Happy New Year

Well, 2016 has simply whizzed by, hasn't it? With just a couple hours left of this year to go, I wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. For longtime readers who have hung around, thank you for your continued interest and support. I know blog updates this year have been very sporadic and I can't promise that it will change anytime soon. As many of you know, my brood expanded from one to three this past April so life has been a whirlwind of mainly diaper changes, bottle feeds and lots of baby carrying. My makeup collection has sat collecting sad dust bunnies for the past year. I've been trying to make more of an effort with putting on my face but it often feels like a losing battle, especially when I see all the white hair that has sprouted, reminding me that I'm on the cusp of turning 40.

Enough of my prattle. Who wants to see cute baby pics?

These little tykes were born at 36 weeks by C-section, weighing just 2.4kg and 2.5kg. They spent 8 days in the neo-natal ICU, mainly learning how to feed and put on weight. One had jaundice and the other had trouble maintaining his body temperature for awhile, but other than that, their issues were pretty mild compared to other premature babies. They came off their oxygen tubes after the first day and their IVs were out by the third day. Still, there were a couple of harrowing moments, like when the nurses jabbed one twin several times in the arms, heels and even his forehead trying to find a viable vein for the IV needle. It was surreal being discharged from the hospital and going home without my babies, but fortunately, we lived just around the corner from the hospital. We were also able to view the babies live over the internet through video cameras above their cots.

We've been fortunate in that we've had great help from our parents, who have been taking turns to stay with us for six months each. The first few months were tough as expected, but the painful pregnancy had trained me to function with very little sleep. At least now I can sleep lying down without stomach acid flooding my mouth like it did when I was pregnant.

These chubby wubbies are identical twins but they have always looked different to me. The younger one has a slightly rounder face and bigger eyes. My husband still gets them mixed up on a regular basis, claiming that he's just not good with faces. Whatever! The two also have different temperaments. The older one is more stoic while the younger one is super jolly but also quicker to fuss.

However depressing the state of the world around us is, I feel like I've been blessed many times over with this crew. Life's pretty perfect when one's heart and arms are so full. Each day when they wake up and see me, their faces light up and they kick their tiny feet and flap their arms like ecstatic chickens on speed. Those precious seconds of unadulterated joy are what I hold on to. Some day, they'll probably become resentful moody teenagers who can't wait to escape to the other side of the world but I'll always have these treasured memories of the time when I was their whole world and vice versa.


May the new year bring you more love, light and merry adventures wherever you are.