Short Update

I can't believe it's been a week already since these babies were born. Time has all of a sudden kicked back into high gear instead of crawling along like it had for the previous months. Here is what we are up to at the Dodson household:

*Feeding's x 2
So far both babies are good eaters. Kale likes to take his time, he will fall asleep half way through if we don't prod him along a little. Cooper gets down to business and is the faster eater. When he hears that bottle coming he doesn't waste any time trying to attack it. One thing is for sure, these guys wake up hungry and are ready to chow.

*Diaper changes x 2
I know some baby boys like to let loose the minute you take off their diaper (Morgan got me once or twice), but this is like nothing I've ever seen before. Riley and I have learned to be super fast at the risk of getting soaked and/or having to do multiple outfit changes for the boys. We are developing cat like reflexes.

*Getting up at night
Riley and I each take charge of one baby and get up with them during the night. So far this has worked well for us. Then there is no confusion about who changed who last, how much each baby ate last, etc. We still keep a little chart on the fridge (like the ones at the hospital) to write down when each baby had their last feeding. This helps us feel somewhat "organized"? The babies are on a pretty regular schedule so far and usually one wakes up a little bit after the other so it isn't too crazy at one time.

*Feeling super duper tired
So far I think we have lucked out that both boys are sleeping good, Riley and I are just having trouble getting back to sleep after we've been up with them at night. It helps that they are so darn cute and that they go back to sleep fairly well. I wish I was one of those people that could pass out the second their heads hit the pillow. Riley had to go back to work this week, and I know he is feeling it. I feel like I've accomplished a lot if I just get the basic things done around the house during the day.

*Telling the boys apart
We have had so many people ask us if they are identical. I know it might be hard for everyone to see their differences for a while, but Riley and I are getting pretty good at telling them apart at a quick glance. It was tough for a day or so after we brought them home, but they are starting to have their own little looks and personality traits now that help. Plus, like I told someone the other day - when you are their mom and dad you just know.

*The good stuff
Snuggling and rocking these two little guys is like having a little piece of heaven in our home. It's hard for me to pass their room without tip-toeing in to take a little peek at them sleeping soundly in their crib together. I still feel such a sense of wonderment that they are here with our family. It just doesn't seem real at times. I love when they open their little eyes to look around and when they stare up at me when I'm holding them. Life is good.

I will try and post some more pictures soon and do a post about the boys' birth and our hospital stay.

Baby Boys

We came home this afternoon with the twins. They are the sweetest little guys and are eating and sleeping so well. We are totally head over heels for them and in awe of everything that has happened in the last few days.

I thought I'd post a few pictures quickly while I had a minute:

Cooper Channing Dodson - 7 lbs 10 oz, 19.5 inches

Kale Kruise Dodson - 7 lbs. 15 oz., 2o inches

Can you tell them apart? (Kale on left, Cooper on right)

Getting ready to come home.

Pictures from the hospital website:

I'm Still Here

So I thought I would write a little update on what is going on, I've had lots of people asking and I didn't want anyone to get worried.

Here's the story:
I was supposed to get induced on Friday at Kadlec. Little did I know that the NICU was going to be totally full. They will not let me come to the hospital until there is room in the NICU in case these little guys (don't think they are going to be so little) need to be admitted there, otherwise if something happened to them they would be sending them off to Spokane or Seattle because there is basically no room at the inn. Because I am having twins, I'm considered a "high risk" patient, but they still will not let me come in because "I'm not an emergency" to quote the lady we talked to. I think they should take a gander at my ginormous belly and maybe they'd reconsider.

SO..................we are just waiting and I am trying to not go crazy. They called again this morning and told us it didn't appear any babies would be moving out of there this weekend and that I could possibly have to wait until Monday, or Tuesday, or.............................................

So maybe you could all say a prayer for those little babies in the NICU at Kadlec to have a safe and speedy recovery. I don't know how much longer I can carry around this huge belly and support the 14, 15, or dare I say 16 pounds that is going on in there.

The Scoop

I found out at my appointment this afternoon that they will induce me on Friday! This is great news to me. Yes, it will be Friday the 13th, but luckily I am not the superstitious kind. My doctor thinks I am an excellent candidate to try and have these babies normally, but they will have everything ready to go and extra people standing by just in case. These boys are running out of room in "la casa de Sarah Dodson". One baby is scrunched towards my back. That cannot be comfortable. I bet they will be as relieved as I am to finally have some room to move around.

I have so many emotions running through me and so many last minute tasks to do. I can't believe the time is almost here!

Climbing That Mountain

Two weeks ago, I wrote this post. I thought I had reached the end of my rope and was getting discouraged about how I was feeling. Now here I am at 36 weeks, still carrying these babies around and life has been slowly marching on. I'm learning important lessons during this cycle in my life. I'm capable of doing more than I thought, the key is not letting my mind take over and tell myself negative things. I feel like the "little engine that could." Every day I get a bit bigger and a bit slower, but I'm still making my way up that mountain and am so eager to get down the other side where our beautiful baby boys will be. I remind myself how blessed our family has been and continues to be. The excitement is building and keeping me afloat until the big day arrives. I have had so much support and encouragement from friends and family and I feel like that has made me even stronger.

I can do this. I CAN do this.

I want these babies to know that even though it was hard for their mother at times to carry their weight around and endure the days of being sick and uncomfortable, it was worth it every single step of the way.



*To my future sons: You have a big cheering section waiting for you.

Family Update

I feel like my blog has been totally focused on everything pregnancy related and lots of babytalk, so I thought I would give a little update on what everyone else in the family is doing before I get too behind to remember.

*Riley has been killing it at work and was the top salesman in his whole company for the last few months. He beat out all of the guys from the bigger areas like Seattle and Salt Lake which should be nearly impossible. He told me these babies have been some good motivation for him. For his "second job", (even though he gets paid it is really more of a hobby) he's been coaching a U-14 girls club soccer team, the Rage, who have been in first place in the state league premiere 1 division. He is an excellent coach and is always looking for ways to improve his team and help his players. We have been so impressed with these girls on his team, they play better than a lot of high school teams and are very coachable. I've also been keeping him busy in what little spare time he has doing random projects and honey do's. He has been a big help to me the last few weeks doing things like making trips to the store at odd hours, helping pack lunches, fold laundry, and rubbing my sore, tired, and swollen feet, not to mention listening to my constant complaints and ramblings.




*Kendle had her last soccer game on Halloween. She did pretty good this year and I think has a knack for playing defense. She has been watching too much older girls soccer and likes to stay back analyzing the game instead of being right in the little cluster of six girls all trying to kick the ball. She would wait for the ball to get kicked back to her and then take off with it. She also says she wants to play goalie. I think she will really have more fun once they get into position playing. This is her first year taking piano lessons and she has been really enjoying it. She likes to sit at the piano and sound out songs she knows, which is funny because I used to do the exact same thing at her age. Right now she really wants to learn how to play the Oregon State fight song on the piano. I have no idea why? She loves to read and goes through books as fast as she can get her hands on them. I think she would go to the library at school every day if she could. I wish we didn't butt heads at home so much, but I am glad she saves up all her goodness for school and when she's with other people. She brought home a prize certificate on Monday that she got for being really quiet during their library time and I'm thinking, "wow, she is usually the most NOT quiet little girl." I guess she will continue to surprise me. She really enjoys her little friends from school and is always coming home with little pictures or nice notes that they write to each other. Also, she is getting taller just since school started. I should be better about measuring and keeping track of that sort of thing, but she just seems huge to me lately. In addition, her other front tooth that seems like it has been missing forever is finally starting to come in. Yay for that!



*Morgan is my little buddy still and I joke that he is a little man-child. He is so particular about how he likes things and is pretty neat and tidy for a 2 year old boy. He likes to have his routine in the morning - sausage and eggs for breakfast, take a shower or bath, get dressed, help mom clean up, etc... One of the cutest things is that he tucks his slippers (has to wear those slippers) right under the bed so he can easily slip them on when he wakes up in the morning. He plays pretty hard during the day and lately instead of real naps in his bed, he has taken to passing out in a comfortable spot. The other day I didn't know where he had gone to, and I found him snuggled up in our bed and yesterday he got a blanket and went to sleep in the recliner. At this point I don't care where he takes a nap, just that he's still taking one if he's tired enough. He is talking so much now and it is fun to be able to have little conversations with him as we go through out our day. He loves to go to church and asks me about it every day. He likes to go see his "buddies" in nursery. Any time we leave the house (and most of the time at home) he is always wearing a hat. I've never seen a little boy that liked to wear hats so much. The thing that gets me is how he knows how to pull it on and adjust it until it's just right. It makes me smile every time. I think he is just so adorable and he melts my heart on a regular basis.

Well, I guess that pretty much sums it up for now.

Hold Up, Wait a Minute

**I'm 35 weeks and two days pregnant, but who's counting?**

Well, the jokes on me for thinking everything was planned out and I could relax knowing how things were going to go down in the next week or so. At my appointment today we found out BOTH babies are now facing head down, and now we don't really know what is going to happen. Doctor S. had me keep my surgery date for next Thursday just in case, but I am going back in for another appointment before that on Tuesday to get another ultra sound and see what's up. This is good news, since I was not too thrilled with the idea of getting a c-section, but I'm not sure if I should get my hopes up just yet. I'm dilated to a 3 or 4 so I guess anything is possible at this point. There is the chance that Baby B could turn again, or that I might get induced. Basically the message of the day was be prepared for anything. So that is what I will try and do - these babies will be born some way or the other. All I know is that I'm breaking their office record for the biggest tummy measurements. HA! It is essential to keep a sense of humor in these type of situations.

Meanwhile, I am trying to "take it easy" and relax with my elephant feet propped up as much as I can. I've been having some numbness issues in my right leg, so that is keeping me from doing too much at this stage of the game. I have been having some luck with trying to get my family to jump on the "keeping the house clean bandwagon", but I would have to say Morgan wins the prize at this point for putting his things away where they go. Also, I am in full night feeding training as I have been waking up every two hours like clock work for the last month or so.

Well, I'm off to go eat some yummy lunch and arm chair parent for the rest of the afternoon.

Freezer Meals

I'm trying to do a little planning ahead for the next few months and thinking I could save some time by preparing some meals now. I'm just imagining how crazy that 4:00 -5:30 dinner hour stretch is going to become in the next few months and trying to salvage some sanity now while I still have some. So I'm looking for some good freezer meal recipes - anything that still tastes good after being kept in the freezer and is easy to reheat. I have not tried much of this style of cooking, but thought I might give it a go since I was going to pre-cook some chicken and hamburger and have it ready to go in the freezer for some quick meals anyways. I've found a few recipes that sound promising on the internet, but it's always better to get tried and true ones from people you know.

So if you have any yummy recipes for the freezer - share away! Or even if you don't, just tell me what your favorite quick meal to cook for your family is. *Quick as in you have a 2 1/2 year old pulling on your leg and zooming cars around your feet, and two babies waiting for someone to come feed-change-hold them.