The Duo- 4 months

The twins turned 4 months old on 1/13. I keep saying this, but it is flying by. I think it is flying faster due to the fact that I am working and the days are usually over before I even feel like I have my act together.

This month they celebrated Christmas, attended the funeral of their last living great grandpa, started going to the sitter with Clark everyday, moved up to size two diapers, welcomed 2012, and many more exciting and not so exciting milestones.

Think they have changed?

Without further ado, here are their 4 month stats:

Weights: (as of 1/19/12)
Shepard- 13 lbs. 12 oz. (5.1 at birth)
Sara Kate- 13 lbs. 14 oz. (5.11 at birth)

Lengths: (as of 1/19/12)
Shepard: 24.5 inches (up from 17 at birth)
Sara Kate: 24.5 inches (up from 18 at birth)

Diaper Size:
Shepard: Size 2
Sara Kate: Size 2

Clothing Size:
Shepard: 3-6 month and 6 months.
Sara Kate: mostly 6 months and some 3-6
.
Sleep:
NEWSFLASH!!! Last night they slept 11  hours!!!
They are great little sleepers. (knock on wood) They have learned to sleep longer stretches at night and take good naps during the day. We are still swaddling them and they are still sleeping in their Rock and Play Sleepers beside our bed. We have not made the transition to the cribs yet mostly because their cribs are upstairs and we are lazy. ha! We enjoy being able to feed, change and put them back in bed without getting out of ours. Also Shepard is such a little paci lover. If his paci falls out at night he loses his mind. I have slept many nights lately with my hand on his paci keeping it in his mouth. We usually feed them between 8:30-9:30 at night and Sara Kate will sleep until we wake her at 5:30 to eat before I get ready for work. Shepard on the other hand usually eats one extra time in between there at least 3 times a week. Sara Kate LOVES to nap in the swing and Shepard prefers to nap in his Rock and Play or anytime anyone holds him.


Eating: (no real change since last month)
They have still not had any formula. They are doing wonderfully nursing- much better than I ever thought we would do. I have been pumping two times during the day at work and feeding them as soon as I get home. Still eating on schedule every three hours. I am thinking they eat about 4-5 ounces each time, because that is what satisfies them when I pump and give them bottles. Everyday that we make it nursing I feel like it is a small victory and we  made it another month!!!
If I'm keeping it real, I do feel like my life revolves around when someone else has to eat. My brain is always checking the clock to make sure it is not time to feed someone. I am either nursing, pumping or thinking about when it is time to do one or the other. I also know that this stage will be over before I know it and I am going to keep it up for as long as I can.  I know my friends are tired of hearing me talk about it, but it does consume my life right now and if I talk about it too much I am so sorry.


Shepard:
This little guy has been developing quite the personality. We have just been enjoying his smile and the beginnings of what we think is a laugh. He is long and lean like his daddy and just looks cuter everyday. He is still very laid back, loves to sleep and is getting much better at sitting in his Bumbo. He is VERY chatty and makes all kinds of fun noises to remind us that he is in the room.

Sara Kate:
Sweet SK is getting bigger everyday! She is very much like her momma and is in no way long or lean. ;) She has lots and lots of rolls and one would think she weighs more than her brother just by looks alone, but they are almost identical in height and weight. She is a Bumbo lady and loves anything that helps her sit up and take in all the action. She is not much for lying down. She continues her love affair with the swing. I am starting to think it is because she can see the TV. She really likes it when I watch ET or Extra. She loves keeping up with the celebrity gossip!

 On Thursday of this week we went to see Dr. Warner for their 4 month well visit. They both checked out great. He said they look to be teething and that would explain the snotty noses, chewing on hands ALL.THE.TIME, and such. We will also be waiting about a month or so to try rice cereal based on his recommendation. We will also be trying some baby oil for the funk (cradle cap) on SK's head. The bows are no longer covering it! ha! So we are going to work on that. Dr. W (who has twins too) was very impressed with their growth and this momma LOVES getting a good report! Hopefully we don't need to go back until the 6 month checkup!

We even took some pictures and played on Instagram while we waited to see the doctor:

Can't wait to see what this month has in store for us. Rolling over? Teeth? Longer stretches of sleep? We shall see. We have survived 4 months and are looking forward to more. 

Can I Follow You? Should I Bring Back Teacher Talk?

I am just full of questions this afternoon!
First-Do you Pin? Do you Instagram? Well I have become quite addicted to both since having the twins. I have both apps on my phone and I play on them while I am feeding the babies or while I am locked in the bathroom pumping at school. I know I need to be reading books or doing something much more intellectual with my time, but I can't stop.

 I have found so many good ideas on Pineterest and I LOVE being able to pin things I find online, or on your blogs that I want to try "one day". I have become quite obsessed with Instagram because it is a space where I can post photos without overloading my Facebook newsfeed with hundreds of pictures of my sweet kiddos and is great when I have a picture I want to share but just don't have enough time to blog.

So my question is, Are you on these sites? If so, do share your info so I can follow you!!! I also have quite a few new blog followers (HELLO! Thanks for reading!!) and I would love to follow your blog if I am not already a follower so share that too. Please leave me a comment or email with your information for any or all of these things if you pin, if or blog so I can add you to  my lists.

In case you are interested in following me on either my Instagram account name is snyderstories- it is private, but if you ask I'll add you- you know if you need to see MORE pictures of my kids!ha!! If you are interested in following me on Pinterest click on the button to the right of this post. If you are not following my blog- you should be! :) Please take time to do that too!

 On another note- Anyone interested in me bringing back Teacher Talk Thursday?? Before the pregnancy I was trying to do a weekly or biweekly teacher link up and I would LOVE to do it again if there is still interest.  If you would like for me to start that back up let me know. Do you have any topics or ideas for themes let me know that too! Anything school related that you would like me to share and have a linky party for? Classroom Schedules? Management Techniques? Sub Planning? Valentine's Day Ideas? Technology Ideas? What would you like to read about or what would you like to share?

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend!
Can't wait to hear from ya'll.

Snow Day #1

Friday we got to have our first SNOW DAY of the year. Last year we had plenty of snow days and Clark and I usually spent them in our jammies by the fire just enjoying it. You can read about a few of those days HERE, HERE OR HERE. This year was our first snow day where it wasn't just the two of us and the first snow day in our new house. Clark was pretty excited about the snow this year and even more excited that his buddy Jack came over for a snow day play date! I was excited that this snow day fell on the Friday before MLK Jr. day giving us a four day weekend! yahoo!

There was not much snow and it was bitterly cold, so we did not stay out long. Just long enough to enjoy it. We probably spent more time suiting the boys up and cleaning up the mess afterwards than they actually spent outside, but it was a fun time and I am looking forward to the next one. (Yes- I said it. I LOVE snow days. Many of my teacher friends do not because those days get tacked on to the end of the year but I'll take any day off I can get January or May). Here are some pictures from Snow Day #1.

C and Jack.

Clark in his clubhouse.

Sweet Jack.

The slide was a big hit!

As you can see we just had a dusting of snow. We are pretty excited for a "real" snow with sledding and snow balls and all that jazz. But this was a good start.

Poor Shepard.

I am a little conflicted about this post as I feel like it will look like I have neglected one of my children.(well, not really but I don't want him to read this one day and think he was neglected. ha!) Yesterday Clark had a fun morning date with his daddy to Lowe's and Sara Kate and I had a GNO to an author meet and greet at a local bookstore and poor Shep got no one on one time. Don't worry little buddy- you will get your turn, promise. :)

So to start out the day Stuart and Clark hit up our local Lowe's store for a build and grow clinic. I signed them up for it about a month ago and Clark was very excited and has been talking about it ever since. I was a little worried it would be too hard because the recommended age for the project was grades 1-5 and Clark is 3, but we gave it a go anyhow. So glad we did because Stuart said Clark LOVED it and it sounds like they had a really good time. He came home and told me all about it and he was so proud of his work. It is super cute! He made a little wooden castle with a working drawbridge AND he got a FREE apron, hammer, certificate and patch. Yes, a patch. Every clinic he goes to he gets a little patch for his apron. How cute is that?! I will be sewing that on today because it is so cute.  I loved that they got to spend time together and maybe, just maybe Stuart will learn a few things and become a handy man...what do you think? Doubtful,but still cute that they loved it so much. They are going back in a few weeks to build a dinosaur and I do hope that this clinic lives up to Clark's expectations because he is PUMPED for it. He asked this morning if they were going today. How cute is he? I am also so proud of Stuart for taking pictures of the event since I stayed home with the duo even though I contemplated loading everyone in the car just so I could play my usual role of paparazzi, but considered it was 17 degrees outside and thought better of it. I love the pictures he took. So cute and did I mention these events are all FREE!

Love him and that super cute mini hammer.

Yes, of course I made him put the apron on and hold the certificate for a quick photo op.

Proud boy and his finished product!

Last night after the big Lowe's event Sara Kate and I had a date night too! We went to Lexington with my dear friend Ginny to one of my favorite places- Joesph Beth Bookstore. We went to see one of her friends from high school who wrote a book called The Queen Of Kentucky and was having a meet and greet with her book. We had a great time in and I must say it was a little strange to be out with just one of them. I am not used to only having ONE baby to look after and take care of. I was totally out of my element and when people would ask how old she was, or comment on how cute she was I felt the need to tell everyone she was a twin and we left brother at home. Not sure why, or that anyone cared but it was just a little strange for me to only have one. Otherwise, I enjoyed myself very much and now I am totally looking forward to finishing the book. It is a young adult novel about a 14 year old girl growing up in KY and her life as she transitions into high school. I came home and read the first 3 chapters last night. It is just darling, I am loving the main character and I can't wait to finish it. If you have middle or high school girls it would be a perfect read for you and for them. I have a feeling I will be recommending it to everyone I know with girls. Of course Sara Kate and I got our copy autographed,  but you can order yours on Amazon or if you are local they have it at Joe Beth.

SK and Ginny. (sorry about the drool Gin.)

So no, Shepard did not get a night out or even a trip to Lowe's, but I am planning on doing a little shopping today using some gift cards from Christmas and maybe I will take him along so he does not feel left out! ;) We had a great Saturday and the best part is we have two days of weekend left!! Today and NO SCHOOL on Monday. Who knows, I may even work on getting the duo out of our room and into their cribs...maybe!

Christmas Catch Up.

Yes, it is mid- January. Yes, I know most readers are wayyyyy over Christmas posts, but I am having a hard time blogging about anything else until I post at least a few pictures and thoughts from this Christmas. I am so behind on blogging and today is a snow day so I am hoping for a chance to play catch up.  I have so many things in my camera and in my head that I want to blog about, but when I get home from work every night it is the last thing on my mind. So after all those excuses let's recap Christmas.

This Christmas was extra special because it was our first Christmas as a family of 5. We did so many special things, started so many new traditions and just enjoyed the holiday season. It was our best Christmas yet because Clark was way into it all. He loved his Elf on The Shelf, he loved learning about baby Jesus, he loved all of the Christmas movies on TV (that we still watch daily thanks to DVR), he loved meeting Santa, he loved making cookies, he loved getting cards in the mail everyday- he truly is my son. I have ALWAYS loved everything about Christmas and this year it was so much fun to see him enjoy it possibly even more than I do.

My sweeties on Christmas Eve.

Making cookies for the big guy,

Just feeding the reindeer.

My sweet boy after church on Christmas Eve.

A Birthday cake for Jesus.

Reading The Night Before  Christmas with my nephew Kaden.

This year we did not travel any place for Christmas. I guess when you have three kids 3 and under 3 people come to you! We hosted Christmas this year for both of our families. My parents, brother, sister and her boys came to our house for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. We enjoyed all kinds of things with them like Christmas Eve service at church, a birthday cake for Jesus, putting out reindeer food, waiting for Santa, Christmas morning breakfast, and Christmas Day dinner. I enjoyed having everyone here. We did things like eat in our dining room for the very first time and use our electric knife for the very first time- it was a wedding gift nearly 7 years ago and I took the plastic off of it to cut my very first ham! Big times around here! :)

Somebody must have been a good boy this year.

These guys must have been good too!

Way excited about his gifts from Santa.

Wait... Is that mamaw under there?

Christmas morning pjs! Soooooo cute.

My dad using our knife- 1st time= big deal...

SK and one of her new dolls.

Sword fighting in the living room. You know- a normal Christmas activity right?!



Clark and Uncle Lance on the hunt for the "Fluffy White Catty".
(this is the white cat that sits in front of our house and torments Barney)


The day after Christmas, Stuart's mom, dad and brother came to our house and we celebrated Christmas number two. We enjoyed a lunch and gift exchange with them. It really was so nice to be in our home and not have to worry about getting everyone packed up and out the door.

Clark and Grandpa Snyder amongst the toys.

Clark and Grammy reading a book.

Trying to see just how many new toys he can play with at once!

I could go on and on about every detail of the two weeks I was off school and all of the adventures we took , all of the sweet snuggles I got from all of my babies, all of the Christmas tree staring I did, all of the Christmas like activities we got to do, but like I said it is mid January and my mind is going one hundred directions so I think the pictures will tell the story. Now I can at least say I documented Christmas- even if it is the shortened, condensed version.

There you have it a few pictures from a Snyder Christmas. It did really happen!I only took about 1,000- so I'll spare you the rest.