Day in the Life: 11 Months

Our Day in the Life series continues with Allison, her 11-month-old boy/girl twins and 9-year-old daughter.   

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Hey Everyone, I'm Allison! I was so excited when I was selected do the "Day in the Life" with my 11-month-olds for Twin Talk Blog... Then the nerves set in. Every month I read these posts and all the Moms seem like they have it all together. Most days I feel like we live in survival mode. We definitely do not have it all together! No two days are ever the same, but I hope to give you an idea of what a typical day is for our family while my husband and I both work full time.

Eric and I met in 2008 through some mutual friends. After dating a few years, we were married on April 16, 2011. Eric had a daughter who was five when we got married. She came to live with us full time in December 2011. We both knew we wanted more children, but never knew how long it would take. I was diagnosed with PCOS shortly after we were married. I started taking Metformin and was given a prescription Clomid for when we were ready to start trying. After four failed attempts with Clomid, the doctor told me our only option was a fertility specialist. His exact words to me were "I'm here for when you get pregnant, not to get you pregnant." I left his office in tears and never returned. We left it up to faith for a year then I decided I needed another doctor. Since Eric had been tested and was perfectly okay, I changed gynecologists to see if I had any other options before the expense of the fertility specialist. She scheduled me immediately for surgery to look for Endometriosis. On Sunday before my surgery I found out I was pregnant, without any medications.

Before our first appointment, there was the joke "What if it's twins?" Especially after my HCG levels almost tripled in just a few days. The financial person inside me immediately shut down the idea. We went in for our first appointment and heard the ultra sound tech say "Oh looks like twins" almost immediately. Oh my! Eric was on cloud nine! 

I had an easy pregnancy up until 28 weeks. My cervix started shortening, and Logan (Baby B) started losing fluid. I started taking Procardia every four hours. At my 35 week appointment, Logan had zero fluid in her sac. The doctor said her water had broken, but since she was Baby B I wouldn't have had a gush. I was sent straight to the hospital and induced. They gave me an epidural immediately fearing Logan wouldn't be able to handle labor with no fluid. Everything went beautifully. Colton Gage was born at 12:12 am weighing 5 lbs 10 oz and Logan Danielle was born at 12:30 am weighting 4 lbs 7 oz. We were extremely blessed to have zero NICU time. 

The Nike's Colton is wearing are Eric's when he was baby.

Eric works full time at a steel plant Monday-Thursday 7:30-5:30 and occasionally on Fridays. I work full time in the Trust Division of a local bank. My schedule is Monday - Friday 8:30- 4:45. We are very blessed to have my mother take care of the twins while we work. The twins have never had an official schedule, but they are pretty predictable. We have switched over to almost all real food, and working on getting off bottles. Here is our day this past Thursday.

1:27 am- Colton cries... He needs a bottle to sooth him back to sleep. Currently he sleeps with us, but most nights Eric ends up on the couch with him. He's been our most difficult to get to sleep though the night and in the crib. Plus, both babies have refused pacifiers since they were a month old. Eric gives him a 2oz bottle, as he does not need to eat, but be soothed back to sleep. He doesn't even finish the bottle. 

3:34 am- I hear Logan stirring on the monitor. I look at the camera. She's put herself back to sleep. 

5:50 am- Our alarm goes off. SNOOZE! 

5:59 am- Alarm goes off again. Eric gets up while I snooze again. 

6:08 am- Alarm goes off and I finally get up. Eric is finishing his shower while I let Oakley, the dog, out. 

6:14 am- I hear Colt up. He's in our bed. Eric gets him, changes his diaper and he plays in the bathroom floor while Eric gets ready and I'm taking a shower. Lucky for me its not a hair wash day or I wouldn't had been able to snooze the alarm as much. 

6:30 am- I wake up Skylar. She is in charge of getting herself completely ready for school, eating breakfast, and needs to be ready to walk out the door at 7:25. 

6:43 am- Colton has a poopy diaper. I change it and begin to get their bag ready for my mom's house. We usually take them to her house in there PJs then she changes them after breakfast. 

6:51 am- I give Colton an 8oz bottle. This bottle will usually last until we get to my mom's house. He plays in the floor with a few toys while I finish getting ready.

These two are under my feet the whole time I get ready.

6:55 am- Pack lunch for Skylar and me. 

7:00 am- Tell Eric goodbye as he leaves for work.

7:02 am- Skylar eats breakfast and I feed Oakley.

7:10 am- Get Skylar to finish up getting ready so we can actually leave on time while I put dinner in the slow cooker. We have something to do after work today, so I will not have time to cook. The slow cooker is definitely a life saver! 

Roast for Dinner!

7:15 am- Logan is still asleep. I have to wake up sleeping beauty most days. I change her diaper and give her an 8oz bottle. 

7:17 am- Time to brush the kiddos' teeth! 

She has crazy hair in the mornings.

7:20 am- I let Oakley out one last time before we gather everything to leave. 

7:24 am- COFFEE! I need it for the commute to work. 

7:27 am- I am finally able to load the car. I buckle one baby in the car while the other plays with toys under Skylar's watch. I call for her to come get in the car while I run in to get the other baby. Once both kids are buckled into the car, I run back to grab my bags, coffee and put Oakley in the crate.

7:33 am- It's finally time to leave- only a few minutes late. 

7:38 - 7:48 am- Sit in the school drop off line. The kiddos usually do well sitting still in line. Usually Logan is pretty "talkative" during this time, and Colton likes to play fetch his bottle. 

7:51 am- Arrive at Nana's house {my mom}. When we arrive, both kiddos have poopy diapers. Nana dives right into her Nana duties.

7:56 am- I run back home to grab something I forgot. We are lucky that school, Nana's, and our house is all in a 4 mile radius of each other. I typically forget something most mornings. The worst is when it's my cell phone, or I end up making more than one trip back home.  

8:06 am- Finally head to work

8:27 am- Arrive at my desk

Meanwhile at Nana's...

8:15- 8:45 am- They eat pancakes, mixed cereal and milk for breakfast

8:50 am- Change both kiddos into their clothes for the day. Colt is already pulling his socks off...

8:55- 9:30 am- Play time

Nana has to baby proof to keep them off and away from things.

9:28 am- Logan has a poop diaper

9:30 am-Nap time. Both kiddos go down with a 2 oz bottle, just until they fall asleep then it's taken away.

10:38 am- Logan stirs but goes right back to sleep;

11:16 am- Both kiddos wake and have diaper changes.

11:25 am- Nana brings out new toys! Lots of playtime. 

12:05 pm- Time to get in seats for lunch. They eat Mac & Cheese, green beans, apple sauce and water.

12:35 pm- Change Logan's poop diaper.

12:36 pm- Put Colt's socks back on. 

12:47 pm- Logan hits herself in the head with a new train toy. :-( 

1:00 pm- Playtime in the kitchen while Nana cleans up.

1:10 pm- Both kiddos wanted "Bas" so Nana gives them each a 2oz bottle to sip on. 

1:12 pm- Colt takes Logan's bottle and tries to drink both. 

1:20 pm- Logan has a poop diaper.

1:21 pm- Colt removes his socks again!

1:50 pm- Nana's in the floor playing with kiddos.

2:25 pm- Nana gives them each 2 oz bottles so hopefully they will fall asleep. 

2:35 pm- Colt is asleep.

3:00 pm- Logan is finally asleep.

3:15 pm- Colt wakes up and has a diaper change.

3:35 pm- Colt and Nana read a Mickey book while Logan sleeps. 

3:42 pm- Logan wakes up and diaper change.

3:50 pm- Snack Time: cheese, bologna, and crackers.

4:17 pm- The neighbor's grandchildren come over to play. 

Meanwhile with Mommy...

4:51 pm- Make it to my car. It's time to head to pick Skylar up from daycare. 

5:12 pm- Arrive at daycare and chat with a few of the moms while the girls come out. 

5:19 pm- Text Mom to let her know I'm on my way to get the kids. 

5:22 pm- Arrive at Nana's to pick up the kiddos. Both come running. It's my favorite part of the day!! 

5:39 pm- Leave Nana's house after saying goodbye to her neighbors and their grandchildren. It's time to head home.

5:47 pm- Arrive at home and Eric pulls in right behind me. It's perfect so he can help me carry in the kiddos while I let Oakley out. 

5:50 pm- Change clothes and catch up on our day.

6:00 pm- Skylar begins her homework while I get the kiddos ready for dinner. We have to leave shortly because Oakley has his  obedience class at the pet store tonight. 

6:05- 6:30 Everyone eats dinner and then Eric and I pick up while all three kiddos play together. 

This. Happens. Every. Time.

A Girl and her dog!

6:35 pm- We go ahead and put the kiddos in their pajamas since we are going to be out a little late. We bathe every other night, and tonight is not a bath night. 

7:00 Load everyone, dog included, into the car and head to the pet store.

7:30- 8:30 pm- Eric, Skylar, and the Kiddos run around the stores while I attend obedience class with Oakley. We are blessed with kiddos that do quite well in public. They love to people watch. 

Colt discovered his strength to push the cart. 

8:30 pm- Kiddos are loaded into their car seats and are immediately snoozing. Unfortunately, being working parents means we have things to do most evenings. Luckily our kiddos are night owls and do perfectly fine. Skylar typically has evening sports, but we are in off-season right now. 

8:54 pm- We arrive home. Skylar heads straight to the bath tub and the kiddos are laid down. Logan goes in her crib and is down for the night. Colt lays down on the couch since Eric and I aren't ready for bed. 

9:30 It's bed and TV time for Skylar. She gets 30 minutes set on her sleep timer. We say goodnight and put her to bed. 

10:20 pm- I get ready and head to bed. 

10:53 pm- Eric and Colt come to bed. 

11:27 pm- Logan stirs on the monitor, but puts herself back to sleep. 

I hope this has given you a good idea of our everyday life. Like I said, no two days are ever the same, but we are lucky to have kiddos that are laid back and go with the flow. 

Thanks so much for reading! 

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If you have a question for Allison, CLICK HERE to email her!  You can also follow along with her family on her personal blog: Chaos & Applesauce.