Crib Blankets?

We live in a home that has a relatively old heat pump. When the temps get low at night and either very slowly warm during the day, or don't warm up much as the day goes on, it makes for a somewhat chilly house. We have a couple of space heaters, one in the boys' room and one that is either in the living space or our bedroom depending on time of day. The boys' room is kept at 70 degrees over night and at nap time and they sleep on a fleece crib sheet in fleece pajamas. Each of the boys has a small lovely blanket they sleep with, but it is very small, nothing large enough to cover with.

My question is, when did you start allowing your child to sleep with a blanket, something larger than a small lovie- something that could provide some warmth? I'm not sure I'm ready- but I thought it might help to know what other mamas have done.

Knowing..

We've been talking a ton about adding to our family lately. Honestly, ever since the early days if parenting twins we've been talking to the boys about the sibling(s) they'll have someday. We've always known. It's never really been a question, even on the most difficult if days-- this mama's heart is sure, there will be another-- at least one, maybe more.

I  received an email recently asking me about having twins and  how and when we made the decision that we wanted more.  I never answered the email because each time I started to type, the words sounded so silly to me,  cliché and canned. So unhelpful to this person several states away that I don't know. But here is what I should have said....

• I knew when I was a little girl that I'd be pregnant more than once. I never really idealized pregnancy as a child, I just imagined I'd do it more than once. 
• Hubs and I both grew up in families with three kids, we both always assumed we'd likely have the same. 
• Even through the countless fertility treatments, I still imagined doing it all more than once. 
• When I got pregnant with twins I was (am still am) completely satisfied, but I still knew I'd like another if it was possible. 
• As I went through a very uneventful pregnancy with multiples, I knew I could and God willing, would do it again. 
• When my boys were born screaming and peeing, and I watched as my husband became a daddy- I knew. 
• When I held and kissed slimy babies who knew me from their first breath as their mama, I was sure. 
• And, my feeling have only been affirmed since then- I hope and pray it's all possible again. I am a mom through and through. 

All of that said, I know it isn't the same for everyone. Some take a long time to realize something, or rather somebody, is missing from their family. One things I've heard over and over from seasoned moms who are done having babies- you will know. There will be a moment of clarity. Sometimes its in the trenches of a tough situation- sometimes its when your family just feels so right and full in a perfect moment. I obviously can't say if that is true or not, because I am not there yet. I hope that in just the same way I know I'd like another, someday I'll have a peace about being done as well.

Advent

I think I've mentioned before that we've been looking -- if you can even call it that-- for a church. It's hard with two babies, and we've been making excuse after excuse about why we can't make it work each week. Bottom line, our boys still nap twice a day- they NEED that morning nap and it happens at about 10am, give or take. So either we have super fussy babies in an unfamiliar church/nursery while we look for a church, or we don't go. Generally we choose the latter.

I've been craving it though. Some connection,  some spiritual grounding, especially during the holidays. Advent is such a time of waiting and expectation- it seems so fitting for me, an infertile, to find hope in these days leading up to Christmas. If you're new to the party, I wrote this post a few years ago and it remains something I think about often. 

In an effort to get connected to advent I decided look for an advent devotional. I'm only a few days in,  and if  you're interested you'd only need to catch up a few days, but so far it has been so good. After each day's readings I think to myself- I need this today, right where I am, but gosh, how I NEEDED it a few years ago. 

It's called 'The Greatest Gift' unwrapping the full love story of Christmas- by Ann Voskamp.

Not to worry, I'm not getting compensated for this, I just felt like I should pass the info along to all of you, especially those of you in a waiting period. It's good stuff. 

Simple Wins...

My day is filled with them: simple wins. The little things that make you smile, and make life just a little easier. Somedays it's the boys going down for two naps quickly and easily, others it's them saving the really stinky diapers until daddy gets home. Everyday they happen, everyday they make me smile.

The most recent was after getting the idea from one of you to add pumpkin to the boys' pancake mix. While I haven't tried THAT yet, I did try adding some leftover squash and carrot purees to the mix and they loved it! Yahoo, another way to eat veggies at breakfast! How did I not think of that myself?!? In addition to adding a veggie to the pancake batter, I also started  adding diced up Canadian bacon to the pancake batter. I  don't live having to 'hide' foods so they'll eat them, but I am still so stinking happy I've WON!  This morning they won because they got to have pancakes for breakfast, but I was the bigger winner because I got them to eat veggies and protein without a fight!

Seriously, try it if you're struggling to get your kiddos to eat a balanced diet!