Amateur Parenting – Page 19 – Just Admit It: You Have No Idea What You're Doing Either

Things Not to Say to a Twin Mom, Redux

Kristen King March 18, 2012 1 Comment

Don't make me have to smack you down.

To the stupid lady outside the children’s bookstore:

Next time you see a frantic woman juggling two screaming babies in a public place, please do not walk up to her and say something moronic like this:

You think you have your hands full? I’m the grandmother of twins.

Oh, really? Bully for you. But I’m the mother of twins and my babies are here and in my care and they are screaming and I really just want to punch you in the face right now. Want to have a hands-full contest? I WIN. Now leave me alone — I’m busy.

I am so adding this to the list.

Mommy Madness…

Kristen King March 16, 2012 3 Comments

… as in “descending into.”

The boys are 12 weeks and 1 day old, and I think I’m losing my mind. I don’t mean a bad case of mommy brain. I mean literally losing my mind. I hear crying constantly, even when they’re not crying. I’m in the shower on the other side of the house while they’re with the nanny and I still hear crying. It’s like phantom cell phone syndrome, except it’s my babies and it makes both my boobs and my heart hurt. No matter what I do, I can’t shake the feeling that something is wrong.

I also am starting to feel like I’m somehow letting them down when I leave them, even if it’s for 15 minutes to drive to the post office and back, or two hours to go to the gym. It’s not like they’re not in the hands of a capable caregiver. I’m not leaving them unsupervised or anything. I’m just briefly detaching from them — like, less than once a week — and it’s making me feel like a Bad Mommy.

This suggests to me that I need a break. Not a lock-myself-in-the-bathroom-and-race-through-a-shower-without-shaving-my-legs break, but an actual break. Actual time that is carved out in my schedule for me to focus on something other than babies and work and oh-my-God-how-am-I-supposed-to-work-with-two-babies (which is another post entirely). Continue reading →

As if I Don’t Feel Bad Enough About Supplementing With Formula…

Kristen King February 16, 2012 1 Comment

…the big news today is that baby formula contains high levels of arsenic. Super!

A Dartmouth University study by Jackson et al published in today in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives identified 2 of 17 formulas tested as containing unacceptably high levels of the human carcinogen arsenic. Currently I can find only the abstract, which does not name the formulas researchers examined. The abstract did, however, identify the offending ingredient: organic brown rice syrup. It’s a common sweetener in infant formula and cereal bars.

I looked up the ingredients if the formula we use and it does not contain organic brown rice syrup. So, that’s a relief. But this is a great reminder that the fewer processed foods your kids — and you! — eat, the better.

For My Babies at 8 Weeks

Kristen King February 16, 2012 1 Comment

Dear Miles and Emmett,

Today you are eight weeks old. I’m not sure how this happened! Some days, I have doubted that any of us would survive this long — Daddy and me for lack and sleep and you guys for lack of parental competence. Yet here we are. I’m so glad.

Emmett, last night you slept for almost 6 hours. This is the fourth time that has happened, so I’m starting to feel like you’re getting the hang of this “night” thing. Miles, you’re still working on it, but you’re up to 4 hours at a time and Daddy and I are thrilled with that.

It’s hard to believe that at this exact moment 8 weeks ago, I was tossing and turning in bed, counting down until it was time to go to Dr. Fitzhugh’s office to see if we would meet you that day. I think you were excited, too, because you were both kicking and hiccuping like it was your job. Which, technically speaking, I guess it was since that’s what babies do in the womb. But a couple hours later we found out it was time for your promotion!

You both surprise me every day. Emmett, yesterday you laughed and smiled when Zoe jumped onto the table in front of you. I realize this may just be a coincidence since you’re not quite 2 months yet, but you were watching her as she watched you and I think you really did laugh on purpose. Miles, yesterday you played on your back for 20 minutes, looking at the fan and the ceiling lights and your hands and me, and smiled away while you did it. Usually you just sleep or want to be held.

It’s so fun to see your little personalities coming out, and to watch how much more alike you look every day as Miles gains weight. But my favorite thing is to watch you interact with each other, whether you’re smacking one another in the face, sucking on each other’s heads while I get ready to nurse you, or holding hands while you eat. You are so freakin’ cute, I can’t stand it sometimes.

Thank you for being my wonderful babies. I love you more than anything, and I’m so glad I get to be your mom.

Love,

Mommy

Bumps, Bruises, and the Challenges of Balancing Multiple Babies

Kristen King February 14, 2012 9 Comments

I think I’m a pretty good mom most of the time (nursing issues aside, but I’m coming to terms with those). That said, I’m also a pretty big klutz. Which explains why I keep dropping my babies.

Now, don’t panic. We’re not talking about crashing-to-the-floor-from-standing-height dropping. We’re talking an-inch-or-so-from-my-arm-to-the-bed dropping. The babies don’t seem to mind it at all, but I cringe every time. But here’s the deal. You try picking up, carrying and putting down two 7-week-old babies at one time. Then try doing it gracefully.

Step 1 isn’t that bad once you get the hang of it, but Step 2 is darned near impossible. And if you master that, I’d love to see you try to burp one while nursing the other — or better yet, try burping them both at the same time. Yeah, see? It’s not as easy as I make it look. That is, of course, the times I don’t drop anyone. Continue reading →