Last Day in March

"Photography does not create eternity, as art does; it simply embalms time, rescuing it simply from it's proper corruption." -Andre Bazin

Holy cow! There goes March.

Several nice things happened today.

First, debut of sunshine. It's about time we saw those warm rays peaking through.

Second, PEDICURE! I snuck out for an hour to get a pedicure and grab lunch for Steve and I.

Third, Today we had a visit from a friend of mine who I met in college. She has family in the area, and we were fortunate enough to coordinate our schedules so that we could see each other. It was so nice to catch up. She even brought coordinating outfits for the babies! So thoughtful...

And last, but not least....

Steve's mom came over for a couple hours while we napped. Blissful, beautiful rest.

Grannie B and Josiah

Lilly napping with daddy

Tonya and Lilly-thanks for visiting!

When I was a kid...

I resisted nap-time. I mean, what kid in their right mind wants to sleep in the middle of the day when there are siblings to terrorize, toys to play with, pets to chase and adults who will cuddle and coo over you?

Now, they are a luxury. A sweet spot in my day. It's getting to the point that I become sleepy just walking into our bedroom.

Steve's parents came over this afternoon/evening allowing Steve and I to sleep for 2 1/2 blissful hours. Have you ever slept so deeply that when you wake, your head is foggy and your limbs are heavy? It's a beautiful thing.

So here's to nap-time.

May they be frequent and long-lasting.

Little Lilly and Grannie B

A quick nap for daddy and Josiah

I am SuperMom

Under my old, spit-up stained t-shirt, I wear a super-suit.

I can

• Function without sleep for at least 2 consecutive days
• Distract a baby long enough for it to forget why it was crying
• Can successfully assemble and wear a Baby Bjorn (hands free cuddling- gotta love it!)
• Find the humor amidst the frustration
• Assemble bottle(s) with minimum spillage while holding screaming infant
• Resist the urge to gage while changing poopy diapers
• Retrieve missing pacifiers from under the bed, in the car, and in the crib
• Step outside the house at least once a week
• Find at least one clean outfit for myself and the babies per day
• Can laugh when I want to cry
• Accept help when needed
• Sleep without dropping the baby
• Eat a sandwich one handed
• Bathe babies and self at least once every couple days

.... and it's because of my husband.

I've noticed during many conversations with friends, acquaintances, and healthcare providers that many assume primary parenting comes only from mothers. In the NICU and doctor's office, Steve is/was largely ignored. It was sad to see.

I'm thankful that my husband has planned his life such that he can be there for the babies and I. While being a mother is one of the most valuable jobs a woman can have, a father's love and commitment should never be underestimated or undervalued.

The babies continue to grow big and strong. They can no longer fit into their preemie clothes! Josiah just made it to 7 lbs and Lilly's beefing up at 6lbs. We can't believe how big they are!!! Josiah's hands huge and Lilly keeps her eyes open more and more after each feeding. She has such big eyes and is constantly turning her head when she hears voices. We recently took Josiah back to the pediatricians because he vomited 3 of his feedings in 24 hours. They think he has reflux so he'll be on medicine for a while to see if that helps. Needless to say both Steve and I have been BATHED in vomit on more than one occasion. That boy knows how to make a mess!

Any day the weather's decent we've been taking walks outside. It's SO nice to get fresh air! Someone told us that this weekend is supposed to hit 80 degrees!

One of the BEST baby purchases we've made have been the sheet savers (click here). These soft clothes tied to each side of the crib and are designed for babies to lay their head on when they sleep. They are designed to catch all the spit-up and drool. It's so much easier to change these than it is to change the sheets. We can't believe how much we love them and how many we go through a day. They also wash well and get softer after each cleaning.

Here are pictures from the last couple days. Although it's our intent to keep blogging, our time has been severely restricted over the last couple of weeks. Sorry for the irregularity of postings!

A big shout out to the Normans and little baby Braxton! Congratulations you guys!!!!!

Hanging out on the changing table together:

Off to the pediatricians appointment! Trip #3 in the car-seats...

Steve's sister, Michelle stayed over night so we could get some sleep It was heavenly....

For what it's worth

We had a great day visiting with friends and enjoying the sound of rain through our open window. Between feedings, laundry and diapers, Steve and I watched episodes of West Wing (one of our favorite TV shows) and although we didn't catch any shut-eye, it was nice to snuggle with the babies and savor the moment.

Kristen and Lilly

Aunt Michelle and Lilly

Kristen and Josiah

Saturday Sunshine

Unfortunately, when I uploaded these pictures, I did them in reverse order. Soooo, I guess I'll tell you about our day from end to beginning.

After a long, but successful evening with Josiah and Lilly, Steve and I showered, dressed and headed out for a walk. We LOVE our stroller. Every twin stroller we looked at was extremely large and bulky. The stroller we have now is a BOB (double jogging) stroller with actual tires and the ability to swivel 360 degrees. This makes walking or maneuvering with the babies extremely convenient. Too bad we have to haul it up and down our stairs to get it in and out of the house.

After an hour and half walk, we gave the babies a bath, said hello to Steve's parents and took off for our first outting together without the babies. We decided to make our first date SUPER special and ran to Target for groceries and wipes. So exciting :)

All in all, a wonderful day. So glad we could get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!!!

Squeaky clean and tuckered out:

Bath time!


Hot and sweaty from the walk

Lilly looks petrified :)