A Long Winter’s Nap

Is 3 years too long to be considered a hiatus?  Probably so.  I should just chuck this blog and start fresh, but let's be honest...  That's entirely too much work, so I'm just going to pick up where I left off.  And by that, I mean that I'll post in fits and spurts with no pattern or timing whatsoever. You're welcome.

Here's a quick recap of the past 3 years, just hitting the highlights:

* The kids finally mastered the porcelain throne, and graduated from both Pre-K and Kindergarten.  We're currently tackling first grade (where I'm relearning how to add and subtract in crazy new ways).

*After sailing on both NCL and Carnival, the kids declared themselves master cruisers and decided that Carnival is the way to go- we have a cruise planned for Fall Break 2019, and I absolutely cannot wait!

* I learned to play fantasy football, and though I am really terrible most weeks, I've managed to win enough to stay out of the proverbial hole (can you say that, Paul?).

Clearly, we need to get out more, if the most interesting things about the last several years revolve around the toilet, cruise ships and football, but what can I say?  We have 6 year olds...  This is the life we live.

What we've been up to -OR- How NOT to potty train your toddler

Man. Life with toddlers is HARD!   At least once a week, I have an amazing idea for a blog post, and before I sit down to write it, a cookie must be gotten, a bottom must be wiped, or a dispute must be settled.  Notice the musts, because nothing is ever leisurely when a toddler needs it.  If you've ever attempted to potty train a 2 year old, you know what I mean.

Speaking of potty training, did I mention that it is awful??  One of Dante's seven levels of hell is most assuredly completely devoted to potty-training.  Since the littles are scheduled to start preschool in the fall, we have been thinking a LOT about how and when to start the process.  They must be toilet trained to enter the program and we put down a non-refundable deposit to hold their place.  You do the math.   

Several weeks ago, we decided that we were done with diapers.  Armed with cute training pants (no Pull-ups here, thankyouverymuch!), full sippy cups, stickers, jelly beans, and a timer, we woke up at 7:30 and tackled bladder control like a BOSS!  Until 7:35 when we had our first accident.  No problem- just change the undies and move on, right?  6 accidents later, we had run out of training pants and the washer wasn't finished cleaning the first 5 pair!  There was not one upholstered surface in our living room that was dry.  

Every 15 minutes, the timer would ding and we would dutifully place Jack and Molly on their potties. Molly would grin and say, "I doin' it Mommy!" while doing absolutely nothing.  Conversely, Jack would squeeze out the teeniest little sprinkle and demand his just reward.  It got to the point that Jack would hear the bell and start tinkling in his pants!  Pavlovian response training at its no-so-finest. Like good parents, we soldiered on. Paul made an emergency run to WalMart to pick up extra pants, and I religiously set our timer for 15 minutes so we could sit on the potty.  Finally, blessed nap-time arrived, we slapped the kids in diapers and put them to bed.

Two hours later, we were recharged and rejuvenated.  We heard the peaceful babbling of angel children and rushed to their room to begin the potty adventure again!  Jack saw me and immediately started crying, saying "No, Mama.  No more potty, please?  Pretty please?".  What on earth had we done to these poor babies?!  As it turns out, children are pretty adept at sensing their parents' stress level.  So, we did what any educated, level-headed Mom and Dad would have done.  We changed them into dry diapers and decided to try again another day.

I am happy to announce that now, with no prompting on our part, Jack asks to poo-poo on the potty several times a day, and is almost always successful, hemmhorroids-be-damned.  He hasn't caught on with the tee-tee part yet, but I'm sure it's coming.  Molly still sits on her potty and blatantly lies to us about what she is (or is not) doing.  I'm fervently praying that she comes around, because adult diapers are even more expensive that toddler ones!

Jesus and Santa Clause

This Christmas season, we've been focusing on the meaning behind the holiday and why we celebrate Christmas.  There are posts in my newsfeed every day about how Santa Clause is evil, and your kids will grow up to hate you for lying to them when they realize Santa Clause isn't real.  Some even go far enough with the  "real vs fiction" realization to declare that kids will start to think that Jesus is a lie, too.  I used to think these posts were a deliberate attempt to make me feel like a horrible mom to even consider inviting Santa to stop at our house.  However, after trying to rationalize Jesus and Santa Clause to a toddler, I kind of understand the dilemma!  I grew up believing in both, and I turned out just fine, but what if I am dooming my kids?  

Molly wants absolutely nothing to do with the discussions.  She knows that there are presents under the tree and she wants to open all of them.  NOW.  She cares not why they are there, or from whom they came.  

On the other hand, if you ask Jack why we celebrate Christmas, he wil throw his arms out and excitedly yell, "JESUS!!".  Then, in a quiet voice, he adds "And Santa Clause? With the presents?".  Yes, sweet boy, but mainly Jesus.

After much debate, and lots of eye-rolling from my husband, we've decided that our family will celebrate the birth of Christ, while maintaining the spirit of Santa.  I don't think we will push the naughty or nice agenda, or chastise our little ones, reminding them that Santa "sees you when you're sleeping!".  That's a bit creepy for me.   So, just as Jesus freely gave everything for us, while we clearly didn't deserve it, Santa will bring gifts for our children.  Trust me- Toddlers are not capable of being good enough to "earn" the things that Santa brings them.   I certainly won't judge anyone who decides to abolish Saint Nick at their house, but if your kids come to kindergarten and gleefully tell mine that Santa is a fraud, we'll have more than family traditions to discuss.  

Merry Christmas, and other fun stuff

It's December 17, and my Christmas shopping is complete (for the littles).  Have I even started buying gifts for everyone else in my life?  Oh, goodness no.  Let's keep it interesting and completely last- minute, shall we?

In fairness, Jack and Molly's big gift was brought to our house a few weeks ago, so there wasn't much to do in terms of gift-getting.  

They absolutely adore it.  I am so happy that we have something to play on outside!  It satisfies their monkey-like climbing addiction, and there's nothing sweeter than a completely, slap-dab worn out toddler at nap time.

In other semi-related news, Amazon Prime is the best and worst thing that has ever happened to us. Especially during these massive lightning deal sales.  Every.Single.Day, there is something on sale that we just need.   Some items, like the kids' balance bikes, were smart, sensible buys.  We were planning on buying them for birthday gifts, so getting them 50% off a few months early makes sense.  However, the other 15 packages that have shown up on our doorstep in the past few weeks are of more questionable necessity. I mean, Paul bought himself a bicycle.  It's a great bike, and he's wanted one for a long time, but still.  Darn you, Amazon Prime!

If I don't get around to blogging before Christmas, I hope that each and every one (and I mean one, since I probably have no readers left...) of you has an amazing Christmas.  I know at we will!

Breaking Radio Silence

So, I am pretty much the worst blogger ever.  Actually, if it's been 9 months since my last blog post, am I still even considered a blogger?  Probably not.  I digress-  I'm getting off-topic already.  

Toddlers.  That's why I'm back.  I need an outlet to talk about toddlers.  And the insane way in which two tiny people can completely alter the course of of my existence so drastically that I literally cannot remember what life consisted of before they arrived. Who I was, what I did which my spare time, what silence sounded like...  Those types of things.  I didn't realize that it is normal to breeze from emotion to emotion, flitting between insanely happy to maddeningly angry before my brain could even begin to comprehend the former.  And, in the blink of an eye, I'm back to this all-consuming love that makes me question how I could ever have been upset with these little angel children at all.  It's insanity.  That's what this whole parenting gig is about.  But I really love it.

 

Today was one of those sickeningly great days. The kind where I was desperate to call in to work and just sit home absorbing the sweetness that is Jack and Molly.  We tore up pieces of perfectly good construction paper and stuck it to strips of packing tape.  Why?  Because it seemed like a good idea when I saw it on Pinterest.  It totally lived up to my expectations.  The best part was turning those clumps of paper and tape into completely awesome super-hero belts.  Take that Pinterest-  an original idea, by me!  Jack cried when he had to take his belt off for a much-needed nap, which made me feel like a super-hero for inventing the paper tape belts in the first place.

The fact that Molly pulled a spider-monkey when she realized I had to go to work might have encouraged the, "My kids really love and appreciate me!" feeling a little bit.  Honestly, a real super mom would have a crisis plan in place to avoid the clingy toddler situation, but I haven't pinned that yet.  Right now, I am enjoying the small, happy moments when both of my offspring are perfect- because they are exceedingly rare- and tomorrow, I'm certain that they will drive me absolutely bonkers and I'll want to throttle each of them.   Twice. 

                        

Gingersnap vs Shortbread

When I found out that our twins were absolutely, 100%, positively, boy-girl, I was over the moon.  With one pregnancy, we completed our family in the most ideal way possible.  And of course, I'd be be far less likely to constantly compare them to each other because they were so obviously outwardly different, right?  Opposite-gender twins just rock for a million reasons.  

Fast forward 16 months, and I still think that we hit the twin jackpot.   Unfortunately,  my aspirations for equality and non-comparison flew out the window on day one.  I still struggle daily with it, but Molly and Jack are so different that it's impossible not to notice.  It seems that we have one tough cookie (Molly) and one little one who crumbles easily (Jack).  That's right, folks....  Gingersnap vs Shortbread.  

Molly is a clumsy, adorable, running disaster and she doesn't even care.  Unless I witness a trip or fall, it is exceedingly rare that I will know it happened.  No tears, she just picks herself back up, trips again, and repeats the process.  There are days when she looks like a walking bruise.  You'd swear someone was beating my child while she naps!  She's just a tough little girl.  Our gingersnap.

Speaking of boo-boos, I can probably pinpoint to the minute, when Jack got each of his.  He makes it painfully clear when he has fallen, whether he's actually hurt or not.  If you look even at him funny, cue the waterworks.  To call him sensitive is the understatement of the year.  Crumbly, messy, shortbread.  

Until recently, I hadn't put much thought into our response to the kids' mishaps.  We just did what came naturally.  Now, I'm thinking that my "natural" reaction may not have been the most appropriate one.  

Chicago Bears Wide Reciever, Brandon Marshall, was recently interviewed about bullying in the NFL, and he said this:

"When a little boy falls down, the first thing we say as parents is 'Get up, shake it off. You'll be ok. Don't cry.'  A little girl falls down, what do we say? 'It's going to be ok.'  We validate their feelings.  So right there from that moment, we're teaching our men to mask their feelings, to not show their emotions."

I am still not sure how to balance our little cookies outrageously different personalities, but I love Brandon's take on how not to address the crumbling.  

Here I go again... Playing catch up!

At the constant urging  and behest of my husband, I am finally updating the blog!! It's been months, and the thought of all those un-chronicled memories makes me sick to my stomach.  Honestly, I think that's why I haven't written a post since Molly and Jack's birthday.  Every time I sit down to write, I realize how many awesome little moments have passed, and I get overwhelmed thinking of where to start.  So I guess I'll start with the highlight reel:

August:

- Molly and Jack both started walking.

- Mommy and Daddy learned about the importance of baby-proofing.  

- Jack learned to say "Up!", which was insanely cute for about 2 days, until I swore that if I heard UpUpUp one more time...  Well, you get the idea.  

                      

September:

- Jack expanded his vocabulary to include juice and go, and spent most of the month with a  nasty upper respiratory infection.  He loves stealing his sissy's lovey and blanket, so she caught all of his germs, too.  

- Molly has no real words yet, but is steadfastly holding on to her catchphrase, "duckaduckaducka".   I'm sure that she's trying to tell us something brilliant and life-changing, but for now, it is just really adorable to hear.  Meh...  She'll talk eventually.  I hope.  

-Both kids have decided that food is for the birds, and that they shall subsist on macaroni and grilled cheese until they go to college (where they'll only be able to afford junk like this, and they'll wish they'd taken advantage of the great food we made for them...).   

        

October: (we're almost caught up, folks!)

- Molly has learned to shut doors and loves to run down the hall and shut herself in her room.  She'll play happily by herself until she realizes that she's alone.  Then she has a panic attack.  Silly girl.  

- Jack is in major boundary testing mode. He'll open a cabinet that he knows is off limits and just stand there, waiting for me to notice.  Once I see him, he rushes to grab something and hand it to me, like he's trying to help.  It's so hard not laugh!  

- They are starting to play with each other.  By "play", I mean that they steal each other's toys and notice when it happens.  

- We're working on rolling/throwing their soccer balls back and forth, and it is the only activity that will hold their attention for more than 30 seconds.   Thank God (and Nana) for balls.  

                                     

They are both so much fun right now.  Paul keep saying what a joy they are, and he's absolutely right.  This age is my favorite so far.  Whew!  3 months in a flash.  I swear, it was almost that fast in real life.   

One year later...

One year ago, I was holding two tiny, fragile newborns while wondering how on earth I got so lucky.  Today, I spent the entire day with two rambunctious toddlers and wondered the very same thing.  Over the past year, Jack and Molly have taught me more about patience and unconditional love than I'd have imagined possible.  I was born to be their mom- to teach them about the amazing things that life has to offer and marvel at how they learn and grow.  This year has positively flown by and, while I'm disappointed in myself for not being more diligent with my blogging, I don't regret one second that I spent snuggling with my little lovebugs.   Happy Birthday, my sweet babies!!

                                   

Months 9 & 10

9 months

 Remember when I told you that Jack was never going to crawl?  Well, I was wrong!  Jack is a crawling fool, and he and Molly race around the house like it's the Baby Grand-Prix.  Chasing behind two crazy little ones and working part time gives me very little downtime to do other things that I love (like blogging, for instance). 

When M & J were born, I tried to peer into the future and imagine a time when they would hold their own bottles, snack from our plates, and learn to walk, but I just couldn't picture it.  10 months ago, I found that it was impossible to even make-believe that this day would come.  Now I know why-  if my exhausted, newly post-partum self had begun to realize how insane life would be, I might have tried to return them!  In all my prophesying, I didn't even come close to how much fun we'd have, either, which more than makes up for the craziness most of the time.  Every day one of the twins is doing something new.  New sounds, new skills, new likes and dislikes...  I am constantly amazed by how fast they are changing.

10 Months- They look like toddlers!!

We've started letting them loose with supervision in the kitchen/living room/playroom areas of the house, and they love it.  They've only eaten dog food once (Molly's idea), but constantly try to pull the night light out of it's socket in the hall (Jack's daily mission).  Both of them say Mama and Dada with intent, and I love it!  There is nothing I'd rather be than Molly & Jack's Mama.

Goodness, Gracious!

It's been 2 and a half months since I've updated this blog.  I'm having such a hard time finding the spare minutes to type even a short blurb about what's been going on in the Pierce house!  There's no way I can catch up on my monthly updates, which is terribly depressing because this is the main way in which I am cataloging our life.  Molly & Jack's baby books are completely empty, but my goal is to have them up to date by their birthday. 

Oh well.  Enough of the poor-me, I-have-no-time whining.  I've effectively wasted about 5 minutes during which I could have been telling you about the babies!

Over the past few months, we have gotten 5 more teeth, Molly has started to crawl, and both little ones can pull up and cruise around in the playyard.  Jack has decided that crawling is really not his thing, so he is skipping that milestone altogether for the time being.  Neither one is really talking, though Jack will say Dada and Mama occasionally- mostly when he's upset.  Molly is ridiculously independent, observative and loves to explore, while Jack is more reserved, sensitive and eager to please.  I never would have guessed that this is how their little personalities would turn out, but I am loving the contrast in them!

We are officially leaving "baby-baby" territory, and have our feet firmly planted in the "big-baby" zone.  It seems like time is flying even faster than I'd imagined it might, and I'm trying so hard to hold on to these moments.  When I think about all of the stages we've been through, it's hard to recall the details of them without looking back at pictures or reading my blog entries.  Surely it's like this for everyone, right?  I just hope that I can find more time to dedicate to chronicling the adventures of Jack and Molly, so that I'll have blog posts to look back on!

(5 and) 6 Months!!

Hello out there... Is anyone still reading? I am so terribly sorry for being MIA for so long. It's inexcusable really, but things have been so incredibly hectic at my house. Forgive me?

Month 5 was exhausting. The babies were sick with croup for weeks and had a pitiful cough-y Christmas, so we're going to focus on the good stuff: they made it safely into 2013, and are back on track!

 The highlight of our December was learning to roll over from backs to tummies. Now that tummy time is voluntary, it's so much more fun! It does make nighttime more interesting for Molly, though. She spends ALL night, EVERY night practicing her new skills. It would be much cuter if she didn't wake up every single time- getting up every 30 minutes to replace a dislodged pacifier is insane.

Molly and Jack both have 2 teeth, and they are the cutest, sweetest, sharpest teeth ever. Seriously- those suckers are like little Ginsu knives. Now I know why they call it "cutting" teeth! Molly had no problems at all. She woke up one morning with a tooth and that was that. Jack, however, screamed for 2 months. He drooled, chewed, and sweated them out. He's a typical man already!

We started oatmeal this month and have moved on to (mostly) homemade veggies and fruits. They are starting to get the hang of the spoon-mouth relationship, and have liked most of the foods they've tried. Avocado was our least favorite, but it took their Daddy 25 years to realize how awesome guacamole is, so I'm not giving up!

Jack has become the most loving, laid back baby over the past month. He smiles all the time. I think he's trying to make up for the early months when he didn't grin at all. While Molly is a little mover and shaker, he is content to lay back, relax, and chill out.  When he's eating, he'll reach up and rub your face.  It's so sweet!  This little guy is always up for cuddling and I love it.

Molly is a baby monster. She is always on the move, scooting backwards on her belly and shimmying everywhere. The floor is no longer a "safe" place to let her play.  If we turn our back for a few moments, she'll disappear under a chair or table.  It's a good thing that she's super adorable, because she is stubborn and sassy already, which is a B-A-D combination.  I am semi-terrified of raising her!

 M & J have been complete opposites since the day they were born, and I don't foresee that changing anytime soon.  Molly is a biting, scratching, grinning wild child.  Jack is a snuggling, laughing, sensitive Mama's boy.  This age is my absolute favorite yet, and I am so lucky that I get to share it with them. 

4 Months

It just doesn't seem possible. I cannot believe that my tiny little babies are 4 months old.  Also unbelievable?  It's been 2 weeks since I've blogged!  I've not even been able to keep up with reading them, much less sit down to write anything.  My twins are busy, you guys.  Oh well.  On to the update!

Molly has learned to blow raspberries.   That's a really sweet way of putting it, since what she's actually doing is spitting all over anything that comes within a foot of her face.  It's all my fault.  I though it would be so cute, and she is a great mimic, so I spent hours one day blowing kisses and sputtering at her.  As predicted, she picked it up really quickly and the rest is history:

We definitely have our hands full with this little comedian- she smiles/laughs freely and often, and is pretty laid back.  If the television is on, she will do everything in her power to turn and watch it (note to self- leave the channel on Sprout, not TLC!).  Tummy time is getting harder, because she will roll over to her back once she's had enough.  She has also discovered that she has fingers, and that they are delicious, so full body swaddling is out of the question for sleep.  If those little hands are tucked away, she fights and wiggles until they're free.  It's made our bedtime routine slightly more challenging, but she is much happier.  I really love this little girl!

Jack is also a champion at getting his slobber all over EVERYTHING, because he's teething and drools non-stop.  I'm praying that his hurting gums are the reason for his hair-trigger temper.  We jokingly call him Dr. Jackyll (like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but Jackyll?  Because his name is Jack?  Nevermind...).  One minute you have the smiling Jack that I adore and the next instant, he is shrieking like a little girl.  Only little girls don't even sound this pitiful!  These fits only happen when he is hungry or extremely tired.  At least he's predictable.

When he's not throwing a full-fledged temper tantrum, he is such a loving baby.  Our little stoic won't dole out easy smiles and laughs, but he can cuddle with the best of them.  Those hard won giggles are so completely worth it, because this face melts my heart:

The sweetest moments with Jack are at night right before bed.  Once he is swaddled (arms out, of course), we rock for a bit and he just laughs.  I think that he might be laughing at me, thinking "You really think I'm ready to go to sleep?  No way!".  Regardless of the reason, it's easily my favorite time with him.

Molly and Jack could not be any less alike if they tried.  Where one is funny and calm, the other is contemplative and temperamental.  Molly is high-energy and low-maintenance, while Jack is the complete opposite.  I think they complement each other just perfectly.  Happy 4 months, little ones.  They've been the best, most challenging 4 months of my life!

***Edited to add:  I re-read my 3 month update, and realized that Molly and Jack have completely reversed roles over the past month.  Molly has gone from being my difficult child to the reliably "good" one and Jack went from generally calm to bipolar.  How do they change so fast?

Routines Rock!

Houston, we have a sleep routine.  It's not perfect and it's not always pretty, but it is predictable.  That's a score in my book.

I posted few weeks ago about out nap/bedtime failures, but I am pleased to report that we've made a fair bit of progress.  It's 11pm and I am watching the babies sleep on the video monitor.  To celebrate this small victory, I'll let you peek in on a typical day at our house:

7ish am-  Wake up, get dressed and start the day with the breakfast of (baby) champions.  Bottle time!  After eating, we spit up, play, have tummy time and spit up some more. 

8:30 am- Down for our first nap.  Molly in her bouncer and Jack in the MamaRoo.  Jack generally needs to be swaddled, and Molly is about 50:50 on needing to be wrapped for this nap.  We're using SwaddleDesigns blankets during their daytime naps.  I love, love, love these blankets!

9:15-10:30 am- Awake again.  Depending on how long this nap runs, we might read or play until it's time to eat again.

10:30ish am- Eat, then play and catnap!

2 pm- Yep, you guessed it.  Another bottle.

2:30-3 pm-  Make baby burritos and lay them down for a nap in their cribs.  They usually sleep 2-2.5 hours in the afternoon.  This is my chunk of time to wash dishes, fold laundry and make bottles.  If I'm lucky, I might get a nap, too!

5 pm- Stretch, coo and smile!  We play in the nursery for a few minutes while their bottles are heating up, then it's time for more milk.  After this feeding, we play and fuss in equal measures.  One minute we are all happy on the floor and before you can get comfortable, it's time to pace and shush because they are screaming.  Definitely the toughest part of the day!

8 pm- Start our bedtime routine:  Bathe the babies, get into our pajamas, and eat again.  Molly is zipped into her Woombie and Jack slips into a sleep sack or gets swaddled with his arms out.  Finally, it's time for bed.  Around 8:45 or 9pm, we read a book or sing lullabies, say our prayers and go to sleep!

3-4 am-  One of the babies (generally Molly) wakes up to eat, so they both get changed and fed before going back to sleep.

7 am- Start the whole shebang all over again!

Now that we've started paying attention to these patterns, the babies' moods make so much more sense!  A lot of their daytime fussy spells were caused by being terribly overtired.  I was completely missing their sleep cues.  Jack still fights sleep, but once he is wrapped he is down for the count.  Molly has adjusted well to a few longer naps instead of catnapping constantly.  We are all happier when we know what to expect from the day.  Routines rock.

I Need Rehab

I've fallen of the "Thankful" wagon. Please forgive me! Today, I'm grateful for second (and third, and fourth...) chances. I will try harder to post everyday. Happy Thursday!

Day 5 (and a half)

Day 5.5- I am so thankful that I live in a country that prides itself on freedom of mind. Regardless of which candidate you vote for today, please exercise your right!

Day 4

Day 4-  Today,  I am thankful for my amazing husband.  He shares equally in the care of Molly and Jack, and is the best middle-of-the-night feeding partner in the world.  There were never two people more made for each other, and I am so glad that I decided to make him mine. 

Day 3

Day 3- Today, I'm thankful for date night.  Since the twins were about a month old, Paul and I have had a standing date every other Saturday.  Our moms take turns watching the babies so that we can have a few hours away from the chaos at our house.  It is amazing how these dates help us recharge and reset, and we actually get to talk about something other than feeding/sleeping/pooping schedules!

Day 2!

Day 2- Today, I am thankful for two healthy babies. We were blessed with a relatively uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery, and took home two near-term twins. Tonight, I am working in the pediatric ICU and I am reminded that not every family is so lucky.


Sleepy Things



30 Days of Thankfulness

I'm not normally one to jump on the bandwagon of these things, but I really love the idea of 30 Days of Thankfulness.  There are so many blessings in my life, but like many people, I tend to take them for granted.  During the next month, I will make a concerted effort each day to post for which I am thankful.  Perhaps you'll be inspired to do the same!


 Day 1- Today I am thankful for two amazing families- one that I was born into and one I chose to marry into. Without them, the past 3 months would have been nearly impossible.  Whether lending an extra set of hands, or just listening to my endless worries, they have been such an incredible blessing!

3 months (and 2 days)

Molly and Jack are 3 months and two days old, but who's counting, right?  This update is bittersweet, because I am going back to work today.  Don't get me wrong- I love my job...  I just love being a mom more.  There is nothing I'd rather do than watch these amazing babies develop and evolve.  It seems like they are growing so quickly, and each day they change a bit.  Whether it's learning a new trick or reacting to previously ignored stimuli, I cannot get enough of their sweet, squishy little faces!  And I'm terrified that I'm going to miss something.  I want to experience all of their firsts first-hand.

Then and Now:  those "coming home" outfits are busting at the seams!

The past month has brought so many fun changes.  Jackson has (mostly) outgrown his colic and is the sweetest, most loving little boy.  He loves to snuggle and is starting to laugh out loud.  There's nothing more adorable than seeing him giggle when we are playing airplane!  His smile is absolutely infectious- it's impossible not to grin when you see him doing it.

Miss Molly is a bit more fussy than her easy going brother.  It's almost like they've reversed roles.  I think that she has realized that crying gets attention though, because her moods turn on and off so quickly.  This is going to be one high-maintenance little girl.  She smiles a lot and has discovered that she can stick out her tongue- what a smart girl!  "Where's your tongue?" has quickly become our favorite game.

They have both found their hands, and love chewing them in a slobbery fury. Bath time is still one of the best parts of our day- sweet smelling, sleepy babies just can't be beat.  We've also adopted a fabulous new sleep routine.  This is such a monumental feat that it deserves a post of its own.  Overall, it's been a pretty eventful month, and I can't wait to see what the next one holds!