Things that make me happy

• Theo and Beckett are growing and growing. Beckett has outgrown some of the newborn outfits we have, and Theo solidly fits in them now. They are also filling out and both actually have some fat rolls now!
• Yesterday we took them for their ultrasounds as mandated by New York State to determine whether they had any hip dysplasia as a result of their breech positioning. The doctor who did the ultrasound and exam said they both looked great. It was kind of neat to see their little hip bones moving around in the sockets on the screen.
  
• Thanks to my dear friend Sara, I have an AWESOME mother's helper/babysitter named Kelley. Last week she came over for two hours and today she came over for another two hours. After giving Theo a bath, I left the house with both boys asleep and when I came back she had sterilized the pacifiers, vacuumed the whole downstairs, and taken out the garbage. She is awesome! I think I'll have her come a couple times a week for as long as I can, because it is awesome to be able to hand off one crying baby and deal with the other, or get out of the house, or take a shower, or have help with baths, or whatever! She's fantastic and kind and gentle and the babies seem to be very calmed by her, which is wonderful.
• Great Aunt Teddy visited last week for three days and Theo and Beck got to spend lots of time with her. The rest of us also enjoyed her cooking (and I guess Theo and Beck did too, just filtered down through Mommy). Thanks for coming, Teddy!
  
• The Tuesday Farmers' Market in downtown Syracuse is open! This morning I bought some lovely strawberries, cherries, sugar snap peas, and whole wheat Pastabilities bread. I love that I can park close and maybe will even take the boys next week.
• Two houses down there is a cat that looks like a lion. It appears to be shaved all over except on its hands, feet and head, which makes it look like it has a mane. Also, it is tan and therefore lion-colored. It is awesome. Seriously, you should come see it. It kind of looks like this.
• This book. Just TRY to read it without crying. I dare you.
• The Onondaga Park public pool is open! I am hoping to get over there for a swim sometime in the next week if I can find a babysitter....
• Beckett is now smiling while awake, seemingly in response to faces. He continues to smile and laugh out loud in his sleep regularly. Theo still smiles both half smiles and full smiles in his sleep but I don't think anyone's seen him smile awake yet.
• I reached out on our neighborhood listserv and found some stay-at-home moms who want to get together for playdates and walks this summer. It will be good to meet some new people and get out of the house with the babes!
• Despite my mom's fears, it does not appear that the babies are allergic to strawberries. Apparently strawberries are a common allergen and Theo and Beckett were fussy with my parents after I ate strawberry rhubarb pie once but not the second time, and at no time last week or since this weekend when I have eaten strawberries. Maybe they don't like rhubarb, or maybe it was a fluke. But I do not think I have to avoid strawberries, which is good because I've gotten some great ones this season!
• We have resolved the fly issue in the house. We had a brief infestation and Jeff found the source this weekend, which is disgusting enough not to need to post BUT the point is that the problem is hopefully resolved.
  
• I have not posted about it because, again, it is too disgusting, but my hemangioma (blood blister) on my back reappeared while I was still pregnant, 3 weeks after being removed by the dermatologist. The happy news is that it was removed again by the dermatologist last week in a much more traumatic and invasive way that will supposedly guarantee that it does not come back again. Judging by the Frankenstein scar on my back and the fact that I have to go back in a week to get the stitches removed, I hope they are right. If not I think I should get my money back.
• Grandma Joanie and Grandpa Stu graciously agreed to babysit Saturday night while Jeff and I went out to see Ragtime at the Hangar Theatre. The show was really wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed getting out and away, even for just a few hours.
  
• Thanks to Robin, Jack, Lindy, Joanie, Michelle and Faye, we have a very fancy and multi-featured baby swing that is amazing. This thing has everything--swing motion both side-to-side and front-to-back, plus non-annoying music, bird sounds, a very plush and comfy seat, AND, most importantly, an AC adapter so we don't go through C and D batteries like crazy. Jeff will post a video of the swing in action soon. Suffice it to say, we think it is magic!
• Grandpa Stu bought and installed new toilet seats for our two most-used toilets. They are spectacular and solid and clean and I am so grateful both for the idea of new toilet seats and the execution!
• We have a brand-new patio set with beautiful cushions and an umbrella. Thanks Grandpa Stu for putting it all together last week. We haven't had great weather yet for it but we're looking forward to using it some time this week!

Mommy taking Beckett for a walk in the sling of dubious origins. (Have no idea where it came from, but it appeared in my closet. Thanks, babywearing gods!)










Theo sleeping on the white couches at Grandma and Grandpa Lovejoy-Grinnell's. It won't be long before we won't let them on the white upholstered couches....









Grandma Joan and Theo











Daddy and Beckett, wearing his too-cool-for-school polo shirt onesie.














Grandpa Stu and Theo











Great-Aunt Teddy and Theo

Photos

Mama and babies


Why you gotta kick me in the gut, bro?



The nursery




Theo checking out the baby activity mat

Short update

When Mama Lovebo is home alone for the day, there is not much time for crafting or posting clever or even not-so-clever blog entries. If there is time for a shower and lunch (for me) that is a good day. Today I write with Theo in the bouncer below and Beck on my shoulder. Theo just spit up all over himself for the second time this morning, and all over the bouncer. The cover for the other bouncer is already in the washing machine as we speak from an earlier spit up event. I usually have to do at least one "emergency" wash a day, one that cannot wait until Jeff gets home, because of a situation like this where a bouncer is out of commission, or every single changing pad cover is saturated with pee, or all of our diaper covers reek. Yesterday I did bake a loaf of banana bread between various meltdowns and marathon nursing, which is the closest thing to an accomplishment I've had in days. So here are the updates from week 5 of Theo and Beckett:

1) I'm thankful they do still sleep at night, still on the same schedule of down at 9:30 or 10, up at 1, up at 4, up at 7. They wake up at the same time or are amenable to being woken up at the same time so that I only have to get up once, though it takes about an hour to diaper and feed both of them. I'm too sleepy to manage tandem feeding at night unless they have really awakened me with screaming.

2) They are having a growth spurt at the moment which requires near-constant nursing and very little sleeping during the day. Sunday I was worried I was having milk supply problems because of how much they wanted to eat, but we made it through the day and I called a lactation consultant at Crouse yesterday afternoon who said that was perfectly normal and that 3-4 weeks is a typical time for it to occur. She said it should last 3-4 days. Amazingly, my supply has already responded and I have more milk today than I did yesterday. I can understand how moms get worried about their supply because it's stressful to think your baby is not getting enough food, but these guys are continuing to wet and dirty lots of diapers so I know they are getting lots of sustenance through all that nursing. They also feel noticeably heavier to me than they did even a week ago, and sturdier. Beckett is even starting to outgrow some of the newborn clothes--some of the footed sleepers we have are too short for him!

3) We had a great visit last Thursday with Alex and Joanne, who were kind enough to bring homemade whole wheat bread, fresh lettuce from their garden, and delicious double chocolate cookies. It's great to hear stories from parents who can recall the "expert" parenting advice from their generation and lived to say that they didn't follow it. Best advice given by Joanne: when they ask whether you are doing [whatever they think you should be doing], just LIE.

4) We have changed around the set up of the downstairs of our house and decided on some furniture acquisitions. I will try to post pictures when I have two free hands and the camera is within arm's reach.

5) We also had a great visit with Jeff's family Sunday for Fathers' Day. They brought two great meals, mowed the lawn, and did lots of good sleeping baby-holding.

6) It may not have been a fluke when Beck rolled over at the pediatrician's when he was one week old. Actually 6 days old. He rolled from back to front at 6 days old. The pediatrician kind of shrugged, and said, well, it's probably a fluke. Yesterday I watched him flip from front to back during tummy time. He then totally freaked out, I imagine because he didn't know how he got there. He's definitely very mobile--he is often perpendicular in the crib to where we set him down, and as you can see in the photo above, that means he can sometimes maneuver to kick his brother.

I may have a window of opportunity to take a shower in the next hour, so I need to act quickly. More later, including pictures!

One Month Old

Pediatrician Update

Our happy eaters have gained and grown better than we could have expected. Beck is now 6 pounds, 8 ounces, having gained 11 ounces since last Friday, and Theo is now 5 pounds, 8 ounces, having gained 8 ounces. Each grew one inch, according to the completely imprecise pediatrician measuring method (trying to stretch out a squirmy, cold baby who would rather be scrunched up against a wall measuring stick). Because everyone is happy with their gaining and growing, our next appointment isn't until August 5! Both also have beautiful, perfect belly buttons after their stumps fell off. Hooray!