It's a Scorcher!

Day 79
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Today was the hottest day in Adelaide for over a year...it got up to 42.9C apparently! Freaken hot!!!!!!!!!! When I brought the washing in off the line this arvo, it felt like it had been in the dryer for an hour!

Guess it goes without saying that we just hung out inside today, with the air con cranking, so we didn't notice the heat too much. But, we did have a make-up swimming lesson this morning, so we had to walk about 50 metres from the car to the pools, almost broke a sweat because of the heat, and that was at 9:45am!!!

I'm watching 'Undercover Boss' at the moment. I love this show, it never fails to give me warm fuzzies <3

Everything is back to normal from this week, after the Christmas/New Year break - it's gonna be a busy one, but we like it like that!
xxx

Day 78

Day 78
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

I am NOT a knitter by any stretch of the imagination...I can do one stitch, and that's about it! However, my Mum is (and knits the coolest stuff for her grandkids - wait until you see what she is working on now!), and I was looking in some of her patterns books to pick out a few things for K&C for this coming winter, and saw a pattern for this cube/ball which I could do! And I've spent the last week or so working on it, just little bits here and there, and I finally got it done yesterday. I think it turned out really cute, and Cohen and Kason love it - they both reached out for it straight away when they saw it after their nap :-) I might have to make another one so they don't have to share it!

xxx

Day 77

Day 77
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Simon was working all weekend at the Summer Ideas Bridal Expo, we went and visited him there on Saturday...this was outside the entrance, that's a massively long stretch limo and there was a black one on the other side of it. It was a nice change of scenery, and we we managed to get there for one of his demo dances which was great! Although, it did make me miss dancing even more!!! I soooo want to get back on the dancefloor asap, but I just don't know how I can make that happen right now :-(

xxx

Brotherly Love

Day 76
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

I love that this is not an uncommon sight in my home during the day! Cohen and Kason are often checking in with each other, putting their arms around each other like this - it's so cool to see :-)

We had a chilled out day today, had a picnic on the park with some friends from our Mums & Bubs group and that's about it!

And tonight I finished a project I've been working on this week...as long as the glue holds - here's hoping!

xxx

Old-School Rock

Day 75
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

I think I've mentioned on here before that we have been looking for an old-school rocking horse for Kason and Cohen. We have not been able to find one, despite month of searching. What made it even more frustrating is that my parents have one in their garage back home in New Zealand.

This morning, a friend of ours sent a message on Facebook to our Mums & Bubs group asking if anyone wanted an old-fashioned rocking horse! I replied immediately, and less than three hours later, Cohen and Kason were having their first go on it :-)

I love it, and it is in such fantastic condition (we didn't see any pictures of it beforehand) we don't even need to repaint it or anything! And just to top it off, the lady GAVE it to us!!! She is thrilled that it is going to a good home and that it will get plenty of use.

We did manage to get to the pools this morning before Simon left for work. It was so interesting to see how much more confident Kason was in the water. He really just loves it - big grin plastered on his face, and lots of excited squeals! Cohen had a blast too, but he took a bit longer to get used to it.

xxx

Brighton Beautiful

Day 74
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Happy Australia Day!!!

We spent the day at Brighton beach with some friends - it was such an awesome day, we all loved it and a repeat will be happening soon hopefully!

xxx

Eight Months!!!

Dear Cohen & Kason,

Today you are eight months old!!! Where that time has gone, I don’t know, but what an amazing eight months! I missed writing your last two monthly emails as we’ve been away. You went on your first domestic flight on your half-birthday – we went to the Gold Coast to visit Uncle Hamish, Aunty Donna, Ryan, Uncle Josh and Aunty Rachael. Nana surprised us, and she was there too! You were both little champs, barely a grizzle out of either of you, and you charmed the pants off everyone.

When you were both weighed last week, your ‘stats’ were:

Kason:
Weight: 7950g
Length: 69cm

Cohen:
Weight: 7740g
Length: 70cm

That’s the biggest weight AND length difference there has ever been between you two!

Three weeks after we got back from there, we went to New Zealand to stay with Nana & Grumps for Christmas. Again, no crying from either of you, there or back! Although, Kason, you cracked it when we arrived back in Adelaide, waiting in the Customs queue. But it was all good – we got through the line pretty quickly, and we were directed down the detector dog line – no x-rays for our bags!

You have started eating three solid meals a day, and it’s been great! It has meant that you have cut down your breastfeeds to four-hourly, instead of three-hourly, AND you are both sleeping through the night now, which is great for all of us. Cohen, you had about ten days where the only thing you would eat was yoghurt (that’s currently your most favourite thing in the world!), but you’re now eating well again. We tried you with peach & mango a few days ago, and it even rivals yoghurt, neither of you can get enough of it! You both seem to have the same favourites, although, Cohen, you do like yoghurt a bit more than Kason does. You both really enjoy banana and apple & pear. Oh, and Cohen, you love avocado too.

This last weekend, we started swimming lessons! Unfortunately, Cohen, you have been a little sick with a runny nose and a cough, so we thought it best to keep you out of the pool for the week. Kason, you LOVED your lesson, and had a big grin on your face for a lot of the lesson. I can’t wait for the next lesson, when you can both join in! We are hoping to take you both to the pools this week so Cohen, you can get a turn at swimming too.

You were both spoiled rotten when we were in New Zealand; we had to bring an extra bag back to fit all your presents in! And Grumps even built you boys a trolley, which you really enjoyed. Cohen, you even got a ride right around the block in it one day with Nana, Grumps and Fonzie. While we were there, we got a chance to spend some one-on-one time with each of you, which we really enjoyed. We hope to continue that too. We had a chance to in the first week we were back in Adelaide – we had a playdate at B & M’s house with N & C as well, but Cohen, as you were a bit sick, you stayed home with Daddy, and Kason, you and I went. It was interesting. You seemed so lost with Cohen there, like you didn’t quite know what to do. We only stayed for about 1½ hours, and when you saw Cohen when we got home, you were SO excited, as was he. You both stayed within arms reach of each for the rest of the day.

Kason, you are getting up on your hands and knees very frequently, and trying your best to crawl. Cohen, you do more of a commando crawl, getting around the floor on your tummy quite happily. Although, you do get up on your hands and knees occasionally. The day before we left for New Zealand, Kason, you rolled from your back to your tummy for the first time, and you have been doing it like a pro ever since. Cohen, you started rolling into your tummy on the day before we left NZ! There was about a week when you would only occasionally do it, but now you roll all. the. time. We have put you in your own cots now, as Kason was squirming around and waking you up, Cohen. And now that you are both rolling, you seem to both prefer to sleep on your tummies.

Your daytime sleeping has greatly improved, too. You are now having two naps during the day, usually for an hour at a time, although yesterday you slept for 1½ hours in the morning (and I had to wake you both up!) and then another hour in the afternoon! That has happened a couple of times now. I think it’s because you both moving so much more, and using up more energy.

Today was Australia Day, so Daddy had the day off work. We spent it at Brighton beach with Catherine and Caleb. You both had a blast! We have inflatable tug boats for you, and you both were just chilling out in those in the ocean for probably close to 45-60 minutes! The water was so warm, and you were having so much fun.

It has been an amazing few months, and it is incredible how much you are both changing before our eyes. I don’t know how it’s possible, but I love you so much more every single day. You put the colour into my days.

Love always,
Mummy

xoxoxo

Bathing Twins!

Day 73
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Just after we were told we were expecting twins, I woke in the middle of the night thinking, "oh my God, how the hell am I supposed to bath TWINS??!?" The next day, I dragged Simon out to the bookstores to find pregnancy books on twins (commonly popular books only seem to mention twin pregnancies briefly, which I found really frustrating).

Anyways, until a few weeks ago, I was bathing Cohen and Kason alternately - one one night, the other the next night. However...they are ridiculously messy eaters, and no matter how well I clean them up after their meals, I inevitably miss some, so they really both need to be bathed every night. Seeings as Simon works nights during the week, I get to do the whole bath and bed thing alone five nights out of seven.
The actual bathing part is fairly easy, especially as they are both sitting up unaided so well now. It's the part that comes after the bath that makes life a bit more colourful! While neither Kason or Cohen are crawling yet, they are certainly moving. I get one boy out of the bath, put him in his towel, then get the other boy out and put him in his towel. By the time I've gotten Boy 2 out of the bath, Boy 1 has usually rolled off of his towel, and onto his brother's towel and reaching for a set of PJs to munch on! Then the attempt to get both boys dried and into their PJs is great fun!!! It takes a while, but we get there - although it's certainly MUCH easier when Daddy is home to help out.

xxx

Swimming Lessons!

Day 72
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

I just wrote a big long post, and then lost it, so this will be the short & sweet version!

Kason started swimming lessons on Sunday! He absolutely L.O.V.E.D. it - he had a big grin on his face for much of the lesson, it was so cool! I had fun too ;-) Unfortunately, Cohen has a bit of a cough, so we decided it was best to keep him out of the water this week. Simon has to work both days this weekend, so we won't be able to make it this Sunday, but we are planning on going to the pools on Thursday so Cohen doesn't miss out. I can't wait to be back at our lessons next weekend!

xxx

Day 71

Day 71
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Day 70

Day 70
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Christie's Beach

What to do?!

Day 69
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

We had a playdate scheduled for this morning with another set of twins and two singletons. Cohen had a bit of a snotty nose, so he stayed home with Daddy, and Kason & I went. It was really quite interesting. We have taken the boys out by themselves a couple of times, but only to go shopping. This was the first time either of them have been taken to play somewhere without the other. This was not a new place, nor new people. We have known all of the others that were there since Kason and Cohen were about eight weeks old, we have also spent a fair bit of time at the house we were out. However, Kason was so lost without his buddy :-( When we got there, I sat Kason on the floor with the other set of twins (B & M - it was their house) and gave him a couple of his own toys. He just sat there and looked around. He seemed stunned that Cohen wasn't there - the look on his face almost broke my heart. He was so upset, so I picked him up and gave him a cuddle. After he had calmed down, I put him back on the floor to play and he would. not. let. go. of my arm. He ended up spending the rest of the playdate snuggling with me. When we got home, and they saw each other, they just grinned and made sure they were within reach of each other for the rest of the afternoon.

It's hard to know what to do...do we make more of an effort to take them places to play without their brother so they can learn that they are ok by themselves, that they can still have fun and interact with others, even though it will upset them until they get used to it? Or do we make an effort *not* to take them out to play separately because it upsets them so much?
My gut tells me to give them more time 'out of their comfort zone'...but is that mean? Especially because I saw how upset it made Kason to be somewhere that wasn't his home without his brother. It's like Cohen is his security blanket - if Cohen is there, everything is fine, and it's ok to play with the others. It would be interesting to see if Cohen acted the same if he was in the same position.
I guess a solution could be to have a playdate come to our place, and Simon take the other lil dude out. Then the boy who stays to play is at least in his own home and has that piece of familiarity. That just might be a plan!

xxx

Falls, Temperatures & Sunnies

Day 68
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Two nights ago, I slipped over while holding Kason. That has been one of my biggest fears since they were born. I had already taken Cohen to the bathroom for their bath, and I was taking Kason though. There was some water on the floor - no idea what from - and I slipped over in it and fell forward. Somehow I managed to hold Kason away from me so I didn't fall on him, and he barely even noticed what had happened (thankfully!)! I skinned my knee and have a mega bruise just above my knee.

Yesterday I had every intention of blogging. Then around 4pm, Kason got a temperature and was suddenly very clingy and grizzly. That, in itself, was ok - I gave him panadol for his temperature (but it took a while to kick in), and I will NEVER complain about giving him, or Cohen, cuddles - but Cohen was so concerned about him, he wanted to be close to him to make sure he was ok, and Kase just wanted Mummy, and Mummy only. So Cohen was crying when I wasn't holding him, and Kason was crying when I was holding Cohen. After about 1.5 hours, I realised it was going to be a L.O.N.G. night should they continue...so I called Simon at work and got him to come home. Thankfully he was able to get someone else to take his lessons for him and he was home within the hour. Of course, though, after he got home, both boys were almost back to their normal selves, Cohen more so than Kason. It was good to have him home though, who knows what it would have been like without him there.

The sunnies part of the post? We bought Kason & Cohen a pair of Baby Banz each when we were back in NZ, and this is the first time they have both sported them at the same time! Kase was feeling much better today, no temp and back to being the happy, chilled out dude we all know and love, so, as it was such a hot day (about 36C, I believe), I set up their paddling pool in their shade tent, and they spent about 10mins splashing about in there together - they had a blast! We love summer!

xxx

Day 67

Day 67
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Day 66

Day 66
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Kason is getting ready to crawl!

Feeling Stupid

I took the boys to the mall after their lunchtime feed today with the plan of giving them their lunch there, then doing some grocery shopping and posting something to my sister-in-law for my soon-to-be-born niece. I loaded the boys into the car, drove to the mall, found a shaded carpark - not easy! - got the boys into The Hummer (aka: the stroller) and walked in. Then I clicked that I hadn't put my wallet into the baby bag. I pulled the bag out to check it wasn't in there. It wasn't. Decided to go to the foodcourt to give K&C their lunch anyways - don't need money for that. Got there to discover a total of zero available highchairs. I gave up and took them back to the car, put them back into the carseats, which they were rather unimpressed by, to say the least, drove back home. I came inside to discover my wallet was not on the bench where it usually is. Then I remembered. I put it in the pocket on The Hummer yesterday when I took Kason & Cohen for their walk. Double-checked, and yup, there it was. I had it with me all along.
Feeling stupid much? Yup.

Will attempt it again tomorrow, and we'll be heading to the dairy across the road to get milk after they wake from their nap!

xxx

Bright!

Day 65
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

So much can change in 3 weeks!

I feel like I've been dropping the ball a bit on blogging, and just posting my picture of the day...lazy anyone?!

Anyways, I didn't post at all during our 3 week holiday in New Zealand, so here goes:

We had an AWESOME time!!! It was SO nice to have more adults than babies, and my Mum was fantastic and hardly let anyone else even change a nappy! We didn't really *do* a lot, although we did manage a trip to the beach (a 1.5 hour drive away), half a day at two different zoos, two overnight trips to Auckland (we were staying in Hamilton), a visit to the Hamilton Gardens and Parana Park. It was so cool being able to introduce Kason & Cohen to a lot of our friends and family and everyone was so excited to see them.

While we were there, the boys started to, fairly reliably, sleep through the night. It's such a great thing, and it's easier to deal with whatever they might throw my way during the day when I'm not so tired...now I just need to learn to go to bed before 11:30pm!

They also started eating three meals a day, and they are l.o.v.i.n.g. it - Kason especially. Although Cohen isn't too far behind K on the eating front, but his favourite thing in the world is yoghurt. He would, quite happily, eat only yoghurt if he could. Doesn't matter what flavour it is, as long as it's yoghurt, he'll eat it! Kason doesn't really seem to have a favourite, but he super enjoys banana and apple & pear.

Two other, BIG, things are: they both started sitting up by themselves without falling over...and...they both got their two front (bottom) teeth! Cohen had one day when he was grizzly and then had an hour of crying (very unusual) before bedtime, he then slept all night and the next morning he had two teeth! Kason was fine and he woke up with one tooth. A couple of days later, he had a night when he would only sleep if he was being cuddled - he flat out refused to be put in his cot - he had his second tooth by morning :-)
My parents have a swimming pool, and both the boys loved swimming! Santa brought them an early present each - a swim ring - so we, of course, had to test them out!

One day, my Mum and I went out for lunch, leaving Simon and my Dad at home with Cohen and Kason. We came home an hour or so later to Dad hammering away in the shed...he had decided that the boys needed a trolley! It didn't take him long to build, and I was surprised at how much fun K&C had being pulled around the lawn in it. Cohen even went around the block in it with Nana & Grumps and Fonzie (the dog) when Simon and I took Kason out on his own.

A day or two before we left for NZ, Kason started rolling onto his tummy from his back and it didn't take him long to master that skill! Luckily Mum & Dad had two cots because Kase was squirming around so much at night that he would wake Cohen up, who would then wake Kase up! Cohen rolled onto his tummy for the first time the day before we left NZ. He doesn't do it anywhere near as often as Kason does though, he is quite happy to get to where he wants to be by commando crawling.

The flights themselves were FAN-TASTIC!!! The only time either of them cried was when we arrived back in Adelaide, waiting in the Customs queue. Kason cracked it!!! Simon had the luggage trolley which was packed so high with four suitcases, laptop, two baby bags and two carseats that he couldn't see where he was going, and I had the boys in their umbrella strollers, which I had put the connectors on. I had to take Kase out to calm him down somewhat, and trying to steer two umbrella strollers with one hand while holding a rather upset 7-month old wasn't the easiest thing in the world. Thankfully there was a lovely couple behind us and the lady offered to push the strollers, containing Cohen!, for us until we got to the front of the queue, where we were ushered down the fastest Customs queue - we only had to walk past the detector dog - no x-raying of our mountain of bags. The flight arrived in early and I was worried that our pre-booked shuttle wouldn't be there, but he was :-) I think we were back home before the flight was originally due in!

We had a great time, but it's good to be back home and back in our routine now. Mum has already booked her flight over for Cohen & Kason's first birthday in May!

xxx

Day 64

Day 64
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

I love looking at this tree from our living room window, especially as the daylight starts to fade.

xxx

Water Baby!

Day 63
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Progress already!

Day 62
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

I FINALLY got around to putting some water in the paddling pool for the boys today - they. loved. it.!

Simon doesn't start work until 5:30pm on Fridays so we usually spend the day hanging out as a family. Today, though, my Mums & Bubs group had organised a lunch as our first get together of the year, so Kason, Cohen & I went to that for a couple of hours. It was so great to catch up with everyone again - all the babies have grown SO much! Anyways, while we were out, Simon cleared out the spare room and tidied up the walk-in-robe in there. It looks great! This afternoon he went out and bought the computer desk we had chosen (it wasn't in store when we went to get it the other day) and it's now all set up. We still have a lot to do in there, but now that it's all cleaned up, it will be much easier :-)

Feeling good today!
xxx

Plans

Day 61
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

I cracked out my sax today, thinking the boys might like the sounds...apparently not! Kason was ok with it, although it gave him a fright at the start, but Cohen...not so much - he flipped out! He would drop his bottom lip, wait a few seconds and then start to bawl!!! Needless to say, the sax got put away fairly quickly! Hopefully he will grow to like it a bit more...or at least not be scared of it.

I have a few plans in the works at the moment. Nothing big really, just a knitting project which I've started (only just, but at least it's started!), I want to get six more rag quilts sewn, and we are changing up our spare room. For most of last year, we had it just with my dressing table and the air mattress as we had guests for a lot of the second half of the year. After each person left, there wasn't much point in deflating it and putting it away as there would be someone else coming in a few weeks. Anyways, our plans at that moment are to make it more into a computer room/playroom, but so that there is still room to fit the air mattress in when it's needed. We might get a sofa bed to have in there...haven't decided on that one yet. We're hoping to get it done by the end of January but we'll see!

xxx

Queensland Floods

The TV has been on the ABC News channel all day...watching the devastation of the Queensland Floods. It is just awful, and my heart goes out to everyone affected. It all just seems so surreal. I can't imagine it, but I'm seeing it (albeit on TV).

My two brothers live in the Gold Coast in Queensland. One (J) works in Brisbane city, the other (H) works inland, about halfway between the Gold Coast and Brisbane. J was sent home on Monday afternoon and he isn't expecting to be able to go back until mid next week at the earliest. H can't get to work. He has to cross a ford to get there, and it's too high, his truck can't get over it. I hate to imagine what damage has been done to his place of work - a creek runs right through it.

The stories which are coming out of Queensland and devastating, heartbreaking and heartwarming. The damage, loss and devestation are just unreal, but the spirit of the people there is so beautiful and inspiring. Many of these people have lost so much but they are all banding together to help one another out.

xxx

Day 60

Day 60
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Cohen & Kason are now sitting so well by themselves! They get frustrated though, because they haven't figured out how to purposefully get onto their tummies or backs from there.

xxx

Drama...I'm over it.

Day 59
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos
This is Cohen...he fell asleep here in the 2 seconds it took me to put Kason on the floor after their feed! He obviously didn't stay asleep, as I picked him up and put him on the floor with his brother.

Today, I feel like I've been all over the show. I didn't get much sleep last night (or the night before)...nothing to do with The Littles - they are pretty much sleeping through...I was just mega uncomfortable, it was hot and I just couldn't sleep. I ended up having a cold shower at 2am to try to cool down!

Then, during the day, I got two separate emails from two separate people I have 'delicate' relationships with. Both of them require equally delicate responses which my brain just isn't capable of composing tonight. Unfortunately, one of the people will take that (no immediate responses) the wrong way and everything will get worse...again. I'm just so incredibly over unneccesary drama, it does my head in. And lack of sleep just magnifies it all.

My fav Christmas gift

Day 58
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

This is what Kason & Cohen gave their Daddy for Christmas! As a dance teacher, Simon wears shirts to work everyday, and only has two pairs of cufflinks (which happen to be exactly the same...long story!). I saw a company advertised which makes jewellery with kids' fingerprints, hand-and-foot-prints etc., and I couldn't pass it up! They turned out so super cute, and Simon loves them!!! The cool part is that The Littles actually pressed their fingers into the actual cufflink, it's not taken from a mould.

xxx

Colour

Day 57
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Sharing

Day 56
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Kason & Cohen are definitely interacting much more now, it's so cool to watch :-)

xxx

Day 55

Day 55
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Cohen, on the plane coming back to Australia, showing off his two new teeth he got just in time for Christmas! Kason also got two for Christmas, but isn't so forthcoming in showing them off.

xxx

2011!

Day 54
Originally uploaded by Road2Chaos

Happy 2011!!!

Wow! What a year 2010 was!! The first half was, minus the move from New Zealand to Adelaide, fairly quiet. The second half, however, was the polar opposite with the arrival of our beautiful twin boys, life in the NICU for 4 weeks, then being home with them. We also managed to squeeze in a long weekend up in the Gold Coast, then 3 weeks in New Zealand, as well as entertaining five guests (at separate times) who each stayed for between 5 nights and 4 weeks.

We don't have many goals for 2011 - mostly just to survive and to be the best parents we can be!

While we were away, I even managed to keep up with my 365 Project and have uploaded all the pics on my flickr account. I won't post them all on here, but this is one from our last day in NZ. My Dad built Kason and Cohen a trolley, and they absolutely LOVED riding around in it!!! I think I might have to get Simon to make them one...

Better go and get their dinner ready now - they are on 3 solid meals a day, and just loving it. Kason likes his food a bit more than Cohen does - Cohen prefers it if he can feed himself. Cohen's favourites are yoghurt, any flavour, and avocado. Kason's favs are apple & pear and banana! I think they only eat their veges because they know what they will get afterwards - fruit and/or yoghurt!

xxx