Getting into the benefits of two at a time

While I would never want to do the newborn stage with 2 again, now that they're getting older, having 2 is really great.

This is demonstrated to me every time we put them in their crib.  Tina is so social, I think she might have real problems if Charlotte weren't right there next to her.  When I'm getting them into their little sleep suits, Tina looks over at Charlotte and just smiles so big and Charlotte looks back at Tina, the wubba pops out of her mouth and she puts on a little grin too.  I tried to get some video of what happens when I put them down for a nap, but as soon as the camera came out, they just stared at it like a deer in the headlights.  The best I could do was a still picture taken from the side as I left the room.

I'm not sure what we're going to do when they can't sleep side by side anymore.  We were going to put a second crib back to back with the first, but now I'm thinking they'll need some space in between them because if they are abut to each other, I can see little hands and heads trying to reach through the bars and getting stuck.  Fortunately they are so small that we've got some time before that becomes an issue.  I think we have months before that crib starts feeling a bit crowded.

This looks like an ultrasound, but it's actually me holding up a camera to my video monitor showing the girls sleeping holding hands.

I believe that having 2 is a reason why sleep is going so well.  When they wake up in the middle of the night, they aren't alone.  So they don't get that fear and they just drift back off to sleep.  In the morning or when they wake up from a nap, they don't cry or scream, they just talk to each other and that's what eventually wakes us up to go get them.  They wake up all smiles and giggles.

I think having 2 is also the reason I'm able to do things like dishes and laundry.  They sit in their exersaucers and when they need some interaction, they look and smile at each other and then go back to playing with the toys.

Me playing with a cinemagraph app on my phone

I'm still having some cuddle issues because there's two of them though.  Or maybe it's because I've been so diligent about their naps.  The minute they start to appear tired, into the crib both of them go.  They never get the opportunity to fall asleep on me.  I don't think they even comprehend that as being an option because I've just never really allowed it.  I wish I could.  But if one falls asleep in my arms, the other one is going to need something and I'll have to disturb the first one.  All that leads to is a tired crying baby who just got startled awake and I don't want to do that.  The good thing is that when they go into the crib, they are asleep within minutes.  The bad thing is that Mama don't get her cuddle quota.  Honestly, that's one of the reasons I'm considering trying for another baby with our leftover embryos in a couple of years.  I would like the experience of just holding a baby while they sleep.  Oh well.  When they're big enough to be able to climb on and off the couch themselves, I'm hoping to get in extra cuddles.