1 Mom 1 Toddler Twin Babies and 24 Hours

Almost 2 years ago today I wrote a piece for my old site, Boy Crazy, about what 24 hours looked like in our house. Pretty much insanity, but also amazing. I will be doing this project again on Monday and thought it would be fun to look back to see what 1Mom 1 Toddler Twin Babies and 24 Hours looks like.

1 Mom 1 Toddler Twin Babies and 24 Hours

June 7,2011

The comment I receive the most is “I don’t know how you do it”. I am not going to lie. There are moments in the day where I am not sure if I am going to physically or emotionally make it through, but then another day passes, and we begin again. Here is a 24 hour window into our lives.
3am: Breastfeed Charlotte
3:30am: Dave feeds Luca (she takes one fortified bottle a day)
3:30am: Put Charlotte back in co-sleeper
3:30am: Pump
4am: Dave puts Luca in co-sleeper.
4am: Back to sleep
6:30am: Wake up to Charlotte’s new found voice. Open eyes and my two happy girls are looking at me.
7am: Hear Quinn waking up
7am: Go downstairs with girls. Dave gets Quinn out of his crib.
7:15am: Change Luca’s diaper and breastfeed her.
7:30am: Change Charlotte’s diaper and breastfeed her.
7:45am: Dave puts Luca down for nap.
7:45am: Make Quinn french toast, get Dave’s coffee going, finish my tea and eat PB and J on toast.
7:55am: Dave puts Charlotte down for nap.
8:10am: Take shower
8:25am: Charlotte wakes up. Take her downstairs.
8:35am: Dave leaves for work. Luca wakes up.
8:45am: Watch Chuggington and Handy Manny with Quinn.
9am: Breastfeed both girls. Email friends that I am leaving house at 9:30 for park.
9:15am: Get Luca into car seat preparing for our first solo trip to a park.
9:30am: Get Charlotte into car seat. Luca starts crying. Quinn purposefully singing loudly to wake girls.
9:45am: Still working on getting out of house. Quinn goes outside to play in our car. Finally get Luca asleep. Bring Luca out. Bring Charlotte out. Quinn keeps closing sliding van door on me as I am trying to get car seats in.
10am: Finally have everyone in. Off we go.
10:15am: Arrive at park. All are awake.
10:30am: Luca falls asleep. Breastfeed Charlotte while watching Quinn on playground.
11am: Breastfeed Luca. Quinn hungry- left all food at home. Thankful for friends with food for my kid!
11:25am: Head home. Desperately try to keep Quinn awake on way home. Damn, I think he fell asleep.
11:45am: Home. Neighbor helps me carry the girls in.
11:50am: Begin making lunch. Quinn plays with trains. Girls get antsy.
12pm: Quinn eats. I breastfeed Charlotte and Luca.
12:15pm: Nap for Charlotte and Luca.
12:40pm: Read books and put Quinn to bed.
12:45pm: Think to myself, “This is amazing! All of my kids are asleep!” Begin to make lunch and tea, then… Charlotte and Luca wake up. Quinn is screaming that he is not going to sleep.
1pm: Get Luca back to sleep. Hold Charlotte. Attempt to get my toddler back to nap (damn that sleep in the car!)
2pm: After many attempts I give up on nap.
2:15pm: My mom comes and saves me from Crazyville! Ok, more like joins me in Crazyville to help!
2:15pm: Luca wakes up.
2:30pm: Snack and my mom plays with Quinn.
2:30pm: Breastfeed Charlotte
2:45pm: Breastfeed Luca
3:15pm: Put girls down for nap.
3:45pm: Hear Charlotte waking (crappy nap day).
4pm: Luca wakes up.
4pm: Charlotte in seat. Luca in swing. Finish making dinner. Coconut crusted tilapia, rice and sauteed zuchinni.
4:30pm: Quinn starting to lose it due to no nap. Throwing things everywhere. Hit me in the head with a plastic horse. Multiple “take a breaks”. Counting the hours until bedtime.
4:45pm: Breastfeed a very exhausted Luca.
5pm: Breastfeed Charlotte
5:15pm: Dinner with Quinn while holding Charlotte. My mom holds Luca.
5:30pm: Put Luca into crib.
5:45pm: Attempt to put Charlotte in crib, but not successful.
5:45pm: Dessert for Quinn
6:15pm: Mom goes home.
6:30pm: Dave comes home.
6:30pm: Luca wakes up.
6:45pm: Everyone goes upstairs
6:45pm: Diapers, medicine and breastfeed Luca and Charlotte.
6:55pm: Dave gives Quinn a bath.
7:15pm: Dave reads to Quinn.
7:15pm: Charlotte into co-sleeper.
7:20pm: Go say goodnight to Quinn.
7:25pm: Back to Luca. Lay with her in bed and realize how many of these moments were stolen from us while they were in the NICU. Fall asleep for a few moments. Wake up to Quinn calling “Mama”.
7:40pm: Luca into crib.
7:40pm: One more goodnight to Quinn.
7:50pm: Check on girls and watch them sleep for a few moments.
8pm: Clean the kitchen. Dave eats dinner.
8:30pm: Watch last night’s Daily Show.
9:30pm: Go up to bed.
10pm: Alseep
12am: Breastfeed Charlotte
12:30am: Charlotte back to sleep.
3am: Luca wakes up. Dave bottle feeds Luca.
3:30am: Charlotte wakes up. Luca back to sleep. Breastfeed Charlotte.
4am: Charlotte back to sleep. Pump.
6am: Both girls awake.

And…start again!