DIY Growth Ruler

This past weekend, Adam and I actually got to work on a project together!  It was so much fun to work together and create something beautiful for our home.  The kids cooperated and we were able to finish up what Adam started a little while ago.  We now have a gorgeous growth ruler to keep track of Archer and Lyla's heights as they grow up.

When Archer and Lyla were born, Adam quickly realized he wouldn't have the time he used to have to work on projects.  At least not until they get a bit older and more self-sufficient.  You know, when they are teenagers and want nothing to do with us.

But until then, we settled on working on a project that wouldn't take a lot of time and could be something for the kids.  We decided to make a growth ruler to keep track of how much Archer and Lyla grow each year.

The first step was to find the perfect board to use as our ruler.  So back in November, we took the kids to Metro Hardwoods to pick out a board that would work for the project.  Adam loves this place because they have all kinds of wood, both generic and exotic.  He was very happy to introduce his babies to the wonderful world of lumber.

After perusing the store we ended up picking out a piece of hickory.  We chose it because it was less expensive than other boards since only two sides of it were finished.  The other two unfinished sides just gave the piece a little more rustic charm, which is what we were after.  It had some pretty knots and the grain pattern was nice.  We loaded the board up in our car and took it home.

When Adam had some free time, he sanded down the board to take down some of the roughness.  Then he planed the board with a bench plane to smooth it out even more.  The final step of preparing the board was a final sanding.

Once the board was prepared, Adam used a General Finishes Gel Stain in Nutmeg.  We wanted a finish that was a rich color and would let the wood grain shine through, yet be light enough for the ruler marks to show.  Nutmeg did the trick.  So Adam put one coat of the Nutmeg on and let it dry a nice long while, as in months, before moving onto the next step.

Adam researched several different methods for putting the ruler tick marks and numbers on the board.  One method involved taping off the parts you wanted tick marks and numbers and then spray painting it.  Or another method involved using a Sharpie or painting on the tick marks and numbers.  I vetoed the taping method because it looked like it would take forever.  And we both agreed using a Sharpie or paint wouldn't result in a very professional finish.  So we took the route of ordering a vinyl kit from a company called Little Acorns.  We chose the Traditional Style in Jumbo Numbers.

Once the kit arrived, we looked over the directions and things seemed to be pretty straightforward and simple.  The directions were very clear and helped you figure out where to start the measurements on your board while also keeping how high off the ground you will be hanging your ruler in mind.  Basically, you just peel off the paper backing, stick on the vinyl transfer paper, rub the paper with a credit card to get it to adhere and then peel off the transfer paper.  Simple as that!  

So we brought the board into the entryway to work on the project inside.  Adam put down a canvas drop cloth so we wouldn't have to worry about the floor or the board getting boogered up.  Of course Jazzy had to come scope out the project and make sure we were doing things up to her high standard.  

Once the board was inside, we worked on laying out the measurements so we would know exactly where to apply the vinyl.  The tick marks of the ruler came in foot-length sections.  This made it easier to work with the vinyl and keep things just so.  There was a little bit of eye-balling involved and Adam had a hard time with this idea, being the fan of precise measurements that he is.  But I managed to talk him through it, as I am a pro at eye-balling during projects. 

Once we had our measurements marked on the board, it was time to add the vinyl.  We laid everything out before we started to make sure it would all look right.  After all the vinyl was laid out, we noticed that our board was longer than the kit provided measurements and numbers for.  Bummer!  We threw around a few ideas.  We could of just cut off part of the top of the board, but that would involve restaining the portion that was cut and then waiting for it to try before hanging it up and all that jazz.  We talked about adding an "A & L" to the top, but vetoed that idea since we would have to paint it and didn't want the paint to look sloppy next to the clean lines of the vinyl.  So I happen to look at the website we ordered the kit from and noticed that we could just order another foot of tick marks and the number 7.  Sold!  So I ordered it and was happy we solved our problem so easily.  

In the meantime, we decided to add the vinyl that we did have and hang it up.  We didn't want it laying around in our entryway while we waited for the new order to arrive.  So we followed the directions to add the tick marks and numbers.

It was super satisfying to peel off the transfer paper to reveal the tick marks and numbers stuck to the board.  I was in charge of this portion of the project and loved it!  Adam kindly pointed out how the number 2 is ever so slightly crooked.  Good eye, Adam, good eye.  But the vinyl was not going any so, c'est la vie.  I told him it just adds to the charm. 

Once the vinyl was stuck on, it was time to hang the ruler on the wall.  Of course the place I wanted it to hang didn't have any studs to attach it to.  I wanted it to hang on this little sliver of wall on the opposite side of the dining room wall.  But Adam was able to attach it using some drywall anchors.   

He did his careful measuring to figure out the perfectly centered place for it to hang.  He held it in place while I drilled it into place.  We decided to just drill straight through the board into the wall.  It's pretty heavy and we didn't want to risk it falling, especially when the babies start pulling up on things.  The drywall anchors worked like a charm and that sucker isn't going anywhere!    

Once the board was up on the wall, I used a little black acrylic paint and a tiny paintbrush to paint the screws black.  The black screws look better with the black vinyl than the shiny chrome screws would have looked.

We worked on most of the project while Archer and Lyla were napping.  But when they woke up, they were happy to help Jazzy supervise.  

Once the extra foot of tick marks and number 7 arrived, I put them on the top of the ruler.  Now we are covered in case our kids grow to be 7 feet tall.  

The final step was to decide how to mark their heights on the board.  We opted to use an arrow with their name and the date.  It was a little scary writing down their birth heights!  I had to use a Sharpie and didn't want to botch our beautiful new project!  But luckily I had a steady hand and Adam held a ruler so I could get the arrows straight.  Our plan is to record their heights on their birthday each year.  

I love this project so much!  First of all, it means we have two beautiful babies whose heights we get to record each year.  Secondly, Adam and I got to work on a project together, which is something we love to do and haven't gotten the opportunity to do lately.  I think it turned out beautifully and definitely makes me smile whenever I pass by it in the hall.  

Keep on growing, Lyla and Archer! 

A Twin Mom Morning

Before I became a stay at home mom, I had this notion that things would be easy-going and relaxed.  I thought my babies would have a set sleeping schedule and I could plan my day around those times.  I thought I would leisurely enjoy my breakfast on the couch while my babies would play by themselves. Boy, did I have it wrong!

Being a stay at home mom to two babies has been the absolute hardest job I have ever done!  Mind you I have been in charge of the education and well-being of up to 25 kids for a year's time.  But these two little babies have kicked my butt!  It has quite literally been grueling!  It's mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting at times.

I think what makes it so hard is that I don't feel like I accomplish very much in a day's time.  As a teacher, I always felt productive.  Coming home after teaching, I felt productive at home by cleaning the house and cooking dinner.  Now sometimes the only thing I am able to accomplish is keeping the babies alive.  The biggest event of my day might be cutting their fingernails or Lyla pooping on my face (don't ask). 

BUT I am so in love with this job.  Although it's the toughest job, it's also the best job I have ever had.  I am so unbelievably lucky to get to stay home with my babies and spend their every waking (and sleeping) hour with them.

I thought it might be fun to capture a glimpse of what an average day is like for those who might be curious and for me to remember what things are like right now.  After typing out what our morning was like, I decided I couldn't keep this up all day.  So here's a glimpse of what a typical morning looks like for us right now:

1:30am- I randomly wake up and wonder why I haven't heard any babies.  So I get up, go to the nursery, and go put my finger in front of each baby's nose to make sure they are still breathing.  They are, in fact, alive.  So I go back to my bedroom.

1:32am- Upon returning to my bedroom, I find that Jazzy has stolen my spot in bed, so I curl up around her so as not to disturb her.  She puts up with a lot these days, so I decide she deserves a comfy spot in bed.  I eventually drift back off to sleep. 

3:02am- My boobs wake me up, so I go downstairs to pump.  I assemble my parts and get hooked up.

3:10am- As I'm pumping, I hear Lyla cry on the monitor.  It never fails that someone starts to cry as soon as I start pumping.  So I unhook my pump, but keep the parts on my boobs and go get her.  I have to carry her downstairs holding her out in front of me to avoid the pump parts.  I manage to get one of her bottles out of the fridge while holding her and not disturbing the pump parts.  I prop Lyla up on a pillow next to me and hold her bottle with one hand, while using the other hand to reconnect the pump and continue pumping.

3:20am- I finish pumping and Lyla finishes her bottle.  I disconnect the pump parts and take Lyla down to the diaper mat on the living room floor to change her diaper because she smells poopy.  Upon taking off her sleep sack, I find there is poop all up her back and all over her jammies.

3:21am- I sneak upstairs to the nursery to get clean jammies and a sleep sack without waking up Archer.  I'm successful!  Yay!

3:25am- I come back downstairs and give Lyla a modified bath by wiping her down with baby wipes.  I get her situated with a fresh diaper and her new jammies and sleep sack.

3:30am- I take Lyla back to the nursery and put her back in her crib, while crossing my fingers she goes back to sleep.

3:31am- I go back downstairs, put milk I just pumped away in the fridge, decide I'm starving and thirsty, eat some string cheese and chug some water.

3:35 -4:20am- I go back to bed, curl up around Jazzy and keep looking at clock, wondering why Archer hasn't woken up yet.

4:20am- I finally start to doze off to sleep.

4:24am- Archer starts to cry, so I go get him quickly in hopes that he doesn't wake up Lyla.

4:25am- I take Archer downstairs and give him a bottle.

4:35am- I contemplate putting Archer back in his crib, but decide against it because he seems wide awake.  Instead we snuggle on the couch.  I kiss his chubby little cheeks while he grins.  He touches my face with his sweet hands and grabs at my glasses.  I wipe away a tear or two while thinking about how lucky I am to have such a sweet boy.

5:02am- Archer seems to be getting sleepy, so I decide to take him upstairs and lay him down in his crib with his pacifier in his mouth.

5:03am- I go back to bed.

5:04am- I hear Archer cry, so I go get him and bring him back downstairs before he wakes up Lyla.

5:06am- Too late.  I hear Lyla babbling on the monitor, and decide to go get her.  If Archer and I are up, she might as well join the party.

5:07am- When I go to the nursery, I find Lyla is upside down (we prop up one side of her mattress) in her crib reaching for her nightlight through the crib slats.  I tickle her side and she smiles and I smile and forget about being exhausted.  I shed another tear or two because I'm so lucky to have such a sweet girl.

5:10am- I bring Lyla downstairs.  I put Archer and Lyla on blankets on the living room floor to play together.  They don't so much as play, but smack each other in the face and put their feet all over each other.  They both also want the same Baby Banana even though there are two exactly alike.  I manage to get Archer interested in some baby keys.

5:15am- I go to the kitchen to feed Jazzy, let her outside, and make some hot chocolate.

5:20am- I sit down to enjoy my hot chocolate, take two sips and then both babies start to cry.

5:21am- I go hang out on the floor with babies.

5:45am- Both babies start crying because they are tired.  (Lyla rubs her eyes when she's tired and Archer has his tired cry.)  I try to put them both in the Rock N Plays downstairs.  Neither one are having it and continue to cry.

5:46am- So I decide to put them in the exersaucers.

6:02am- It's time to feed Lyla, so I get her out of her exersaucer, get her a bottle and feed her.

6:03am- As soon as I start feeding Lyla, Archer gets crabby.  Adam comes downstairs and gives Archer his pacifier.

6:15am- After Lyla finishes her bottle, I get outfits for the babies from the nursery to wear for the day.  I come back downstairs and change Lyla's diaper and changer her clothes.

6:17am- I take Archer out of the exersaucer and dress him for the day.

6:18am- I put both babies on blankets on the living room floor.  They are being good, so I run upstairs to go to the bathroom and put in my contacts.

6:19am- I take a slug of my cold hot chocolate.

6:20am- I put Lyla in an exersaucer.

6:25am- Archer gets tired of the floor, so I entertain Archer on the couch.

6:26am- I decide the babies look too cute in their outfits to not take a picture, so we have an impromptu photo session.  I act like a fool to try to get them to smile, take about 20 pictures and only get one that is a keeper.

6:37am- I play on the floor with the babies for awhile.

7:03am- Archer starts to get fussy and I decide he isn't going to wait until 7:25 to eat (we are on a loose 3-hour feeding schedule), so I give him his bottle.

7:15am- I change Archer's diaper and put him in an exersaucer.

7:16am- Lyla gets tired of being on the floor, so I put her in the swing for a nap.

7:17am-  I realize I never ate breakfast, so I get some smoothie juice, string cheese and knock off Ho Hos from Aldi.  Breakfast of Champions.

7:19am- It's time to pump, so I get all my parts and get situated.

7:25am- Archer gets crabby, so I try to shake toys in Archer's face to get him to be happy while still pumping.  Eventually he eats a cloth book and is happy again.

7:40am- I take another drink of my cold hot chocolate and decide to give up on it.  I go in the kitchen to put the milk I just pumped away and dump my cold hot chocolate down the sink.  I notice Lyla is awake in swing, trying to reach the animals on her mobile.  So I duck down behind the counter and sit on kitchen floor to put away the milk so she won't see me and want to be picked up.  I manage to stay hidden.

7:45am- I put Archer in a Rock N Play and he finally goes to sleep without a fight.

7:46am- I sneakily check on Lyla and see she's asleep.

7:47-8:16am- I decide it would be a good idea to write a blog post about what my days are like.  While I'm typing, I realize I didn't finish my smoothie drink, so I finish it.  I decide I can't keep up with this all day long, so I'll just give a snippet of my day in this blog post.  I realize I should have taken a shower or brushed my teeth instead of working on this post.  I also wonder if it's too early to eat lunch.

8:17am- Archer is stirring in his Rock N Play...

Shout out to all the stay at home moms!  It's not easy work, but it sure is important!  And shout out to the working moms!  I can't imagine the song and dance that has to happen each morning to make it out the front door.  Keep on keeping on, moms!

Family Photos

Well, this post is only 3 months behind.  That seems to be a recurring theme around the blog these days.  I blame Archer and Lyla. :)

Back in October, we had family photos taken by the incredibly talented Jaime of Anthem Photography.  Jaime took our wedding photos, along with another friend Matthew.  We adored our wedding photos and knew Jaime would do a beautiful job with family photos, as well.

Back before Archer and Lyla were born, I had planned to have a newborn photo session.  But then my babes arrived and time proceeded to move at warp-speed.  So we didn't get around to scheduling a photo session until October.  Allow me to remind you that Archer and Lyla were born at the beginning of August.  Whoops!

But it actually worked out better this way.  The babies were a little bit older and had a little more personality.  Jaime was kind enough to come to our house for a lifestyle photo session.  The thought of having to get to another location with all the crap we would need was a task too daunting for us at the time.  Being in our own home with everything we could possibly need took away a ton of the stress involved in taking family photos.

And Jaime was perfect!  She was so patient with us and the babies.  She even included Jazzy in several photos.  She was flexible and accommodating to our wishes, but also offered up some excellent ideas that we would have never thought to do.  We ended up with the perfect mix of candid and intentional portraits.

I feel a bit vain talking about how great pictures of me turned out, but they truly turned out beautifully!  It's hard to make a mom who is two and a half months postpartum think she looks good in photos, but that's just what Jaime did.

On that particular day, Lyla brought her A-game.  She was full of smiles and showed off her dimple!

Archer was a bit on the cranky side and did a lot of crying.  Despite being Mr. Crankypants, Jaime was able to capture some quiet moments which perfectly show off his typically mellow side.  

Jaime also captured some really sweet moments with Adam and Archer.  And I never would have thought to use that blank gray wall in our guest bedroom as a backdrop for photos.  I'm going to have to remember that for futures photos that I'll attempt to take but won't be nearly as gorgeous as Jaime's.    

When two little babies are your subjects, it's rather tricky to get both looking at the camera and not crying...at the same time.  But check out this sweet winner.  This photo made its way to our Christmas card and on our fireplace mantle.  It makes me smile whenever I see it.  

There were also some darling family shots.  It's once again tricky when you have two babies, but then add the height difference between Adam and I and you've got yet another challenge.  I love this photo because it's in front of our vacation gallery wall.  All of the traveling Adam and I have done together brings back such wonderful memories.  We both can't wait to add more photos of family travels down the line.  Having scenes like this from our home be our backdrop made the photo shoot that much more special.  Once again, this was Jaime's idea and I love it!  

I'm not generally a fan of photos with lots of PDA, but I'll make an exception for this sweet shot.  After all, it was Adam and I's love that created Lyla and Archer.  Well, our love, a chunk of money and a little science.  

Perhaps my favorite shot of all is this one with Jazzy front and center.  While the center of our lives has expanded a bit to include Archer and Lyla, Jazzy is still very much a central feature.  

We're so happy that our family photos can now include two sweet babies, in addition to our sweet fur baby.  We'll treasure these photos forever.   

All photo credits in this post belong to Jaime of Anthem Photography.  We can't recommend her enough if you are in need of a photographer in the Kansas City area!  

Five Months!

I know I say this every month, but I can hardly believe another month has come and gone!  Lyla and Archer turned 5 months old on January 3, 2018.  They both are getting so big and are so freaking cute.  (I realize I might be a bit biased.)  But seriously, look at this photographic evidence of their cuteness!  

Lyla continues to be a little ham whenever I take pictures, while Archer continues to stare blankly at me.  Despite what Archer's expression might convey, both babies are full of smiles throughout most of the day.  We've started putting them to bed earlier in the evening to bypass that whole "witching hour" most babies seem to have and our evenings have been full of more smiles too.

Ever since the change in routine during our travels during Christmastime and getting over a nasty stomach bug, they haven't been sleeping through the night like they used to.  I knew it was too good to be true, but they still get in some good stretches of sleep, which means I do too.  

Lyla is a busy, busy girl!  She is always looking around and wants to move, move, move!  She rolls all around the floor and is just dying to be able to move more freely on her own.  She wiggles all around when you hold her and would prefer you walk around while she's in your arms.  I've taken to wearing her front-facing in the Ergobaby carrier and am able to get more household stuff done while also keeping her entertained.  She is becoming more vocal and loves to "chat" with us.  She's also started to laugh and is ticklish under her arms and on her thighs.    

Archer has discovered blowing raspberries and his feet this month.  He loves to grab hold of his tootsies and is pretty darn flexible!  He is also getting more vocal and has learned to screech rather loudly, but happily.  Quite frankly, I prefer his sweet little coos to the screeches.  We've been working on some stretches to help with his torticollis (a condition in which the neck muscles contract, causing the head to twist to one side) and he's showing big improvements!  The only time he hangs his little head now is when he's sleepy or not feeling well.   

Both Archer and Lyla are big fans of their Johnny Jumper they got from Grandma.  They love the freedom and to bounce around.  We hung it in our kitchen, so I can stick one of them in there while I make bottles or attempt to fix dinner.  

They love to look at each other.  I put them on the floor next to each other and they can entertain themselves for quite a while.  Generally Archer just lies there smiling at Lyla while Lyla walks up Archer and ends up with her feet in his face.  Archer has been big on flailing his arms around and continues to accidentally smack Lyla in the face.  At least I think it's accidental.  

They really are best buddies and I am so excited to see how their bond continues to grow.  I love them both so very, very much!  

Traveling With Twins

Here's my advice on traveling with four-month old twins:

Don't.

Just kidding.

But it is quite a challenge! 

We traveled to Columbia and St. Louis over the holidays.  We started by going to Columbia on the Friday afternoon before Christmas.  It took me a full two days prior to make lists of what to bring and then to pack everything and finally put it in the car.  Babies need a ton of crap!  I feel like I tried to pack pretty lightly and I still ended up with an entire carload worth of stuff.  

The packing was only the beginning.  Once the car was packed up, we had to actually do the traveling part.  Thankfully, we didn't run into any traffic along the way to Columbia and Archer and Lyla slept the entire time.  Adam and I were feeling pretty confident a this point.  

Once we got to Columbia, we went out to dinner.  The babies did well at dinner, though they wanted to be held the whole time.  Luckily, my parents and my brother were there to take turns holding them.  They behaved even though we were out past their bedtime.  They even stayed up long enough for baths when we got back to my parents' house.  Once again, Adam and I were feeling pretty good about how things were going.    

The babies did pretty well sleeping that evening and the following morning we had our first Christmas of the weekend with my parents and brother.  The babies did a nice job and still managed to take a nap that morning.  They were fun to be around and enjoyed looking at the new surroundings.  Look at how happy my mom is with her grandbabies!  

The next challenge was to pack up all the stuff I had spread out all over my parents' house so we could take it with us to St. Louis.  Thankfully there were extra hands to feed and entertain Archer and Lyla so Adam and I could gather all our crap and get it into the car.  Once again, the babies did beautifully and slept the entire way to St. Louis.  

Once we were in St. Louis, we visited with family and ate dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory.  This was once again, past Archer and Lyla's bedtime and they did pretty good.  They both had to be passed around and walked around to keep from screaming, but there were enough hands to keep them occupied.  They stayed up to take showers with Adam that evening.  Archer loved it, while Lyla wasn't as big of a fan of the water in her face.  

They slept in the same room as Adam and I that night.  We were reminded of why we booted them out of our room.  They were noisy little sleepers!  I felt like I had to be super quiet and pretty much tried to sleep in the same position all night so my moving around wouldn't wake them up.  They did a pretty good job and we all managed to get some sleep.  

The next day was Christmas Eve.  We hung out at my Grandpa's house and eventually got ready to go to mass.  Once again, Archer and Lyla surprised us by behaving during mass.  I thought there was no way they'd last more than five minutes.  Lyla managed to sleep the whole time, while I only had to take Archer out for a couple minutes when he got fussy.  It was a Christmas miracle they made it through mass!  

After mass, all of my dad's side of the family gathered at my Grandpa's for our second Christmas.  The babies did a good job until they got too tired.  Then they lost their shit.  They both seemed to blow up at the same time.  I was upstairs with my mom and the babies while Adam was downstairs with the rest of the family.  I tried to get their pajamas on them while they were flipping out and feed them their final bottles of the evening.  Thankfully Adam came up to help and my mom was around to help too.  It was stressful and I felt bad for my babies.  It was clear all the people and activity was just too much for them and they had had enough.  Eventually they both went to bed and I could take a breath.  

I didn't really get to talk with my family as much as I had wanted to and I was too tired to stay up and play cards with the few family members that lingered after the festivities.  It was definitely a far cry from last Christmas!  Last Christmas we had just found out we were pregnant and so wanted to spill the beans, but decided to keep things quiet until further along in the pregnancy.  While it was stressful and crazy, I was so incredibly grateful that Archer and Lyla were a part of this Christmas.  

The following morning was Christmas morning.  I woke up to Archer crying around 4 in the morning.  I fed him his bottle and put him back to sleep.  I then got my pump out so I could pump since I had been exclusively pumping and bottle-feeding Archer for a couple of months now.  I plugged in the pump, turned it on and then nothing happened.  I sat there for a moment trying to figure out what my next move should be.  I had to pump.  My boobs were about the burst since I hadn't pumped since the night before.  I decided to see if Archer would nurse.  So I woke him up and stuck him to my boob.  He was not having it.  I don't know if he just wasn't hungry or didn't remember what to do, but he was no help to me.  Thanks a lot, Archer.  

So then I remembered hearing about hand expression during one of the breastfeeding support groups I attended.  I Googled how to do it on my phone and tried it out.  I squeezed my boobs for a good 5 minutes and only ended up with a few dribbles of milk.  Clearly that was not the answer.  

I was starting to panic a bit at this point.  I didn't want to end up with mastitis from going too long without pumping.  It was 5 o'clock in the morning on Christmas day, so it wasn't like I could just go to Target and buy a new plug for my pump.  I thought about waking up Adam or my mom and asking them for help, but I rationalized they wouldn't know what to do anymore than I would.  That's when I remembered the breastfeeding support group page I was a member of on Facebook.  I posted about my dilemma and asked for help or ideas.  I was blown away by the kind mothers who offered me a pump to borrow.  Unfortunately I was out of town.  One of the mothers suggested getting a hand pump at Walgreens.  As much as I disapprove of making people work on holidays, I was so incredibly thankful that Walgreens was open on Christmas!  So at 7 o'clock in the morning I, along with my very full boobs, was the first customer in the door.  I got back to my grandpa's house and was pleased to find that the hand pump actually worked.  Not quite as well or quite as fast as my electric pump, but it got the job done.  I didn't have to worry about getting mastitis or my supply decreasing too much.  

Christmas day involved packing up all of our crap once again and driving back to Columbia for our third Christmas with my mom's side of the family.  The kids slept the whole way once again.  When we got to my parents house to regroup before going to my grandma's, we noticed Lyla was soaking wet.  We weren't sure if she got too hot from the blanket and car seat cover we had on her or what.  So we changed her outfit and headed over to my Grandma's.  When we got there, once again, Lyla was soaking wet.  Adam figured out that she must have thrown up.  Of course I didn't pack any extra clothes in the diaper bag.  I left all of their extra clothes at my parents' house.  So Adam kindly offered to go get her another outfit.  I wrapped her up in a blanket in the meantime.  Luckily she didn't act like she felt bad and was actually quite cheery.  

Both babies slept through our meal, so Adam and I had both hands to use while eating.  When they woke up from their naps, Lyla promptly threw up all over the kitchen floor.  Luckily the meal was over.  We were definitely sure she had thrown up and not just spit up a bunch.  The poor girl emptied everything in her belly.  I forget exactly the order of things, but she also ended up getting poop on my jeans as well as throw up on my shirt.  I ended the evening wearing some of my grandma's pajamas.  We took our sick girl and sleepy boy back to my parents' house for the night.  Adam had to completely disassemble Lyla's car seat and wash it all out since it was covered in throw up.  Ah, the joys of parenthood.   

The next morning we packed up all our crap, yet again, and headed home.  Our car looked a little something like this: 

Believe it or not, there are actually two babies back there among all that stuff.   

We finally made it home and Adam's mom was kind enough to be there when we got home so she could help with the babies while Adam and I attempted to put away the carload worth of stuff.  As I was running around doing laundry and putting things away, I started feeling a bit queasy.  I bet you can see where this is going.  Yep, I ended up with the same stomach bug as Lyla.  It also hit Archer before the evening was over.  There was one point where I was sitting in the hallway because I was too dizzy and weak to get up holding Archer who was covered in throw up.  Fun times.  The only thing worse than being sick is your kids being sick.  

Thankfully Adam didn't get hit with the full-blown stomach bug that the rest of us did.  He didn't feel great, but he was well enough to manage the babies while I tried to sleep.  Dad really stepped up!  

The next day I was feeling better, but both babies were not quite well.  There was still lots of outfit changes and full bottles of breast milk I had to dump down the sink because Archer had no appetite.  That hurt!  And our house was a complete wreck!  We hadn't managed to put away all the stuff we had in our car and all the household chores took a backseat while everyone was sick.  If you know me, you know how this scene made my blood pressure rise.  

Since I was sick and all I had was my hand pump, my milk supply plummeted.  Eventually I called the company I got my breast pump from and they sent me a new power cord.  Thankfully that was all my pump needed to function again, but I still wasn't getting much milk.  So I called a lactation consultant and she recommended pumping every two to three hours!  This sucked.  I had gotten it down to pumping only 4 times during the day and not at night.  Now I had to pump every 2-3 hours around the clock.  Luckily my mom had come into town a few days later and helped with the babies while I pumped.  I'm still pumping about every 4 hours, but my milk supply has gone back up.  While I hate pumping, I'm glad I'm able to do so for Archer's sake.  Though I'm kinda bummed my breast milk didn't prevent Archer from getting sick like I assumed it would.  

I'm exhausted just writing this post!  Our travels around Christmas and the aftermath were a lot of work.  I don't think I really relaxed at all or really enjoyed myself all that much.  I was constantly thinking about what event was next and what I needed to pack/prepare/do in preparation for it.  It was a lot of activity for my babies who are used to a calm routine with me during the days.  However, it was all worth it to see my babies with all of my family.  To watch my grandpa hold his great grandson Archer definitely brought a little happy tear or two to my eyes.      

Seeing my brother interact with my babies was also incredibly sweet.  We asked him if he would be Archer and Lyla's legal guardian in case something should happen to us.  We told him to think about it before he gave us an answer.  He texted me a day after Christmas with this response, "I accept your legal guardian offer even though those kids might've given me the flu.  You should ideally hold off on dying until they are as least potty trained."  Ever the joker.  It turned out that the stomach bug that started with Lyla hit not only Archer and me, but my parents, my brother, Gruncle (my uncle, Archer and Lyla's great uncle) and Adam's mom.  Lyla is quite skilled at sharing.     

Maybe next year we'll stay home.  :)