Snapshots...

William and Eleanor are over a week old, and have been home just under one week. What a crazy change in our life. I'm downstairs and I can hear Melody with the babies on the monitor next to me. Sounds like another feeding.

Nights are tough. They sleep a lot during the day, but keep us up all night feeding for long periods at at time. We went to a lactation consultant on Friday and she weighed them before, during and after a feeding. Eleanor is doing great - no suprise as she feeds and is done. William, on the other hand, feeds forever, but doesn't get as much. He isn't sucking as well yet. This is not to say he is bad, but we are supplimenting more with formula, and hopefully we Melody's milk also soon. The lactation consultant at the hospital gave use a tube that attaches to a syringe that we then fill with formula and put the end of the tube next to the Melody's nipple so that when he feeds, William is getting milk and formula at the same time. We slowly push down the syringe until he is done, usually about an oz at a time. We really hope he'll start putting on more weight and not need the extra help soon because it just takes so long! We also give him a bottle from time to time to ensure he is getting enough. He does not have any problem going between bottle and breast at this time.

Last night we got about 2-3 hours of sleep. They kept us up so much! Melody is exhausted, and so am I, but I love this time alone and while I'm tired, I still want to spend time to myself and so I don't go to sleep and then I'm that much more exhausted at night. My job is to get up and get the babies, get them changed, bring them to Melody, bring her anything else, and help with supplimentation. I then get cat naps while she feeds them between being woken up for various duties. Crazy. Again, I hope this changes somewhat soon and they are awake during the day more and sleep longer at night.

Thursday was Melody's 35th birthday!! It was fun to have two new additions to the family with us. I got her a bunch of roses and made steak for dinner on the grill, and my mom made her favorite cake - chocolate zucinni cake. Megan and Dustin always enjoy birthdays and of course want to know when theirs are going to and start to tell us what they want (Megan has recently decided she wants a hamster - not sure how that came about!).

Dustin loves to come and check on the babies. He is unabashedly in love with them. Megan is still more aloof, but she really enjoys holding them with us and when they cry she asks what is wrong with a very concerned look on her face.

Here is a classic moment: Dustin to Mom: "Mommy, why are babies so cute?" Mommy: "So that we will be sure to take care of them." Dustin: "But they are sooo cute!!" This sentiment has been repeated more than once. And they are soo cute!

Ok, enough print, now some pictures!

Megan and Dustin got to visit Santa this week - first of many visits this season I'm sure!

William and Eleanor already sharing secrets together!

Melody with the best 35th birthday presents ever!

Grandma and Megan enjoy some good times with Eleanor (or was it William? the confussion begins!)

Future Avs fans! (thanks to Aunt Gini for the great booties!)

Now it is certainly time for bed. Even though I'm exhausted, I dont' want to go to sleep and loose this quiet time. Oh well. In the middle of posting this blog I had to get up and help with a feeding which went well. Everyone is back asleep in the room, and that is where I should be. We'll see if the twins sleep longer and eat faster tonight!