It's Crummy

and mushy

and gooey

and juicy

and sloppy

It's my babies on solid food, and it's quite a scene at times.

Like, for instance, yesterday's dinner.  A little bituh mostly pureed chickpea, mix in a bituh asparagus, then add some chunks of watermelon for dessert.  Seems innocent, right?

It was a gagalicious puking good time! Heads turning away mid-spooning, itchy nose hand smooshing and accompanying face smear, tight lipped distractedness, sideways grabbiness mixed in with take it in and spit it outtedness.  And that was just the chickpea/asparagus mix.  THEN came the watermelon and my continuing attempts at baby-led weaning. I cut a nice long piece of watermelon (seemed safeish) for them to try.  They still don't naturally bring food up to their mouths, and so I helped them, and they gnawed off small chunks.  Well, Hailey did, at least.  Alex?  Big, open, gaping mouth chompdown, baby.  Big girl pieces.

Which led to gagging and then...

it all came up, chickpea and all.

Flash forward to today. The girls both now in their full-body bibs, back to some nice, safe pureed green beans and mushed up banana and blueberry.  MUCH BETTER.

What say y'all? How the heck did you get your babies eating bigger, chunkier foods, or, especially for those who succeeded with baby-led weaning, how the heck did THAT happen?

Blogging out loud, but not as loud as I want to

Yeah, so, I have info and HTML to put a widget onto my blog and link to the Blog Out Loud website, but can't figure out in Blogger how the heck to add it to the side columns of my blog.  I hate how it feels to not be able to figure this stuff out, but frankly, with two babies at home, I don't have time if it doesn't work out the first time.

That said, here is the link to the site.  I'm fairly sure I can get it to work at least in the confines of this post!





I have to say that I am REALLY excited about this event. I missed it last year, but cannot wait to be amongst all these great local personalities and bloggers, and to showcase one of my favourite posts from the last year.  it's a priviledge and an honour.  Hope to see you all there to support us and enjoy the fun evening!

My poor little goobers

If I could take your pain away, oh, I would.

If I could reach in and gently elevate each and every one of your teeth, in a heartbeat I would.

And if I could hold you all day and all night and make you forget your discomfort, I would a thousand times over.

Up until this week, the twins had two little front lower teeth which appeared at just over 4 months old. Back at that time, they were a bit fussy, and then *poof*, out popped their cute little cuspids!  (not really cuspids, technically, I don't think, but I like alliteration, and so.)

Now?  We have a fourth, even a fifth tooth coming in on Alex, including the big front uppers, and the same are appearing on Hailey.  There is no 'bit fussy' right now. Instead?  Laughter that changes to painful cries. Smiles that suddenly turn into frowns and watery eyes. And sleep that is characterized by moaning, whining and sleepy cries all night long, punctuated by fearful awakenings, comforting and an exhausted relapse into slumber.

My poor little goobers.

If I could do anything more than what I am already doing to ease your pain...

I would.

Precious Cargo

Not just anyone can look after my precious babies, right?

I don't know about you, but this daycare stuff, before we have even begun, is emotionally exhausting. I know every single Mom has stories - good and bad - and will identify with me right now when I say it is hard to choose someone to look after your babies as you traipse off to work.  I mean, in a way, they are like surrogate parents, but you don't know them, and you have to go on their word (and the word of parents who came before you) that they feed them healthy food, they teach them well, and they keep their cute little heinies clean.  And, of course, you pay these people HANDSOMELY to do this.

That said, we think we have finally made our choice.  It was hard. We had a second option that we thought was ideal, however when we zoomed in, she was an independent caregiver going against the 'recommended' laws regarding numbers of children and ages of children, and even though the parents seemed to think her care was great, the fact was that she had too many kids, at too young an age, and that didn't sit well with us.  Tough choice, though, considering that there would be a $16/day difference between her and the more expensive option we are going with! Think about the money that adds up to over time...whooooo.  You can see our dilemma, right?

But you go with your gut and you try not to put a price tag on something so utterly valuable and irreplacable. Whatever it takes.

For the Moms out there starting their search for care, here are some of the resources I found:
CCPRN
DaycareBear
Wee Watch Agency

Kanata-based:
Tiny Hoppers (Kanata North location opening this Fall)
Glen Cairn Cooperative Preschool
Kanata Nursery School (website in development)
Katimavic Cooperative Nursery School
Community Child Care

What others are out there? What have your experiences been? Have you blogged about that first drop-off day and want to share?

Oh, I'll be loud alright!

I just realized it has been 10 days since I posted.  Wow.  Busy much?

Let's see.  Searching for daycare providers, packing for our move, getting insurance quotes, signing mortgage papers, strollercise, swim lessons, proposals for potential future work, bottles, feedings, diapers, pureed foods....oh my.  And yes, playing and having fun with my fun loving girls.

Having a blast, really, if I were to be entirely honest. And to top it all off?  I get to read one of the posts from this very blog at the upcoming Blog Out Loud event.  I am honoured and very, very excited.  You will have to come out to the event, though, to find out which post I am reading....

And now, I must pump for Hailey's breastmilk and head to bed. (And add 'writing a blog post' to my list of to do's...!)

Creepy reality

It's happening. Slowly but surely reality is creeping back into my daily life.

The day I return to work (albeit part-time) approaches, and certain arrangements are necessary to make. Other professional opportunities are surfacing, bringing this creaky, underused mind back out of park and into first, second gear. And daily life, although mostly still centred on the babies, is also starting to be about other tasks, such as arranging moving details, packing and slowly but surely taking care of Mommy as well as the twins.

I'm pleased about this, but a little wary as well.  I know how tiring professional work can be.  I also know how tiring being a mommy to twins is.  And I think to myself...BOTH?  Hmmmm....Good in a lot of ways for me, but also, likely, tiring.  And still I wonder how I am going to consistently fit in time for Mommy to work on herself and her needs into what is likely to be a bit of a crazy schedule.

Now, I must insert here that I am WELL aware that this situation? Is not unique or new.  Most modern Canadian Moms juggle all the above, every day. I'm just looking at the view from where I am now, and realizing that the short-lived luxury of time off work with a focus solely on the babies is quickly falling away to be replaced by all the above in addition to a heavy focus on the babies.

How do you all do it?  What are your tips and secrets? Where do you feel you compromise and what generally gets the short end of the stick, in your mind? 

And finally, let's all say it again in unison; "life is just one big adventure"...ain't it?