Tips for new parents

www.nomotc.org

• Establish a list of priorities. Babies' needs will head the list, including feeding, bathing, sleeping, and cuddling. Resting for you, should be high on your list as well.
• Use a chart so everyone will see at a glance who has been cared for and at what time.
• Accept all offers of help.
• Treat your babies as individuals from the very beginning. They are two (or more) separate beings. Avoid referring to them as "the twins" or "the triplets" and use their given names. YOU set the example for others to follow.
• Be sure to take photographs of each child separately for the time when one will ask for a picture of "me." Put the child's name on the back of his/her picture so that there is no confusion in later years.
• Use care in selecting toys. As your babies grow, play becomes serious business. Toys that are suitable for singletons can become weapons when there are two (or more) in a playpen. As the children become older, try choosing different toys and encourage sharing.
• Build a special one-to-one relationship with each child. Look for special talents and praise each one often. Try to spend some one-on-one time with each child.
• Multiples may have a special bond between them. Try to rear them as individuals without destroying their special bond.
• Read aloud to your multiples in order to stimulate speech development. Speak clearly to your children and encourage them to talk clearly also. Your children may talk to each other in a language only they can understand. Don't be upset at the "twin talk" as they will outgrow it.
• Take walks with the babies. Just getting out of the house may be a morale booster.
• If you are returning to work soon after the babies are born, look for a sitter who will understand the needs of caring for "more than one." Try the sitter a few times before actually returning to your job.

Twinisms

Here's a few comments that I have enjoyed over the past couple of years.  It seems like no matter where I am or what I am doing someone always has something to say about twins.  Here are a few:

• Are they twins?  I really want to respond with, "No, I have managed to have two children that are the same age and look alike." or "They are three months apart."  I will let you know what kind of responses I get as soon as I work up the courage.
• Are their personalities the same?
• Which one is your favorite?
• I get a lot of "God bless you's"
• Do they get along or fight a lot?
• Can you tell them apart?
• "It gets easier, I promise."
• "My twins are 25."
• Are they identical?
• "What's it like having twins?"  Um, kind of like having two babies!
• Wow, you have your hands full!
• Fertility or spontaneous?  I'm sorry stranger at Costco, but the functionality of my reproductive organs is none of none of your business!
• The other day I got a "twins-I'm sorry"  I am still working on a witty response just in case I get that one again.  The last thing I am about is sorry that I have twins.

Please leave a comment if you have any fun experiences with those people that just can't help themselves!

No picky eaters at this house

No mac & cheese, hot dogs with a side of PB & J at this house.   My kids do eat them occasionally, but I have never made them a meal separate from what my husband and I are eating.  Of course we started them out with rice cereal and a some baby food a little bit at a time to check for allergies.  After ruling out allergies I started giving them whatever we were eating, putting it through a food grinder if necessary.   It was also less expensive and probably healthier than whatever is used to preserve those squished up chicken & dumplins in a jar (sorry to call you out on it Gerber & Beech Nut)!  My kids all like Mexican food, seafood, fruit, vegetables, and just about everything in between. I am not writing this post because I am a professional on this subject, but because it is something that I often hear a lot of comments about.  Whether we are at a restaurant  and someone comments on what my kids are eating or a friend asking how I have gotten my kids to eat so well.

When I was pregnant with my first I read an article in a parenting magazine that said that kids are introduced to something before age two they are more likely to like it.  I liked that idea and I think there is something to it.  I have noticed the foods that my kids don't like are also the ones that I don't like probably because we don't ever eat them.  Today for lunch we had Tomato Basil soup and multigrain chips with roasted garlic hummus for lunch and my three youngest ate until everything was gone.  It's not always that healthy.  We also manage to eat our quota of junk food.  Unfortunately, my seven year old has been poisoned by the kids in the school lunch room and is getting pickier by the day.  I have got to figure out how to get a handle on that one before she no longer asks for broccoli when we go to the store without strangling all of the second graders.

Beware:  There is  a flip-side.  They all really like a good filet mignon.

And bless his heart...cute, little Hudson decided to help me out with this post by sneaking an orange bell pepper while I was writing it.  The picture isn't the greatest because he kept putting the pepper down to say cheese!

Twin Statistics

www.wikipedia.com
Twins are estimated to be approximately 1.9% of the world's population, with monozygotic twins making up 0.2% of the total—and 8% of all twins.
The twin birth rate in the United States is slightly above 32 twin live births per 1,000 live births,^[2] while the Yoruba have the highest rate of twinning in the world, at 45 twins per 1,000 live births,^[3][4][5] possibly because of high consumption of a specific type of yam containing a natural phytoestrogen which may stimulate the ovaries to release an egg from each side.^[6][7]
Due to the limited size of the mother's womb, multiple pregnancies are much less likely to carry to full term than single births, with twin pregnancies lasting only 37 weeks (3 weeks less than full term) on average.^[8]

It wasn't me...

These are the sort of things that happen when you are outnumbered by two year olds and take your eye off one to change the diaper of the other for two minutes.  The good news is the head that supported this shirt came in to say, "What happened, Mom?" with his cute, little hands in the air.  Fortunately for Aunt Bev's miracle stain remover the shirt is good as new and I just can't get enough of these little two-year olds!

Document the things they say...

I love Becky Higgins website.   She has great ideas for kids, crafts, recipes, etc.  If you are not familiar with her.  I highly suggest you take a look www.beckyhiggins.com.  My version of this is having a journal or notebook for each child and having easy access to write down those things you don't want to forget right away.  You could do the same thing making a file for each child on your computer if you prefer.  I am definately going to be "interviewing" my kiddos and adding this to their books.

www.beckyhiggins.com
February 3rd, 2011

There is a plethora of ways to document what your child says. Today I’m touching on two of those ways.
And by the way, this isn’t just for kids. Of course the ideas are applicable to adults just as well. Perhaps to David’s dismay, I have been known to document his exact words once in a while, particularly in those years before our children came along. I may or may not have made him answer a full list of interview questions once or twice. In the name of personal & family history of course. (He must love me?)
{ interview style }
First I’m going to pass along an idea from reader Meggan in Sequim, Washington. Perhaps you’ll relate.
Meggan wrote, I was trying to recall the last time I actually sat down with my kids and just had a conversation with them. Well to be honest, it’s been a while. I’ve been so busy with errands, taking kids to school, meetings, etc. that I haven’t spent that one-on-one time that each kid deserves with his/her parent. So, I put a hold on our morning activities, and sat my kids down & talked.

Meggan’s creative twist on the activity was to treat her child like a star and she was their fan and they set up an interview. The key is to write down their answers exactly as the words come out of their mouth. That’s what makes it so precious, so real, so accurate. For example, her 4-year old stated that he likes candy as his favorite food, and it came out “Can-knee” so she wrote it down just as that.

Meggan added, It was such an amazing moment with each of them. I enjoyed hearing their cute little voices & mispronunciations. To tie it in with my POTD, I set my camera up across from us, set it on “self-timer” and took a picture of us conversing.
Meggan is adding this interview page to her Project Life book. She continues, I am truly enjoying the POTD idea– it’s allowed me to look at my life more in depth rather than just scratching the surface. If you’re interested in seeing how she set up her document to include, here it is:

……….

{ capture the quote }

It’s as simple as that. Your child says something you don’t want to forget because it is so precious, so funny, so witty. Write it down immediately while it’s fresh & as accurate as possible. Same principle applies when someone (a friend, a sibling, a teacher) tells you something your child said or did. W R I T E   I T   D O W N .

For those of you doing a picture-a-day with Project Life, including a funny quote or story is always a great idea. You can accompany the story with a picture of that child or something related to the story. Or not.

Example. This is a POTD from one day last week:

The journaling for that day reads: Got the following email from our friend/neighbor Steph: “So today after school Claire saw Shane and I walking and asked if she could come over to play. After I explained to her that Shelby was home under the weather, she finally cut to the chase. “Well, could you bring your dog over then?” This is Classic Claire. It’s all about the dog for her. Another Classic Claire thing right now is how she signs her name with a flower or a heart or both. Such a girly girl.

I was able to take a little anecdote, as shared by a friend … and a picture of Claire’s current way of signing her name … and blend them together in a “Classic Claire” entry for that day.

Streamline Your AM Routine: 9 Strategies for Getting Out the Door Smoothly

If your house is anything like mine our morning routine can use any help it can get.

www.circleofmoms.com
Breakfast messes, arguments over clothing, painstaking pokiness…sometimes simply getting out of the house is the toughest part of the day! Thankfully, Circle of Moms members have shared some great strategies for hassle-free morning routines.

1. Embrace PM Prep
   Countless Circle of Moms members recommend prepping each evening for the following morning. This entails everything from laying out clothes for your child (and even yourself!) to preparing lunches and breakfast, packing diaper bags and backpacks, and even putting certain things in the car. Maggie V., a mother of three, is one of many moms who use this strategy: "We try to get everything ready the night before: kids' clothes, lunch bags, and everything the kids will need the next day."
   
2. Double-check Backpacks
   If you have a child in school, do a thorough backpack check in the evening to avoid missing homework and forgotten permission slips. As Southern Californian mom Jennifer L. advises, "Sign those school papers and de-clutter the backpack, go over anything she may need to bring with her the next day (i.e., special book/toy for sharing, etc.) and have it in the backpack already."
   
3. Give Yourself a Head Start
   "I myself get up early," shared Sue C., a mother of two children. "I have to be able to get ready before they get up." Waking up just a half hour before your children can make your own morning prep more efficient and less stressful.
   
4. Create a Child-Friendly Checklist
   Angela W. is one of multiple Circle of Moms members who suggests posting a morning checklist: "A list (words or pictures) of all that needs to be done before you leave could be posted in the kids' rooms so they can see what they need to do, instead of you having to repeat it 50 times."
   
5. Play Getting-Ready Games
   Making morning tasks into a game can motivate children to get through their tasks more quickly. "I do the counting game once breakfast is over," shares Kristi S., a mother of three children. "She tries to hurry and be ready by the time I get to 50." Lynn R. also uses a racing game: "In the mornings we have "blast off to the front door," where we get ready as fast as we can. First one there gets a rocket sticker...My kids have never gotten ready so fast...I have found that if you can make any routine fun then kids are more likely to do it."
   
6. Delay Dressing Your Child
   If your child is prone to spills, delay dressing her until you're about to head out the door. Krista E. uses this tactic with her young son: "My toddler stays in his PJs while he eats breakfast…Once he's done, I wipe his face and hands while he's still captive in his booster seat...When I get him dressed, it's basically 10 minutes before we have to leave."
   
7. Use TV Strategically
   Several moms, including mother of two Lucy W., completely avoid TV in the morning: "On no account does the TV get put on in the morning! That is the one thing that spells disaster." Other moms, like mother of two Sheila M., find TV can encourage children to get ready quickly: "If my daughter gets ready in time, she gets to watch a little TV before we have to leave."
   
8. Allow Yourself a Time Buffer
   "I schedule myself to leave for work a half-hour earlier than I actually need to," shares Krista E. Giving yourself extra time can make the morning less stressful.
   
9. Have a Backup Plan
   "I always have an extra $10 hid away in my vehicle to hit Tim Horton's for breakie," admits Kelly B. in Ontario. No matter how hard you try, occasional rough mornings are inevitable. With a small stash of cash in the car, you can treat yourself to a vanilla latte en-route to work. After one of those mornings, you deserve it!
   www.circleofmoms.com