Lately

Man...people aren't lying when they say "it goes by so fast". I feel like just when my girls hit one "phase" they are going into the next. They are exploding with personality, laughing, smiling and are just such a joy to be around. They are doing so much better with naps and right now I can count on at least two 1.5-2 hour naps a day and a 45 minute or so nap in the evening. It really makes ALL the difference in parenting when you can count on a few predictable moments of rest in the day. The girls seriously KILLED it with "sleep training!" We bought sound machines and started separating them at naps. I kind of cancelled life for a few days and just waited for the girls to look sleepy, rocked them one at a time until they were drowsy and then put them down for their naps. Nora probably cried a total of 5 minutes the whole week. She was born loving her bed. Zo Zo did awesome too but we did have a few naps where we had to "cry it out" for a few minutes. However, I timed the screams and the longest she ever cried was 12 minutes! Before this new structured nap time I was rocking the girls at the same time until they fell asleep and then I was either stuck in the glider for 2 hours, or woke them upon transfer to their beds and then had to deal with fussy, woken up babies. This newfound ability to place a baby into bed after 5 minutes of rocking is changing my life!! I never want to give up rocking the girls, but I am happy that on days where I just need to get things done, I can quickly get them down for naps and move on with my day. I think the sleeping with the girls in the glider habit started when I was so sleep deprived I slept every time they did and then the girls just got used to it and it was a hard habit to break. But I am happy to report they have both been extremely predictable with their little daily routines. Lately like clockwork (this is for me to look back on...feel free to skip) they have been: -Wake at 8am -eat/play -napping from 8:45-10:45 -eat/play -napping from 12:30-2:30 -eat/play -napping from 430-5:30 (this is a struggle of a nap for Zo Zo...not sure why...I think she may just be super tired) -no nap -bed at 7:45 Of course there is a variance of about 15 minutes since they are different people and all....but it's pretty close to right on the money these days! They also slept straight from 7:45-8:15 last night without a peep!! It was a strange feeling. Lances alarm went off at 5:45 and we both woke up confused. Lance just assumed I got up an fed them and I literally thought I must have just forgotten I got up and then actually got a little worried and went in to check that everyone was breathing! Yep, everyone was alive. So we officially had out first "sleeping through the night" at 4.5 months! They have done long stretches here and there and often go about 8 hours. But we have never come close to a 12 hour stretch! I'm a realistic person and honestly we keep expectations pretty low around her so I am fully prepared that this may have just been a lucky night...but I'm thankful to know its biologically possible for them to survive that long without eating hehe!! (Ok...I have to add that while writing this one cried at 12:30 and then the other at 1:15 so we still aren't that consistent yet I guess!). On another note, I had my first day of work today. I am working 9 hours a week with 5 hours being on Monday and 4 on Tuesday. My Mom is coming to my house Tueadays and we have a sweet nanny coming coming Mondays. I'm working 2-7 & 2-6 so Lance is with them for a couple hours before I get home. I was kinda depressed to leave today and my mom was amazing and followed my pages of directions to a T!! It was great knowing she was with them. She is amazing and literally does exactly what I ask and even calls to clarify tiny things like kinds of lotions to use and exact details about things to make absolute sure she is doing it exactly like I would. She gets how important keeping a schedule is with twins and I am so appreciative! Lance did great too!! When I got home both girls were happily playing in their Jammie's ready for bed. Nora was all lotioned up an itch free too! I am blessed!! :) So that's about all that's up with us! Ill be posting a 5 month before too long....crazy!!!