Shot through the thigh and you're to blame

Well, not YOU per se. Actually, Dr. Parikh. Our friendly neighborhood pediatrician.

Actually, she's great. The best. She's all business but at the same time very warm and loving to the babies. What else could you ask for. Well today the kids got a few shots. Some vaccinations which included Rotavirus, Haemophilus Influenzae and Pneumococcal. (I obviously had to go back to look at the sheet that I received after they got their injections. I could never remember those names much less know how to spell them.) They all seemed super important. Especially the rotavirus one that is supposed to protect your kid from severe diarrhea. Now Harv and I aren't the kind of parents that are worried about these inoculations. Rather, we have embraced them. And totally trust the pediatrician. Actually, truth be told, we've both been so busy and tired we haven't had time to actually read about the injections or the controversies. Does that make us bad parents? Dunno.

Well the whole point of this is that today they got their shots. After giving them Dr. Parikh said, "Now the kids could be a little cranky and uncomfortable today. But feel free to give them infant's Tylenol every 4 hours."

A LITTLE cranky? Are you kidding me? This afternoon was an all out onslaught. No joke. Mind you Aunt Jennie is no longer here and yes, Harv is back to work. (Although he did take the morning off to help me get the kids to the doctors. Thanks sexy babes. I heart you.) So here I am, on my own and the kids went absolutely ballistic. The two of them. Together. It was Cryapalooza 2008 over here at 704 Clinton. I'm assuming it was caused by the shots. Unless they were upset about our economic climate or Sara Palin. I guess anything is possible.

This little video was the calm before the storm. Seriously, what you are about to see is nothing compared to the wrath of hell I received about an hour later.



But I dealt with it. Hell, I'm supermom. A little tired maybe. But I guess that goes without saying. You know, it's really a sad state of affairs when you are looking forward to going for a short walk for 15 minutes or so to the ATM. But I'll take what I can get. If the sweet smell of freedom is taking a walk to deposit a maternity leave check, then so be it.

Besides today things have been going really well. Really really well. We've developed reoccurring activities which is cool. There's Boppy-looking-out-the-window time. There's music time. Rainforest Cafe time. And Twin time. And that doesn't even include Bath time or Tummy time. So as you can see...me and my babies are very busy.

Fingers crossed for tonight. And tomorrow.

A few more cute pics from Aunt Jennie's stay.


Enjoying a baby and some fine wine.


Look how cute I am when I'm not screaming.
I can get away with anything. Anything! Bhua ha ha.


We'll miss you Auntie.

I can't tell what smells...if it's me or him?

This is what I said to Harv at the 3AM feed last night.
Just wanted to make a note of it. And actually, we never really go to the bottom of it. Jacob's new formula makes him have extra stinky farts. And poos. And the roasted chicken I cooked last night for our little 2 person Rosh Hashanah dinner with roasted onions and garlic did a number on my system. But it's always a good laugh when Harv hears a loud farty noise and says, "Was that you or him?"

Top Five Gadgets

When we had kids it was only a matter of time before our apartment was filled with fun baby-friendly gadgets. Being that I, Harv, am the original Inspector Gadget, we felt it was only appropriate that our kids were on the forefront of cutting edge technology as well. Listed below are our favorite five.

Wipes Warmer

Coming in at number five is the wipes warmer. This made it into the top five at the request of Mason and Jacob. Who doesn't like a nice warm wipe against their butt at 4am as opposed to a cold one? A minor extravagance, it's a small price to pay for a warm booty.

iCrib

Number four is the iCrib. Yes - you heard it right - the iCrib. Not crawling yet, our kids are already trendy and sporting this snazzy speaker system latched onto the inside of their crib. Simply plug an iPod into the back of this baby and you have nursery rhymes galore.

Diaper Genie II

Everyone with kids knows how invaluable these things are. There are several similar diaper disposal systems out there and after deliberating about the pluses and minuses of each (i.e. which kept the stink out the best) we settled on the Diaper Genie II. And what a Genie it is! So far it's managed to cope with all of the stinkiest stank. The best part is when you empty it and take out a poopy diaper sausage. It's sad what gets us excited these days.

Baby Monitor

At number two and just missing out on the top spot is our baby monitor. This one comes with video which means we can watch the babies from the comfort of our bedroom about 15 feet away. We listen to every coo and grunt\thinking "what was that?!" without having to disturb our little cherubs while they sleep. The coolest thing about this monitor is that we can hook it up to a TV. Seriously - we spent the first two weeks just watching baby-TV the whole day! A special shout out to Aunt Jennie and Uncle Andy for the monitor.

The Cradle Swing

Straight in at number one is the one item we didn't buy. The cradle swing. After first thinking we didn't have the room for a large swing, we borrowed Jim and Maria's and it's been a lifesaver. Both kids love it and Jacob's taken to sleeping in it the last two nights, sleeping much better than he does in the crib. Those with a keen eye will see that it is Mason in the photo. She has visiting rights at weekends. But mostly it's Jacob's domain. Chilling close to the window he surveys his world and occasionally stares at the fish above. Just so that Mase didn't get too jealous, we borrowed a second swing from Jean and Chris. Now the two rock out side-by-side in perfect harmony. The swings also serve as baby holders allowing mom to have a quick shower when she's here on her own. Big shout out to Jim, Maria, Jean and Chris for saving our sanity.

"There's poop on his balls!"

That's what I heard yelled from the twins room yesterday morning as Aunt Jennie was changing baby Jacob. "OMG, how am I going to get it all off? And why wasn't he crying about it? What...does he enjoy just wallowing in his poop?"

Ha ha ha. Silly Aunt Jennie. As she continued to change that diaper yesterday morning Jacob continued to poop. And then pooped some more. "Wow, I wonder how long he was working that one up!"

I've actually found the whole poop on, under, and around the balls thing quite troubling myself. Maybe because I don't have any. But I definitely find it harder and more cumbersome to change Jacob's diaper than Masons. There seems to be more surface area to work with. More places for the poop to hide. And then, there's the occasional pee-in-your-face, where Jacob just fires at will. Never mind that you just put a clean diaper on him. Or just changed the changing table soft, fluffy cover. He doesn't care about wasting diapers or doing laundry. Oh no.

At least with Mason, the territory is all out in the open. She has nothing to hide. And it's usually a quick wipe, and your done.

And is it weird that you have your hands all over your son's equipment? No. Not really. I'm his mom. And all mom's with sons have had their hands all over their sons pride and joy at some point in their lives. It's kind of weird if you think about it...so just don't. But it did make interesting fodder for the blog. Oh yes.

Just a side note -- we had a really good night last night! (Thursday) We changed Jacob's formula to this really stinky one called Similac Alimentum. It kind of smells like barf because it's all broken down and hypoallergenic and supposed to be easier for the little guy to digest. We also swaddled him last night, arms in. He hated it at the time, but eventually calmed down. And finally, put him to sleep in the fishy swing -- so he was elevated the whole night. And he slept. More than he ever has. More than little Ms. Mason I might add. So, I don't know if it was a fluke or not but fingers crossed we might be on to something.

And of course, I couldn't leave you for the weekend without posting pics of the cutest twins ever...

Morning Boppy Talk

The kids just wanted to say hello this morning and let you know they are doing well. Real well. They are kickin' it with Aunt Jennie and Mommy this week. They are also about to watch an interview with Kirk Cameron on the Today Show and are very excited. They send out lots of hugs and kisses.

Club Getaway

So Harv and I left the kids for the first time this weekend. We went to our good
friend's Bram and Eden's wedding in Kent, CT. It was only about 2 hours away at an old children's camp called "Club Getaway". My mom was still here and my sister Jennie came in this weekend too. She is here for the entire week. Can I get a "Whoo Whoo!"

Anyway, it was really the first time we've been away from the kids for any significant period of time. (And it was less than 24 hrs. We left around 1:30 and came back the next day round 11:00.) It was really kinda weird. Not weird like when I found my mom with her hair brushed out the other morning singing crazy made up songs to my daughter...but more weird like I thought I would be so happy to be out of the house for a bit and drinking...which I was...but on the other hand I totally missed the kids. I mean, I've heard stories from my other mom friends about being out or on a little vacation but how they couldn't stop thinking bout their kids. Not being a mom I always thought..."Are they fucking crazy? What's a matter with them? Why can't they just enjoy being out with me, they see their kids all the time! Why don't they want to do more shots?"

Well, I hate to admit it, but now I understand. It's like, you're totally psyched to be out of the house and hanging out with your friends drinking alcohol. But then you also totally miss your kids and can't stop thinking about them. You wonder how many ounces they took at their last feeding or if they made a huge pooper. Sad, but true. And then most of your friends tend to have kids as well so the conversation turns in that direction. Instead of talking about how drunk I got the night before and how hungover I'll be in the morning, I found myself talking about the merits of Gary Ezzo's "Babywise" and his sleep, wake, play pattern.

Don't get me wrong. We had a blast. And I drank a lot for the first time in over a year. I had many vodka sodas, some wine and even a Bailey's on ice. (Yes, I was pumping and dumping...not to worry.) I paced myself though - which was very un-Ann-like. And in case you didn't hear me before, I diluted my vodka with soda - instead of my usual vodka on the rocks. Harvey even wanted to do a shot at one point and I think I denied it. Which I feel bad about. I think he just caught me at a moment that I wasn't interested in shots. Which again, is very weird. But he hadn't ordered it yet. So it wasn't like he handed me a shot and I didn't want to do it. The day that happens we are all in trouble.

But we still had fun. And got out. And most importantly got some sleep...like a good 6-7 hours. Amazing.

So now the week begins...

Harvey is still back at work. But like I said, my sister Jennie is here for the week. And she seems to be really really REALLY good with the kids. She plays with them. And talks to them constantly. What a good Aunt she is. I think I hear her reading "What's wrong with Pookie" now.

49 days and counting

Today is the twins 7 week birthday!
Can you even believe it? They've already been in this crazy world for 7 whole weeks.
Time has definitely gone by fast. Real fast. Things off the top of my head that I've learned in the past 7 weeks-

-Babies cry a lot. A real lot.
-A & D is better than Desiten.
-Just when you think you can't get any tireder, you can.
-The Dustbuster is one of my best friends.
-Taking a shower is a luxury.
-Going to the grocery store or pharmacy is a luxury.
-My breasts are very comforting. And comfortable.
-The freezer can be used to store things other than ice cream and Vodka.
-There is more to life than fantasy football.

This is just off the top of my head. I'm sure I've learned a lot more than this, but wanted to post a little something something with these cute pics I took this morning.

Grandmommy Dearest

My mom arrived yesterday at approximately 10:30. Ahhh...what a relief. She is truly an amazing woman and I couldn't be happier that she is here. Ya know, I kinda thought she would have no idea what she was doing as far as dealing with the kids. Yeah sure, she raised me and my brother and sister but that was like 100 years ago! Well, OK, 34 years ago but same difference. She smoked and drank when she was pregnant. She used to put me to sleep in my crib on my stomach. And apparently put "Donatol" in my bottle when I had gas pains. And used cloth diapers. Ewwww. I mean, would she really know what to do with MY kids? Plus, she never had twins to deal with which is a whole different animal.

I have to say, the answer is yes. She is absolutely great with them. Especially Jacob. He really seems to like Grandma a lot. So much so that I shouted out this morning, "He hates me. He likes you much more." Not sure if that is true, only time will tell. Ha ha ha ha.

Yesterday was again, a great day. I'm sure a lot of it had to do with the fact that my mom was here. We chit chatted and gossiped all day long. And she looked after Jacob most of the day. Definitely spoiling him - singing to him, talking to him and just cuddling with him for no reason. I actually wasn't sure what would happen last night since he had been SO good and calm most of the day. Would he continue to stay a sweet little angel and make all of my stories to her seem like I was exagerrating and being kind of a nervous mom?

Well sure enough around 7:00 he started to go a little ballistic. Not full fledged crazy, like the other night when I was rocking him and I thought "Hmm...could he be some kind of alien devil child?" And then I seriously considered that fact that all of a sudden his eyes might turn red shooting out lazer beams and he would try and killme. Not that crazy. But pretty worked up. And my mom just took him and settled him down like a champ. Sure, it took a while, but she did it. And actually looked after Jake and Mason most of the entire night so Harvey and I could get some rest.

She is here the rest of the week. And my sister is coming in on Friday and going to stay for a week. The two of them are actually going to babysit on Saturday night as Harvey and I are going to a friend's wedding - but that's another post for another time.

I'll just sign off this one by saying, I can only hope that some day I can help out Mason with her kids and be as inspiring to her as she is to me.

Sorry for the sappy post, but hey, I'm a mom now.

Why is this day different than all others?

So today was pretty damn awesome. Really. I'm not sure why. Or how. But it seemed to go really smoothly. I'm not sure if I'm just getting more used to them. Or maybe because I got a bit of sleep last night. Or maybe it was because I had 5 Jaeger Bombs when I woke up so I didn't hear the crying. Ha ha. Kidding of course.

Lemme back up a sec...

The rest of the day yesterday went alright. I mean, for my first day home alone with the kids I think it was really good. Yes, a bit stressful at times. Some might even call it challenging. But I managed. I think at some point you just become desensitized to the crying. Which you kind of have to. You're only one person. With two arms. I couldn't have been more excited when I saw Harvey walk through the door. I was feeding the kids at the time and he sauntered in and jumped right in...picking up Mason out of the Boppy and helping with her feed. Oh yeah, did I happen to mention he also brought be home some flowers.

What a guy. Seriously, he's the best and I don't know what I'd do without him.

Last night however, was a little insane. Jacob was up again from about 3:00 - 6:15. But Harvey stayed up with him. Let me sleep. I actually didn't even hear the cries that's how tired I was. Again, what a guy he is. He came in the room at 6:15 and showered for work and left.

So like I was saying to begin with, today was really really good. It might have had something to do with my friend Jeff coming over from the city to visit. I literally got to hang out with my friend, talk to him for a bit and eat a bagel like a normal human being. The kids were perfect. I kept telling Jeff that this was absolutely not the norm and that I've never seen them like this. Again, maybe they were showing off. Below is a pic of Jeff holding Mason after a feed.




Aww...what a cutie. (Mason that is. Jeff is a hairy bastard.) :)

We even went for a walk today. And I took a shower this morning. I bought some horseradish pickles and olives from a farmers market on our walk. And I even took the kids inside the grocery store. Wow, I'm bragging about going outside and buying pickles...what have I become?

But our luck could not last forever...tonight has been a little crazed. Jacob started up round 6:00 and didn't really stop until about 45 minutes ago. When that was Mason's cue to start up. I told you, it's like they know and tag team up against us or something. We just couldn't calm the little guy down tonight so Harvey resorted to driving him around in the car. Which apparently didn't work. Harv said it was only until he took him out of the car that he stopped crying because he was so exhausted from making himself horse. So now he lays inside his carseat on the floor of his room. It looks a little sad actually. And I feel a little bad for keeping him on the floor. But he's quiet. And we all like quiet.

The next feed is soon...wish us luck.

Some gratuitous cute baby pics from the day--

Holla!

Approximately 1:00 PM.

Mommy, Mason and Jacob are A OK and will be lunching round 1:45. Thanks for your support.

Home Alone

Today is the first day I am home alone with the twins.

Harv had six weeks off! Yes, six. And today he finally went back to work. Which was/is a bit scary for me. How am I gonna handle this on my own? What if I'm feeding them and I have to make a doody? Do I bring them with me into the bathroom? Do I leave them in the living room on the couch? Do I poop my pants?

I can do this. I think. So far, so good. We had a bit of a rough night. Again, little Jacob didn't really want to sleep much. Not sure why. He didn't have a dirty diaper. He wasn't hungry. Or hot. But maybe he had gas. Dunno. But he was essentially up most of the night. And so was I. But what can I say...my kids like to party.

They both woke screaming at 7:30. (Jacob was previously up from 3:30 - 6:15) I managed to get them both in their Boppys and feed them. Of course their was lots of crying, but what are you gonna do. Then I some how managed to get Jacob to sleep. Well, I put him in his swing. He likes his swing. Thank you Jim & Maria! And Mason was the one being the fusspot this morning. Not sure what's wrong with her, but she just wants to be held I guess. And that's not so bad. So as a write this, she's laying asleep in my lap, close to my body, as I lean over her and type to you...the readers...the fans of the "Wonder Twins".

Ok - probably won't have time to post more today but look for an update late tonight or tomorrow.

Wish me luck. And God bless America.

What a stinky diaper...Oh no, that's just the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets!

"I'm telling you Jacob, the Jets are terrible. Even with Favre. He can't save them. And that new QB is no Tommy, but he's a hottie too. Grrrrrr."



Sunday Sunday Sunday!
What a day.
The kids woke fairly early. And Harv and I took them out in the Ergo baby carriers. Didn't really go to far. Just up to Washington to go to the ATM. But it was an adventure nonetheless.
The Patriots beat the Jets. At the Jets home opener. And the Patriots didn't even have Tom Brady. Wow. It was awesome. It was a little bit different than most Pats Jets games Harv and I had watched. For one, we usually go to the game at the Meadowlands, and well, I guess we're usually intoxicated. But not this Sunday. Not this Pats Jets game. We have two beautiful babies! Two little ones to look after. And I'm afraid this year they are too young to tailgate.

But we still had a fantastic Sunday. Harv had some beer and a traditional Sunday football Bloody Mary. I had some caffeine free Coke. (Yes, I'm still nursing) And we also made some home made nachos -- which was a nice healthy lunch.

And best of all, the Pats won! Which was pretty awesome. It's kind of weird watching football with babies cause you can't really yell at the TV, you can't drink that much and you can't fully get into the game because you are always half watching the kid. Or kids in our house. Jacob started crying at the end of the game so I was beginning to suspect he was a Jets fan and upset for Favre, Coles and Crotchery. But then I realized he was just being Jacob. Phew.

Puke

The picture above is just to prove how we've started to tame the beast. In just a few short weeks Jacob has gone from a screaming madman when he spies the bath to a sedate bather, happy to dwell in warm water, occasionally stretching a toe out towards the tap.
But this post isn't about Jacob. This post is about what happened with Mason this morning. It was the 2pm feed - I had Jacob and Ann was looking after Mason. Both took to their bottles with gusto and started to slurp down the milky goodness. Ann was having some trouble burping Mason, but we continued with the feed, under the impression that she'd let us know when she needed to burp. She'd almost finished her bottle when she let us know. After a little tap on her back we heard a rumbling, a sharp intake of breath from Mason and then the stomach floodgates opened. The formula she was drinking had mixed with the breastmilk she had for breakfast and the mucus from her cold to produce a perfect storm of vomit. While not projectile in nature it's the closest we've come so far.

Shave and a haircut...

One of the biggest outings we had this week was to go down to Washington Street so that I could get a much-needed haircut. The day started off terribly when Mason refused to settle down in the stroller. Mason I said. Not Jacob, the kid that screams if you even look at him in a funny way, but Mason, the best behaved little girl in the World. She screamed blue murder. So we couldn't go. And my hair grew longer. A few hours later we settled her into her stroller seat again and managed to get out. The kids were fine and mom took them for a stroll around the park at first street whilst dad was groomed. Here are before and after pics so you can see what newborn twins does to you.

Friday Morning Hangover

Hungover on BABIES that is.

Just in case you forgot how cute the cutest twins in Hoboken and the WORLD really are.

Dinner and a Boobie

I finally did it.

Only because circumstances deemed it necessary really. But today, I actually breastfed Mason and Jacob at the SAME time. That's right. You heard it here first. I used the traditional "football hold" for each in honor of the new NFL season.

Harvey had run out to pick some stuff up from CVS when both kids started crying. It was actually good practice for when I'll be home alone with them next week as Harv has to go back to work. But, as obvious as it seems - you just humanly cannot get to two babies at once. First Jacob was crying, and wanted to be held so I picked him up. Then as soon as I picked him up, Mason didn't want to be in her swing anymore and started crying. So I put him down and went to her. And then he started up again. OY. It was close to their feeding time so I figured what the hell...I might as well try it. I positioned the Boppy - put Mason on the right, Sir Galahad on the left and suddenly I was able to enjoy the sweet sound of silence. It was actually easier than I had imagined. Harvey came running through the door about 5 minutes later. He wanted to take a pic for this blog but I forbade it. I mean, it's bad enough that I'm even writing about it and you are forming a mental picture of me breastfeeding two babies. Perverts.

Some quick twin highlights from the past couple days since I didn't have a chance to blog yesterday...

-We are now giving Jacob some medicine for what the doc thinks might be an acid reflux problem. She said it might help with the crying. We didn't hesitate for one second. Gave it to him right away. Didn't even look it up. Does that make us bad parents??
We also tilted their crib slightly, putting the mattress at a slight angle.
It seems to kind of be working a little bit...we think. Still too early to tell.

-Wed day / night was a little bit crazy with the two of them. One would cry. We would settle them, then the other one would start. I swear, we felt like they were plotting against us as if they were some kind of tag team. But overall, a pretty good night.

-Thursday (today) we noticed in the wee hours of the morning that little Mason had developed a lil' cold. Or allergies. Not sure. But she is really congested. And it makes us sad cause the little lady finds it tough to breathe. And we have to put these drops in her nose which she hates. And use that aspirator bulb thing to draw out the boogers and mucus which she also hates. I would hate it too if I were her size and I saw something as big as my head going up my nose. I'm sure it's not pleasant.

-Harvey and I also managed to watch the last two episodes of Project Runway and the Entourage from last Sunday during feeds today. And that is REALLY exciting.

That's all for now folks...

OMG! Did I really just say that?

OK, so a shortie but goodie today.

The day was pretty good. Kids are still cute as ever. Jacob still cries incessantly. Mason still chugs her bottle like a champ. And Harvey finally took a shower today.

But what I really want to talk about is the fact that I find myself talking to Harvey, referring to both of us in the third person as "mommy" and "daddy". It's really f'n weird if you ask me. For instance this morning I caught myself saying to Harvey, "Does daddy want mommy to make some coffee?" Ew. Yes. I actually said that. Or other things like, "Mommy's going to try and take a nap for 15 minutes...will daddy answer my phone if it rings?" But Harvey will do the same thing. When did this happen to us? Why are we constantly referring to ourselves in the 3rd person? It sounds like some bizarre porno if you actually think about it. I don't really know when this happened but I think it has something to do with having two babies. You don't even realize you're doing it. You just do. It was only today that I caught myself. I think I was totally embarrassed. For myself. I guess it's OK when I'm talking to the twins and say something like, "Did daddy change you and get poop all over your onesie?" Cause I'm talking to them. And they should refer to us as Daddy and Mommy. Or Daddy and Mummy as Harvey calls it.

Ok - off to try and take a nap. While the gettin's still good.

Monday Night Football

As Harvey and I were enjoying a rare, quiet moment this evening whilst watching the Packers from Green Bay take on the Vikings from Minessotta I was watching the game, checking my fantasy team and I said, "I dunno, I just can't believe it. I mean, I think it hasn't really hit me yet." And Harv said, "What, that we have kids?" And I was all, "No, that Tom Brady is out for the season."

I still can't believe it. It just doesn't seem fair. It sucks big time. And Jacob and Mason agree. They were really looking forward to the upcoming season. One of the reasons they wanted to be born before the season started.

Mason asked me to post this photo taken only a week before the wee little ones entered this world. Here's to you Tommy...here's to you.



Oh yeah, here is a hysterical link that my friend Tricky Dick Lufrano sent over earlier today. It made my night...it could make yours. I will read it to the twins as a bedtime story tomorrow evening.
http://www.holytaco.com/2008/09/08/our-tom-brady-conspiracy-theory/

Babies Big Day Out

Today we took Mason and Jacob out on a road trip for the very first time. We went to Babies R Us to pick up a few essentials we were missing. You know, like a sleep positioner, baby nail files, magic crib sheets, baby cotton balls and of course a travel case for their pacifiers. We also picked up a few more outfits even though they have SO many clothes right now we don't even have room in their closet. A big thanks to everyone who sent them a onesie, bib, dress, shirt, sleepsuit...you name it, these kids have it. So thanks to you all. They are the best dressed babies in Hoboken.

The trip went well. Except right at the very end this old woman came up to me as we were checking out. She was eying the twins and then started asking all sorts of questions. Nosy old biatch. Then she said, "Which one's the crier? There's always one crier." And just as she said that, Jacob woke up and answered her. I think he was showing off actually. We managed to get him to stop crying with a bottle in the car...

I think they liked their big day out. They are in training for their big road trip up to Boston next month. Woo-hoo.

Things that make you go Whaaaaaaa...

Off the top of my head, the top 5 things that might make you scream blue murder would be:

1. Getting your fingernails or teeth pulled out with plyers. (with no anesthetic)
2. Chinese tickle or water torture.
3. Being attacked by an angry badger or polar bear.
4. Having your genitals squeezed or stamped on.
5. Being repeatedly stabbed in the eye with a sharp number 2 pencil.

Not being cared for and having two lovable parents cater to your every whim. Changing you, feeding you, playing with you, dressing you. I don't think any of that is cause for crying. But then again, gas pains can be bad. Real bad. But they wouldn't go in my top 5 reasons to scream.

Last night was alright. The early evening though was killer. Sir Galahad cried and cried and cried from about 7:00 - 12:30. So much so that we even called our pediatricians office. But the doc on the other end assured us everything was fine...he was just a crying newborn. And possibly could be the "C" word. I don't want to even write it. But you know what I mean. So for the remainder of the night we put him in his swing to sleep. (not swinging) But he seems to like that position more. But after his last feeding we put him in his crib. Lets see how long that lasts...

Screaming down the house!

How can something this cute be so f'n loud?

Oh-my-Gawd! Why does Jacob not stop crying? Is this what I signed up for? Really? I didn't realize when I decided to be a mom how much babies cry. Seriously. I mean, I knew my life would change. A lot. And I was totally cool with that. I knew I wouldn't be able to go out to bars all the time anymore. Or movies. Or even just lie on my couch and watch crap TV. But honestly, I have to say I had no idea what was in store. I kinda knew that the 2 babies would be a lot of work, but I didn't know how much they cry. And how loud it can be. Again, this is really just our first week alone. Without our security blanket Ann Marie. And the kids are only 5 weeks old. I know we'll get the hang of it. I just don't know when.

Yesterday was a pretty good day. We went out with the kids and met our friend Maria in the park who has 2 kids of her own. We even managed to go out and eat at The Pita Grill. The night was OK. Nothing too crazy. Jacob was a little bit of a nutball early evening, but that's to be expected. They essentially slept for 3 hour stretches. And it was only for his 4AM feeding that he wasn't interested in sleeping again.

Oh yeah - also for that 4AM feeding, I was so tired that when I made him his bottle I forgot to mix the formula with the water. I just put the water in the bottle, shook it up and gave it to Harvey to feed him while I was taking care of Mason. It was only after he had about 1/2 an ounce we realized what a sleep deprived retard I was.

Today has been rainy so we've been cooped up. And I think the kids felt it. Because they barely slept at all today. Including Mason. They've been feeding normally, but they just refuse to sleep. Now that it's dark out, Mason has gone down. And of course, Jacob is throwing his usual temper tantrums. I swear we've tried everything. Even reasoning with him.

But anyway...another night. We'll see how it goes. Tomorrow is that start of football! The first Patriots game. And I won't even be able to watch. Damn you NFL for only having your package on Direct TV (which Harv and I are unable to order in this apartment).

Hopefully Tom Brady will get a better sleep than Harvey and I will. He better. Or I'll be really annoyed with him.

Sad day in Lieberland

Ann Marie is leaving us for good in 27 minutes. And I can't stand it. I know all will be OK, but we will miss her very much. Even more than the kids I'm afraid. So I'll tip a 40 to my nanny, baby nurse and friend...Ann Marie.

Diaper Sausage

Mmmmm...dirty diapers.
Believe it or not, this is about a day and a half worth. That's right. These kids poop and pee a lot. I mean, I don't think any more or less than any other newborns. But it's still a lot. More than me. And Harvey. (At least I think more than Harvey but I guess you never know.)

Oh yeah, and this diaper sausage is courtesy of the Diaper Genie II. Not to be confused with the original Diaper Genie, The Diaper Champ or The Diaper Dekor. All of which we sweated over when deciding which diaper receptacle to purchase based on which best suited us as a couple. Some people loved it because it "kept the smell in". Some hated it because you had to buy special diaper sausage casings (liners for those of you not following my stupid joke). I think at one point we were going to buy the Diaper Dekor but then a friend of mine told me that hers broke. Oy. So, I figured we'd rather have the stinky bin that kept the stink in. And didn't break. And that we would splurge the extra dollar or two and make an effort to get the proper liners. Plus they sell them at BJ's. And we're members.

If anyone can guess how many diapers are in this diaper sausage you can win the next one. We'll save it for you. Promise.

The Last Supper

Tonight Harvey and I went out to our favorite Sushi restaurant, Komegashi. It's been a while since I've even had sushi, much less gone out for it. We figured since Ann Marie is only here until Friday, we should take full advantage. Tomorrow, is the start of the football season, and even though Ann Marie will still be here, it's not like we can go out to McSwiggens or Willie McBrides, have a few pitchers, get kinda drunk and come home. We have 2 kids now! So we'll probably order in and watch from home. Whilst feeding a baby or two. Which is totally fine.

But at dinner tonight it honestly felt like it was our last supper. The last time we would be out on our own and not have to worry about who was watching our kids. It was kind of a weird feeling. Dinner was nice. My Asahi was tasty. But we spent most of the time talking about what it would be like when Ann Marie is gone. I was sad. I am sad. I think maybe just a little nervous. But I guess we'll figure it out. I think I was nervous because, as I said in my last post, Jacob (and Mason to some degree) was crying most of the day today. And Ann Marie was here! So if she can't stop them from crying, what the hell are Harvey and I going to do? Ha ha ha.

I guess tonight was also a bit of a realization that our lives are forever changed. For the good I'm sure. I guess it will just take a little getting used to. No more hanging out in bars most nights. No more sleeping in on weekends. No more going to movies whenever we want. Or having dinner parties. I knew this going into the whole "having a baby thing" but now that it's here and it's real and Ann Marie is leaving us I think it's actually sinking in. Even when we've been on our own the past couple weekends - whenever it's gotten really hard I would always look at the clock and know Ann Marie was coming back. "If I can only last for 6 more hours" I can remember thinking at one point.

But anyway...I am looking forward to the challenge. Even though it will be totally hard. And time consuming. And tiring, I'm sure. But as Harvey said, we are actually shaping lives here. And we are going to watch them grow up. And they'll play together and become more interactive. And c'mon, we're parents now. Which is pretty damn awesome in itself.

Baby Cam! Baby Cam!

Today was a pretty good day. Well, Ann Marie is still here, so how could it NOT be a good day? We took the kids out on our communal patio this morning. Talked to them about the upcoming football season. Let them know that we were on the waiting list for Patriots season tickets, but couldn't promise that the Pats would be any good by the time they were old enough to go to games. Couldn't even promise them that Tom Brady would be around. And I think they were OK with it.

Both kids were a bit fussy all day though. Not sure why. Well, maybe because they are 4 week old babies. They just didn't want to sleep. We all took a walk later this afternoon. Went further than we ever have...all the way up to Washington Street. And then to the river. We showed them the NYC skyline, but again, didn't really get much of a reaction from them. Their Aunt Mya came out to meet them and brought them some cookies. They were sort of pissed because they have no teeth and would not be able to get through the delicious chocolate chips. But oh well. Even a chocolate chip cookie can't compare to breast milk.

Here are some videos of the kids we took today. Enjoy. And yes, they really are that cute.

Little Mason after having a bottle.



Baby Jacob chilling in his bouncey seat.

Jake gets new nipples!

That's right, you heard it here first. This afternoon, at approximately 3:00 Jacob Galahad was upgraded from a Stage 1 to a Stage 2 nipple.

I forgot to mention earlier that the pediatrician told us that maybe little Jacob just wanted his food faster. And that he doesn't want to wait or work that hard for it. So...we're trying out a bigger nipple to see if it works.

Exciting times over at the Lieberman household, exciting times.

We don't have to take our onesies off...to have a good time. Oh no.

"Happy 1 month birthday to you.
You smell like a cup of poo
But not all the time
Mommy and daddy love you"
(sang to the tune of "happy birthday to you")

Great song. I know. If you can believe it, I JUST made it up. Now. This very second.
So yesterday was Mason & Jacob's 1 month birthday. Yes, I know! Already. Can you even stand it? We didn't party too hard, although a few milk bombs were downed. And some "gripe water" was had. I even had a little Baileys in my coffee in the morning so they would get a tiny hit of it through the my breast milk that night. Oh yeah. (Jacob wants to give a shout-out to Uncle Andy for showing him the way in the milk bomb department)

So I haven't blogged in over 24 hrs. I guess I've been busy. Honestly, I have no idea where the time goes. What has happened since then, besides all the partying you ask? Well, I'll breaka break it down for you.

-Mase and Jake spent lots of time with their English relatives. They also learned some new words from Nana, Papa, Auntie Mel and Lewis:
Nappy = Diaper
Cot = Crib
Pram = Stroller
and the best one of all,
Dummy = Pacifier

They were very sad to see them go. As were Harv and I. But the kids promised us that if we took them over to England soon they wouldn't cry or scream or on the airplane. Even when we take off and land. So we're looking into it.

-Ann Marie came back Monday afternoon. Thank God. Seriously, you have no idea how much I'm going to miss this woman. I've already cried thinking about her departure. We were on our own Friday night thru Monday afternoon and it went OK. But the nights are pretty brutal. And we get a little scared. But we shouldn't. They're babies right. We're the adults here. I think.

-The kids slept fine with Ann Marie here. Jake had no screaming fits that we know of. He even slept longer than Mason at some stretches. I'm chalking it up to the fact that he wore himself out over the weekend so was super tired. :)

-I had my fantasy football draft. And I dunno how I did really. This is the first year Cracky hasn't had time to really prepare for anything so I totally winged it. And it was hard. And semi-stressful. But all in all I had some really good picks. And some questionable ones. It's weird that all of a sudden the love of my life, fantasy football, is taking a backseat. And I don't care that much. I mean, I do care. Sort of.

-The twins went to the pediatrician this morning for a weigh in and the 2nd part of their Hep B vaccine. They weighed in at a healthy 8 lbs 2 oz for Mase and 8 lbs 8 oz for Jake. They amazed us all, as Mason definitely looks a little chubbier and generally eats more. But I guess she also must poop more too or has a faster metabolism or something. All is well. They are both in perfect health. We told the doc about Jake and his screaming fits at night. But that he is somehow fine with Ann Marie. She said that she thinks he is A OK, but "smells our fear"! Seriously? A month old baby can tell if your stressed or anxious? I believe her cause she's a doctor but still seems odd. So no formula change, no drugs...yet. Stay tuned.

Those are the highlights. Not really sure what I did most of the day today. Oh yeah, Mason puked up her 11:00 bottle. So I had baby sick all over me. I have to say, it's been a long time since I've had puke all over me. Too long. Maybe it was a delayed reaction from the big 1 month birthday party yesterday. Mason also would like to give a shout out to Uncle Andy for showing her how to deal with a milk hangover. What a guy.

Some pics from the Lieberschnitzels visit:

Sorta Deep 5 AM Thoughts

Just wanted to make an entry to say how amazing this whole mom thing is turning out. I mean, I look at Mason and Jacob and cannot believe that my body made them. I mean, seriously...how crazy is that? I just stare at these two little humans and can't understand how 10 months ago my insides were full of Stoli Raspberry, Yuengling and Jaeger - not two beautiful little babies. And now they are here. In all their glory. And I love them so much and just feel so lucky to have them. Despite the fact that I've been up since 1:00 AM. Yes, Jacob is still having screaming issues. The little guy is just uncomfortable and there is nothing I can do. Which is really really sad. But we'll figure it out. Eventually. Until then, all I can do is stare at him and Mason. Really. They are kinda mesmerizing.

OK, off to bed now. Apparently you are supposed to sleep when they are sleeping. So I should do that. It's a big day for me tomorrow...we are going to try and get a picture of the twins with their cousin Lewis. Which should be fun. I'll post it tomorrow. Along with some more gratuitous pics of my lil' darlings.

Sorry for getting mushy, but I'm a mom now. I think it's sorta allowed.