Taking Shifts

12:30pm:

1:30pm:

This is what they call, in the twin biz, very off-schedule. One of them always seems to be on lookout today.

March!

Everything is sort of breathless right now, in a Really?-Has-it-been-3-hours-already, time-to-feed-these-babies-again? kind of way. Every single feeding is an experiment -- there's the staggered feeding, which is the most mellow but the least efficient since you finish with the second eater just before the first eater decides it's time for another go round. There's bottle feeding them at the same time, burping one while staring at the other willing her not to do any dramatic spitting up before it's her turn to burp. And then there's the tandem breastfeed, one baby on each side, which I know will get easier if we continue to work at it but right now reminds me of trying to operate two of those stuffed animal grabber machines simultaneously. Just when you get one latched on, the other drops off. When it works it's pretty cool. In any case, the babies are putting on the ounces beautifully - "Still not on the chart," said their pediatrician, "but I'm happy with their progress." Except now they are about the same weight as Rosemary was at birth, so they must be on SOME chart. On the Sanders-Wehr family chart, at the very least. At their last weigh in, Sylvia was nearly 6 1/2 pounds and Magnolia about 6 3/4. They seem huge to me. And strong.

And: it's official, the babies passed their due date on March 2 and here we are more than two weeks past already. Tomorrow they'll be 8 weeks. Young toughs:

I'm really looking forward to when they pass the milestone of being 2 months from their due date, so that Rosemary can do a little more cuddling. She's been so lovely with them -- the other day she asked my permission before adjusting Sylvia's cap which had slipped over her eyes a bit. So sweet and so cautious.

Monster Magnolia sneaking up on Unsuspecting Sylvia:

Power sisters:

And in the midst of everything, spring has really, truly sprung here! I'm hearing tales from my west coast friends of late winter snow fall and chilly temperatures, while meanwhile it's 70 degrees and all kids of blossomy here. Our backyard is pretty. Every day I step out and take a little tour to see what surprises there are. Here was one of yesterday's, a flowering quince. (Thanks, Mom, for the ID).

  

I didn't need any help identifying this one. A magnolia tree, right in our very own garden! It goes well with the rosemary bush nearby. Who knew we were bringing in two duplicates?

And last, a bonus picture of the girls today. Magnolia awake:

While Sylvia sleeps:

Home!

This is rather old news, in blog terms at least, but both baby girls are now here at home. Yay! Sylvia came home Friday February 17, and picked out her room, favorite seat at the dinner table, and wardrobe choices from the communal baby dresser, acing out Magnolia, who came home 5 days later on Wednesday Feb 22. Good thing Magnolia is scrappy. I think she'll have no problems getting what she wants down the road. We'd been warned by the doctors and nurses at the NICU that one twin usually goes home before the other, but of course it was still hard leaving Magnolia at the NICU for the extra days - not to mention logistically challenging getting back to visit. Thank heavens for grandparents! However, the silver lining is that both girls got to wear the Sanders Family Going Home outfit -- hand knitted by Mimi and worn by Samantha, Jason, and Rosemary before them.

Here is Sylvia on her day of departure:

And a few days later, Magnolia:

And waiting for them at home, Rosemary and her stuffed milieu (including some new additions for the babies, for which R is self-appointed guardian until further notice):