Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Side saddle babies

I've been using the Ergo on my hip a lot lately. It's been really helpful when I need to just run into a store quickly with both babies. I always wear the heavy baby on my right side and carry the lighter one in my ( stronger) left arm.

How do you wear your babies?

Friday, June 8, 2012

My formula for driving long distances with toddler twins.

It's not easy. But it doesn't have to be a nightmare either. Traveling with toddlers is a magical dance of syncing nap times with the longest part of your traveling and breaking up the distance with as many budget friendly options as possible.

Traveling by car has its ups and down. On one hand you have your own space to stuff as many distractions and snacks as possible. On the other hand they are stuck in their car seat for potentially long periods of time which is every toddlers nightmare.

My husband and I usually try to pack the car the night before so that we are ready to go when the babies are ready for their first nap of the day. Once they wake up we will stop at a rest area to change them and walk them around. Giving them a change of scenery will sometimes distract them from the fact that you will be putting them back in their seats.

Once you are on the road, sit between them (if possible) and offer them a boob or a snack. After snack time is over offer them some toys that they only get to play with in the car, sing to them ( pandora makes some great kids channels), and once they are done with all of that, try pulling over and taking them for a walk or somewhere they can play. Restaurants after lunch rush are usually empty and make a great spot to chase after your twins. It's all about wearing them out for their next nap.

Also reaching out to friends and family is a great way to break up a road trip. In my experience baby twins are like fabulous celebrities that everyone wants to spend time with. Take advantage of this new found stardom while you can and save some money on a hotel room. We co sleep with our babies and they never complain about sleeping in a new spot as long as we're there with them.

Always bring lots of extra clothing and a camera for moments like this. 
Matthew and I love these hand-me-down hiking carriers. The babies love the POV and they each come with their own backpack. 
Our friend Arden showing Xander her glow sticks from the night before. We love our portable highchairs. They are perfect for camping. 
Zeke and Xander stretching their legs at LL Bean. I had just finished nursing them in the camping section. 
Exekiel grabbing the sunscreen getting ready to hit the beach.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Restyling boy clothes

For some reason it's difficult to find super cool boy clothes at a reasonable price. Here is a hoodie that I altered for my son Ezekiel Moon:

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Baby Wearing and Breastfeeding x 2



This is my first attempt at wearing them both at once using the sleepy/ boba wrap.
This was not a sturdy hold but it looked cute so I got a picture.



I figured it out the next day and after looking at these written instructions for the boba wrap.

This is at 9 weeks old at their first outdoor concert. We stayed in the way back where it wasn't too loud with the rest of the families. They nursed in the wrap and went right to sleep. 



Once they each hit 10lbs or so they got too heavy to both wear in one wrap for long periods of time so I began using two wraps at once. You have to practice wrapping them one over the other to find what works for you. I was able to wear these guys for about 2 hours. 








This is the babies at 6 months. I stopped wearing them both in front shortly after this because they were getting too heavy. 


Monday, June 4, 2012

Tips for Breastfeeding Twins in Public





Nursing after breakfast at the Local in Saratoga Springs


This seems like a daunting task, but have no fear. It may be a juggling act in the beginning, but if you stick with it and keep trying, it will become second nature to you. Here are some tips to prepare for nursing in public:

  1. Pack away all your crew neck shirts until you are done breastfeeding. The idea is to create an “easy access” situation for your hungry babies. Yes, you will stretch out a few v-necks but they usually bounce back in the wash. Pulling your shirt down to expose one or two breasts is a lot easier and less obvious than having to pull up your entire shirt to reveal your whole torso.
  2. Buy forgiving but supportive bras. You don’t need to buy the most expensive breastfeeding bra with all the clasps and snaps. Simple stretchy bras that you can pull over your head work wonders and go perfectly with your button ups and v-neck shirts.
  3. Fashion is your friend. Having a few scarves made from a light fabric are the perfect cover-up if you are feeling bashful in a very public area. Also those floppy bat winged cardigans that can wrap around you create great coverage without the stress.
  4. Wear your babies. Wear them as long as you can. Some women prefer wearing two sling wraps that overlap each other. The Boba Baby Wrap (http://www.bobafamily.com/) is a great wrap to wear one or both babies while they are still small. I used this method and it was by far my favorite and easiest. The boba wrap is shorter and stretchier than other wraps making it easier to put the wrap on and it keeps the babies snug and safe.

Once you are well equipped to breastfeed in public it is just a matter of finding the most comfortable positions for you and your babies to breastfeed in. If you are relaxed and comfortable with your body your babies will feel secure with you and feeding them in public will be easy and worry free. No bottles needed, just warm boobies.  

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Gently cleansing while breastfeeding

This week Matthew and I are getting into our spring cleanse. We always cleanse during spring and fall. Growing up I had the worst environmental allergies but since doing the cleanse I haven't needed a decongestant! It's been 4 years since I last took an allergy pill and I don't plan on going back to it!

The problem is I am still breastfeeding and I can't do the full cleanse. If I did I might release my built up toxins into the breastmilk and it will certainly affect the babies. So I'm following the diet and eliminating sweeteners, processed foods, some meat, and most carbs (except for quinoa, brown rice, and lentils). We have supplements that we take during our cleanse too. I won't be taking the cleansing supplement but I am taking the green food and the fiber.

It's day three and so far so good. Roasted vegetables are a lifesaver when I get evening sugar cravings. Tonight I am going to bake a spaghetti squash and serve it with a ton of roasted veggies. I can't wait.

The babies are sleeping on me right now and I am so hungry for lunch! I've been making frozen berry smoothies for lunch but today I might need something a little more substantial. Hopefully these babies will wake up on their own soon so I can feed myself!

Funny Photo



These photos made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants. I found them on Facebook.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Orange chicken awesome

I have to get this recipe down before I forget. It tastes like guilt free Chinese take out!

 3 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
1 head of broccoli, washed and cut into bite sized pieces
Bunch of kale, washed and chopped
3 medium sized carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup of frozen peas
1 small shallot, minced
2 orange, juiced
2 Tbs Braggs amino acids
3 Tbs honey
2 tsp red pepper flakes
Sesame oil
Salt to taste

In a wok, heat sesame oil and minced shallot until soft. Add in chicken, orange juice, amino acids, honey, and red pepper flakes until chicken is almost fully cooked. Add the vegetables and finish cooking until chicken is done and veggies are soft. Serve over a bed of quinoa cooked with coconut oil

My husband liked this recipe so much he asked me to make it the next night as well!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Separation anxiety and finding spare time.

Xander and Ezekiel are almost 10 months old and are right on point with all notable milestones, including separation anxiety. I can't go to the bathroom or get a glass of water without Ezekiel wailing like it's the end of the world. Xander is still pretty chill but I can see it starting to set in. I have moments when I love it and am happy to be so needed, I have moments when I feel like I am drowning, and then all the feelings in between.

I am using some alone time on the computer for the first time in weeks. Usually I use my free hour each week going to a hooping class, which has been amazing, but it is currently on break. So I am in my bedroom while my husband watches the babies, they aren't crying. It is so very fabulous.

It is so important to keep remembering to just ask for time to myself. Just 20 minutes alone regenerates me into a reasonable loving person again. When I was pregnant I thought I would have no problem asking for some alone time. But after you get to know your babies and you realize you have all the tricks and rhythms down pat and you are just too exhausted to reiterate them to anyone else, it can be difficult to trust or believe anyone can do what you do all day for even an hour. Especially when you are unsure if you will attempt to have anymore and you are trying to enjoy every minute of them being little.

It is also important to make your "cleaning time" and your "alone time" separate. otherwise you will burn yourself out and be of no use to anybody.

With that said I am going to lay down and space out for 10 more minutes before getting the kids ready for bed.


Good Night :-)

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Purple potatoes!

Last night we had purple potatoes and purple sweet potatoes with our dinner. I mashed them together and served them with steamed beets and carrots and meatloaf.

I had never had so many purpley potatoes in one meal. It looked like play.dough but it tasted way better. The kids are going to love this when they're older!


Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Cool music for little people.

When I was pregnant I had planned on listening to only classical music once the babies were born.

What a laugh!

 Well, that rarely happens, but I have managed to cut back considerably on the music I usually listen too. You think that your music could potentially be suitable for kids until you're in the car with them listening to Lady Gaga or Led Zeppelin and you realize how loud and fast your music really is, especially for babies about to take a nap.

So I did a bit of looking around and found three albums I am particularly fond of. They are actually cool enough so you don't feel like a large purple dinosaur is slowly stealing your soul day in and day out.


Ziggy Marley, Family Time Reggae is an ideal chill beat to get away with around kids when they're up and playing. I like to play this album in the morning, by the time it's over they're ready for the first nap of the day. It's so good I get it stuck in my head and end up singing it to the babies, which is great because I've been having some serious brain freeze lately and for some reason end up singing "you're a grand old flag" as a random go to.

The second album I've been listening to during their play time is Natalie Merchant, Leave Your Sleep. I love this album. Every song has a different sound and it's all kid friendly. I think that it is an album Zeke and Xander will grow up with and cherish when they're older.


And one of my favorites, Jerry Garcia & David Grismand, Not for kids only. My husband and I have been listening to this album for years and only until recently realized I should still be celebrating this album in full throttle. I love Teddy Bears Picnic, it's such a fun lullaby to sing to the babies.




Saturday, January 7, 2012

Gluten free raspberry thumbprint cookies!

These are super quick and can be made while wearing two babies or if you have 10 minutes to throw it all together. There's no sugar in the batter and if you get sugar free preserves you can have a completely sugar free cookie! I got this recipe from a fun cooking blog called The Spunky Coconut. Click on the link for the recipe.

The only change I made was substituting the 1/4 cup of applesauce and 1/4 cup of ghee or coconut oil for 1 stick of butter. I prefer to use butter when making my cookies. If you can't get chia seeds you can substitute the 1 Tbs of chia seed meal for 1 large egg yolk. Also, the batter comes out a little runny so I add extra almond meal, coconut flour, and a little bit of rice flour until I can ball up the dough without it oozing everywhere. They are super delicious and were a big hit at the last holiday party we had, so I'm making them for a belated new year party going on tomorrow.