Happy Birthday Jude Isabella and Zoe Ella – you are 1 year old!!!

Today Zoe and Jude turn 1 year old.  Today over coffee we were reminiscing over what we were doing 1 year ago today.  Hard to believe that 1 year ago today Josh and I were anxiously awaiting their pending arrival at 10:45 and 10:47 am.  So much of this year has been a blur, and yet so much is burned in my memory.  Some days we are still coming to grips with being parents, and now we are parents to 1 year-olds—funny how life works.  I am not really one to live in the past and I can honestly say although I feel a twinge of sadness that they are less baby, I am glad we made it to this point healthy and happy.  I look forward to the future because they just get more and more fun.  As I think back to this past year, many thoughts come to mind.  I thought I would share a few of them below in no specific order.  I could write a book:

• The three days we spent in the hospital was one of the most precious times for Josh and I ever.  We didn’t have to think about anything but our sweet babies (and sleeping) and were so taken care of by that great staff.  We felt such a closeness and comfort as a family as we just stared at them for hours.  Josh changed every diaper in the hospital as I focused on breastfeeding and recovering.  I still think of that short time when the world stopped and it makes me tear up even now.  Where many want to get home as soon as possible, we could have stayed there another week where someone brought us meals, answered questions, and provided great support so we could just focus entirely on this new, awesome experience of parenthood.  It was the great start that we needed as new parents.
• I remember coming home around 5 pm on their fourth day.  This is my least favorite time of day, and the stress of driving such tiny bodies in these big carseats for only 2 blocks was almost unbearable.  We got in the house, ordered Papa John’s, and I proceeded to cry as the panic set in that we were on our own.  I was scared to death.  At that point they weighed 4 lbs 9 oz and 4 lbs 14.5 oz.  Josh didn’t cry but shared a similar experience as we looked at each other and just hugged.  Then we took a deep breath and got to work.
• I remember sitting in the nursery holding them at 5 days old when I heard my mom arrive and run up the stairs.  She was so excited and it was so wonderful to have her here for two weeks to help us.  It was the support we needed. 
• A day later Josh’s mom and dad came in, soon followed by my father.  How wonderful to have all grandparents make a visit within their first days. 
• At 2.5 weeks old we had to say goodbye to my parents and Josh had been back to work for a week.  I don’t remember much about the next 6 weeks from there because frankly, we were in survival mode and it was pretty bad.  I remember calling Josh home from work early at least a couple of days.  We were literally getting no more than 2 hours sleep straight at any time of day.  I never knew the power of sleep deprivation and now I understand why it has been used for torture.  Most days were spent crying – the three of us.  Someone always hungry or wanting to be held and screaming while I worked with her sister.  I took turns wearing them in a wrap, but they didn’t like the twin hold so someone was always left out.  These by far for me were the hardest days for me.  From a biological standpoint, I didn’t expect to feel the way I did when my babies cried.  It still, to this day, puts a knot in my throat.  Luckily, it is easy to distinguish a certain temper cry now, which doesn’t make me feel as bad! 
• My friend Laura set up a schedule of helpers to come in and out for a few weeks…it was so thoughtful of her and so many jumped right in!  THANK YOU
• Thank goodness for my next door neighbor Summer.  Her daughter Ellie is 2.5 months younger and we hang out a lot!  I don’t know what I would have done without her support and friendship throughout this year.
• Jude had colic, and for the first 3 months Josh or I would pace the floor or bounce on the exercise ball with her, starting around 6 or 7 pm until 12 or 1 am before we got her to a consistently calm state.  Luckily she outgrew it by then.
• At the beginning of April my savior came in disguise as Matt Maletz, Josh’s brother.  Josh’s mom came for 2 weeks to visit and instead of returning with her, Matt offered to stay and help me with Zoe and Jude.  He stayed with us until Memorial Day-almost 2 months!  He watched videos with me on how to sooth and burp babies, took walks with us, and basically did everything I asked of him….changed diapers, bounced babies, took Bo to the dog park, cooked dinner, and so much more.  I called him nanny Matt.  And I got used to asking him to do a lot.  He never once complained even though I know I must have gotten on his nerves, sometimes telling him how to do something or hold a baby if I wasn’t satisfied with his technique.  It was a difficult time for me, as I wanted to do it all myself but I had to realize that it was better that a baby wasn’t sitting alone.  I will be forever grateful to Matt and I guarantee I didn’t thank him enough or appreciate him enough until after the house with silent again with his departure.  He made a huge sacrifice for us.
• I am grateful to being able to call my sister and sister-in-law to cry and complain when I needed someone to tell me it will get better…heh heh.
• Except for highway traveling, the girls screamed in the car from start to finish until 4 months old.  We didn’t make it a habit to go out much beyond walks in the park.
• I remember from just weeks old Jude LOVED to be pulled to a standing position and was so mighty.  I think the colic helped her tummy muscles grow super strong.
• We made our first successful cross-country trip when they were 7.5 weeks old.  My mom and I took the train out and Josh and I drove back.  It was a success!
• From about 12 weeks to about 4.5 months Zoe and Jude took a consistent 3 hour nap from 9 am – 12 noon in their swings.  We loved those swings!  It was awesome while it lasted.
• At 4 months old the girls and I were diagnosed with H1N1 – Josh never got it so we assume he is one of the lucky ones with immunity.  Took Zoe to ER with 105 degree temperature…the scariest moment this year.
• Somewhere between 6-8 months I accidentally let Jude roll off a bench in the mall while changing her diaper.  She was fine – not even a bump or bruise – but I freaked!
• 5-7 months were tough months during the day because the girls wanted to be active but could only do so much, so they were very frustrated all day long.
• At 7.5 months Zoe started sleeping consistently through the night.
• At 10 months Jude started sleeping consistently through the night.
• Breastfeeding stopped at 10 months, but it was a journey man!  I never felt in love with breastfeeding the way some women describe.  I was happy to do it for them, although pumping was a pain, and I felt a little guilty not making it to a year, but that feeling left me easily after a couple weeks.  Zoe was never a problem until right before she weaned (the biting), Jude was a constant battle of nursing strikes, distractibility, bottle preference, etc.  But we did it!
• I remember the first time I came in the nursery and saw Jude standing up in the crib – I remember the chill that went down my back. J
• I remember both times vividly when the girls each crawled and pulled up by themselves—although that now seems so long ago.  Specifically I remember when Zoe could finally sit on her own…I was so happy for her and she was so proud.
• More than individual milestones such as rolling, crawling, walking, etc, I remember how they have figured out how to grab things with their fingers, play patty cake, figure out how a toy worked after having it for months, etc.  I love the little moments of babbling and watching them interact…one favorite is them playing peek-a-boo with each other and giggling.
• Loved when we started feeding them cereal and now food is one of my most difficult challenges.  They have some issues with textures fed from a spoon and eat painfully slow when they eat only finger food.  The pressure is on for me to step it up in getting this figured out as well figuring out transitioning from the bottle to sippy cups.  Fun times.
• I remember the doctor appt at 9 mos when Jude had fallen off of her weight curve…up until that point she had been doing great.  She has a tiny build though and evidently a very high metabolism.  The girl drinks 24+ ounces of formula a day and eats 3 meals and 3 snacks.  I wish I could do that!  I have high hopes that we will land back on track on Friday at our 12 month.  She has always been alert and happy, and she walked at 9 months, so most likely she will just be of tiny frame but we will be keeping an eye on her.
• Zoe is a toy stealer…and watching her is kind of a crack up.  She is also a total goofball and a smart little dickens…before she does something bully-like she looks to make sure I am watching and then lets out this big grin.
• Jude is sooooo lovable.  And could sit and read books all day if I was willing – I do as much as I can…heh heh.
• They love Blues Clues, and incidentally, so do I!
• We drove to Chicago for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  And we just completed our first flights to Chicago last week.  These girls are great travelers!
• We won’t soon forget the many, many nights we have rocked these darlings to sleep.  Now we take a few minutes to rock and give Eskimo kisses and they go to bed on their own, chatting a while before going to sleep.
• First teeth for Jude finally came at 10 months old.  Zoe just broke a couple through on March 4^th.
• We tried early on to set a schedule with twins…it didn’t work and I adjusted to their demands.  Now we are on a schedule…they just needed to get a little older I guess.
• I will forever be obsessed with sleep, specifically nap patterns, with these girls.  I have read almost every book out there.  Josh and I are terrible sleepers, and I am determined to do everything I can to help them be good at this.
• I love when they get excited to see each other after they both wake from naps.
• I love that first peep in the morning when Jude wakes up and then tries to wake up Zoe by saying “Hi” a hundred times.  Jude ALWAYS wakes first.
• I love watching Josh with the girls…he is a great dad now of course but his shining time is in the future…I know it…they are going to be inseparable. 

 

I could keep writing but these were just the initial stream of conscious thoughts that come to mind right now, and this blog will serve one of its purposes when I go to finally fill in those baby books!  What an amazing first year we have had.  I feel so close to my little girls, and they are growing up so fast.  They have unique little personalities now and it is so awesome to get to be their mom.  Josh was just saying last night that they were really “something else.”  They have really touched us beyond words. 

 

We look forward to a lot of new adventures this year.  I have already witnessed a brief preview of tantrums, talking, wanting to help put on their clothes, walking, etc.  I have a feeling this will be a very fast year.  Thank you to all of you who have followed Zoe and Jude this year.  Please check out some pictures taken yesterday and today at www.maletz.smugmug.com in the recent picture gallery and a short video below.  Love to you all, Betsy (Zoe & Jude)

Advertisement