Rolling

For goodness sake - what a subtle hint to post from Carrie :)

Aubrey rolled over this weekend! It was very exciting - she just rolled her little body right over - so cute. Quinn, on the other hand, seems content to lay on his belly and scream bloody murder. Let the lifetime of comparisons begin!!

BIG NEWS!

There is big news about Aubrey.. the kind that goes in a baby book. The kind that gets smiles and reassures parents. But, I can't say what it is because, after all ..
I'm just the aunt. More to come...

Sometimes Carrie's posting are so esoteric she forces me to post something banal - so here goes...Aubrey & Quinn are doing great, the doctor said not to worry about Aubrey's weight "she's just a small baby", so...Ok. Quinn is getting so big, I'm guessing he weighs at least 15lbs - Marc thinks 16. I've had to move him into 6-9 mo sleepers. They babble away and move all around. I dont think they're actually rolling over yet but they kick and buck like crazy and scoot themselves around. There was recent "incident" with Aubrey - I left them on the ottoman, under their play gym to change laundry - when I came back Aubrey was gone. She was actually face down on the floor (carpeted - thank god) she was fine but no more leaving them alone on the ottoman!

Kait, the new babysitter, seems to be doing a good job and they have not scared her away yet so that is good. She is determined to get them on a regular napping schedlule - more power to her. I am having a little bit of full time working mom guilt - there are 3 people here at work who have recently returned from long maternity leaves and they are all back part time - it seems everyone I talk to with young babies (one or twins) works part time, if at all. It's amazing - I dont know how people afford it. I struggle sometimes with the pros and cons of both options. Here are some new pictures - they have their 4 mo check up on 2/10 - I'll post more then.

The smell of babies in the air

The whole idea of writing a blog about two babies, that however fabulous, are not mine..might seem a little odd. Well, based on the looks I get from people about it I have to assume it is..
However, thus far I have not yet had writiers block about it...having said that here we go...

One of the things I love most about all babies is that they all "smell like a baby". For everyone reading this, (all 2 of you) close your eyes and try to remember what that smell is..because it seems like it is just a little different for every baby. Maybe it is just a babies individual scent, like phernomes or whatever, or maybe it is a combination of laundry detergent and lotion and baby shampoo? I don't know, but whatever it is, with Aubrey and Quinn I love to soak it up. Christie came over once - sans babies- and Walter ran over to hug her..he pulled away.. "Ugh, you smell like the babies", I think it hurt Christie's feelings a little bit..he didn't say it in a very nice tone..but it just goes to show you that it isn't just me, even Walter notices the baby smell. Aubrey has a sweet/sour smell going on and Quinn is more, well hard to describe, but..it is exactly what you would expect a baby boy to smell like. Sometimes I can still smell baby smell on Walter and Lucy, and Lucy's baby smell was also just a little sour..Maybe it is girls? Anyone have any theories on that? I've read that smell is the most under evoked sense..meaning it isn't used in marketing, or in descriptive writing as much as the other senses..so, maybe I'm making some writing history here. Next time you hold a baby, smell the top of their head and think of me.

MLK weekend

The weekend was another full one..kids, babies and football. 2/3 isn't bad, right?

Friday night we had what turned out to be disastrous birthday plans, we were going to meet grandpa bill and grammy shelia at Cassano's this old pizza joint my dad has always liked. We all worked hard to get there on a Friday night, after a long work week only to find the place was closed and had been for awhile. We ended up at La'Rosa's, which was fine. The babies were very well behaved, but I think by the end they were worn out. I changed Aubrey in the restroom there. I haven't done that in awhile. Those fold down changing tables seem secure enough, but both Lucy and Walter, and now Aubrey hate them. I think they know that somehow they should not be suspended in the air like that. Or maybe they don't like being in the public eye when they are all naked and hanging out...I don't understand why places don't put them inside a stall, who wants to see a poppy baby while they are washing hands, and conversely..who wants to change a baby with an audience like that? Here is another gripe..is it too much to ask to have changing tables in the MEN'S room. I mean really. Dad's change diapers too, or they should and could if they had someplace to do it.

I watched the babies for a few hours this afternoon so Christie could (gasp) go to the grocery store. and not UDF . They were great. Aubrey slept on my bed and Quinn hung out and entertained us. They are both so awesome..it is so unreal to think that just a year ago we were all waiting to see if Christie an Marc were going to have a baby at all, and now TWO...every once in a awhile it seems all is as it should be, and Aubrey and Quinn are one such example.

mid week photo

I don't have time to really write, but I had to share this photo of my kids and "The Davis Babies". I stopped over to see them on Tuesday. I'll post more over the weekend.

From Christie

I am wrapping up the day and heading to MALA's to pick up Aubrey & Quinn. I'm sure they had a great day at MALA's - it always a good day for me too, knowing MALA is taking good care of them :) (MALA has been complaining about her lack of air-time on the blog)

I am spending the day at home tomorrow with Cate - the potential new babysitter - so hopefully that will go well and there will be no more babysitting drama. It has been nice of MALA & Shelly to fill in for the past 2 weeks. Aubrey goes to the Doctor tomorrow because I'm concerned she is not gaining enough weight. She just does not seem to be getting much bigger - especially compared to Quinn - and per MALA's scale she weighs the same now as she did on 12/4. SO.....we'll see what the doctor's scale says tomorrow. She rarely takes more than 3 1/2 oz at a time these days and that doesnt seem like much to me - but what do I know?

weekend full

The weekend was really pretty great, because it included a good ratio of my kids, relaxation and..the babies!

Saturday, the Maras kids had a play date with Grammy, so I had the afternoon to kill..what better way to spend it than with my favorite infants? I went to Christie's grabbed a baby and settled into the bat cave(this is what I call Christie's basement because you can't really hear, or see the outside world from down there, and it is full of gadgets and a couch large enough for a small football team, making it very hard to leave.) to watch "Grey's Anatomy" which was DVRrd . I had missed it both Thursday and Friday evening and we don't have such fancy gadgets so I thought I was out of luck. BUT NO. It is hard to imagine a better way to watch tv, than with a drowsy baby on your chest..plus, they are young enough that you can watch adult tv with them. This is something I really miss, and I'm embarrassed to say, even a little resentful about (not being able to watch adult tv I mean..)

Anyway-on Saturday Quinn was feeling a little under the weather, stuffed up and cranky, so I held Aubrey for awhile. While Christie held Quinn.. The episode (back to Grey's Anatomy) was about a baby getting squashed under a bookshelf...Christie and I both got teary, it is hard not to think of how fragile kids and babies are and for me, it makes me have this hugely defensive surge of just wanting to protect them from the big mean world, which is, of course, why it is all so scary in the first place... you just can't protect them from everything...so I held Aubrey a little tighter and thought about the bookshelves in my house...knowing really, bookshelves are the least of the big concerns for a child's safety...ugh, sometimes being a grown up really sucks.

From Christie

Wow - that was a serious post. You are shaming me into a more thorough posting...I dont think anyone really reads this but here goes -

Aubrey and Quinn are 3 months old now. The smile and coo, hold their heads pretty well, sit with help and sleep through the night (yahoo).
Aubrey has really been catching up with Quinn. I was a bit worried about her development because she was much smaller and seemed to be behind Quinn. The doctor said this was common for the smaller twin and that she should catch up. She is, as Carrie said, very expressive and makes the funniest faces with her tiny features, she is fun to watch. She is very comfortable on her tummy and lifts her head & shoulders up to look all around. She is finally starting to really respond to people talking or smiling to her. She also LOVES toys and books - she is much more interested in inanimate objects than Quinn is - she will stare at a toy forever while Quinn is much more interested in people's voices/faces. I'm not sure if thats neccessarily a good thing but she does reach for and swipe at objects more than Quinn as well. It's so easy to compare them and I probably shouldnt do that! Quinn loves to be talked to and will smile and jabber away if you sit and talk to him. His reflux seems to be improving but still causes problems when eating. I'm hoping to start cereal after the next Dr appointment (2/4) - maybe that will help some, I've heard it does. Quinn HATES being on his tummy and just lays there with his face in the blanket and screams. He can pick his head up and actually holds his head very well when sitting but he just gets so mad -its kind of funny - I have him lay there for 5-10 minutes at a time and he screams the entire time. In general, I think they are coming along - its fun to watch them change & grow! They may be a bit behind the developmental curve right now because of the twin thing but I'm sure they will be just fine:)

Mommy/aunt blogs

Exploring the net reveals some really funny mommy blogs. My new magazine WONDERTIME had an article on mommy blogs, and it made me laugh..really hard..The point of the article was that mom's blog so that they know they are not alone, that parenting can be isolating in many ways and so it helps to know that you are not the only one out there enduring/persevering, etc.
This blog can't really be about that, because I'm not with Aubrey and Quinn enough to really blog about their day, and it is not my place to muse on their development. I guess that makes for lame blogs...My point was to try to write some about what they are up to, and get Christie to do some musing, so that family, friends could keep tabs and also so that there would be a nice record of the babies these first few fleeting months. So here are my current observations:

Aubrey-
Aubrey seems more feminine every time I am with her...Her personality is starting to shine through the murky newborn waters and it is clear she will not be a shrinking violet next to Quinn. She is really pretty vocal and makes all kinds of interesting shapes with her mouth..mimicking whomever is ogling over her. Christie and I both called her chicken butt when she was first born because her thighs and butt lacked any fat at all (oh- how I long for such a description of myself.) But, ol'chicken butt is really getting pretty plump thighs with creases that you have to be careful to clean and everything. She seems gassier now, which in some weird way seems like a developmental milestone to me...She smiles with purpose and seems to really recognize people now. I almost always get a smile, yes, I'm bragging, so what? I'm sure there are lots of other things to comment on, but one last thing and then I'll move on to Quinn.. Aubrey strikes me as being sweet..and I guess that is what I meant buy feminine (tho, I know lots of not so sweet women) she seems to like to cuddle and be held close, her dark complexion and big checks give her this really angelic look...

Quinn-
Quinn is a tv freak. I didn't know a baby could be so interested in football, but it seems he is. It isn't like the baby swing is right in front of the TV or anything, but he pulls his whole body over to the side so that he can see it, It really cracks me up. Quinn looking so grown up in his big boy clothes. Boys clothes are you know, pretty much the same from this point on..you've got your jeans, khakis, polos, t-shirts, and occasional plaid shirt, and really, what else is there?Baby boys always strike me as so grown up for this reason and Quinn has got the boy wardrobe goin on these days. I think Quinn's eyes will stay blue..they are, as I describe Walter's..sparkly like sun on water. All this writing is making me want to run over and grab those babies.

There has been some child-care drama - Does anyone know of a good babysitter?

more wrapping & photos

I neglected to add Walter's wrapping and he is deeply wounded. Here are his gifts. He took the contest very seriously. Also, here is a photo of Lucy & Aubrey looking fantastic in their plaid dresses. Aubrey & Lu both get prettier every day. Who knew we would have such cute kids?

Post Holiday Post

Hello - I am posting with Carrie's ID. Christmas was exciting this year with the babies - I'm sure for then it just seemed hectic and disruptive but for us it was exciting to share Christmas with them and to share them with family :) They got lots of good gifts which they will put to good use over the next year. There was a nasty stomach virus circulating around our family that Marc & I both got over New Years, so we spent New Years Eve on the couch. So far Aubrey and Quinn seem ok, we'll keep our fingers crossed. Although Carrie is obviously trolling for wrapping contest votes if she's posting them on this blog, I was the champion again this year (even with the obvious distracions)! I will admit that my presents weren't at their strongest and I thought Carries were really good but the non-traditional wrapping does not play well to a crowd - you must keep your judges in mind!

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!