New Jobs Galore!

I guess you could say a bit of time has gone by since my last post....

eeek! almost 7 months!

I guess it just shows how busy life with twins can get. We've had some crazy, fun, amazing moments over the last few months. Some things we've accomplished... first birthdays, starting part time daycare, getting some teeth, learning to walk (and run!), and learning to sleep through the night (yay!). Some things we haven't accomplished... I still haven't figured out how to fit in exercise regularly & loose this baby weight, I haven't yet 100% figured out how to get on top of our finances, I haven't figured out a magic way to keep on top of the laundry & cleaning. BUT we are having a lot of fun in all those moments in between. That's the important part right?

A couple of things are new in my life!

I left my job of 11 years to switch to working as a home care PT

I opened an Etsy shop selling baby, toddler, and mom shirts

I became an Usborne Books & More consultant

All of these things are prompted by trying to make a little more money to support my family. Even though I am taking home more money working per diem 2 days a week, than I would if I were full time and the kiddos were in daycare full time, it seems like we can never catch up (especially after replacing our entire HVAC system this summer!)

I'll share more on each of these adventures and how they're helping me to get on top of my finances better later. For now, I just wanted to post a quick update since I haven't posted in FOREVER. I'm not sure if anyone still reads this anymore, but just in case anyone stumbles along it!

Keep at it!

xoxo

How to Enjoy Fenway Park with Twins!

I haven't posted in a while. Life is busy with twins, which I'm sure you can imagine! I hurt my back pretty badly at the end of April and almost took a trip to the ER, but thankfully was able to get it under control enough to survive. Being stuck in bed with twins is no fun! I just wanted to get up and play, and snuggle, and take care of them, but the only thing I could do was nurse them after someone brought them to me. Thankfully my awesome nanny & my rockstar hubby held down the fort until I could walk again!

For hubby's birthday I had bought him tickets to a Red Sox game. We usually go once or twice a year to Fenway, and I envisioned a fun family day for all of us. As the day crept up closer, he was begging me to find a sitter and leave the twins home. I said no way!! So off I went googling "how to bring kids to a ballpark", and "Should you bring your infant to a ballgame?" I didn't find much, but I had some ideas for how to make it easier. And guess what? It was a success! So here are my tips for surviving a trip to Fenway (or any ballpark) with infant twins.

1. Plan to leave early. We knew that Boston gets crazzzzzy busy on game days. Traffic can be a disaster and crowds difficult to manage. We timed our drive from western mass to Boston to match up with morning nap time, and it was a breeze driving into the city. We had plenty of time to relax & even stop at Boston Beer Works before the pre-game crowd arrived (around 11am) to get a beer, eat some nachos and feed the twins their lunch at high chairs at the table. We had an afternoon game, then planned on leaving the game early as well to avoid the crowds & get the kids home before dinner!

Lunch at Boston Beer Works!

2. Pick your parking wisely. Pre-kids we parked at Riverside on the green line of the T and rode in to Kenmore station, then walked to the park. I knew I didn't want to walk that far of a distance, so we starting researching parking garages. While parking can range from $10-$60 depending on location, I found the Landsdowne garage on the red sox website offering parking for $35, and it is literally right next to the ballpark! I bought online in advance, and we got right in.

3. Plan your baby feeding times. The timing of the game worked perfectly for us feeding the twins. I nursed them as soon as we parked in the garage while we were in the car. They had their lunch (I brought quesadillas & strawberries from home) at Boston Beer Works, and then I nursed them later during the game. Fenway actually has an awesome nursing pod! Its a private, locked pod with seating, an outlet, and hand sanitzer & even a TV with the game on. Perfect for nursing or pumping if you don't like to do it in public or in my opinion with twins is very difficult to do just anywhere.

The nursing pod at Fenway Park

4. Babywearing is a MUST. If you don't own a carrier, you must get one before you take on this adventure. My hubby loves his Ergo, and I have a slight Tula addiction so we are well stashed on baby carriers. Babywearing allows you to walk easily throughout the ballpark with your hands free for things like your diaper bag, your tickets as you try to find your seats, or more importantly a beer. They will also come in handy when nap time arrives, and you can get them to zonk out in the carrier while you enjoy that $9 beer.

Babywearing on the Green Monster!

5. Adjust you game viewing expectations. We knew we wouldn't get to spend much time actually watching the game. In fact, I think we watched less than 2 innings from our seats. The loud announcements and cheering kept startling the babies, who really wanted to take a short afternoon nap. We found places in Fenway that we had never been before! By the 3rd base grandstand there is an area with concessions & a bar with a few tables. This was the perfect (quieter) spot to get them to fall asleep while we enjoyed an italian sausage and a beer. Behind the bleachers, there is a new kids zone with a lot of picnic tables. Pre-kids we would limit time below our seats to bathroom trips and beer runs, but with twins, expect to spend a lot more time down there.

Enjoying the view from our seats!

Traveling to Fenway is certainly no easy task, but it was a great day of making memories for their first trip to see the Red Sox play! I think we may hold off on any more for the season, but will definitely be making the trek out to Boston again next year!

Go Sox!

Help Wanted

I've had every good intention on keeping up with the blogging. Writing out planned posts on topics I think would be helpful, and updating on how our life is going. Life with twins can be hectic as I'm sure you can imagine. My toilets haven't been scrubbed in at least 2 weeks, last night's bottles still need to be washed, and I haven't made my bed in probably a month. 

Last week I wanted to share my new adventures with our beautiful jogging stroller, but every day I thought about posting, something came up. 

Today is the day, I thought.

Instead of telling you about our nice weather runs (if you can call them that, we're slow!), I want to let you know that I am surviving. Hubby left to go across the country to California for work last Tuesday, and here we are alive & well (mostly). Only 3 more nights until we he gets home, and I am counting the minutes.

How can you not love these little troublemakers?

Like a big chunk of mommies out there, I tend to do 90% of the work myself. With twins, this automatically declines at times because you physically can't manage 2. Like the time I left my son with strangers at a baby shower because my daughter had pooped all over another guest. However day to day operations, are mostly me. Nursing, changing, dressing, making baby food, keeping the house from falling apart. It's me. We tag team at bath & bed time, and dad does night time bottles while I frantically put away laundry, wash bottles and try to catch up on the work I didn't accomplish all day.  I  never realized how helpful hubby really was until he wasn't here to do anything! This week that he's been gone I can tell how much those little things all add up, and how when they are added to my plate, I become I coffee & wine obsessed monster that cannot wait for bedtime to arrive (did I mention last night that was 5:30? WIN!)

The garbage: Hubby empties the trashcans, changes the diaper pails, organizes the recycling. Finally, as the plastic recycle tub was overflowing into the pantry floor I realized I better buck up and do it. I also forgot to take the cans to the street on trash day, so now our trash can is ready to burst.

5pm-6pm Daddy playtime: During the weeknights, I get about an hour off. After the twinsies eat dinner, and before bottles & bed, daddy whisks them off to the playroom while mommy gets to pop a beer and clean the kitchen or maybe even just sit down and rest a few. It only lasts 45 min to an hour, but I miss it!!

Help during a terrible night:  Waking at night is not hubby's strong suit. In fact, I'm convinced that he could sleep through a fire alarm, let alone a baby's cries. However, if my son has had a terrible night and  is up a ton, I can elbow my hubby during that 5am cryfest and beg him to take over so I can get a little more sleep. This morning is one of those mornings. I was up every 2 hours with him, he didn't want to fall asleep in between those 2 hours, and I felt like we were at month 1 all over again. The only thing for me to elbow was his pillow. boo. 

Errands: Forget something at the store? Out of wine or beer? Just a phone call and hubby will pick it up on his way home from work, or pop out quick after the kids are asleep. No need to have grandma babysit just so you can go to the liquor store.

Bath & Bedtime: Our daughter loves to scream right through bath & bed prep time unless she's being snuggled and held. Rockin' the routine solo means I get an earful while I try to splash a little soap all over her brother and she screams from her crib in the other room.

The list is adding up, just the small things really make such a difference these days. I'm tired beyond belief, and am desperate for his return. Who knew life with 2 tiny humans could be so exhausting.

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Nothing that I can't tackle with 3 cups of coffee at a minimum and the Frozen soundtrack on full blast, right?