Happy Holidays!
Another post from the wee hours of the morning… 4:30 am this time. It seems to be the only time I have to really sit and write, so I best take advantage of it every chance I get!
Christmas has come and gone, and it was our best ever, for obvious reasons. Just the sight of our five Christmas stockings hung in a row was enough to make me smile.
The pile of presents this year was ginormous, thanks to our two new additions. Calista had a blast because her brothers can’t open presents, so she got to open three times as much this year! We were very fortunate to have received a holiday bonus from one of my clients as well as a nice monetary gift from Skip’s parents that really allowed us to get some nice gifts for each other. We also used points from our credit cards to get each other gift certificates. A little shopping creativity can go a long way!
Ace and Nate got Miracle Blankets from Santa, Bumbo seats, a lot of little clothes and pajamas. Oh, and a hamper for their nursery. They had also received mobiles for their cribs, but it turns out our dribs (Emily Mini Cribs by Da Vinci) can’t take a standard mobile, so we had to return those. But everything else was great!
Calista and Ace
Calista and Nate
Calista got a Silvermist doll (from Disney Fairies) and a Shella doll (from Barbie Mermaidia) from Santa, just like she asked for. She also got a letter from Santa letting her know that his elves are still building her laptop, and he will send it just as soon as they are done with it. She also got a Leapster L-Max from her Grammy and Papa Billy, as well as a few games and accessories. She gots several headbands, bracelets, tights and nail polishes which she’s really been enjoying, as well as a little cooking set. She also likes her ePet very much (she got a Border Collie which she named Lulu Lemon).
Skip got the new speakers he’s been wanting for his computer for a few years now, gift certificates to Best Buy which he used to get himself a little widescreen LCD TV with built in DVD for our bedroom (I’m excited about that because it will take up so little space, compared to the big old Sony we currently have in there!). He also got several golf shirts and movies, a t-shirt that says “Proud Daddy” on it from the boys and a Shrek mug from Calista (which she slipped up and told him all about before Christmas!). Oh, and iTunes gift certificates — one of his favorite things.
As for me, I already had the best gift of all, sitting in their bouncy seats with wrapping paper all around. However, I also got a beautiful opal and pink sapphire pendant from the kids — the opal for Ace, Nate and myself (October) and the pink sapphire for Calista (September). It’s gorgeous, and Calista picked it out for me. I also got gift certificates to the Gap and Old Navy, as well as Linens-N-Things. Skip and I went shopping the day after Christmas and I got a new wardrobe which I am SO happy about, since I only had one pair of pants (my Lulu Lemons which I recently spilled bleach on!) that fit me and some very old t-shirts. Now I look like a woman again, and not just a frumpy teenager. And at Linens-N-Things, I was able to get a new bedding set, which was much needed! Gosh, I remember when it sucked to get clothes for Christmas, and now clothes and house stuff are the best gifts. Ha ha, what age and responsibility does to a gal!
As I said, it was a wonderful Christmas. Skip also gets a week and a half off of work, so it’s been great having him home with us.
As for life with twins, the thrush has cleared for Ace and Nate’s is going away. Poor Ace, though — he’s been screaming more and more to the point where if he’s not screaming, it’s only because he’s asleep. I took him to the pediatrician yesterday and he was put on Prevacid for reflux. She said it would take 1-2 weeks to see results, so I don’t know if it’s a fluke or coincidence, but he was so content tonight when I changed his diaper. It was great to just talk and play with him versus having to try to comfort him and stop his screaming. I hope the medication really helps him!
Both boys are starting to coo — it is so unbelievably cute! They are also getting more and more interested in looking at their toys and things.
I guess that’s it for now. It’s getting cold here in the office, so I’m going to get back to bed for a bit. I hope you had a wonderful holiday!
Merry Christmas! I love how it is magical again, with children involved!
I may have said this before, I don’t remember, but the book “Colic Solved” is something that I wish I had read when my baby was born. It explained alot about the crying and reflux. I’m sure you don’t have a ton of time, so I’ll summarize:
Stop dairy!! I love dairy, so this was hard for me. But it made a HUGE difference between screaming all the time, and only sleeping while nursing, to sleeping in his own crib and being content while awake.
I could go on and on, but since this may be repeatative, and my twins are wanting me to go see something Hannah Montana did, I’ll stop. But if you want me to go into more detail, I’d be happy to, just e-mail me, fmaue@hotmail.com.
Good Luck!
Faye
Merry Christmas All
I have the same advice as the previous poster (Faye). An elimination diet would have saved me much sanity, tears, and time. Not to mention, I’d have had a much happier baby!! Milk & or Soy intolerance is more common that people know and is often to blame for “colic” and reflux.
I’m so happy that you all had a great Christmas!!
Happy New Year.