One of the biggest challenges of having the twins, was trying to figure out how to do everything (twice) and still get everything else done. In the beginning I was on maternity leave and just starting to figure out this Mommy thing, then I was working and trying to pack for the move (during all of which I had family and friends to help), then we moved and I'm doing all of this with only Kirk to help when he is not working. I'm not working now, but there are many times that I'm struggling to get everything done for the girls, keep the house (relativity) clean, and find ways to entertain myself and keep from going stir crazy. The girls are now 1 but when they were 6 months or so I figured out a method to organizing their food and bottles (formula mix). I'd lay out everything the night before (see picture). All of the bottles, food, and even the formula in little portioned tubes (breast mile storage tubes that I got from the hospital). Eventually I had this organized even better and put it on a lazy susan, while little dividers for each meal (but of course I can't find the picture of that)!
So moral of the story here, organizing all of this the night before was A HUGE HELP! The day went smoother, I knew that I had enough formula and food to get through the day, I knew when I needed to plan a trip to the store for more food, and meals moved much quicker!
Now that the girls are 1, and eating real food things have changed a bit. When I wash up the breakfast cups (we are doing milk in sippy cups now), I can quickly cut up cheese cubes or fruit for lunch and put it back in the fridge. When all of the cups are clean, I'll pour milk for several meals (and then I just have to grab them from the fridge). I also started a list of twin friendly food that I had on hand so I didn't forget to use the grapes in the fridge, or the chicken that I'd cut up from dinner the night before.
Another perk of the girls being a bit older is that I can give them Cheerios or cheese cubes to snack on while I cut up the rest of their food. Then while they are holding their sippy cups to drink their milk, I'm starting clean up. OR I could eat my own lunch during this time (novel concept!).
The big thing was that this prep allowed me to not have to think about lunch just before I made it, or not to have to count the formula scoops while someone was crying (or I was holding someone who was crying). Your time, your sanity, and your money (formula is expensive!) is too valuable to waste with food prep if this can help you make things easier I'm glad to save you some of all three!
So moral of the story here, organizing all of this the night before was A HUGE HELP! The day went smoother, I knew that I had enough formula and food to get through the day, I knew when I needed to plan a trip to the store for more food, and meals moved much quicker!
Now that the girls are 1, and eating real food things have changed a bit. When I wash up the breakfast cups (we are doing milk in sippy cups now), I can quickly cut up cheese cubes or fruit for lunch and put it back in the fridge. When all of the cups are clean, I'll pour milk for several meals (and then I just have to grab them from the fridge). I also started a list of twin friendly food that I had on hand so I didn't forget to use the grapes in the fridge, or the chicken that I'd cut up from dinner the night before.
Another perk of the girls being a bit older is that I can give them Cheerios or cheese cubes to snack on while I cut up the rest of their food. Then while they are holding their sippy cups to drink their milk, I'm starting clean up. OR I could eat my own lunch during this time (novel concept!).
The big thing was that this prep allowed me to not have to think about lunch just before I made it, or not to have to count the formula scoops while someone was crying (or I was holding someone who was crying). Your time, your sanity, and your money (formula is expensive!) is too valuable to waste with food prep if this can help you make things easier I'm glad to save you some of all three!