OBX

Both Chip and I grew up going to the Outer Banks, North Carolina.  Our trips there have been fewer and further between since moving out west, and therefore all the sweeter when made.  A few weeks ago we were fortunate enough to join the rest of the DuRoss family in Avon, NC for a week of fun in the sun. The adults only outnumbered the kids by one.  Crazy! Ruby and Owen did amazingly well with all the travel.  Previous to this trip, the longest trip they had made was to the airport and back to pick up all the people visiting us.  I guess it was our turn to do the traveling, but I have to admit that this twin mom was pretty nervous about the long days of flights and driving to get to our destination (a full day of flying followed by their first night sleeping away from home, in a hotel,  followed by a six hour drive to get to the house).  It turned out to be such a great experience!  Not only did they get to meet some family we hadn't seen yet, experience and explore a new part of the country and environment, but we found peace, confidence, and liberation in our ability to function outside of our house and schedule.  Yahoo for that!

The ocean and beach were a hit.  We were afforded one day of perfect conditions at the beach for Ruby and Owen to swim in the ocean with mom and dad.  They loved the waves and sand and chaotic nature of the ocean.  They also really loved the pool.  This was an easier place for us to all get in the water.  We discovered that Ruby is a little fish.  She kicked her legs as we lead her around the pool.  She also goes under water and comes up with a smile on her face-so cute .  Owen also liked the water.  He prefers splashing constantly with his hands and grabbing onto anything within reach in the pool.

The kiddos were smiles and giggles all day, every day.  You could just tell they loved being with all the family, getting attention and love from cousins, aunts and uncles, and checking out a new environment.  They tolerated whatever we made them wear (hats and sunglasses most of the time as pictured above) as well as the lathering and washing of sunscreen each day. 

Nana and Papa.  We love them.  Everyone loves them.  In true form, they went to the beach at 9am, hung out with each family as we made our way to the beach, often in shifts depending when our kid's naps were, and then closed 'er down around 5pm, just in time for us all to enjoy dinner together at the house.  Each family took turns cooking for a night- a really fun way to make planning and cooking for so many people manageable.  Thanks to Nana and Papa for making this week possible.   

The cousins

Morgan- This is Hope's niece who joined us for vacation this year to help out with all the kiddos.  She is 15, very mature, and has an uncanny eye for knowing when to step to hold a baby, help with a bottle, entertain so the parents could get something done, or just play for fun because our kids LOVED  her.  She definitely made the vacation more stress free for us.  Thanks, Morgan!

Family Photos

Moments- Clockwise- 

Chip hangin on the amazing deck as we did every evening.  Finn and Judah playing in the evening on the same deck- we loved it. Derek and Judah with their adorable smiles.  Selah helping Owen stay happy so he could finish his lunch and could go to the beach!  Family time in the pool.  Finn holding Ruby- I can't believe how big she looks in his arms!  Nana and Papa holding down the beach fort.  Hope, Chris, Erika, Nola, Ruby and Mercy getting some cuddling on the porch in.  Selah reading with Ruby- precious and then also enjoying an incredible dessert that her mom whipped up on their night to cook.

Other awesome moments-

Surfing at dusk till the sun went down after the kiddos went to bed.  Luckily I am here to type about it.  A week after we left the island, there was a shark attack near where we stayed.

Discovering not one, but two new teeth (her first) in Ruby's mouth on our third day of vacation.

Pool Party 2011

Visors with names on them (and other fun crafts from Hope and Morgan)

Feeding the sea gulls

Girls winning Catch Phrase

Ipad star gazing

Evening walks with babies in carriers

Brotherly dawn patrol  surf sessions

Apply Uglies

Believe it or not, this entry will get longer.  I am waiting for a few great photos (these are not all ours- the camera broke on day three or so- thanks to Chris, Erika, Derek and Hope for your contributions) to add.

additions-

 DuRoss Clans (sorry about weird sizing- collage wasn't working with me)

 Just one more of them- too funny to leave out.

 All the cousins together- a tough moment to capture.

And finally, on the LAST night, moments before we disbanded for bedtimes(R&O already in their PJs you can see) and packing, we gathered one last time in this incredible place for a photo.  Till next time!  Love you all!

“Sponges grow in the ocean. That just 'gets' me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen.”

--Stephen Wright

Girlfriends

I love em.  Nothin like em.  Two very special gals recently visited.  

First, Ms Dana Baxter came in from Eugene, OR.  She is amazing with Ruby and Owen.  They  were so comfortable with her they let her do everything from hold, hug, and love them to giving a bottle on the trail, changing diapers/clothes, and getting a lunch of solids from her as well.  I think they felt her comfort and love.  And, she is this vat of knowledge when it comes to baby care.  She teaches (used to teach??) classes so you know I was loving getting to ask all those questions about how I am supposed to be doing things, or what is the latest research saying about x,y, or z.  Dana helped me stock the freezer with homemade baby food, helped us motivate to get a pool for the kids to get in- so fun (see picture below), and jumped in anywhere she could lend a hand or just have fun with Ruby and Owen.  We love her!

 They don't look that happy in this picture, but they had such a good time splashing around.  Maybe they are irritated that we made them stop to take a picture.

Next, Meegan Addy.  Aside from having to recover from a nasty bug the first 24 hours, our visit was awesome.  Meegan also was so comfortable with OT and Ruster as indicated in the picture below.  I am always so impressed when people willingly want to hold both of them at the same time.  It is hard.  They showered Meegan with smiles and really enjoyed our adventure in Park City- geocaching.  We found three caches and got a few tips on "textbook" spots to hide these things.  Meegan read books, played, and cuddled our kiddos.  We love her too! So fun to share these special new family additions with people I have known for well over a decade.

 Under the light base- typical hiding spot.  I would have never even known they came up.  

Behind rocks- another typical hiding spot.  I seriously don't know how she saw these things.  When I need another hobby, this could be the next one I take up.  It's like a scavenger hunt for adults!

Where WE (mom and dad that is) at- six months

Guest contributor on this blog at the bottom.  So, it is a long one. Enjoy!  

We don't seem to have any pictures of Chip and I...so I will continue to inundate you with pictures of Owen and Ruby instead.  I just love their expressions here.  AND, notice, they are both sitting on their own!

As promised (to myself more than anything), here are some details about how Chip and I are doing six months post Ruby and Owen entering our lives.  In general, this has been the most intense and consuming, and satisfying thing I have ever done.  I guess I knew it would be...but never imagined it like this.  There has been intense love and connection, and also intense loss of sleep, confusion, and frustration.  This is hard, people.

Trying to keep two babies happy and on some sort of schedule requires constant planning, thinking ahead, trying to predict the unpredictable, and more hands and arms than I usually have.   It also means being ready to never get a break.  On one hand I am glad they don't often cry at the same time, and that they take turns with many things like having difficulty sleeping, eating, or needing special attention.  And on the other hand, just when you think you have got a minute to take a deep breath, you don't.  I guess the evenings, after they go to bed,  has been our one moment to regroup (and do things like work on the blog:).  That has been nice. We have done a pretty good job actually, I think, of establishing a routine and schedule that work for us...but somehow I constantly feel like we are existing on the verge of disaster at any moment.  I need to work on this because it takes away from the fun factor for me sometimes.  However, nonetheless, we are loving these two little additions to pieces.  They have such endearing personalities, both as individuals and as a pair.  I feel very lucky...fortunate...to be able to stay home and spend my days with them.

Physically, I am still recovering...not from the c-section or anything, more from trying to breast feed.  I was eating so much, thinking a lack of calories was contributing to my supply problems, that I just didn't get my body back as quickly as I expected to.  Just last week,while shopping with a friend, I was congratulated on my pregnancy....Ha!  At least she said I was cute.  So, yeah.  This is tough for me.  But, as of a few months ago, I have been better about getting out, working out, etc. and eating more normally.  So, hopefully this will eventually pay off.

Emotionally, it depends on the day and the moment.  It is a rollercoaster sometimes.  I love being home and being mom and there is nothing else I would rather do right now.  But still,  I am challenged emotionally more often than I wish were the case.  I think it is the cumulative sleep deprivation.  I don't feel tired during the day no matter how many interruptions there were during the night or how few hours I actually slept.  I wish I did, so I could nap when the kids do... like all the books and websites say to.  Instead, I get moody, sensitive, and my self confidence wanes.  Thankfully, all it takes is a better night's sleep and I feel closer to myself again.  Also, loneliness is a passenger on this journey that I wish would take a hike.  He joins me way too often.  I am such a social person and I think underestimated how important being out in the world, having coworkers, etc. was for me. And still, I haven't started looking for work.  The pull to be with Ruby and Owen is greater than I ever thought it could be and is worth whatever it is I am struggling with.  Thank goodness for our amazing community of friends and family, who visit, call, write, and hang out with us.  I love you all! Otherwise,  I mostly want to eat Ruby, Owen, and Chip up sometimes I love them so much.  And, despite some ups and downs, this feeling only seems to get greater every day.

Chip has been amazing as I have mentioned before.  He works an intense job...probably the only one I can think of that can top whatever crazy story I have about being home with twin babies.  It is good.  Puts my stress in perspective sometimes. :) And, somehow he comes home with energy to hold and play with Ruby and Owen, do house projects, do errands with me, and gets out skiing or mountain biking most days he is off.  I could give you more details, but maybe he will have to weigh in here himself and give more details about his thoughts and feelings at this point.

I told you he is amazing...as I feed and change babies, he is in the kitchen whipping this up for breakfast.  Hel-lo!

And, he remembers to take pictures of something other than our kids.  This is an amazing shot from just up the street.  The wildflowers in our yard and neighborhood are going OFF right now.

These are two outfits that MY twin brother and sister wore in the late 70s.  (Pink must have been more acceptable for boys back then- see trim and birdie playing tennis on his outfit) Awesome, eh?  My mom actually held onto quite a few little numbers.  Hopefully Ruby and Owen will get to try them on their children some day.

One of the things we love most about our new house, is the front porch.  We have been playing out on it ever since it has been warm enough.   We also are loving the sandbox that the previous owners left us.  Ruby and Owen have eaten their fair share of sand already.  Staying on top of keeping things out of two babies mouths is really difficult.  It is like they are working together to get me to look away so they can steal another bite of the grimy stuff!

Some days I just can't wait for OT and Ruster to be walking...and napping less often, freeing our schedule up a bit for getting out more. But, I know that with that stage will come new challenges (like chasing the two of them.  I am sure they will always run in the same direction-ha!) and I will miss this stage where they are so snugly and small and dependent.  So, I am doing my best to enjoy each day along the way.  That is one thing I have realized about babies...they have forced me to live in the moment unlike I ever have.  Thanks for that, Ruby and Owen.  This is only one small example of how you have changed me already.

Chip weighing in: Life is good, kids are amazing, I am loving the job, even in it's crazier moments. Unlike my PA student blog and my sharing of stories on a daily basis from life in the clinics and hospitals, this seems different. I am a more permanent part of a community here, and blogging about the woes of it's citizens for entertainment value has lost it's appeal. But nonetheless, people continue to fall off of everything imaginable, get stabbed in weird places, drink more 3.2 beer than one would think imaginable, and do utterly wild and idiotic things before winding up in the care of the Trauma Service. I am honored to be at their bedside in a critical moment of their lives. I come home tired....but then quickly realize my fatigue can in no way compete with that of the Twin Service.

And deserving of a paragraph of it's own is my amazement with my wife. She continues to be the most self-less and dedicated mother of these little bundles.  Her words above speak to her commitment. She is always looking out for Ruby and Owen's best interest. She is their number one advocate, and that is a difficult job, especially when things don't go as planned, when milk doesn't come in, when 3am finds you awake and running between two rooms, when the first moment to relax is met with a sink full of dirty bottles and laundry stacking up. (I'll take drunk, belligerent, dying patients any day).  But she continues to plug along, loving these kids with each and every cell in her body.  People say "Don't Stress, and Don't Worry......"   And to these people, I'd offer an invite to spend 24 hours shadowing the life of a twin Mom, who is dedicated, loving, feeding, cleaning, caring, wiping, playing, dressing, shopping, pumping, calming, burping, and any other verb with -ing at the end.  She is at the top of her game and a little stress rises to the surface as we continues to figure out this wild, wild ride. I can tell you that I would be completely lost in this wilderness of child-rearing without her.  The kids have been well documented in the previous months of blogging. I love the bugs more than I thought was possible, and I will leave it at that!

Where we at- Six months

Chip and I have always been into the self portraits...so we are working on continuing that tradition.  A little more difficult to get all five of us, but here is our attempt at least getting the humans in.  Kessler, we will figure out how to get you in eventually.

Six months.  26 weeks.  Half a year.  That is how much time Ruby and Owen have spent outside the womb as part of this world.  Insane!  It has been a big three months since my last detailed update about the kiddos progress.  Again, I will probably include more details than usual, mostly for us when we book the blog, so enjoy or skip.  Either way, I will try to include some pictures to check out.  

In general, raising these guys reminds me of the weather in MT.  We used to say if you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes.  With these guys, it seems like just when you think we have a routine in place that works and I understand, or you think you have their personality or strengths figured out, they change.

Owen Thomas

Weight- 15 pounds 4 ounces (he is up to the 15th percentile!)
Length- 26 inches (35th percentile)
Head circumference- 16.7 inches

Sleep- Owen doesn't need a swaddle, but he still LOVES his binky.  We are not stressed about it anymore.   If Owen were your only child, you would wonder why there are so many books on how to get babies to sleep.   We pretty much just have to put him into his sleep sack, give him his binkie, and put him in his crib and he will put himself to sleep.  Sometimes he wakes up and needs to be cuddled for a little, which is awesome.  He loves to put his head on your shoulder and snuggle in or sleep on our chests.  He melts into your embrace.  It is pure joy to cuddle with him.  Neither of them are sleeping all the way through the night yet.  We get up for one feeding after about seven or eight hours and then again threeish (if I am lucky!) hours later for the morning...way too early in my opinion, but apparently they aren't considering that. I am still hopeful that we can work out a schedule that includes a slightly later wake up time than somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30am.  We'll see.

Owen has been rolling over from his back to his belly since about five months.  I will never forget the first time I went into his room to find him sleeping on his belly.  Somewhat surprised and worried as this was a new thing, I came back into our bedroom to tell Chip, only to find him sleeping on his belly too in almost exactly the same position as I just left Owen.  Funny.

Owen loves to grab and touch ANYTHING he can get his hands on.  He is so busy.  You have to watch what is within his reach, because he is stronger than you think, and will tip a glass of water over, put your bowl of cereal on the floor, and put the magazine near by in his mouth.  

He has been sitting up on his own for about a week now.  This is a major milestone for mom.  I love that when they are not in my arms, they are not mostly on their backs.   He also can scoot around on his belly, mostly in circles for now to reach whatever it is he wants.

Holy sounds.  Owen loves to scream.  He often sends his sister into tears after practicing these screams. He giggles with delight as I have to console and often move Ruby...he must be so entertained by the power and control he has already.  He also loves to laugh (see video below).

We are eating solids now and Owen loves to eat.  He has gobbled up every food we have tried so far.  He does not seem to be very picky so far.  Let’s hope that continues.  

Ruby  Elizabeth

Weight- 16 pounds 4 ounces (she is up to the 30th percentile! )

Length- 25.5 inches (35th percentile)

Head circumference- 17 inches

Sleep- Ruby continues to need her swaddle to sleep.  This is what my worry has latched onto now.  We have tried desperately to wean her off the swaddle, but it just doesn’t work and she ends up needing to be tightly wrapped so that her arms and hands don‘t get into her face and keep her awake.  However, once wrapped up, she sleeps well and wakes up SUPER happy.  It is one of my favorite moments of the day...going to get Ruby when she wakes up.  She welcomes me with giant smiles and wiggles.  We have been rocking Ruby down to sleep, but recently started putting her down to let her get herself to sleep.  And, with a few binkie pops, it seems successful so far.  The whole sleep thing seems to be an ever changing  challenging situation.

Ruby can roll from her belly to her back, the opposite of Owen.  They seem to ying yang each other a lot.  She LOVES to lay on her back and play with her toes.  It is the cutest thing.  She has started scooting around on her belly too.  She can’t seem to move forwards or backwards, but she rotates in a circle on her belly. 

Ruby is a pretty mellow girl.  However, she enjoys playing with her brother… in the gym, in their high chairs, and in the crib.  She loves to stroke his head (or pull his hair), which he is a pretty good sport about.  When he starts messing with her though, she cries right away.  So funny.  

Ruby has also been sitting up on her own for a week or so.  They picked up this skill at almost the exact same time.  Have I mentioned how much easier this skill seems to make my life?

Ruby is a chatty one also.  When other people are around besides mom and dad, she tends to clam up and just observe.  But, when in her comfort zone at home, she loves to experiment with her mouth and throat, making some of the funniest sounds.  And, when left to play with her brother, really gets going.  I often wonder if something is wrong, so I run back to check on them, only to find Ruby squealing at her brother about whatever toys they are playing with.  

And eating.  Ruby eats everything we have tried, but is partial to the avocado for sure.  She smiles and bounces in her seat when she tastes it.  The ground beef is another story.  And honestly, I can't blame her.  It kind of grosses me out.

Well, I could go on and on about more details, I think that is the bulk of it for now.  Next, an update about mom and dad at six months.

 Ruby and Owen love their daddy.  They especially get a kick out of his silly ways.  Here, they are thoroughly entertained by his spins.  The more continuous belly laugh is Ruby, and the screeches of laughter are Owen.

Rookies

I am glad to know that although Chip and I have lots of friends and family with kids and we have heard lots of stories about how to do things, we are not immune to total rookie parent moments.  Actually, we are quite familiar with these moments after six months now.  Recently, we tried to take to the trails for our first family hike.  We probably spent a few hours thinking, talking, and putting together what we thought we would need.   We started by ordering a few awesome backpacks to put the kiddos in.  We remembered to pack diapers and wipes in case of a midhike blowout.  We packed their food so we could have a picnic in the woods, which included remembering bibs, spoons, formula, and more wipes.  However, we did not think about the obvious- sun.  So, we headed out, with a few hats in hand, which did not do much to help their blinded eyes as they slid off their heads, blinding them in another way, and frustrating them too.  About every six steps we had to stop and adjust someone's hat, apply more sunscreen, or adjust them in the pack.  At one point Ruby started to get sleepy, which is  when we realized that the straps were not adjusted properly for her to nap.  She practically folded in half in exhaustion.

Owen is very easily distracted when feeding anyway.  The forest was a real challenge when it came to staying focused.  Just too many cool things to check out!:)

So, we did get our picnic in the woods, about 10 minutes from our house, at which point we promptly turned the train around and headed home, Ruby in Chip's arms so she wouldn't break her neck.  Our hours of preparation led to about 20 minutes of adventure.  So typical, eh?  Really lookin forward to our first ski adventure...SO MUCH gear.  Maybe we should start planning now.



 Mmmmm.. avocados just taste better in the woods

Ruby, post lunch picnic, lounging with her dad and pup.

I am happy to report that we were not too discouraged.  We have been out with the packs again.  Our second hike lasted significantly longer, there was significantly less frustration, and everyone ended the hike still in the pack.  Success.

This is a picture of us on the second hike with the crucial sunshades that we did not have on the first one.  You can see that Ruby fell asleep again and that we have not quite figured out the straps still.  Next time for sure.

Let's Eat

I, personally, couldn't be happier that Ruby and Owen are finally eating solids.  After all the drama for us around breastfeeding (update entry to follow on all that), I am just excited for them to be eating normal food like the rest of us.  We started with rice cereal, which went over well, and moved on pretty quickly to more exciting things- avocado, then sweet potatoes, and some local grass fed beef is up next!  So far I have been making their food, which is fun, easy, and finally...something I wanted to do all along that actually is working out as I envisioned it.  Yahoo!  Oma and I served up the first rice cereal at five and half months.  We just couldn't wait any longer.  Ruby and Owen were pawing at our forks and knives during meals, pulling at our water glasses as we gulped, and couldn't take their eyes off of our mouths as we filled them with food.  They were ready.  

 Yeah man, give peas a chance.  I haven't yet, but I plan on it.  

Ruby before....obviously excited about what is about to happen.

Ruby after.  A little bland, but delicious.

 Owen tends to get a little messier when he eats.  In general, the whole ordeal is a lot less messier than I pictured.  I am predicting that when they get a little more involved we are going to have to bring out the hose afterwards...and Kessler will put on a few more pounds.

 Here is Owen trying to feed himself avocado for the first time.  He wants to do everything himself.  We keep several spoons on hand- one for him to hold and "feed" himself with and one for us to use to actually get more food into his mouth...although he really isn't too far off.

"Sleep 'til you're hungry, eat 'til you're sleepy."  ~Author Unknown (I think Ruby or Owen said this)

Oma

Ruby and Owen love their Oma.  She returned for another two weeks to help out Team DuRoss.  She has been here for about a third of their life so far.  We are so grateful...and so are they.  :) Man, we got a lot of things done on the "to do" list, played A LOT, walked a lot, and did our best to enjoy the winter that wouldn't end this year in Summit Park.  Ruby and Owen particularly love when their Oma sings them German songs, makes them giggle (an example documented and shared below), and gets down on the floor and plays with them.     

Here is a walk we all did together.  Chip managed to find some potential trouble to get in.  Kessler thought she would swim out to help in case he didn't make it back to shore safely.

Oma helped and participated in all of our daily activities including reading, feeding, and putting them down for naps.  She has got this gig down.

She will be missed.  We tried to talk her into staying for the summer.  We might have her convinced to come back for another extended visit summer...when it is really summer.

Hasta pronto, Oma!!