Letters from the Twin Trenches: A Bad Week

Back story to our "Letters from the Twin Trenches" series...When we were in the BVI's we met up with some blog followers.  They were young, fun and we enjoyed hanging out with them (and the left over provisions they gave us from their charter when they flew home the next day).  Fast forward to months later when I announced our twin pregnancy on the blog...  Imagine my surprise when I got an email from Kimberly telling me that she, too, was pregnant with twins and only a week ahead of me.  "Must have been something in those painkillers!" she wrote... And so began a pretty incredible and prolific E-pal friendship chronicling our respective pregnancies and birth stories that continues to this day.  Her beautiful fraternal twin girls were born (full term) two weeks before ours and I have to tell you, sharing our (eerily similar) journeys via email has been very cathartic for me.  Solidarity.  If there is one thing you need as a parent of twins it's community.  We need to know we are not alone when it seems our sanity is teetering on the brink, which it will do from time to time when there are two newborns in the house.  Particularly if those newborns are screaming in unison.  These are some letters to her...they tell it like it is.  The good, the bad, the ugly...Spoiler Alert: This particular thread has a little of all three...

April 22, 2014

Got your birth announcement and it is ADORABLE.  My mom was like, "Oh!! She has pretty babies!!" I couldn't help but notice that our whole "parallel lives" thing seems to continue even with our babies' looks...your "A" resembles Haven (hair and more "alert" and slightly skeptical look) and "M" looks so much like our Mira (no hair, similar head shape, a distinctly more "mellow" facial expression). Weird.  They are gorgeous.  I love that you snapped pics of both of them with their eyes open. Beautiful.

Those "Mothers of Mutliples" online groups are my saving grace during late night shenanigans.  Right when I think I am going to lose my mind I read a post from someone who is going through exactly what I am and then I feel better.  Misery loves company.  So cliche, but oh-so true.  I love prowling those groups late night as I sit propped up, waiting to make sure I have the "all clear" to settle into sleep after a nursing session.  Those are some lonely boring hours and reading through those posts and other's experiences is so helpful.  I have no idea what I would do if not for the friendly glow of my iPhone (useful flashlight as well!).  And speaking of iPhones... you watch shows on yours?!?!  How do you do that!?!? I need to know.  That might change my life.

SO... we have turned a corner over here.  A big one. The girls have been napping during the day in their Rock 'n Play sleepers and I can actually put Haven down without her pitching and epic fit.  And...get this...last night I slept laying down for about 4 hours!! Four hours.  That's practically an eternity.  It's incredible.  And that's not all ("Tell her what else she's won Bob!"): They are taking their pacis now.  That's right.  After weeks and weeks of constant coaxing, they have finally accepted them and can keep them in their little mouths for longer than 2 seconds.  The secret?  Gas drops and/or gripe water.  They have the perfect hint of sweetness (yes, I have tasted both) and if we put a drop or two on the pacifier nipple they take them with ease.  It still took a lot of work and effort and there were times I thought I would never be free from my default role as a human binky, but we are on the home stretch of paci freedom (I remember the day the pacifier 'clicked' with Isla - sweet relief!!).  

Of course all of this awesomeness is going to go to the birds now that I have typed all this in an email - but whatever, I am thrilled.  Like right now?  All three girls are sleeping soundly and the house is silent save for the typing away at the computer.  I'm amazed.  Never thought I would get here.  I am hoping you are seeing similar changes in your camp...

Regarding your comment about the accidental mispronunciation of Key vs. Cay in regards to islands...hilarious.  I honestly do not remember your friend ever saying that (promise) but you are so funny to have been embarrassed.  Like I give a crap about stuff like that.  I am far from the type of cruiser (or person in general) who would ever make fun and/or judge people for saying a word wrong.  The guy who gets on the radio in the Bahamas, however, and berates the French speaking pair to "Get off the radio and speak English, god dammit" - now THAT guy is a prick and should be made to look an ass.

Okay.  Haven is crying.  Time to stick the paci in and take a shower (fingers crossed)!

Much love and supine sleeping to you,

Brittany

April 22, 2014 (four hours later)

That email I sent earlier? Never mind.

I'm driving a van into the ocean....

Ps. I f'ing hate this nursing pillow and I cannot wait to burn it.  Will they ever sleep in a crib or will I be going to college with them in this damn thing? It's like a tutu of torture. 

The empty crib mocks me.

Brittany

Sent from my iPhone

April 24 (sometime in the middle of the night)

That inchy, squirmy "caterpillar" move you mentioned in your last email? I HATE that!!!!!! It is all downhill from there. Ugh. And the weird screechy grunting? Once I hear that it's over.  It's usually combined with the caterpillar and it's horribly frustrating to me. What's worse is that it always seems to happen *just* as I am dozing off or right when I have the other baby settled.  Cannot catch a break.  It sucks.  Never ending juggling act. 

You know what else sucks? The fact that I am now immune to caffeine. Drank 4 cups this morning and I felt nuthin. Not even a little jolt. That's just wrong.

Glad you like my phrase "tutu of torture".  We should have a burning ceremony together. And if I thought formula would make this fussiness, sleeplessness, general insanity better I'd buy a one way ticket to Similac Town too. Alas, it wouldn't (in fact it'd probably be worse) and then we'd have a crap load of bottles to prepare and clean. Sounds an epic pain in the ass to me.

Okay. Back to "sleep". 

More hugs.

Brittany

Sent from my iPhone

April 25 (witching hour(s))

PAGING MARY POPPINS!

***For more of my thoughts and musings on all things twins, please visit our TWINSANITY page.***