The Bates Blog

Learning To Share

2009-03-08T11:29:00.003-04:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Charlotte, with crystal clear skies and temperatures in the mid 70s. What a perfect opportunity to spend some time with Mason, Ike and Simba outdoors enjoying the awesome spring weather. It's hard to believe that just one week ago we had 5 inches of snow and low temperatures in the teens. But I guess that's typical of March weather in the South. It reminds me of the weekend Brooks and I got married in March of 2003. Our wedding day was mostly sunny with highs in the low 70s. The next morning on the way to the airport for our honeymoon we experienced about a half an inch of snow.

As I mentioned, yesterday we were able to take advantage of the warm weather with the kids. We set up outside on a blanket in our front yard and then went on a long walk. I don't think Simba is in the best shape coming out of the winter because three times on our walk he plopped down in someone's yard and refused to continue.

Here is a video of Ike and Mason at play in our front yard.

The Art Of Sleepjumping

2009-03-05T19:50:00.004-05:00

Last night Ike showed off his new skill - crawling. Tonight, it was Mason's turn to join the talent show.

The jumpy-go has long been a favorite exercise for Mason, especially when she wants to burn off the high caloric intake from consuming so much Similac. Usually when Brooks and I put her in there she will bounce up and down for close to an hour and we'll have to take her out to give her a rest. But tonight I think she outdid herself. After about 45 minutes I stepped out of the bedroom (where the jumpy-go was set up) just for a minute or two and I came back in to find Mason dead asleep in the jumpy-go but still bouncing up and down, albeit at a slow and half-hearted pace. Wow. Talk about multi-tasking!

Here's the video evidence of her feat.

Ike's First Crawl!

2009-03-04T18:44:00.005-05:00

Today we are proud (and scared) to report that Ike made his first official crawl this morning. He'd been close to crawling for quite a while, but never could seem to get past the rocking in place phase or propelling himself backwards. This morning out of the blue when Brooks put him on the floor he just took off across the floor. Wow. It's almost like he went to bed last night reading a "How to crawl" book and just woke up and said to himself, "Okay, now I get it." Well, I guess Brooks and I are going to have our hands full for the next few months until he gets a hold of that "How to walk" book. Mason is not too far behind so we'll report back when she gets the hang of it.

Springing Into 2009

2009-01-17T14:54:00.007-05:00

Greetings again to anyone who has stayed loyal to the blog even though I haven't updated it in more than a month!! Sorry!!!

December was crazy with my job, an insane travel schedule, and of course the holidays -- and for some reason I just can't seem to find the time to sit down and make any updates. Plus, I've gotten sucked into Facebook and a lot of my Internet time has been cannibalized by this habit-forming social networking site. But don't get me wrong, there is a lot to update for Mason and Ike, as they have just passed the 6-month mark. This blog is back off life support so keep checking back frequently.

Back to Mason and Ike. They're doing everything that a normal 6-month-old does...and then some. They are rolling over with ease, sitting up, starting to crawl, laughing, sleeping better, eating solid foods and, of course, delivering some very potent poops. Their personalities are really starting to develop. Ike is the outspoken and volatile 'stuntman,' never at a loss for smiles, laughs, shrieks and cries and always trying to push his body to the brink of what is physically possible (and impossible) for a baby of his age to do. Naturally, his favorite activity is jumping up and down in the bouncey seat until we have to take him out to rest his legs. He's also mastered rolling over in the boppy seat and pushing himself out onto the floor. If that isn't enough, he recently put a scare into us when he crawled backwards all the way off of our king bed onto the floor. But instead of tears, this acrobatic feat elicited laughter from Ike.

Mason is still the picture of chill. She is more content to sit back and observe things than to be the life of the party. Though she is a capable up-and-coming crawler, her favorite physical activity is laying on her back, grabbing her feet and shoving them into her mouth. Unlike her brother, she loves to go to bed at night and regularly sleeps through the night (though her 'talkative' hours seem to be in the middle of the night when she thinks nobody is listening). Ike still has his tendencies to wake up in the middle of the night and whine or cry for no reason until he is reaffirmed by a rub on the stomach or pacifier. As a result, Brooks and I still have to trade off night shifts, meaning peaceful nights' sleeps are still few and far between.

It's definitetly worth the sacrifice.

Personally, I'm ready to get back to a normal schedule. The past month for me has been consumed with business trips to Chicago, Orlando, New Orleans and Los Angeles. Each time I come home Mason and Ike look they've grown up way too fast. I want to be there for every single second!

A Lot To Give Thanks For

2008-11-29T11:35:00.006-05:00

Mason and Ike’s first Thanksgiving meal was perfect. Unfortunately for them (mostly Mason), they didn’t get a chance to sample any of the wonderful turkey, ham, dressing, or green bean casserole, just their same old baby formula. But just having them at the table with us in their carriers (see photo to left) was special, and they didn’t make a peep the entire meal! Just think, next year they will be in high chairs.

As mentioned in my previous post, we spent Thanksgiving in Greensboro with Brooks’ family. Her uncle Mason and aunt Ann were so nice to host all of us, including Brooks’ grandparents (Papa and Gamommie), at Greensboro Country Club. A big thanks goes ou to them. We had a wonderful time and enjoyed showing off Mason and Ike to all of our friends. You’ll notice in the photos that Brooks had special personalized Thanksgiving outfits made for them. I'm not sure if the 'shell-shocked' look on their faces is from having to wear a personalized outfit or from having the circulation cut off in their legs from the knee socks.

Tumbleweeds

2008-11-26T14:40:00.011-05:00

Only one day away from Mason and Ike’s first Thanksgiving, which they will be spending at Greensboro Country Club in their new Thanksgiving outfits that Brooks bought them. We’re still trying to master the art of getting a full-night’s sleep. Mason, who had been a pro when it came to sleeping through the night, has learned a new trick that inevitably wakes her up. She recently taught herself how to whip her left leg around and roll over onto her stomach. However, the problem is that she likes to perform this trick in her crib at night, but she hasn’t yet perfected the art of rolling back over onto her back. This is a problem for whoever has night duty. When Mason gets tired of being on her stomach, she starts crying for Brooks or me to come into the nursery and flip her around. There goes any chance we have at a good night’s sleep because now we have to worry about TWO babies getting up.

Ike is still Ike. There aren’t many constants in life, but Ike NOT sleeping through the night is still one. Death, taxes, the liberal media, UNC football choking …. He has turned into quite the little acrobat. He’s been rolling over onto his stomach and then back onto his back for a few weeks. Now he is just itching to try to walk. I can pull him up by his arms and he will fully support himself with his legs, break out into a huge smile and scream for joy, and then try to take a few steps as I guide him along. It’s hard to believe that he’s doing this at only four months. The more we analyze his stature and build the more we think he’s going to be one heck of an athlete. Okay, maybe this sounds a little bit like Earl Woods or Richard Williams, but at some point I’ll just have to get him to concentrate on the sport that pays the best.

Once again, we’ve had a busy week. Last weekend we went to Greensboro on Friday night and spent the night with Brooks’ parents. Saturday, it was goodbye to Mason and Ike for a night as we trekked to Chapel Hill to meet Angus and Betsy for the UNC-NC State game. I won’t revisit the pathetic outcome of the game, but let me say that it was the equivalent of enduring about eight Ike crying tantrums in a single night. After the game, Brooks and I spent the night in Raleigh with Angus and Betsy and all of us enjoyed a nice meal out on the town with Callum and his girlfriend, Raven.

Like a mentioned, tomorrow it’s Greensboro Country Club with the Banks (and of course Mason and Ike) and back to Charlotte for dinner with my parents on Friday night. We’re so glad we’re not having to make these trips from Atlanta anymore.

Cold Season Comes Early

2008-11-14T17:36:00.014-05:00

This week has been a rough week in the Grainger household.

The weekend was great, so let me start there. I had the chance to catch up on some sleep Saturday night, as Brooks took the babies to Greensboro for the night. As a result of my rare GDO (Guys Day Out) I had the chance to drive to Chapel Hill for the day and attend the Tar Heels’ 28-7 victory over Georgia Tech with Angus, Uncle Jim (aka the Trash Man from an earlier blog post) and his daughter, Winn.

However, this was the calm before the storm. I had to get up at 5 a.m. on Monday morning to catch a 7:30 a.m. flight to Chicago where I had business meetings until Wednesday. As luck would have it, Ike came down with a chest cold on Monday, so poor Brooks was stuck with a very fussy and irritable baby. The situation was alleviated somewhat when my parents stepped in to help out by keeping Mason on Monday and Tuesday night to let Brooks focus on Ike. Despite the help, those were definitely two rough nights for Brooks, as Ike was up coughing and crying almost every hour. Meanwhile, I was enjoying two wonderful and peaceful nights of sleep in my Marriott king-sized bed in downtown Chicago (it goes without saying that I didn’t dare brag about this to Brooks when I got home or mention how well-rested I was).

But I certainly got my payback on Wednesday evening when I arrived back in Charlotte. As soon as I walked through the door at home and put my suitcase down the fireworks began. It was my turn to handle baby duty and pay for my sins of taking a business trip and getting more than seven hours of sleep each night. During my first few hours of baby duty I thought I was going to get lucky, as Mason and Ike didn’t make a peep. But I was wrong. Soon after I went to bed at midnight the pre-crying from Ike began. You know, it’s the kind of whining that you lie in bed and pray will subside before you have to get up and go into their room. It’s kind of like turbulence on a plane (which I experienced on my flight back from Chicago). When you first start to feel the initial bumps you hope that it isn’t leading up to anything too violent, but you always expect that you’re in for something major. I was in for some major Ike turbulence. His congestion and gurgling really became discomforting and he couldn’t get comfortable in his crib. As a result, I was up until 3:30 a.m. trying to rock him to sleep. Thankfully, he finally closed his eyes in the baby rocker at 3:30 and I was able to grab about 3 hours of sleep. Like I said, I knew I would have some payback for getting to good night’s sleep in Chicago.

Mason and Ike had their regularly-scheduled four-month doctor’s appointment on Thursday and everything went great. Mason is still the plumper of the two. She weighs 16 lbs. 10 oz. and Ike weighs 15 lbs. 11 oz. They had their reflexes tested and each had to get a few shots, which produced some tears.

This weekend we’re going to try to get everyone healthy and hope that Mason, or Brooks or I don’t catch whatever Ike has been battling.

Ike's Presidential Agenda

2008-11-06T22:38:00.013-05:00

With politics and the presidential election dominating the headlines this week, Ike decided to throw his hat in the ring and make his agenda known to his supporters (Mom, Dad and Mason). Among his policy issues...Taxes: repeal of sales tax on bottles of Similac...Economy: a free Boppy for every newborn baby...Health Care: a ban on all immunization shots before six months of age...Education: mandatory two-hour nap period in kindergarten...Technology: all primetime television programming must include two hours of Noggin. Mason even pledged her support for Ike and cast a vote for him at the polls (see below).

Mason and Ike enjoyed their first Halloween last weekend. We dressed them in pumpkin outfits and took them down the street to our neighborhood Halloween party before coming home and passing out candy to all of the trick or treaters. My parents came over for a glass of wine and to hang out with the twins and enjoy the trick or treaters since they don't get any in their townhome complex. The night proved very traumatic and humbling for Simba, whose barks and howls greeted every ring of the door bell. Towards the end of the night a little girl and her younger brother were trick or treating at our doorstep while Simba peered out through our front door. Out of the blue the little girl exclaims: "Wow, look at how fat that dog is." Then her brother agreed with her, saying, "Yeah, that dog is fat." Needless to say, Simba's night was ruined and his self-confidence shattered. Brooks and I maintain that he's just big-boned.

Nothing new to report with Mason and Ike. We're still putting them down at about 7:30 p.m. each night, topping them off with 4 oz. of formula at 10 p.m. and praying that they make it until 5 a.m. Most nights I have to get up once or twice to put a pacifier in Ike's mouth when he wakes up and starts to cry. Now that they're almost four months old, it's great for me to come home from work because they are at the age where they are starting to recognize Brooks and me (at least we think they do) and start smiling up a storm when I walk in the door and see them.

Below is a new batch of photos. Enjoy!

Mason And Ike At 16 Weeks

2008-10-31T12:27:00.007-04:00

It's hard to believe that Mason and Ike will be 16 weeks on Sunday. It really does just seem like yesterday that I was decked out in medical scrubs in the delivery room holding two newborns who didn't even know how to open their eyes yet (I'd say that wide-eyed Mason has certainly mastered that task pretty well!). Now we have two pudgy little babies who are smiling all the time, cooing, rolling over and knocking back about 7 ounces of formula per feeding (we're still waiting for the sleeping-through-the-night part to set in). Before we know it they will be crawling and pulling up on furniture and making us keep an eye on them every waking moment. I don't know whether to look forward to these milestones or dread them...Mason and Ike are kind of fun how they are right now, but I guess Brooks and I don't have a choice.

When I realized that Mason and Ike were at the 16-week mark this weekend I started thinking about how much their appearances change on a daily basis. Whenever my parents and Brooks' parents go a few days without seeing the twins the first thing they comment on is how grown up they look since the last time they saw them. Of course, Brooks and I see them on a daily basis, so it's hard for us to comprehend this rapid transformation.

So I decided to go back through all of my photos of Mason and Ike since the birth on July 13 and got the idea to put a collage together illustrating how quickly they are growing up (see below). The first collage is of Mason (Ike's will come next) and contains 12 photos taken between the birth and this week. The photos move chronologically from left to right in each row. The first photo in the upper left corner was taken in the delivery room and the last photo on the bottom right was taken this week. Now I finally see what people have been talking about!

UPDATED: As you can see, I've added Ike's 16-week collage.

I'm Back!

2008-10-28T12:16:00.011-04:00

I have been incredibly slack over the last five weeks. Not one blog post! And on top of that, the Dow has lost more than 2,500 points. Wow. For the few of you that still check this blog...I'm sorry, no excuses. I'll try to win your loyalty back. That being said, I'll throw out a few excuses anyway. Brooks and I have NO free time...She's back at work now...I'm out the door early in the morning and by the time I get home it's during the be-witching hour when Ike seems to have his evening meltdown...I've got to help finish a feeding and then we give the kids a bath and get them prepped for bed...Then it's time for us to prepare our dinner and chug a few glasses of wine to calm us down...Brooks gets her bath and goes to bed early...I watch a little football or baseball or whatever sports is on TV...Then I sneak into Mason and Ike's room and 'top them off' with a few ounces of formula around 10:30pm so they can hopefully sleep until 5am...I go to bed in the guest room next to their nursery and sleep with one ear open listening out for the faintest cry...About 3am I then have to get up and put a pacifier in Ike's mouth to convince him that he isn't really hungry and doesn't need to be fed yet...I repeat this process every hour for the next three hours until I wake Brooks up and 'pass the torch' so to speak.

In addition to all of these excuses, my home computer crashed a few weeks ago and I had to buy a new laptop after the hard drive couldn't be saved. Okay, enough of the excuses.

I've loaded a bunch of new photos of Mason and Ike below, but let me say they are doing great. They haven't been to the doctor in a while but they've got to be pushing 16 pounds, if not more. We'll find out next week. They are still growing at a very healthy rate and looking different every single day. They really enjoy their awake time now and are now trying to talk up a storm. Ike has become very vocal and smiles at every chance he gets...but he's just as quick to turn a laugh into a cry. Mason is the epitome of chill. She is always wide-eyed and just taking in her surroundings. She loves her sleep and only cries when she is she is hungry. It's truly amazing how different they are, but that's what my parents said about Corinna and me.

In the photos you'll see them in their Christening gowns from October 19 when they were baptized at Myers Park Presbyterian Church and also in their Halloween costumes from this past weekend, as well as some other photos. Enjoy.

New Photos Of Mason And Ike!

2008-09-23T23:01:00.009-04:00

Forgive me, as I'm on borrowed time right now. No night nurse...Brooks went to bed long ago... and I'm counting down minutes, maybe even seconds, until the chirping begins from the nursery and it's time for yet another double feeding which I'm still trying to master. I've become so used to the white noise static of the baby monitor that I hear it in my sleep, in the shower, on my drive to work and even on conference calls with my clients.

In the time since my last post on September 9, Mason and Ike have had a healthy pediatrician visit, each weighing in at over 13 pounds (Ike at 13 lbs. even and Mason at a stealthy 13 lbs. 6 oz.), and the UNC football team mauled Rutgers on the road before choking away a 17-3 third quarter lead to VA Tech and losing 20-17 last Saturday. Sorry for the digression, but college football season is in full effect and I'm trying to balance raising two newborns while dealing with the heartache that is Tar Heel football.

Recently, Mason and Ike are sucking down formula like crazy and growing like we've infused their bottles with Miracle Grow. Thankfully, their feedings are starting to strecth out to 4-5 hours, but unfortunately, the bewitching hours seem to be between 3 - 6 a.m. They just don't want to settle down after their late-night feeding. Unlike their dad, these little boogers seem to be early risers, counting down the time until they can sit in their boppers in front of the TV and watch their cartoons.

Hopefully they will eventually exhibit the characteristics that have defined me for years and welcome the chance to sleep in.

Here are some new photos of Mason and Ike.

Hurricane Ike Makes Landfall At Litchfield Beach

2008-09-09T22:36:00.016-04:00

Well, we're back from our week-long beach trip with the Banks family at Litchfield Beach. What a nice vacation! We experienced incredibly beautiful weather and not one cloudy day during our entire stay. Unfortunately, we had to pack up and leave a day early because Tropical Storm Hannah was bearing down on us, but it was a small price to pay for five days of sunny skies and warm temperatures (and two rounds of golf!).

The trip marked Mason and Ike's first trip to the beach. Not to be outdone, Simba also joined us, making his second ever trip to the beach. Because of the extra 'cargo,' Brooks and I had to take two cars to the beach just to have room for all of our luggage and the baby gear. On the way to the beach she followed behind me with the twins while I toted Simba. Of course, as is the case with two month olds on road trips, we had to make an impromptu pit stop to provide a feeding. Because our route to Litchfield Beach took us through some very rural areas with spotty/non-existent cell service, Brooks' signal to me that Mason and Ike were crying and needed to be fed was to turn on her windshield wipers. This signal occurred a few miles west of Kingstree.

On the way back to Charlotte I returned the favor and drove the twins while Brooks had Simba. This time I made sure to take a route that included more populated areas with reliable cell service.

Below are a lot of photos from the trip. Enjoy.

Growing Like Weeds

2008-08-28T18:01:00.009-04:00

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Brooks and I have cut back on the night nurse visits and my time is now spent feeding, changing diapers and pulling out my hair!

Since it's been about a week since I last posted on my blog, the following photos of Mason and Ike will show them in a completely different light. No longer do they just sleep, feed and cry all with their eyes closed. Now they spend most of the days with their beautiful eyes wide open staring at their surroundings. It's been neat for Brooks and I to try to project what their personalities are now that they seem like actual 'babies.' As of a doctors visit last Friday, Ike was 11 lbs. 2 oz. and Mason was 11 lbs. even. You can see from the glamour shots that they have both been feeding well.

In terms of their behavior, there has been a definite flip flop when it comes to throwing tantrums. Ike has really come into his own over the last week and seems a lot more comfortable in his surroundings. As a result, he doesn't cry as much and he sleeps more peacefully. It's good to see that his acid reflux is starting to subside every so slightly. Mason, on the other hand, has become our little drama queen. She is the twin that now seems to cry now for no apparent reason. I think it's because she needs constant stimulation. Brooks and I joke that she is a six-week old who thinks she should be treated like she's three months old.

I promise there will be more frequent posts from now own!!! We all head to Litchfield Beach on Saturday (even Simba too) for a week with Brooks' family, so there will be plenty of new photos to share.

Almost forgot - my cousin Bennett Patella had a baby boy this morning. His name is David Hunt Patella and they're calling him Hunt. He weighed 7 lbs. The last photo in the sequence below is a photo of Hunt.

Getting My ZZZ's On

2008-08-20T00:21:00.008-04:00

Well, I’m in day three – make that NIGHT three – of my chance to catch up on some much-needed sleep. As mentioned in the last blog post, Brooks took Mason, Ike and Simba to Greensboro on Sunday to spend the week with her parents. I am starting to feel a little bit guilty. Brooks and the twins have been doing very well at her parents’ home, but she and her mom certainly aren’t getting any quality sleep. They have been trading nights tending to Mason and Ike, but regardless of who has baby duty, neither has been able to eek out more than a few hours of sleep each night. We’re still waiting for that so-called ‘routine’ to set in. The guilt I’m feeling stems from the fact that I now have a completely quiet house to call my own and can wake up to an actual alarm instead of the shrieks and cries I have become accustomed to over the last five weeks. Even a day trip I made to Atlanta today didn’t seem so tiring when compared to what I have become accustomed to recently. That being said, there is hardly a moment that goes by when I don’t long for Mason and Ike to be back home so I can resume my paternal duties. The quiet is nice for a while, but I’m ready for it to end.

While surfing the Internet tonight I stumbled on some clever comics related to babies crying. All parents should find some or all of these humorous.

90 Years Is A 'Big' Deal!

2008-08-17T23:15:00.011-04:00

Friday night was a special occasion in the Grainger family. Just a little more than one month after Ike V was born Ike Jr. celebrated his 90th birthday. It’s hard to fathom that there are 89 years and 332 days that separate these two Ike’s. A nice gathering of family and friends helped ‘Big’, as many people like to call him, ring in this historic moment with a raucous party (well, maybe that’s a bit of an overstatement) at Quail Hollow Country Club. There were humorous skits performed, nostalgic stories told, great company, delicious food and plenty of wine, all of which combined to make this night extremely special.

One of the highlights included his kids – Ike, Jim and Margaret – reading happy birthday letters that he had received over the last week from some very distinguished individuals. Among the well-wishers that took the time to send a letter to Big were Dean Smith, Arnold Palmer and George H.W. Bush. As I sit here and type this and think about the 34 years I have had the pleasure to have my grandfather such a large part of my life, I am continuously amazed at how many other lives Big has touched and the incredible impact he has made on his family and friends. What a great legacy to leave for the rest of the IBG’s.

The update on Mason and Ike is that they are enjoying their first visit in Greensboro with grandparents Carolyn and Bob. Brooks loaded up the car today with the twins (and Simba of course) and headed up I-85 to spend some time with her family and show Mason and Ike off to her friends in Greensboro. Brooks reports that amazingly, after an initial crying episode from Mason in Concord, the entire hour and a half trip was without incident. Now I understand why I always hear stories of parents loading up their crying kids into a car and driving around to quiet them down. So far a nice bumpy car ride has been a very effective weapon to combat Ike’s and Mason’s crying spells.

A New Olympic Sport?

2008-08-13T23:37:00.009-04:00

What a week it’s been at the Grainger household. For some reason, Mason and Ike used their one-month anniversary this past Sunday to perfect a new, almost Olympics-worthy skill – ‘synchronized’ crying. For the first four weeks of their life they were oblivious to what the other was doing. One would cry and the other would sleep. The other would sleep and one would cry. It was definitely a manageable situation between Brooks and me. Now, Mason and Ike work in perfect unison. They can both be in a deep sleep, but as soon as one of them starts to chirp, the other chimes in almost immediately. These synchronized outbursts start innocently enough but inevitably culminate into something so shrill and painful to the ear that I can’t believe the sound is coming from such small beings. We aren’t sure exactly what’s causing these tantrums – maybe reflux, gas, hunger, the need for attention??? – but they certainly make us wonder if all parents of multiples have endured this type of dual chaos. Even Simba has started to become affected by the disruption of his peace during these crying episodes, often times nuzzling his head underneath a pillow or letting out a loud sigh.

So I guess, given these set of circumstances, this week was the perfect time for me to make an overnight business trip, which is exactly what I did on Monday night. Late last week I found out I had to be in Atlanta for a client meeting this past Tuesday morning. ‘Reluctantly’ (yea, right), I planned my overnight trip and booked a room at the luxurious W Hotel in Midtown Atlanta. As I retired to my king-sized pillow top bed at approximately 11:44 p.m. on Monday night, I can honestly say it took me all of 15 seconds to fall asleep. Sure, I felt a little guilty for leaving Brooks, Mason and Ike for the first time since their birth, but not quite guilty enough to keep me from my best night’s sleep in a long time.

Below are some new photos of Mason and Ike, and as you can probably tell, they are growing like weeds. Today they had another regularly-scheduled appointment with the pediatrician. Everything checked out well. Ike tipped the scales at 10 lbs. 1 oz. and Mason weighed in at 9 lbs. 12 oz. Ike, who seems to suffer more from reflux and gas, has been switched to a new formula. I think the visit to the doctor’s office wore them out, because this evening they slept for almost three straight hours with NO CRYING all the way up until our night nurse arrived. Brooks and I were able to enjoy a rare dinner before 9 p.m. Oh, how much the simple luxuries in life mean to us these days.

Projectile Emesis

2008-08-09T23:54:00.012-04:00

I have always been one of those people who is very squeamish around vomit/throw up/puke/barf or whatever you want to call it. Maybe it's because I rarely did it growing up or do it now. Yes, I have had plenty of bouts of being nauseous and my gag reflex works extremely well. But for some reason, when it comes to actually producing the 'content,' I have always had a hard time actually barfing (even when I have the stomach flu - painful dry heaving seems to be the norm). Maybe that’s why my puke-phobia started and has continued to manifest itself.

I remember when I was a kid, anytime someone would toss their cookies I would do whatever I could to get as far away as possible. One time, when I was about nine years old and my cousin Angus and I were throwing the baseball in my front yard, he suddenly keeled over and started throwing up Orange Crush soda and a granola bar he had just eaten. My immediate reaction: to get the hell out of Dodge. I freaked out and ran five houses up the street to distance myself from this incident until it was resolved.

Now that I'm a father of two newborns, I’ve learned within the last few days that I have to put aside my propensity to recoil in the presence of vomit (or yellow poop with seeds). Both Mason and Ike have quickly acquired a violent ability to launch their recently-consumed formula several feet over either Brooks’ or my shoulder. And in case you’re curious, no, I haven’t stormed out of the house and run down our street to escape these situations. Now that the twins are getting bigger (each is over 9 lbs.!!) and taking in about 4 oz. of formula per feeding, I think their digestive systems are having a hard time holding everything down. We’re just going to have to deal with this as they grow and their stomachs expand. However, when they do get older and their vomiting becomes a symptom of some highly-contagious stomach flu that they caught at play group, I can’t promise you that I won’t relapse into my former squeamish self and sprint down the street.

(By the way, while I’m on the subject of vomiting, here’s my Cliff Clavin ‘Cheers’ moment. Did you know that rats are one of the only animals that are physically incapable of throwing up or burping? Other animals in this category (like me?) include mice, guinea pigs, rabbits and Japanese quails. Feel free to use that piece of trivia the next time you’re around friends.)

Brooks and I had a pleasant surprise yesterday when my grandparents, Dee and Pat, stopped by to see Mason and Ike for the first time. They are no strangers to twins. Two of Pat’s daughters have twins and she has a total of nine grandchildren. However, when my cousin Bennett gives birth in September, Dee will have five GREAT-grandchildren. Pat jokes that on their Christmas card this year the front should say ‘Hers’ - and show all of her grandchildren - and the inside should say ‘His’ - and show all of his great-grandchildren. Today they were nice to stop by with Pat's daughter Betsy (who has three children of her own) and keep Mason and Ike for three hours while I went to hit some golf balls and Brooks ran some errands. Every little reprieve we get helps so much. Obviously I still don't have my priorities in order!!

Brooks' mom Carolyn and Mason

Pat and Dee

Brothers And Sisters

2008-08-05T00:05:00.011-04:00

Brooks and I were feeding Mason and Ike tonight and we had a sudden realization that in their three weeks of life, they had rarely spent a moment together, side by side, as they were in the womb for nine months straight. Ever since they entered this world on July 13, they’ve slept in separate cribs, napped in a bassinet that has a divider, and been fed apart in either Brooks’ or my arms (or their grandparents’ or the night nurse). But no matter the situation, they've typically been apart.

I know as three-week olds they are just starting to come into their senses and probably aren’t too aware of who or what is around them, but it’s kind of sad to think that these little babies who were pressed tightly up against each other and jockeying for position in Brooks’ stomach for such a long time now rarely see or feel each other’s presence. So I started thinking. If they end up like my twin sister Corinna and I did, then they will be each other’s own best friends for the rest of their lives. Now I doubt if it started when were just three weeks old, but I know the bond we share today started forming at a very early age, based on my parents’ accounts and the vivid memories I have from a very young age. I was the one who would steal Corinna’s pacifier when I chewed mine to bits. I was the one who would escape from of my pre-school class to roam the halls of Christ Church to see which room she was in. And I was the one who would sneak back into Corinna’s room at night to sleep in her extra bed even though my parents had finally deemed us old enough to have our own rooms. Apparently, no actually, I was the twin who could not be separated, who needed the constant presence of Corinna to be comforted. Of course, I was the “younger” sibling (by all of two minutes). I guess I needed the reassurance of my “older” sister.

So tonight Brooks and I wanted to let Mason and Ike spend some quality time together and see what type of reaction their presence elicited from each other and to start this bond that will persist throughout their lives. It was pretty amazing. They immediately took to each other and, at least in the perception of gloating parents, were genuinely comforted and relaxed by their together-time. As he did whenever he was next to her in the hospital after birth, Ike could not take his eyes off of Mason. I’m convinced it must be because, like me, he is the “younger” sibling, even if it’s only by one minute, and he will always need the reassurance of his older sister. They looked at each other, wiggled toward each other and just seemed happy to be finally be together again in such close quarters. How exciting it will be for Brooks and me to watch as they come into their own personalities and develop as brother and sister.

The Value Of Twins (Photos)

2008-08-02T23:33:00.016-04:00

In breaking news, People Magazine has won the competitive bidding war for the exclusive rights to publish photos of Brad and Angelina’s newborn twins, Vivienne and Knox. The price tag - a whopping $11 million. What a redeeming testament to how our society has its priorities in place. More than 11,000 babies are born everyday in the U.S., over 200,000 worldwide, and a set of Hollywood twins is so star-studded and revered (http://www.babyrazzi.com/) that they are already fetching tens of millions of dollars for their exclusive photos. Talk about pressure to grow up and become beautiful just to justify this paycheck.

Actually, if I were Brad and Angelina, I would use this fortunate circumstance as an opportunity to transition into a far less stressful career than movie making - Making babies!!!. Think about it. When you film a movie, you’ve got to be on location for 4-6 months at a time at multiple locations across the world and work round the clock. For most of that time, you’re away from your family. Then you risk having your movie completely panned by the critics (see "Lara Croft Tomb Raider" or "The Mexican" for reference). If Brad and Angelina made a commitment to start procreating every year and selling their newborn photos to the tabloids, then they’re earning at a minimum $11 million annually. Not too shabby for a few minutes of "work." No traveling to distant/separate movie-set locations. No leaving Shiloh, Zahara, Maddox, Pax, Vivienne or Knox alone in a 10,000 square-foot mansion with a team of nannies for months at a time. All Brad and Angelina have to do is continue to conceive and deliver to sustain their lifestyle.

Back to reality. Today was the first weekend that it was just Brooks, me, Mason and Ike in the house. The last two weekends we had Brooks’ mom with us helping out, so we had the additional bandwidth that allowed me to relax a bit in the morning and semi-delegate duties knowing that I had capable reinforcement. But today there was no such thing as relaxation or delegating or reinforcement I was thrust to the front line. As soon as our night nurse left at 6:45 a.m., our baby monitor exploded with a duet of cries and shrieks. I’ve constantly been amazed at how Mason and Ike can sense when our night nurse leaves in the morning and proceed to do whatever it takes to get Brooks or me back into the nursery at the precise moment she walks out the door. Today, from 6:45 until 3 p.m. when my parents finally came by for some much-needed child care support, neither of us even stepped foot outside the house (except for one 10-minute Starbucks run I made at 10:30 a.m.). For more than eight hours straight, Brooks and I tag-teamed on a variety of duties, including feeding, burping, changing diapers, holding, rocking, comforting, washing bottles, (cursing #&%), doing laundry and generally trying to maintain our sanity. As I type this blog entry, I am pleased to say we made it through the day and everyone is in tact! Tomorrow (and the for the foreseeable future) this process will repeat itself.

Before I tee up the most recent photos of Mason and Ike, let me say a special thanks to Katherine and Whit Mulford for hosting us for dinner at their house Friday night, especially since they themselves just got settled after moving to Charlotte from Atlanta a few weeks ago. They are also the parents of twins. It was our first night out since Mason and Ike were born and it was a much-needed break. Katherine is co-founder of Turq Jewelry and I promised her over dinner I would give her company a nice plug in my next blog entry (this is as close as I’ll ever come to having advertisers on the blog, without the actual ad revenue, of course). The Turq Jewelry selection is incredible and is priced very reasonably and the Web site has been a nice resource for me during all of the gift-giving occasions. Please check out their Web site at http://www.turqjewelry.com/ because I certainly can't do it justice on this blog.

Now to the photos:

Gas, Gas, Gas

2008-07-30T23:50:00.013-04:00

How does that Rolling Stones song go? "But it's all right. I'm Jumpin' Jack Flash, it's a Gas! Gas! Gas!"

I have to admit, even though I'm 34 years old and have been around long enough to hear plenty of first-hand stories from family and friends about how to deal with babies, I'm learning new things on a daily basis. That being said, and as ignorant and simplistic as this may sound, I always assumed that the comfort and well-being of newborns depended on four things - keeping them fed, holding them on a regular basis, changing their diapers, and letting them sleep. As far as I knew, these were the full-proof ways that Brooks and I could stave off violent crying episodes by Mason and Ike and at least ensure that we could get an occasional two-hour reprieve from pure chaos. How wrong I was.

In the last few days I have come to realize that there’s a very important and little talked about x-factor (at least among guys) that can manifest itself in many different (and dangerous) forms – gas, or should I say, the release of gas. In the last two and half weeks I’ve come to fancy myself as a very skilled Dr. Brown’s bottle feeder, assuming that at the conclusion of each feeding either Mason or Ike would be content and fall fast asleep. Not to be. It’s the release of this painful gas, either orally or, well, you know the other method, that truly completes the feeding process and ensures that comfortable sleep will follow.

Now I’ve always been aware of “burping” a baby during the middle or at the end of a feeding, but “pooting” a baby??? Come on! Apparently I have achieved black-belt status in this discipline, one that far exceeds my skill in administering a bottle of formula or breast milk. It seems that every time I prop Mason or Ike up on my knee after a feeding, cup their chin with my hand and start patting their back to facilitate this release of gas, my thigh is jolted with a powerful (and loud) outburst of gas that reverberates up and down my thigh. Every time this happens, Brooks and I cannot help but laugh out loud at what just occurred. It’s truly amazing the comic relief that parents can find in their kids. But however these gaseous episodes manifest themselves the end result is always the same for Mason or Ike – pure relaxation – ensuring that Brooks and I will get our much coveted two-hour reprieve of crying.

I know it’s been a few days since I posted photos of the twins, so below are a few new pictures. This week Brooks has been helped out on a daily basis by my mom and Aunt Corinna, who came in from Winston-Salem (her daughter Bennett is expecting her first child in September). I’ve been resuming a full-time work schedule so the extra help is much appreciated. Thanks to everyone who has been helping out by bringing dinners by. We can’t thank you enough.

Baby Gifts We've Requested But Haven't Received Yet

2008-07-28T22:26:00.026-04:00

Brooks and I can't thank all of our family and friends enough for their generosity so far. Between the dinners, gifts, visits, cards, phone calls and emails, we've been treated to a very humbling show of support. I know I keep reiterating this in my posts, but we really are reminded everyday how special it is to be back in North Carolina.

That being said, Brooks and I are a little disappointed in the creativity and functionality of the gifts we have received thus far. Yes, onesies, bibs and monogrammed blankets are cute and comfortable to Mason and Ike, and they look great in photos, but do they really make OUR lives easier. Nope, not at all. So, I'm directing this post to everyone reading this blog who has yet to give us a gift. If you're thinking Babies 'R Us, Pottery Barn For Kids or Target, please do us a favor and get rid of your traditional and stale thinking. The following items are what we really covet:

Baby Mop: Babies need to learn at an early age the value of helping out around the house. If Mason and Ike each had a Baby Mop outfit I doubt we'd ever need a maid.

Pee-Pee Teepee: Brooks got sprayed in the head with Ike's "pee-pee" the second time she changed his diaper, so this would definitely come in handy. What's funny is that they offer this product in camouflage, just in case you're ever in the deer stand hunting with your newborn son and have to change his diaper but don't want to scare away that 12-point buck.

Baby Keeper: I can't decide if this product is brilliant or teetering on the edge of cruel and unusual punishment. It seems more suitable for "time-out" situations than a convenient way to store your baby while while you go to the bathroom.

Buck Tooth Pacifier: I can't help but think that the strange looks that this gag would elicit from passer-byers would be more frequently directed at the parents who subjected their babies to this type of public humiliation.

Zaky Infant Pillow: I have to admit that this looks like a pretty cool (and creepy) product...when used in the absence of friends and family. Considering how Ike goes from a deep sleep to uncontrollable crying whenever Brooks or I try to place him in his crib at night, this seems like the perfect solution. I wonder if they also offer giant sized hands for adolescent kids whose parents are slow to ween them off of this type of coddling.

Baby Wigs: Really, do any of these babies look happy? Seems like another potential case of cruel and unusual punishment. I wonder if these babies' perception of their parents will change 15 years from now when they are flipping through family photo albums and realize what they were subjected to.

The Daddle: After further thought, we don't need this gift - we have Simba. Plus, I don't think I could pull this look off as well as the guy does in this photo.

Man Boobs: I love how the guy in this photo isn't phased by the formality of the sitiation - he's in a suit and tie! I think I'll leave the breast feeding to Brooks and stick with Dr. Brown's bottles.

Open House

2008-07-27T22:05:00.018-04:00

This weekend Brooks and I felt like a realtor showing an open house. Though the volume of foot traffic was the same as you could expect in this type of scenario, we were actually showing off Mason and Ike for the first time to several family members who had never seen them - Corinna, Hunter, Angus and Betsy.

Every single person who told me before we had the twins that even simple, everyday tasks become hard with kids is absolutely right. It's even harder with TWO. Gone are the days that Brooks and I eat dinner before 9 p.m., much less eat together. I have forgotten what a morning shower is, hence the nappy oily hair I sport in most of my photos on this blog. If I have an itch, I don't scratch it because chances are I am holding either Mason or Ike. Even answering the phone has become a nuisance. At one point the other day I was sitting in my den holding a sleeping Mason when our phone, which was on the coffee table, rang. Because I didn't want to risk waking Mason up and having to endure another 30 minutes of crying, I had to maneuver my right foot over to the phone, pinch it between my big toe and second toe (yes, I have a large space between those two toes), and carefully lift it to my right hand. Mission accomplished. I suppose we're really having to act like responsible parents now because Brooks' mom left on Saturday after two weeks of "round the clock" nanny-like assistance. It really is amazing what just one extra set of hands can do to alleviate the chaos of caring for newborns, or to keep me from having to assist with diaper changing (note, I've only had to change one yellow poop diaper so far - I'm better at feeding and burping).

While we said a temporary goodbye to a teary-eyed Grandmother Carolyn on Saturday morning, we welcomed back my parents, who had been at the beach for two weeks and had not seen Mason and Ike since a few days after their birth. Visiting for the first time was my twin sister Corinna, her husband Hunter, and their two boys Grainger and Reston (scroll back down my past blog posts for a photo of Corinna, Hunter and Grainger when he was only days old). Corinna could not get over the twins! In fact, she was so excited to finally see them and hold them that she wanted to spend the night and help out. Hunter, if you're reading this, beware!!! I'm not sure if she's ready to stop at two ;o). It was very special to finally have all of the Grainger/Shull cousins get together for the first time. It's been a long time coming. Brooks and I can't wait until next year's Grainger family beach trip at Litchfield Beach with all of the kids. My parents are already trying to scout out a house that will comfortably accomodate all of the madness that will surely ensue.

My first cousin Angus, Betsy and their girls Catchie (2) and Mae (8 months) also came to visit us on Saturday. What was funny is that earlier in the week Angus had emailed me a recount of a conversation he had had with Catchie about the twins soon after they were born. During the discussion Catchie told Angus that yes, she did like Mason, but no, she did not like Ike. Even funnier was that he told me this conversation followed one where she confirmed that yes, she did like Mommy, but no, she did not like Daddy. Nevertheless, Catchie was great with Mason and Ike and even presented them with their very first stuffed animal toys. Somehow Angus and I were able to pose for a photo with all of our kids.

What a whirlwind of a weekend it has been, but how special it is to continue to have family and friends play such a supporting role in our lives. We can't believe that today was Mason and Ike's 14th day in this world. But we also can't believe that 15 days ago Brooks was 35 pounds heavier and the only cries we heard in our house were those coming from Simba as he begged for food off of our dinner plates.

Say Uncle

2008-07-24T23:54:00.008-04:00

Thursday night the twins had a special visit from my "Uncle Jim", his wife Kelley, and their daughters (my cousins), Lee and Winn. This was Uncle Jim's first visit with Mason and Ike. What a special moment it was, especially since it reinforced one of the very reasons Brooks and I moved back to Charlotte a year ago - to be closer to family. Jim and the family live about a mile from us, making it a lot easier for visits like this to happen than when we were in Atlanta. Uncle Jim offered a small token of assistance to us knowing how strapped we were with having to constantly attend to Mason and Ike's every need while neglecting simple house duties. In addition to seeing the twins for the first time, he was here to help us with basic chores, such as bringing in the groceries AND taking out the trash. Personally, I think he was still harboring guilt for enticing me to help his family move 12 years ago in 100-degree heat and paying me a whopping total of $25 (it might have been more, but not by much) for two days of excruciating manual labor. Nevertheless, it was a very nice gesture. Not to be forgotten were the very thoughtful gifts that Jim and Kelley gave Mason and Ike - their very own monogrammed baby blankets.

Since I've been back at work this week it's been hard to for me to stay on top capturing new photos of Mason and Ike. I know I've said this before, but it really is amazing how grown up they look with each ensuing day. Here are two photos I took Thursday night while they were in their bassinets getting ready for bed. Ike's hair is really starting to turn blonde and he remains the more active of the two, whether he's asleep or awake. Mason, as has been her form since birth, is the epitome of relaxation. As soon as she feeds, she's out for the count. Friday they had another appointment with the pediatrician to get weighed again. Ike has passed Mason again in weight. Now he's 7 lbs. 3 oz. while she is 7 lbs. 1 oz. Everything looks great with them.

The Night The Lights Went Out In Cotswold

2008-07-23T22:12:00.006-04:00

Only 10 days into our lives as parents, Brooks and I now truly realize that dealing with an unexpected ordeal in life is amplified ten-fold once you have children - make that twenty-fold, with twins. Not more than 30 minutes after I got home from my first day back at work yesterday a wicked thunderstorm blew into our neighborhood and opened the sky up with high winds, intense lightning and heavy sheets of rain. Then, the power went out, right as I sat down in the glider trying to rock Ike to sleep. Uh oh. A 95-degree day and a humid night is not a good formula for a comfortable, cool house without electricity or a working air conditioner. On top of that, our new night nurse was scheduled to start that night. Sure enough, 15 minutes after the power went out, she pulled into our driveway and informed us that there are two trees down on our neighborhood meaning we were looking at at least half a night without power.

Normally, Brooks and I would have tried to make due with our unfortunate circumstances and would have spent the night at our house despite the lack of air conditioning. However, with nine-day old babies, I had to shift into MacGyver mode and hatch a quickly-formulated escape plan that would ensure their comfort. As it turned out, my parents were out of town, meaning there would be plenty of room for Brooks, her mom, the twins and our night nurse, especially since the house was already kid-friendly thanks to Grainger and Reston (crib, changing table, etc.). Perfect thinking! I immediately called my mom to get the alarm code to their house. Next, I loaded everyone's overnight bags into the car. Then, we packed up the pampers, bottles and formula and loaded Mason and Ike into their car seats, all the while braving a major deluge.

Together with the night nurse, we caravaned over to my parents' house, braving downed limbs and power lines along the way, and immediately made ourselves at home in the comfortable air conditioning. How ironic - my parents go out of town and we all end up seeking refuge at their house. Ahh, the benefits of living close to family! I'm hoping there will be plenty more benefits when my parents are in town, such as free babysitting when Brooks and I feel like going out to dinner alone.

To be honest, I did end up back at our house with Simba that night - in the dark - just to keep him company. Quite the "survivor" I am (yeah, right). We were finally jolted awake at 2:30 a.m. when the power came back on.

The Crying Game

2008-07-21T23:59:00.010-04:00

Okay, now we've had our little precious twins home for five days and their personalities are really starting to show. Ike will get mad at me later in life for posting this, but he is certainly the crier and more high maintenance of the two. Ike's first response whenever he's uncomfortable or not being held - cry. Whenever there's pee or poop in his diaper - cry. Whenever he wakes up from a deep sleep and doesn't see Brooks or me - cry. Whenever he has nothing else to do -cry. Meanwhile, Mason is so laid back. As long as she is fed regularly, changed regularly, and covered up when she is in her crib, she is the picture of "chill." Even when they're both asleep, Ike still looks tense with his furrowed brow, while Mason just raises her arms above her head and appears to not have a worry in the world. Maybe their personalities will flip flop in the next few weeks, months, or years, but right now Mason and Ike are polar opposites.

Now most of you are probably wondering what the first photo has to do with Mason and Ike, but I felt compelled to post the image after learning that in Japan they actually have an annual crying competition between babies. It's called the “Baby-cry Sumo” contest, held at the Sensoji temple in Tokyo, and it involves Sumo wrestlers holding babies against each other in a series of competitions to see who can cry the loudest. The event is thought to bring good health to the babies involved. No word yet on whether I will be making the global trip to Tokyo anytime soon to enter Ike into the competion. Sponsors are welcome!

Today Brooks and I took Mason and Ike to the pediatrician this morning for their first dcotor's appointment. Everything checked out well. Mason, though four ounces lighter at birth, has actually surpassed Ike in weight by one ounce. They are both gaining weight at a normal rate, but I guess all of Ike's twitching and crying is burning more calories.

On another note, Brooks and I are stunned at Simba's welcoming response to these babies. He tracks us all around the house as we tend to Mason and Ike, and, though he's very exercise deprived, he rarely cries. He constantly peeks his head over their Pack n' Play to check on their well-being and always licks their feet. But probably the funniest thing that he does now is "supervise" Brooks' breast-feeding sessions. Whenever she's on our bed with either Mason or Ike, he runs into the bedroom and jumps on the bed. I can't think of one session when he has not been on the bed with her. He literally has to be right there with her. No doubt he's going to be a great protector of the twins.

Too Tired To Sleep

2008-07-20T18:58:00.011-04:00

First off, I apologize for the absence of blog posts the last two days. I forgot how much so many of you depend on this site for updates. As chaotic has people warned me that having TWO babies would be, believe me, it is, hence the reason for the brief hiatus. But if there's such a thing as good chaos this would certainly be it.

Mason and Ike are doing great, as is Brooks, though we're certainly sleep-deprived. Our night nurse has been awesome and she really has a way with the babies. She comes to our house at 10 p.m. each night and leaves at 7 a.m. This arrangement has allowed Brooks to get some much-needed, worry-free rest, even if for only five or six hours a night. As she told me today, she can't sleep much more than that since she compares waking up every morning to the twins as "Christmas morning." We're trying to establish a routine now not only for Mason and Ike, but also for ourselves. So far the feedings are consistent at three hours apart. Brooks will breast feed one baby and the other will get pumped milk. Then, three hours later, the other baby will "get the boob" while the other baby gets the pumped milk. At night the nurse feeds them formula until Brooks wakes up. We're encouraged that they're eating like champions and seem to be putting on a good amount of weight. During the last 36 hours Mason struggled with her "plumbing" as she adjusts to the breast milk and the formula, but after the last feeding we heard some heavy grunting coming from her bassinet - problem solved.

On Friday, Mason and Ike got to meet their great-grandparents, Gamommie and Papa (Brooks' grandparents). They came to Charlotte with her dad and spent the night with us. It was very special for them to see the twins and get to hold them. Carolyn is still here lending her support, and will be for another week. Brooks and I would be hard-pressed to manage this parenthood thing without her. We truly do need the extra pair of hands and the TLC for the babies.

Tomorrow morning we have their first appointment with the pediatrician. That will be an experience. Check back daily for updates. I'll get back on the ball this week.

Slow Ride

2008-07-17T22:28:00.012-04:00

What a huge day today. Brooks and I finally got to bring Mason and Ike home from Presbyterian. After what seemed like it took the hospital forever to check us out, we finally loaded the twins into their car seats and packed up all of the luggage and flowers. It's really true what everyone said to me about bringing your baby(ies) home from the hospital - you literally drive about 15 miles under the speed limit. If I would have been driving at the Cypress (a retirement community in Charlotte) I would have been passed by every 90-year-old lady on the road. I can't tell you how freaked out I was about every pothole I hit and speed hump I had to go over.

Our biggest concern once we made it home was how would the "original" child of the house react to playing second - I mean third fiddle? Last night when I came home from the hospital I brought two shirts that Mason and Ike had worn and introduced Simba to their smell. Then when we went to bed last night I laid the shirts over his nose. When I woke up this morning his nose was still tucked under the shirts! I guess he liked what he smelled.

So today when we brought Mason and Ike into the house Simba couldn't stop sniffing them. He even offered his help when Brooks was feeding Ike by licking the extra formula off his face. What was even funnier was when we finally tucked Mason and Ike into their cribs this evening, about 10 minutes later we heard what sounded like a strange noice in their room. When we peeked into their room we saw Simba sprawled out on the carpet facing the cribs. Our consensus is that Simba is thrilled to finally have a mission in life - to serve as a watchdog for the twins (unless bribed with human food, of course).

Overall, Mason and Ike were very content at home today. They slept soundly in their Pack n' Play and seemed much more relaxed than they were at the hospital. Brooks' mom is here to help and our night nurse started today, so hopefully Brooks can get some rest.

Here are some photos from today. I'm going to stop labeling them in hopes that friends and family can start telling them apart. FYI, Mason has the darker hair and Ike has the fuller lips.

Almost Home

2008-07-17T00:59:00.007-04:00

Brooks, Mason and Ike wrapped up their last day at the hospital today. We can't wait until Thursday morning when we have the chance to bring them home and REALLY begin the parenting stage. I know it will be stressful at times - we can't push a button and send them to the nursery when we want to grab a moment of peace - but it will be real. We're ready (I think).

Brooks is healing nicely from the C-section and she is up-and-about quite a bit now. The twins look different every time we see them. They are really sucking down the formula between the colostrum feedings and putting on weight by the hour. Now that they're opening their eyes more frequently it's so special to try to project what we think their personalities are going to be like. Ike is definitely the "whiner" of the two, while Mason is a lot more relaxed and just does her own thing between feedings. Brooks had a special "mommy" moment today when she was changing Ike's diaper and got sprayed in the forehead with a strong stream of urine.

Brooks and I were talking today about how special it will be for Mason and Ike to grow up together as twins, much like Corinna and I did, and develop that bond that only twins can have. Then we realized that after spending eight months in the womb together, literally wrapped around each other, they have spent the first four days of their out-of-womb life apart, either being held by different relatives or confined to their different beds. So we made a conscious effort today to keep them together whenever we could. Every time we put them side by side it was funny to see Mason completely oblivious to her brother, while Ike stared at her and tried to wiggle his way closer to her. How ironic. My parents always talk about how when Corinna and I were infants it was me who had to be with her at all times. When we finally got put into different kindergarten classes, my teachers noted that I would sneak away to her classroom. When we finally got our separate rooms, it was me who would wake up in the middle of the night and slip into her room to sleep. It will be great to see if this becomes the case with Mason and Ike.

Mason and Ike

Worried Ike

More Photos

2008-07-15T16:44:00.008-04:00

Today the twins had the chance to meet their grandfather - Isaac Bates Grainger III (also known as Ike) - for the first time. Also, I had the chance to spend some "Kangaroo Time" with both Mason and Ike (my son, not my Dad!) after one of their feedings. During "Kangaroo Time" you lie down on your back shirtless and let the babies rest on your chest. What a surreal and and bonding experience it is.

Here are some new photos from today.

Kangaroo Time

Brooks and Ike

Ike, Ike and Mason

Mason

Ike

Brooks And Twins Update

2008-07-14T23:51:00.003-04:00

Things went well today. Brooks was able to get out of bed and move around a bit. She's still very sore, but she's feeling better by the hour. She's not getting much sleep because breast feeding TWO babies takes a toll. "Ladies first" is the theme, as Mason has been getting first dibs, while Ike reluctantly waits his turn. But the good news is that the twins have mastered the art of sucking and swallowing and are now breast-feeding pros. It's amazing how quickly newborns develop. By the end of today they both looked like completely different babies. As for leaving the hospital, the doctors are saying that Brooks, Mason and Ike will likely be home-bound on either Wednesday or Thursday.

Today we had visits by my Aunt Margaret, her husband Lonnie, and my grandfather, Isaac Bates Grainger II (or "Big" as he is known to me and all of his grandchildren). What a special moment when Big had the chance to hold Ike, separated in age by all of 89 years. Who would have known that when my great-grandfather, Isaac Bates Grainger, was born in 1895 that 113 years later there would be a fifth generation born into this world. What a remarkable man he was and I can't tell you how much it means to me to be able to name a son after him. I was blessed to have had 25 years with him until his passing at the age of 104 in 1999.

Today I was able to sneak away from the hospital for a while and spend some time with our other son, Simba. I took him to the dog park that has become Brooks' home away from home for the last year and share the good news with all of her confidants. They were ecstatic about the births of Mason and Ike and can't wait until we wheel the stroller out there for them to meet them.

Special thanks to Jenny Jordan for putting the pink and blue bows on our front door.

Ike

Mason

They're Here!!!

2008-07-13T22:53:00.021-04:00

The Grainger twins have arrived!!! And let me preface this entry by saying that Brooks and I have decided to post photos on our blog rather than sell them to the paparazzi out of fairness to Brad and Angelina.

At 5:30 a.m. today Brooks' water finally broke. What a surreal experience - 38 weeks of pregnancy and in an instant the twins decide it's time to come out and meet the world. Because one of the babies was breached, we knew all along that Brooks was going to have a C-section. As a result, there was really no labor involved. We got to the hospital at 6:30 a.m., and at 8:25 Carolyn Mason Grainger (Mason) was born. One minute later Isaac Bates Grainger V (Ike) was born. Mason weighed in at 6 lbs. 6 oz. and Ike tipped the scales at 6 lbs. 10 oz. Everything went fine with the birth and, despite some expected discomfort from the C-section, Brooks has been a trooper and is in great health and spirits.

Not long after the arrival of Mason and Ike, we were all joined in Brooks' hospital room by Carolyn, Bob, Callum and Deede. As you can guess, the twins received a lot of TLC from their grandparents. My dad will be here on Tuesday to meet his grandchildren, as will my grandparents, Big and Martha.

Tonight, the feedings have already started and Mason has proven that she has a very healthy appetite. Ike seems to be more content to sleep rather than eat. I guess he takes after me!

Check back daily for more photos (be sure to click on the below photos for larger versions).

Ike

Mason

Ike

Mason

Proud Grandparents

Waiting On Our World To Change

2008-07-12T19:01:00.006-04:00

Not a whole lot going on in the Grainger household this weekend. That's why there was no blog entry yesterday. With no babies, I'm running out of things to say.

I guess this could be considered Brooks' and my last weekend as non-parents, free to do anything we want without having to worry about a babysitter. With Brooks basically too swollen to stay on her feet longer than 10 or 15 minutes, you would think that I would have some grand plans to maximize this significant weekend - maybe a round of golf, or a guys' night out on the town. Nope, my weekend itinerary includes a haircut, hanging around the house doing laundry, and visiting the dry cleaners. As you can see from the photo taken earlier today, Simba seems a little bored as well.

Now that we've come so far and everything is scheduled I've (sarcastically) told Brooks to please hold on until Tuesday. Our families have made their travel plans, I've made my work arrangements and we like a July 15 birthday. But I know you certainly can't plan these types of occasions.

Laboring To Get To Labor

2008-07-10T23:57:00.011-04:00

With only four days left until Brooks' scheduled C-section we are basically riding things out. Brooks and I have literally been on red alert since about five weeks ago, so it's hard to believe that things may come down to an event that friends and family have marked on their calendar. Shamefully, I have to admit that if you accessed my Outlook calendar at work and clicked on July 15, you would see that among a weekly client conference call with Allstate and an inter-office meeting at Taylor, you will see a listing at 1:30 p.m. for "Birth of Twins!!!" (Before you label me insensitive, please note that I do plan to take this day off). It's crazy to think that what started out as a pregnancy where we expected Brooks to be on bed rest at no more than 26 weeks has turned into a marathon where she has carried these babies longer than 85% of other twin pregnancies. I'm starting to get worried that these boys/girls may be so developed at birth from their extended stay in the womb that they will have the Grainger-esque head of gray hair when they are born.

That being said, the last two days and the following two weeks will be special. My twin sister Corinna is in town from Baltimore with her two boys, Grainger (3) and Reston (9 months). They arrived yesterday and on Saturday are heading to the beach for two weeks with my parents. I'm sure that Corinna was secretly hoping for a birth date of today or tomorrow so she could be there to experience everything. Even if that doesn't occur, she will still be able to spend some time in Charlotte with the twins after her beach trip before she heads back to Baltimore.

Brooks and I had the chance to spend some time with Grainger and Reston tonight and it got me thinking about how fast our babies will grow up. It seems like just yesterday that we were there at the hospital in March of 2005 after Grainger was born. Now he's a full-fledged little boy running around, talking and doing all the things that three-year olds do (like calling me "Uncle Doo-Doo"). So I had to go home tonight and pull out some photos of when he was only weeks old. It really is amazing how quickly they grow up. I have to say though that neither Grainger nor Reston are showing any signs of gray hair, so maybe there's hope for our babies.

Stormy Days, Restless Nights

2008-07-09T21:52:00.007-04:00

For the second day in a row we had some pretty bad storms in Charlotte. Unfortunately for Simba, that means for two straight evenings his park outings have been rained out. With no exercise during the day, Simba basically becomes a caged tiger each night, flinging his bones across the house and clawing at the refrigerator, indicating it's time for Brooks and me to eat dinner so we can feed him table scraps. Hopefully the storms will hold off tomorrow so he can release some pent-up energy and spare us the drama. To illustrate the sheer magnitude of the storms, I've included a photo that I snapped with my cell phone through my office window. You can clearly see what looks like a funnel cloud in the near distance. After a few minutes it dissipated and receded back into the sky. It was probably just a cone-shaped cumulus cloud but it was a little unnerving as it passed by.

For the second night in a row, Brooks barely got any sleep (I guess I'm learning to tune things out because I didn't wake up once). The swelling in her feet and legs was unbearable, causing her to toss and turn for most of the night. I sensed her discomfort immediately when I woke up this morning so I convinced her to change her regularly-scheduled doctor's appointment from this afternoon to this morning. Noting the swelling, her doctor was concerned about preeclampsia, so she tested protein levels in Brooks' urine and measured her blood pressure. She even told us that if Brooks' blood pressure was high and she was exhibiting signs of hypertension, a C-section would be scheduled today. However, there were no signs of protein in the urine and her blood pressure was 128 over 75, well within the normal range. After 'kind of' hoping that today would be the day, we were sent home and told to wait until our normally-scheduled C-section. Unless Brooks goes into labor, or her water breaks, or she develops hypertension, the birth date will be July 15 at 1:30 p.m.

A Sense Of Humor Is The Best Remedy

2008-07-08T22:27:00.005-04:00

With each passing hour Brooks is getting more and more uncomfortable, though she's carrying these babies beautifully. As I type, we have 159 more of these uncomfortable hours left until she is scheduled to have her C-section at Presbyterian. I still don't think she'll last that long, but who knows, she hasn't felt one single contraction during the entire pregnancy. Amazing.

Last night she had to sleep on top of the covers on her back with her legs propped up on two pillow shams and just a blanket as a cover. Her toes, feet, ankles and calves have started to retain fluid in the tissue, which is causing extreme stiffness and pressure in her lower extremities. Despite all this, she's battling through the pain and discomfort like a trooper and keeping her sense of humor all along the way.

Since her vanity is still in tact and she won't let me snap any photos, I have to reference a movie that we have both laughed about a lot over the last few days and likened our situation to. If anyone has ever seen Shallow Hal (coincidentally filmed in Charlotte), starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. The movie centers around Black's character, Hal, who is notorious for being so shallow that he only dates women based on physical attractiveness. Then one day he is hypnotized by self-help icon Tony Robbins, who miraculously tranforms Hal into someone who only sees the inner beauty in women. That's when he meets Gwyneth Paltrow's character, Rosemary, a an obese woman whom only he can see as a vision of loveliness. For the rest of the movie Hal is smitten with Rosemary, who he perceives as a thin blonde bombshell, while his friends wonder why he is dating a 300-pound heffer.

The irony in all of this is that while Brooks is becoming increasingly uncomfortable and frustrated with the physical toll that the pregnancy is starting to take, she is still as beautiful as the she was 37 weeks ago. That being said, I know that July 15 can't get here soon enough for her.

We've Reached Full Term (For Twins)

2008-07-07T22:00:00.005-04:00

Brooks is 37 weeks today, which is considered full term for a twins pregnancy. For the first 35 weeks we were worried about keeping these babies in the womb now we're trying to figure out how to get them out.

Even though she's been off bed rest for the last week she might as well still be because she can hardly move. Watching her waddle around like a penguin who just consumed one too many krill makes it uncomfortable even for me to watch. I'd guess that it's been about three months since the last time she was able to look down and see her feet. Our nightly ritual now is for me to massage her calves and toes just to give her some sense of relief so she can sleep.

I was curious about what two 37-week babies looked like in the womb so I decided to Google a few images. According to http://www.parents.com/, here's what babies at 37 weeks are doing:

"Your babies are still squirming in their crowded quarters. Up until now, they have been gaining about a half-pound a week, but now growth slows to an ounce or so a week. That's a good thing, because almost all the available space in the uterus is filled up. Through most of the pregnancy, the babies have relied on their mother for immunities against infections, but in the past few weeks, their own immune systems have begun to develop. This process will continue after birth, and can be helped along by encouraging the babies to breast-feed. In the first days after birth, mom's breasts produce "colostrum," a thin fluid that fortifies the babies' immune systems; the breast milk that follows is also chock-full of immunity-building benefits."

This Time Last Year

2008-07-06T23:18:00.008-04:00

Today is July 6, a very significant date. Yes, tomorrow will mark Brooks' 37th week of pregnancy, which is technically considered 'full term' for a twins pregnancy. What a great milestone to hit and we couldn't be more thankful. But that is not the significance I am referring to.

Exactly one year ago today we closed on our house in Charlotte and officially ended a seven-year chapter in Atlanta. We spent almost four years in our house at 3027 Westminster Circle (or WestMINISTER Circle as was often labeled on our mail) and compiled an endless amount of memories. Where do I begin, or end? There was the time Simba tried to make love to our DirecTV technician as he was perched on his hands and knees drilling a hole in our den floor. There was Mrs. Sauers' pool across the street, which provided a welcome relief to the miserable summer heat. There were great friends on the street, who were so supportive in times of need. There were numerous supper clubs, which more appropriately should have been called breakfast clubs for as late as they seemed to end. And then there was Larry the yardman, who was so distraught upon learning that Brooks and I were moving to Charlotte that he offered to move with us (his defining legacy will always be the time he knocked on our door and asked for his Christmas bonus almost a month before Christmas).

But despite all of these wonderful memories, Brooks and I couldn't be happier to be in Charlotte, just minutes away from my family and a short trek down I-85 from her parents. How special it will be for our twins to have their grandparents so prevelant in their lives. Not to mention all of the 'free' child care ;o)

What's Eating Simba Grainger?

2008-07-05T22:11:00.005-04:00

You always hear stories about the effects of a first pregnancy on the family pet. Do they sense that the family is about to expand? If so, do they worry that their rank and file in the household will be mitigated? For the first 24 weeks of Brooks' pregnancy everything was status quo with Simba. He went to the park everyday for an hour of exercise. He ate his food only with a layer of shredded chicken on it. He drank out of the toilet. He slept in our bed every night.

Then things started to change. There was more whining when he felt he wasn't being paid enough attention. He ate less and less of his food and begged more aggressively for human food. But the biggest clincher that something was up was when he stopped sleeping in the bed with us and started spending every night on our den couch. This is a dog who had previously spent a total of ONE NIGHT not in our bed during the 4 1/2 years we had him, and that was the first night we got him (he cried all night by the way).

So, for the last 12 weeks of this pregnancy Simba has abandoned our bed. Without a doubt he knows something is up. That being said, anyone who knows Brooks knows that there is no way he will receive less attention once the twins are born. Essentially, we will have three kids. What's funny is that when we couldn't get him out of the bed we fantasized about how nice it would be to not have an additional 115 pounds in our bed on a nightly basis. But now that that he refuses to sleep with us we kind of miss him.

Prayers For Will And Jack Woltz

2008-07-05T12:32:00.000-04:00

William and Katie Woltz had their identical twins, Will and Jack, on June 24 at only 26 weeks. Will weighed in at 2 lbs. 3 oz. and Jack was 2 lbs. 1 oz. Thankfully, they are doing very well and are improving every day. Brooks and I obviously know the roller coaster of emotions that come from a pre-term birth and are praying everyday for the Woltz's.

William and Katie have started a blog where they are updating the progress of Will and Jack. You can check it out at www.babyblogs.com/WillandJack.

Jim Furyk On Steroids

2008-07-04T16:58:00.000-04:00

Call me a bad father-to-be, but with only hours/days/weeks??? left in the pregnancy, I managed to squeeze in my second golf lesson in two weeks. The nursery is done, the car seats are firmly installed in the SUV, Brooks has been lifted off bed rest, so there's really nothing left to do but wait. I know it's probably not smart to completely retool my swing right before the birth of thetwins knowing that golf rounds will be few and far between for the rest of the summer, but my swing had become almost beyond repair. Besides, my mom claims my dad's golf game became better (and more frequent) after my sister and I were born.

After an hour-long video lesson yesterday I can honestly say that the Jim Furyk-like swing that has plagued my golf game for years is starting to vanish. I once heard a golf announcer describe the motion of Furyk's swing as the same motion you'd see if you hung an Octopus from a ceiling fan and turned it on. If that's the case, then my old swing is similar to what you'd see if Furyk took steroids - and drank10 Red Bulls - before every round. I still have a ways to go before the new swing feels natural but I'm headed in the right direction.

In case you didn't see last week, John Daly played in the Pro-Am at the Buick Open with rapper/rocker Kid Rock. Kid Rock played in denim overalls and a white T-shirt and he and Daly drank 24 oz. Budweiser tall boys and smoked cigars the entire round. Here's a funny clip of Daly using the 24 oz. can as a tee.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDqbfXj_Wp0

The Perfect Pork Chop

2008-07-03T21:32:00.001-04:00

I guess I need to start off every blog entry by saying - STILL NO BABIES. That's a good thing though. The longer the babies stay in the womb, the more uncomfortable Brooks gets, but the less chance we have to worry about a stay in the NICU. Other than some swelling of the legs and a little cabin fever from having to spend a the 4th of July landlocked she is holding up well.

So the topic for this blog entry is the perfect pork chop, which I can honestly say I had tonight as we kicked off the holiday weekend. It started with two lean boneless pork chops from the Fresh Market. Next, the pork chops got the chance to meet Mr. Stubbs and his mouth watering Moppin' Sauce Bar-B-Que Baste (http://www.lonestarfoods.com). Place contents in a Zip-Lock bag and let sit in the refrigerator for at least two hours. Then grill for 15 - 20 minutes (these are thick cuts) at between 425 - 450 degrees for a juicy perfection. The entree was accompanied by lima beans and grilled corn on the cob. I'm still licking my lips...

Brooks And Simba Get A Party

2008-07-02T18:58:00.000-04:00

One of the hardest things for Brooks (and Simba) to deal with since going on bed rest is not being able to take Simba to the dog park at the Mint Museum each afternoon. This has been a daily ritual since we moved to Charlotte almost a year ago. Today she had the chance to go back there for the first time in six weeks and was treated to a cupcake party be her fellow dog-parkers. Of course, Simba was convinced the party was for him, but we didn't spoil his excitement by telling him otherwise.

Earlier today Brooks had another doctor's appointment and everything is status quo. No signs of dilation, plenty of amniotic fluid and the babies are very active. They wouldn't be surprised if she lasted another week and half, so we're going to go ahead and schedule a C-section for the week of July 14. We'll keep everyone posted. A special thanks to the Kelly's and Margaret for organizing the outing at the dog park.

36 Weeks And Still No Babies

2008-07-02T11:49:00.000-04:00

Well, here were are on July 2, 2008, and we've passed the 36 week threshold in the twins pregnancy. Who would have guessed this coming into this whole thing? In the last 4-6 weeks Brooks has gone from home bed rest, to hospital bed rest, back to home bed rest, and finally to no bed rest at all. Quite a roller coaster ride of events. Today Brooks is taking advantage of her newfound mobility and is running some errands with her mom.

The last appointment on Monday showed that the babies were 6 lbs. and 6 lbs. 4 oz., but they're still not ready to face the real world. The heart rates are both in the high130s, compared to the 150s and 160s last week. Despite Brooks' adherence to technical analysis (or would it be fundamental???) in trying to determine the sex of unborn babies, I don't think you can tell one way or the other using this information. My philosophy: either find out early or just wait until they're born.

Above is a photo of her at 35 weeks. It's hard to believe that belly represents almost 13 lbs. of babies.

On another note, we recently discovered a bird's nest with five eggs in a fern in our backyard. I guess multiple births are common on our lot. I checked on them nightly during the past two weeks and all eggs hatched and the babies grew up quickly (and safely). In the last two days they grew large enough to venture out on their own, and as of last night, we were down to only two remaining. I'm guessing tonight I'll probably see an empty nest.

I've included a few photos from the past two weeks. The first one is when they were only a few days old and I accidentally watered the fern (and them) without knowing the nest was in there. The second one was from late last week. I'll snap another photo tonight if any of the two are remaining.

Thanks for reading my first official blog post. I'll try to update this on a daily basis so check back often for ramblings and interesting photos.

2008-07-02T00:21:00.001-04:00

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