Twins update

It is so interesting to me to see the differences and similarities of these twin girls. Julianne continues to be much more active and needy (i.e. she cries a lot more) than Mirabelle. Mirabelle just seems like the most mellow kid ever. I mean, she cries sometimes, but really not much. Julianne loves a pacifier, Mirabelle is rather indifferent about it. She'll suck on it if you stick it in her mouth, but she doesn't get worked up if it falls out. Julianne on the other hand, will scream her head off until you put it back in. Mirabelle was really soothed by the swing from the first time we put her in it. Julianne has taken a while to warm up to it, but seems to like it well enough (but not as much as the binky).

Julianne seems to want to eat a lot more often- she's a bit of a "snacker". Mirabelle eats very quickly and seems satisfied for hours afterwards. It will be interesting to see if Julianne ends up gaining a lot more weight, or if Mirabelle is just a more efficient eater and they gain the same amount. They are definitely growing- they seem to have grown out of much of their newborn wardrobe. They're getting longer and at least a little chubbier, but they still look like skinny little chickens compared to pudge-bunny baby Caroline.

They are both much better sleepers than Caroline was at this age. For the past three nights, they've both slept for 6-7 hours. It has been great to get some long stretches of sleep and only get up once or maybe twice during the night. I'm hoping this will last!

We're trying to do nighttime routine with them now. For whatever reason, they seem to have a really hard time going down- they cry A LOT and just have a hard time getting settled. Tonight, Julianne just would not breastfeed- she was so worked up she just wouldn't latch. But she chugged like a champion on the bottle. So strange. I think they're also just having some of the inexplicable evening crankies that babies this age go through. My mother tells me the worst of it is right around 6 weeks, so I hope it gets better from here. It is just frustrating to have 2 crying babies who seem inconsolable for no discernable reason. And the past couple of nights Caroline has joined in the chorus. I think we need to get the twins down before trying to put her to bed. Otherwise it is all just too much to juggle.

I have no trouble telling them apart now. They look pretty different to me. Sometimes I have a hard time identifying them in pictures, if there is just one of them, but in real life, I find it super easy. I'm thinking more and more that they are definitely fraternal. The doctors say it is possible, though unlikely, that they could be identical even though they had separate sacks and separate placentas. But I just don't think they look "identical", even though they have very similar features.

They have been building their neck muscles and can really hold their heads up when they want to. I put Julianne down for some tummy time and she rolled herself right over. Twice. But I'm not sure if she got some help from her cloth diaper, which is big and bulky on her little body and kind of helps tilt her over :)

The cloth diapers are going well. We just started those this week. We are borrowing some from our playgroup friend Laura and got some extra covers from someone in yoga class. (Thanks guys!) I thought it would be much more of a pain in the neck, but it has turned out to be relatively easy. Especially since we have first floor laundry. I think they might actually be easier than the g-diapers we used with Caroline (which are kind of a hybrid- with a cloth exterior and a flushable insert). I just think it makes them look funny with a huge bum. Kind of insect like or something...

I'm really having fun with these girls. Don't get me wrong- there are some hard moments. About an hour ago I wanted to go hide in a sound-proof room. But really, it has been FAR, FAR easier than I thought it would be. Doesn't hurt that I really expected the worst, in terms of how difficult twins would be. But I also realize that we've really lucked out (thus far) and gotten 2 lovely girls who aren't having too many issues with sleep or crying or eating or anything else. It also helps that this is our second go-around. We're just far less stressed and obessed about every little thing. Mellow yellow. And we know what we're doing... at least more than we did with Caroline. I think confidence goes a long way. So I'm glad things are relatively easy, given the circlumstances, and I just hope it continues that way.

I'm really trying to relish these newborn days, since it is likely our last time having them. I know it just gets more and more fun as time goes on, but there is something really special about teeny-tiny babies. I just love to snuggle them, breathe in their scent, feel their heartbeats when they lay on my chest. Its fun to hold both of them at once. And nursing them both at once- that's great too. I don't know quite how to describe it...I just feel so strong, so efficient, so motherly.