Panel of Experts: Eating and Screaming

There are so many fabulous moms and experienced caretakers out there reading this blog that I must take advantage. I'm still learning the tricks of the trade- you guys want to help a girl out, right? I think I'm going to entitle those posts "Panel of Experts" because that's what you are. My go-to team.

So today's conundrum: One or both boys will start screaming in the middle of their nursing session. He'll be eating away, happy as a clam, then suddenly start wailing. I have to sit him up, do a little burping (though a gas bubble doesn't seem to be the cause- he'll still cry after a good burp) and give him a nice long break before he'll eat again without crying. And he's apt to repeat it a time or two before finishing eating. It's been going on for several weeks now. It probably happens 75% of the time.

What do you guys think is going on? Do they dislike something I'm eating? Are they getting overwhelmed with milk and need a break?

I'd love your thoughts on the cause and solution. I want feeding time to be peaceful again!

*This whole post has been created one-handed. I am awesome.

The Basics

I'm feeling the need to share some stories. Involving some of the basic functions of humanity. You know, things with which we can all identify. Namely, poo, pee, and boogers.

A couple weeks ago, I had just opened a package of a new brand of diaper. Being unfamiliar with the diaper's design, I accidentally placed it backwards around Dash's tush. So I lifted his legs to fix the placement and... you guessed it, he pee'd. Right in his eye. Mom fail.

I took comfort that most moms have a story just like this.

Then I did it again a week later.

In a particularly powerful sneeze, Liam unseated a boogie which then fluttered near the edge of his nostril with every breath. As Sean looked away momentarily to grab a tissue, the boogie disappeared. We never found out if he shot it out or... *shudder* I can't even bring myself to type the alternative.

Liam's taken to consolidating his bowel movements recently. When his finally lets loose, it's... messy. His second time, poo reached his belly button! I'm kind of impressed.

(In each of these pictures, Dash is on the left, Liam on the right. Don't you love how the tone of these photos don't at all match that of the stories?)

Strike a Pose

Liam and Dash are starting to be more alert and active. And that means a lot of cute faces.

I see this face on Liam (and Dash) a little bit more than I'd like.

I think it's so funny when they have this troubled look when they sleep. What are they dreaming about that causes their furrowed brow?

Hey, I spy a little boogie in there! Isn't it automatic for moms to check that sort of thing?

Smile! They've been flashing their grins a lot lately. Mm, it's delightful. This is the best we've captured so far, usually Liam's is a lot bigger and brightens his whole face.

(Check out those milk crumbles- he's a well fed boy)

A little smirk from Dash. He does a lot better than that too. We'll work on getting a good picture.

Now the rest of these a pictures that just make me laugh.

I call this they Popeye face. Dash has mastered it.

I don't know what it is that just cracks me up about this. Dash often looks at me in a sidelong way and I just giggle.

Liam's eager look with just a touch of cross-eyed-ness.

A little something bothering you Dash?

*Yawn*

And this will be entitled, "Little Birds"

Fisticuffs

The boys had a little... disagreement. And things got downright violent.

Dash's rage could not be contained.

But in the end, Liam settled the matter with a nice uppercut.

That's how we do things in the Bradley household.

Worry-wart

(the pictures within have nothing to do with the subject of this post, just a bit of this and that which I forgot to put in other posts)

Is it just part of the territory to worry as a mom?

Whenever they're sleeping, I have to bolt over periodically to make sure they're breathing.

I picture freak accidents, like a car crashing through the wall into their crib.

I compulsively make sure there's nothing loose in their crib and the swaddle blanket's tight around their body so nothing gets in their face.

I worry I don't hold them enough.

Then there's the whole twin thing- I have to make sure I never favor one over the other.

I have to hold them equally during the day.

I have to make sure I don't say something complementary without saying it to the other.

I worry I'm going to cause irreparable damage to not comfort one sad baby when tending to the other sad baby.

I even have to make sure to take pictures of them equally.

All this worry gets a tad tiring.

But I have to keep worrying because it makes me feel like they're safer. And happier.

In any case, I don't think I could prevent myself from worrying. It's just the nature of motherhood.