Mad About Multiples!

Our Semi-Annual Photography Fundraiser

It's that time of the year again...time to start thinking about back-to-school photos and holiday cards. We're fast approaching the end of September and Fall is in the air. With that comes one of the club's most popular activities - the family photography fundraiser!

I've participated in this event each year since it started, in the Fall. It's one of those activities that made me feel lucky to be part of this club. The way it works is the club gets a professional photographer to spend 20-30 minutes with each of several families for one day, usually at a park. It's up to the family as to whether they would like photos of just the kids or the whole family. I have always used this event to get our family portrait done so I could get started on putting together our holiday cards. If I'm organized, I can get my holiday cards out by late October or early November. Imagine that!

Mark Your Calendars for the Gemini Crickets Fall Garage Sale - Saturday, October 11th 8:30-11:30am

On Saturday, October 11th, Gemini Crickets will be holding its annual Fall Garage Sale. We have two of these each year and it is a great place to find excellent deals on baby and kid items - clothes, equipment, bedding, toys, you name it. If you are expecting twins (or more...or less!), or if you have babies or kids, this sale is for you!

Come join us at:
Campbell Community Church
860 Harriet Ave, Campbell, CA
Saturday, October 11th, 8:30am - 11:30am

Note that this is a location change from our past garage sales and will be part of Campbell's Citywide Garage Sale.

** This is a PUBLIC event - You do NOT have to be a Gemini Crickets member to buy items at this garage sale. There is no entrance fee.

Open Garage Day - We will also be holding a private philanthropy event following the garage sale, called our "Open Garage Day," which is a free equipment and clothing event for families of multiples who are in our philanthropy program - these are needy families of multiples who desperately need our help. All philanthropy families are found though reputable channels. Read about Gemini Crickets Philanthropy Program here. Sellers in the garage sale are welcome to donate items to the Open Garage Day event and will receive a tax receipt for any donations made. *Please donate clean clothing and working toys only. Try to have your items pre-sorted by sex, type (shoes, pants, shirts), and size.

Original Mad About Multiples post.

My First Day Alone with the Twins

After the twins were born, I was lucky enough to have my husband home for one month.  I thought for sure that would be plenty of time for me to get into a routine and be totally comfortable taking care of both babies by myself once he had to go back to work.  Boy, was I wrong!  I was so nervous the week leading up to him going back.  In fact, I was dreading it.  Yes, I had my family five minutes away and they reassured me that they would be there to help whenever I needed it.  But just knowing my husband wasn't going to be there and that I would have to start thinking about doing the night feedings more often so he could get some rest for work made me exhausted.  I suddenly envied all the families that had nannies and/or night nurses.  That's OK, I told myself.  I will survive my first day solo with the babies!

Her First Taste of Sand

Well, it had to happen someday. Grass, sand, rocks, dirt – all of these things would one day make its way into my babies’ mouths at some point. Today was as good a day as any. And "K" ate sand with such exuberance and style, I couldn’t help but snap a few photos.

Most babies, I’m sure, start slowly and carefully. The texture of the sand on their fingers and hands is a new feeling to be explored and savored. Well, "K" did that….and more. She liked the feeling so much, she thought it would be best felt inside her mouth. Hmmmmm…

Sure, she carefully placed a few grains on her fingertips first. But pretty soon thereafter, she thought that if a little was OK, then a LOT must be great. Before I knew it, she opened wide and dove into the sand. Her mouth was filled with the gravelly stuff. And as if that wasn’t enough, she started pushing whatever didn’t make it in the first mouthful, that is, whatever was left on her hands and lips – into her mouth! Ugh!

The First Preschool Field Trip for the Twins

My boy-girl twins are now in pre-kindergarten. It is their last year of preschool. But today I've been thinking about some firsts in their preschool days. One pretty big milestone that I remember was their first ever preschool field trip that took place last spring. In the days and weeks leading up to it, I really thought this was going to be no big deal - well, it was a big milestone, but I honestly didn't think they would have any problems with it. From the photos, it looks like they had a great time, but...

Let me take you through the morning.

My First Day Out With My Baby Girls

This was a very important day for my fellow mommy friend, Cathy, and me. It was the day we proved to ourselves that we could do it. We could take the girls out on our own with no husband, no other adult support - just us and the girls. Our girls were one month old. Her baby daughter was only 2 days older than my twinfants. It was the first time I ventured out alone with the girls for an outing. Sure, we’d done some errands here and there. But actually hangin’ out somewhere without my husband?

Cathy and I decided to go out to lunch, after the main lunch hour. We weren’t really sure what to expect with the girls…would they cry? Scream? Both Cathy and I were already over the nursing in public jitters. Neither of us had any qualms about pulling out a breast when our babies needed it – whenever and wherever we were. Of course, we completely understood that there are still many people out there who would feel very uncomfortable if confronted with such a scene. So, we had our blankets ready, not for us but for them. Silly, but oh well.

The First Time I Didn't Log a Poop!

It all started with a single entry: Baby A 2:21pm 1 ounce consumed.

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and things were ramping up ever so slightly. Baby A 1:20am 4 ounces, 5am 4 ounces, 8am 2 ounces, 9:15am 3.5 ounces and so on. Baby B 1:30am 4 ounces, 3:30am 4 ounces, 6:15am another 4 ounces and so on. Thus, on that particular day in late November 2004, I can tell you that my newborn twins had consumed over 24 ounces each and had nursed a meager 30 and 40 minutes, respectively. We changed a combined 12 wet diapers and 2 poopy diapers. I pumped at 1am, 5:30am, 10am, 4pm and 7:15pm.

Are you dizzy yet?

Writing Motherhood: First Words and Other Firsts

Today, we at Mad About Multiples will be joining a circle of other bloggers as we explore Writing Motherhood via the writing prompt: First Words and Other Firsts. We'll be throwing up posts throughout the day, so check back often for our take on firsts. If you have a twins-related "first" you'd like to share, please feel free leave a comment.

“First Words and Other Firsts: Open any baby diary and you will find whole pages devoted to firsts: first smile, first words, first friends, first birthday. Why are firsts so significant? Because they represent a beginning. Because they push us beyond what is familiar and comfortable. Because they jolt us out of the numbness or everyday life and bring us back to our primitive selves when we saw a world through a child’s eyes. Keeping in mind that first experiences do not end with babyhood, write about a first: the first day of kindergarten, the first day of college, the first grandchild. Or simply begin with the writing start “the first time” and write down the first thing that comes to mind.” 

The Constant Equalizer

Remember when you first knew you were expecting twins, one of your major worries was "Am I going to have to buy TWO of everything?" followed quickly by well, an endless list of other concerns. Then after attending your first New & Expectant Parents meeting at your local moms of multiples club, you realize you don't need two of everything. In fact, you'll probably set up an entertainment circuit of sorts that your babies will alternate through to accommodate their endless changes of moods. If happy baby in the swing gets bored and starts crying, you move her to the playmat with lots of hanging animals and curious rattles. Sad baby in bouncing chair? Move him to the swing...and so on and so forth.

BUT, what you don't really talk about in those meetings is that as your twins (or more!) get older, you develop an oversensitivity to equalizing everything between (or among) your kids...in a sometimes illogical, impractical way. Just the other day, the strap on the sandal of one of my twin's shoes broke. So, I headed to the store to purchase a new pair. As I spent far more time than necessary deciding which style to get, my mind wandered to which ones my other twin daughter would like. Waitaminute...her sandals are just fine. She doesn't need a new pair. BUT.

{Winners!} In honor of our equipment meeting, it's GIVEAWAY time!

Congratulations to our first winner, Lizzy, and to our second winner, Jane-Rachel!

Confused by the dizzying array of baby gear designed to facilitate the task of raising newborn or infant multiples? Well, we at Mad About Multiples would like to start you off with a couple of products we think will make caring for your multiples a little easier. Yes, that's right, it's GIVEAWAY time once again, and so in honor of our club's very popular Equipment Meeting on September 9th, we'll be giving away two sets of fabulous prizes!

The two sets will include:

Recent Events for Gemini Crickets

If you're a member of Gemini Crickets Parents of Multiples of Silicon Valley, you have no doubt taken part in some of the great events we have had lately:

Field Trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo:
This morning was a field trip to the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. From their website: The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo is a kid's place to think, create and play. All Junior Museum and Zoo exhibits allow children to become physically involved and immerse themselves in the essence of life, to poke, to prod, to pull, to pick up, and to smell. The Zoo is home to more than 50 exotic and native animals, of which at least half are brought into classrooms as part of the Junior Museum and Zoo's science outreach program with local schools. Some of the animals include bobcats, raccoons, jungle bats, hedgehogs, ferrets, snakes, and an owl. 

I went with my 4.5 year old twins and my 2 year old. (My parents came along as well, although it is such a small place, that I could have easily managed it on my own - after all, I took all 3 kids on my own to Children's Fairyland in Oakland a couple of weeks ago and it was just fine.) There were many sets of twins there from Gemini Crickets and even a set of cute baby triplets! What fun! These two cuties wore their Gemini Crickets t-shirts to show off.

Dad's Panel at the New & Expectant Parent (NEP) Meeting:
This is always a lively meeting and this year it did not disappoint! We had three panelists - Dads to 10-month-old-twins, 16-month-old twins and 7-month-old twins (plus a 3-year-old). Christine from the NEP team provides the following summary: The attendees (a group of 25-30) had a lot of good questions--some were around scheduling (should you keep them on the same schedule and how do you do it), feeding the babies (breastfeeding, bottles, etc and how the dads can help when moms are breastfeeding), questions on what the first few months were like, & how to give older kids attention with twin babies at home. A quick highlight of some of the tips that seemed to resonate well with the Dads in the panel were:

• Accept all the help that is offered to you!  Don't turn down any help!
• Outsource wherever possible (house cleaning, self prep dinners, gardner, night nurse)
• Get the babies on the same schedule.  The Panel suggested to wake the other baby when one baby is awake.
• Make changes related to older children before the babies come--such as changing rooms, starting school or day care (so the older child does not associate it with the babies' arrival and can get adjusted to the change)
• Listen to the Dads—they are trying to help!  When they say to take a nap and they will care for the babies, take advantage of the time and take a nap!! 
• Ultimately, do what works for you and your family—it is different for everyone and can involve trial and error to figure out what will work best for you!! 

There is a full list (8 pages!) of the Dad's Tips from this meeting, available to Gemini Crickets members on Big Tent. If you are not a Gemini Crickets member and would like to join, click here to learn more.

Movie Nights to Mama Mia and Sex in the City:

Akemi reports: Ok, so the parking at Santana Row is awful most summer evenings, but after I finally found a place to park, I was happy to be mingling with Gemini Crickets moms and their friends and friends-of-friends. When I arrived, Carla, our movie night planner, was busy greeting everyone as they settled in for drinks under a canopy of oak trees at El Jardin Tequila Bar. We had just enough time to savor our drinks and some appetizers before heading for the movies. At the Sex and the City showing, I didn't talk much, but I enjoyed the night immensely. If not for these movie nights, I don't think I'd ever put aside the time to go out to the movies. Now I can proudly say that I've been to TWO movies this year. That's a huge accomplishment for a mom of twins!

Bocce Ball Social:

Co-President Sally reports: We had a great turn out at our Bocce Ball kick-off social with about 55 members attending, the majority bringing along their partners which is always fun. After a few drinks at the bar & plenty of socializing, the Bocce Ball staff gave us some instruction on how to play the game. Before we could get started, the food was served so we all tucked in to some delicious calamari, bruschetta & anti pasti. The pizzas were devoured and, as is always the case, there were not enough desserts! We took over four courts and all had a very entertaining time, some taking the game more seriously than others...guys!

A sample of our upcoming events include:

• New & Expectant Parents Meeting on Equipment on Tuesday, September 9th at 6:15pm at Saratoga Library - NOTE: prospective members are always welcome to join this meeting for free. Babies are welcome and dinner will be served!
• General Meeting on "Creating Resilient Families" (by Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet from Parents Place on Tuesday, September 9th at 7:30 pm at Saratoga Library
• Fall Family Picnic on September 21st (this is a members-only event - be sure to RSVP today, if you haven't already)

If you're not a member yet, join us today! Even if you can't make events easily (hey, we know how it is!), there is a great support system and network on our Big Tent group. Forum discussions, playgroups, newsletter articles and used clothing and equipment sales are just a few of the other benefits of membership with Gemini Crickets.

What to buy for those babies?! - Join Gemini Crickets' New & Expectant Parents Meeting on Equipment next Tuesday Sept 9th

Infant car seat or convertible?  Tandem or side-by-side stroller?  Which type of bottle?  Which high chairs?   

With so many products and choices on the market these days, preparing for multiples can be a dizzying experience. Come join us to discuss equipment used during the first year. Better yet, come and kick the tires - various equipment will be on hand for attendees to try out.

Amy M., one of Gemini Crickets' fantastic New and Expectant Parent Liaisons, joins us today to talk about our upcoming New & Expectant Parents Meeting on Equipment next Tuesday, September 9th.

When I was newly pregnant, I had visions of wearing my baby:  around the house, around the neighborhood, around town.  Me and the baby, snug as a bug.  And then at week 12, I went in for the Nuchal Translucency Screening Test.  That is when we found out we were having TWO babies, not one, as we had been previously told.  All my visions of Mommy and Me Pilates classes went *poof*.  And wearing the babies?  That was the last thing on my mind.  I was suddenly

Choose a Favorite!

NOTE: This post is to be taken in jest...

It's hard to raise twins. Everyone wants the same toy. Everyone wants to be first. We spend so much of our time trying to encourage fairness and sharing while at the same time promoting each twin's sense of individuality, yada yada. As busy parents, we have limited resources in terms of time and energy. Splitting up those limited resources between twins is draining, to say the least. What's a parent of twins to do?

Choose a favorite! Read on to learn how...

Back to School for Twins - Some Samples from the Blogosphere

Here's a round-up of some great posts by twin moms around the blogosphere whose twins are headed back to school.

• Beth from Silicon Valley Moms Blog and Techmamas does a faux pas at her twins' Kindergarten social
• Pamela's Twins and Multiples Blog at About.com prepares for things to be different as her twin daughters are separated in school for the first time in the 8th grade
• Threeundertwo from Lit and Laundry and How Do You Do It? tells her readers why she kept her twins together in school
• Sherry from Type-A Mom shudders at paying tuition times two for preschool

Go hit the books blogs!

Slowing down as we head back to (co-op) school

Often I hear about summer ending, school starting again and moms having more time to themselves as a result, since their kids having been home all summer long. My family has chosen to be involved in a parent participation (co-op) preschool. And this year, I am a "triple parent," having all 3 kids in the school. I will be working 2 and sometimes 3 days per week in their classroom. This is how the classroom duties line up: my 4.5 year old twins will be in their class 4 afternoons a week (I have to work in the classroom 2 of those days - usually it is only once a week, but having twins....it is double the work for this mommy!) and my 2-year-old will in a 1 day a week class, in which I have to work once every other week in the classroom.

This might seem crazy or stressful -