Newspaper

Today the boys were in the newspaper, their birth announcement came out and they had a mention in the baby section of the hospital too. I love how the announcement worked out, the graphic people did a great job doing what I wanted them to do.

{this moment}

A Friday ritual Inspired by SouleMama

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

Amanda created 'This Moment' 5 years ago and decided that it's time to move on, with the birth of my boys it was difficult to choose that last moment before moving on, so I choose three of my special moments of this week.

Niklas

Jacob

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see      

Garden Update May 27th

adding raised beds at the back of the garden

peas

onions & salad

beans

berry bushes

diapers drying outside

potato coming out

strawberries

currents

cabbage & kohlrabi

bell peppers

herbs & blueberry

tomato plants

herbs

Since coming out of hospital I have not done anything in the garden, things are growing though and that is the main point. I would love to go out for a bit to do some weeding but A0 it's way too cold at the moment b) I don't have the energy right now and c) I am pretty busy with the twins. Everyday things go a little bit better and I think in a week or two I will be up to some garden work again. Let's hope the weeds have not taken completely over by then. 

Things are progressing in the garden nevertheless, the berries are full & I am looking forward to harvesting them soon. I have already harvested some rhubarb and onions too (those onions planted in the fall). I am in desperate need for some rain (and some sun too) to help the garden grow (and I could take the boys out with me more easily to get some work done)

We are home

few hours old

still knackered from the operation

going home

24 hours old

Niklas Wolfgang

Jacob Alexander

On May 13th Niklas Wolfgang & Jacob Alexander arrived in this world via c-section at 8:49am & 8:50am. I had never planned on a c-section, instead I envisioned a natural birth in the bath tub. Both my doctor and midwife supported a natural birth, even though it was twins but 2 weeks prior to delivery those plans went out of the window. Baby A (now known as Niklas) was facing down as always and growing nicely, Baby B (now known as Jacob) had turned and was now facing heads up, usually not a problem and I could have still attempted a natural birth but Jacob also put on lot's of weight and had a massive head according to the US, one of those would normally lead to a complicated birth, with all three of those factors I was told that the chances were pretty high that Niklas would come out now problem & Jacob would get stuck in the best case scenario and would rip of his umbilical cord in the worst case scenario.

The c-section was unspectacular. I was able to hear and see what was going on & was talking to the delivery & anesthetic team while being cut open. Soon I heard a cry and Niklas was born, and a minute later I hear Jacob. I held Niklas straight afterwards and had tears in my eyes. We went back to our room and I was able to hold the two for the first time. Niklas was already sucking on my breast and Jacob was contend in my arm. I was blissfully happy. 

Niklas and Jacob are both quite content and happy babies. Niklas is quiet, an easy nurser, he get's up approx every 4 hours and then goes back to sleep. Nursing him comes natural, he is a pro at it. He loves his cuddles and is very content. Jacob struggles with nursing or better struggles with latching on properly. He still needs lot's of help from with it but we are getting there. He is more active then his brother, loves to be hold & always wants to be close to his mom. He often tries to stay awake despite it being obvious that he is very tired. Still he too is a very content and easy baby. 

I managed to slowly & painfully waddle around on Friday morning after the c-section but it got better over night & I am up and about since Saturday. I stayed in hospital for a week and went home on Wednesday 20th. 

My days so far are full of feeding & rocking the babies, feeling sleep deprived on some days and not on others. Being a single mom of twins is exhausting, especially the early days. Add to that my two dogs and I am surprised I have not yet gone mental. I am worried that they not get enough milk, that I don't get enough rest, which is needed to recover from the c-section. There are moments when it get's too much and I feel like crying and then I look at the two little miracles and know it's all worth it. I already love the two of them so much, it's incredible. There are days when I feel very lucky despite being tired, I am lucky they are both healthy, I am lucky because most of the time they do sleep about 4 hours a piece, I am lucky because they are easy babies.
The dogs are getting used to the babies and I need to ensure that they too get their time with me, to prevent jealousy. They spend their time between me and my mom's right now, deciding where they want to go or if they want to stay in the garden, which Lily does a lot.

Well before the twins wake up again, I better stop writing and get some rest too.

 

Twins

On May 13th Niklas Wolfgang & Jacob Alexander arrived in this world. Both mom and babies doing well and enjoying getting to know each other

Garden Update May 12th

tomato plants

peas

onions

onions and strawberries

salad

setting up some of the raise beds

kohlrabi

cabbage

berry bushes

rhubarb

potato and beans in the ground

I love the middle of May, slowly but surely the garden takes form and everything turns green. The last week has been pretty busy, as I wanted to get certain things done before the babies are coming. I have started to work on the raised beds and set up the first two, so that I was able to plant red & white cabbage and red & white Kohlrabi, with those in the ground, I can relax for a few days before the cucumber plants need to go in. I have also planted 3 rows of beans and a 4th one is on it's way. The peas are coming a long nicely and I can see the first carrots tops barely peeking out. I have harvested lettuce, onions and herbs already from the garden, to have a salad with my dinner most of last week. I also harvested the first rhubarb on the weekend and made a lovely cake. 
I also planted some flowers as I have some root vole in the garden, that ate a lot of my flowers, I hope the combination of garlic and mint will keep them away now as I am so tired of the hundreds of holes that are in my garden, but fingers crossed, no new holes have appeared for 5 days now... 

What is going on in your garden?

{this moment}

A Friday ritual Inspired by SouleMama

A single photo – no words – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember

 

If you’re inspired to do the same, leave a link to your ‘moment’ in the comments for all to find and see      

Garden Update May 6th

setting up raised beds

Despite my lack of mobility the garden is slowly taking shape right now. Due to mainly the bad weather in March, I feel like I am a few weeks behind but it seems like every gardener is feeling that way this year. 

Since my last update, 2 rows of carrots and a row of peas, as well as 4 rows of potatoes have gone in the ground. I have planted more lettuce that is already coming out and I have had twice fresh lettuce from the garden this week. My radish are coming out as well and the pepper plants are now outside under the hoop to harden off. My tomato seedlings are a bust more or less and I need to buy some plants from the nursery. I will harvest the first rhubarb this weekend and make a pie, for which I am very much looking forward.

For the rest of this week, I hope to get the beans in the ground as well as finishing setting up the new raised beds, so that I can plant some cabbage and kohlrabi in them, before the last of the carrots and cucumbers go in the ground, plus more lettuce.