Stand By Me

Last Sunday, I thought I saw Vivienne stand up from a seated position without holding onto anything.  I wasn't sure that I remembered that correctly, but I thought I saw it.

Then on Tuesday, she did it over and over and over.  She has really enjoyed practicing her newly found skill.  She has even tried to take a step.  She always moves one leg forward but then falls over.  She is so close to taking her first steps.  I just hope she does it tomorrow before we leave for our trip to New York. 

Oh, yeah.  Did I mention that we're going to leave these beautiful babies this weekend for TWO NIGHTS?  How can I leave this beautiful face?

Or this priceless grin?

I'm really looking forward to being with my friend, Beth, on her wedding day.  But we sure will be glad to come home to this:

Miles and Vivienne's First Hurricane

Well, Miles and Vivienne had their first earthquake earlier this week, and today we had our first hurricane.

Hurricane Irene hit the Carolina coast today.  It didn't really do much damage at all near our house - just some strong winds and maybe a couple inches of rain.  Along the coast, they were hit harder, but it wasn't nearly as bad as they had originally thought it would be.

It's "Natural Disaster Week" here at the Fox household!

Transitioning to a Single Nap

For the past couple of weeks, the babies seemed less than excited to go down for their morning nap.  I have started running in the mornings after their breakfast, so they have been going down for their morning nap later than they used to.  But after they are put down, they will babble and play in the crib/pack-n-play for quite a long time before falling asleep.

Yesterday morning, the babies didn't fall asleep at all before I had to get them up to meet our friends at a park at 11 am.  By 12:30, Miles had reached a catatonic state in the stroller.  He wasn't moving any part of his body except his eyeballs.  Seriously, this child was exhausted.

Miles and Vivienne dozed in and out in the car on the way home and passed out as soon as their heads hit the pillow.

Today, they both took a short morning nap and then a longer afternoon nap, but I think we're gradually transitioning to one nap per day.

One Door Closes, and Another One Opens

At least that's the way it works around here, because Miles loves to open and close doors.  The bathroom door, the nursery door, the baby gates, our bedroom door.  He is definitely a man that loves to close and open doors... over and over and over.  Sometimes he accidentally (hopefully accidentally?) closes his sister in the door, and she doesn't seem to appreciate that very much. 

Hopefully all this practice translates to a gentlemanly habit of holding doors for ladies when he is older.

Miles and Vivienne's First Earthquake

What?  That's a milestone, isn't it?

The babies had their first earthquake just before 2 pm today.  Unfortunately, they slept through all the fun.  I was watching TV and eating lunch, and I heard the house kind of "crack" upstairs and then I noticed the cracking noise moved to the family room and the blinds were swaying just enough that you could see it.  I thought maybe it was a strong wind, but then I noticed that the trees outside were dead still.  I didn't think much of it.  Then Jason called from work and told me that there was a 5.9 magnitude quake with its epicenter in Virginia.  It just didn't occur to me that we could even have earthquakes here.  This one felt small compared to some of the ones that I have felt in California, but it was still very cool.  However, I'm sure it was much more significantly felt by our friends in Virginia.

Hurricane Irene is supposed to come through the Carolinas this weekend.  It's a week of natural disasters!  Whoohoo!

Happy 13 Months

Ahhh!!  So I completely let their 13-month birthday go by last week without a "happy 13th month" birthday message.  I suppose it will get harder and harder to keep this going, especially when they're 7 and it's more like "Happy 83 Months!!"  Oh, well.

The babies turned 13 months old last Thursday.  Every time I think that they cannot become any more of a joy in my life, they prove me wrong.  Miles is still full of energy, crawling everywhere, spilling water all over himself when he tries to drink it, chasing balls in the foyer, harassing Noah and chattering up a storm.  Vivienne is cute and bubbly and snuggly and tries to keep up with her brother (she often has a great view of his cloth diapered bottom as he crawls away), practices standing quite frequently, is tall enough to reach the drawer pulls in the kitchen and bathroom (gasp!!) and loves to rock on our recliner and feel like a big girl.

Miles still has 4 teeth - 2 on top and 2 on the bottom.  Vivienne has 3 teeth on the top (with one of her front two teeth missing) and 2 teeth on the bottom.  Her "missing" tooth is just starting to push through the gums.

Happy belated 13 month birthday, my lovely babes!!

6 Miles with the Double Stroller

On Saturday, I ran 6 miles with the double stroller.  That was the furthest that I have ever run with the babies.  I didn't have the Garmin on that day, so I'm not sure what my pace was.  Today, I ran 6 miles with them again.  My pace was 9:53.  It's fun to feel like I can still run strong with my two sweet babies in tow.

Pancakes

It has become our tradition to make blueberry and *insert pureed veggie here* pancakes every Sunday morning before church.  I'm slowly using some of the frozen purees that I have in the freezer.  This morning, I made blueberry, kale and carrot pancakes.  You really can't taste the vegetables, and it's a nice way to sneak more veggies into the babies.  They love eating pancakes.  I make a double batch so that we have leftovers to feed them at other meals.

Puppy Dogs

Lately, Vivienne has really taken to crawling around holding something in her mouth - like a puppy dog.  It can be a variety of things... her spoon, a hard plastic shape, a soft foam shape (from a book that my parents gave them) or a number of other objects.  I get lots of snuggles with a little girl who looks like this:

Giggling in the Stroller

This morning, the babies and I went jogging with our friend, Pam, at the American Tobacco Trail.  (Well, Pam and I did most of the jogging - the babies were just along for the ride.  So lazy.)  We heard Miles and Vivienne giggling away and realized that they were tickling each other's feet.  At one point, Miles had Viv's foot and she had his foot and they were both giggling up a storm.  I stopped to get my phone out to snap a picture and they stopped by the time the app opened up, of course.  At least I got this shot of Miles tickling Vivienne's little toesies.

You Look Away for One Second...

Yesterday, I made some squash muffins using a recipe that my friend, Elaine, gave me.  (They turned out to be excellent - thank you!)  Miles was playing in the family room and foyer.  Vivienne was still napping.  I was testing my squash muffins, trying to decide if they needed a few more minutes.  I could hear Miles playing.  Then I heard a "clink!"  What?  Clink?!?  We have a wooden gate at the bottom of the stairs and a metal gate at the top of the stairs.  The "clink" was the metal gate shutting.  I ran to the stairs and saw Miles at the top, with the metal gate shut, smiling at me through the bars.  He had climbed all the way to the top by himself and shut the gate behind him.  Thank God that he shut the gate and didn't fall trying to get back down the stairs by himself.  I would never have forgiven myself if he had gotten hurt.

You look away for one second...

Superdad

Earlier this week, a friend of mine called to see if I wanted to go for a jog after dinner.  We fed the babies and bathed them and put them to bed.  I went to go running with my girlfriend.  I was gone for about an hour and a half.  By the time I got home, Jason had cleaned the kitchen (including cleaning off the kitchen table - I had forgotten what that table actually looks like!), mowed the lawn, swept the driveway, put clean sheets on the guest bed (that had been balled up in the laundry basket for at least 4 days waiting to be made) and done a few other things that I have already forgotten (maybe vacuumed?).  Seriously, you guys, I am the LUCKIEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD.

Lazy Saturday

This weekend, I came downstairs to see Jason and the babies enjoying their meal and watching the rain pour down outside.  Jason had turned their high chairs so that they could all watch the rain together.

I have no idea what we fed Miles for dinner that night, but he clearly enjoyed it - maybe a little too much.

Good thing that we do baths right after dinner.

Just Another Lunch

These pictures are from lunch on Friday.

"Too bad I can't figure out how to use this thing to eat the apparent mud you guys feed me."

My Happy Boy

"But at least I can use my spoon to practice my gymnastics."

Guitar Hero

Last week, I went to Elise's house for a Mom's Night In of playing guitar hero.  Along with Rachel and Heather, we really rocked it out.  Ok... well... it took us about 45 minutes to actually finish a song (we were usually booed off the stage after about 4 minutes - I'm not even kidding), but we eventually got the hang of it.  It was fun to eat chocolate and decompress a bit with some other mommies.  Thanks, Elise, for a fun evening!

Notice the intense concentration.  And the lack of babies running around.

Best Running Week

This past week was my best running week since before my pregnancy, probably.  I ran a total of 32 miles.  I don't think I have done that since I was training for a half marathon.  Here's the breakdown:

• Monday - 6 miles (no stroller)
• Tuesday - 6 miles (no stroller)
• Wednesday - 5 miles (with stroller)
• Thursday - 5 miles (with stroller)
• Friday - 5 miles (with stroller)
• Saturday - 5 miles (with stroller)

All of my runs felt pretty strong.  I feel really good about myself when I get out there and pound the pavement, especially when I'm pushing the double stroller.  My pace is usually around 10 or 10.5 minutes, depending on how hot and humid it is.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been getting out with the babies as soon as they finish their breakfast.  As soon as I get home, I put them down for their morning nap.  It's nice to get out early, because the heat here can be brutal.  The babies are totally happy while they're in the stroller.  None of my runs (with babies, at least) are over an hour. 

Last week, I ran by two other runnin' mommas who were pushing single strollers.  They told me that I "won the prize for the day."  Every now and then (probably only once a month) I'll actually pass someone who is running without a stroller.  Needless to say, that gives me a pretty big grin.  Pansies.  ;-)

More Logs in the Water

Friday night was our second night in a row (and third night overall) with another log in the bathtub.  Luckily, last night, the babies did not leave any logs in the water.  Here's hoping for a long streak of log-free baths!

Guest Bathroom Redo

My parents came to visit last weekend.  It was great to have them with us - always fun to see Grandma and Granddad with Miles and Vivienne.  The babies loved all the attention, and it's fun for me to see my parents crawling around and making funny voices with the babies.  Dad had to leave on Monday, but Mom stayed through until Wednesday.  Somehow, I managed not to take a single picture of the babies with their grandparents, but I do have photographic evidence that they were here. 

Our guest bathroom went from looking like this:

To looking like this:

And from this:

To this:

I installed a new light fixture (that I got on clearance from Lowe's for a STEAL), framed the mirror and painted the walls.  I am now in love with our guest bath.  I might have to start taking my showers in there.  =)

The wooden frame is glued to the mirror.  I bought wooden medallions and trim from Lowe's.  I had read in other blogs that some people like using the MDF trim because it's straighter (you don't have the bowing like you get with the wood), but I worry about having MDF in the bathroom, particularly on the mirror where the kids are likely to splash a lot of water on it. 

Originally, I tried to use a hot glue gun, because I read that that had worked for other people online.  However, it did not work for me.  My wood was slightly bowed, and the larger pieces fell off.  I scraped the dried hot glue off the back.  Then I tried using Liquid Nails, and it worked great.  Jason and I had to hold the pieces for a few minutes (like 10 minutes), but it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

The paint is a really pretty, airy sort of sea foam green.  It matches the old shower curtain very well, and also matches the darker greenish tile that was already in the bathroom.  But I'm hopeful that I'll be able to change out the curtain for something more fun when the babies get a little older and this becomes their bathroom.

I also painted a cabinet while my parents were here, but that project isn't done yet, so I'm not ready to post pictures.

Thanks, Dad, for helping me put up the mirror frame.  Thanks, Jason, for sitting in the bathroom and holding it against the mirror with me for while the glue dried.  Thanks, Mom, for helping me pick out the paint color and watching the babies and allowing me to get so much done this past week!

Crazy Hair

I present to you the newest model for Vidal Sassoon.

Welcome Committee

Who in their right mind wouldn't want to visit a house with this kind of welcome committee?

More Stair Climbing

Last Wednesday, Vivienne climbed up on her very first step (that I know of).  We were at a local indoor playground with Kristi and her adorable kids and Beth.  Vivienne climbed up on the step to enter the play tube.  I snapped a picture quickly with my phone.

Vivienne's First Stair Step

She's been working on this skill for the past couple of days.  This morning, while I was out running, Mom said that Miles also pulled himself up a step, and that Vivienne had climbed all the way to the top of our stairs (with Grandma close behind, of course).  By the end of the day today, she was zooming up the stairs, and Miles could climb all the way up unassisted as well.  I think Mommy is going to have her hands full when Grandma leaves tomorrow!  It's a good thing that we installed our stair gates already.

This afternoon, Mom and I took the babies to Marbles, a kids museum in downtown Raleigh.  The babies loved it!  They crawled all over the place and loved watching all the "big" kids (aka 2- and 3-year-olds) play.  Before we left, we got a membership so that we can visit more frequently.  (They have a SAS discount - score!)  It will be especially handy in the hottest and coldest months when we can't play outside on the playgrounds.

Smiling Through the Saltwater Aquarium

Spoon Girl

Mom and I took the babies to Sweet Tomatoes yesterday afternoon to let them try out some new foods.  Vivienne took it upon herself to discover a new way to hold your spoon.  Not only is this practical, freeing your hands for other pertinent tasks, but it is also useful to get smiles and giggle from strangers... especially if you do this for a good minute or so.  She highly recommends it, though it does take a good deal of lower lip strength.  We'll be applying for a patent shortly.

Daddy Snuggles

Miles has had a little problem with his digestive system lately. Let's just say that we've been feeding him a lot of prunes. After church on Sunday, we went to Greek Fiesta with our friends and Grandma and Granddad. Miles was having a tough time "working things out." Daddy took him over to the soft chairs to snuggle and help him feel better. No one can make things better like Daddy can.

Climbing Stairs

Today, Vivienne climbed up 3 stairs on our staircase.  Her Grandma (Smith) was behind her to catch her in case she fell back.  I was trying to help coax her up the stairs.  It was slow going, but she did it!  I wonder how long it will take her to become proficient at climbing stairs.  Good thing that we already have that baby gate installed!

Is That a Log in the Bathtub?

Why, yes.  Yes, it is.  Miles has had a little trouble with regularity this week, so we have been feeding him prunes at nearly every meal.  Yesterday, he started working out some of his issues.  After Jason got him out of the bathtub, I noticed that there was a little log in the water.

Nicely done, son.  Nicely done.

A Mouse in the House

Yesterday morning, while we were feeding the babies their breakfast, we heard this little "Eep!  Eep!  Eep!" coming from the dining room.  Noah, our rather portly tabby, seemed to be entertaining himself with whatever was making the little eeps.  Jason went to check it out and said,"Leslie, come here."  I turned the corner.  And what did I see?

Mortimer

This little guy.  Somehow a field mouse made his way into our house.  I keep the house clean, and I have never seen any evidence of mice (droppings or anything chewed), so I'm guessing that Mortimer hitch-hiked his way in in some bags that we brought in from the garage the day before.

Jason, being the man of the house, caught the little fellow in a bowl and took him out to the back of our property to let him go.  (He also gets the luxury of killing bugs, being that he's the man of the house and all.)

I'm really hoping that Mortimer doesn't have any friends hanging out in here.  He's cute, but I don't want him to take up permanent residence in our home.

Fussiness

I know sometimes people get the impression that I don't have hard days with my babies.  That is definitely not the case.  This morning, I couldn't get Vivienne to take a nap.  Seriously, she laid in her crib for about an hour and I'm sure that she did not sleep a wink.  I tried getting her up to nurse her, but she was not interested.  After Miles woke up, I got them both out of their cribs.  They were all over me, crying and trying to get me to pick them up.  Neither of them seemed to want to nurse, but I just could not figure out what they needed.  And I can't hold both of them at the same time (at least not for very long), so I just had to swap back and forth - consoling one while the other cried, and then consoling the other while the first one cried.

We left around 12:30 to have lunch at Chick-fil-a with Leigh and her 3 gorgeous kiddos.  That was a LIFESAVER today.  Thanks, Leigh!

Now both babies are asleep in their cribs.  Hopefully their afternoon nap is a long one.  Mommy needs a break!

Monkey Baby

Vivienne is my little monkey.  I think she may become a contortionist someday.  Her flexibility is very impressive, and she is very coordinated with her feet.  She's constantly picking things up with her feet.  In the stroller, if she drops something, she'll pick it up with her feet and hand it to herself.  While I'm changing her diaper, she will pick up the diaper with her feet.  (Luckily, this is usually the CLEAN diaper.  Otherwise, this would be trouble with a capital "T.")  I swear this baby uses her feet like a little monkey.  Maybe she has a future as a contortionist in the circus someday.

Someone Sculpted Me!

Ok, maybe not.  Her hair is way too perfect to be mine.  =)  A friend took this picture on her trip to Copenhagen and said that it reminded her of me.  To be honest, this is what I feel like a lot of the time.  Nursing twins isn't for sissies.  This woman seems to have a few more babies than I do, though.  She must have one HECK of a milk supply!!