Milk Shop Mama

The girls are closing in on being 4 months old and still have their baby blue eye color as vibrant as ever. My mother-in-law Carolina has predicted the girls will keep their blue eyes. I hope they do. Seems to me, that Hugo's eyes began to change around 6 months. What do you think?

We ran errands today and on the way Cesar asked if I was hungry.
Translation, "Are you interested in some Wendy's?"

We used to park, walk inside, stand in line, check out the meal toys with Hugo, dispense some ketchup in the little cups, sit and eat while watching the cars drive by outside. Those days are long gone for the next little while. Now we have picnics in the back of the van. Today, Cesar remained in his driver seat while I slipped into the back, freed Hugo from his 5 point harness and inserted shooshas into the girls fussy mouths. Cesar passed out the goods while Hugo and I sat on the floor (one of the second row bucket seats has been folded down into the floor) and ate. The coolest thing about a Wendy's picnic in the van, is that we get to watch a movie while we eat. Today's show was... dat, dat, da daaaa The Carebears! Fun times I'm tellin' ya!!

Maneuvering around Sam's on a Saturday (which was even more busy than usual due to the week long snow/slush storm we've had) with a cart full of the girls in their infant carriers and a flat bed cart full of our food purchases is once again, fun times! Deep breaths, a list and a husband, to help wrangle Hugo, are crucial survival tactics. Don't try this alone! Oh yeah, I have and I did survive, but boy is it easier with help. What surprises me most about errands is how long they take. By the time you reach home, it feels as though the day is nearing it's end.

Hugo and Papa napped together today while I put the groceries away and fed the girls. I've been nursing them two at a time more and more often. If I'm nursing one and the other starts to cry Hugo will ask why I'm not feeding my milk to both of his sisters. He hasn't been bothered by my nursing at all, sorta curious, but nothing intrusive. Actually he wants to kiss their exposed cheek while I nurse one or other of the girls. This I don't care for. We have a little battle of wills going on. I still prefer to nurse one daughter at a time, it helps me to not feel so mother cat like. It's a good thing we didn't have triplets, it'd break my heart to watch the runt fight for position! Ha, ha! Don't think I'm too gross because in the end, the jokes on me! But seriously. Triplets? There would be no nursing. This milk shop Mama would be closed for the season.

Booster Shots

The girls had their 3 month booster shots today with the nurse at the Doctor's office. I've been feeling funny about Sabine's weight and her physical floppyness, so I asked if it would be possible to weigh both girls. No problem they said. The girls each gained a pound this past month, the nurse spoke with the Doc in another room and said our Doc was happy with the weights. Sabine weighs 9 lb. 11 oz. and Marlo weighs 10 lb. 8 oz. I'm frustrated with the growth charts. Since a specific chart does not exist for multiples, the girls are compared to a singleton baby and my Doc hasn't set out clear growth goals of weight and height for the girls. Sabine registers at 1% on the existing chart for her weight and Marlo a whopping 3.7%. Woo hoo. That doesn't sound so hot, but looking at the girls they seem perfectly healthy. Marlo, you might say, is even... chubby. Sabine is string bean like, but so was her big brother Hugo, except for one week in August which I have photos of to prove. Sabine can still wear the Newborn onsies comfortably. They're tight length wise, but are perfect around her middle. I do like our Doctor a lot, but since she is a family practice physician, I am wondering if the girls might be better off with a pediatrician who specializes, or at least has more experience, with premature multiples. I don't know. The girls have an appointment to see a Doc who specializes in evaluating the developmental growth of preemies, but our appointment isn't until the end of April. To me, the girls seem to be tracking about a month delayed when I read all the what-you-can-expect-this-month stuff. Sabine is then, another two-three weeks behind Marlo, in my opinion. I want someone else's opinion though. Like a doctor. Like my doctor.

Check out Marlo's legs, decked out in tights, in the photo up above. The girl has got thick, Sumo Wrestler legs and yet, these 0-6 month tights look about three sizes too big on her. And she is the chubby sister! Don't get me started on her shoes. I ordered them from a women in New Zealand who has a cool blog and an etsy shop. The shoes are supposed to be 0-6 months. Marlo looks like she has duck feet with these things on. It's going to be high summer before they begin to fit. Sabine's wont stay on her feet long enough to be photographed. Sabine thinks we live in Tahiti or something. She kicks and scoots out of all her socks. Every last one I tell you. Even the cute ballerina ones from Rachel. The ballerina socks do put up the longest fight.

Look Mom, No Hands!

Hugo and I ate grapefruit together today. At one point he decided that he wanted to try scooping out the yummy flesh with his own spoon, so off to the kitchen he ran to retrieve a spoon of his own. Recently, Hugo loves to help with the silverware and also grabs extra plates or a bowl for me in the morning. Our plates and bowls are in a drawer in the peninsula beneath the silverware drawer, which equals nice and easy access for him and great help for me! Anyhoo, as Hugo crossed the living room floor to where I sat waiting for him on the couch, he balanced a spoon off the end of his wee nose. Hugo used to do this all the time, but he forgot about this fun trick for awhile. The trick was learned from watching a segment called Cool Tricks on Yo Gabba Gabba and somehow or other, the idea of it popped back into his head this morning as he crossed the floor and we had a good laugh together! I made him do it over and over again. Then I ran for the camera and made him do it one more time for the record. I had him do it one more last time for my iPhone so I could send it to his Papa at work! He is such a good boy.

Wednesday

The girls have been sleeping through the night for almost a month now. Can't tell you how awesome it has been. I feel almost human. But. But, but, but... little Miss Marlo likes to wake at either 3, 4:30 or 5:30 am about every few days or so. Then she slips back into the welcomed 7 am pattern. We like to nurse in my bed in the mornings. Marlo usually takes a 45 minute snooze after she has had her milk.

Hugo told me this morning that Rodrigo was cold. He wanted me to do something about it. I went to investigate our Rodrigo and found him just like this, except there were about six Goldfish in the middle of his bed when I first peered down at him. I think Hugo imagined Rodrigo to be not only cold, but hungry and bored, thus explains the police car tucked under his rear, possibly? Rodrigo looked so sweet and I loved the small pile of offered Goldfish that I ran to grab my camera. I wasn't gone long. I swear. But when I returned... the Goldfish were gone. Did Rodrigo gobble them up quickly and then hurry to snuggle back into his blanket or did Hugo not want me to know that he was sharing his food with the dog and remove the pile of offered Goldfish? If Hugo did indeed pull an Indian-giver and remove the Goldfish from Rodrigo's pillow, what did Hugo do with said Goldfish? Chuck them in the fire or eat them himself, or, oh my goodness, heaven forbid, toss them back into the Goldfish canister? Do I want to know the answer... no. Will I eat any more Goldfish from our half full container? Nope.

This is my friend Ruth Ann and her daughter Taylor. This lady has come to my rescue all week. I love her.

Sunday Morning

Sunday is an awesome day. Papa is home. We sleep in, sorta! We've got kids making noise all about the house. We dress up. We learn about our Heavenly Father. We eat yummy things. We hope and cross our fingers for an afternoon of naps. We hear from family members near and far. Sundays sometimes also include visits from good friends. We love Sunday!






p.s. - Marlo was trying her hardest to suck the back of Sabine's head while I was snapping these shots! Silly girl!

Sisters

Hugo has been telling me that he loves Sabine, not Marlo. Uh, oh.... What!? How did this happen? Why would he choose one baby sister over the other? Already??

During those beginning weeks with the girls at home we did talk about Marlo as being the cranky one. If one of the babies were crying, it was most likely to have been Marlo. But this was something we would all laugh about together. Little Miss Cranky Crank! Now, Marlo does fuss some at nap and bed times, but she is soooo much better! Sweetness she is, I promise! Take a look at these smiles in the following photos! Marlo is all about smiling and cooing and catching your gaze these dazes. If you squeeze both sides of her upper chest, just below her arm pits, wait, wait, wait - she'll laugh! You've got to wait those three little beats though. So darn cute. Her tummy is round, like a bowl full of jelly, not Sabine. Sweetness I tell you. Sabine smiles and is beginning to coo ever so softly. It's like she's whispering her secrets to you. Both girls light up like Christmas trees as you bend your face into their field of vision in the morning while they're in their cribs. I feel like Sabine is now beginning to wake up. Beginning to show us her personality. I feel like I know Marlo somewhat already, where as Sabine, she is yet a mystery. So why did Hugo choose her as his favorite?

Cesar and I have spent this past week letting Hugo know that we love both our girls. Both Marlo and Sabine are our favorites and how lucky we are to have two little girls in our lives. Two sisters.

Problem solved. The turn around happened as quickly as it had occurred. Thank heavens he has caught on. Now he is all about telling me how he loves both his sisters, not just one.

Marge & Tiger

I called my Grandma Marge on the phone this morning. She was funny. After we had said our hello and how are you's to one another, she informed me that she wouldn't be able to chat for long. She was anticipating the Tiger Woods press conference.

Huh? Could she be serious, I wondered?! She is 85, a conservative, a good cook and baker, a gardener, a liker of 5 o'clock martinis, a smart dresser, a decorator, a collector, a bird house painter, a planner, a thinker and a doer, a grandmother of 11, a great-grandmother of 21 plus two on the way, a lover of all things Halloween, a Door County trip maker, a world traveler, a Broadway Musical lover, a recent Bridge Club drop out and well, not like any other grandmother I've ever, ever met. Ever.

Me: Grandma, are you still into Tiger, even after all his stepping out business?

G. Marge: Why sure. I'm just sad he didn't stop by, for a visit with me!

Gettin' Out

My girlfriend Ruth Ann has been picking up Hugo on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to drive him to his preschool for me. She is wonderful. I wasn't sure how I was going to handle the babes and Hugo and two flights of stairs and the possibility of piles of snow just to get Hugo to school. We liked school but... I needed help. Ruth Ann to the rescue.

Ruth called me up late this afternoon laughing because from the moment she buckled Hugo into his car seat and alllll the way to school, he wouldn't stop talking. He has been such a chatter box lately. Can't even tell ya. It's the "why" that gets me. The never ending "why" and the circle of speech which the "why" leads to, is new and maddening. Hugo will ask if he is driving me crazy. Um, yes. He also now says things like "Oh Yeeeaaah!" as he plays his Batman Lego game. From Rock Band with his Papa, he's picked up a few lyrics of a Ramones song, "A, Oh, Let's Go!" he likes to holler about whilst shaking his rear.

I picked Hugo up from preschool this afternoon, his teacher Mrs Newton brings him out curbside for me, we then drove to the Rec for playtime with friends. I met a new mom today, she has identical twin, 10 month old boys. You want to know something scary? She actually has two (2) sets of twins, 5 year old fraternal girls, with a singleton in the middle and then the identical boys. Wow. She told me it gets better.

All I could think of was how I had it much better than she. Whew, two sets of twins.



Hugo took this above shot of me and the one below of Miss Sabine while I was on the phone this morning. Love the finger!

Priceless - No Words Needed

Bedtime Routine

Hugo stayed up late tonight. While I prepared dinner I also whipped up some cookie dough, Papa's favorite Everything Cookie dough, minus the coconut flakes. I promised Hugo that if he finished his dinner he could stay up and bake cookies with me. Boy, was he excited! He dressed himself in his pajamas and reminded me over and over that it was cookie time when all I wanted to do was have some computer time to myself. I dragged my feet. I didn't listen to him for a time or two. Eventually I followed him back into the kitchen and I'm glad of it, because we had fun balling up the dough onto the trays and licking spoons together. He dug his spoon into the cookie dough and flung pieces of it all over the kitchen counter. His eyes opened up real round and he whispered he was sorry. We need practice. Hugo was all about licking the spoons, he's an expert spoon licker. He also informed me that he plans on being sneaky in the morning. He is going to creep down the stairs and gobble up cookies under the dining room table, he said. I hid the cookies.

I had hoped that Cesar would do bedtime with the boy, but he was into a documentary, streaming from Netflix, about some tight rope walker. I stomped up the stairs with Hugo in tow behind me. It didn't take long for my grumpy mood to melt and for me to be grateful for a chance to spend Hugo's bedtime with him. One day, not so far off into our future, Hugo will be too big for our bedtime routine. I know I will miss it, long for it. Cesar will I'm sure tell me, once He's read this, that was his plan all along.

He snapped these pics of me and our best boy tonight.
Cesar told me I'd love them and I do.