Take the Shower, Not the Nap

When given the opportunity, I will always, and forever, TAKE THE SHOWER.

Here's the thing, you are sleep deprived no matter what. They tell you to sleep when your baby does. Well I have two. They don't often sleep at the same time during the day. In the very beginning, when you have a newborn, you're so exhausted, it really doesn't matter, but once sleep cycles get longer and regulate to day-time naps and night-time slumber*, when given the opportunity, TAKE THE SHOWER.

Showers are cathartic, they help you relax and organize/focus your thoughts. That's why we have so many ah-ha moments in the shower, it's a respite from the outside world. Whether it's a lengthy cleansing and exfoliation or just five minutes to wash your hair and face, you will always feel better after the fact. I always feel clear headed and energized afterwards, ready to take on the world, one to-do list at a time.

I've come to terms with the fact that I will basically be sleep deprived for the next 18 years or so, so at the very least I can be clean and smell nice. And for days where it just doesn't happen, because some days it won't, there's always dry shampoo and makeup wipes.

* For us it was about when the girls hit 10 weeks old.

I Feel Like Chris O'Dowd Lives in My House

It's been years now, since I first discovered Puffin Rock. I was going to school at night, pursuing a degree in animation, and I happened upon this beautiful, well written, cute animated series on Netflix. I would keep it on as background noise/inspiration whilst working on my own creative endeavors. The music is great, and the environment is relaxing, it's hard not to love this show.

Fast forward several years, and this is one of the first shows we have exposed the girls to. They have no point of reference as to what a real puffin is. They have don't know language yet. They don't conceptually understand that a cartoon is an illustrated depiction of something from real life. They have no idea that it's from Ireland, what/where Ireland is, or comprehend that people from Ireland have a different accent than our own.

The girls at 4 months old, watching Puffin Rock

The girls LOVE this show. No matter if they're crying from teething, overdue for a bottle, or just plain cranky, as soon as they hear the intro theme music, they smile through their tears and lock onto the screen. I did not want to be the parent that soothes their children with television, but good grief does it work like magic.

Unfortunately, with only two seasons, we can just about run through the entire show in one day. Which means, we go through the show in it's entirety, about 4 or 5 times a week. I feel like Chris O'Dowd lives in my house, as he narrates the series.

Good news, Cartoon Saloon has a Puffin Rock movie coming out next year! We are so excited to have some new puffin content. Mainly because by the time it comes out, the girls will be much bigger and likely enjoy it, but also for our own sanity! Although, with no end in sight with the COVID-19 pandemic, and rigorous self-quarantine efforts, there is a chance my girls will not go to a movie theater for years.

In the meantime, there are also Puffin Rock books available. So far we only have one, which I cannot help but read in each of the characters' respective accents. Good Night Beautiful Moon rings very true to the show, it's essentially the Super Moon episode. If you're in the same boat as us and love the show, but need more, the books are a good place to get your fix.

Quick Fix Formula

It wasn't until the girls were 6, maybe 8, weeks old until we realized we were not on the ball with formula prep. We had been using a mason jar, which worked, but not well. It was often lumpy and had to be shaken repeatedly, then there were tons of bubbles, not to mention the fear of dropping it, wasting precious formula and having a floor covered in spilt milk and broken glass. No thank you.

Well slept, I had an ah-ha shower moment, it hit me that baby formula, at least the physical properties of it, is not very different from a protein shake mix. It's basically just dehydrated milk powder, right?

So, I hopped on the ever useful Amazon and grabbed a two pack of Blender Bottles for $15, not a bad deal. A lifetime later we're still using them on a daily basis. Granted we have twins, so our formula needs are probably a little more of a higher turnaround rate than a singleton, but it never hurts to have an extra of anything when a baby is involved (dishes do tend to pile up from time to time).

We try and keep one bottle ready to go in the fridge at all times, two if we're really ahead of ourselves. It makes mornings much easier if we mix the formula before bed. Hint hint.

For kicks and giggles, if anyone is curious, we use the store brand formula more often then not. It's produced in the exact same factory as the name brand (Similac/Abbott) and always significantly cheaper. That being said, we get the check style coupons in the mail from Similac and we've learned that Target is the place to go to spend it.