Monday, December 22, 2008

Sleeping Miracles

(I’ll let you guess who’s who in the pictures – answer below!)

There’s nothing quite like a sleeping baby.

Anyone who knows even part of our story knows what miracles we have in our two little ladies. So is it any surprise that there are times I can look at one of them, and merely thinking about their existence brings tears to my eyes?

Last night was a big night for the babies. It was the first time they BOTH slept through the night. Both of them have done it on their own before, but never with their sister. I’m convinced they’ve plotted against us to keep us from sleeping through the night. We think they’re just cooing and chattering, but really, they’re deciding which one will get us up that night and which one will sleep through!


Our bedtime routine is bath, bottle, swaddle in crib -- lullaby CD plays, humidifier runs, and they go to sleep. We can put them down drowsy but awake, and they’ll drift off to sleep. If they’re too awake they’ll squawk for a pacifier, but if they don’t “ask” for it, we just keep one nearby. (We’re not encouraging them and hoping to break them of the paci habit soon). Last night I turned out the dresser lamp while they were sleeping. I wonder if that had something to do with it?

I think we’re pretty lucky that both of them cooperate so well in going to bed. I hope it lasts, but I doubt it will. I only watched my nephew Nathan a couple times at night several years ago, but I remember him peeking around the corner for the umpteenth time, and taking him back to bed. I have visions of two little heads peeking around corners in the future, just like cousin Nathan did.

They usually break out of the swaddle, and sometimes I’ll rewrap them back into a baby-burrito while they’re asleep. Usually I can do it without really waking them up, and they sleep better that way. I wonder if I would sleep better if Mike would swaddle me! Megan is still wrapped up in purple in the first picture. Kayla has broken free, wrapped in pink in the second picture.

I like to go in and look at them while they’re sleeping. Not to check if they’re still breathing, (okay, sometimes I do check.) but just to look at them. It can literally bring a tear to my eye. How am I going to going to explain that one to my little miracles down the road:
“Mommy? Why do you cry when you look at us?”
“Because I love you.”

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Couple of pictures

Of the girls smiling:

Megan


Kayla


Also, Kayla on her tummy:


I got lucky getting shots of happy babies the other day, who didn't mind lying on the couch while daddy flashed bright lights at them with that big black box he's always carrying around. Pictures also do a good job of highlighting the "identical" in identical twins, now that I look at them together.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Babies in Chiefs gear

Jenn indulges me.



Kayla


Megan


Daddy and his girls


Also, there are a couple new videos up at the Youtube channel.

Girls had their two month appointment yesterday. Kayla weighs 10 lbs 13 oz, and Megan 9 lbs and 13 oz. Megan was a little low on the percentiles for length and such, but is still growing at an expected rate, so all is well. Kayla was around the 50th percentile, for singleton, full term children. Doc found no other problems, they got their shots with minimal fuss and have not shown any negative effects, and all is well.

Jenn went back to work today. Little tough on her, but to be expected, she handled it well. In her stead, I'm taking three weeks off from work, through the 29th, to take care of the girls. Should be interesting; today was pretty uneventful though. Girls slept most of the day, perhaps a little hangover still from their shots.

We were up at Granny and Grandpa Vogts on Monday, took the girls up to the grade school so mom could show them off to everyone there. Then just kind of hung out for the evening; dad and I babysat while Jenn went shopping in Mac and mom went up to a school play for a bit. Sounds like we'll be seeing them sometime this weekend as well, mom's coming down to go shopping.

Other than all that, it's pretty much business as usual. Girls are starting to become more aware of their environment it seems, we can get smiles out of them once in a while, they will follow toy keys somewhat, etc. Kayla in particular seems to be fascinated with chewing on her fists as well, discovering that she has them I guess. Megan has been her usual diva-self, always wanting held.