a very merry christmas

Christmas was especially magical this year thanks to the girls. We celebrated at our home with Omi K, Inken and Andrew. We attended the Childrens Service on Christmas Eve. I will always remember singing Silent Night as the lights were dimmed and the candles were lit and looking down the pew at my two girls in loved ones arms - their eyes wide with wonder. On Christmas morning I carried my girls down the stairs and again their eyes filled with wonder as they spotted all of the presents around the tree. Although they were too young to really understand it this year, they definitely enjoyed themselves. They loved ripping the wrapping paper and would have been content to play with (and eat) paper all day long. They must have been good this year because they received a ton of presents - among their favorites were their Pottery Barn chairs from Granny & Papa Gene (they love climbing on them and looking out the window), their play kitchen from Aunt Inken and Uncle Andy, and their dolls and superhero capes from Santa. I loved spending the day at home with my family

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas ...

This weekend was filled with activities that got us in the holiday spirit. On Saturday morning the girls got to meet Santa for the first time, at Breakfast with Santa at Joseph Beth Bookstore. They both sat on his lap and for the first 30 seconds they were both mesmerized by his long white beard. Once Kenzie had given him a once over she decided she wasn't too sure about this big guy with a white beard and started to cry. Lexi on the other hand was in awe, she just kept staring at Santa and even held on to his beard when I tried to lift her out of his lap. Later that afternoon we went and picked out our Christmas tree. Once we were home, the girls were drawn to the back door to watch Daddy set up the tree in the tree strand and string the lights on the back porch.

On Sunday morning we woke up to snow. We listened to Christmas music, enjoyed some hot chocolate and decorated the Christmas tree together as a family. The girls were very curious about what this tree was doing in our living room. Later in the afternoon the snow started to fall again and we decided to let the girls "play" in the snow for the first time. Once again, the girls' demonstrated just how different they are. Lexi was very curious about the whole experience ... touching the snow and looking up at the sky at the falling flakes. Kenzie on the other hand was miserable and wanted nothing to do with the snow ... I don't know if it was the cold, the wet, or the brightness but she was clearly not having it and screamed the entire time we were outside.

Despite Kenzie's dislike of the snow, and the fact that the girls (and entire family) are still dealing with a stubborn cold, we had a wonderful weekend and really got into the Christmas spirit. Christmas is going to be so magical this year. I can't wait to witness Kenzie and Lexi's reactions!

9 months old!

Wow, you are 9 months old! Time is flying by and you are both growing up way too fast. The past two months were so much fun. Lots of fun outside enjoying the fall weather, visits from Opa, “Aunt” Becky, Granny, and Omi K. Trips to the pumpkin patch, farmers market, the zoo and New Orleans. I continue to love watching your personalities emerge and change day by day. Since I have been back at work I have really started to cherish and make the most of every minute that we have together. You are both so precious and bring so much joy to our family!

Kenzie – You are 28 inches tall (60th percentile) and weigh 18 lbs 11oz (50th percentile). You were reluctant to start crawling. For months you would move backwards and in circles, then you got to a point where you would get onto your hands and knees and rock back and forth with such intent, growing frustrated that you weren’t able to move. Until one day, you GOT IT! You went straight to crawling up on all fours. You are also a very good stander and like to lean against furniture without using your hands. You are great at pulling yourself up on anything … at first sitting back down was a challenge, but now you have that mastered as well. You are still very vocal and LOUD… You love to clap and “make music” with any object. Your favorite thing to do is to take things out …. Books out of the bookcase, toys out of the toy basket, laundry out of the laundry basket, trash out of the waste basket. You love books and will spend hours each day taking books out, flipping through them … and occasionally snacking on them J You have become a very picky eater … you seem to rotate what you will ‘tolerate’ on a weekly basis … first it had to be fruit, now you are more of a meat & veggies girl. You are a happy and giggly girl … you love being tickled and giggle in delight!

Lexi – You are 28 inches tall (60th percentile) and weigh 19 lbs 4oz (60th percentile). You had been “army” crawling on your belly for months, but it wasn’t until after your sister started crawling up on all fours that you followed suit … immediately. It was like, “Oh, that’s how it’s supposed to be done? I can do that!” You are also starting to cruise around the furniture. While you aren’t always as confident in standing as your sister is, you seem closer to walking and do a very good job with your dinosaur push toy. You continue to be our inquisitive one … you study toys like a scientist as if you are pondering what they are made of and searching for new uses. You are a great eater and will eat whatever is offered to you, although you are becoming much more interested in feeding yourself and will fuss immediately once you have finished your finger foods. You never seem to sit still … with the exception being during our bedtime ritual. Every evening after your baths we put on your pj’s, lay you down side by side on the floor of your nursery on your boppy pillows and read you “Counting Kisses” while giving you kisses as they do in the book. You can be squirming like crazy, but as soon as that book comes out you settle down with your arms at your side and listen intently to the story, perfectly still. It is so sweet! You are so sweet!

I love you both so much … I can’t believe you have now spent as much time outside of my belly as you did growing inside of my belly. I have loved every moment, inside and out … I think I’ll keep you both :)

Thankful

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.-- Marcel Proust

My garden is blossoming and my soul is about to burst. I am so thankful. I am so blessed. I am so happy. Thanksgiving has taken on an even more special meaning this year. I find it difficult to express in words how my life has changed since the birth of my daughters. They have brought so much joy into my life, Randall’s life, the lives of our extended family … and probably countless others (just the other day when we were shopping at Nordstrom, Lexi flashed a big smile at a woman as we were waiting for the elevator. The woman said, “Wow, how did she know that I needed that. She just made my week.”) My life was rich before the girls were born. I was blessed and I was happy, but now everything is just that much better. I have a whole new attitude towards life. I appreciate the small things more because I am seeing them through the eyes of Kenzie & Lexi …. I love watching them experience things for the first time … I will never forget taking them out on the back porch to witness their first thunderstorm this past summer, their reaction to the tickly blades of grass on their bare feet, their wonderment at crunching dry leaves in the fall, their animated facial expressions every time they taste a new food or meet a new person. I am THANKFUL! I think that sums it up well.

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration in New Orleans with Granny, Papa Gene and Granny Nanny! The girls did very well on the flight down, adjusted so well to their new surroundings and schedule (or lack thereof), and had so much fun hanging out with family and friends. In addition to the traditional Thanksgiving celebration the girls were busy with many new experiences while we were down there. We took them down to the Riverwalk along the Mississippi, visited the aquarium, took them for their first po-boys (to the same place that the President recently went to of course) and enjoyed two parties with Randall’s friends and their children (The Great 8’s 12). Our flight home was a bit rough due to a delay that put our travel right smack in the middle of bed time (Kenzie was wide awake the entire time, Lexi screamed for what seemed like an hour (but Randall informed me was only 10 minutes) and then passed out for the remainder of the flight. All-in-all the girls had a wonderful First Thanksgiving.

I am so thankful for all of the wonderful people in my life who make me happy and make my soul blossom!

Fall Fun with Omi K

My Mom (Omi K) came for a quick weekend visit in November. The girls had so much fun with their Omi and I am so happy that my mom got to experience Kenzie & Lexi at 8 months. They are changing so quickly these days, and for her to get a glimpse of their personalities at this exact point in time & for me to witness them interacting with her was priceless.

Happy Halloween!

Our two little love bugs had a great first Halloween. We started the day off with breakfast out with Granny, who was in town for a visit this past week. The girls wore their costumes because Granny was scheduled to fly home in the afternoon before trick-or-treat time.

It turns out that Granny’s flight was cancelled so she did get to stay for trick-or-treating after all. There were two different parties on our street so we took the girls to both of them to say hello to the neighbors. Once again, I was amazed by how different their personalities can be. Lexi was lavishing all of the attention and was showing off her newly acquired skill of waving. She loved watching all of the other kids in their costumes. Kenzie on the other hand didn’t seem to be such a big fan of trick-or-treating. She was fussy and just wanted to be held by mommy or daddy – not sure if she was scared of all of the people dressed in funny costumes, or maybe just cold and tired.

Happy Halloween from our two little love bugs!

VBFFEAA

Becky and I met in the third grade and quickly became VBFFEAA’s. We called each other every morning before school so that we could plan our matching outfits, wrote each other notes during class - signing them VBFFEAA, had secret club-meetings and shared our first crush (on the same boy of course, writing his initials with big hearts on the bottom of our Keds and on the inside of our Trapper Keepers J). For two years, we were inseparable. And then I moved and went to a different school, and while we kept in touch for a while, we drifted apart.

Fast forward, nine years to our first year in College. It is move-in day at the University of Virginia and as I am walking around our dorm suite checking out the names on the various doors, I notice the name of my VBFFEAA. Ok, so maybe there could be another Rebecca Lee, but somehow I knew that it would be her … (and it turns out that Becky had the same experience but KNEW that there couldn’t possibly be another Antje Hoepner). And so we reunited and shared 4 very special years together at UVA … studying together, partying together, making new friendships together and creating memories that would last a lifetime.

And while after college, we once again went our separate ways, we knew that our friendship could survive time and distance. And while we don’t get to see one another nearly as much as we’d like, our friendship continues to grow stronger. We have shared fun girls’ weekends in various locations around the country (Austin, LA, Chicago, DC, New York, Cincinnati, Charlottesville), were bridesmaids in each other’s weddings, and traveled through Italy and Switzerland together with our husbands. We have shared everything with one another, including sadly our struggles with infertility. For nearly two years Becky and I were on a similar journey and while I would not wish this journey upon anyone (especially not my VBFFEAA) it was so comforting to have her there with me. We shared our stories and our struggles and I love her even more because of it. And like only my VBFFEAA could, Becky has been genuinely happy and excited for me through every step of my pregnancy and new motherhood even while she continued to yearn for her own baby. I have continued to hope and pray for her each and every day. Well, now Becky is so close to realizing her own dream of motherhood through adoption and I am beyond excited and happy for her!

This past weekend Becky came to Cincinnati for yet another girls’ weekend. But this time there were two additional girls present to share in the fun – my daughters Kenzie & Lexi. We had a busy weekend, including a walk to our neighborhood coffee shop for breakfast, a Halloween book reading complete with costumes, an afternoon at the park, a dinner party & a walk to the farmers market. Thank you Becky for making the trip to Cincinnati to help me with the girls while Randall was out of town! The girls love their Aunt Becky and I’m so glad I got to spend so much quality time with you! I hope that they didn’t wear you out too much and that you got some good insider-tips for when “Small Paul” comes home to you! You are going to be one fabulous momma … I have know this about you since the third grade!

Lexi with my Very Best Friend Forever and Always

A Perfect Weekend!

We had such a wonderful weekend together as a family. Randall was in Asia all of last week for work and we were all so happy that he returned home on Saturday morning! I’m not sure who was the most excited … me – because being a single, working mom is hard work and I missed my husband like crazy, the girls – because they adore their daddy, or Tobi – because he was anxious the entire time that Randall was gone since he had to assume the huge responsibility of ‘man of the house’ :). Randall motored through his jet-lag and we made the most of the beautiful fall weather this weekend.

On Saturday we took a trip out to the pumpkin patch at Shaw Farm. The girls liked looking at the various animals and even seemed to enjoy sitting in the dirt among the pumpkins. Of course Kenzie turned a pumpkin into a drum – as she does with most everything these days.

On Sunday we took a family walk to the Hyde Park farmers market. We enjoyed ham & gruyere crepes for breakfast, bought fresh vegetables, bread and pasta for our dinners this week and listened to live music. The girls took it all in and then conked out for a nap on the walk home.

I love this time of year. I love my family. Combine the two and you have a perfect weekend :)

Getting to know our Opa

My dad came to visit us from Germany last week and the girls got to meet their Opa for the first time. Since they aren’t really used to being around men, besides their Daddy, I was a bit nervous about how the girls would react to him and feared that it may take them a while to warm up to him. My worries turned out to be for naught, because both Kenzie and Lexi greeted their Opa with big smiles and really enjoyed their time with him. As my dad said, “it was as if they knew that he was family.” I wondered how the girls would react to his beard and it turned out that they were both fascinated by it. They loved reaching out and touching it … and pulling on it (maybe they will actually like going to sit on Santa’s lap .. we’ll just have to make sure to find a Santa with a real beard or they might pull it off J) . Kenzie & Lexi enjoyed playing “Hoppe, Hoppe, Reiter” with Opa and they liked listening to him read “Die Kleine Raupe Nimmersatt” (the German translation of The Very Hungry Caterpillar). I am so happy that my Dad got to spend this quality time with his first grandchildren. I think he had as much fun as they did! We look forward to bringing the girls to visit their Opa in Fehmarn (a German island in the Baltic Sea) at some point in the next couple of years. I have so many fond memories of going to visit my Oma & Opa there as I was growing up and I want Kenzie & Lexi to have the same experience!

7 months old

K&L turned 7 months old this past Sunday. They are growing and changing so much these days. I’m not sure if it is because I am now away at work all day, but I really do seem to be able “see” them change on a daily basis. There are days where I swear their hair is longer when I come home versus when I left in the morning, and it seems like they are learning to do something new each day. They are so much fun!

The past month has been filled with lows and highs – I had to return to work on September 9, but you are both thriving with your wonderful nanny Sara. You both experienced your first illness (ear infection & cold virus), but now that you are feeling better you seem especially happy and smiley. I miss you so much while I am at work during the week, but I love coming home to your smiling faces each evening and cherish our time together on the weekends even more.

Kenzie: You cut your first 2 teeth in the car on the way back from Virginia when you were 6 months and 3 days old. You were a total trooper and we really didn’t even know you were teething until they had popped through! You have become a champion sitter and now that you have perfected that skill you would much prefer to sit vs. lying on your tummy. Crawling can wait. You love your sister so much and constantly want to be touching her – sometimes she is not so excited by this because it can lead to poked eyes and pulled hair – but it is all done with loving intent. You are also an excellent stander – you love to stand up by just holding on to one hand or by holding yourself up on my knees or the ottoman. You have started to develop a bit of “stranger danger” – at least when “strangers” are in our house. The cleaning lady and photographer both caused your lower lip to pout – and the heartbroken cry to ensue. Just when I started to worry that you and your sister aren’t verbal enough, you proved me wrong and started talking up a storm … and you now have this high pitched screech which I am pretty sure could break glass :)

Lexi: You also cut your first tooth this month – about a week after your sister. I’m not sure if it was because you were also sick at the same time, but it seemed to be a much more painful/traumatic experience for you. Thankfully, you are now feeling better and are back to your old self. You have a very strong personality and live in extremes – you are either very, very happy and have a big dimpley grin to show it or you are very upset and your “stink face” makes an appearance. You are an old-pro when it comes to sitting and have now embarked on your next challenge – crawling. You can go from sitting to crawling position and are able to move around pretty quickly in an army crawl position. You have started practicing raising up on all fours and rocking back and forth, but haven’t started moving in this position yet. You also like to stand and have started to look down and move your feet while standing – I guess you are trying to figure out how they work so that you can start walking J You are obsessed with feet – you especially love mommy’s painted toenails and sparkly shoes. You love “playing” with your sister at times and she can make you giggle like no-other, but other times you need your personal space. You still love watching Tobi and love to flirt with your daddy from across the room – giving him big dimpley grins! You have started sleeping much better at night, just in the past few days (still getting up once a night, but just briefly) … now if you could only teach your sister to do the same! You get excited about eating solid food – opening your mouth wide and diving in. Your enthusiasm waned a bit while you were sick, but you are starting to get it back.

Toys you are both currently enjoying are; Sophie the Giraffe, any books (especially those that can be chewed on), and a wooden multi sided Imaginarium toy with alphabet squares and shape maze that you can both play with at the same time. But what you really love to play with are random objects – the camera lens, daddy’s watch, mommy’s iphone, the video baby monitor, scarves, etc. We could probably save lots of money on toys J

I can’t wait to get home to you both each evening. Walking into the house to see your smiling faces is priceless. While I wish that I could spend all day with you, I really do think that you are enjoying your time with Sara. I am so thankful that we found a nanny that we can trust and that she takes such good care of you while we are at work. I love watching you both blossom!

Welcoming Fall

I love fall! The crisp weather, changing leaves, pumpkin scented candles, vibrant mums, pumpkin pie, getting to take out warmer clothes & jackets, huddling around a fire pit on chilly evenings, anything pumpkin flavored … so what better way to celebrate the first day of October than with a trip to the pumpkin patch with Kenzie and Lexi!

I am lucky to be off on Friday’s for my first month back at work and this past Friday was a gorgeous fall day so we went to pick out pumpkins at Burger Farm. The girls got to see pigs, goats, chicks, chickens, and a rooster while we were there and we picked out some beautiful mums, squash and pumpkins. Kenzie and Lexi most enjoyed “standing” among the pumpkins.

I am so excited for K&L to experience fall (my favorite season) for the first time. To witness the leaves changing from green to vibrant shades of orange, yellow and red. To get to hear the crunch of fallen leaves under their stroller. To feel the dampness of fallen leaves in our yard. To taste the flavors of fresh pumpkin and butternut squash. This past weekend we already got to bundle them up in cuddly hats and mittens as temperatures dipped for the first cold spell. I look forward to long walks in crisp weather, to playing in fallen leaves and to celebrating their first Halloween and Thanksgiving. Welcome fall! We’re so glad you are here!

Going to the Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!

While we were in Virginia for Omi June's memorial service we decided to take the girls to the National Zoo in Washington D.C.. Well, it seems like everyone else in the DC Metro area who has children decided to do the same thing. It was Labor Day and the weather was gorgeous and the zoo was beyond packed. It was so crowded that I’m not even sure the girls were able to actually see a single animal, but they seemed to enjoy the people watching from their stroller, and the company of Omi K, Aunt Inken and Uncle Andy!

Since our National Zoo experience wasn’t quite what we expected we took the girls to the Cincinnati Zoo on a beautiful Sunday in September. It was much less crowded and this time the girls got to see a number of animals. We took them to see the bigger animals that we thought would be easier for them to actually notice at this age; the elephants, giraffes, monkeys. But what really captured their attention the most were the little penguins that were flipping around in the water and the goats and sheep at the petting zoo. Lexi enjoyed touching the animals in the petting zoo, while Kenzie preferred to watch from the other side of the fence.

I’m not sure how much the girls got out of this zoo experience, but we had a fun time! We bought a family membership to the zoo, so I’m sure we will be returning many times and that their excitement will grow as they get a little older.

June T. Skole - June 2, 1923 - August 30, 2010

June T. Skole, 87, passed away peacefully August 30, 2010, at Lewis-Gale Medical Center, Salem, VA after a brief illness.
She was born Amy June Tishendorf on June 2, 1923 in Anoka, Nebraska to Elmer J. and Clara Bengtson Tishendorf. She grew up in Niobrara, Nebraska and moved to Washington, DC at the age of 19. She attended Strayer Business School and upon graduation embarked upon a career as a secretary par excellence. Working in the Pentagon while it was under construction, her employers included the Joint Chiefs of Staff. She later moved to Capitol Hill to work for former U.S. Senator Hugh Butler, and the former U.S. Congressmen Ralph Beerman and Dave Martin. She ended her professional career at age 67, spending the last 15 years with the Washington law firm of Steptoe and Johnson.
In 1951, she married E. Guenter Skole of Berlin, Germany. Together they raised three children and lived in DC, Winchester, VA and McLean, VA. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1996. In 2007 she moved to Roanoke, VA .
June was an active member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, McLean,VA. Volunteering for everything from President of Church Council to sewing quilts and providing meals for the homeless, her involvement with her church took her from helping organize a co-op for sharecroppers in Halifax, VA to touring the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia.
Mrs. Skole is survived by 2 daughters, Karen Skole of Morro Bay, CA, and Deborah Rakestraw of Fredericksburg, VA; a son, Rev. K. David Skole of Roanoke, VA; their spouses, James Rakestraw, and Diane Skole; 13 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; 3 sisters, Mavis Heidemann of Fremont, NE, Gwenn Holmlund of McLean, VA, and Mary Burdick of Lenexa, KS; 2 brothers, Robert Tishendorf of Sidney, NE and David Tishendorf of Tieton, WA; 7 nieces and 14 nephews.
A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 4 at 3:00 pm, at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, 1545 Chain Bridge Rd, McLean, VA with the Rev. Dr. Robert Driver-Bishop officiating. In June’s memory, contributions can be made to Christ Lutheran Church, 2011 Brandon Ave., Roanoke, VA 24015

Omi was so excited for our visit just 3 months ago. She was excited to see Inken, Randall and me, but I think she was most excited to meet ‘The Twins’ (as she always referred to them) – her first two great-grandchildren. And when we arrived she did not disappoint. She met us outside with her radiant smile and warm hugs. She was dressed stylishly, her makeup was perfectly done, her apartment was beautiful and spotless as always, the table was set for our meal the next evening – in pink and green to match the girls’ nursery colors, and there was a rocking chair set up in the corner of her living room. When Omi found out that we would be coming for a visit she was determined to find a rocking chair so that “we would be able to rock the girls to sleep at night.” Though I told her that wouldn’t be necessary she went as far as to call the finest furniture store in Roanoke to see whether they had a rocking chair that she could purchase that could be delivered in time for our visit (thankfully David was able to track down a rocking chair that he could bring over and she didn’t spend $900 on the one from the store.J). When we arrived I realized that the reason Omi was so determined to get the rocking chair was because she wanted to be able to hold and rock her great-grandbabies. And I’m so glad that she had that opportunity and I will never forget the smile on her face when she did.

I am so glad that my daughters had the chance to meet my Omi June because she has always been such a wonderful role model for me and was such a special person in my life. I have always been amazed by Omi’s bravery to board a bus as a 19 year old girl in 1942 and head to Washington DC. She showed me by her example that anything is possible and she also always believed that her children and grandchildren could accomplish anything. I always felt great about myself after a phone call with my Omi June – she just had that way. But beyond being a great role model she was such a loving Omi. She was a woman of great integrity, strong faith, great style, and quick wit – until the very end. I am so lucky to have had her in my life for 32 years and I can only hope to have inherited some of her many wonderful traits. I am so glad that I got the chance to hug her just 3 months ago and am so happy that she got to rock my daughters – her great-granddaughters. I will certainly be sharing many wonderful stories about their “Uhr Omi” with my girls as they grow up. And through these wonderful memories Omi June will always live on in my heart.

I love you Omi June. To the sky & back, forever. Your first granddaughter, Antje

6 Months Old!

The girls turned 6 months on September 3rd. I can't believe they are half way to their first birthday and I can't believe that my maternity leave is coming to an end. I thought that six months would seem like such a long time, but it has flown by! The girls just keep getting cuter by the day and their personalities are really blossoming. Randall said that it gets harder and harder to go to work each Monday because they are just becoming more and more fun to hang out with on the weekends. Oh, Thursday (my first day back at work) is going to be a hard day.

Highlights from the past month:
- We attended our first Gymboree music class this month and you both enjoyed it - although it took Lexi a little while to get warmed up to all of the new sights and sounds.
- You have both been eating one solid food meal per day for the past month. Your favorite foods so far are apples, pears, carrots and butternut squash.
- Daddy installed swings on the back porch and you both love to swing in them (thanks Jinny!). We have also started going to the playground up at Ault Park on a regular basis this past week and you both love the “big girl” swings too.
- Your hair has really started to grow. Lexi – yours sticks straight up. So cute! Kenzie – yours was really fuzzy for a period of time but now that it is a bit longer it lays down more.

Lexi: You weigh 16 lbs 15 oz (75%) and are 26 1/4 inches tall (70%). You started sitting up when you were 5 1/2 months old and you are so proud of yourself. You have been a bit fussy the past few weeks - not sure if it is because you are teething or if you are just anxious to be crawling and you get frustrated because you aren't quite able to get moving yet. You make the cutest little “stink face” when something is bothering you. You continue to know exactly what you want!

Kenzie: You weigh 16 lbs 5 oz (55%) and are 25 1/2 inches tall (50%). You started sitting up about a week after your sister. You are still a bit wobbly and tip over easily if you get distracted. One of your favorite things to do is to jump in your jumperoo – you are usually more reserved, but when you get into that thing you are a wild child!

You are both developing such wonderful personalities and are such a joy to be with! I love watching you interact with one another and the world around you. Happy 6 Month Birthday my sweet girlies!

Adventures in Eating

We decided to try to introduce some solid foods to the girls within the past week. While most sources say that this isn't really necessary or recommended until 6 months, our pediatrician suggested that we try it to see if it might help the girls sleep better at night. Additionally, since I will be returning to work right as the girls reach the 6 month mark, I wanted to have some time to work with them on this instead of expecting our nanny to take on that task.

Initially I tried feeding them some organic rice cereal since that is the first solid that is recommended. Neither Kenzie or Lexi wanted anything to do with it. Next I tried some organic bananas from a jar. Again, neither one wanted anything to do with it. I then tried making them some fresh food using my Beaba Babycook (thanks Mom!). This past weekend I made carrots and apples and froze them in these convenient portion sized trays. And we have had partial success!

Lexi really seems to like both carrots and apples, and she will even eat the rice cereal if I mix it with a little fruit or vegetable. She nows opens her mouth for the spoon and gets a huge grin on her face while she is eating. She has even started to fuss for more if I am taking too long trying to get her sister to eat. Kenzie on the other hand is still not too sure about the whole solid food thing. I basically have to force it into her mouth, then most of it comes back out, and when she does happen to swallow some she makes this awful gagging sound and face. Oh well, I am sure that it will come with time and we will continue to introduce some new fresh veggies and fruits to see if we find something that she enjoys.

I can't promise that I will make all of their food fresh, but I will attempt to make a good portion of it since it just seems so much tastier/healthier than the jarred variety :)

Off to the woods for some AC ...

So naturally our air conditioning decided to go out during the hottest week of the summer and of course it wasn't something that could be repaired, thus requiring us to invest in an entirely new unit ... a process which would take 4 days. Four days without air conditioning in 90+ degree heat did not sound like fun ... especially not for the girls. So we decided to escape to a cabin in Hocking Hills for a few days. Now, this would not typically be my top vacation destination pick but finding a place at the last minute, within easy driving distance of Cincinnati, with a setup that would easily accommodate two 21 week olds who do not yet sleep through the night limited our choices quite dramatically. And I must say that we actually had a really nice time!

Thankfully Daddy was able to take some time off work and Granny was able to join us to help out so we had some really great relaxing days with the girls and Tobi. We did some hiking, checked out some of the local small towns and relaxed in our air conditioned 2 bedroom, 2 bath cabin. The girls loved all of the attention they received by having Mommy, Daddy and Granny around all week and they were both so happy and really blossomed. I was also so proud of how well they did in terms of napping and sleeping in a strange place ... now don't get me wrong, they didn't sleep through the night or anything but it was at least not worse than it is at home :)

Kenzie got the hiking award. She was so laid back and really seemed to enjoy her vantage point from the hiking backpack. We have decided that Lexi is more of a city girl - while she enjoyed being in the backpack when we tried it out at home indoors, she would have none of it when we were actually in the woods. The only way that she enjoyed (tolerated) hiking was if she was being carried in her mommy's arms :) Hopefully this will change as she gets a little older as this would be a fun activity that the whole family (including Tobi) could enjoy!

Thanks Granny for joining us for our rustic little getaway ... the girls really loved spending time with you!

Happy 5 Months!

3 months

4 months

5 months

The girls are 5 months old today. I can't believe it! I have been meaning to write an update capturing their milestones and some favorite memories since their 3 month birthday ... Wow, time sure does fly and these girls sure do keep me busy ;) So this post will serve as somewhat of a recap of the past 2 months. Excuse the stream of consciousness approach ... I want to get something down in writing before the memories escape me.

Kenzie: You continue to be my sweet and smiley first born. When you were about 3 months old we gave you the nickname "Big Easy" - an homage to your father's home town and very fitting for your laid back style and rolly polly little legs. For your sake we have thankfully stopped calling you this, as this is probably not a nickname you would have appreciated when you are in high school. You are very generous with your smiles and have a giggle that melts my heart. As you are getting more independent and opinionated you aren't quite as laid back ALL the time, but you continue to be a very smiley and happy little girl. You are definitely a daddy's girl and your daddy can make you giggle like no other. It's hard for Daddy to help settle you down in the middle of the night because as soon as you see him you get a huge grin and start giggling ... and sleep is the farthest thing from your mind. You've got him pretty well wrapped around your finger :)

You are our talker. You can babble and screech all day long. There were a couple of weeks when you would wake up in the middle of the night and we would hear you talking for hours in your crib ... this was a key reason why we had to move you to your own crib when you were about 4 months old. You missed having your sister next to you for a few nights but adjusted quite well. While you are rolling over and "standing" now, you really aren't in too much of a hurry to be mobile. We think that since you are going to talk first, that you are just going to tell your sister to go get things for you :) You do love the jumperoo. We thought that your sister would be the one to prefer this since she loves standing, but you are the one that has really taken a liking to it. You can bounce and play independently for long stretches and you crack yourself up. You just started sleeping on your side a couple of days ago.

Lexi: You are as curious as ever and I continue to wonder what is going on inside that little head of yours. When you were about 3 months old we nicknamed you "Pepper" because you are our little spicy girl. Some days you are a sweet pepper, other days you can be a habenero. You went through a period where you refused to eat without screaming (read: Habenero) ... thankfully we are past that and these days you are almost always the sweetest little pepper. You used to make me work for a smile but are now getting much more generous with them. And when you do smile those dimples are to die for.

You are so strong. You have been "standing" since you were about 6 weeks old and would prefer to be in a vertical position most of the day. You have also been rolling over for several weeks and have now figured out that you can actually get places by rolling over repeatedly. You have become much more confident about being on your tummy in the last few weeks and have started creeping on your stomach ... you want to crawl so badly (to be clear, you would prefer to go straight to walking, but you'll settle for crawling if that will get you moving). You started sleeping on your tummy about a week ago. You love your four legged brother, Tobi, and are obsessed with watching him.

Other things from the past 2 months that I don't want to forget:

Your Omi K came to stay with us for a week at the end of June while your Daddy was in Geneva for work. It was so wonderful having her here with us. She was also so lucky to be here the week that you two really seemed to discover each other. Lexi, you were the first to really start paying attention to Kenzie. You would stare at her in amazement and smile the biggest smile, begging her to make eye contact with you. It took Kenzie a little while to reciprocate, but you now have deep "conversations/stare downs" with each other. Ahhh - how I love to watch that twin sister bond grow!

You both love books. Right now your favorites include "Buzz Buzz Busy Bee", "Where's Spot?", "Tails", "God's Little Lamb" and the Rodrigue Blue Dog books from New Orleans.

You both love the massage that I give you before naptime. I love how you will both grin at me and then look into my eyes so deeply as I rub your legs with yummy smelling lotion. I do notice a bit of jealousy here ... if I am spending too much time 'flirting' with one of you, the other will start to kick and whimper for attention.

Our vacation in the woods with Granny and our first attempts at solid food - but those will get their own posts.

Things that I hope to forget: Sleep deprivation! You were both sleeping pretty well when you were 3 months old ... bed time (the witching hour) was a struggle, but once you were asleep you would typically only get up once during the night to eat (usually between 2 and 4 for about an hour) and would wake up between 6 and 7 am for the day. Sometime around 16 weeks this changed and you have started waking up many times during the night. For a couple of weeks Kenzie was wide awake for several hours during the night. Thankfully that is no longer the case, but you are both still waking up several times a night.... multiply that by 2 and I am typically up 6 to 8 times during the night. We have been trying to follow the advice from Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby but sometimes that is hard because there are 2 of you and you wake each other up. I am really hoping that this improves before I have to return to work in September. At least you are both starting to be pretty good nappers during the day :)

Best 5 months of my life so far! I fall more in love with you both each and every day! I can't believe I only have 1 month left before I have to go back to work ... I get teary eyed just thinking about not getting to spend every day with you... especially because you are changing so much these days. I am planning to cherish every moment of this next month at home with you!

Our Life: The Musical

It hit me today as I was singing to the girls while we were on a walk that Kenzie and Lexi might think that they were born onto the set of a musical. I'm not sure if all babies are like this, or perhaps it is more common for twins since you can't always hold them both when they are fussy, or if perhaps it is just unique to my girls, but if they are fussy or worked up a song is almost a sure way to get them to calm down.

I sing my share of classic lullabies, but their preference seems to be for my own made up tunes. There's "We see flowers, we see trees. That's what we see," which is perfect for walks. There's "We're washing away the grime of the day, to make room for sweet dreams as down you lay," ... a bath time hit. There's "Tomorrow will be another fun day. So get your rest tonight, for tomorrow we will play," ... a bedtime classic. I find myself singing to them all. day. long. To the point where by the evening my vocal chords hurt. Not sure if any of these songs would entertain a crowd, but for my girls the more monotonous the song the better. I certainly do not have a great singing voice but to my audience of two I am a smash hit ... and that's all that matters :)

one year ago today...

I finally got a positive pregnancy test. When Randall and I saw the "PREGNANT" reading on the test we couldn't believe it. I took three tests in order to confirm it. I burst into tears of joy. I was so happy, excited, grateful, in awe. I thanked God for answering our prayers and prayed that he would watch over the precious baby growing inside of me. Little did I know that there were actually two precious little ones.

And here are those two precious little ones 1 year later.

LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! I cannot even begin to describe it ... We are so blessed.

Celebrating the 4th of July

We celebrated the 4th of July with visitors from Brazil, a parade and a barbeque.

Randall's Mom, and Aunt and Uncle visited us for the weekend. Jerry and Sonia are in the US on a visit from Brazil and they had to meet the twins while they were in the States. On July 4th they accompanied us up to Ault Park for the Children's parade. We thought we were just going to watch , but Kenzie and Lexi were able to join the parade in the stroller division. Next year we'll know and will be able to better decorate with patriotic flair - maybe they'll even be able to ride in the wagon that Papa Gene is making for them ;) We all survived the heat and had a great time.

Later that evening the DeLacy's hosted a barbeque. We enjoyed great food and company ... until the neighbors set off a firecracker and little Kenzie had a meltdown .. my sweet sensitive one ... it was then time to head home and for the girls to go to bed.

We later 'enjoyed' the fireworks from the inside of the nursery ... picture me leaning over the crib patting the girls' bellies and "shushing" really loudly to try to drown out the noise of the fireworks in order to avoid a repeat performance of the firecracker meltdown ;)

All in all we had a great weekend!