Life with Twins + 1: Long Overdue Update

So I don't know whether this blog continues to get any traffic, but it suddenly occurred to me that there should be an update of sorts.

Our twin boys Quinn and Liam were born at 30 weeks and 4 days (10 weeks early) on December 29th, 2014 after a very complicated pregnancy. I had TAPS (Twin Anemia-Polycythemia Sequence), which is a rare subset of Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome. This started developing at the 16 week mark of my twin pregnancy, and I was monitored fortnightly with ultrasounds until 24 weeks, then it was weekly, several times a week and DAILY by the end. I wasn't admitted early to hospital on bedrest purely because of 3 year-old Rowan at home. But I did spend half of my day at the hospital by the end of it.

Being a mother to premature twins was confronting and our boys spent 6 weeks (Quinn) and 10 weeks (Liam) in the NICU, followed by Special Care Nursery. Liam was diagnosed with Neonatal Chronic Lung Disease and spent eight months on home oxygen before being weaned from it in August 2015. Quinn suffered a minor brain bleed (IVH)  in the early days after birth but scans have showed that there is no longer any evidence of a bleed... phew!

Both boys are now 15 months old (12.5 months adjusted age) and are currently walking, learning to talk and being extremely cheeky to 5 year-old brother Rowan, who continues to adjust to his life being turned upside down by twin toddlers on a daily basis.

4 days before I delivered our twins (30 weeks exactly here)

Liam and Quinn shortly after birth, TAPS confirmed upon delivery via emergency c-section.

Leaving hospital for the last time, 10 weeks later!

3 months old (Liam is on the left in all pictures from here down)

6 months old

8 months old

10 months old

Happy 1st Birthday!

14 months old with big brother Rowan at Easter 2016

While I don't really update this blog regularly anymore (it was there for me back when I needed the outlet), I post regularly on Instagram as Aurian82. If by some chance you're reading this and want to connect, you can find me there. xx

When Toddlers Lash Out

I don't know how much longer we'll have before Rowan's cot needs to be turned into a toddler bed:

Yesterday was SUCH a tiring day. Seriously, I feel more exhausted than if I'd worked a full day with a preschool group. Rowan was absolutely on fire today with tantrums over nothing, his getting upset about not wanting to breastfeed (but being conflicted and having a meltdown because he said no and then couldn't make his mind up), and refusing a nap. He did perk up when going to a 2 hour staff meeting at my work tonight though (5pm-7pm... not an ideal time for a 2 year-old at the best of times, but he handled it like a champ).

The silly, 'naughty' behaviours (as in when he deliberately does the wrong thing) are extremely frustrating and I know it's all part of this age and stage but.... phew. I know we have it lucky and Rowan is usually pretty easy to reason with, and he does listen. But at the moment I feel as though I'm not doing a very good job of parenting him, when he's kicking and hitting at me I'm still trying to figure out whether to offer comfort or to move away and make sure there's a safe space around him to let him thrash it out.

Toddlers, huh? And to think that people often choose to have more than one child! ;P

Butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, right??

Rowan Turns 2!

Happy 2nd birthday to our big TWO year-old boy. He was so excited for his party and said "After sleep it Rowie birthday. Eat a cake at party! . Sure enough, there was cake and plenty of festivities. :)

Here are some pictures of the birthday boy:

Rowan playing with his birthday present from us, a wooden stove/food set.

Singing Happy Birthday and getting excited about "Hip hip hooray!"

My first attempt ever at making a shaped cake (I was really pleased with it too!).

Receiving a present from one of his friends (my Mum is the blonde-haired woman in the background, Dad to the right of her)

Being doted on by my parents.

It was a great day (lots of organisation required, but a successful one)

Pretty much the only picture of Rowan playing all day, he was so fast!

Our Christmases

We celebrated Christmas with my husband's family interstate this year (we do alternate years in Melbourne and Hobart, especially important now given that grandchildren are involved!), and it was a busy, whirlwind of an adventure filled with family, food and time spent in the inflatable pool that Rowan received. He was a tad overstimulated on the day, not thinking much of opening presents (though exclaiming with joy about clothing with tags on it!) and taking a couple of bites of Christmas lunch before turning it away and asking for strawberries. Very typical Rowan. 

Here are some pictures from our Christmases (the week before we celebrated with my family, who live in Melbourne)

Rowan with my Mum (his Nana)

He served himself up Christmas dinner with my family and was ever so proud!
(biscuits and dip) Needless to say, a plate of 'proper' dinner was also added to his tray.

He was absolutely ecstatic about getting his very own police car
(Rowan had been trying out the buttons on one for several weeks at a shop apparently)

Playing peekaboo games with my Dad.

This picture (and the ones following) were from our Hobart Christmas.
Rowan received an electric car which he had fun 'driving' all around the decking.

Bath time adventures (we don't have a bath at home, so this was a novelty)

Fun in the sun, in the pool. :)

Walking with Daddy on Christmas Eve in Richmond.

Drinking water out of a goblet on Christmas Day (before abandoning his dinner in favour of strawberries).

A family picture, also taken on Christmas Day.

Plane-spotting before it was time to leave Hobart.

How Quickly Times Change...

I took this picture of Rowan with Matt when he was six months old, and it's one of my very favourite pictures of the two of them. Here is an updated shower picture of them both, taken during the week:

Rowan is nearly 16 months old here.

Seeing this set makes me wish that I'd had the hindsight to have taken a much earlier shower photo of my boys (ie, with Rowan as a newborn), as it will make a gorgeous display someday if I continue taking these style of pictures every few months. We used a baby bath up until Rowan was about 5 months old, when he outgrew it and starting wriggling about too much. Since we don't have a bath in our apartment, straight to the shower it was!

P.S. - Click on the above pictures to see them larger (I promise you it's worth it!)

Oh, and if you made it this far, here's a little bonus picture:

(love me some baby butt!)