Thoughts about childbirth for twins (want to try to attempt a natural delivery), wondering if I should re-take birth classes at our local hospital, thinking about all of the things to organize and clean, paint, etc... and diapers!
This is one thing I think I've finally made a decision about. Right now my two kids are currently in disposable diapers. Hopefully Melody will potty train sometime soon and there will be no more diapers for her (she is approaching three years old in March) and with my foster son, he has so many doctor's appointments and family visits, etc, I have just never found the motivation to switch him over to cloth. I am also buying clothes for him as I go along and we all know (if you have done cloth) that clothes need to be bigger to fit cloth diapers and I haven't been able to coordinate buying bigger clothes with a time I can also do the necessary laundry to switch him over to cloth.
When I think about what is coming down the pipe with twins (3 kids for sure in diapers, possibly 4!) I just can't imagine cloth diapering all of them.
But the idea of PAYING for HUNDREDS of diapers per week has me shaking in my boots a little too.
So we are headed right down the middle.
I just got done ordering a dozen more prefolds, 2 cute coordinating Thirstie duo covers (they are my favorite!), and some snappies for the twins.
Yep, I am going to cloth diaper twins right from the beginning and let my other two kiddos continue on in disposables as we have been doing. This way I am not overwhelmed by dirty diaper laundry (or the idea of changing 3-4 cloth diapers in a single outing) OR by the amounts of money we would be spending on disposable diapers for 4 kids.
Maybe I am overly optimistic, but I also hope to feel MUCH better after these twins are born, so that I am not intimidated by the laundry situation for four children and two in cloth diapers.
I am chalking up my lack of laundry skills at the moment to being pregnant, having been VERY busy the last six months and still busy even now and being super-pregnant.
In fact, that is what I think I'm going to refer to being pregnant with twins as from now on. When you are pregnant with multiples, you aren't just pregnant.... you are SUPER pregnant. :) It's akin to having a super hero power. In fact, I think handling pregnancy is a super power no matter who you are or how many babies you are having!
Okay, off to be a super hero momma of the twin baking variety. Donning my cape to handle some laundry for a family of four while Baby Peanut naps. Here's hoping he stays asleep long enough for me to accomplish sorting and starting a load!
:)
Love,
Rachel
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Verse of the day...
"Then He said to them, 'Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."
Luke 12:15, NASB
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