I was tired this morning, so luckily Josh let me sleep/lounge on the couch while he got Caleb dressed. Once dressed, Caleb snuggled with me on the couch.
The dry wall guy came at 8:00 to finish the upstairs. Thank goodness that step is done and we are on our way to painting! It's starting to come together!
My coworker and friend, Elisha, offered to make us a cake after the twins were born. She makes beautiful specialty cakes, so I immediately thought of Caleb's Big Brother Party we wanted to throw him. It's just for our immediate family, but having a 'party' recognizes Caleb in a time that can easily be all about the babies. We also had Will and Mollie 'buy' Caleb a present, so we really needed a cake to complete the occasion. I gave her a few ideas of what Caleb is into right now for themes of the cake, but gave her creative license. Elisha dropped off the Big Brother cake with her two daughters. She went out on a limb, and chose our blog theme, "Catch of a Lifetime." So clever and of course Caleb would enjoy the fishing theme. We kept the cake secret while Elisha and her daughters met and held Mollie and William.
We had eaten pancakes for brunch, so I didn't feel cake would ruin lunch. When Elisha left, I quickly wrapped Caleb's gift, and we had his party. Caleb loves cake and birthdays so he was very excited about the cake. He wanted to sing Happy Birthday at first but we kind of explained to him it was just a party for him, not a birthday. We did blow out candles though, since Caleb pretends to blow out candles in all play situations and in any book with a cake. Then Caleb opened his present from Mollie and Will, which was a Lightning McQueen race track. He was quite excited about it! Finally we cut cake and ate a piece each. It was delicious; a French vanilla cake with a chocolate mousse layer!
After cake it was time to nurse and for Caleb to take a nap. Josh laid down too, asking for just 20 minutes, but I gave him an hour. He woke up with a start and seemed very groggy. As we walked out from the bedroom to the living room he said, "One of us isn't going to make it." He makes me laugh.
Next was my turn for a nap. Aunt Boogie and Lincoln were here when Caleb and I woke up. It was great to see them. Although it is hard to share toys when you just wake up. Caleb struggled, but we made it. They had some good cousin time. After awhile, Aunt Boogie and Lincoln left to go shopping with Nana & Papa. After they were done shopping, Nana and Papa picked us up supper and brought it back to the house. They needed their baby snuggles for the day too.
After eating I quick cleaned and vacuumed the living room while Mollie and William were snuggled. Nana and Papa left and then Caleb got a bath and put to bed. Josh had caffeine too late in the day and couldn't sleep, but I had to be up for the next feeding anyway. It felt like a wasted sleep opportunity.
I washed my pumping supplies and started washing supper dishes when Josh and I had our first sleep-deprived argument. Luckily our disagreements are short lived, and when we took a deep breath we realized we were talking about different things when we were disagreeing. Clearly I just needed some sleep, so I went to bed. I got a couple hours in bed, and then I went out to the living room for the 3:30 feeding and Josh went to bed. I gave him until after 8:00am to sleep (almost 5 hours). I'm such a good wife:-)
Sunday (early morning)
The night feedings went well and I am able to tandem nurse unassisted now. Been doing it the last two nights and I'm very proud of myself. Although it is hard to gauge how well they nurse when they are nursing at the same time and the latches are a little different.
Mollie was quiet but awake in my arms after the 3:30 feeding. She was less quiet when she wasn't in my arms. But she would snuggle in quietly and look up at me so innocently when I held her. So cute!
The 6:30am feeding went well and at the end I heard Caleb wake so I got him. He asked, "Time to get up?" "Yep, buddy! Let's go snuggle." "Okay Mommy." He woke up with what I call Nana Hair:)
I got Caleb a little breakfast and then snuggled in with William and Caleb on the couch. Finally Caleb needed a little more to eat so I had him wake Daddy at about 8:15am. Josh needs his sleep, where as I can go on very little. I am glad to give him sleep, so that the day goes well, and he feels better. He took a shower and then it was my turn.
I hang my robe and towel on the back of our bedroom door. I grabbed my towel but my robe wasn't there. I looked around the room for a minute and was about to ask Josh if he had seen it, when I realized.... I was wearing it! Yikes! Sleep deprived:)
After my shower Josh and Caleb left to run errands, and my friend Angela Bruns, and two of her daughters, came to visit and hold babies. It was the perfect length visit where I got to interact with another adult, but could then nurse and take a rest in private. Thanks Angela!
Josh and Caleb came home shortly after Angela left. Caleb walked in and enthusiastically said, "Hi Mom! (Pause) I'm happy!" I told him I was glad he is happy. He really has been happy. He is quick to celebrate things, even things like what we are eating. For example, Josh said, "Caleb, do you want pancakes?" Caleb responds dramatically, "Pancakes?! Yea! Pancakes!" He then skips into the kitchen. He is precious!
While we had lunch, Britta and Kiri Skyped with me. My sister Britta is flying in from Colorado later this week to help out. I'm looking forward to her visit.
After lunch Caleb napped, I nursed, and Josh cleaned out the freezer in the basement. After nursing and accomplishing 1 task, and took about a 30 minute nap before the next feeding. I did take a couple pictures before sleeping though.
See Josh was cleaning the freezer so we'd have room for milk. A lot of milk. Right now I'm ahead by quite a lot. I realize it won't really last long but I didn't pump with Caleb at this age so this is foreign to me. Below is a picture of what we brought home from the hospital, each column being a day. The 2nd picture is the extra I've pumped in the 5 days of being home. This is why Dr Benson called me a milk producing fool:)
After Caleb's nap we snuggled on the couch again. He loves his sleepy snuggles and I'll give them as long as he wants them. Then Caleb decided he wanted to go swimming. Sadly that was not in the plans, so instead I filled the bath tub. He had a LONG swim in the tub:)
Then Mollie and William had their first bath at home. Both loved it. Success.
Super was light and we all just had some down time with a little TV and reading to Caleb. Then Daddy swung Caleb up into his arms to go to bed. They were just about out of the room when Caleb demanded to come back to give me a kiss:) Seriously love this kid!!
The rest of the evening and now into the night truly becomes a blur of nursing, burping, pumping, washing pumping supplies, swaddling, and napping. I hardly remember the hospital anymore. It seems we have been on this wash, rinse, and repeat cycle for quite some time already at home. Funny how life changes so quickly.
My takeaways from this weekend are:
1. Caleb is happy!
2. I need to shower daily. A shower feels like the equivalent of two hours of sleep.
3. Mollie and William have adjusted well to home.
4. I'm getting sick of pumping after every feeding.
5. Catch of a lifetime really is a great theme for our blog/our family. So incredibly blessed to be caught with this group!
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