Hoodlums

Here they are, my sweet hooded babies. My dear mother snapped these pictures of the babies on Saturday morning while I was at the writers' conference. I'm glad she was so handy with the camera. The girls were especially happy on Saturday - probably a combination of time with grandma and the coziness of polar fleece.

Once again, another week has blurred by. The babies' teeth are bound to appear soon, and then maybe we'll start sleeping all night long. I'm crossing my fingers. And toes.

Now that I don't have the health of babies to worry about so much, I finally had some highlights put into my hair. Considering I didn't make it out into the sun this summer (what summer?) I didn't get any of the natural highlighting that I need to keep me looking healthy.

While I was pregnant, I didn't expose myself to any unnecessary chemicals, so the bottom line is that I'm long overdue for some hair fun. It feels great to have decent looking hair again! I needed to do something - not just because it was so unhighlighted, but because I've lost about half of my hair since having the girls. It hasn't been super noticeable to others, but my DH and I are completely grossed out by all the loose hair strands in our house. I've been vacuuming like crazy and it is still disgusting. All I have to say is what next? I had no idea that having babies would wreak such havoc on my body - especially six months later still! Will I ever get back to being myself?

Oh well, it's still all worth it. Even if I never get my blink back and wind up bald and eternally exhausted, it's so very worth it. Breanna and Lillian are becoming so interactive - with me and with each other. It's so exciting to have conversations with them and to watch them "play" with one another. They are sweet and cuddly and I can't help but just love them more and more each day.

My DH and I were marvelling just tonight about how much we are still in love with each other even though we're so overtired and have no lives outside of babies. We determined that part of our love for each other is enhanced by sharing our children, by knowing that it took our spouse to create our babies, to have made them just as wonderful as they are. We are so very blessed.

Have a terrific weekend, my friends. And remember to give credit where it is deserved. We can't do everything ourselves.

Swamped

Such a busy November so far! Where has the month gone?

Quick recap: Breanna has now joined Lillian in the Holy Rollers Club. Both girls were angels in church yesterday. When we arrived, there were no seats near any exits, and the usher offered to split us up near the front. I told her I would prefer something where we could make a fast getaway. She glanced at our two carseats, winked and said she understood. She then had some old folks move out of our way. For the first time, we didn't need to use the escape routes.

On to news that makes me smile: our girls have "discovered" each other. When we face them toward each other, they now realize that it's another person there. They lock eyes, smile, and sometimes even offer each other their hands for sucking. This is where the fun is starting to come in.

Another big discovery... I finally broke down and bought Podees. For those unaware - these hands-free bottles are great! I'd heard about them on my favorite website in the world (twinstuff.com) and was pretty skeptical. How dare I doubt? I now have an option for feeding both girls at the same time without propping pillows (and popping the bottle back in the mouth over and over again) and without trying to be superwoman. Yay! The directions say that you may need to get the sucking started for the baby for the first time or two, until they get the hang of it. My DH tried it out with Breanna this morning and told me he didn't think it was working. I asked if he'd started the sucking for her (it was her first time trying it) and he said, "No way. You do it." I pulled it out and the bottle was empty. She'd figured it out on her own and emptied her bottle. Wow! I have a feeling we may be turning a corner toward sanity soon.

Let's see, what else. We've spent the past two weekends with my mom while my dad was out hunting and that's been really nice. Mom came to our house this weekend and babysat on Saturday so I could go to a writers' conference put on by a magazine that I regularly write for. (DH was off chasing deer.) The conference was in Fergus Falls (where Lake and Home magazine is based). What a fun visit with a bunch of bright women! I feel quite inspired to try to find some time and finally hammer out some of the articles that I've been wanting to write for a long time now. I don't really expect to find that free time any time soon, but I'm going to be on the lookout for it. Grandma had a ball playing with babies.

Speaking of babysitting, dear friends, is anyone interested in watching our girls the evening of Saturday, December 9th? My sis is throwing a surprise 30th birthday party for her husband at their local watering hole. She's hired a band and we have a lot of family and friends coming to town for the event. I'd love to go, but of course, can't bring the babies out. So if anyone (meaning two people - singletons, I'd never wish two infants on you at once unless you had good reinforcements - or unless you need a moral reminder to "save yourself" until marriage - this is not a job for one person) is up for the challenge, please let me know.

On a bit of a sentimental note, my mom made a comment to me this weekend that made me feel wonderful. She said that caring for two babies is in no way like having just one at a time. It's so very much harder. And she commented that she's impressed that I get as much done in a day as I do.

I can't believe how much I needed to hear that from someone. I've been wondering in the back of my mind if I'm being a big baby about how overwhelming it is having our girls. I've been feeling like an uncoordinated schmuck for having to have someone come in every other week to clean my house. For not cooking up delicious, healthy meals for DH and me. For not finishing that last step of laundry and leaving all the clean clothes in stacks on our unused bed. For not making time to vacuum out my new car once since buying it this summer. For not sending out pictures and updates on our girls to our out-of-town friends. I know that I'm a darn good mom and that our babies are getting all kinds of love and attention, but I've been feeling like a whimp of a grownup.

But just hearing another person who's been there with raising one baby give me permission to feel overwhelmed with two, ahhh. And to hear that someone else understands and agrees that this is so much more, what a relief. I've felt all along that no one understands because none of my family/friends have been down this road before, but after mom has spent enough time with us, she sees the reality. And she knows that I'm not exaggerating. (And she sees why I roll my eyes and want to spit on people every time they say, "Just nap when they nap." As if they nap.) I don't know why it's so important or why it feels so good to know that someone out there gets it, but nonetheless, what a relief. Thanks, Gramma Pamma.

P.S. Happy Birthday, Auntie Lissy!

The moments I've been waiting for...

No, we're not sleeping through the night. But the girls have started holding hands. Yes, it is the cutest thing ever!

Daylight savings time changes still haven't kicked in with the babies, so now instead of waking at 5 each day, they're up at 4, cooing and giggling and thumping their legs on their crib mattress - in complete darkness. That's the best alarm clock I've ever heard - baby coos. How can you not just love them to pieces?

We're heading to my folks' house tonight and I can hardly wait. It feels like I haven't been home forever! My mom's sisters are coming up to Grandma's house for our annual opening hunting arts and crafts weekend. This year, I'm not planning to participate in the crafts, but rather indulge in the free babysitting I'll get from my family. DH and I will get to go on our date and I am so excited! I haven't worn "going out" clothes in ages and it felt great to try on outfits last night to find something pretty. I was thrilled to pull some tops out of my skinny clothes bags and find that they fit again. Wahoo! I'm still not skinny, but getting back to normal slowly and surely.

Happy weekend all!

P.S. Look at how cute Lillian is in a hat! She gets it from her hat-loving mama, I think.

Baby Elephants

Well, here it is, Halloween night. After a very un-Halloweeny day at work, I picked up the girls at daycare. Our daycare mom helped me dress the girls in their costumes so I could go straight to my sister's house for a surprise trick-or-treat. My sweet sis and her hubby live out in the middle of a bunch of gravel roads, so I knew they wouldn't get any visitors unless family showed up.

We settled the girls into their little costumes and our daycare mom sent home little goodie bags for my DH and me. What a sweetheart!

Since daylight savings time changes don't mean squat to my daughters, they were quite ready for bed by the time we got to my sister's. Needless to say, we didn't get the pictures I'd hoped for. But I did get one of Breanna before she climbed into her pjs.

What do you think? Cutest baby elephant you've ever seen or what?

Halloween Fun

We had a lovely weekend. On Saturday, we went to church in the afternoon and then to a pumpkin carving party. The girls were sort of good at church. The ushers were both in their 70s I'd guess, and notified me on our way out that they're twins. And that twins are always the luckiest people in the world. How nice!

We dressed the girls in their little elephant costumes and off we went. Our friends who hosted the annual party were in great spirits. The Mrs. is expecting a baby in about a month, and was dressed as a talking mime. Her hubby was Strong Sad from Home Star Runner - voice and all. The rest of the party was in costume, so DH and I used our quick wit to explain that we had dressed up as each other. Yup, our costumes were so good that you'd think you were talking to
Sweet Mary Sunshine, but indeed, it was Darling Husband. I'm not sure anyone bought it. So then we pointed out that we were zoo keepers with our elephants. They left us alone after that one.

Anyway, it was a really fun night. DH and I co-carved a great big pumpkin once our little ones fell asleep. Then once all the pumpkins were done, we all headed outside for pictures. I'm already putting it in my calendar for next year. Good people, good memories. Here's a link to the hosts' blog - complete with pictures. (The pic of the elephant and the zookeeper are Lillian and DH, dressed up as me.)

As far as Halloween fun goes for tomorrow, several people have been asking if I'm taking the girls trick or treating. I keep thinking it's silly, because, for one thing, it would be close to bed time. For another thing, the girls aren't eating solids. Not even mushed up cereal yet. Isn't the whole purpose of trick or treating to load up on sugar? Anyway, we'll see what kind of mood the babies are in. If they're up for it, we might don costumes and make a couple very quick visits to local friends/family. After all, they are darn cute in their costumes. But if they're ready for bed, heck, no one likes a cranky elephant.

My favorite things to hear

Especially on a Sunday morning...

...honey, you stay in bed. I'll take the girls upstairs so you can sleep in.

...I hope you're hungy. No, don't get up. I've brought you bacon and eggs. I'll be right back with some juice.

...you're sexy when you change diapers. And do laundry. Thanks for being sexy.

...I really miss you when I'm not here. It sure is great to be home with you.

First wedding

Last Saturday, we attended our first wedding as a family of four. And of course, we forgot to get pictures of all of us together until after the girls were sound asleep in their carseats. This wedding was in DH's hometown, and he knew quite a few people. Of course, I knew a total of four. Including the bride and groom and my husband. Still, it was a lot of fun.

This wedding had more babies there than I've ever seen before. DH's single pal, Aaron, was there too. (Actually, I consider him to be one of my pals, too.) He said he was horrified that there weren't any prospects there whatsoever- every woman either had babies or looked like she was about to have one.

I'd been worried about our girls causing a commotion and the last thing I'd want is to detract from someone's wedding. Surprisingly, it all went very well. We were the traveling freak show, once again, but what else is new?

At one point, a lady who worked at the reception hall came up and lifted the blankets off the girls to get a good look. I wasn't sure if DH knew her or not, so I didn't pull the babies away in horror and give her a sharp tongue lashing. I have a little spiel that I've memorized when it comes to rude strangers thinking it's ok to touch other people's kids. After all, a touch of the wrong germs and our little preemies could wind up in the hospital in a blink. Turns out, DH did know the woman, but doesn't particularly care for her. She's lucky.

Other than that, it really was a fun night. DH and I even got in a dance - the first one in a long, long time. Ahh, the little snippets of romance. What would I do without them? Probably cut off all my hair, stop painting my nails, and quit baking plain brownies just the way DH likes them all the time.

Babies at Bathtime

Check out these clean little cuties! Breanna is close up and Lillian is on her back. They just love bathtime! My mom embroidered their names onto their little hoodie towels, and though you can't see it in the photos, they are just adorable.

DW no longer

Don't panic - I didn't give him the boot. But I am changing the way I reference my husband on my blog. He apparently started reading it not too long ago and realized that DW stands for Darling Wacko. He asked me to please, please, please stop saying that. He said it was like him referring to me as his Sexy Psycho. Taking that into consideration, I guess I'll just call him my DH, my Darling Husband. (Even though he is quite wacky at times.)

Not much is new on our homefront. We decided to wait to break ground on the new house until spring so that my DH can be home more with us over the winter. It's been great to have him home again, and we've really been enjoying each other's company. He goes up north next week for the whole week again, and then that's it. That house will be completely done and I get my hubby back full time. Yippee!

I've had several requests for more photos of the girls. Well, I have to admit, I'm a dummy. I was messing with our camera settings about a week ago to try to use the video recording function, and somehow, I messed everything up. I can't get photos off the thing and when I take a picture now, it's all manual, so things are blurry and the flash doesn't go. Needless to say, I need to take the time to check out the instructions or else just ask someone to fix it for me. That said, sorry, no pictures yet.

The babies are both really growing along nicely. They're both getting pretty pudgy, but really are long more than anything. It's hard to imagine DH and I would produce tall people, but it kind of seems that way based on how they're growing right now. I suppose it will change completely now that I've put it in writing.

We watched TV last night - the first time in months. The Extreme Home Makeover show that helped a family in Minot was on and we wanted to watch it. Lillian was trying to go to sleep through the first half of the show, and so I missed chunks of it, but got the gist of it anyway.

During the last half, DH and I cuddled up on the couch and it felt wonderful - like back in the days when we were dating. We haven't had much physical closeness during awake hours lately, as we often each have a baby in arms. I'm going to make a conscious effort to get in at least two nice, long hugs with him a day.

As I watched the struggles that family on TV lived with, I was reminded of just how good we have it. Whenever I start feeling sorry for myself for my face not being back to normal yet or for not getting much sleep due to babies, I'm going to remember that Minot family. We really are blessed with an abundance of good things and good circumstances.

While we watched TV, it felt good to cry again, to release such a mixture of emotions that I've apparently been hanging onto for a while. Sadness for the Blivens. Gratefulness for healthy babies. Fear for the status of the world our girls will grow up in. Love for my family. Pride for our community who jumped in to help that family. All at once, it was a powerful wave of emotion.

Now in the quiet hours of the early morning, it's still dark out and a perfect time to reflect a little bit. Friends, I ask you to count your blessings today. Life really is good.

Head Case

I just got off the phone with Lillian's neurologist. Thumbs up!

Miss Lillian had an MRI on Wednesday to see why her head is asymmetrical in the back. The results are in and looking good.

She has a mild enlargement of a ventrical in her head and a slightly larger-than-average space between her brain and her skull. It's all benign and nothing to worry about. I guess it occasionally happens with itty bitty preemies. In other words, she needs to grow into her head.

We're going to continue to monitor her over the upcoming years, but don't expect anything to come of this. Whew! A relief for all of us.

O What A Night

Guess who slept all through the night, do da, do da.

BOTH of my babies slept ALL night long. For real. At five months, three days, they finally made it. I credit it to the little chat my sister had with them before she left last night. Yay for all of us!

In fact, I slept so many hours in a row that I woke up with a stiff neck - not used to being in the same spot for so long, I guess. It's totally worth it, though.

DW is out west hunting "pantelope." He and his pal went last year for the first time. At one point, his buddy commented that every time he hears the word antelope, it makes him think of panties. (Insert eye roll here.) Ever since, they've become pantelope in our world. DW is hunting with a bow and lost six arrows already yesterday. It sounds like they're having fun, and that's the main thing. Too much work and no play makes a crabby husband and an even crabbier wife.

Speaking of play, my family is coming to stay with the girls and me this weekend. I'm going to take them out to the lot that DW and I just bought. We're probably going to break ground in the next week or two, depending on when we finalize our construction loan.

I'm quite excited to see my folks. And I know they're really excited to see the babies, too. While I have in-house help, I'm finally going to get the girls' laundry put away, cut the dogs' toenails, and bake the almond scones that I've been trying to get done for almost two months now. Big plans, I know, but when you don't even get to do the basics during the week, the little things count.

P.S. On a side note, welcome to the newest member of the Baumann family. Congratulations, friends!

My favorite time of year

Let it begin! DW and I went to his aunt and uncle's house in northern MN yesterday and the leaves were already changing like crazy! Fiery reds, blazing oranges, vibrant yellows. I can hardly wait to get out of the house and drive into MN in the next week or two to check out autumn.

Now all we need is a bonfire and some s'mores some evening and I'll be thrilled. For some reason, the smells of fall make me feel like home. I get sappy. I reminisce about childhood. My past constantly drifts into my present - both when I'm awake and asleep. I'm not sure if we spent more time outside in the fall when we were young, or if I just like the season that much more. Either way, this cool weather is refreshing my spirit.

I had a really nice weekend, and despite having the worst cold I've had in years, I really enjoyed myself. My auntie and sister came over for brunch on Saturday and then stayed for a few hours of visiting. I think we all enjoyed ourselves. The babies got lots of attention from their aunt and great aunt, and I got a chance to cook a little bit. My aunt was in town for her class reunion.

It's rare that anyone seems to want to come to Moorhead/Fargo. Outsiders always ask, what's in Fargo? I want to shout "We are!" Who cares if there aren't a lot of trees or a lot to do in some people's minds. Don't come up for the scenery - come up to see us.

While DW was up north working on his cousin's house this past week, that cousin's fiancee came to my house. She and I wouldn't appear to have much in common if you looked at us on paper, but somehow, we really seemed to connect. It was lovely to have her at our house and wonderful to get to know her better. We both commented that we wished we'd spent some time together sooner. Deep down, we have a lot in common within us. It's fun to finally have someone in DW's family to feel close to. (Even though she's not technically family yet.) And it's always fun to have a new friend.

Their wedding is set for Dec. 2 at Lake of the Woods. DW is going to be a groomsman and I'm going to be a program passer outer. We've been hemming and hawing over what to do with the babies for the wedding. Should we bring them with, along with a pair of nannies, who can take them back to the hotel once they fall asleep? Should we bring them down to my folks' house for the weekend? (This would mean an awful lot of driving.) Should we call on my dear sister (and pray that she doesn't get burned out with helping) and see if she would be willing to give up sleep and take them? Should we have someone come to our house and stay with them there for the weekend? Should we bring them with and I'd just go back to the hotel? (This is my last choice - as I'd miss out on most of the fun.)

Yesterday DW came up with the wonderful idea of dropping the babies off at his Uncle Duck's house on Saturday, on my way "up north." Duck and his wife hosted us yesterday and we had a lovely time. They don't have kids of their own, and they handled the babies really well. DW asked if they'd be interested in babysitting and they excitedly said yes. So, easy enough! I strongly encouraged them to call in reinforcements, though, as it's often a lot of work even for two grownups. I'm so very excited to get to dance again!

Holy Roller

We had an exciting development in the kitchen this morning. Lillian rolled over during diaper duty - twice. I guess this means we've exited the stage of placing the babies on a quilt on the countertop for this job. Look out, knees, here comes the floor.

After a nice weekend, I'm excited go back to work. That's a good sign about my job, I guess.

We took the girls up to the NICU, where they’d spent their first month of life. Finally, we delivered the giant basket of candy and "thank you" note. The nurses who were there were pretty excited to see how big the girls had become. Breanna was sleeping when we arrived, and was still covered up. We took Lillian out and everyone thought she was Breanna. Then when we unveiled Breanna, the nurses were all shocked to see how much both girls have grown. Yay!

DW and I worked through house plans last night, and I admit, it's getting kind of fun. The house is turning out to be bigger and bigger each week. I told him that we'd better just start building it before we find more ways to expand. Considering how much the price of materials has recently dipped, we're probably going to start building this fall still instead of waiting ‘til spring. Yuck for weather, but yay for more space!

It will be nice to be able to move in this spring. Our plan is to enter (and win) the Parade of Homes in May. And then move in the next week. It's starting to get more exciting now that we're actually crunching numbers and such.

I hear babies stirring, so I'd better finish up, warm up milk, and get the house up and out the door for the day. Happy Monday!

Double Digits

It's official - Lillian has finally surpassed 10 pounds! We went to the doctor for a checkup and the second set of immunizations yesterday. Lillian weighed 10 pounds, 10 oz. and Breanna was 13 pounds, 8 oz. Wow! No wonder my back gets tired when I hold them both sometimes.

Both girls had good reports from the doctor - he said we shouldn't change anything because they're doing great. That's what I like to hear!

The poor girls had a tough day after receiving their shots, though. They had a tough evening and night, too. Which means we all slept about 2-3 hours at most. Needless to say, DW and I are both exhausted today. We kind of took shifts with the girls, and he mostly had Breanna and I had Lillian. One of the rare times when Lillian was asleep, I heard Breanna making all kinds of "buh buh buh" sounds. I looked up and realized that DW had her sitting up on his lap next to me in bed. He said that as soon as he set her down she'd cry. She just wanted to sit, look at him, and talk. And sweet daddy that he is, he just let her talk away.

Tomorrow I am heading down to Mankato for a client event, which means 10 hours in the car or so. I'm hoping my colleague who's driving doesn't mind me taking a great big long nap. Somehow, I kept being drawn back to Mankato for work - not sure what the connection is there yet, but I sure am familiar with the different routes there.

This weekend, DW and I are going to spend some time together for a change. We've missed just being together as a family as our schedules have been colliding like crazy. We'll hopefully just hang out in pajamas and maybe even cook something if the girls give us a break. Gosh, do I ever miss cooking.

Well, off I go. My hair is nearly dry, the babies are waking up, and it's almost time to head in to the office. Happy Thursday, everyone!

Bumbo-licious

I've found the most wonderful inventions for parents. Things that have made my life so much easier include Dr. Brown's bottles, Tiny Love mobiles, a wipe warmer, a bottle warmer, and my favorite - Bumbos.

In case you haven't heard of the latter, Bumbo seats are great little chairs for babies. They're made of a dense foam and are formed so that baby is supported - without having to have mastered sitting yet. The support is in all the right places.

Lillian loves sitting in her special little chair. In the mornings when I get ready for work, I bring the chair into the bathroom and set it on the counter in front of the mirror. Lillian babbles and coos at her cute little friend in the mirror. Breanna usually stays in bed, so it's pretty fun to have that morning time with Lil.

I'd heard a lot about Bumbos from other moms of multiples. I'm on the bandwagon now, too. It's a great way to keep baby occupied without having her on her back (and worrying about getting a flat head). At 40 bucks a pop, I thought these other moms were nuts. But now I want to go out and get a second one. We'll see. Breanna likes sitting in it, too.

The other thing that has really made my life easier since the babies arrrived is my family. With DW working so much, I seriously don't think I would've survived. My darling sis picked up the girls from daycare today and watched them for a couple of hours so I could do a work thing. Because of single parenting, I've had to miss out on a lot of work social things - volleyball games, bonfire parties, etc. But tonight, I got to indulge and bond a little bit with my new colleagues, thanks to my sis. I sincerely hope for an opportunity to repay her someday.

For the Love of Socials

Last night, several friends/former colleagues stopped in for a visit. Most of them had not yet seen the babies, and I figured that with DW still out of town, this would be a good week to invite a bunch of lady friends over. As the living room filled with bright, witty writers, I was reminded of how much I've missed socializing.

I've spent numerous hours on my favorite website, www.twinstuff.com, over the past year. It's a bunch of forums for parents with twins or triplets to interact. Anyone can post a topic and then people respond with their real-life experiences, advice and support. It's been an amazing source of information for me.

One of the topics that came up recently was the loss of friends. Not as in death, but as in abandonment once the babies arrive. Sadly, I was able to relate easily. While a few friendships have grown stronger recently, many have quickly faded. I figured that it might happen with those friends who aren't parents, but that doesn't seem to be a factor at all. Some of my longest friends, some with kids of their own, have pretty much dropped out of sight, not returning calls, not checking in.

Maybe it sounds like I'm pitying myself, but really, I don't think that's quite it. It's more of a realization of change, an acceptance of how life never idles in the same spot for long. I'm sure it's not intentional on my friends' part, but it saddens me to know that the comfort in some friendships will never return.

DW and I talked about this topic on the phone last night at midnight, when I was rocking Breanna to sleep. (Yes, she stayed up until midnight!) He's noticed a similar trend with some of his dearest friends. We've agreed that it can't be anything personal, but that it's sad nonetheless. We're looking forward to getting to know the new people who are entering our lives. Maybe the new friendships will be easier as people know us as parents from the start.

I asked DW if I seem different - if something I've said or done has pushed friends away. He swears I haven't become a grouch or one of those who only talks about babies (though you'd never tell that based on the content of my blog). He's convinced that it's a combination of people not wanting to "bug" us when they know we're busy with new babies, and people not being able to relate and thus just avoiding us. Whatever it is, life is changing, and I'm becoming much more thankful for the few-and-far-between social opportunities.

To those who are still actively in my life, I thank you for your friendship. To those who've faded into noncommittal blog readers, thanks for the memories. I invite you to remain in my life and know that you're treasured.

Smiley Peaches

This will be quick, but I just had to share this photo from this weekend. The girls and I relaxed at my folks' house with family coming and going all weekend long. On Saturday, I dressed Breanna and Lillian in peach for the first time. Reading their faces, I think it's safe to say they like their new outfits. I love being a mom.

A third of a year old already

My, has time flown. My babies are four months old already and are getting easier and easier. Not easy, but easier.

Life has been really busy, and I haven't even had time to write, and that makes me a little sad. That said, life has also been kind of fun. I've been bonding with my little family of four and really enjoying all the sweet noises coming from Breanna and Lillian. I've also loved hearing DW singing to the girls and playing, and especially, getting them to laugh.

Now that DW has returned from his long week away from home, we've sure enjoyed being together. The old saying "Absence makes the heart grow stronger" (or is it fonder?) keeps coming to mind. DW's been quite helpful with the babies (as he usually is), but he's also been a bit more conscientious about the house. He has emptied the dishwasher, washed some bottles, even helped fold laundry. Maybe he's just kissing up after raining on my weekend plans, but maybe not. He might actually get it.

I picked up a nasty cold over the weekend - first cold in ages - and it has just added to my exhaustion. I think that months of being run down has finally taken its toll. Thankfully, DW is babying me a bit. Even in the middle of the night - though I do have to shove him pretty hard to wake him up because he has a knack for tuning out babies while he sleeps. The cold is going away and so far, the babies haven't picked it up from me. We're all keeping our fingers crossed.

We've taken the girls out together a few times recently. Those front packs are great for quick trips to Target or for a walk around the neighborhood. DW even helped me find some new khaki pants and it was kind of fun. I don't always appreciate his bluntness, but in the case of pants, honesty is good. At least he's learned that phrasing is key - "Your butt looked much smaller in the last pair." or "Those don't look as comfortable." or "These ones are sexy - get these and don't even consider saying no." Much better than "Those ones make you look fat."

While we were shopping on Monday, one lady walked by and said, "Wow, you have your hands full." I smiled sweetly and replied, "Yes, but better full than empty." DW gave me a low five behind the pants rack and whispered, "Nice comeback." Apparently he's also getting sick of strangers feeling the need to tell us over and over and over again that we must have our hands full.

DW is heading back up north for another building project (!) tomorrow, so I'm going to drive to my folks' house for the weekend. I hope for a chance to take a nap while I'm there. How pathetic is that - that's my main goal for the weekend. To get a nap. Well, that, and visit with some friends and family who haven't met our girls yet.

Anyway, I am ready for the weekend. Don't get me wrong - I really like my new job and going to work each day. The only downfall I've found, though, is that I have to get up so darned early to make it there on time. Oh well, I really need to zip it. Life is wonderful and am so very thankful for all the blessings around me.

Life's getting easier

We've hit a milestone with our babies! Two nights ago, Lillian slept all through the night. Last night, she slept from 10 p.m. until 6 a.m. This gives me hope, knowing now that both girls are capable of sleeping through. It can't be too far into the future that we'll all sleep all night long!

Our new daycare situation is wonderful! Grandma Becky cuddles and rocks our girls pretty much all day long. She loves having them and it shows with how calm the babies are. Not only does GB cuddle them up, she bathes them every afternoon and then washes all their clothes for the week to return to me on Friday. Each Monday I simply bring 10 fresh outfits for the girls to change into after their baths. When I arrive to pick them up each afternoon, they're freshly bathed and fed and happy as can be.

Since starting with GB, the girls have been much more relaxed in the evenings, too. Yay! Although it takes me 45 minutes to drive to GB's and then to work in the morning, it's worth every second of drive time to know how good things are for Breanna and Lillian.

Another thing that's getting easier is my Bell's Palsy. My mouth is almost back to normal - when I smile, you can hardly tell. Mind you, I still can't get a good suction on a straw and can't purse up for a kiss quite right, at least my smile is on its way. My eye still hasn't changed, and I'm still in glasses (darn!), but my face is really sore right now, which has typically happened right before another big burst of nerve regeneration. Bring on the pain! Do I sound like a sicko or what?

DW is still out of town, and I am really lonesome for him. The friends he's staying with have two adorable little girls, and I know it makes him really lonesome for his family, too. Good. Maybe then he'll hurry up and get his tail back to town.

When my sister was over at my house last night, she made a comment that I've thought to myself many times but never said outloud. She said that DW must be the messy one, because the house is still in really good shape after several days without him home. Good point. Now let's see if it's a good enough point to keep it clean once he returns on Friday.

Several friends came over to visit and meet Breanna and Lillian last night, and they all brought adorable little outfits. It's so fun to get baby clothes! My sister-in-law-in-law (my sister's husband's sister) brought her new little girl, who's just a bit older than mine. Boy is she cute - it was fun to see what's to come with our girls. It was nice to compare notes, too. A while later, a long-time friend of mine from back in the high school days arrived with his family. They have two tow-headed boys and a month-old little girl. It was so nice to visit with them all, and fun to see Lillian be bigger than someone for a change. My sister's mother-in-law and father-in-law also stopped in, so we had a full house for a little while, and it really was nice. Although I just realized right now that I was a horrible host and didn't even offer anyone anything to eat or drink. Oops. I'm sure they've forgiven me.

I'm going to sign off now, and enjoy feeling more rested than I have in a long, long time.

Beautiful Baptism

I'll have to work backwards on this entry and see how it goes. First, we started with our new daycare today and I hope all's going well. It was a little hectic getting out of the house this morning, because for one thing, Breanna slept all night long. Yippee! But that means she's REALLY hungry as soon as she does wake up (when it's time to go in the carseat). DW left town last night - he's working in Central MN all week, so I'm flying solo.

I took Lillian with me to the grocery store for a really quick trip last night. Breanna stayed home with Daddy. I was absolutely shocked at how much easier it is to just take one child out. I still am shocked today.

We had a lovely baptism for Breanna and Lillian Sunday morning. Our priest was so kind as to perform a private service for us so we don't have to wait until much later when the girls' immune systems are sure to be strong. While they are both healthy and thriving, after their rocky entrance into the world, this first year of life is going to be a bit more touchy than regular babies. In the photo are DW's brother and his girlfriend, who are Breanna's godparents, as well as my dear sister and brother-in-law, who are Lillian's godparents.

My folks stayed home with the girls yesterday morning so that DW and I could go to mass together. We both really enjoyed that luxury. After the baptism, our immediate family and our priest joined us for a picnic at our house. Dan's family brought a ton of great sweets and we fired up the grill for our barbecue. We had a lovely afternoon.

On Thursday night, my Dad and Mom came up to my house for the weekend. They took care of the girls on Friday since we didn't have daycare yet. They also took the girls in to the clinic so Breanna could get a platelet check (they've still been kind of high) and so that both girls could be weighed and measured. Guess how big these good little eaters are? Breanna weighs 12#, 2.8 oz. and is 23 inches long. Lillian weighs 9#,8 oz. and is 21". Both are growing right along! In the midst of them playing Grandma and Grandpa, they helped me at the house with stuff all weekend. My dad has become the pro bottle washer. And my mom is little miss laundry. I think they both really enjoyed being able to help - and to help with baby stuff - not mowing the lawn or junk like that. Mind you, they also did a lot of housework with me to prepare for the baptism picnic, but I think the baby stuff is what was most fun for them. The babies sure seemed to enjoy all the attention and cuddling. And I really enjoyed the help and the company. Thank goodness for family!