Sissies Needn't Apply

The girls just rounded six weeks old and I believe Jon and I should give each other some kind of award for still standing. We've been doing this parenting thing without assistance for almost a month and we've made it to the store (surviving Costco on a Sunday with twinfants makes you feel kinda like a badass); we've eaten warm, homecooked dinners (and lots of breakfast burritos, thanks Mom!); our dishes get washed and the laundry gets folded; our house gets vacuumed and is pretty clean; we've both worked out several times; we've even made it to a couple of happy hours and brought the girls. Dare I even say it? The bed gets made. My father's life long conditioning of making the bed every morning somehow still seems important. In other words, we are totally rocking this parenting thing!

However, I can't really tell you any detail about what's happened the past few weeks, mostly cause it's all happened in this exhausted dazed state of mind and body. For instance, me standing holding random items and discovering I'm completely unaware of what the heck I was planning to do with these things, and why did I come upstairs anyway? Toothbrushes have been put on chargers with the toothpaste still on them, cause I was too tired to notice Jon hadn't brushed his teeth yet. Awaking from the dead of sleep to your husband mumbling that he's "going to lay this baby down," the proceeding to a level 9 freak out before realizing he's actually holding a pillow that he dreamt was a baby.

Imagine how hard it is to run a marathon, only this one is more like an ultra... like a 50 mile ultra. Only when you get to the end of the ultra, you're rewarded with a couple of hours of sleep and then they make you run the ultra again, and again, and again. Everyday, you work as hard and as efficiently as you can, all day and potentially all night, stopping for quick one handed eating breaks (often you wish you could figure out a handsfree eating solution for meals), cause your other hand is being beckoned for just as soon as you need it for yourself.  There really isn't any room for sissies in this job. It asks for everything you've got, and then shows you how much more you have to give.

This past six weeks have been amazing. Watching the girls grow has been without a doubt been the most incredible thing I've ever experienced in my life. I didn't even know I could feel the way I do about my children. But this has also been the most challenging and exhausting thing I have ever done in my life. Parenthood is a 24/7, 365 job, and there are definitely no such things as weekends. In fact, as I write this, I chuckle cause for the first time since mid-pregnancy (approximately six months ago) I slept last night for NINE hours (not all at once, but still) and it was INCREDIBLE. The girls had a good night, it was the best vacation I've had in months and I spent it blissfully unconscious.

This post is brought to you as respect for all the mothers and fathers out there. Before getting pregnant, I thought I got it -- sure yeah, it's hard but really, how hard could it be? I realized weeks ago... I definitely didn't get it, not at all. This is one of those experiences that is defined by its difficulty, something those who've been there before can look at and truly understand the commitment required to be all that you can and more, to give without regard to accolades, thanks, or respite. To all the good parents out there -- especially our parents -- this is a virtual double high five from me to you!

Post Bathtime snuggles

Sleepy Mornings after looong nights 

Five week check up! They finally love looking in mirrors! 

If ever there was an must have item, it's these vibrating bouncers. #love