Schedules

I've had a break through this week!  I have felt so absolutely out of control since the babies were born that I have started to feel like I am going crazy.  The babies hit 3 months two weeks ago and I decided it was time to institute a schedule, for my sanity as well as theirs.  They took to it soooo well!  I have felt like a new person this week and my babies, especially Street, are new babies as well!  He is doing so well.  He still has his freak outs that are most definitely hard and challenging, but I also have really good moments with him too.  I think this is a combination of things: 1) his new medication seems to be working, 2) he is on a really consistent schedule and getting good sleep, and 3) we got a bumbo and he LOVES sitting up and watching everything.  It also seems to be so much more comfortable with his reflux sitting straight up, rather than just on an incline like he was on in his boppy, swing or carseat.

Here is a sample schedule.  The times vary each day, depending on what time they wake up in the morning, but for the most part this is what its like:

7am: wake up, eat, get dressed, play on my bed

8am: down for morning nap

10am: wake up, eat, play on floor mat, in bumbo, tummy time, etc

12am: nap

1pm: wake up to eat, play, etc

3pm:nap

430pm: wake up to eat, play, etc

6pm: bath

7pm: eat, bedtime

3am: wake up to eat

Pretty much they eat every three hours, and go down 1 1/2-2 hours after they wake up.  They really like their sleep and it helps them sleep better at night when they get good rest during the day.  I guess what all the experts say is true: sleep begets sleep.  Before I started this schedule, I didn't really watch the clock and kinda put them down whenever they got super fussy but I'm realizing they do so much better if I get them down before they get overly tired.  I also didn't always put them down in their crib, they would just fall asleep downstairs with us and then wake up to a little noise a few minutes later.  They were so overly tired.  I have been putting them down in their bedroom this whole week and it has been so much better!

I also have a schedule of my own.  My house has been a wreck for three months.  I found this "chore chart" thing on pinterest and I've started doing it this week and I love it!  While the babies play on my bed in the morning I pick up my bedroom and bathroom, when they go down for their first nap I do laundry and my daily chore for that day of the week. During the second nap, Daci and I work on letters and craft together, and during their third nap I get dinner ready.

Because I feel so much more organized and less chaotic I feel like I am a better mom.  I was so uptight and anxious and would lose my temper really easily.  I have felt much more relaxed and have been able to have a lot more fun with Daci.  We have done some really fun things together this week while the babies were down for naps. We scrapbooked, made cards, made Little Mermaid cupcakes, and started tracing the letters of the alphabet and learning their sounds.

Here are some pictures in their Bumbos. Street LOVES his, Livvi HATES hers :) Like I said in my last post, Livvi doesn't like to work.  She doesn't like using her muscles, so she hates anything that makes her have to do that :)  She hates tummy time, and she hates bumbo time.  They have both gotten so much stronger since we got the Bumbos though.  I swear Street will sit by himself any day now.  His core muscles are so strong....probably has something to do with all the screaming he does too :)  Livvi is also getting stronger.  She will go longer and longer each time sitting up tall in the Bumbo.  But after a few minutes she just slumps over in it. Haha!

He doesn't look all that happy, but he really is :)

He loves it so much, he even fell asleep in it one time :)

Livvi all slumped over, not using her tummy muscles :)

 We went to Park Day with a bunch of people in the ward this week.  Daci loved getting out and the twins really enjoyed a change in scenery as well.

All bundled up in their sweatsuits from GG

Proud big sister. These twins sure put up with a lot of lovin' from their sister.  It looks like she is strangling them!

We put Street in the bumbo on the ground next to the other little boys.  The funny thing is that Street is only 3 months and the other two boys are 9 months and almost a year. Street almost looks like the same size sitting next to them!  Granted, these cute boys are small for their age, but still.

Chillin with his new best friends, Mason and Braden

A few pics showing how much Daci loves her babies:

Daci is always begging me to bake with her.  I got these Little Mermaid cupcake tins and toppers at the party store a little while ago and busted them out this week.  We made a gluten free chocolate cake from scratch and it was delicious!  Daci picked out how we would decorate them.  She picked blue frosting with sparkly sprinkles to look like the ocean...what a smartie pants.  She had SO much fun making Ariel and Flounder cupcakes!

Mmmm!

 We started alphabet tracing pages this week.  Here she is working on the letter "A". She did such a great job!!

I helped her with the first three, and she did the rest

Then we talked about things that start with the letter "A" and she drew them.  She drew two apples (a mommy and a baby), an ant, an angel, and an alligator.

She is still totally obsessed with princesses.  She changes into a new princess dress every hour or so.  I can't keep clothes on that girl unless it is a princess dress.  I secretly love that she is so girly :)