Early January Garden Update

We are still in the process of putting the garden in. I just wanted to give you an update and explain our plan. Hope you enjoy!

My Top 5 Twin Baby Products

I get questions all the time from people wondering what it's like having twins. Well, you know what it's like to have one baby? Multiply it by two. (He He) But seriously, in most ways, twins are double the work. Now, when they are older, you have a built in friend, playmate, and co-conspirator. I have learned a lot about being a parent since having our duo and I already had a toddler for a year when they arrived. The biggest thing I learned with twins was what baby gear is really necessary and what is just the frills and fun stuff. You would think that I would have figured this out with #1, but apparently I loved the frills and fun stuff too. This is all about my top 5 twin (and singleton) baby products. Here we go!

1. Owlet Sock Monitor

This product gives me such peace of mind. It is a oxygen and heart rate monitor that you strap onto your baby's foot when you put them down at night or for naptime. It communicates via bluetooth with the base station and to your phone via WiFi. NOTE: It will still work without using the phone app. Basically it has specific parameters set (that can not be adjusted) to alert you if your baby's heart rate is too high or low and if their oxygen levels drop too low. It has been very helpful for me especially when one of the boys is sick. We have had the alarm go off before, but never for anything serious. It has two other alerts other than an emergency and that is for poor connection or sock placement. This is definitely one of those products that I recommend investing in, simply for your peace of mind.

2. The Twinzee Pillow!!

I don't know how we would survive with this double boppy pillow of wonderfulness. Even for singleton moms, I totally recommend this pillow for breastfeeding, it is so comfortable! The twins are 6 months old and still eat their bottles while reclined in this and take naps in this.

3. An electric breast pump

If you are planning and/or able to breastfeed, you are going to want to pump. Trust me, pump, let someone feed the baby(ies) and TAKE A NAP! Your baby isn't going to feel neglected if you let someone else feed them every once in a while. I used a Medela pump with Raylen and this time I also had a Spectra S2 and I loved them both. (I will do a separate post about the features of the 2 pumps I used and why I like them.)

4. Dr. Brown's Formula Mixing Pitcher

If you are using formula (which I started at 5 months because nursing became too stressful), this is the most amazing $12 you will spend! We bought 2 and mix the twins' formula for the day and keep in the fridge. Then we just warm the bottles to room temperature when it's time for them to eat. This gets rid of all the clumps of formula, decreases the amount of bubbles in the bottle and just makes life so much easier!

5. 4MOMS MamaRoo (swing)

This little guy is a wonder. It moves in several different motions and is definitely a step up from a conventional baby swing. You can set the speed and movement as well as use the sound machine feature or play music through it! I love this! For the first few months, this is where my babies take naps. They were even content to swing it is awake.

This is such a brief list, but I'm sure I will have more products to reccomend as they boys grow and I learn how to make life a little less crazy.

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See y'all next time!

"take a cup of cool water"

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about my grandfather passing away. This past week we were blessed to go to Missouri for the funeral services. I took the opportunity to take some pictures of the house and we brought back lots of treasures that will brighten our home with the glow of sweet memories. I wanted to share this precious place with you and see if my words did the pictures justice. As I find places for my treasures, I'll try to share them with you on Instagram.

After this trip I have declared myself a family historian and am going to do my best to gather and document want I can about my family. My mom has done a lot of work on the 'Pyle' family side as well as her family and it's my turn to dive in as well. More on that soon, it's been a long trip.

Another thing this trip taught me was how much who I am today was influenced by two people. My love of listening to all types of music (although I'm not a grand musician myself), my love for reading and writing, my desire of all things homemade, getting back to simple things, big opinions and pig-headedness, hard work, faith, love for others, and a little bit of spunk are all bits that have been passed to me from my grandparents.

I didn't know until we were going through a trunk full of pictures the last day at the house just how much I look like my grandma did when she was younger. I'm not as tiny as she was by an means, but our faces are very similar. It made me smile.

This whole process (for lack of a better word) of grieving the loss of my grandpa, the closing of a chapter, the end of an era has also, in a way, opened a door to grieving the loss of my grandma as an adult. I was just 10 years old when she passed away and while I have sweet memories of her, I barely knew her. Yet, she, like the memories of the house, is etched deep inside me and is an integral part of my person. I grieve that she didn't get more time here, that we didn't get to laugh more and that she didn't get to teach me all the things she loved. I grieve that I never got to hear great words of wisdom or advice from her and that she wasn't at my wedding. I grieve that she and grandpa didn't get to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary (she passed 2 and a half months prior). I grieve that she never got to meet her great grandsons. She would have loved them and spoiled them like she spoiled me.

I grieve that we didn't all have more time together. Yet, through that grief, I am so thankful they are together and happy and whole. They aren't hurting anymore and they get to worship Jesus together forever!

I told Kyle as we were driving out of town that I didn't think I had ever truly experienced what the term "bittersweet" meant until this trip. I have such wonderful memories and smile thinking of them, yet want to burst into tears when I realize those two beloved people are gone from this side of heaven. I walked out in the field and just wanted to keep walking forever. I walked through each room and was afraid to touch anything for fear it would all crumble away forever. This is the end of one chapter and the beginning of another in so many ways. I'll find my way eventually, but for now I'm still wandering around soaking it all in.

"Here, the day gives up its hour,

And time loses it's place.

As the Soul takes a cup of cool water,

And feeds upon His grace."

--Ronald Pyle "The Cool Water Camp"