DIY: No Sew Headbands and Bows!

I have found a new favorite place to buy various headbands and bows for the girls - The Hairbow Company. I just placed my second order after falling in love with my items from my first order, which included the rompers and headbands the girls are wearing.

They have such a great selection and lots of unique pieces for super cheap prices! For example, the headbands the girls are wearing were only $1.19 each! So on my second order I was looking for specifically a yellow/gray headband for the twins to wear to my sister's wedding. After searching online, etsy, etc. I decided to go ahead and order some pieces from The Hairbow Company. I figured out a cost efficient way to customize headbands and flowers/bows for ALL occasions. So, here is what I did:

First, I ordered a 10 pack of satin headbands. This gives you a complete variety and they only end up being $.50/each. You can also buy them individually as well.

Satin headbands

Then I ordered a couple of flowers. The nice thing about this website is they have a lot of plain flowers so you can customize to your own liking. Here I have the Satin Poppy Flowers in Silver and a Large Shabby Flower in Mustard.

Now here's the fun part. Go buy some velcro dots. Mine were around $2 from Walmart.

Then place one dot on the headband, and the corresponding other dot onto the back of the bow of your choice.

Once you are finished, put the bow on the headband and you are finished! This is a cheap, easy, customizable way to create headbands for every outfit or occasion. You could also use feathers or whatever else you like to attach to the headband! Here are a couple other examples of the "interchangeable" headbands.

So, for 10 headbands and 2 flowers, you can create 20+ different looks (doubling up the flowers) and it comes out to about $0.35/headband. Sounds much better than a boutique headband for $7+, right?!

Skol Vikings!

Even though they don't look too good so far this year, atleast the kiddos look cute cheering them on!

Skol Vikings!

Kamryn & Laityn: 4 Months

The girls are continuing to grow and their personalities are starting to shine! Their adjusted age is about 2.5 months, and they continue to hit their milestones based on their adjusted age.

• After weighing them on our scale, they both are right around 11lbs 3oz

• They are no longer able to fit into their newborn clothes and now wearing 0-3 month. However, the 3-6 month sleepers are starting to fit them quite well, too.

• They talk back to you! (the good kind of back talk).

• The sleeping schedule is getting a little better - knock on wood. They get up once per night somewhere between 3:00-5:00. They have slept through the night a total of 3 times (too bad it wasn't both kids the same night). So, it is getting there.

• They still enjoy their bouncy seats and watching their mobiles.

• Haven't mastered holding their heads yet, but they are getting better.

• Around 6 months we can start trying to feed them cereal if they have enough head control

• One milestone they haven't mastered yet is being able to grab things. We try and work on this, but they haven't really gotten the coordination down yet.

• Both of them have found their fists and suck on them pretty often. 

• We have noticed that Laityn prefers her left hand over her right just by the little things she does. Maybe Dad can finally have a "leftie" in the house like him!

Kamryn working on head control

Laityn checking out her blocks

• Going back to work was 10x harder this time around, and to say I'm still adjusting is an understatement. I miss these girls dearly. I am starting my 4th week back tomorrow and it really hasn't gotten any easier leaving them. I just enjoy my weekends with my kids so much so when Monday rolls around its always sort of a bummer to have to leave them again.

Anyways, its amazing to watch them grow and how far they have come since birth. We feel very blessed! We have a couple of weddings coming up in which we will be staying away from home for a couple of days. Could be interesting with all the kiddos in tow!

New "Van Aartsen"

Meet our newest member of the family.... Gilligan :)

Dad is still outnumbered!

3 Month Update

Here are the twin's official 3 month measurements:

Kamryn: 10lbs 2 oz, 22" long (10th percentile)

Laityn: 9lbs 8oz, 22" long (7th percentile)

All About Macyn!

I know I have been neglecting this blog for a while. Its always a decision between blog, or play with your kids. I usually always pick "play with your kids," so that is my answer as to why I have been so absent.

I have noticed that my blog has turned into the twins' stuff, so I thought I would give an update on some of the fun things we have done with Macyn!

Playing at the park

Trip to Sioux City with Mom & Dad

Princess birthday parties!

Washing bottles

Dressing up like a bride with her flower girl dress on (and Mom's veil)

Fun at bridal showers

Goofing off with Mommy

Picnics in the yard

Building giant Mega Block towers

Kamryn & Laityn: 3 Months

Its so hard to believe the girls are three months old already! They really developed a lot this past month and they are getting to the "fun" age...they don't quite seem like newborns anymore.

Kamryn

We know Kamryn's height and weight since she had her Echo yesterday - 10lbs 4oz and 22.25" long (about 5th percentile). They have their 3 month checkup on Friday so we will know the final weigh in's then. They also get their shots. They couldn't get them earlier like normal babies because they were too small and their immune systems weren't where they should be.

Laityn

Other happenings:

• 9 weeks of age the girls surprised us all and both can roll from their tummies to their backs!
• 11 weeks they began smiling. If you can't tell by the picture, they have mastered this :)
• The past couple of days they are starting to coo/laugh/and talk
• They drink 3-4 oz at a time, every 3-4 hours. Unfortunately, I am no longer pumping, but they seem to be adapting to the formula diet
• They are awake more and more and will often be content just laying on the floor and kicking for a 1/2 hour or so
• Kamryn is the good napper, Laityn is the cat napper
• Sleeping is getting better (knock on wood) They are getting up 1-2 times per night each. Sometimes three, but the other night they slept from 9:00-5:00!! Other nights they get up all.the.time. The two times per night is pretty dang nice, though. Remember, 2 times a night = 4 feedings!!
• The girls came down with their first cold a week ago. I brought them in right away since their respiratory/immune systems aren't developed. Everything was okay, so I was thankful for that. They even checked their oxygen levels and both were 100%

Its hard to believe, but in 1.5 weeks I will be going to work after a 15 week maternity leave. I'm not going to lie, its going to be tough to leave these two. Hopefully I can adjust quickly, and won't miss out on too much of them :/