Rebecca marked yet another developmental milestone; yesterday, I was shocked to find that she already has her two bottom teeth! I was so astonished to see the little white buds that I gasped and startled the poor child. Obviously she didn’t think it was that big of a deal, since she hasn’t been fussy recently, or even overly slobbery. Two teeth down…many more to go. Times two!
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You’ve heard of “Ski Bunnies,†and “Ski Bums,†but have you ever seen such cute “Bunny Bumsâ€?
I have been anxiously awaiting the girls’ first giggles, and I think today was the day for Becky! I had lifted her over my head and brought her down for a smooch when I heard a delighted squeal. I wasn’t sure if I had heard correctly, so I replicated the maneuver. I swooped her again into the air, down for a kiss, and then back up into the air, and was thrilled to hear another short burst of laughter, paired with a jubilant grin. I think my joy nearly exceeded hers! The girls were enthralled by their daddy’s reading of “Mr. Brown Can Moo.†Jim was equally enthralled by his rapt audience.
My mother-in-law and I took the girls to the pediatrician’s office today for a vaccination and weight-check. Susanna now tips the scales at 10 lbs. 6 oz. and Rebecca at 11 lbs. 7 oz. While those weights are still very low for five-month-olds, they aren’t too bad when you take the girls’ prematurity into account. The reigning consensus among our family is that the girls are happy and healthy, so numbers aren’t important. Besides, the girls have itty-bitty thunder thighs, or as a friend called them, “little chubbas,” so we’re going to celebrate those rolls while we can! Jim and I were lamenting last night about how brief this infant stage will be. We so enjoy holding and cuddling the girls, and fawning over their every little detail. We’re even amused by way their faces contort when they cry, although my amusement decreases as their decibel levels increase. I know we will appreciate all (or at least most) future stages of development. We’ve certainly enjoyed watching our nieces and nephew grow, and can’t wait to see what lies in store in years to come. However, I still can’t shake the feeling that these first few months are slipping by all too quickly. Yet I guess that’s better than feeling like this stage will never end. I’m sure I’ll be experiencing that sentiment all too soon, once the girls start teething! We celebrated the beginning of 2009 by traveling to Pennsylvania and visiting with Jim’s extended family. We had a wonderful time ringing in the New Year with aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends. The girls were happy to be cuddled by their relatives early in the evening, but thankfully were sound asleep by the time the ball dropped. It’s amazing to think of all the changes that occured in the year 2008 (the least of which being that, a mere few months ago, the girls wouldn’t have been sleeping at midnight!). I ought to devote more thought and energy to crafting a blog entry that summarizes this past momentous year, but I think I’ll simply post a few pictures and go to bed. My own early bedtime is a newfound luxury that I hope to maintain in 2009!
 Jim’s cousin Barb cuddling with Susie  Amanda, Jim’s cousin’s daughter, and Rebecca  Jim’s cousin Becky and our little Becky  Susanna was more than happy to be passed around  Rebecca loved being the center of attention. This photo is a collection of multiples. Molly, in the background, has a twin brother, and Chloe in the foreground is a triplet. Molly also had a little brother who kept going around displaying two fingers and exclaiming, “There are TWO babies! TWO babies!” He was easily impressed! Days like today make me appreciate every other day; or shall I say, any other day. I just hope their crankiness can be chalked up to something I ate that didn’t agree with them, rather than an enduring personality shift. On days like this, it helps to count my blessings and remember all the girls’ endearing quirks. They do so many adorable things, and although I know it’s inevitable with time, I dread forgetting all the details of these early months. So I thought I’d jot down a few darling behaviors that came to mind: How Susie’s pout looks like a perfect upside-down U, and how she sometimes alternates pouts with smiles, like a little kid who’s trying desperately to maintain a bad mood How when Becky makes eye contact with you, she stares intently and rarely blinks, as if she’s memorizing your every feature How Susie growls and sticks both hands straight out in little fists like she’s going to punch you (or like she’s going to start a motorcycle) How Becky makes a disgusted and annoyed face when I’m trying to give her vitamins How Susie sometimes falls asleep with her hands suspended in mid-air, fingers splayed How Becky sometimes tries to hit high notes when she’s talking, but instead her mouth moves and no sound comes out until she gets back to her lower register How Susie, when she’s sleepy, buries her face into my neck after she finishes eating How Becky tilts her head back, closes her eyes halfway and parts her lips when she’s preparing to talk How Susie ever so gently touches the back of her head while she’s eating or sucking her thumb, as if she’s ensuring that her few remaining wisps of hair are still there How Becky closes her eyes and makes contented sighs while eating I’m sure I’ll think of many more, but their recent irritable moods are clouding my judgment. Right now, the most wonderful thing I can think of is deep sleep – theirs and mine! Not only did Susanna inherit her father’s good looks, we now know that she also inherited his love of music and technology. Tonight, she was mesmerized by his “Boom Bucket,” which is a portable speaker system for his IPod. Jim was all too happy to indulge her fascination!
 Susie also inherited her dad’s love of relaxation!
 Jim was kind (and brave) enough to watch the girls last night while I went to my office holiday party. I had such a wonderful time catching up with my co-workers. It’s been seven months since I last worked with them, and I missed everyone so much! It was a treat to be able to relax with good friends while knowing the girls were with their beloved daddy. Jim did a great job keeping the girls entertained. I had expected to be greeted by tear-filled cries upon my return – from both the girls and Jim – but instead, I encountered a household with three serene individuals. In fact, Jim discovered that the girls are enthralled with a “jumperoo” recently given to us by a friend. Susanna was apparently perfectly content to hang out and observe her surroundings for much of the evening, even though she could barely see over the rim of the seat. Jim didn’t even call for back-up; his Dad was given strict orders to promptly come over if Jim sent up distress flares (his Mom was with me at the party, since we work together), but Jim never needed any reinforcements.
Jim snapped these photos of the girls during their evening together. Susanna is on the left, and Rebecca is on the right. You can see that they didn’t miss their mom one bit – and their mom couldn’t have been happier!
The girls were looking especially photogenic today, so I couldn’t resist taking a few pictures while we were lounging around the Christmas tree together. Rebecca is on the left, Susanna on the right.
Well, I don’t think Jim is quite as enamored with the winter snow as he was a mere few hours ago. I was up feeding the girls around 4 a.m., and noticed that it was very chilly in the house. After I was done, I tried to adjust the thermostat, and wasn’t noticing any difference. So I wake up Jim, and he concludes that the power vent must be blocked by drifted snow. So the poor guy trudges outside in 14 degree weather to shovel out from around the vent. Fortunately, that seems to have done the trick, and the house is slowly warming up. I guess both Jim and I had to sacrifice sleep for the good of the family tonight…and boy, am I glad I wasn’t the one outside!
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