Updates

The babies are quickly approaching their first birthday, and their little personalities are really starting to develop. Gavin is so sweet and easy-going, and lately I've been catching him paging through our board books and really studying the pictures (he is definitely my child!). He's also the more physical of the two; he was the first one to crawl (a maneuver that Charlotte has not yet mastered) and is constantly pulling himself up on furniture, the TV, and even Charlotte. Charlotte has a bit more of a temper. She'll throw toys if she's frustrated, and rather than try to crawl to a toy she wants, she's happy just to point to the object and scream until I get it for her. (I think that's more of Michael's personality. I'm just sayin'...)

Speaking of screaming, Gavin's been doing a lot of that when I put him down at bedtime. He's been known to fuss and cry a little, but for past two nights he has screamed. Loudly. So much so that I actually thought he may have climbed out of the crib and hurt himself. But no, when I go into the nursery he's on his knees, holding the bars of his crib like he's in some kind of baby jail. And I usually give in and rock him awhile, because it's just so darn nice to have a sleepy baby all cuddly against you. But I hope this screaming phase passes soon.

They have also really been interacting lately, which is just the cutest thing ever. Gavin will do something that Charlotte thinks is funny (like put his head on her knee -- ah, the hilarity!) and she will giggle uncontrollably. He realizes that what he is doing is making her laugh, so he keeps doing it. I'm sure the hair-pulling, biting, and tattling aren't far behind, but right now they are best of friends.

We had our first swimming class today. It was so much fun! They both seemed to really enjoy the water, but Gavin could hardly contain his excitement. As soon as he got wet, he started kicking his legs and dunking his face in the water, grinning all the while. A natural! I can't wait to go back next week.

And just a nap update...I decided to put them in separate rooms, at least for nap time. For whatever reason, Gavin doesn't try to stand up in the Pack and Play. Less leverage, I guess. They napped for two hours today...I don't know if it's the new arrangement or the fact that they were so tired after swimming. Either way, I didn't know what to do with all of the free time! I actually read a little of my book! (The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett...love it!)



Now, some photos for you to enjoy. The first is Charlotte in the locker room getting ready to swim (how cute is she in her warm-up sweatpants?), and the second is in the pool, obviously. (It's a terrible photo of me, but the only one I have of us in the pool!)

Change of Plans

I was just logging on to blog about how tired I am. Physically tired, that is, because I have been wrangling babies-on-the-move today. But then I read Betty's post about car seats, and now I feel compelled to talk to ya'll about that.

The babies will be a year old in two weeks, and they are both over 20 pounds. For about six months now, Michael and I have been dreaming about the day we will be able to turn their car seats around. Our conversations go something like this:

Me: Poor babies. Can't even see where they are going.

Michael: They are so crammed back there. I can't wait to turn them around.

Me: Me too. They will have a whole new outlook on life! (crossing fingers) Maybe they will love car rides, then!

Michael: What are the requirements again? They have to, like, be able to hold their heads up and smile?

Me: Something like that.

But then I read Betty's post, and I learn that there's some sort of heated debate about when it's appropriate to turn the car seats around. I don't want to Google it, because I tend to get caught up in stuff like that. So what's the deal? Do I turn them around, or not?

Confessions

I feed my babies from the same spoon.

My babies aren't quite one yet, and they've eaten baked goods, egg whites, and peanut butter. (That last one was an accident, I assure you).

If I know they are well-fed and have a clean diaper, and it's nap time, I will let them whine in their cribs. At least for a little while.

I let them play with the phone. The fake phone won't do. They've already placed two calls.

If Gavin fusses in the middle of the night, but he's still mostly asleep, and his diaper has only leaked a little, I won't change it until he really wakes up.

I let the babies chew on tubes of creams and lotions (with a watchful eye). They love this, but my mother-in-law thinks it's beyond disgusting.

Dirty Laundry (Pun Intended)

I think I do a lot around my household.

I keep the babies, Michael, and me well-fed. Cooking and meal-planning are things that truly aren't easy for me, so it takes a lot of forethought on my part to make sure everyone is eating three square meals a day. I prepare the meals and feed the babies completely on my own. I also clean, do the dishes, do all of my laundry, do the babies' laundry, and at times, do Michael's laundry. I bathe the babies on my own, dress them, give them their bottles, and take care of naptimes and bedtime. And I imagine, in September, I will do all of these things PLUS have a full-time teaching job that isn't a 9-5 stint. That work comes home with me. I'm rarely thanked or told I'm appreciated, because it's just part of my job.

That's why it PISSES ME OFF when I come home to an empty, dirty container that was full of Rice Krispie treats when I left, just placed by the sink, waiting for me to scrub it. And a laundry basket, full of my clean, UNFOLDED laundry that was pulled out of the dryer and thrown in the basket in one big heap. And a husband snoring away on the sofa.

Why don't they get it?!?!?!

Catch-All Post

Wow, it's been a heck of a long time since I blogged. A lot has been going on lately.

I'll give you the general idea:
Last weekend, several of my friends from college and I got together for a girls' weekend. It was heavenly. The company was fantastic, the food was delicious, the conversation was wonderful, and the relaxation was just what the doctor ordered. We went to a spa on Saturday, and I treated myself to a facial and a massage. (Actually, Michael treated me, as a Valentine's Day gift.) As one of my girlfriends noted, the weekend was effortless. Hanging out with them is easy, easy, easy, and even though I hadn't seen some of them in years, it was like no time had passed at all. Those are the best kinds of friends.

The babies' naps are getting slightly longer, thanks to an earlier bedtime and strict adherence to the clock. We were at a half-hour max, and now I might get an hour in there a couple times a week. Naptimes are at 9am and 1pm sharp. If they skimp on the later nap, which they usually do, it's an earlier bedtime to make up for it...usually around 6:15pm. Believe it or not, the naps are beginning to lengthen, knock on wood, so we'll see where this goes. If it works, I owe it all to Dr. Weissbluth.

We toured The Malvern School the other day, and liked it. My nephew goes there and seems to really enjoy it, or at least he isn't totally unhappy. I just about cry at the thought of handing my babies over to someone else for most of the day, but I don't really have another option. They will be with my mom for two days a week, and the environment at The Malvern School seems very nurturing and positive. I know they'll do well there, and I'm thankful I've been able to spend so much time home with them. The next six months are going to fly by...

I'm co-teaching a few workshops for the Pennsylvania Writing and Literacy Project (PAWLP) in April and June. I'm excited about it, and ready to start thinking like a teacher again instead of just a mommy. I became a Fellow of the Literacy Institute in 2004, and I'm seriously considering becoming a writing Fellow this summer. More on that later.

In other baby news, the babies have a new favorite game that I like to call "You're Playing With That Toy? I Want That Toy." As you can imagine, it consists of taking toys out of each other's hands and making each other cry. Oddly enough, their favorite toys are the tubes of Boudreaux's Butt Paste and the wipes containers.

I am really into American Idol this season. My early favorite is Michael....older guy, sang Bohemian Rhapsody. (I find him impossibly sexy...but then again, I find Prince sexy, so you may think my radar is a bit off...)

Because we are such romantics (cough, cough), the husband and I made spinach-and-feta stuffed salmon and mashed potatoes for Valentine's Day. For dessert we had pound cake, strawberries, and marshmallows dipped in chocolate fondue. And when I say the husband and I made it, I really mean I made it while he watched Entertainment Tonight.

I think that's about it. Now you're all caught up!

The Cuteness Renders You Powerless!

Cup 'o Joe

There's no doubt about it...I am NOT a morning person. I know, when you become a parent, you become a morning person. You have to; it's just part of the job, like changing diapers and picking noses. But I am NOT a morning person, so I cherish my morning coffee, which is really the only thing that gets me out of bed in the morning (okay, that and the wailing that comes from the nursery).

Lately, Charlotte has been very into what I'm eating and drinking. She isn't crawling yet, but if I'm sitting near her, eating or drinking something that has not been first offered to her, she will find a way to get close to me and fling her little body over my lap. Then she will proceed to claw at me, whine, and point at whatever I'm eating or drinking until she gets some of it, too.

Obviously she can't have any of my morning coffee. Besides the fact that the caffeine isn't good for her, I'm unwilling to give a sip of my coffee to anyone, since it's what keeps me functioning. So since she won't take no for an answer, I've just started giving her her own travel mug, either empty or filled with a little water, so she can sip right along with me.

It's just the cutest darn thing ever.

Our TV Debut

Since most of you who read this blog know me personally, most of you probably already know that my three words were included on Good Morning America this morning. You can see us in the middle of the montage. The Wilco song they chose is great, too! You can view it here if you like. Fun, fun!