Twin update...3 weeks

Age: Birth age = 14 weeks old (Sunday). Corrected age = 3 weeks (Thursday)

Height/Weight: We will only be weighing them again on Monday 12th December when we take them for their next innoculations.  Hate this and I refuse to breastfeed again while they are getting their injections - too hard to see them screaming while trying to drink - I feel as if they must think I am hurting them! DH will take them in and I will comfort them afterwards. I can't wait to see how much weight they have gained.  Finn is getting so heavy, I am sure he is nearing the 5kg mark! He is growing out of newborn size nappies and I have moved him up to the next size already!

Developmental notes: They have definitely started engaging with us more - more eye contact and some little smiles which I am sure are not windy grins.  They respond when you talk to them. They have started looking at hands, and objects close by. It is fascinating to watch them develop and become more interactive. I can't wait for the gurgling chuckles and laughs...hugs, kisses and grins! If I stick my tongue out at them, it usually takes a little while and they also stick their tongues out trying to copy me - so cute.

Eating: Still eating well - all by bottle now and exclusively EBM except for 2 feeds per day which are formula. Even with Eglanol my milk supply hasn't increased by much - about 100mls or so.  I am starting to freeze 100 - 150mls per day now so I have a stockpile by the time I go back to work. I am not sure if I will continue pumping once I go back to work - I will see how it goes.  If I don't and we move to formula, then I will have "breastfed" for 6 months, so I feel great about that. I will try to express at least twice a day or breastfeed in the evenings, but I suspect my milk supply may dwindle with such little demand.  I also don't want to be taking eglanol forever...can't be good. Finn's latch is getting worse and worse and he can barely grab my nipple let alone get a proper latch to drink.  He really has become a bottle baby.  Rebecca loves comfort breastfeeding and roots whenever I hold her so I let her have little feeds here and there as top ups.

Sleep: Their sleep routines during the day change quite a bit. Somedays they feed and go to sleep like angels. Other days, one stays awake from one feed to the next. Rebecca doesn't like being put down in her cot to nap and loves being in the arms sometimes. Finn sometimes wakes up after 30 minutes and can't put himself back to sleep.  It is really is a "take one day at a time" situation. I am going to try a better daytime routine soon a la Gina Ford, but who knows how they will take to it.  I need to install a black out blind first. One the plus side, they are pretty good at nights from 11pm. They usually sleep until 2am or 3am and then until 5am or 6am.  Finn however groans and grunts and sometimes cries from 3 or 4am until the next feed so invariably I pick him up and he sleeps with me in bed. Sometimes though he thrashes around and is so loud, I do not get back to sleep. Eish.

Favorite Things: Being in our arms. Bathing. Eating. Kisses from mum and dad.

Dislikes: Being bitten by mozzies (poor tots have bites on their heads) - we need to cover them with netting from tonight!!!

Their Accomplishments:  They are still growing so beautifully and doing so well.

Our Accomplishments: As we get more familiar with them, it does get easier...but when they are both crying and have red eyes and real tears streaming down their faces and you are alone with them and don't know what to do to stop them it can get a bit scary still. I can see how in some ways it will become easier and easier and in other ways just different...we are a mom and dad now with two little ones and on a new incredible journey...one step at a time.

Looking forward to: Smiles and chuckles and gurgles.

Mommy musings: I am finding it fascinating looking at these precious creations and trying to work out which genetic features I can see from DH.  There is no doubt that these are his babies and Finn looks very much like daddy. I keep reminding myself that as their biological mom, I had a huge part in determining their genetic patterns - which ones switched on or off, and they grew from my blood and body. They come from four precious sources - biological genetic father, genetic donor, biological mother and of course their souls from the source and our soul group. I feel so completely connected to these little miracles.