First Steps!

Well, we knew it was coming: the walking! Hank just took his first four steps. He had been taking a step here and there, but mostly out of trying to avoid falling over. But this afternoon, while both Mark and I were watching, he moved into the world of actual combined steps. He moved towards his stuffed stomach virus toy then again took a few steps to get to Mark. Super exciting! Clara was watching him in his new endeavour for a minute, but then decided she preferred to return to her stand up piano. I suspect she, too, will be trying for a few steps before too long.

Here is a little video of Hank's first steps:

From Walking!!

Playing It Up

These days, the kids are generally a lot better natured than a few months ago. They can entertain themselves for longer periods, as they destroy their playroom. Emptying out each basket of toys is still pretty much their favorite activities. But, they have also figured out the joy of having Mom or Dad pick them up after a fall or when times are a little boring for them.

I once read that a baby's most important job is to play and explore. I can see why. Each day, the kids play with toys they have seen before but attack with gusto anew. We have a tent that the kids love to play hide and seek until they tear it down. This can happen about 20 times a day, but it still elicits squeals of happiness each time.

C&H just got a new music set for their birthday, and they love shaking all the percussion instruments. Do we have future musicians on our hands? Wouldn't that be wonderful?

I am still struggling with accepting that they are turning one year this weekend. How fast did that year go? There were certainly moments that proceeded with a slug's pace, but collectively it just passed in a blink of an eye. (Okay, maybe not those moments that first few weeks in the middle of the night.) I love watching them grow, but how I simultaneously miss the tiny babies they once were. Its strange to think this is their second winter, and they are approaching their second Christmas. Amazing.

I took the little ones to enjoy the snow recently. I'm not sure they enjoyed it much, but I loved watchign them try to figure out what the heck the white stuff was.

From Nov. 2008 (11+ months)

Exploration

With their newfound mobility, Clara and Hank just seem happier. Through their crawling abilities, they are exploring every remote region of their playroom, as well as the front room. Their drive to explore, move, climb, stand and generally play seems neverending. I now understand why babies need so much sleep: during the limited time they are awake they are constantly on the move. It makes me tired to even watch them sometimes.

Yesterday, the babies had their first play period in the snow. I'm not sure they enjoyed it, but hey, we figured it was worth a shot. Hank tried hard to crawl in the snow, which is much harder than one I might think. Clara was more content to just check everything out than plow through the snow.

Generally, these days are just full of "what's this?", "what's this" type moments. It's hard to predict what will make them smile, but there sure are a lot more smiles these days.

From November 11 months

From November 11 months

Dada, Dog Dog, and Duck Duck

I can't be sure whether it "officially" counts, but we think Clara has started saying a few words. She can now some what point at the dog and properly identify him. There are moments when "dog" sounds a lot like "dad", but hey, she is only 11 months!

Clara has also figured out that if she doesn't want to be corrected for playing with her sippy cup, she can just turn around while drinking and avoid having mom and dad see her. So, immediately upon getting her cup now, she starts spinning to ensure her back is to me. Amusing, annoying, and intelligent all at the same time.

Hank is just so close to taking his first step that I'm constantly watching him. He pulls up to standing then just debates whether it is worth it to take that step. So far, the lure of crawling fast outweighs the fear of taking that step. But, I suspect it won't be long.

We had our first substantial snowfall last night. If the snow sticks the rest of the day, we might take the little ones to play a bit in the snow. I suspect there will be a lot of snow filled afternoons this winter, so the sooner we can adjust to taking them outside in it, the easier the winter will be.

It's hard for me to really accept that their first year is almost over. With the new developments daily, I'm trying hard to focus on the positive. But, there is a part of me that longs for the little babies they were. I suppose that is just nature's way of ensuring the human species continues.

New Moves

Wow, it's hard to believe the kids are eleven months old! This is their last month as baby babies. Makes me sad, but I'm also so impressed with everything they have learned in their short time. I feel like we had several months of little tiny new things. Then, we suddenly hit a time of high growth and development.

Clara has figured out how to pull up on things. She uses her new found skill conservatively so far--just to get up in the crib or pull up on the gate to the playroom. But, I suspect in another week or two, she will start pulling up on toys more.

Hank is figuring out how to stand on his own. It's only for a few seconds here or there, but it's really quite impressive. He is also doing cute little squats. I guess it makes sense since he needs to build those leg muscles, but I never considered whether babies would really do them!

With all these gains, we are also seeing improvements on their dance abilities. Even just a short rift of music is enough to get the kids grooving. It's one of my favorite things to watch. Guitar music is a particular favorite, but pretty much any music starts the rocking and head bouncing at this point.

Happy November!

It's hard to believe it is already November. This is the last full month of the babies being true "babies"! With their birthday quickly approaching, I'm trying to really enjoy these weeks before toddlerhood. The kids had a good Halloween, playing with some of their friends during a playdate. Seeing all the twin babies in costume was fun.

Over the weekend, they want to a birthday party of a friend of ours, and they explored all the floor area they could while banging away at spoons. Hank spent the entire party pulling up on all possible pieces of furniture, ranging from ottomans to breakfast nooks. If it could be pulled up on, Hank was all over it.

Clara, too, is working on pulling up on things. She successfully pulled up on the lounge chair in her nursery this morning. We also got to see a glimpse of Clara crawling with her stomach off the ground this weekend. Her preferred technique is still inchworm style, but she is exploring her options. She crawled in a traditional hands/knees style on Friday night on her path to the bath. It is great watching her try new things out and see what works best.

If I had to predict, my guess is that Hank will be walking before too long here, maybe in time for his birthday. Clara will follow suit not long after, perhaps by 13-14 months. While I am excited for them to learn new skills, I do enjoy the limits on their mobility from a parenting standpoint. I suspect life will change radically once their can walk and run.

This is a wonderful age. Having Clara and Hank check out every corner of the house, climb over us, reach for things, and just generally learn and observe is fun. Yes, it requires a lot of oversight from the parents, but I love trying to see how the world must look to them.

Happy (Pre) Halloween!

With Halloween tomorrow, I figured it was time to post a picture of the kids in their costume:



We were reminded during their photo shoot how hard it is to get them to look at the camera at the same time! There are more than a fair share of the photos where Hank was trying to escape, while Clara just smiled contently. Typical of their personalities these days!

To celebrate the day, the kids have a playdate tomorrow. Lots of kids running around, but it should be fun (if not a little exhausting). Clara has seemed to master sitting up from being on her stomach, which is just great. She really enjoys the freedom this offers. Hank is all about pulling up on absolutely everything. And I do mean everything, including Clara's head in her newly acquired sitting position. They are truly bundles of energy these days and spend a good amount of time trying to explore every little corner of their playroom. Thank goodness for that space! Otherwise it would be unleashing little destructors throughout the house!

Lovely Fall

Well, Fall is definitely here. The weather has started to turn, and the leaves are falling. I worry a little about life during the winter, especially as the kids are getting more energetic and active. But for now, I am just trying to enjoy the lovely colors out and about.

Hank and Clara were weighed again yesterday, and the data was good. Both kids are growing. Clara is now in the 13th%, and Hank is now in the 15th%. With nursing about to finish, the extra pounds are a little insurance while they adjust to using a sippy cup--which is still not going all that well. We will continue to work on that!

Hank is the standing machine at this point. He likes to pull up on everything. Clara has figured out how to get from sitting to a crawling position, so she is eagerly exploring her surroundings a bit more these days. She has also started giving a big smile for now reason whenever she sees Mark or me. We love it.

In honor of fall, here are two pictures from our recent outing to the pumpkin patch. It was virtually impossible to get the kids to both look and smile at the camera. As is life with twins.

From Pumpkin Patch 2008

From Pumpkin Patch 2008

Times Are A Changin'

The last few weeks have just been change after change around the house. Hank is constantly pulling up on every piece of furniture, baby gate, and push-walker toy. Clara is moving faster and faster in her inchworm crawling style. Just a few seconds ago, I watched the kids playing peekaboo. Clara holds up a blanket over her face and pulls it down, to Hank's complete amusement. They are presently blowing raspberries to each other. It's wonderful watching them at this age.

Of course, there are new challenges presenting themselves. Clara is struggling with getting from a seated position to her belly without assistance. Hank is going through a "mommy" phase, which limits my ability to, oh, say walk two feet away. I suppose that is just how it goes.

Speaking of which, Hank has decided it is not okay for me to type this entry anymore. Off to rescue the young ones.

From September Early Oct. -- 9.5 months

Lovely Fall Day

Today was one of those perfect Buffalo fall days. The weather was warm, the sun was shining, and the kids were in a decent mood. What more can you ask?

It's crazy to think about how much the kids have changed in the last month. In addition to crawling, they both now are completely happy to walk holding our fingers. They have figured out how to move their feet on their own, and both just smile hugely whenever given the opportunity to be on the move. We are a FAR way from walking without help as far as I can tell. But this stage is really fun.

Hank and Clara are also improving their verbal skills. It's like they have figured out phrasing. Their vocalizations have far more inflections than before. We still have yet for them to use any term accurately, but it's fun to hear them explore their vocabularly.

Another of my favorite "new" skills is moving to the music. They love to boogie, which of course means they are my children despite looking ridiculously like their dad. Hank likes to rock back on his legs to his favorite tunes, while Clara prefers rocking while sitting. Either way, just fun to watch. Now if we could convince them that music besides nursery rhymes were dance worthy...

Friday Bloody Friday

I start by saying everyone is just fine. But, we did have a little drama today. As the morning nap began to wrap up, I heard Hank wake up. Within seconds, he was crying his "pain" cry. Norm began running upstairs, which is unusual. I was hot on his trail. When I walked in, I found Hank standing on the side of the crib with blood on his face, on the crib rail cover, and on his sleep sack. Needless to say, scared me to no end. I still don't really know what caused the blood, though my guess is he bit his tongue or lip as he was pulling himself up on the side of the crib. I learned that I don't do well with seeing my kids bleeding, even if it is just a tiny bit of blood!

On a much happier note, we took the kids to the pumpkin patch yesterday. I am not sure they really enjoyed the experience, but we had fun showing them the petting zoo and all the pumpkins. We hope to take their Halloween photos this weekend. Also, weather permitting, we hope to go out to check out the changing leaves. It's beautiful out here this time of year.

Whole Lotta Chatting Going On

While we are still a good spell away from any definitive words, it is pretty interesting listening to the assorted babbling the kids are doing. Clara has a good list of sounds, including "mama", "dada", "digdigdig", and "duhduh". Hank is working through most of the shrieking aspect of vocalizing these days, including the extreme volume sound checks. I find it beyond amusing to hear them chat with each other after nap time. Mostly, they just make each other laugh, but on occasion, it sure seems like post-nap time is the ideal opportunity to check out new sounds. It makes me just like to listen to them a little longer after they wake-up without going into the room.

Of course, with each sound is a wonderful facial expression. Here is one of Clara's more amusing looks while chatting up a storm:

Motoring

Well, with both kids now on the move, life is a little different around here. We now have to keep a super close eye on both kids. Whenever I say that, I feel like it sounds like weren't doing that before. But, I guess the distinction now is that even leaving for a minute requires making sure the gates are closed, the babies are contained, and there aren't any dangerous objections within the near vicinity, rather than just within the surrounding 5 feet or so.

Both kids are presently interested in eating Norm's rawhides. Norm doesn't help the situation much, as he is constantly bringing the rawhides near the kids, almost taunting them if you ask me. Hank and Clara generally are most interested on those items they can't have, so the rawhides are pretty fascinating. I do believe Hank would love to spend a few hours chewing one if he could. He is continuing his love of all things chewing.

I am amused that the kids' crawling styles mirror so much of how they were, even in the womb. Clara's elongated inchworm style reminds me of how she was always stretched long when I was pregnant. She took up most of the limited real estate. Hank, in contrast, crawls and becomes super compact in his body shape. Just like how he was when I was pregnant. I will be curious to see whether this trend continues.

For now, it's all about watching, pulling them away from danger, and identifying our house proofing deficiencies.

Go Clara!

Unwilling to have Hank make more progress than her, Clara has decided that it is time to crawl. Unfortunately for her, her little legs don't necessarily agree. So, she has instead created her own version of crawling. She pulls herself across the floor with her arms, like the cutest little inch worm. It's amazing how much work it takes, but Clara is determined and focused in her mission. She can make it easily half way across the floor. We have videos of both the young Bartholomews exercising their new skills. I hope to upload them in the next day or two. For now, it's all about making sure both Clara and Hank don't get into too much trouble as they begin exploring their world. We are super proud of them both!

And here are the long awaited videos...

And He's Off!

Update:

Well, I was right that Hank was close to crawling in my last blog entry. He is now officially a crawler. It is great to watch him. He moves slowly but deliberately as he plunges ahead. Half the time he is crying as he crawls, which we can't figure out. Does it hurt? Is it just the effort? Who knows. I'll try to take a little video of it tomorrow.

Almost there

It's pretty exciting around here these days. Hank is just so close to crawling. He is rocking onto his back legs then hurling himself forward. He isn't quite understanding how to use his arms to assist the effort, but he is getting close. He has figured out how to pivot in circles using his arms, which is amusing, too. It's like watching a little top go round and round.

Clara wants very much to emulate Hank's efforts. When he rocks onto his back legs, Clara starts trying to rock, as well. But, she hasn't figured out that rocking requires that she lift her belly off the ground a bit. So, she instead rocks on her stomach. Hey, it provides a little stomach massage, which must feel pretty good. She remains our ardent stander and enjoys any opportunity where someone helps her with this mission.

I find myself fascinated by the babies' mobility gains. Whatever aspect of development governs this progress is amazing. The babies have such a clear drive to want to move. Even just watching the kids in the jumper highlights this innate drive to be in motion. Today's visuals are the kids working things out in their walkers:

From August 2008 -- 8 12 months

From August 2008 -- 8 12 months

The Big Weigh In

The babies were weighed in yesterday at their nine month appointment. Much to our happiness, they did well. Hank is up to 17 lbs 10 oz, and Clara weighs in at 16 lbs 5 oz. This puts Clara in the 10th percentile and Hank in the 6th percentile--by far the highest percentiles either of them have had. Yippee!!

We are continuing to have eating challenges. We have figured out two strategies that seem to help a bit. First, we are giving them a lot more finger food. Of course, this would be a far more effective strategy if, oh I don't know, the kids could actually get the food from their fingers to their mouth. Second, we are trying to give them five meals a day, if they are willing. They do better with a bunch of small meals, since it combats the boredom associated with longer feeds. It is a bunch more work for Mark and me, but hey, parenthood is often all about doing the work.

On to more fun topics. The kids are really enjoying going to the park and playing on the swing these days. The two can fit pretty nicely in a single swing seat, and both seem to love it. Here are some photos:

From September 8 12 - 9 months

From September 8 12 - 9 months

We don't know how much longer the joint swing action will work, but for now, it is a nice way to enjoy the afternoon walk a little more.

Food Pains

Ugh, so feeding time has become a bit of a disaster around here. Clara has decided she hates it. She hates her high chair. She hates being feed. She hates her bib. She hates her food, and she pretty hates any effort made by anyone to get her to eat. It's been fun. You get her within a foot of her high chair, and the screaming begins. This started up about a week ago and is increasingly playing itself out.

Hank, watching all this, decides that Clara is pretty darn smart. So, starting last night, he, too, is loudly expressing his discontent with meal time. Oh, the joy never ceases.

We are hopeful that when they are weighed on Tuesday, we will get news that they weigh enough that a few missed meals here and there aren't too big of a deal. For now, we are just trying to find the patience to coax a little more food into them, one bite at a time.

Everyday Toys

I am fascinated by which toys the kiddos like. It seems that the more simple, the better. Clara and Hank are presently completely occupied by stacking cups. They just like to hold them, clap them together, exchange them with each other. You name it. It's about 20 minutes of occupation. Yet, the more colorful, musical, mechanical toys only hold their interest for about five minutes. Typical.

I started back to teaching yesterday. It was surprisingly hard to leave the babies in the morning, even though it was only for a few hours. And, I was leaving them with their dad (really, there is no better babysitter). Yet, I still just wanted to play with them instead of heading out. I guess it confirms that the right decision for me was to stay home with them these first few years. It's a personal decision every parent has to make, and I would never pass judgment on another's path. I'm just glad this path is working for me.

We are on day 3 of the antibiotics for the kids. So far, no improvement, but I suspect it's a slow going process. The good thing is that neither of the kiddos seems allergic to penicillin the way I am! Hey, small victories.

Today's pictures are in honor of Hank and Clara's present love of their bath. The last few nights, they have really started to enjoy the splashing opportunity. Okay, okay, these pictures are from their time with in their mini-pool a few months ago, but I thought the robes were still appropriate for a bath time reference.

And the Colds Go On...

We are still fighting bugs around here. Just when the babies seem to get better, they then get a little worse. Lots and lots of nose running around here. I'm beginning to feel better, so I'm hoping that the kids will be soon, too. We are seeing the doctor today, just to check that it isn't something more than the common cold.

Beyond cold management, it was a quiet weekend. We went a few long walks, which the babies seemed to enjoy just fine. The weather has been super warm, which makes me feel like the summer is a nice long one. I still am nervous about how to handle the longer winters with two babies.

Hank is getting closer to crawling, it appears. He is rocking onto his back legs more and more. Clara is less excited about working on that, but she sure does love doing the standing routine. She will happily spend most of her standing if she could have it her way. We are noticing that her legs are getting a lot stronger. She is still a lot leaner than Hank, but growing tall.

Food and eating is still time-consuming task #1 around here. The new food introduction of late was curried lentil and rice. The first time around wasn't a big success, but at this point, the kids are surprisingly willing to eat it. Awesome!

Off to the doc appointment.

Tough Days for Clara

Clara pretty much went from getting a cold, to getting a new tooth, to getting a new cold. Needless to say, she is not loving these days much at all. She has become particularly grumpy--though I can't say a blame here.

The sick bug seems to have hit Hank, as well. He is handling it a little better than his sister, though he isn't his cheery self. I am crossing my fingers that all ailments will be over before too long.

It seems that the kids get sick pretty routinely a week or so before their next wellness visit. It is just the right timing so I can't decide whether to take them to the doctor, being that they will be heading right back there in less than a week. But, we are keeping a close eye on them.

One positive thing about sick babies: they still can find moments of happiness. Even yesterday, they were willing to hang out under the tree and try to enjoy the day a bit. Here is a photo. You can tell that they are both just trying to breath out of their mouths!

Neverending Food!

I am just shocked by the volume of food the kiddos are eating these days. Clara has always been willing to eat a good amount, and now Hank has caught up and overtaken her eating tendencies! We are making it through the equivalent of 12-15 jars a day. I'm trying to continue to make a good portion of their food, but their food demands are exceeding my time allowances. We did start quinoa this week, which they liked. Have you ever tasted that stuff? I can't say I was much of a fan, but I'm glad they like it at least.

We get them weighed at their nine month appointment in less than two weeks. I am super curious to see how much they weigh at this point. I tried to dress Hank in a six month outfit today, and it was too small. Unbelievable! I feel like my little, tiny babies have actual turned into good size infants all of a sudden.

As the summer is coming to an end, we went on a short day trip earlier this week. We found a little dinner in the middle of nowhere that made wonderful pie. We then went for a short hike. Here are the kids taking a break on the hiking trail:



Both the kids have figured out how to crawl backwards at this point. It's great and amusing. They move slowly but enjoy the slip-slid of the hardwood floor. Hank is beginning to rock on his back legs, so I wonder if crawling isn't too far away!

Two Little Piggies and Always Going to the Market

How is it possible that my two little, tiny babies can eat as much as they do? Over the last few days in particular, Clara and Hank are eating just a ton more. I'm impressed being that they are also combating a cold, which I think would compromise most people's appetite. I feel like we are going through food like there is no tomorrow. Though I try to make a good portion of their food, practical realities also require that I buy some of it. I'm surprised by how I constantly feel like I'm on the verge of running out of baby food in the house. I cooked for them last night, and I still found myself cooking for them today. It's wonderful that they love food and are far from finicky eaters. It is also great, particularly given their smaller weights, that they enjoy a fair volume of food. All I know is if they don't weigh a lot more than before come the ninth month visit, something crazy is going on!

We are super close to finishing up the babies' new playroom. It's funny how much life changes: when we first moved into the house, we worried over where everything goes. Now, our main focus has switched fully from whether to hang my favorite picture in a room or Mark's to whether the kids will find a way to pull down the frame and try to eat it.

UPDATE: Here is a photo of the finished playroom:

Babyproofing, Olympics, and Eggs

I suppose I am not alone in getting a little sucked into the Olympics. I don't know if it is a time zone issue, but a lot of the things I want to watch are far later than my bedtime with the kids. I did get to see Phelps win last night, and I'm hoping to watch a little gymnastics tonight. But, the rumor is that it won't be on until way too late for me.

Now that the kiddos are 8 months old, I'm working through a new slew of food with them. They have tried chicken, turkey, and lentils. Today, they tried eggs for the first time. Both thought they were a little disgusting, but hey: maybe it is an acquired taste? I give them credit, though, because they finished their one yolk each despite some seriously questionable faces.

Both Hank and Clara are still working through their colds. As a result, I'm holding off on introducing cheese. I do look forward to seeing what they think of that. We are continuing to work on finger foods, though it is slow progress. They find it difficult to actually get the food into their mouths, but they are definitely intrigued by the effort.

Our big project this weekend was to create a playroom. We cleared out our dining room and decided to just gate it off. It's a good size room that gets nice light, particularly in the winter. I like to think of myself as fairly handy, but that baby gate installation is beyond my grasp. It took Mark and I both over an hour to just get it half way installed. I highly recommend pressure-mounted gates if possible. Our problem was that we needed an extra-wide gate. Hank has started crawling (backwards), so it will good to give him a nice wide area. Clara is not quite crawling, but her rolling expertise is growing. She also is enjoying standing a lot. I wonder if she will walk before she crawls?

Our regular computer came to a crashing demise this weekend, as well. I'll post when I can, but it may be a bit tardy with the computer limitations. I lost a bunch of photos of the babies, but I'm trying not to be too devasted. As is life.

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Okay, so there weren't any trains, but there were plenty of planes and automobiles during our visit to California. Both our flights out to SF and returning to Buffalo were travel nightmares, though no fault of Hank and Clara's. Let's just say that United Airlines should be expecting one heck of a nasty letter when I get a little time to put it together. I kid you not: it took 24 hours to get to SF, and the way home was better but still involved a seven hour delay in Chicago. I did learn that Hank and Clara could care less if they are in an airport or not. In fact, I think they kind-of enjoyed it. They particularly enjoyed our time at Rochester Airport (don't even ask why we ended up there). Here is a pictures from our time there:



It was wonderful to see our friends and family. It reminded me so much of everything I love about California. Life has changed incredibly since living there, granted. But, the feel of San Francisco is unparalleled. I realized on this trip that I couldn't imagine how I would handle twins in that city. More power to all those able to traverse the city ways with two babies. Regardless, I will always have a part of me that is wed to that city. I hope that we get to show Hank and Clara the beauty of that place as they grow up.

As for traveling with twins, it was surprisingly better than I would have thought. The kids adjusted to the different time zones very quickly. The hard part, it seems, is getting back acclimated to our time zone. Last night was a long one. It doesn't help that the kids got sick on the trip, but I'm hoping that by week's end, we are back into our normal routine.

California!

After a crazy 24 hours of traveling, we finally got to California. The babies are enjoying their visit, but I'll have to provide a lot of the details later. Just checking, and mentioning that we got here. The babies did a wonderful job on the plane. They are star travelers.

Another Round of Packing

With a trip to California scheduled for tomorrow, today is the last day of frantic packing. I think I have everything I need, but I'm sure I'll forget something important regardless of all the lists and notes around the house. Traveling with a baby is intimidating enough, but traveling with two just seems silly. I have all kinds of fears about TSA giving us trouble for the breastmilk or the food or something. Keep your fingers crossed!

Hank is now a rolling machine. He still doesn't really love rolling from his stomach to his back, but under duress, he will do it. His preference is just to cry and have us help him over. Clara, on the other, has it down. She can roll pretty much wherever she wants. They are both now expert sitters, as well. They like to play sitting up a lot more than before. Before long, I suspect they will be doing all kinds of new things.

I am amazed by how much these babies learn in such a short amount of time. Mark and I often discuss it. If I had to learn how to roll over anew, I doubt I would have it figured out in the span of a few short months. Let alone, learning to babble, hold my head up, eat, etc. These little creatures are incredible.

The Da Da Da...and Some Tangled Legs

Clara has figured out how to start making new sounds! She is doing a ton of "da-da" noises, which are super cute. She started this yesterday, and when she awoke this morning, she is continuing her sound exploration. I get the feeling when she starts talking "for real", she is never going to stop.

Hank is also making big improvements. He started rolling over, which we are super excited about. The only trick is he can only roll from back to stomach. In his crib, this makes a few complications. Once he gets onto his stomach, he scoots a bit backwards, making it so that his legs end up pushed through the slates of the crib. Once in this position, he can't roll back over to his stomach. Needless to say, this completely stresses him out. We are working to get him to roll both ways--for his own sanity!

The food explorations are continuing. The kids have started yogurt, which is going over really well. The next step will be starting beans and meat, but we are holding off on that until we get back from our trip to San Francisco. We have spent a lot of time this week just chatting about how to get ready for the trip. It's going to be great to see everyone, though the preparation and packing is a bear.

Weekend Update

Yesterday was a crazy busy day. We had swimming in the morning followed by attendance at the Twin Picnic. Our local chapter of the Mothers of Twins Club held their annual picnic yesterday in one of the nearby towns. There was a decent turnout, despite the rain. It was one of the few events we could attend where were aren't really a novelty with the kids. Everywhere you looked, there were families with at least two kids running around. What I found particularly impressive was the mom who had triplets. How she does it is beyond me.

The twins club has been a good organization for me. I have met some nice moms and have picked up some good tips on how to just manage life with twins, like how to feed them both at the same time or witty comebacks for the odd comments you get when out with the kiddos.

Today is the Lebanese Festival, which we hear is suppose to be great. We hope to attend after the babies' morning nap. Of course, Hank went down immediately for his nap, and Clara is fighting it hard--despite having been yawning before we put her down. Gotta love how that works. It's a constant battle to figure out who to put to nap when. They are just about 30 minutes off between how long one wants to stay up and one wants to nap. Of course, I could theoretically put them down at different times, but that would pretty much result in chaos when they wake up. Someday, I will have this nap schedule down, but probably only once the kids are beyond needing a nap!

In homage to nap discussions, here is an older nap related picture of Clara from when the swing was the nap place of choice:

Wasting the Night Away...

Okay, so this evening has been pretty much an effort in wasting time on the computer. I had a productive day of running errands, hanging out with the kids, and even napping a bit. Once we got everyone to sleep, I pretty much just made dinner than lost HOURS on the computer. I just got a Facebook account and have been goofing around on that for far too long. Following that, I spent some time catching up on some long delayed digital scrapbooking for the kids. Now, I am blogging. Yup, the computer can take hours away so quickly.

But, I must admit. I am really loving the digital scrapbooking. It's a lot faster for me than just doing the regular scrapbooking. I don't have to go down to the basement and gather all the equipment, clean up afterwards, etc. Instead, everything is centralized on the computer, and pages come together really quickly. The bigger problem is that it is horrifically addictive. I keep thinking of more and more pages I should make! Here is one of my favorites so far:



I finally found a good printing company, so I'm getting around to ordering the pages I have done so far. Yet another things where it is impossible to know whether in the years to come, the babies will like having them.

Today, Hank and Clara tried yogurt for the first time. They seemed to like it and had no apparent adverse reaction. Awesome. We also let them play with some cherrios. Hank figured out how to get a few in his mouth, while Clara pretty much was more interested in scratching the table and staring at Mark and me. We will try again another day.

Things I Wish I Had Known About Feeding Babies...

A friend recently asked a few questions about feeding babies in advance of introducing solids to her little boy. It got me thinking about the whole feeding process. It's pretty crazy. I feel like I have learned a lot about feeding babies just by comparing Hank and Clara's various approaches. Hank is tougher to feed. He eats great in the beginning, but then slows down and adopts a mouth shut technique. The only way to get him to eat is to pretty much push the spoon against his closed gums. No fun.

Clara opens her mouth for most of the bites, but when she is done, she is done. She will start doing raspberries with the food in her mouth. Translation: the food is no longer in her mouth but all across me. Today, my shirt is peppered with an interesting apple/blueberry stain from this morning's noisy efforts.

But, all in all, here are my main tips for feeding, at least for my babies:
* Bigger spoon: those baby spoons are super ridiculous small
* Thicker is better: since our babies started solids at 6 months, we went straight to stage 2 foods. SOO much better.
* Oatmeal is better for boys than rice cereal. Don't ask why. You don't want to know why. Just trust me on this.
* If oatmeal isn't enough to help with boy's, uhm, processing, peaches do a better job of helping the situation than prunes.
* Variety is the key. Our kids eat a lot more if we give them three different things at a meal than a lot of any single thing.
* Accept a mess. It just will be a mess. Even when the kids get used to eating, then they want to play with their food more, which is equally a mess.
* Go as fast as possible. You have a limited window that the babies stay interested. Shovel as much as you can, as fast as you can, during this window. Once this window ends, all the laughing, blowing on their face, and singing doesn't really help.

I'm sure there are 10,000 other tips I can think of, but those are all I can come up with on a Sunday night after making a bunch more baby food.

We have friends in town this weekend, and it has been wonderful to see them. Hank and Clara have a preference for Mark and me, but they are willing to be held by others still. It will be very unfortunate when that ends!

Swimming Babies!

Clara and Hank had their first swimming class last Saturday. It went well. The class was far from structured. We were simply told to work on kicking, so all the parents went off with their youngin's and did whatever. Hank liked it so much that he was just relaxed and about to fall asleep. Clara was very alert, and she tolerated it a lot better than I would have thought--given that the first time she went to the pool she hated it! The class is weekly, and our friends Jen and Jeff are also there with their son Timmy. Here is a picture of our swimming class efforts:



Hank and Clara are doing great. During Mark's parents' visit, the kids have been working on sitting up and rolling over. Both Hank and Clara are making big progress. They are also doing a lot of work on getting bigger. All their eating is paying off. It is going to be sad to see Mark's parents go. Their company and help has been so welcome and invaluable. It's amazing how much the babies have grown in the last month. Here is a video from their recent pool time in the backyard. A lot bigger, no?



It's hard to believe the summer is halfway done. In many ways, it feels like Groundhog's Day. Each day is often a variation and theme on the day before. But, as I look through photos and think through the various achievements the kids have been, I start realizing how much time is really moving along. It's amazing.

Road Trippin' Babies

We made it to Betsy's on Monday night with little problem. The drive took about 11 hours after all the stopping. But, the kids were great during the entire experience. They took their regular naps along the way, and they seemed to play pretty happily during their wake up time. So far, the kids have slept okay at night during this trip.

Hank and Clara got to see where I used to work. Lots of changing at the firm, as the offices are expanding. The babies met lots of my friends, as well. Tonight, Betsy is having a few people by, so the babies get to meet even more people.

There is something interesting about being back in DC but this time with the kids. It is almost like two parts of my life intersecting in a new way. I suspect that will be even more true when we head out to California in a few weeks. The timing of having the kids and moving to Buffalo makes it seem so much like Buffalo is where the kids are, whereas SF and DC are were the other parts of my life remain. It is just the adjustment of having a new family, I suppose.

We leave early tomorrow morning to head home. It will be another long day of driving. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the kids do well on the travels. They have their first swimming class on Saturday morning, so let's hope they get some good rest tomorrow.

Happy Plump and Festive 4th of July!

Hank and Clara celebrated their very first Fourth of July yesterday. Unfortunately, they missed out on the fireworks, as they were asleep. We went in to nurse around 10:40, and neither of them even seemed phased by the sound of fireworks outside. Perhaps next year.

Thursday, the kids had their follow up with the pediatrician to check their weight. Apparently, all this eating is paying off. Both kids gained over 2 lbs in 3 weeks! That's more than they usually gain in two months! The solids are going a lot better each day. Hank seems a lot more interested, and Clara continues to be a good eater. The trick now is getting them to stay interested throughout the entire meal. Often, about half way through, they started zoning out, looking outside, watching Norm... pretty much anything but paying attention to their food. Clara's newest trick is to try and eat her toes during the feed. She is surprising good at this maneuver!

We leave for a trip to DC on Monday. After the mess that was our trip to Montreal, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this goes a little smoother. I am trying to be cautiously optimistic.

Few things are as challenging as packing for the kids, the dog, and myself. I find that it takes a lot longer than I would ever think. So far, I have gotten their clothes and food packed. That's it. Now it's time for all the little things, like their bibs, diapers, wipes, washclothes, etc. For little guys, they sure do have a lot of stuff that goes with them, even when I am trying to streamline the packing!

The Week of Magical Sleeping

Well, it's been just about a week of Hank and Clara sleeping eight hours straight. I know it may not last, but for now I am just elated. I think Hank is trying to sneak the morning get up time a little earlier each morning, though I am attempting to coax him into just staying put for a bit longer. Since Hank is usually a little more tenacious than me, it will be interesting to see how things are in another week.

We are continuing on the "fatten the kids up" plan. We have our follow up appointment on Thursday to see what they weigh. If I were to guess, they put on about a pound. Both the kiddos are beginning to get those cute chunky thighs.

Here is a picture from our outing last weekend. We went out to Tonawanda and walked along the waterfront. We also stopped by Old Man River for a late lunch. Miss Clara thought that her dad's Corona bottle was the best option for things to suck on.



Hank was also having a good time at Old Man River. His favorite activity these days is standing. He is very proud of his ability to stand up and will almost always give us a big smile whenever he gets on his feet.



The babies had a good week. They had a playdate with their friends Luke and Wyatt. They also spent a lot of time with their Grandparents Bartholomew, who have been helping out a ton while they are out here. We are taking more pictures during their visit, and I hope to add a little slideshow from their trip before too long.

We are off to a graduation party later this afternoon along with a few errands. It's a rainy summer day, so it's all about timing things to avoid too many showers.

Happy Sleep!

Go, Hank & Clara! Another night of making it until 6:30 a.m. It is far too early to call it a trend, but I am happy about it anyway. It is only the second time they made it that long without needing a feed. As they are getting bigger, perhaps it might just be something they continue doing. I can dream, can't I?

We had a very nice day so far. Mark's parents are in town to help out with the kiddos for a few weeks. The help is super welcome. As a belated Father's Day gift, we went out for breakfast. Hank and Clara did well. We gave them bananas in a little mesh thing to suck. Admittedly, the vast majority of the bananas are all over their shirts. But, both the kids were happily occupied which is all one can ask.

I don't really know how to deal with the constant clothing mess associated with feeding. Leaving the kids in a clothing with food stains around the collar isn't really ideal. And stripping them down for each meal probably isn't a solution forever (though I will admit it is how we do breakfast now that the weather is warm). Alas, perhaps this is why people say that babies = constant laundry.

Off to book club tonight. I made a strawberry chocolate cobbler that I look forward to tasting after book club. I fear it is highly burnt, but hey, perhaps it is the effort that counts.

No special picture that matches today's entry. Instead, this is one of the older pictures of the babes as a point of reference for how much they have grown.

Wedded Bliss

One of the things about being a mom is this new found pressure for Hank and Clara to have a good world to grow up in. Sure, before the kids were born, I had my pet issues that I supported. But, I find that I am much more concerned now about moving society in a direction that maximizes the good for the whole. Certainly, my time is limited these days, so I can only do little things here and there. It's part of the reason we are doing a farm share this year, why we try to recycle whenever possible, even small things like using canvas bags at the store.

Yesterday was one of those few days where it seemed like just maybe things were moving in a good direction. Everyone has a "tie themselves to a tree" cause. Mine has always been gay marriage. It is so hard to find someone to love that you want to commit yourself to. Period. Regardless of gender. Regardless of sexual orientation. When two people find each other and decide to live their live together, I am completely for it. So, with California again permitting marriages between two consenting adults, regardless of gender, yesterday was a great day. I spent a good amount of time looking through online photo albums of the happy couples.

I lived in San Francisco when the city first permitted gay marriages a few years ago. I went down to city hall to extend my congratulations, pass out flowers, and do my little part to cancel out protesters. I am not a romantic, but it is fair to say that love was in the air in ways I never knew possible.

I am hopeful that at least in the babies lifetime, these unjustified questions and attempts to limit partnerships will fade into the past, as just another remnant of a time when prejudice and fear overshadowed love and respect for differences. I fear the path won't be linear and that, like most things worthwhile, it will be two steps forward and one step back. But, for now, I am happy to be able to tell Hank and Clara about this special time and share some of the tales of these happy couples.

Lovely Slumber

Last night, Hank and Clara slept a glorious eight hours straight. It was by far the longest stretch they have given us. Such good babies! They woke about 6:30 and weren't really crying at first. Then, Hank started to wail. Thinking it was just because he was hungry, I went in to nurse. Ends up that the complaining probably had more to due with the fact that Hank had curled up at Clara's feet, and Clara was rabbit kicking his head. Yes, I suppose this would make me wail a bit, too. I think Clara was getting revenge for Hank's antics of the day before. Yesterday when we went to check on them in the morning, Hank had a chunk of Clara's hair in his hand, caveman-style. Needless to say, Clara wasn't so pleased.

It is such a relaxing and touching thing to watch the babies sleep. Every once in awhile I try to sneak a picture without waking them.



The feeding continues to be my present obsession. As the number of meals has gone up, the number of nursings a day has declined. It makes sense this would happen, but I did make a call to the lactation consultant to ensure this is okay. Oh the joys having babies that are a bit on the little side: it's a constant observation of how many calories they get a day.

Clara and Hank have a play date later today in Niagara Falls with another set of twins. These twins are also boy girl, but they are over a year old. I suspect the kids will be doing their own things, though I always welcome time with another twin mom.

Celebrating Father's Day

 

We had a great Father's Day. Yes, Buffalo is the place to get ribs. But, we learned that Sunday is NOT the day to try to eat out. We tried to check out two new places, but both were closed. We ended up at a local place that we had gone to about a year ago. It was better than I remembered, and I think Mark enjoyed it as well. Hank and Clara did pretty well. Correction, Clara did great, and Hank was a little too interested in being held. But hey, with twins you just often pat yourself on the back for even getting out of the house.

Today we move up to three meals a day. It's amazing how much time all the feeds take. I need to take an evening and just make a ton of baby food. I've been doing a little every few nights, but I think I would be well served to just stock up.

We have a nice week lined up. Mark's parents arrive on Wednesday, the babies have a play date tomorrow, and we are visiting Ruth and Rachel later this week. Classes for the kids don't start for a few weeks. I have signed them up for a swimming class and a reading time at the library. Nothing too crazy, but I hope they will enjoy the activities.

We finally figured out the source of my crazy hives. Apparently a little anemia will create a lot of hives. Easy enough to solve.

That's all from here for today.

Happy Father's Day

So, it's Mark's very first Father's Day. In honor of the special event, we are going out for ribs at Mark's request. One of the perks of being in Buffalo is that there are plenty of rib options. I'm sure that wherever we go will be great.

Yesterday's presentation at the hospital went fine. There were three couples expecting twins. I summarized my experience with the pregnancy and the delivery, though I forewarned them that no one else I know had quite the drama we had. I tried to characterize my experience as the extreme case, and even in the extreme case things turned out well. I don't know if I scared people more than helped or not. I think generally people cringe when they figure out Hank was a traditional delivery but Clara was a c-section. Frankly, I cringe if I think about that part too long.

Today's new food is papaya. I feel kind of like those episodes of Sesame Street where there is a features letter each day. With the food, the kids get at least two days on the new item, but it definitely still seems like a central feature of the day. Papaya was a hit and not nearly as messy as beets.

Time to put away laundry and clean up a bit while the babies are taking their morning nap. I'll post a Father's Day picture later, as we have not yet had today's photo session. Happy Father's Day to all!

Even more food!

With the babies turning six months last week, the big emphasis has been on upping the amount of their food. We have gone from little food tastes here and there to full on big meals. It's impressive how much they will eat. Hank is a bit more picky than Clara, but not by much. He just isn't big on textures at this point, but with each passing meal, it gets a little better. Their food repoitore is still a little limited since I am having them try each food for a few days before adding anything new in.

Hank has decided that with the assistance of avocado, he will try to imitate the Hulk. I think he does pretty well.

I'm off later today to host a discussion on twin deliveries at the local hospital. Heck if I know enough to really be informative, but I figure I might as well share what I do know--without scaring anyone!

Six Months!

Clara and Hank are now officially six months old! It's crazy to think they are already done their first 1/2 year. They had their six month doctor appointment earlier this week, which went well. Since they were a bit premature, developmentally they are still assessed as five month olds. But, even so, they hit almost all the six month milestones. Clara is rolling over and grabbing her feet. Hank is chatting up a storm. This is definitely the best age so far. Several of my friends with little ones say that it just gets better and better from this point on, and I can see how that is true.

On the doc's suggestion, the kids are moving up to two meals a day. And the meals are BIG! Clara loves the new routine, but Hank is not as confident about all the extra food. I'm sure it is just a question of getting used to it all. Today's new food was avocado. I am keeping a log about the different foods they are eating and how it is all going. It's been awhile since we have kept a feeding log.

It's hard for me to know what the babies will be interested in regarding their babyhood when they are older. Will they even care about which foods they liked as a baby or not? I know that upon having babies, I am suddenly way more interested in my own baby times. For now, I'm trying to keep notes on all those kind of things. I figure more information is better than less!

The kiddos are having a nap, and I'm off to have some breakfast while they give me a little break before their play date. I've been having a strange allergic reaction to something which causes me hives, which is less than ideal. But, I'm hopeful that I am almost done with all the itchiness!

Montreal Ailments

We are back from our trip to Montreal. It was great to have a mini-holiday, and things started out strong. The babies were wonderful during the long drive across the border. They slept almost all the way. However, by the second day of the trip, it became apparent that I was getting sick, and so were the babies. It was Hank and Clara's first cold. Not the most fun for anyone. Clara had the symptoms the worse at first, and all she wanted to do was nurse. It was nursing feast 2008, with nursing every 2 hours at night and every hour during the day. We ended up coming home a day early, so everyone could recoup at home.

Even with the ailments overtaking us, the limited time in Montreal was great. It is a beautiful city, and the people take big efforts to maintain its clean appearance. We walked the babies around parts of town, but also left them with a babysitter to allow Mark and I some free time. Mark and I were able to have a wonderful dinner in the Old Montreal section of town in honor of our anniversary. It's hard to believe we have been married for two years. So much has happened in that time frame.

I have a few pictures from the trip, which I'll post before too long. For now, it's just quiet time for all of us, as we finish recovering from this silly respiratory virus. The babies turn six months on Saturday!
- Christine

Heading Out for the Big Trip

We leave in a few hours for our big trip to Montreal. I am super excited. Having been on bed rest for a few months, this is the first time I have been on vacation in quite awhile. We are trying to time the drive to match up with the babies' afternoon nap. I am nervous about traveling with the babies and how it will impact their sleep tonight, but I figure we have to give it a shot anyway.

We finished packing last night. I know have learned that two tiny babies take make packing than two large adults. Hank and Clara have their own suitcase, whereas Mark and I only have a duffel bag. I am sure I have overpacked, but I suppose that it is just the way it is. Even with all the stuff, I suspect there will be things I wish I had packed but forgot.

We plan to take a bunch of photos, which we will post upon our return.
- Christine

Life With Twins

I am asked a lot about what it is like to have twins. Having never had any children besides twins, I suppose it is a hard question to answer. In some ways, it is wonderful. You get these two personalities doing different things all the time. At the same time, it can be a mighty exhausting experience. There is often a baby upset about something, and it is hard to focus on the good moments the other baby is having when you are comforting the grumpy one. The best is often the moments when both kids are at least calm. Maybe not laughing and smiling through it all, but calm. Then, I get to watch them play and explore their world--which I do find fascinating.

I find it amusing how twins are just a magnetic for attention in the "outside" world. We go to the grocery store on Thursday afternoons. The first time I went I was terribly intimidated by how I was going to load up on groceries, push a double stroller, and keep the kids at least from some super level meltdown. It is still a challenge to make it through the grocery list, but I have found that the true hindrance are the other shoppers. I get asked some questions that I don't mind (how old are they? how big were they when they were born?) and some questions I mind terribly (why are they so small? did you use fertility drugs?). Sigh. I am working on a litany of witty comebacks for the more annoying questions.

What's new today? We are still working on the kiddos sleeping through the night, but last night was pretty good. I figure if we get at least one stretch of six or more hours, it counts. Hank woke up around 4:45. The good thing is they do go back to sleep pretty quickly after being feed. Hank has found that he has a new selection of noises he can make and at a new volume (which is, not surprisingly, a super loud new volume). Clara has had a bit of a mellow morning. She seemed to enjoy her exploration of pears--today's new food. Both are taking their morning nap. Later this afternoon, it's an easy day of running a few errands and signing the kids up for the library reading time. Funny how different my days are now from the days when I was still in private practice!

- Christine

First Blog Entry

Welcome! This is our new blog. It is primarily devoted to providing updates on Hank and Clara, our two baby twins. They were born on December 7, 2007. Each day brings a few more trials and tribulations. Hopefully, this blog will let us share information about their lives and help us remember the events that the lack of sleep often time erase from our memories. From time to time, I also suspect I'll provide information about things that are on my mind beyond the babies (are there such things?), including updates on my wonderful husband, Mark, things that are on my mind, and just general commentary.

For now, this is still a work in progress, so thanks for being patient while I figure my way through this whole blog thing. Also, baby update information is not for everyone. I apologize in advance for any content that is really just dull.

Presently, the big thing with the babies is that they have started solids. So far, they have had rice cereal and sweet potatoes. I am learning that sweet potatoes are ridiculously messy. The kids are doing pretty well with it all. I haven't noticed any difference in their appetite, and they are still nursing a ton. I figure that is all good.
Here are some photos of their first eating experience

This week, we are going on first trip-- an adventure out to Montreal. I am excited though have some trepidation about what it will be like with the babies. Like I do with every trip, I have started a good ol' long packing list. Hope it will help the process out a bit.

- Christine