Lots of Love

Every time we've brought the girls back to Michigan several of my parents' friends have dropped by to see the girls.  This makes me very happy because two couples in particular were a big part of my life when I was growing up.  We used to take family vacations together, and it's really fun having the girls get to spend time with them. 

Zoo A La Carte

We're lucky to have such a nice local zoo, and we've been making good use of our zoo pass this summer.  My sister and her fiance were in town last weekend, so we went to Zoo A La Carte.  For a few days a bunch of local restaurants set up booths throughout the zoo, so you can eat as you walk through the zoo.  We tried lots of tasty food and got some good pictures of the girls and the animals.

Tannah

Harper



Wei-Yand and Tannah

Uncle Joe and Tannah

Me and Harper

Crazy Tiger!

Reasons Why We Love Aunt Brynne

Apparently Aunt Brynne hasn't been feeling the love, even though she got the first ever post dedicated entirely to her back on her birthday.  Anyway, the girls love their Aunt Brynne, and here are some of the reasons why:

1. She bought us our pretty princess dresses.
2. She bought us our  bath robes.
3. In case you aren't seeing the trend, she buys us completely impractical (but completely adorable) stuff that our mommy won't buy for us because we grow so fast.  Aunt Brynne doesn't worry about silly stuff like that.  She knows it's all about looking good while you can.
4. We're kind of digging this Uncle Joe guy that she's been bringing around.  We think we'll keep him.
5. She informed mommy that she was singing the incorrect lyrics to "Seven Little Rabbits", and she taught mommy the right lyrics.  It makes more sense now.
6. We love when she comes up to visit us and plays with us.

Aunt Brynne and Tannah

Aunt Brynne and Harper

Baby Bathtime

The girls are still a little ambivalent at bath time.  They generally tolerate it, but don't necessarily love it.  I'm hopeful things will get better when they're big enough (and can sit up well enough) to move into the big bath tub. 

Right now we have a system for bathing both girls.  One of us gets the bathtub set up in the kitchen while the other entertains both girls.  I generally do the baths, and we select which girl goes first based on temperament that evening.  After the bath, Wei-Yand takes over for a baby massage and PJ's.

For my shower, Aunt Brynne bought us some totally cute (and totally unpractical when you're trying to get twins bathed and in bed:) robes.  It took a few months, but I got them into the robes for a few pictures before bed.

Tannah

Harper



Love the booties!

Checking each other out

It All Started With Two Black Dots

One year ago today I went in for my first ultrasound.  After having had an early loss a few months before, I was so nervous.  I knew we wouldn't be able to see much so early in the game, but I knew that we were looking for a gestational sac and a fetal pole.


I was so nervous that when the sonagrapher asked me if we had used fertility treatments, it didn't really register that there was a reason behind that question.  She turned the screen so I could see it, and there it was.  A beautiful gestational sac with a yolk sac inside it.  But there was something else - another black dot on the screen.  This one didn't have anything in it, so we were told that we'd have to wait and see.


I don't have a picture from that ultrasound, but I don't think I will ever forget the image that appeared on that screen.  That was my first glimpse of my two beautiful baby girls.  From talking with other moms of multiples, it's pretty common to feel shock and fear when you find out that you're having twins.  I felt both of those, but I also knew that I wanted both of those babies more than I had ever wanted anything.  I don't know which baby was lagging behind a little that day, but I will forever be greatful that she caught up.  I cannot imagine (nor do I care to) my life without both girls.


It's not always easy.  We still aren't getting a whole lot of sleep.  But it's so worth it.  My life changed forever the day I saw those two black dots, and I'm so glad that it did.

Reasons Why We Love Grandpa

1. His chest is one of our favorite napping locations.
2. He taught mommy the good morning song that she sings to us every day.
3. He made us a bookshelf and a step stool, and we've heard rumors that he's going to make us a tree fort when we're bigger.
4. He gives excellent hugs.
5. We saw him make a teddy bear-shaped pancake for mommy, and we're pretty excited for him to do that for us someday soon.
6. He's the best grandpa around!

Cooking with Grandma

My mom often bakes with my younger cousins, so she's really looking forward to baking with the girls when they get older.  Harper and Tannah are still a little young, but they decided to help Grandma out with the cooking when we visited Michigan a few weeks ago.

Baby Gear

Before you have kids, you see the houses of your friends who have kids with toys and "kid stuff" spread all over, and you think, "my house will never look like this".  Uh, apparently it will.  It will probably look much worse, especially if you have twins.

It started out with a swing and two bouncy chairs.  These babies hit the living room about a month before Harper and Tannah made their appearance (I was very prepared for pre-term labor).  Shortly after the girls were born, we added a pile of blankets and the boppies.  Then came the activity mats (two), another bouncy chair (because Tannah just loved it!), bumbos, and now an exersaucer and a jumperoo.  This is what my living room looks like now.  And I couldn't be happier.  Just look at how much fun they are having!

Four Month Well-Baby

The girls had their four month well-baby appointment today.  They are both growing like crazy and are very healthy little girls.

Now for the stats:

Birth

Harper - 6 lbs 6 oz (30th percentile), 21.5 inches (75th percentile)

Tannah - 7 lbs 7 oz (60th percentile), 20.5 inches

2 months

Harper - 11 lbs 2 oz (40th percentile), 23 inches (75th percentile)

Tannah - 12 lbs 4 oz (75th percentile), 23.25 inches (80th percentile)

 

4 months

Harper - 14 lbs 2 oz (50th percentile), 25 inches (75th percentile)

Tannah - 14 lbs 14 oz (70th percentile), 26 inches (95th percentile)

 

I don't think that Tannah's really 26 inches, but she is a little taller than Harper.  The girls are so much fun right now.  Here's some of what they're doing:

 

• They both love their exersaucer and jumperoo.  They can spin themselves in the exersaucer, and they actually play with the toys.  They especially like to move the beads.
• Tannah can roll from her belly to her back, but she doesn't know it.  She only does it every once in a while and still gets frustrated during tummy time sometimes.
• Both girls are very close to rolling from their backs to their tummies.  They make it to their sides, but then their arms get in the way.
• They both really like their toy butterfly.  They like rattles and will hold it if I put it in their hands.  They have also started reaching for toys a little, and they are bringing things to their mouths.
• They are starting to like security blankets.  They aren't allowed to sleep with them, but we give them to them if they are upset and when they are in their carseats.
• Harper's eyes are still blue.
• Sleeping has been a struggle lately.  Every once in a while they only wake up once, but more frequently they get up every 3 hours or so all night long.
• Harper still gets swaddled at night, but Tannah no longer needs to be.
• Tannah is talking up a storm.  She has also learned how to squeal.  She is very talkative at 4 am.  Harper is a little quieter, but still talks to us.

It's so much fun watching them discover the world around them!



Four Months!

I will probably say this every month, but I just cannot believe how fast time is flying.  Newborn babies look so tiny to me now, and that was Harper and Tannah just four short months ago.  We have our four month well-baby appointment tomorrow, so I'll do updated stats and milestones then, but for now, here are my beauties.

The girls haven't started solids yet, but that's coming soon.  We've been trying for an 8:00 bedtime, but that doesn't always happen.  If they're still up when we eat, we've started sitting them in their high chairs while we eat to get them used to family dinners.





They make great dinner company!

Back at Work

I've been back at work for a few days now, and it's going all right.  It's still hard to leave the girls in the morning, but I'm getting more used to it.  They're still not sleeping very well, so my days are very long.  I rush home from work every day to spend a few hours with them before they go to bed.

One unfortunate side effect of being back at work is that I don't take as many pictures because I'm not spending as much time with the girls.  Fortunately, Wei-Yand has taken a few (and he sends them to me while I'm at work, which always brightens my day).  I have them set up as a slideshow on my computer's desktop, so I can see their smiling faces all day long.  The only downside is that this makes me want to pick them up and hug them everytime i see these pictures.  Love these girls so much!

Harper

Tannah

Love!



You may notice a distinct lack of cute outfits in these pictures.  Now that Wei-Yand is home alone with the girls, he tends to gravitate towards onesies rather than outfits.  This is a step above letting the girls hang out in diapers, which was what he said he was going to do, so I'll take it.  Plus, a lot of their onesies are really cute as well.

Random Cuteness

Sisterly love - just one of the reasons that having twins rocks!