Words are inadequate to describe the joy of brining home these two precious babies! Born on October second, these little ones were thirty four weeks and five days when it was time to arrive. Being early earned them a stay in the NICU and earned mom and dad a little added exhaustion. Traveling to and from the hospital regularly for a couple of weeks while the babies learned to eat made the welcome of these two home even sweeter!
Meet Dane and Eleanor! The have the sweetest newborn smell and their brother and family are simply in love. Big brother is obsessed with his babies and mom and dad are adjusting from a family of three to a family of five. Many wonder what life would be like with twins. This mom and dad are rock stars, in my mind. But they don’t do it alone. They have overnight help and a nanny for brother that make this transition a little more manageable. Even with the help, let’s just say that this family is learning that’s it’s not nearly as easy as their adorable newborn pictures make it seem. <wink> SERIOUSLY, SO CUTE!!!
Imagine if you will, a single moment in time for this family (as my imagination tells it). Both babies are fed simultaneously. In the middle of feeding one, an exploding diaper diverts him (or her) to the changing table where a fresh diaper is prepared. During the changing, baby pees all over the changing table, themselves, mom (or dad, because he’s amazing and helpful too) and the baby’s clothes. All the while, brother wants to be held, but is encouraged to read a book for just a few minutes at their feet. Baby two seems content but needs a fresh diaper themselves. Mom is grateful to complete the second diaper change uneventfully. Both finish feeding and burping one full hour after they begin, and after a few more unexpected diaper changes along the way, the babies are placed in their bassinets, asleep. Brother is encouraged to help mom and even promised a book once they are done. While mom strips down the changing table with the help of little hands (you know, those little hands that actually make it take longer) in order that she may do the third load of laundry for the day, she hears the sound in the other room of one baby beginning to cry, followed by the other baby. The blissful sound of sleeping babies didn’t last long, and dad tries to pick up and soothe them both. Brother wants his book read, so mom sits on the floor and they enjoy the story together. Interrupting the beloved story that has been read a thousand times, mom’s phone rings but she ignores the sound as she finishes the book and dad asks how soon she can come help. Hoping the person calling doesn’t leave a message, she wonders if she will be able to return the call anytime soon if they did.
The doorbell rings. The dogs bark. Dad is doing wonders, but both babies are discontent and he needs to pass one off. They are sleepy, after all, and just need soothing. Mom whisks one away while dad answers the door with the other infant still in his arms. It’s a package. How lovely, probably a baby gift from a far away relative that will be opened sometime next week, if there’s time. The babies are sleepy and just when they begin to close their eyes again, brother is hungry for his snack. His little tummy tells him it’s time to eat, accompanied by a little crying as he tries to patiently wait for his food that his nanny is rushing to prepare. The clock all the sudden says there’s only 37 more minutes before the babies need to eat again, and this family is exhausted! After a quick glance through emails filling her inbox, and only 20 minutes left before the next feeding, mom lays her head on the couch to close her eyes for “just five minutes”. Letting her rest for a bit longer than that, dad finally wakes her again to announce that he attempted the next feeding on his own, but he needs her. And so it begins again… a little like the movie Ground Hog Day, but in this reel only hours separate the events that feel like they only just happened…. times TWO! And I’ll save the narrative of a moment in time for this family once dad returns to work… <giggle>. But the whole time they are thinking of how doubly blessed they are!
B Family, I hope you enjoy your sneak peek!
-Jamie
