Double The Fun

I'm Brianne and I am a local TV producer and videographer in York Region. My job enables me to share stories and experiences with my viewers. At the age of 32 I am now writing a new chapter of my own...I'm a first time expectant mommy of not only one but two bundles of joy! The journey hasn't been an easy one. It's included a devastating miscarriage, infertility fears, followed by the unexpected yet amazing news that my husband and I will be welcoming twins in the spring. I started writing my blogs as a way to share my experiences, the good and the bad, as well as a way to help other moms and dads out there that might be going through something similar.

I've had to plan a few events in my lifetime. Our wedding, bridal showers, baby showers and the girls baptism. Planning a first birthday party is definitely up there as one of the most daunting of the tasks. Where do you even begin when planning a party for two one-year olds who, let's be honest, won't even remember it? So the party's for the babies right? Well technically yes. People gather to celebrate them and watch them play and coo...

During my maternity leave I was fortunate to be surrounded by some wonderful ladies. It turned out we had a bit of a baby boom in our group of friends. Ten of us ended up being off on mat leave together with our babies being born within a few months of each other. One of the mommies started up an organized group where we could post questions and arrange get togethers. We even started buying mommy group birthday presents for all of the little...

Let me first start this blog by saying that the NICU staff at both hospitals the girls spent time in are incredible at what they do. They made sure our girls were taken care of and received the best care possible and for that I will be forever grateful. The hospital that the girls were born in and called home for four days had amazing resources and support workers. Maybe it's because they specialize in preemies and know just how much help...

You've probably experienced love in your life. Or at least I hope that you have. I feel lucky to be able to say that I've experienced it in many forms; from my parents and family members, from friends who I consider family, from my pup and of course from my husband. It wasn't until I had kids that I realized there's a whole different world of love that I didn't know existed: The kind of love that has you doing things that you never thought...

I've always tried to appreciate the little things in life: sticky notes from my hubby, someone bringing me a coffee when I least expect it, spending time with my family and friends. Now as a first (and second) time mom I think the 'little' things have become even smaller and I appreciate them so much more. A silly little thing that I've come to appreciate on a daily basis are sweaters or shirts with pockets. When you've got your hands full...

Let me begin by saying that I've never had thick, lustrous hair. I have thin hair and some hairdressers have said "lots of it" but by no means have I ever had thick hair. I had heard that while pregnant your hair becomes thick and glorious. I never noticed this happening until I saw a picture of myself right after my girls were born and my mane looked untamed and thick for the first time ever. I guess that the strands of hair that usually...

Does any mother-to-be even know about these things?? The painful, milk-limiting lumps that form when one of your ducts become blocked. Let me tell you, I became WAY too familiar with them. The first time I had a blocked duct it didn't hurt much…at the start. I just noticed that one of my breasts felt a little harder and tender to touch. I knew something was up when I would try to pump and a fraction of an ounce came out (that's when I...

Through my work I had met a few parents who had given birth to premature babies. I had shared their stories full of struggles and triumphs with the public and was very compassionate when it came to their situation. I was aware of World Prematurity Day before, but this year November 17th will hold a very special place in my heart. After having a miscarriage my mindset was altered. After struggling to conceive for another year after altered it...

I had been warned that having twins would mean that you become somewhat of a 'sideshow' when you're out in public. I quickly dismissed the warning and didn't think much of it. That is, until I made my first trip to the mall with two of my other mommy friends and was stopped by at least a half dozen people with various comments and questions about my twins. At first, I enjoyed the extra attention, boasting about my two beautiful girls and all of...

Other than Christmas and the hoopla that comes with it, this has got to be my favourite time of year. I love everything about the fall. The fashion choices, hiking boots,  the burnt orange colours, chrysanthemums, leaving the windows open, the smell of the cool fall air. Choosing to get married in the fall was a no brainer for me and my husband three years ago. Not to mention I love this time of year because it kicks off the season of family...

I remember pumping for the first time the day after the girls were born more than eight weeks early. I had already planned on renting a hospital grade pump, might've been my mothers intuition telling me to do so. It was a good thing that the Toronto hospital where I delivered offered the same pump that I was planning to rent. Tip: Mommies who plan to pump, hospital grade pumps are recommended in order to BRING IN your milk i.e. if your...

Where do I even begin this blog? Nothing that anyone told me could have prepared me for bringing twins home from the NICU. The five weeks that they spent in hospital were wonderful and terrible at the same time. I learned so much from the nurses and lactation consultants there and that's the best piece of advice I can give to other parents with babies in the NICU. It's a difficult time spending hours each day in hospital and then leaving your...