Year One is Done!

We did it. We made it through the first year. I didn't have (m)any doubts, but I'm sure glad that it is behind us. We looked over all of our photos, recalling those moments that seemed so endless at the time. Each day brought us a new milestone. Each day really felt like 24 hours of  a non-stop, round-the-clock learning curve. These first 12 months were amazing. I'm glad I blogged to remember them fondly.

I love this little girl so much. Look at that face.

We are one today.

Let me get those blocks.

Remember when they were six weeks old and we put them in the chair? Oh how they've grown.

And now that they're one, it's as though we are moving at a milestone a minute. Every day, we experience something new that they've discovered - whether it's their voice, a new tooth, a new bruise, or each other. 

It's like living with Pete and Repeat. They are copy cats of each other, and they love to mimick us, too. If either Frank or I cough, they cough, too. Even if they are busy reading a book, or playing with a toy, there is a "cough cough" from the other room. With each other, we sit them to eat facing each other. Last night, Sutter decided to lick the yogurt out of the bottom of his bowl. He put the entire bowl on his face and licked away. Frank and I started laughing. So, Cora decided she was going to put the bowl on her face. She didn't lick it like Sutter, but she wanted to be sure that we saw her, too.

Cora loves to try to wrestle with her brother. When Sutter crawls by her, she often rolls her head back into him, laughing. She will lay on him and he often will keep crawling. But there are those times when he will crawl over her and she just loves it. He knows it makes her laugh because there is that Sutter smirk that makes me see he is up to taunting her.

They both love to use their walkers to get around. We have three of them now, and one is a burger food truck. Usually, the one that is the most popular is the one that the other has. However, sometimes, they like to walk with the same one at the same time, which is super cute. But it usually ends up with one possibly biting the other, or perhaps running into the wall and falling down. Teamwork just doesn't happen over night.

Always the tongue appears during serious Cora concentration.

Coming down the hall, folks, is the brother of the demolition derby twins, Sutter James!

Hi...I can crawl out to the patio by myself. But I could use a little help coming back inside, please.

When they're feeling mellow, they love to go through their books. There are books that are favorites. Reading includes picking a book. Sitting down, possibly on top of the 10 other books that were just pulled off the shelf. Opening the book and turning pages. Both of them talk to the books. Sometimes, there are pages that we've pointed out to them that they go back to time and time again. Sutter has a favorite page in a book that has textures. It's a picture of a comet, which has red sandpaper to scratch. Cora has found the love for a dog in another book. She can say "duh, duh" when she sees the picture. They both have taken apart "Pat the Bunny." That book didn't stand a chance. Cora even licked one of the bunny so many times that it is matted now. We continue to encourage reading as much as we can.

At their one year check-up, we discovered that they quintupled their weight since they were born.  Cora weight 24 pounds, 13 ounces, measuring 31 inches. Sutter weighed 24 pounds, 4 ounces, measuring 31.5 inches. Cora's thighs are holding all that weight right now. They are so meaty. Sutter has started to lean out a bit.

Cora has three bottom teeth, crooked, but they're here. She has three top teeth coming in now, and that sometimes makes her want to bite her brother. Sutter has two teeth on the bottom, with two on the way on top. He is drooling...a lot. We have begun brushing their teeth, as a ritual in the morning and the evening. Strawberry banana toothpaste just sounds awful, but if it's getting their teeth cleaned, then let's get it done.

What do they eat? Just about 95% of what we make for them. Since I'm unemployed I have the pleasure of making their meals for them. They have five meals a day and are down to 21 ounces of milk. They had their last bit of formula last night. Since they turned one, we were given the green light to feed them anything, which was exciting since the naughty list of food gave me some challenges for cooking.

Breakfast includes 4 ounces of milk and either Gerber Oatmeal with pureed strawberries and honey or whole wheat pancakes with strawberries and blueberries on top. They take a morning nap at 8:30 a.m. until 10 a.m. Snack at 10 a.m. includes 3 ounces of milk and usually some carby thing. Our favorite treat is a 4 ingredient cookie - over ripe bananas, oatmeal, cinnamon and vanilla. They are delicious. Lunch consists of a 3 ounce bottle of milk, spinach with something - like dahl, sweet potato, peas, and maybe cheese. Or a recent fan fave is black beans, refried beans, corn, rice, spinach and cheese. After their afternoon nap, they enjoy another 3 ounces of milk and some fruit. Blueberries are the favorite, followed by strawberries, peaches, pluots and more. But they also enjoy steamed zuchinni or cauliflower. Dinner is often a meatball of some sort or pasta. I've been trying to create one meal for all of us to eat. What a challenge! I am happy if everyone likes what I make. The reality is, the kids meal takes priority and I enjoy take-out more now for Frank and I, than I ever have.

We had a lovely celebration for their one year birthday. There was a fantastic turnout of family and friends. It was so much fun to celebrate this milestone as a family. It took a whole lot of love, support, and encouragement from all of you to get through this first year. So, thank you.

I printed out over 200 photos as a reminder of the last 12 months of changes.

Double bubble was the theme, so it's only fitting that the bubble covered our faces.

What a GRAND photo!

We let them eat cake!

Cheers!

A week of firsts

Starting this week off with Mother's Day and ending with the babes first birthday sparked a vivid memory of one year ago. Last year, on the Saturday before Mother's Day, I attended my only prenatal yoga class, bloated feet and all. I followed it up with a prenatal massage. I enjoyed myself that day, realizing that these moments to myself would be far and few in the very near future. On Mother's Day, 2013, Frank and I celebrated by watching "The Great Gatsby" and eating Chinese food at the Westfield Shopping Centre. He gave me a new attachment for my iPhone camera. It was a lovely day. I recall talking about all of our expectations of what it would be like to be parents that day.

Monday at work seemed like a typical day. Ironically, I took a photo of the view, not knowing that would be my last day in the office for four months. I had a nagging feeling inside because my feet and lower legs were swollen and they weren't going down despite what I did. Tuesday, I attended my first "New and Expectant Parents of Multiples" meeting where I received tons of good ideas. I just didn't know I would be using them so soon. Wednesday I went to the doctor's out of concern...and well, you can see one of my first posts for what happened next! What a whirlwind.

Here I am, a year later. I just celebrated my first Mother's Day weekend as a mother. I only fantasized about what it would be like to have one year old twins. With any good fantasy, I'm thrilled at how well things have gone. The days were long to get here, but now it seems like just yesterday I was learning how to tandem breastfeed. I am combing through all 2500+ photos I took since they were born to see how much they've changed and realized how much Frank and I have changed, too. It was such a joy to take them on the Carrousel in Golden Gate Park and climb all over a jungle gym with them.

Since my last post, they've hit some major milestones and so have we. First, we visited Oahu, Hawaii, for the babes first, and definitely not last, Hawaiian vacation. They swam in the ocean for the first time. We ate out at a restaurant three times with them and gave the bus staff some serious cleaning to do. We realized that they can survive a plane ride, but that buying everyone their own seat for a long flight might come sooner than we would like to pay for it. Finally, they can catch up on their sleep in a car.

Cora has been practicing standing up, nearly holding herself up for over 30 seconds at a time. She loves to use her walker to get around the house. Although, when she hits a wall, she looks back to see if I will help her get out of the jam. I always congratulate her when she makes a turn on her own. Because sharing is not a concept they understand yet, the walker was causing more tears than necessary. I found a fun walker for Sutter that has snapping alligators. We now have more collisions and potential demolition derby babes on our hands.

Sutter is cruising while standing, although he still isn't able to climb or stand on his own yet. He seems to just be a few weeks behind Cora in those development milestones. However, we've seen his curiosity for figuring how to work his toys has accelerated. He is learning how to stack things, put balls in holes, and use levers. He is also babbling more, almost looking at us with a questioning look. It's just the beginning of "how come?" "why?"

They have three teeth between the two of them. Based on the frustration during meal times lately, we assume more are on the way. Our night time routine now includes brushing their teeth. They love to read books that have the touch-and-feel pages.

Finally, they've really discovered each other. This was the ultimate parent moment I've been waiting for since they were born. They've taken their activity mat and used it as a tent, tunnel, or screen. They also like to touch each other's heads. When one touches the other, they just sit still and wait until it's over, even if it is when one is getting scratched in the eye. OW! We try to monitor this, but I have to blink and often miss the crime. But it's their laughing that makes me so happy.

I'm out of work right now, but seem to have lost my ability to time manage properly. I just want to spend time with the kids, but I also want a job. I'm working on it. It's the first time I've been out of work.

Cheers to this week of firsts. I look forward to what's next.

10 things at 10 months old

The babes turned 10 months old on the 17th. It was a day to reflect on things that happen at 10 months-ish old.
 

1. Getting to be in each other's crib is hilarious.

2. You can get your first tooth without complaining, or Mom knowing that it happened. Thanks to Aunt Sara, we found out Cora had her first tooth. I thought it was an almond sliver.

3. Crawling is the number one thing to do - either forwards or backwards. Cora moves at the speed of light forward. Sutter is perfecting the backwards crawl-to-sit move. Sutter took his first full crawl forward on March 24.

Cora moving down the hall, photographed by Sara Ancich photography

4. They drink five bottles a day, although they don't always finish them. We would rather be crawling, per item #3.

5. Eating solid foods is fun, messy, and mostly delicious. The dustbuster has a permanent home near the kitchen now. Cheerios elicit excitement when the box comes out of the cupboard. Dahl, sweet potato and spinach is one of the fan favorites to eat for dinner followed by mango and peach Greek yogurt with cinnamon for dessert.

Cora wonders why she can't eat in peace.

Generally happy, Sutter is a little more picky than Cora.

6. Cooking for the babes is an ongoing and rewarding challenge, as they are starting to develop their palates. We have at least one meal a week that is the same for everyone. Most recently, it was tortellini.

7. Swings are still the favorite activity at the park, although the slide is pretty fun, too. Sutter enjoys going down the slide, with hands at the ready to catch him if he falls back.

photo by Sara Ancich Photography.

8. Making music makes Sutter smile. He loves the musical instruments that we have - shakers, drums and guitar. It makes him happy.

9. Pulling things out of drawers makes Cora yell at the top of her lungs, just so you know that she is up to something suspicious. She often stands on her tippy toes, with very straight legs, to get the most out of her activity.

10. Dada is still the favorite, and only, word. We love Dada!

More posts, sooner next time!
xo

9 months old -- 9 MONTHS!

Wow -- this is sure a fun time to be a parent. 9 months. The babes turned 9 months on 2/17. We celebrated by bringing out the blocks and snapping a few iPhone photos. It took my mom, Frank and I, along with a few squeeze toys for distraction to get these photos. They want to put their hands on everything and then put it in their mouth. And then there is the moving...and crawling.

Doctor Love and Cuter than Cupid - Valentine's Day photos!

Cora has begun crawling. It started with a small move, ending on her belly. But it has definitely gained momentum now. She can nearly come across the living room to the dining room when I'm working in the kitchen, without stopping. She is determined. She is motivated by cords, tags on cords, shoes, socks in shoes, dirty clothes in the basket under the dining room table, and toys - especially Curious George. She has managed to pull herself up on the couch and in her crib. She loves the fact that she can move on her own. When she is not moving, she likes to open her mouth really wide, stick out her tongue, and make one long, loud noise. It is the same noise you make when the doctor puts the stick in your mouth and says, "now say 'ahhhhhhh'." But it lasts for a bit longer. She also enjoys laughing. Frank is the best at making her laugh. When you put her on your shoulders and rub your head against her belly, she laughs. When you dip your head below the high chair tray and then look back at her, she giggles. Sometimes it's just a fun noise that gets her. Whatever it is, we both do it again and again to make her laugh. We just love that belly laugh.

Sutter is working on his crawling. He sees his sister doing it and you can tell he wants to do it, too. From a sitting position, he puts his weight on his arms and moves his butt up. It's like he is hopping on his butt, but there is no movement forward. Sometimes the hop is so strong, he ends up on his belly, arms and legs outstretched with a cry for help. We're still putting him on his tummy regularly and encouraging him whenever we can to understand how to get himself into a crawling position. It's usually met with protest and sometimes tears. He does love to stand up. He still loves jumping in his exersaucer. But what he loves most is catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He smiles real big, taking in a big breath with a noise of surprise. Sometimes he just yells at the mirror. Sometimes he just kisses it. He loves what he sees and so do we.

Sutter's nickname is still Buddy. Cora's nickname is the little girl. Together I call them the brother and the sister. We are doing a better job of using their names, although it's so easy to use their nicknames.

We started swim lessons at the Embarcadero YMCA. They last for 8 weeks and they both love it. Frank and I have to each hold a babe. The class has about 10 other children all under 18 months. They learn to kick, blow bubbles and hold their breath when they go in the water. It has made our bath time at home much wetter, too, since they practice their splashing and kicking. 

We were lucky enough to have some fun visitors over the last few weeks. Granny Judy came for the weekend after her birthday. She had a good time with the kids and we were thankful for the extra set of hands. The weekend of Valentine's and President's Day, my mom and dad, Granny and Bup, got to spend time with the babes. Everyone got to go to swim lessons with us. Everyone got extra love from the babes. They are lucky to have such GRANDparents.

Laughing and Talking

The babes have hit some very fun milestones over the last few weeks. They love to laugh. They love to make crazy noises. And their first word spoken was "Dada." We can't get enough of hearing them talk or laugh. We will do just about anything to make them laugh, including dancing, singing, head bobbing, noise making and belly tickling.

Enjoy these few videos. Cora loves to laugh after dinner. Check out how Frank entertained her.

Sutter and Cora rolling around after lunch...and talking.

Here is Sutter's funny laugh. He loves to suck in the air and make a funny little noise.

I think I take a photo or video every day. It's just so much fun.

Our first Christmas!

The holiday season was a blast. We drove down to Orange County and stayed with Bup and Granny in Orange. Thanks to a co-worker of Frank's, we were able to borrow his roof cargo container as we had so much stuff to haul, there and back home.

The babes loved their first Christmas. They got to see so many of their close and loving relatives, including Granny Judy from Ohio. They received some fun gifts, including their first wagon, first walker, some balls, first doll, and of course, Mom's favorite, new books.

We kept their routine up during the visit, although Sutter had some trouble sleeping. We thought it might be teething pain, but we haven't seen any signs of teeth yet. We walked every day, because it was at least 80 degrees. There were some swings at Hart Park that we frequented, too. Christmas Day, they had their first taste of prime rib, and they loved it. Of course, we mixed it with broccoli and sweet potatoes, but it was delicious.

The time at Christmas always goes so fast. Luckily, Aunt Sara took a few fun photos of our family's first Christmas together.

Daddy and Sutter sitting in front of Granny and Bup's house on Christmas Day.

Cora, the little girl, in her Christmas outfit.

Sutter in his aviator hat.

On the swings, we sit him all the way forward so it's easier on their necks.

Let me just get a quick taste of that hat.

This is just one of many takes...but I love it.

Granny and Bup show off all their grandchildren - Davin, 12; Hunter 13; Avery, 9; Cora and Sutter 7.5 months.

In one take, everyone was looking and no one was crying. Holiday-2013.

Granny Judy and her west coast babes.

Pretty much my favorite photo of me and the littlest girl.