The Twins at six weeks


Whew. It’s already been six weeks. Here’s a quick update and a few photos.

Babies: Finley Belle and Fiona Bleu are sweet and cute. They are gaining weight. They are healthy. They are forming personalities. They are doing great.

Mom: She is tired in a way I’ll never fathom. I dive in to help with the babies, then I go back to work; she is all babies, all the time, but she is getting it done Super Mom style. Dudes: No matter who you are — captain of industry, infographics nerd, world champion racer — your wife is more bad ass than you.

Calorie management: Every calorie is precious, not just because Mommy made it, but because you want everything to go toward growth. If the baby is cold, and the calorie goes to warmth, or the baby is fussing, and the calorie goes to chaos, that’s a wasted calorie.

Time management: Every moment is precious, not just because this baby will never again be X days, X hours, X minutes old, but because the schedule is so crucial. You must heed the schedule.

The schedule: The babies eat every three hours. On the dot. With two people, it takes about an hour to get both fed, changed, consoled and back to sleep. Best case scenario: You have two hours to do everything else you need to to. If Dad is working and Mom is alone, it gets harder. If people are visiting and they don’t heed the schedule, it gets way harder. Once the babies are off schedule, the universe implodes.

Origin of the universe: I’m starting to think the Big Bang began with a tiny, infinitely angry ball of crying babies. When the babies get off schedule, it feels like the universe is collapsing into your brain.

Pinned: I’ve always been a busy bee, but this is ridiculous.

Sleep: Ha!

Visitors: People want to see the babies. That’s great. People want to help. That’s great. People want to come on their own schedules and do things the way they want to. That’s not great. The babies are running the show, and anyone who wants to hold when they should eat, or bounce when they should sleep, is jacking up the program. Babies get off schedule. Babies get fussy. Massive implosion. Visitor leaves. Mom and Dad suffer.

Help: I was joking with one very nice person that the ideal helper would ring our doorbell, place a casserole on the doorstep then leave. Two days later, she did just that. Sweet!

Baby registry do-over: If you’re about to have twins, lay off all the equipment. Ask for money. Money to hire help.

Photos: You know those crazy rides where it’s constant action — muddy rocky sketchy rooty steep broken parts random chaos — and you can’t stop to take pictures?

120 minutes to go …



Finley and Fiona at about four weeks.


The Twins at five weeks. Fiona (left) is more expressive. Finley is more chill. Most of the time. One thing about babies: Whatever is happening right now, it’s gonna change.


Finley and Fiona at almost six weeks.

16 replies
  1. Tea Party says:

    Oh my goodness!!!! I’ve been dying for this update…but totally understand! They are amazing…as are you and AB!!!

  2. Leslie Armstrong Johnson says:

    Great write up, Lee. You had me laughing through the tears. One can be hard, but 2 make it exponentially harder! I don’t know when it will be, but I am so looking forward to meeting you. And your beautiful looking girls. Best wishes to ALL of you.
    Leslie (who met Arlette when she was just 4…..)

  3. Cindy says:

    Oh my . . . they of course are absolutely darling and am impressed by your courage and tenacity. I do have a fabulous resource; Pearl has worked for us since begining of the year & suggest you guys call. No way would pop over – when Brookie was a newborn and the doorbell rang would have fired a shotgun through it if I had one. Of course could have had the presence of mind to stick a note on the door saying “please do not ring or knock loudly.” Let me know when up for some social time. Will send Pearl’s info separately (& she has a boyfriend who fixes all manner of things). Love, C.

  4. Sonya Freeman says:

    Hi Arlette and Lee!

    Gorgeous twins! I understand what you are experiencing, although I’ve never had twins…as a twin, my mother went through the same thing 42 years ago! Hang in there!

  5. Don says:

    Lee,
    Thanks for the update. The girls are beautiful. My youngest is now one and mobile. Mobility presents a whole new adventure.
    A little tip, if I may… Helping mom especially when she doesn’t ask for it….footrubs, an extra nap, a nice snack or a bunch of flowers will help bolster her when she’s feeling down. She may be supermom on the outside…best of luck!!! Isn’t parenthood awesome!!??

  6. Erich says:

    Good work man, I just logged on after about a year away from your site (this is what twins do). My twin identical boys just turned 1.5 today (they were born a healthy 4-lbs at 8 weeks early) and are 26-lbs! They love bikes/moto/trucks! Best of luck, and you will make it through just fine!

  7. Michele says:

    How adorable I want to pick them up and kiss them all over, such sweet little girls. Lee you’ll have learn how to be scary to the boys when they start coming round, but ya have a few years yet to practice. AB I have a box of goodies for ya just got to get it in the mail, such a small thing to do but me being such a procrastinator well lets hope it all still fits them. I’m knitting jumpers for next year for the girls when they’ll be a year old. We love you guys, man should have come up this Christmas and not last year, there’s more McC’s to see now. Love you lots and lots
    Michele , Dave and the clan

  8. Ron (The Fix!) says:

    Lee and AB: PLEASE!!! Let me know how I can help. I’ll come over and hug you both; deliver dinner/lunch/breakfast….whatever you two need. Our kids (now 18 & 19) were only 13 months apart (Irish twins they call them), so I have a tiny inkling of what you’re dealing with. I’m only a short bike ride away. Please let me know when I can meet these lovely lasses. Cheers, Ron

  9. Paul M says:

    Lee and AB

    Congrats! My twins are now 12. The first year is a blur, but it starts to get better. Lee, your comments on that feeling of unconditional love is so true — and you never, ever stop feeling it. And the best thing in the world is a child’s smile for their parents, or when your heart bursts with pride when they’ve done something — walk, talk, throw a cup, ride a bike, get a good grade.
    Many, many, happy and healthy years ahead!
    (And sleep is highly over-rated!)
    MC and the boys say hi
    Paul

Comments are closed.