Two For Fun

Making valentines

2012-02-13T22:53:00.011-05:00

The kids and I worked on homemade valentines for their classmates over the weekend. I painted some cardboard white, cut it into heart shapes, and then they worked their magic on them. Check them out...

Cereal

2011-12-20T12:28:00.003-05:00

The kids love cereal with yogurt in the morning. In this video, they are getting down to the business of eating. What I didn't notice until I watched the video is that they were holding hands. So sweet and subtle.

We're Four!

2011-10-06T19:01:00.000-04:00

That's what they say, in unison, every time they meet a friendly adult. The next line is "We're Twins." It's like clock work. Maybe they are just anticipating the adults' likely inquiries. Kids and adults - so predictable.

Ian and Eleanor had a really nice birthday party. It was a dress-up theme, with cake, a treasure hunt, favors, friends, and relatives. It was great.

(It's ridiculous, but we don't have good pics of some of our family members,
who traveled from Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Lancaster, and New York.
Note to selves to do better next time!)

Then and now

2011-09-04T21:18:00.000-04:00

I've always enjoyed wearing decades-old clothing from my Aunt Blanche. When my mom was cleaning out her house and gave me some of my little girl dresses last year, I was so excited to see what Eleanor would look like in them. I managed to get this one on her once, earlier in the summer, before a growth spurt. Here we are, mother and daughter in the same dress:

First Day of School!

2011-08-29T11:54:00.000-04:00

Today is Ian and Eleanor's first day of preschool. When I left them in their classroom this morning, they were busy playing with toys and new friends. Is it possible that my anxiety about this transition was unfounded? Is it too soon to tell?

Upstairs

2010-12-21T00:21:00.000-05:00

I should always be afraid when the kids are upstairs and its quiet. Over the summer, Eleanor spent some time upstairs by herself. I was imagining her reading books and playing with stuffed animals. Instead, she was lathering my lotion all over herself. When she came back downstairs, she was covered. It was a miracle that she didn't slide down our wooden steps. I had to take pictures. I'm just getting around to sharing them now.

Sports Class

2010-12-11T07:40:00.000-05:00

The kids are enrolled in an intro sports class at the community center because they are unlikely to learn about team sports from us. The teacher has covered football and basketball so far. Eleanor has opted out of most of the classes and watched Ian and her peers from a distance. Below is some footage from a recent class.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T23:54:00.001-04:00

Use your imagination...

2010-10-21T22:20:00.000-04:00

Baby Lion and Daddy Lion talk and work in the back yard.

Chompy

2010-08-10T21:22:00.000-04:00

(he's the shark in the background )

We love you, PopPop Gallagher

2010-07-06T13:36:00.000-04:00

Taking a spin in the convertible, April 2010

Little Celebrities

2010-05-05T23:06:00.000-04:00

Still blogging...

2010-03-25T14:37:00.000-04:00

...in my mind! At this point, six months after my last blog post, I have several partial blog posts started but I just can't seem to finish them. I am determined to finish them at some point because this is our family's version of a baby book. It, the thousands of digital images, and the hours of aimless digital video, are all the kids will have to understand their early family life. But until I actually finish those eventual treasures, I will post some recent digital pics and videos.

Eleanor and Ian love when we change their crib sheets

Swinging with Dad

Pretending to be big kids

Ian's first haircut

2009-09-16T16:05:00.001-04:00

I think I finally had enough of the well-meaning people who proclaimed loudly to my kids "What beautiful little girls!" so Ian got his first haircut on Sunday. I miss his auburn curls a little, but I also like seeing more of his cute little face.

Pre-haircut

Getting ready for the haircut

During the haircut

Final product

'TANA

2009-09-15T21:44:00.000-04:00

We survived out first destination vacation with the kiddos – but just barely. Kevin fundraised for and participated in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation’s Ride to Cure Diabetes. As most of you know already (because you made generous donations in Kevin’s name), it’s a 100-mile bike ride that took place on September 5th in Whitefish, Montana. He rocked! He met his own goal of finishing in under 8 hours, raised $10,000, and was the only Type 1 diabetic rider. I’m not sure if he is serious about wanting to do more century rides, but I sure am glad that he did this one!

We decided to make a family odyssey of it, and spent a week in beautiful Montana (or ‘TANA as the kids say). It was Eleanor and Ian’s first plane trip, and they were pretty great considering their age and their weariness on the trip home. We flew in and out of Missoula, which had lots of great (family-friendly) restaurants, a river walk, a carousel, and an amazing park. Before leaving for the trip, the kids were coached by GiGi and PopPop to look for bison in Montana, so they had a great time at the National Bison Range on our way to Whitefish. While Kevin pedaled for JDRF, the rest of us explored the beaches and parks of the town. We met up with him twice during the ride to cheer him on and take some pictures. After the ride, we visited Glacier National Park, which was truly amazing. We would have like to have done more exploring in the park, but Ian was struggling with a stomach bug and both kids had croup. Kevin thinks he finally arrived as a father when he had to pull the car over and remove Ian from his car seat so that he could puke on the side of the road. That was the first of four puking episodes during the trip. Unbelievable – it had been 6+ months since the kids were sick! Despite these (and other) minor setbacks, we still had a great time in ‘TANA!

Airport serenade

Tiny girl in the airport

Nat'l Bison Range

Bison!

Sick babies napping

Catching some rays at Whitefish Lake

Riding into the rest stop at Mile 50

Daddy's biggest fans

Crossing the finish line

Family portrait in Glacier Nat'l Park

Leaf dancing

Miserable toddler at Logan pass

Compliant toddler at Logan Pass

Waiting for our ride home

The Family Band

2009-08-28T16:15:00.000-04:00

Years ago, we received "The Family Band" from John and Maria for Christmas. It is a big red box full of lots of fun instruments. Before we had kids, we spent many a night imbibing with friends, a couple guitars, and "The Family Band." Now the kids are making good use of it.

Pennsylvania 2009

2009-07-21T20:44:00.000-04:00

As Ian lays upstairs in bed repeating "Click Clack Moo," I am sitting here trying to remember all of the fabulous experiences the kids have had since I last posted.

First and foremost would be our trip to Pennsylvania. It was our first week-long vacation since before the kids were born and it was a raging success. We rented a cabin in the Poconos with the Gallagher clan and visited with the Pereses on the way there and back.

Even though we left DC at bedtime, the kids still talked most of the way to Nannie's house. As Eleanor started to nod off, Ian kept on going! Kevin and I made a pact to be quiet, to reinforce the sense of quiet time in the car. After a few minutes of Ian talking alone, with no response from us, he said "I'm sorry, Mama. I'm sorry, Dada." Priceless.

Napping in the car with passy and duckie

Likewise, with passy and blankie

When we got to Nannies house, she had a vast assortment of toddler toys for the kids to play with. She'd gotten a Dora play kitchen, a lawnmower, a rake, and some nylon tunnels to climb through. Plus, she's got a great back yard. Even though Nannie's mobility was still a little limited by her recent knee replacement surgery, cousin Shane was playing vigorously with the Ian and Eleanor. They were in heaven for the two days that we were there and felt crushed when we had to leave. Little did they know what they had in store...

Playing on Nannie's deck

Eleanor and Kevin in the tunnel

Fairview Lake was where we stayed. There were 17 of us spread across two houses. Both houses were mere yards from the lake, complete with Adirondack chairs, docks, boats, and ducks. The large lawn and the water were a big, natural playground for the kids - and a constant source of fear that they would fall in the water or find the busy country road on the other side of the lawn. Their 2.5 year-old cousin Gabriel and their 2 year-old cousin Maeva were exciting, but their older cousins Owen, Hugh and Finn really captured their attention. They were see-sawing, using big-kid swings, and dangling from monkey bars (with help) by the end of the vacation. And they even performed in the impromtu talent show - Ring Around the Rosey is a real croud pleaser if you don't pay attention to the lyrics!

The house

Hanging out lakeside

GiGi and PopPop and almost all of their beautiful grandchildren (see Owen's foot??)

Finding and throwing rocks

Surfer girl at the lake

Digging in the sand

Hiking with Maeva

On the way home, we stayed with PopPop and MomMom Perese. They prepared for Ian and Eleanor by inflating and filling their massive baby pool. And when the sun came out, we were all in that pool! As soon as the Pitners made an appearance, the babies were again absorbed by their big cousins. Ashley and Shane played with them in yard and colored with them on the back porch (where the kids did a number on the knick-knacks - so many fascinating little things that they couldn't keep their hands off of). We had a fabulous time but were ready to be back home.

Trying on PopPop's glasses

Eating yogurt with MomMom

Shane!

Hi!

2009-06-12T14:38:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when Eleanor and Ian are playing together, one of them will look at the other and say "Hi!" And then the other one will say "Hi!" in response. And then they'll just continue playing.

Laughing in the back yard (21 months old)

Drinking from real cups - a rare occurrence

Eleanor, Ian, and Jorge's shadows

Last week was the first time that Eleanor looked at one of her older baby pictures and pointed out herself and Ian. It happened to be a picture of GiGi and PopPop Gallagher holding her and Ian on Christmas 2007. I don't think that she got the concept that she used to be a little baby until now. Both of them can say the work "Ian" clearly but neither of them can say "Eleanor" well. It sounds like "Eh-Nah."

Dipping bacon in yogurt - yum!

Crazy face (must be the bacon and yogurt)

Ian is passionate about stacking right now. He stacks big and little legos. He stacks (empty) boxes of diapers and wipes. He stacks yogurt containers. He even takes the pieces out of the shape-sorting toys and stacks them! It's been a full year since he put this much time and energy toward stacking. I remember him stacking wooden blocks in earnest on the back porch last summer.

Ian and Megan, post-ambulation

Eleanor and Kevin, post-ambulation

Both babies love the pool (they pronounce it "poo-wa"). That goes for the baby pool in our back yard as well as the baby pool at the pool we joined for the summer. Our baby pool is never more than four or five inches high, so when they went into a real baby pool, they weren't used to the deep water. And as their lifeguard, I wasn't either. They were timid at first, holding my hand or staying close to the side (even climbing out frequently). After a couple of visits, they are now wanting to walk along, with their legs and torsos bent enough so that their chests and shoulders are in the water. Ian shouts "I'm mimmin'!"

Serious boy

Serious girl

Not-so-serious splashing in the pool

It's no surprise that Kevin is a great dad. For Father's Day, Kevin had a ride in the morning followed by a nap. In the late afternoon, we hit Wheaton Regional Park for a train and carousel ride. The babies have been talking about it ever since.

Dirty Daddy

Now this is "jumpin'"

Kevin and the babies

Back in May, we had a great trip to Pittsburgh. Almost everyone was there (we missed the Brooklyn contingent) and it was so touching to see the cousins play together. Hugh and Finn were awesome with Maeva, Ian, and Eleanor. Plus, we had a picnic in North Park. PopPop was feeling tired but good enough to hang out and play. We'll get a little more family (the Brooklyners) and time (a full week) in July in the Poconos. I would like to know who's going to ruin it!@#

Ian laughing with PopPop

Ian swinging in the hammock with Finn

Maeva, Ian, and Eleanor (all born within 2 weeks of eachother!)

Aunt MG and the girls

Picnic Pose

Spring Things

2009-05-03T15:34:00.000-04:00

Since I can't seem to make time to write about the kids, I thought I would just post some recent images of them.

Our little monkeys...

Hanging out on the front steps

Friday night happy hour with I.Z.

Collecting and dumping stones in the back yard

Nannie's little elves

Cruising at the park with I.Z. and Ian

Now for some Eleanor...

More water, please (Mah, peez)

The most beautiful girl we know

Glamour shot

Fake smile

And finally some Ian...

Es verdad - el es nuestra numero uno

Such a big boy!

He's got some elfin tendencies, too

An elfin bad-ass!

Playing without Mommy

2009-04-08T08:20:00.000-04:00

This video was taken about a month ago, but it captures a new dynamic in the household - the kids' ability to entertain themselves without Kevin or me. It's often short-lived, and only really works when they are out in the back yard, but I really enjoy being able to watch them play while I throw together their meal, check my email, or wash dishes.

Playing alone

Sharing

2009-03-21T22:13:00.000-04:00

Eleanor shares her meal with Ian. Ian can't get enough.

Or maybe he can...

(So many of our images and videos take place at the kitchen table. I MUST start mixing it up a little!)

Pigtails!

2009-01-28T20:36:00.000-05:00

The little lady's hair is long enough to do pigtails! If only she'd leave the barrettes alone...

Eleanor with pigtails, 16 months old

Blueberry

2009-01-26T19:32:00.000-05:00

Ian says blueberry

Broccoli

2009-01-22T21:58:00.000-05:00

Eleanor says broccoli

Happy New Year

2009-01-16T17:30:00.000-05:00

The kids had a great holiday season, with lots of quality time with their extended family. (And a wonderful week with their dad while their mom was on travel for work!)

It's cold!

For Thanksgiving... we were in Pittsburgh, where the kids got to visit with most of the Gallagher clan (we missed you, Denver Gallaghers!). Eleanor and Ian played in snow for the first time. Since we were not at all prepared for that kind of weather, they wore grocery bags in their shoes to keep their feet dry. (Thank goodness they got some respectable snow boots for Christmas from MomMom and PopPop Perese!) We visited with some of the O'Connells and Gallaghers, including Great Grandma O'Connell. The babies were a big hit in her assisted living community! Despite Eleanor's struggle with her molars and GiGi's little health scare, it was a great holiday.

The boy with his stick and his mother

A close-up of the make-shift snow boot

PopPop enjoys his coffee as the kids play in the snow

Owen, who turned 11(!) at Thanksgiving

For Christmas... we co-hosted again this year, spending the days leading up to Christmas between home and Mary and Chris' place in Annapolis. Neither Bernie nor Mannie and their families could make it to Maryland this year, so Mary and I had our parents all to ourselves! Eleanor and Ian practiced saying "GiGi" and "PopPop" as well as star, tree, Santa, and snowman. In Philadelphia, they enjoyed time with Nannie and her battery-operated, singing, dancing, holiday entourage. They also had a blast with Cousin Shane, who played with them and made them giggle. At PopPop and MomMom's Christmas party, they were fascinated with their 3-month-old second cousin Cassandra. We heard lots and lots of "BAY-BEE" that day.

Playing the hanky game with GiGi and PopPop Gallagher

Gazing at the tree on Christmas Eve

Eleanor meets baby Cassandra

Snackin' with PopPop Perese

Playing at the park with Nannie

For New Years... the babies slept right through the wild party we were having right below them - if take-out sushi, beer, and Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man counts as a wild party. It was a special anniversary for Kevin and I - we started dating on New Years Eve 1997!

Since then... Eleanor and Ian have been expressing themselves in new and interesting ways. They seem like wild little toddlers now who have mini-tantrums and fight over toys. Where did our sweet, passive little babies go? Did we leave them in Philly?

Ian, with the infamous orange hat

Eleanor, with a roasted chicken package

Guest Blogger

2008-12-08T13:17:00.000-05:00

Megan is away for almost a week on a work trip to Seattle, so it's just me, the kiddos, and Jorge struggling on our own. Things are going fairly well so far, but damn these three little creatures sure know how to wear me out!

On Saturday we went to a birthday party (Ellie turned 2!). The kids had a ton of fun playing with the crayons and eating cupcakes (big, BIG mess -- I ended up cleaning each kid in the kitchen sink, and Ian basically had a chocolate cake beard by the time he was finished).

On Sunday, or big outing was an all to short of a trip to Target for more milk and diapers. The rest of the day, we went a little bonkers in the house.

Today was different. We went to an open gym at a local community center and played with a lot of balls with some other kids, and daddy got to show the kids how to shoot some basketballs (I think I impressed them with my skills). After that, we went upstairs to a "Parents Resource Center" and played in a crowded room with a ton of toys and other kids and stuck around for circle time. I was the only man in the room. This outing must have totally worn them out 'cause they are currently pushing into hour #3 of their afternoon nap!

Since Mamma has been away, the main thing that has changed has been our bedtime ritual. Before, we'd give them baths (most every other night) and then Meg would take one up to bed for stories and some breast milk while I'd take the other one downstairs for cleaning up and reading stories until Momma would come down stairs and give him/her some breast milk before bed. Then I would take that one up and tuck him/her into bed.

This routine has been going rather smoothly for us for some months now.

This big trip, for Meg, however, may be the weening of the little ones (although I think Meg still thinks there's a chance it will last longer when she returns).

For the past few nights our routine has been to play for a little after dinner and have some milk while we clean up the toys. Then we go upstairs for a bath. This has been the hardest part. I think every night there has been one (if not both) of them who has been naked and peed somewhere along the short distance from their bedroom to the bath tub. After the bath, I get them into their pajamas, read a few books with them, and then we brush teeth with new toothbrushes and some training toothpaste.

All goes pretty well until the moment I turn off the lights in the room and then they both scream like mad. But this screaming rarely lasts more than a minute or two.

In addition to the bedtime routine change, to let them know they're living the "bachelor" lifestyle, we have cold pizza for breakfast, but other than that, most everything else is normal.

Occasionally, one of them (most often Ian), will blurt out "Mamma!" I explain to him that she's in Seattle, and that she'll be home on Thursday, but I don't think he understands (although they're always surprising me by how much they comprehend).

We'll Mamma, we are surviving, but we do miss you and look forward to seeing you on Thursday night!

Halloween

2008-11-17T10:49:00.001-05:00

In the run-up to Halloween, Eleanor and Ian became acquainted with their Halloween costumes. We left them in the living room with their toys. Everyday, they would hold up their costumes, requesting that we put them on them. Nannie Perese got a preview when she was here the weekend before Halloween.

Ladybug and Zebra

Dog in Zebra's clothing

We spent Halloween on our front porch with our neighbors. There were lots of exotic little animals. It was a bit more chaotic than usual.

Zebra tries a KitKat

Ladybug, Zebra, and Cow gang up on Farmer

Dog wants Halloween treat

Spring Park Rocks!

2008-10-20T20:51:00.001-04:00

Last week, I took the kids to nearby Spring Park. For the first time, they actually enjoyed the play equipment slightly more than the wood chips on the ground! We were there for two hours and the time flew by. I took lots of pictures of them enjoying themselves.

Visitin'

2008-10-19T21:35:00.000-04:00

My dear friend from high school came down to meet Ian and Eleanor a few weeks ago. Kara is now the mother to two adorable boys. Her youngest, Ashland, made the trip with her. We had a very low-key weekend because the three babies were on totally opposite nap schedules.

Kara and Ash

The following weekend, Kevin and Eleanor went camping with the Penn State crowd. Ian and I weren't feeling very well, so we just hung out with friends in the neighborhood. We took a walk with Aaron and Milo and attended Isaiah's first birthday party.

Eleanor watches the older kids play

Over Columbus Day weekend, we packed up the kids and the dog and went to Pittsburgh. The weather was lovely so we went to the zoo. Ian was so excited about the animals. He screamed and pointed for much of the visit. Eleanor was quite and wide-eyed.

Ian, PopPop, and GiGi at the Pittsburgh Zoo

Eleanor and Kevin at the zoo (with GiGi in the background)

A very happy birthday

2008-09-30T21:33:00.001-04:00

Eleanor and Ian turned one last month. The occasion gave us an excuse to throw a little party. And by little, I mean big. It was the biggest party we've ever had! Folks were spread throughout the house, porches, and the backyard, so it didn't feel like a crowd. It was wonderful but we needed lots and lots of help to pull it off. Thanks to everyone who made it happen (especially the Pereses who brought food, and cooked, and cleaned with us on Saturday morning).

During the party, Ian and Eleanor played with friends and family, napped a little, and dined on some delicious treats. They loved the tomato and spinach pie and their iced birthday cupcakes.

They were like deer in headlights during the Happy Birthday song

A boy and his cupcake

A girl and her cupcake

The day before the party, Ian started to walk. But he didn't do it regularly or confidently until a few weeks later. He's still a bit shaky, but it is now his preferred method of transport. And now we've got two toddlers toddling all around!

Adios, Summer

2008-09-15T10:14:00.000-04:00

The babies are having an eventful August and September. Some of the highlights include:

The Mini-Reunion. A subset of Gallaghers, including the New Yorkers, Takoma Parkers, and Annapolitans, got together in early August. We cooled off at the community pool ('cool' is the word for the dudes in the image below), feasted on grillables, and enjoyed each other's kids.

Uncle Mannie, Uncle Chris, and Kevin catching some rays

Aunt MG and Aunt Elisa relaxing by the baby pool

Cousin Gabriel (in the stroller), Ian, and Eleanor rest after frolicking in the pool

Cousins Hugh, Finn, Gabriel, Eleanor, Ian, and Owen

The Professor. My dear old friend and college roommate Amy Johnson came to visit us last month. She is a professor and researcher now and came up from Columbia, South Carolina with her dog Ella. At the Montgomery County fair, we bought cheap sunglasses, ate greasy food, and watched the pig races.

Amy and I

The pig race (or trot)

Ella and Eleanor

The Surprise Party. We celebrated PopPop Perese's 60th birthday with a party at the Pitners in mid-August. The babies ate picnic food for the first time - hot dogs, baked beans, and corn salad were big hits. (But I forgot my camera I don't have pictures of the event.)

The Teeth. Both babies have teeth emerging from their upper gums. It's definitely giving me a sense of what they'll look like as kids.

The Walk. Eleanor has become a walker. She likes to hold something in each of her hands as she walks around the house. She looks like a little tiny drunken sailor.

Watch out - here she comes!

The Talk. Ian has become a talker. He has specific words for ball (BAH), dog (DGIDGIDGI), and banana (NANA). I also think he's saying guitar (TAH) but I've been accused of hearing things before so I will wait until I'm sure before reporting with certainty.

The Virus. We had out first stomach virus a couple weeks ago. Ian had diarrhea for days, which we thought was due to teething his top front two teeth. But then he started throwing up, and became more lethargic. His dad took him to the emergency room where he was deemed mildly dehydrated but treated only with a anti-nausea drug. A couple days later, his appetite and personality reappeared. Just in time for Eleanor to get it. She didn't have it nearly as bad, but it was ugly around here for about a week.

The Lancaster Reunion. The Gallagher clan got together in Lancaster, PA to celebrate cousin Maeva's first birthday. It was SO good to see Bernie and Kate - and to get a "grab and sniff" of Maeva. My mom's back had recovered enough for her to make the trip. Kevin stayed home with Ian so that Eleanor and I could make it. It was a great trip but way too short.

Cousin Maeva and Eleanor focus on grass

Cousin Gabriel and Uncle Mannie work the camera

GiGi, PopPop, and Uncle Bernie

Cousin Maeva and Aunt Kate

Aunt MG and Eleanor

The Beach. Eleanor and Ian had a blast on the beach with PopPop (Perese) and MomMom last weekend. The weather was windy and overcast but that didn't bother us one bit.

Happy beach babies

PopPop and Eleanor dodge waves

Walking on the promenade with MomMom

MomMom and PopPop take a (brief) rest

Family portrait

And finally, The Car. Our 1994 Honda Civic was stolen from a side street while we were at the beach. Kevin loved that car. We're sad and pissed about it. And we think that the babies are disappointed, too.

(Oh, yeah, this is also the eve of their FIRST BIRTHDAY. What a wild and wonderful year it's been.)

Yikes!

2008-08-14T22:04:00.000-04:00

I'm sure I'll eventually acclimate to the world of toddler-hood, but I am completely freaked out by it at the moment. It seems like Eleanor and Ian were infants such a short time ago and now they're doing things that I didn't imagine they'd do for months.

For example, Ian discovered that he can climb up and stand on the little table in the dining room where he used to enjoy playing with pots, wooden spoons, empty food containers, and whatnot. Kevin and I don't know exactly how to approach this - we don't want to discourage his physical development but we don't want him to get the idea that he can climb anything and everything he sees. Any suggestions?

Ian is a bad influence on Eleanor

Their new abilities are thrilling as well as scary. When I brought a couple of push toys up from the basement this morning, I never thought that the babies would embrace them so quickly. I guess they were ready for them.

Riding the firetruck

I am hoping to post soon about the fun we've had over the past two weekends with friends and family. Last weekend, Amy Johnson and her pooch Ella came up from Columbia, SC. The weekend before that, Mannie, Elisa, and Gabriel came down from Brooklyn for a visit in Annapolis. Unfortunately, my camera was not present for much of the fun so I am counting on my sibs to share their images. Stay tuned.

Things they both like (@ 10 months)

2008-07-31T22:22:00.000-04:00

cheerios
hummus
standing at the end of their cribs to visit after naps
images of animals and babies
sippy cups
mulch
stealing toys from each other
"dancing"
watching birds from the back porch
black beans
infant Tylenol
turning pages of board books
the pool
Jorge's water bowl

Things she likes (@ 10 months)

2008-07-31T16:59:00.000-04:00

eating firm food
squishing soft food
pointing and touching with her index finger
scrunching up her nose
sticking out her tongue
screaming
kissing
textures
Daddy's water bottle
making bubbles with her mouth when she says "mom"
the recycling bin
massaging food into her hair (behind her right ear)
digging in potted plants
climbing her brother
saying "bob"

Things he likes (@ 10 months)

2008-07-30T20:04:00.000-04:00

food (everything, and in unlimited quantities)
talking to his food
smiling with his whole face - so hard that his eyes close
taking time out from playing to snuggle
taking time out from playing to rest his heavy head
babbling and shrieking
standing up in his high chair
pinching
pulling (Kevin's) chest hair
crawling over your shoulder when you're holding him
pooping in the baby pool
putting his hand over his face after a scrumptious bite of food
biting
dragging his pacifier along the slats of his crib
saying "ta"

The Unknown Comic

2008-07-25T21:58:00.000-04:00

There's been a preponderance of video on this blog lately, but this one captures a fun moment at the Perese-Gallagher residence.

The wave pool

2008-07-20T16:05:00.000-04:00

When I was growing up in the South Hills of Pittsburgh, there was a "wave pool" that simulated ocean waves. It was an exciting alternative to the regular old public pool. I haven't heard about another wave pool since that time. This video made me think of it:

Thanks to my boss Sue's spring cleaning, we have a sweet little kiddie pool. Getting it home from her house was a bit of a challenge, but yesterday's fun alone made it well worth the hassle.

Funny Bone(s)

2008-07-17T10:09:00.000-04:00

The babies are cracking us up these days - tickling our funny bones.

Last weekend when John and Maria came down to visit us, Eleanor learned John's name immediately. She said Pop-Pop all weekend. Here's a little video clip:

On Sunday evening after they went home, Ian developed a strange little behavior during dinner that we captured on film:

Summer fun, that is

2008-06-27T15:13:00.000-04:00

Summer has been good to us so far. In fact, we've been having so much fun that we keep forgetting to share our experiences with you. This is what we've been up to since May:

Construction on the back yard started right after Memorial Day and was completed on Father's Day weekend. It's a true makeover- the whole yard was leveled, a retaining wall was built, a new fence was installed, and sod was laid. What does this have to do with the babies??? They'll be able to play in their own backyard some day (not just yet because the sod is still taking root). We have to do some planting, mulching, and fence-staining before we're all done, but we are pretty darn happy. Here is a before and after shot of the far right corner...

Before

After

Nannie came to town and had a great visit with the babies at the end of May. Kevin and I got out for a dinner date, which was nice too. Below is a video of Nannie bathing Eleanor. I don't think I've ever seen or heard Eleanor laugh this hard.

In the first week of June, the babies and I had our first road trip without Kevin. We drove to Pittsburgh to see GiGi and PopPop Gallagher. The kids were great in the car and slept like little angels during our visit. Plus, GiGi and PopPop were game for lots of play time on the floor, so it was a really nice visit for all of us. Great Grandma, Aunt Sue, and Aunt Cathy and Uncle Ron came to visit. Eleanor decided to start crawling (forward) while she was in Pittsburgh and she hasn't stopped since. Below is a nice picture of GiGi and Eleanor on the front lawn (Eleanor is wearing an outfit that I wore as a baby!).

GiGi and Eleanor in PopPop's beautiful grass

While I was in Pittsburgh with the babies, Kevin worked like a dog around the house but also had some much-needed rest. And that was a good thing, because I took my first business trip that week. I went to New Orleans early Monday morning and returned Wednesday night after the babies went to bed. Kevin stayed home on Monday, and then their nanny Yanick spent Tuesday and Wednesday with them as usual. Much to his surprise, Kevin was wiped out when I got home on Wednesday night.

Only two days later, I rounded out the week with a visit to Philadelphia. We all went up to see PopPop Perese for Father's Day. One of the highlights was Jackie's inflatable pool. We ALL got in it!

PopPop Perese and Ian

Aunt Karen and Eleanor

Since Father's Day, the babies started pulling up. They love pulling up and standing at the activity table that makes music and sings to them in Spanish and English. And they just started pulling up on everything else. Frightening.

In the past couple weeks, let's see ...Ian's two bottom teeth showed up, I got my hair chopped off, we celebrated our fourth wedding anniversary, and we had our first Waterbabies swimming classes.

Below are a couple of images of the babies when they got back from swim class earlier today.

Eleanor playing with a Pringles can

Ian, playing with the center of an "O"

Singin'

2008-05-22T10:35:00.000-04:00

Sort of. We discovered that when we sing in monotone, the babies join along. It's hilarious. But don't worry, we are working on their consonants all the time. In fact, we think that Eleanor may be saying "Mom" and "DaDa" to us already.

The three of us are making noise in the video below - until Eleanor excitedly grabs Ian's face. He seemed fine at first, but then I had to intervene.

Singin' and grabbin'

Swingin'

2008-05-22T09:53:00.000-04:00

My neighbor Laura showed me how to swing both babies at one time. We all think it's the coolest thing - the babies seem to prefer it to swinging alone!

Eleanor's side

Ian's side

A window into the near future

2008-05-16T07:30:00.000-04:00

This afternoon we're going to visit our former neighbor who has 14-month-old twin boys. Each time we visit, it's an eye-opening experience. I remember watching her feed them at the same time as newborns and thinking I'd never be able to pull it off. Then, when they came to our baby shower in Annapolis as five-month-olds, I remember wondering how they made it out the door that morning. And when I last saw them, they were 9-months-old - only a little older than Eleanor and Ian are right now. Both boys were scooting on their bellies to get to their mother and whining to be picked up. At the same time. I remember thinking that it looked a little tricky.

Ian's scooting and whining now (not literally right now - right now he's sleeping peacefully in his crib upstairs). He likes to check out shoes, dog toys, and electronic gadgets. Yesterday morning, in the course of an hour, he made four frightening moves:

Crawled over to the outlet in his room where the humidifier is plugged in
Crawled onto a bookshelf in the living room (I was freaked out but impressed with this)
Crawled over the threshold of the back door, which we leave open for Jorge (this left my little guy dirtier than I've ever seen him - it was his first mid-day clothing change that wasn't the result of a bodily function)
Crawled over to explore Jorge's food and water bowls

By the time their morning nap came around, I felt like I'd had an entire day's worth of new experiences.

Thankfully, Eleanor still enjoys sitting and rolling. The scooting she does tends to be backwards, lodging her under furniture. She gets very frustrated, but at least she doesn't get very far.

I don't know what I'll do when they're both moving ... I'll have to watch the other twin mom today for some strategies.

Where we've been

2008-05-08T20:42:00.000-04:00

(Where haven't we been???)

We apologize to all of you who have visited Two For Fun only to find the same old post. It has been a very busy six weeks for us, so we beg your pardon for neglecting you. We’re going to attempt to make up for some lost time in this post. Below is a (not-so-brief) photo essay of major Perese-Gallagher events since mid-March.

1) We all went to Pittsburgh for Easter. That Saturday, my mom and I got out for pedicures and a little shopping while Kevin and PopPop took care of the babies. On Easter Sunday, we went to Aunt Mary Pat and Uncle Tony's to visit with the O'Connell clan.

Great Grandma O'Connell and Ian on Easter

Great Grandma O'Connell and Eleanor on Easter

2) The following weekend, Kevin and I went to Chicago for Ayelish and Aziz’s wedding and left the babies with GiGi and PopPop Gallagher. It was such a treat to get away for a long weekend and leave the babies in such capable and loving hands. We had a wonderful, restful time (once we recovered from imbibing at the wedding). GiGi and PopPop had a great time too, but they were exhausted by the time we got back home.

Millennium Park

Ayelish and Aziz at their wedding reception

PopPop and GiGi with Eleanor and Ian

PopPop with the kids on the porch

3) The week we got back, both babies started sitting up on their own...

Ian and Eleanor munching away on pieces of their play mat - a favorite past time

4) Then Ian started crawling...

In this video, he's crawling to the tune of Kevin's guitar and my cackle (you'll have to cock you head to the left to watch!)

5) And Eleanor cut two bottom teeth. (We have no decent pictures of them, but they sure are cute and sharp!)

4) In mid-April, we celebrated Uncle Joe Perese’s birthday in Philadelphia. (Again, we have no pictures of the event but we had a great time seeing the Perese clan!)

5) During the following work week, our old friends and housemates Dylan and Gina came through town. Dylan came over with our old friend Ruben after a job interview in DC. It was awesome to see both of them and we're excited at the prospect of Dylan possibly returning to DC. Only a few days later, Gina and Daniel and their two-year-old daughter Zoe came and stayed with us. Zoe is adorable.

Zoe and Ian

5) In the last weekend of April, Kevin and I went to Connecticut for Beth and Patrick’s wedding and left the babies with Aunt Karen and Nannie Perese. On the way back, we met Kara and Dylan’s new baby Ashland and visited with Mannie, Elisa, and Gabriel in Brooklyn. (Unfortunately, we lack documentation of Ashland, Aunt Karen, and Nannie Perese.)

Beth and I at her wedding reception

Gabriel napping on his dad's chest

7) And finally, this past weekend, we went car camping with friends at Caledonia State Park in Pennsylvania. It was fun to hang out with the old Penn State crowd and their offspring. We slept in an embarassingly large tent with enough space to accommodate two adults and a pack-n-play. It was a challenge to take care of the basic business of camping (setting up and taking down the tent, cooking, eating) while wearing a baby, but folks were quite generous in their willingness to hold Eleanor and Ian, so we managed to pull it off. And it's a minor miracle that all of our gear fit into the Camry. Who needs a minivan when you've got a Camry?

SuperDad!

The Boys

The Girls

Baby Zoe, Ian, and Eleanor

(Dirty) Family Portrait

First Solid Food

2008-03-17T21:39:00.000-04:00

We camped out on the front porch one sunny afternoon a couple weeks back to feed the babies their first solid food. It was rice cereal and they loved it.

Ian

Eleanor

Nannie and Nanny

2008-03-03T19:03:00.000-05:00

Nannie (Kevin’s mom) came down for a visit the weekend before last. She arrived just in time to see the babies before bedtime on Friday evening. During the night, she took care of Ian, who had been congested and fussy for the past week. Maybe Kevin and I slept more soundly when Nannie was here because we missed several of Ian’s awakenings. On Saturday, she took care of the babies while we built Ikea furniture and celebrated our friend Jen’s birthday. She spent lots of time swinging on the front porch with them, watching the world go by. It was quite a nice visit.

Our nanny Yanick is working out great. She has been coming to our place for the past couple Tuesdays to get to know the kids before I return to work on March 11th. I try to keep myself occupied with the myriad of things on our to-do list, and all day I can here all three of them laughing and playing. The only issue is that Eleanor has been resisting bottled breast milk, so Yanick has had difficulty feeding her. But we are giving her a bottle each day to practice and she has made good progress over the past week. We’ll see what Yanick thinks!

Big Weekend

2008-02-03T15:27:00.000-05:00

This weekend we had a couple of firsts that were very exciting for us.

Saturday

The weather was nice this weekend, so we got a chance to get out with the kids and take them on their very first hike. It was just a short one in Rock Creek Park, but it was very nice. They both seemed to enjoy the walk and we were comfortable carrying them in their new Ergos (thanks MomMom & PopPop). Ian was bright eyed and curious throughout the entire walk, but Eleanor slept through most of it.

Sunday

After a stroll down to the Farmers' Market in town, we came back and were lounging around on Sunday afternoon. The kids were hanging out on a blanket in the living room, Meg was playing with them, and I was playing some guitar for them. Then, all of a sudden, Ian arched his back and gave a good push with one of his legs and Whammo! He rolled over on to his stomach! We were all there for it and Meg and I started cheering for him -- so much so that we scared him and he started to cry!

Not to be out-done by her older brother, Eleanor also rolled over from her stomach to her back less than a half hour later.

This was momentous. It's a milestone that's marking the end of one era (e.g., leaving babies on the couches and changing them on the dinning room table) and the beginning of a new one (chasing babies).

I forget who pointed this out to me, but it certainly is ironic how parents do all kinds of things to encourage their children to achieve these developmental milestones and are excited when they happen, but then they realize that their world has just changed dramatically (almost as much as the child's) and things are gonna get a whole lot more... complicated now. But they/we can't help ourselves. It's instinctual.

Before we know it, these little devils will be crawling and walking and riding bikes and driving cars and going to proms and going to college and going on backpacking trips through Nepal.

It's weekends like these and knowing all these changes are coming that make it so hard for me to go into the office on Monday mornings.

News from our little corner of the world...

2008-01-29T09:24:00.002-05:00

The past couple months have been great. The babies’ feeding and sleeping schedules have eased up a bit. They eat every 3 hours during the day, rather than every 2 hours like they did before. I am still nursing them but we manage to throw in a bottle every couple weeks to keep them flexible. They are also sleeping through the night now. We put them down at 7 p.m. and we usually don’t hear from them again until 5 a.m. when they want to be fed and put back down for a couple of hours. This is glorious. (Although they may backslide occasionally as they struggle with the pain of teething.) In general, we’re better rested and we can eat dinner and relax or get something accomplished after they go to bed.

I am also getting out of the house with them a lot more. I’ve mastered getting them into the stroller for a walk by myself but getting them into the car is still a challenge. I try to do it a couple times a week so that it’s not such a big deal. A neighbor that I hadn’t known previously had a baby 2 weeks after we did and it turns out that we really enjoy eachother and try to get out for a walk or a visit daily. I recently hosted a meeting of a new infant playgroup. The playgroups are quite nice and give me an opportunity to meet other moms who live nearby. I also went to a Movie Moms movie with the babies at the local theater where I met two other twin moms. We hung out afterwards and will be meeting up again this week.

Our time at home is becoming more fun but more challenging. The babies are cooing, giggling, wriggling, and sitting and standing with support - but they both want constant physical contact with me during the day. I am trying to figure out ways to hold and/or play with them at the same time and activities that they enjoy enough to do on their own. This is really only an issue on the days that they sleep and play on the same schedule. When they sleep and play on opposite schedules, they get my undivided attention. Below are some pics of the babies in their new Exersaucer (which we will use to support their new-found passion for standing)...

Eleanor in the Exersaucer

Ian in the Exersaucer

Kevin and I recently started looking for a nanny to take care of them when I go back to work 2 days a week in March. We are looking for someone with experience with twins or multiple infants and lots of energy for the coming months when they get mobile! We’ve interviewed two candidates and would like to interview a couple more before making a final decision.

And the past couple of weekends have been busy for us. PopPop and MomMom Perese visited two weeks ago, and then Krista visited last weekend. It’s always nice to share the babies with family and friends. Below are some pics from the recent visits...

MomMom and PopPop dress Eleanor after her bath

MomMom and PopPop help Ian and Eleanor nap

Krista cuddles Eleanor and Ian

Happy New Year!

2008-01-22T09:55:00.000-05:00

It’s hard to believe that the holidays have come and gone. We traveled to Pittsburgh in November for Thanksgiving with the Gallaghers. Eleanor and Ian met their great grandmother, and many of their great-aunts and uncles and second cousins. It was the longest trip we’d taken with the kids and it went well. On our way there, we left DC at 5 a.m. and arrived before 10 a.m. On our way back home, we left at 10 p.m. and arrived around 3 a.m. The babies slept the entire time during both trips - all we had to do was sacrifice our own sleep! For Christmas, Gallagher festivities were split between Takoma Park and Annapolis and the babies finally met their New York and Denver aunts, uncles, and cousins. Perese festivities were a mere 2.5-hour drive away in Philadelphia, where they met lots of family and friends for the first time. Again, the babies were great in the car and our visit was long enough to space out the big drives. Over the holidays, Kevin and I also managed to get out for a couple dinner and movie dates while the babies were cared for by our families (thanks again GiGi and PopPop, Aunt Karen, and Nannie!).

Meeting Great Grandma at Thanksgiving

GiGi and PopPop Gallagher at Christmas

Cousins Gabriel, Maeva, Eleanor, and Ian

Nannie, and Cousins Ashley and Shane

PopPop Perese 'Row-row-rowing the boat' with Ian

Cousin Ashley at Christmas

Twin Talk

2007-12-13T13:01:00.000-05:00

Yesterday (which also marked their 12-week birthday), Eleanor and Ian seemed to have their first conversation while laying on their activity mat.

And then when Eleanor started to fuss, Ian tried to soothe her.

Weekdays

2007-11-09T20:44:00.000-05:00

Ever since Kevin went back to work a few weeks ago, I have had the privilege and challenge of taking care of Ian and Eleanor on my own. I would like to say that it’s been easy as cake, but that’s not true. In fact, I very much look forward to the days that Kevin stays home with us and the days that Mary comes in from Annapolis to visit. The ratio of adults to babies is far more balanced and each baby gets plenty of attention and coddling.

When it’s just the three of us, there is a little more fussing and a little more crying during the day. A typical day goes something like this:

7-8 a.m.: The last “night” feeding ends. I burp the babies, re-swaddle them, and lay them back in bed. Kevin usually starts getting ready for work while I am feeding them, stopping in between each of his tasks to see if I need anything (when I’m wearing my twin breastfeeding pillow and the twins, I’m basically helpless). He makes his lunch, feeds and walks the dog, and makes a fire to warm up the house. I get dressed, brush my teeth, and go downstairs to eat. I bring the big pillow with me and make sure that my downstairs feeding area is ready for when the babies wake up.

8-9 a.m.: Kevin leaves for work. I try to do some laundry, wash dishes, and check email. Sometimes this just doesn’t happen.

9-10 a.m.: One or both of the babies wake up. If it’s just one of them, I put him or her in a sling to buy some more time until the other one awakens. If both wake up, I change their diapers and the first daytime feeding commences. A few details about my feeding setup: I’ve set two boppy (doughnut-shaped) pillows on either side of me where the babies are laid before each feeding. Using these allows me to strap on my big breastfeeding pillow and sit down without worrying that the babies will roll off the couch. Plus, I can more easily reach the babies over the edge of my big breastfeeding pillow when they're in their boppies -- and every inch counts.

The fire is nice and warm at this point and has warmed up the living room. Sometimes we listen to NPR Morning Edition or we just sit in silence. I burp one of the babies at a time. The other baby lays in the boppy waiting, and occasionally crying or spitting up because s/he needs to be burped. I’ve decided that I can’t stress about this or feel too bad about it because I’m doing the best I can.

10-11 a.m.: The babies relax in their boppies as I read to them. Sometimes this is very nice – with both babies wide awake and watching me. Other times, I’ve got one or two fussy babies and I’m holding them or trying to calm them with their pacifiers. When Eleanor starts getting tired, she lets out raging screams. I try to change her diaper before this happens, and then I swaddle her and hold her tight until she gives up the fight against sleep. Ian coos, yelps, and wines when he is tired and is usually content in the boppy or a swing as he falls back to sleep.

11 a.m.-12 p.m.: The babies are usually sleeping. I try to prep and eat my lunch early. I usually check my email again and sometimes even throw the laundry that I’ve washed in the dryer (other times, I end up getting back to the laundry after Kevin gets home at the end of the day).

12-1 p.m. Another feeding begins. And ends. And then I burp them and change their diapers.

1-2 p.m. This is usually the time of day when I try to get out for a walk with the stroller. We’ve got a very nice jogger-type stroller with fully reclining seats for newborn babies. Plus, we’ve got some awesome accessories to go with it. First is the pair of fuzzy seat liners that supports their heads and keep them nice and cozy (thanks Mary). Second is the amazing diaper bag that holds all of their gear (and mine – thanks Mannie and Elisa). Our community is pretty conducive to walking – tree-lined streets with sidewalks and lots of interesting houses to look at. I can usually return from the walk and get a couple little things done around the house – a phone call or some minor dinner prep. They are usually hungry again by 2.

2-6 p.m. Needless to say, the feeding, playing, sleeping cycle happens a couple more times before Kevin gets home. Sometimes I spend a decent amount of the afternoon feeding them (also known as cluster feeding). When this happens, I tend to turn on the TV. I need to figure out how to hold a book or control the stereo better while I’m feeding them so that I am not exposing them to so much TV. We’re not planning to let them watch as much as I’ve been watching lately!
This week, I had plans three days in a row! On Tuesday, our neighbor Laura and baby Isaiah came over to spend the morning with us. On Wednesday, a new friend Mary came over to help out. She is preparing to be a postpartum doula so she is looking to clock some hours with a mother who needs help (that would definitely be me!). And then on Thursday, we met Julie and baby Audrey at Mark's Kitchen for lunch and then they came over afterward. It was really nice to be with some adults during the day.

6-10 p.m. When Kevin gets home, he typically plays with the babies and pulls the remainder of dinner together while I take a shower. Many of our dinners have been generously prepared and delivered by countless friends, colleagues, and relatives (thank you!) and are often simply pulled out of the freezer and microwaved. We eat, feed the babies, and head upstairs to bed where we’ll sometimes read for a little while but often pass out – especially lately since its been getting dark so early and we’ve been fighting a cold.

10 p.m.-7 a.m. Feedings usually take place between 10 and 11, then again between 2 and 3, and then again between 5 and 6. This means we get two or three 3-hour stints of sleep over night. Not bad. But we’re definitely looking forward to longer nights in the future!

Even though the days are pretty hectic, we'd like to start posting more. (Sorry it's been so long...)

Two Weeks

2007-10-06T20:09:00.001-04:00

Holy smokes!
The babes are two weeks old already!
(OK, 17 days, but who's counting?)

It has been an eventful two weeks, that's for sure!

The first 4 days were by far the most tiring. Even though we sent the babies to the nursery at the hospital for the 2 nights we were there, they still brought them back to us every two hours for feedings. They took them and changed their diapers, but not much else. And with either babies or Megan getting poked and prodded on an hourly basis and with the grandparents visiting the newborns, we had no chance to grab a nap during the day.

Things were a little better when we got home, though, if only because we could take naps during the day. It took us four days of only getting 3 or so hours of sleep per night before I (Kevin) decide to double the amount of formula we were supplementing them with at the night-time feedings. Once we started doing this, the babies would sleep for 3 hours (IN A ROW!!!).

The first time that happened, I turned to Meg and exclaimed: "THAT, was AAAAAaaawwesome!" and we gave each other a high five before feeding the little birds.

The first two weeks have been full of other firsts, too.

We've had our first little walk around the block.

Our first trip to the doctor's office (Jorge stayed home, but they're both doing great and have regained their birth weight after only 8 days).

The first time the babes met their cousins Owen, Hugh, and Finn (Hugh and Finn (and Jorge) were happy playing Legos).

Their first bathes.

Their first time meeting Aunt Karen and cousin Ashley.

And all the while, we have had Maureen (Megan's Mom, a.k.a. GG (short for "Grandma Gallagher")) staying with us and helping us through all these firsts. We are Tremendously grateful for all the time she spent here with us and our little ones and all the burping and feeding and diaper changing help and keeping the groggy parents well nourished.

A very close second on gratefulness scale has been Aunt Mary Grace (or, plain ol' MG as she'd like the little ones to call her). Not once, but TWICE, she's come in and spent the night and let me get 8 hours of sleep in a row. As much as I love my children (even at 3am), I do enjoy a good night's sleep. Thanks, MG!

I'm sure the next two weeks will be just as exciting. In fact, I know it already has since technically we're on day #17 and things have been pretty crazy around here the past few days. I'll try to find some time tomorrow to write about it (but I'm making no promises...).

Leaving the Hospital

2007-09-28T12:59:00.000-04:00

These are two pics from when we were leaving the hospital. It's amazing that we've been home with the babies for a week already! The sweaters they are wearing are the exact sweaters my twin sister and I wore home from the hospital some 33 years ago. Some relative knitted them, but I'm at a loss right now as to who it was (could be that those two 2-hour sessions of sleep last night weren't enough).

We've taken a million and two pictures this week of the newborn babes. So the way we're planning on this working is that we'll post a few pictures here, but for those who want to see more, that picture over there to the left is a link to our Flickr stream of photos.

Hopefully we'll be able to keep these pages updated, 'cause we know we've got far off grandparents and aunts and uncles clamoring for updates!

First Pics

2007-09-22T16:02:00.000-04:00

We are very, very pleased to introduce two new people to the world!

Ian Aloysius and Eleanor Grace.

We'll post more pictures when we can, but here are two taken on their second day on the planet.

Weekly Non-Stress-Tests

2007-09-10T21:44:00.001-04:00

So, for the past 3 weeks or so, we've had a standing appointment over at the hospital for a "Non-Stress-Test" (NST) to be performed. A few weeks ago, we were sitting in the OB office trying to select which day of the week would work best for us. I turned to Meg and said "I don't think we have anything planned this weekend, so Saturday would work fine." The doc then interjected: "From here-on-out, your life is over and you don't have any weekend plans!"

Not funny.

Anyway, we call over to the hospital every Saturday morning and find out what time works best for them (depending on how busy they are). We go over there, get checked in, go up to the 3rd floor maternity ward, and get situated in a Labor and Delivery room (LND to the docs and nurses with the "in-the-know-lingo"). So it's been kinda nice that we've gone through these dry runs of checking in and finding our way up to a LND room.

Aside from the first time we went in for one of these, I've found them to be pretty damn boring. I think this is a good thing, since they've never found either of our little ones to be under stress (perhaps that's why they're called "Non-Stress-Tests"?). The NST involves hooking Meg up to two separate monitors (one for each baby -- gotta make sure they're listening to separate babies and not picking up the same heart rate) and then another monitor that checks for uterus contractions. The goal is to find at least two escalations in the babies' heart rates within a 20-minute period. Sometimes the babies don't cooperate and we're there for 40 minutes or an hour, but this past Saturday we were hooked up and released in a half-hour.

Below is an image of a 36+ week pregnant woman with twins getting an NST (no, it's not a beached whale but we understand the confusion) and a short video of the NST in action. Please note that the pink and blue tags on the monitor belts do not mean anything - for those of you who are eagerly awaiting news on the genders of the babies!

The Pregnancy (so far)

2007-08-14T20:07:00.000-04:00

Hi there!

Welcome to Two For Fun, our blog to share pictures and news about our two babies on the way.

This first post is designed to respond to the many and varied requests we've received to send photos of the belly or sonograms of the babies. This post attempts to do both - (as well as show Kevin's transformation over the same time period!).

[The images on the right are from February 2007; the images on the left are from March 2007]

From the time that we found out we are having twins until this current period of watching and waiting, we've been able to peek in the womb on a monthly basis. This is a little snapshot series of the changes going on inside and outside so that you can share in some of our prenatal journey.

Enjoy! And stay tuned for a birth announcement in the next 6 weeks!!!

[The images below are from April, May, June, and July 2007]