random updates

All is well here. My days are full and go by so fast, that I don't get online longer than it takes to quickly check my email, or put in my online grocery order. (I love online groceries - delivered right to my door - genious).

The babies are doing great, and growing so fast. We have our four month check week after next. They are making all kinds sounds now, really discovering their voices and their mouths. They are also discovering their hands - sucking and chewing on fingers, and grasping onto toys.

Their biggest new milestone is that they are starting to be aware of each other! last night Daniel was smiling at and talking to Callie, and she talked back. And today I laid her on top of him and he looked right at her and laughed. It it so amazing!

And they are sleeping pretty good. Callie almost always sleeps through the night - usually at least 10 hours, sometimes 11 or 12. Daniel usually does about 7, he usually wakes for one very early morning feeding around 4-ish. But last night he made it 9 hours.

Breastfeeding is still going good. Better actually. We've backed off the bottle habit a lot - now they each get two bottles a day, one in the morning and one at night - the two feedings that Jim takes. I breastfeed them all day, and if anybody wakes in the night. I pump twice a day - when I wake up and before I go to bed, and I'm putting 12 ounces in the freezer about every other day. I really want to enjoy the breastfeeding bonding time while I can, because when I go back to work we won't get to do it nearly as much.

Speaking of that - I go back to work on March 4th. So we need to start looking for a nanny soon.

I am enjoying my time at home with them. But some times it totally drains me. I haven't yet been able to get them on the same nap schedule, so that means I've got at least one baby awake pretty much all day. They are getting pretty good at amusing themselves on their play mat or under the mobile in a crib for short bursts, so I am able to get a few things done. And if I do get them to overlap a nap, I madly run around the house getting my chores done. I don't get much rest. By the end of the day I am pretty tired. My poor husband - he doesn't have much of a wife these days.

Today started out as a pretty good day - they had good naps and were happy babies most of the day. It was relaxing and fun. Until late afternoon - when they both started screaming. Sometimes at the same time, sometimes taking turns. It's fine when one baby decides that he or she just wants to be held, but it doesn't work when both decide that. It's rare that this happens, but today was one of those rare occasions.

Daniel has had bad gas again. I had switched back to regular milk (I was doing soy to try to help him) because I thought he had outgrown it and I wasn't convinced the soy was making a difference. Well I guess it was, because he's been very gassy and uncomfortable the last few days, especially towards the end of the day. So back to the soy milk for me. When he has the gas he just cries and cries, it's so sad, it's obvious that he's in pain.

And Callie just has her moments. When she's happy she is the most awesome baby ever - she smiles and coos and just melts your heart. But then she has a melt down. It's like she just gets too overwhelmed. A TOTAL MELT DOWN - she makes sounds that I didn't know could come out of a body so small. Shreaking. Sobbing. Inconsolable. We pull out all our soothing tricks (we love the Happiest Baby on the Block book) - swaddle, side, shoosh, shake/swing, suck - it takes all 5 S's to calm her down. But then he's happy again.

Usually when one is unhappy, the other is very patient and calm. But not today. I was just about in tears when Jim got home from work. Those are the moments when I look forward to going back to work. But 99% of the time I dread it. I don't want to miss a minute of these babies.

A happy story to tell - about a dear IF friend of mine. We met on a babycenter board - we went to the same RE and then met in the waiting room. And we've been friends for two years now. She had an ectopic that ruptured and nearly killed her. Then a miscarriage. Then she went to IVF and ovulated the night before he retrieval (even though they tell you that this NEVER happens). Then another IVF and BFN. Then another IVF and had a terrible retrieval, internal bleeding, had to be hospitalized for pain. and a BFN with that one. Then she was diagnosed with ashermans syndrome - scar tissue in the uterus. She had surgery for that. Then they tried twice with a surrogate and had two chemical pregnancies. Well ... they had two little frozen embroys left that they felt they needed to use before moving to adoption. Really they were thinking they were just using up these embroys, and were fully prepared for it not to work and to adopt. and she's pregnant!!!! I'm so excited for her!