A Day in the Life of Bowey & Gabriella

Bowey & Gabriella joined our family on Christmas Eve night.

For Christmas Natalee requested twins - a boy and a girl - and she was pretty specific about wanting to be able to tell who was the boy and who was the girl when she undressed them to change them.  Santa delivered and Natalee's aunties (and a couple raids of my "baby supply stash) helped her accessorize these little beauties.  

They *are* anatomically correct, as proved when my dad, on Christmas morn, was helping her change the boy and he got him stripped, only to proclaim, "why, this is indeed a BOY DOLL."  Sure enough. 

Nannie had a friend & co-worker make darling cloth diapers for the babies - and boy did Kristina go over the top.  These diapers are BEAUTIFUL!  They are all lined - both sides on most of the dipes having printed fabric.  The insides are all soft soft fleece.  The kids can easily get them on and off thanks to the velcro fasteners and they fit great.  Natalee delights in getting out her stash of 6 every morning and choosing what the boy and girl are going to wear!  Since we are planning to cloth diaper with our #3 this was too perfect!

I'd say her favorites are the baseballs and the ladybugs, however she rotates them pretty well and really loves them all.  Sometimes the babies have to be changed more than once a day just to get a fresh diaper.

(Bowey on the left, Gabriella on the right)

Usually Bowey & Gabriella's morning starts with a change from PJ's to real clothes, fresh diapers, bottles, and some play time.  Natalee can usually rope Xavier into helping with this routine unless he's already engaged in something more important.  If he helps he always cares for Bowey because, in his words, "I know more about penises that Natalee." 

 

 

Their day varies depending on what we are doing, however they stay pretty active.  At night we do the whole clothes change again - getting back into PJ's with another diaper and a bottle.  So far, mom's had to be fairly active in helping with clothes, although the kids are getting better.  Preemie clothes fit the babies well and Aunt Kea gave Natalee 3 piece winter outfits for both of them that are darling.  It's just tough to get their not-so-bendy arms into the sleeps, etc.

Aunt Kea also gave Natalee a pack with disposable diapers, which have been fun to try out, and big baby bottles.  Bowey drinks milk and Gabriella drinks orange juice because she's lactose intolerant (he he he).

(Mike and I gave her the high chair for Christmas.  Mike was going to make one but we got this one for a steal of a price and it's sturdy and darling!).

Aunt Kea also found Natalee a sling on Etsy, and though she wasn't sure about it at first, after I got my Didy wrap and she saw my excitement she's understood her sling a bit more.  This morning both of them needed wraps so Xavier borrowed my ring sling and then tried out Natalee's pouch sling when she was done.

Granny & Papa chose a double stroller for Natalee's babies - this pic was taken the other day but the stroller is pretty sweet all in it's own.

So you see - we stay pretty busy with these 2 new additions.  

It's a joy to watch my little girl be a little mama and answer her questions about baby care.  She dug through my baby basket and got out burp cloths...this morning she said she would need to look for some chewy toys so her babies didn't get bored.

And along the way, Xavier is getting some pretty good practice on being a big brother and, in turn, a little daddy.  He's actually probably the more gentle and attentive of babies in general.

Happy New Year, friends.  May your 2014 bring you THIS much joy!!