My little twin’s sleep patterns continue to amaze me.

Last night they very courteously were in their cribs at 8pm and slept there, together, until 3am. Then I was able to feed them tandem, diaper them, and chuck them back in their cribs by 3:30am. The next one didn’t wake again until 6:30am.

Unlike the first two kids, the twins must be put down. I can’t walk around holding both all day like I used to. And you know what? Babies can be put down! In swings, in bouncy chairs, in car seats, on play mats, and even laying on your bed watching the ceiling fan…

Ceiling Fans are Mesmerizing

For the first time in over 2 months I woke up in my own bed instead of on the couch with one or more babies sleeping on top of me. At 5:45am, when Ben woke up and crawled in. He fell right back asleep in my arms and it was lovely to be able to give him some of the attention he has been craving so badly since the twins were born.

I’m a happy mom this morning. Let’s hope it lasts. It’s a half day for Kristen and Bubbie is at the hospital with Grandpa Bill so I’m on my own this afternoon. Calisoff kids be kind to me today!

Whenever you have two of something, you can’t help but compare. I hear over and over again from people with twins how their kids are opposites, like two halves of a whole.

Who are you, little dude?

Every day I stare at these little creatures that have blessed our lives and think, “Who are you?”

Sam is proving to be quite a strong character. His wide forehead and full sweeping hairline have earned him the nickname “The Politician”. He is always hungry. When I mix formula for the two boys I double the amount for Sam. He’ll finish it all off in a few seconds. Often I see him with clenched fists, fidgeting erratically. Adam says when he cries it sounds like someone is sawing his arm off. I have a feeling he will be a very feisty personality. Lord help me!

Aaron on the other hand has a small, delicate little face. His forehead is framed with a widows peak. I hardly see him clench his hands into fists, instead they look like they are doing tai chi, slowly moving in the air with a calm, steady rhythm.  When he cries he sounds like a baby lamb, and often he can sooth himself without help. Will his brother overshadow him in the future, I wonder?

Sam is always happy after he feeds! (Yes, that's a milk beard)

Nothing is more rewarding after 6 weeks of staying up all night with nothing to show but a cranky attitude and a garbage can full of dirty diapers then seeing your baby’s first smile. Finally some response that you are doing a bang up job!

Aaron - a bit more demure, but still smiling!

Both Sam and Aaron gave me wonderful smiles this week, right when all the books say the first smile should show up.

Which reminds me of all the other things I should be doing for them, like tummy time. I should find the play mat and get it out for them to start trying to reach things.

And this reminds me of all the other things I should be doing for the older boys, like redoing their closets, packing up the long sleeves and pants in favor of summer clothes.

But all that can wait. This is my mother’s last day in Chicago. My last day to dump the twins on her so I can rest. This morning I sent the older boys out with the sitter for the morning to play at the park. Right now I need to lay down and get as much sleep as I can! So good night … until tomorrow.

The week since my last doctors appointment for the twins has been a long one.

At my last appointment the babies were under their original birth weight.

So I started to supplement Sam with formula. I would try to breast feed them both then just top Sam up with 2 ounces of formula if he still seemed fussy. I was amazed how much of that stuff Sam would suck down. Aaron, on the other hand, refused the bottle all together.

At night I would give Sam one four ounce bottle of formula at the beginning of the night, and I would feed Aaron both breasts to try to fill him up as much as possible. I was hoping this would lengthen their sleep.

The past four nights Sam has had between a 5 and 8 hour stretch of sleep after his big formula feed. Aaron has had the occasional 5 hour stretch, but mostly it’s still every 3 hours. The main problem with the different schedules is that, as a result, I’m up basically all night feeding them at different times.

For example, last night after their 9pm feed, Aaron was up for feedings at 12am, 3am, and 6am. Sam didn’t wake for a feed until 1am, then 4am and 7am.

Now I’m trying to get Aaron to take one bottle at night. If I could get them both on a longer stretch my life would hopefully become a little less hazy during the days. I went out and bought a new brand of bottle, hoping this one will suit Aaron better. I’m going to try to feed him with pumped breast milk first, maybe that will help.

My doctor says to wake the other one up to feed when you feed the first one, but I’m finding it hard to do that at night. Seems like you might ruin any chance you have of them naturally lengthening their sleep?

The good news is that the boys weighted in this week well. Sam was 7 pounds 11 ounces, up an entire pound from last week. Aaron was 7 pounds 6 ounces (up from 6 pounds 11 ounces).

I’ve started a slippery slope in the past few days. I’ve started using formula with Sam. It seems to be the only thing that calms him down. Putting him on the boob doesn’t seem to satisfy him. Sometimes he’ll fuss until the next feed. He’ll fidget little jerky movements, cry or suck on a pacifier and refuse to sleep.

Aaron on the other hand, continues to feed exclusively from the breast, every 2 and 1/2 or 3 hours and fall asleep easily without much assistance. Occasionally he’ll take a pacifier.

Now that I’ve started with formula, I’m not sure what the best way to use it.

Should I keep Aaron exclusively breast fed? Or should I split the breast milk as equally as I can between the two kids?

Today Sam and Aaron saw their pediatrician.

We discovered the dark bruises on Aaron’s hand and foot are Mongolian spots. They are common among people of Asian descent. Jack had one on his butt when he was born that eventually went away.

Mongolian Spots

Sam weighed in at 6 pounds 11 ounces, down 6% from his birth weight of 7 pounds 2 ounces.

Aaron was also 6 pounds 11 ounce, down 2% from his birth weight of 6 pounds 13 ounces.

I was disappointed, especially by Sam’s weight. With Jack and Ben, the one week appointment with the pediatrician was a testament of how ready my body was to support another life. They both weighed in above their birth weights.

Since my milk came in, I haven’t given Aaron any formula. He feeds every 2 and 1/2 to 3 hours, falls asleep easily and hardly ever fusses.

Sam, on the other hand, seems to need a top up, just a couple ounces, of formula every now and then. Like every other day or so. Leading up to the point where I break down and use formula, Sam is increasingly fussy and spastic. Once I give him formula, or the magic sauce as I like to call it, he calms immediately. But until I saw his weight today, I wasn’t convinced I should use formula on him.

I thought, if I use formula, he’ll get used to it and my body won’t produce enough for him. The past two days I was able to pump an extra 10 ounces out. Surely the milk is there, he just needs to work harder?

The pediatrician had to talk to me about not trying to be super mom. Which is too bad, because I already had a color scheme for my cape picked out. White and brown, to cover the spit up and poop. Also because I’m like a milking cow right now!

He also said not to let them sleep on you all night like I’ve been doing. Try each time to put them in the crib. And so it starts. Right from birth, the slow, painful separation that will culminate at 18 years of age.

Today was the eighth day of Sam and Aaron’s life. For a boy raised in a Jewish house, it can only mean one thing. Circumcision.

Bris for Sam and Aaron

Family and friends gather to witness this important rite of passage.

It’s also completely nerve racking to watch. It reminds me of watching a horror film. When the main character decides to check out the basement and the eerie music is playing in the background. You want to yell out, “Don’t go into the basement!” Yet, they keep going, heading to their demise. Everyone sitting in the theater knows it, yet the person on the screen is oblivious.

You feel terrible knowing you are handing over your son to be cut, and even worse that they have no idea it’s coming.

I cried, I sweat, I shook. Having witnessed Jack and Ben’s didn’t desensitize me at all. The Mohel gave the boys sugar water before hand. We had the ceremony, which consisted of lighting candles, handing the baby around, showing them Elijah’s chair, blessing the wine and bread. Both boys cried out for a few seconds when they were snipped. Afterwards they were given a bit of kosher wine.

Then we sang and ate.

All I kept thinking was, “I’m so glad I’ll never have to do it again.”

Sam on the left, Aaron on the right

Last night around 10pm I felt a sharp pain in my uterus, almost like something dropped down. Adam was on the phone to Hong Kong telling them he would stay up late to finish the documents they were discussing. Then he looked over at me and hung up the phone.

“You are doing the labor dance. It’s time to go to the hospital.” He said.

I was standing by the couch, grasping it with my hands, bent over and wiggling my hips back and forth. Once again I was confused if I was actually in labor, since it wasn’t what the books described, bands of tightnening starting in the lower back and proceeding to the front of your belly. This was almost like one continuous pain that started at 10pm out of no where and didn’t stop. It certainly didn’t have the 10 minute regularity I was told to look for.

Thank goodness Adam recognized the signs.

We called our regular sitter and found out she was 10 minutes from our house at the L stop.

We were able to get to the hospital by 11pm.

I was already 7 cm dilated when we arrived. By the time they checked me into a room I was screaming bloody murder for the epidural.

Epidural bliss arrived by 11:30.

Next they wheeled me to the operating room, where they require you deliver twins.

The doctor on call said he could feel the head and this would be easy. They would break my water and after a few pushes, Twin A would be out.

Adam and Jack with Sam

I pushed for over an hour. They also hooked me up to oxytocin to increase the speed of my contractions. The doctor tried feeling the head to see if it was in the wrong position but couldn’t tell. He also couldn’t manuever it. He said it was too far up to use foreceps.

Pretty soon we were talking about the c-section again. It was just like when we tried with Jack. He was facing down, but not budging. After 10 more minutes of pushing, we decided on surgery.

Samuel Evan Calisoff (aka twin A) was born at 2:21am May 3rd. He was 7 pounds and 2 ounces and measured 20 inches.

Ben holding Aaron

Aaron Mark Calisoff (aka twin B) was born at 2:22am May 3rd. He was 6 pounds and 13 ounces and measured 19 and 1/2 inches.

Both boys were healthy, but after delivery I developed a slight temperature. They called it Chorio Amnionitis. I was given a round of antibiotics. The twins were also given a round of antibiotics, even though they didn’t have a fever, as a precaution.

The boys look very similar and I’m still not sure if they are fraternal or identical, but I’m leaning towards fraternal at this point. When Ben came out he looked very similar to Jack but they rapidly distiguished themselves.