B + E

First of all, these two would like to say a HUGE thanks to their Aunt Tonya for the gift of a new camera!  We've had fun trying it out this weekend. Before these babes get any bigger, I just wanted to jot down a few memories from this stage:

Everly is chattering away with her "coos". She usually has a happy stage after eating when she smiles and coos at any one around.  Her sisters call her "Ever-Lou and she charms them with her grins. She then gets so exhausted by it that about five minutes later she needs to be re-swaddled and soothed by her binky.  That girl loves her "super-swaddle", but when she is unhappy she had the saddest face around and cries real tears. When she's in her bouncy seat she also coos at the toys attached, as if having a conversation. She did her first stint of volunteer service cuddled in the Ergo on her daddy's chest while Skyping into a school board meeting. Very sweet.

Grant coos too but when he's in his bouncy seat he kicks at his toys, Typical boy.  His smile fills half of his face, but his head is so much bigger that he has a hard time moving it around to see who is talking to him. Jonathan called to him while holding him early one morning and Grant couldn't figure out which way to turn that head.  When he was very little, he'd just open his mouth (wide!) and hope for someone to put milk in it, wherever he was. Now he understands a little more who it works--good thing, since he LOVES to eat. That's why we call him "Chumba-Wumba" among other things.

Favorite twin moment so far?  When I was changing them both one morning and they were cooing away.  Suddenly they realized that they heard each other's voices and strained as best as they could to listen to each other.  That's right, guys--you're in this together.

Two Months Old

 Oh, these babies!  We love them so, but they are giving us a run for our money.  They have grown so much over the past few weeks but taking in the world is just hard for these two.  They do great nursing and some good sleeping...and a lot of screaming.  I am SO thankful for the recommendation of ring slings and the book "Happiest Baby on the Block" which taught me a few swaddling and white noise techniques.  Every little bit helps!  They really have such different temperaments than their older sisters that we have all had to re-learn how to care for such little babies.

On to the more fun details--at their eight week check-up, both were healthy and growing.  Everly is now 7 lbs, 10 oz and Grant topped the chart at 9 lbs, 1 oz.  He still glares around but has gotten to occasionally enjoy his bouncy seat and the bathroom mirror.  Eve is a huge smiler, especially at Mali.  Both have started to interact more with our facial expressions and have lost their newborn "gruntiness". They snuggle up sweetly to us when sleepy and are overall as cute as can be.  Fussiness and all, we are so blessed by them.