Testing 1-2-3

Okay - this is a test of picture and video posting. If you happen to catch it while it's up - don't be confused:-)




I'm trying to figure out how to put little videos on here ...bear with me!

Play Dates Times Two

Wow - two play dates in one week! We are regular social butterflies. Today my friend, Paula, and her darling daughters, Rachel and Michelle, came to visit. They were all so sweet with the girls. It was so great for mommy to have someone to talk to as well. I'm honestly not sure when I last left the house. I'm trying hard to organize some kind of social interaction every week. So, if anyone wants to sign up...

Watching Rachel and Michelle interact and play was fun. At one point they were running in a circle from the living room to dining room to kitchen to living room. One was pulling a string with a ball on it (a cat toy) and the other chasing her. I just laughed and said, "that's what I have to look forward to". There's something about running in circles kids love. Walker and Blaire always did that - ran round and round through the house pulling their stuffed animals or riding a little car. It was so cute. When Ben came home just before everyone left, he watched the girls with the biggest grin. He too commented, "that's what we have to look forward to". Then he added, "and I can't wait." He almost looked like he had tears in his eyes:-)


Thanks so much to Paula and the girls for keeping us company. We're happy to have you anytime.

A Play Date

Today was a pretty good day. Mostly:-)

The day actually didn't start very well. I over slept, and at 11am, the girls refused to eat anything. That put me in a rather ill mood. I've been very worried about Natalie and her weight gain. We weighed her last Tuesday and she had only gained 4 oz in the two weeks prior. Every ml she doesn't eat worries me.

Ben was home for lunch, of course, and that always helps with the feeding. I had managed to get a shower and clean up a little. If you've seen my house, you'll know this is quite an accomplishment. I tell people when they come over they have to play the "Pretend Game". You have to pretend you don't see the mess.

At 1:45, we had a play date. The children I was babysitting for when I was pregnant came over. Liam, Abbey, and their mom, Kelly, had not yet met the girls. It had been about 5 or 6 months since I had seen the kids, and they were so big! Especially Abbey. There is a big difference between 15 months old and 19 months old! It was so great to see them and Kelly and talk to an adult - and kids who can talk back.

Kelly and I talked about their feeding issues. Kelly made the point that it's hard to look past the present to the future. At whatever stage one is in, it's easy to think it will always be this way. For instance, when a newborn doesn't sleep through the night the first few months, you think she'll NEVER sleep through the night. A few months later, it's all forgotten. I thought she had a great point. Yes, the girls don't eat well, but 3 months ago, we were trying to get them to eat 30mls per feed. Now we already up to 100mls. In three more months, we may be at 130mls. This too shall pass.

Here at the end of the day, Abby has had a pretty good day. Natalie - not so much. But, we weighed them earlier and our scale says Natalie has gained 6 oz since last Tuesday. If it's correct, that's amazing. Maybe I am obsessing after nothing.

Another good thing is that for the first time in weeks, okay, months, our house looks half-way decent. As long as you don't go into the office, you can see the floor is every room. Now that is a good day.

Happy 9 month birthday!

Wow - Natalie and Abigail are 9 months old. How did that happen! Check out their adorable pictures. At the 8 month mark, Abby hammed it up for the camera. This time it was all Natalie. She was just beautiful. I'll post the full photo shoot as soon as possible.

At 9 months (5.5 months adjusted) here's what they are up to:

Both girls are officially sitting up! Well, they can sit up for several minutes on their own, so I guess that's official. I wouldn't leave them alone like that though. Abby is getting really good and pulling her body up and straighting her back to sit up straight. We've really been working on those ab muscles and it shows!

Natalie and Abigail have also discovered their toes (an important ab muscle exercise). Again, Abby is a bit more interested. Sometimes she just holds on to them and looks around. They also like to kick a lot - sometimes up in the air and sometimes at toys I hang or hold in front of them.

Abby is really on the move. Just in the two-three days since when I started this post and now, she has advanced in leaps and bounds. She has begun to scoot backwards while on her tummy. She can also turn in all directions to reach for toys. She will lean and balance on one hand while reaching for or holding a toy. She is also trying SO hard to move forward. She will see something in front of her that she wants and she reaches and reaches and just can't quite get there. But, she's very close. Today (Thursday) she has really been trying to rock up on her knees. She got very close several times. Crawling is just around the corner...

Natalie can also turn around on her tummy and as of today, I think is starting to get the idea of pushing backwards. Natalie is much better at flipping from her back to her tummy than Abby though. She can turn over very well. Natalie is more content to be more still and play with one toy than reach for everything in sight (like Abby).

Both girls are very vocal and love to "talk" and talk. They will engage in "conversation" with you and it's delightful. They are still the happiest babies I've ever seen. The only times they fuss are when we wrap them up and put them to bed and they aren't ready to sleep, or when we try to feed them. The smile and laugh and play all day.

We are solucky to have the most beautiful, happy babies in the world.

Okay - I'm back!

Good grief ! How the time flies. Have we already been home from my dad's for over a week? I think I'm still recovering. Part of recovery is catching up on blogging, and I have a lot to report.

Be sure to scroll down and catch up on all the latest news!

The Parent Test

Yesterday was quite an adventure. We left my dad´s in Luray, VA around 11am. The trip is generally 5.5 - 6 hours. With the girls, you have to add at least an hour for a feeding stop. Natalie also had a very bad diaper rash that we wanted to stay on top of with frequent changes. We figured we'd be home about 7ish.

We were moving right along despite multiple stops: several diapers changes, two feedings, and a fussy Abby who we checked a few times just in case of a poopy diaper. Around 6pm, we were about 35 miles from Durham. We were very happy. The girls, who are really amazing travelers, had had about enough and were getting fussy.

Just ahead, we begin to see the bright lights of the big ole city of Durham. But wait, that's not Durham. It's the site all parents traveling with children dread: the tail lights of slowing traffic.

We were around exit 212 on I-85 South. We were in the left lane and our first mistake was not immediately getting over and taking the exit before it was too late. But, it was too late. Much too late. Through conversations with Jeff and my mom, we learned of brush fires in the area closing down parts of the interstate as well as other highways. Traffic was being re-routed at exit 209 onto highway 158 to a spot further down 85. So, 3 miles. That can't take but so long, right?

Almost two and a half hours, a road-side pee break, and a half-a-dozen broken traffic laws and behavior that would initiate a DCS investigation, we finally made it to Highway 158. We reached our home around 9:30pm - 10 hours later.

10 hours in a car with two screaming babies is not a lot of fun. I can't say that I blame them. They were so tired of being cramped and strapped into their car seats. On the plus side, both girls had a chance to practice driving with Daddy.

It was certainly quite a trip. But, I suppose you aren't really a parent until you've been trapped in a car with a screaming kid. Well, we've passed the test. For the traveling gods keeping score, we no longer EVER need to take that test again. We consider ourselves to have passed with flying colors. No further instruction needed.

Did you miss us?

Hi all! I know I've been absent of late. The girls and I are actually at my dad's in Luray, VA. We've been here since Driday adn will be returning home Sunday. My dad has *horror of horrors* DIAL-UP, and doing anything on the computer takes more patience than I have.

The girls are doing well and I will have updates and pictures in a few days once we are home.

Thanks for checking in!