Pool Time!

This past week, Brooks and I have been house-sitting while some friends of ours were on vacation. We had to feed the dog, get the mail, and most importantly, use the pool! :) They have a beautiful pool, and we had so much fun swimming!

The girls went swimming for the first time. I found them some little bathing suits and hats...they were too cute!

Gigi
Mommy and both girls (Maya on the left)

Grandma and Grandpa Sayer came down to visit for the day...Gigi fell asleep next to Grandpa on the swing.
It was a long, tiring day of swimming! :)
Maya sleeping after the swim
Gigi on the raft....don't worry, I was holding her up!

Although we had a lot of fun in the pool, it was also a really hard week. It was my family's first Father's Day without my Dad...and then Monday would have been his 52nd birthday. I always think about him and miss him, but this week was especially hard. He was a great Dad and would have been an awesome Grandpa. I miss him so much it hurts--we all do.


Last week, Andy, Leah, and Addie came to visit. We found that the girls are now big enough to fit in our double jogging stroller. We got it from a yard sale last fall--it's awesome!

Maya, Gianna, and Addie
The girls and Norah on the trail

Big girls in their stroller!
Addie and Leah went wading in the creek...I think Norah wanted to go, too, but she always lays down in the water, so we didn't let her. :)

Maya and Gianna are just about 3 months old. I can't believe it...the time has flown by. One of our friends was talking about raising kids and she said "The days go by so slowly, but the years go quickly". I can definitely see what she is talking about. I'm trying to soak it all in and enjoy the girls as much as possible.

They are 'talking' to me more and more, mostly making goo-goo gaa-gaa noises. The smiles are more frequent, and Maya is starting to laugh.

Here are some FAQ:

1. Do they still sleep in the same crib?
Yes! They are getting big, though, and I have to lay them down at an angle.

2. How much do they weigh?
I have no clue! One month ago, they were both over 9 pounds, and they are way heavier now. I would guess they are AT LEAST 11 pounds or more now.

3. Do they like going to church?
I think so...they are passed around at church and everyone loves holding them. Sometimes they are noisy when Daddy is preaching, though :)

4. Are they sleeping through the night?
This is the classic baby question...I can't tell you how many times I'm asked this. They sleep in their own crib (they have never slept with us) and sleep between 7-8 hours at night. Some people tell us we are 'lucky' to have 'good sleepers', but I attribute it to the book Baby Wise. They have been trained to sleep well...and they are much happier babies when they sleep well.

5. Do they interact with each other?
Nope. They don't really notice each other...it's really funny. We try to make them look at each other and they always look away!

6. Are you still breastfeeding?
Um...kind of. I'm still feeding the babies breast milk, but I pump 6 times a day, then bottle feed them the breast milk. It is much faster, and that way Brooks or whoever is around can help feed them.

7. Poor Norah....does she get any attention anymore?
Not too much. But she is surviving. She doesn't seem to like or dislike the girls, she just accepts that they are here. She likes to sniff them sometimes, but mostly she ignores them. We try to give her love and attention, but most of the time she is just lucky to be let outside to go pee....then we sometimes forget and leave her outside on the porch. Whoops!

8. How many diapers do you go through a day?
Depends on the day, but approximately 25 diapers a day. Now, that doesn't include poop explosions (which happen frequently) and time when the girls pee on the clean diaper before it is even fastened.

9. When do you go back to work...and who will watch the babies?
I go back this coming Thursday (July 2nd). I'll be working about 20 hours a week, two days (one 12 hr shift and one 8 hr shift). Brooks is going to be taking care of the twins while I'm at work. One of the benefits to being in the ministry---flexible schedule! I feel torn about returning to work. On one hand, I'm excited to be around people, get out of the house, and go to work (I actually like my job), but on the other hand, I'm really going to miss the girls. I love being with them.

Here's some final pictures....12 weeks old!

Gigi (L) and Maya (R) in their cute shirts from Aunt Kim. I love how their legs are doing the same movements, just opposite legs! Note the chubby thighs...so cute.

My little beauties