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Hannah and Leah are starting to look a lot older, and are getting bigger as I had to retire some more pants this week after sending Hannah to daycare in what appeared to be cropped pants. Their hair looks brownish but every time I see them in a picture it appears more golden. We really won't know until closer to a year if they are anything like their brother, he had fuzz until after 9mos. Their eyes look exactly like his for now too...but again...waiting for the one year mark on that one. They have both become ticklish under their chins and giggle and smile more often. But every time I run to grab the camera the smiles have faded. I should just wear it around my neck. I started 5oz bottles over the weekend, hoping it will help them sleep at night. They were doing great and then last week they would each wake up once or twice, get plugged with their pacifier, and go back to sleep. After having the bigger bottles yesterday Hannah actually went back to sleeping from 6:45pm to 5:45am and Leah woke up once around 1am and then back to sleep until Hannah arose. Jay has been in Puerto Rico since Thursday so I'm sure when he returns they will sleep through the night again else he will resume his esteemed position of nighttime caretaker. This was his first trip since the girls arrived (at least I think it is....the end of last year is a bit of a blur), and so I was forced to do a few daycare dropoff and pickups by myself. Jay and I agree, it's actually not hard, just takes time with all the trips back and forth to the car and in and out of rooms. It helps that Joseph has been agreeable to leaving each day, as opposed to the refusals we were faced with quite often last year. (I probably just jinxed myself for tomorrow). And I have been reminded of the medela steam bags for washing all of my 2000 bottle parts so that process has gotten a lot easier each night. Now I'm down to under 10 minutes. We've also made bottle making easier by getting the pampered chef pitcher that has the mixer gadget in the middle. A day's worth of formula made in minutes! However the universe is playing some cruel joke on me because just when we've got things figured out, this morning when I went to heat up the girls first bottle the start button on the microwave didn't work. (and no, there is no workaround for this, it is used for every single complicated function that the microwave has to offer). The old reboot, or in this case, unplug-replug, seems to have worked but I have a feeling it's days are numbered. And as I cannot fathom not having a microwave, we shall be picking one out this week just in case. I could probably keep babbling on but I was actually writing this to pass the time while waiting for Joseph to eventually tire and take a nap, but alas, his requests for "mommy" have not stopped. And you never know what you might find with a partly potty trained almost 3 year old in a closed off room so I had better run...
We are by no means "done" with potty training, but we have passed a significant milestone. After having two logs in his underwear at school yesterday, Joseph told us last night and this morning that he had to go poo. (why he is doing so four times within a 24 hour period I do not know, but if that's what it takes to make some progress I'm all for it!) Joseph was pretty happy because he gets to enjoy popcorn and a movie after dropping the kids off at the waterpark, so last night he chose Dora (though technically not a movie) and this morning he chose Nemo. If he does it again today then tonight we all watch Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I'm not convinced we've found his "currency" yet, as we've had this movie restriction in place for several weeks, but maybe if we catch a few more stomach viruses or eat some BW3s that will do the trick.
While this scene may not seem daunting to some viewers....it is what Jay and I dread coming home to each night. All 12 bottles and their 2000 parts. Aside from the raw hands from all of the washing, the first week with both of us at work went pretty well. The mornings were surprisingly easy, though that is because no one had any early morning meetings to get to and our kids all woke up like they were all set to some bizarre alarm each day. We carpooled most of the days and both did the dropping off and picking up, but on Thursday Jay flew solo and said it went just fine. The hardest part is loading everyone up to go home partially because of the amount of stuff to remember to grab but for me mostly because the girls scream from the minute you put them in their carseats until the minute you have the minivan in motion. But after that there is some nice silence to follow where we chat and look over everyone's sheets from the day. Very important to know who's pooped and where they've pooped, especially since our eldest seems to enjoy crapping in his underwear every single day. And after we're up to speed and have managed to carry everyone into the house, the first hour is a bit of a rush but with two of us it calms down rather quickly. The girls have been passed out by 7 with Joseph following by 8. The night then belongs to us and the bottles. And most nights we sleep all the way through until 5:45 or later....though a couple of mornings Leah has woken up for a quick giggle session with her dad around 4 and then back to sleep. If it was with mom there probably wouldn't be as much giggling.
For Joseph and Jay their vacation ended on Monday, and as you know my "vacation" (HAH!) is up in a few days. We did a lot in three months...doctor and dentist appts, parks, playdates, holidays, shopping, a few nights out...and in the last two weeks we squeezed in as much as possible while Joseph was on his vacation. (he loved the word vacation). I took him to the zoo (yes I know it's winter, but I just don't consider 30 and above cold anymore.) And we do mostly indoor stuff anyway...Joseph loves the sharks and fish. So Jay took him to discovery world too, where there is an aquarium and Joseph is able to touch the sting rays. Jay also took him to the redneck aquarium, aka, Cabella's. :) He loved the bears, deer, and other animals there too. We also squeezed in a visit to the pool (yes, the pool was indoors, and no, it was not me who was in a bathing suit!). The girls stayed at home with me during most of this fun but they did accompany me on some shopping trips and visits. This week I even brought them to the gym with me. They have a playroom there and a special area for infants. Gone is my excuse for not working out on the weekends. ;) And so it has almost come to an end. A weekend in Minnesota and then back to work I go!
Uninterrupted sleep. Oh how we have missed you, and are grateful for your return. Not only has Joseph stopped getting out of bed and walking downstairs at nap time and bedtime, but it seems our lovely girls have also learned how to sleep through the night. The kids have all been going to bed around 8pm and as of this morning, all waking up after 6am! Yesterday the girls awoke at 5:30 am and today it was 6:45 am! We of course realize that this is likely not permanent, but it is the start of a very happy era in our home. The era of sleep.
Da na na-daaaaah Da na na-da-daaaaah
Da na na-daaaaah Da na na-da-daaaaah
It's the final countdown. One more week at home with the girls and then back to work I go! The daycare forms are filled out, the check has been written, all of the extra clothes, diapers, blankets, sheets and formula are set aside and now we just need one huge honkin bag to get it all there. (Good thing I bought two of the big blue ikea bags when I was there last weekend. 59 cents each! Oh ikea, why don't you come build a store near me?) One of the sections on the forms for the girls asks for "favorite toys and activities". Over the past week we actually discovered that Hannah enjoys looking in mirrors and Leah has developed a fancy for green gingham. Whenever you put Leah on the changing pad next to the curtains she coos as though she is carrying on some blissful conversation with the green and white checkered stripes. And the only way to keep Hannah happy on her belly is to place a toy with a mirror on it in front of her and she starts to chat away. Now I just have to figure out where I put our bottle bags and get out the bigger bottles. We're still writing down when and how much the girls eat each day and it seems as though we are going to have to pack 5 bottles for EACH of them EVERY day. And as I refuse to buy more small bottles we will be bustin out the big ones. (If anyone knows someone who is interested in coming over to our house every evening to wash bottles, do give me a ring.) And it's not just the girls that need to bring a lot of stuff to daycare, Joseph also needs to have a few extra outfits now that we are in the potty training phase. And as I've learned this doesn't just mean underwear and pants...but also socks and shirts. (And sometimes it means a change of clothes for you as well so hopefully his teachers are prepared). What's baffling to me is how the little dude can have a dry diaper in the morning after being asleep for 10 hours and awake for over 30 minutes, but then proceed to pee all over himself later in the day. We've been taking away tv when he does this, and giving him treats when he makes it to the potty. Not sure if we've figured out his currency yet, but we'll see how it goes when he's back at school. He's very excited to show all of his friends his underwear, so maybe being around the other kids that are potty trained will help. Either way he's looking forward to going back to school and it will be nice for me to have a quiet week at home with the girls before the madness begins on January 11th!
And so 2009 is coming to an end. It was a year that brought about a lot of change for our family. There was of course the arrival of Hannah and Leah, and the return of bottles and baby toys. And as Joseph stated yesterday after drinking a glass of milk, "I got big and strong. I can drive." And while he may not be able to drive yet, he sure did grow up fast over the past 12 months. He went from being a toddler in a crib to a boy in a bed who knows all about the state of Wisconsin, leaves, animals, artists, letters, and numbers (which taught me that I am not smarter than a 2 year old). Hannah and Leah went from tiny newborns to almost three month olds with rolls in their legs and an uncanny ability to poop clean diapers. Since I was pregnant most of 2009 I spent most of the year organizing and reorganizing while blessed with the gift that is bionic hearing (though oddly it only works with my kids and small birds....not on my husband). Before the girls arrived we took a family vacation out to Seattle, and throughout the year spent lots of time at beaches, pools, discovery world, and the zoo. Jay also traveled to Bangalore, Hyderabad, London, Denver, Maine, Boston, New Jersey, Sarasota, and Richmond for work and managed to squeeze in a fishing trip to Kabetogema, Minnesota. It was a busy year filled with new experiences and lots of new cousins! Not sure yet what 2010 will bring but I imagine it will involve a minivan, a double stroller, and a whole lotta diapers!
This is how we feed Leah (arms) and Hannah (boppy) at the same time. A little trick we learned watching the teachers at daycare when Joseph was a baby...though at the time I never thought I'd actually need to know how to feed two babies at once. ;)
Leah Rose
Height: 23in (75%)
Weight: 11lbs .5oz (60%)
Head: 38.5cm (50%)
Hannah Lu
Height: 23.75in (90%)
Weight: 11lbs 5oz (70%)
Head: 38.5cm (50%)I was going to take the girls to their appointment by myself today, figured after two months I was up to the task of handling shots and exams. But I must admit I was relieved to hear Jay's key in the door while I was frantically scarfing down lunch and listening to Hannah cry as we were preparing to leave the house. And I was even more relieved after the doctor's appointment. I could have handled just the shots for both girls... but combined with the examination by the "fellow", the exam by the doctor, the cries of hunger, and the feeding of both girls in between the exam and the shots....well...it would not have been easy. The shots were actually the easy part...though Leah let out the loudest, highest pitch cry we have ever heard. Even woke Hannah up out of her sleep, and that is a first! Both girls were asleep within minutes of being done with their vaccines. (Here's to hoping it stays that way!) Crying wasn't a surprise...but their growth measurements were. I figured they'd both be the same height...and that they would both be on the small side. Wrong....and wrong again. Odd considering I am hardly ever wrong about anything. ;)
Whether it be a significant milestone or simply flatulation....the girls are starting to smile more often. They coo too...and their once stick skinny chicken legs have turned into meaty lamb chops. No chunks yet...but they are definitely getting bigger. We have our two month checkup with the doctor next week and will have our official weigh in....and first round of shots. Which also means first dose of tylenol. Ah the wonder that is acetaminophen. And not to get overly hopeful, but I do recall Joseph's two month checkup being the start of sleeping through the night. Last night the girls had their last bottles at 6:30, Hannah passed out by 7 and Leah screamed bloody murder until closer to 8, and both of them stayed asleep until 2:30, then back to bed and up for the day just after 6 a.m. If we could ditch the screaming part then we could easily live with one bottle a night for a bit longer. ;)
"Why?"
That is Joseph's response to the request of "tell me why?" It seems he is very literal. He also enjoys eating hangleburgers (translation: hamburgers)
The girls and I had a good day today...running around to the doctor's office, babies r us, the mall, the bank. And then when I realized how nice it was outside we even took a walk. Then evening came, and some crazy she-devil took over Leah's body. Jay quickly realized all the crying was due to gas (not soap poisoning), and hallelujah we actually had some gas drops in the house! We learned last week from cousin Oliver that these work wonders. And crazy enough, 45 minutes later our lovely Leah returned. Her crying was so bad I was wondering if we were going to have to take our first late night car ride, driving around in a flippin minivan looking for a mcdonald's that stays open late and has lattes. (also got this idea from uncle Patrick)
Well ok, so this is not always the scene at our house, but they do smile pretty for the camera on occasion. :) Hannah and Leah got their first cold last week, but they slept through the night. Whereas Joseph woke up friday night and saturday night and had to be told that it was still nightime. Hard to get upset with the little man though because he started pooping on the potty this week. He actually comes home from school in the same clothes we sent him in. HUGE progress!
We are by no means "done" with potty training, but we have passed a significant milestone. After having two logs in his underwear at school yesterday, Joseph told us last night and this morning that he had to go poo. (why he is doing so four times within a 24 hour period I do not know, but if that's what it takes to make some progress I'm all for it!) Joseph was pretty happy because he gets to enjoy popcorn and a movie after dropping the kids off at the waterpark, so last night he chose Dora (though technically not a movie) and this morning he chose Nemo. If he does it again today then tonight we all watch Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I'm not convinced we've found his "currency" yet, as we've had this movie restriction in place for several weeks, but maybe if we catch a few more stomach viruses or eat some BW3s that will do the trick.
While this scene may not seem daunting to some viewers....it is what Jay and I dread coming home to each night. All 12 bottles and their 2000 parts. Aside from the raw hands from all of the washing, the first week with both of us at work went pretty well. The mornings were surprisingly easy, though that is because no one had any early morning meetings to get to and our kids all woke up like they were all set to some bizarre alarm each day. We carpooled most of the days and both did the dropping off and picking up, but on Thursday Jay flew solo and said it went just fine. The hardest part is loading everyone up to go home partially because of the amount of stuff to remember to grab but for me mostly because the girls scream from the minute you put them in their carseats until the minute you have the minivan in motion. But after that there is some nice silence to follow where we chat and look over everyone's sheets from the day. Very important to know who's pooped and where they've pooped, especially since our eldest seems to enjoy crapping in his underwear every single day. And after we're up to speed and have managed to carry everyone into the house, the first hour is a bit of a rush but with two of us it calms down rather quickly. The girls have been passed out by 7 with Joseph following by 8. The night then belongs to us and the bottles. And most nights we sleep all the way through until 5:45 or later....though a couple of mornings Leah has woken up for a quick giggle session with her dad around 4 and then back to sleep. If it was with mom there probably wouldn't be as much giggling.
For Joseph and Jay their vacation ended on Monday, and as you know my "vacation" (HAH!) is up in a few days. We did a lot in three months...doctor and dentist appts, parks, playdates, holidays, shopping, a few nights out...and in the last two weeks we squeezed in as much as possible while Joseph was on his vacation. (he loved the word vacation). I took him to the zoo (yes I know it's winter, but I just don't consider 30 and above cold anymore.) And we do mostly indoor stuff anyway...Joseph loves the sharks and fish. So Jay took him to discovery world too, where there is an aquarium and Joseph is able to touch the sting rays. Jay also took him to the redneck aquarium, aka, Cabella's. :) He loved the bears, deer, and other animals there too. We also squeezed in a visit to the pool (yes, the pool was indoors, and no, it was not me who was in a bathing suit!). The girls stayed at home with me during most of this fun but they did accompany me on some shopping trips and visits. This week I even brought them to the gym with me. They have a playroom there and a special area for infants. Gone is my excuse for not working out on the weekends. ;) And so it has almost come to an end. A weekend in Minnesota and then back to work I go!
Uninterrupted sleep. Oh how we have missed you, and are grateful for your return. Not only has Joseph stopped getting out of bed and walking downstairs at nap time and bedtime, but it seems our lovely girls have also learned how to sleep through the night. The kids have all been going to bed around 8pm and as of this morning, all waking up after 6am! Yesterday the girls awoke at 5:30 am and today it was 6:45 am! We of course realize that this is likely not permanent, but it is the start of a very happy era in our home. The era of sleep.
Da na na-daaaaah Da na na-da-daaaaah
And so 2009 is coming to an end. It was a year that brought about a lot of change for our family. There was of course the arrival of Hannah and Leah, and the return of bottles and baby toys. And as Joseph stated yesterday after drinking a glass of milk, "I got big and strong. I can drive." And while he may not be able to drive yet, he sure did grow up fast over the past 12 months. He went from being a toddler in a crib to a boy in a bed who knows all about the state of Wisconsin, leaves, animals, artists, letters, and numbers (which taught me that I am not smarter than a 2 year old). Hannah and Leah went from tiny newborns to almost three month olds with rolls in their legs and an uncanny ability to poop clean diapers. Since I was pregnant most of 2009 I spent most of the year organizing and reorganizing while blessed with the gift that is bionic hearing (though oddly it only works with my kids and small birds....not on my husband). Before the girls arrived we took a family vacation out to Seattle, and throughout the year spent lots of time at beaches, pools, discovery world, and the zoo. Jay also traveled to Bangalore, Hyderabad, London, Denver, Maine, Boston, New Jersey, Sarasota, and Richmond for work and managed to squeeze in a fishing trip to Kabetogema, Minnesota. It was a busy year filled with new experiences and lots of new cousins! Not sure yet what 2010 will bring but I imagine it will involve a minivan, a double stroller, and a whole lotta diapers!
Joseph kissing Leah
Hannah (l) and Leah (r) in their cute little winter hats
Jay and Jessica...just the two of us!
Jay and Joseph opening gifts
Hannah and Jessica posing for a picture
Leah Rose
Hannah Lu
Hannah: "How you doin?"
Hannah: "Let's wrap this up, I've been awake for 30 minutes already"
Hannah: "Maybe if I stare at her with sad puppy eyes she will stop taking pictures"
Hannah: "Explosion in 10, 9, 8, 7..."
Hannah: "...3, 2, 1 WAAAAAAAHHHHHHH"
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