Chick-fil-a Daredevils

I almost forgot to write about this.  A couple weeks ago, after lunch at Chick-fil-a with some friends of ours, all the kids went into the play area to let off some steam.  The other children were about 9 months, 3, 4, and 5 years old.  The 9-month old just practiced his pulling up on the floor, and the big kids climbed on up into the play structure.  Well, within about 5 minutes, Miles and Vivienne were climbing to the stop of the play structure on their own.  Before I knew it, Vivienne was SLIDING DOWN THE SLIDE with the older kids. 

How did this happen?!?  Just a few days ago, my babies couldn't even crawl.  And now they're climbing up two stories and sliding down slides in play structures where they can't even really see me on the ground.  (Well, Miles just kept climbing up and down, but he wasn't ready to slide on his own yet.)  Vivienne is typically a bit more adventurous than Miles, though neither of them are afraid of much at this point.  I'm sure they will experience an automatically flushing toilet someday and suddenly be afraid of all public toilets or something like that.  But for now, not much makes them uneasy.

It's fun to watch my babies turning into little children.  I think it's easier knowing that another baby is just around the corner.  Now, when THAT baby starts growing up, we might have a problem.

Back on the Move

Well, I feel officially back on the move this week.  I jogged/walked the kids every weekday this week, and totaled 20 miles.  I probably jogged 8 miles of it and walked the rest, usually going just over 4 miles per day.  Some days I run a couple miles, then walk a couple miles home.  Some days I jog the whole thing.  Some days I only walk.  Every day, I have the double stroller. 

I'm trying to focus on just getting moving and getting the miles in, regardless of my speed.  I would like to keep this up for as long as I can throughout the pregnancy.  I'm honestly a little disappointed, because I had hoped that I would be able to keep up running at a higher speed and distance further into the pregnancy.  But my cardiovascular and respiratory systems are clearly being overtaxed when I run at my usual pace.  My breathing and my heart rate escalate too high too quickly, and it's clearly not sustainable.  I'm trying to just listen to my body but still get some sort of workout in.

I'm trying to enjoy my little victories.  =)

Starting the Second Trimester

We officially moved into the second trimester on Saturday.  I'm about 13.5 weeks now.  I feel much better than I did during most of the first trimester.  I still feel tired and take one nap a day (when the kids are sleeping).  I have been able to do a little jogging and walking again.  My goal is to do 16 miles per week, regardless of whether I'm walking or jogging.  Last week, I think I did about 12.  I have done 8 miles this week, and it's only Tuesday, so that's looking pretty good!

So far, there isn't a huge difference between this pregnancy and my first.  My stomach is already popping out, but I think that's because it was so stretched out from the first pregnancy.  I don't look pregnant yet - just look like I've been eating too much.  I'll be glad when my belly is round and more obviously pregnant looking.  =)

The OB visits have already been different.  We got an ultrasound at our confirmation appointment and our first official OB appointment.  At the last visit, they just listened to the heartbeat.  We are used to seeing our babies on an ultrasound machine at almost every visit, and we won't see this baby again until around 18 weeks when they do the anatomy ultrasound.  That just feels so weird.  Also, in my first pregnancy, they never measured my belly - not one single time.  Some people consider that measurement to be unimportant when you're dealing with twins, but the midwife who saw me at my appointment last week said that she still measures twin moms.  I'm not sure why I was never measured.  Anyway, they said that they would start measuring me around week 20.

So far, so good.  I have lots of cravings this time around:  Chipotle (of course!), Papa John's (which I usually have even when I'm NOT pregnant), pickles, McDonald's Filet-o-Fish meals (I think of you when I'm in the drive-through, Katie H.), and really anything salty.  So far, I haven't had any sweet cravings, which is COMPLETELY out of character for me.  I'm not sure that replacing ice cream with a Filet-o-Fish is really an improvement, though?

I Gotta Get My Sister!!

Yesterday, I was taking a nap while Jason was downstairs.  Miles and Vivienne both woke up from their naps at about the same time.  Miles was making a bigger fuss, so Jason went to get him out of the nursery first.  He swept him up and bopped down the stairs with him.  Miles started crying.  He started crying hard.  I heard Jason asking him, "What, Buddy?  What do you need?  What's wrong?"  I sort of mumbled from our bedroom upstairs,"He wants to come upstairs."  I knew he wanted Vivienne, but Jason didn't hear me because I wasn't loud enough.

After asking Miles what he wanted a few times, Miles walked over the gate at the bottom of the stairs and shook it, crying.  Jason took him upstairs and put him down, and then Miles ran over to the door where Vivienne was sleeping.  He needed his sister.

They melt my heart.

Words! Words! Words!

For our 18-month appointment, we had to fill our a survey about their development.  One of the questions was whether they each can say 8-10 words, besides Mama and Dada.  We had to think about it for a second, but we eventually came up with this list of words that they each say.  Of course, their enunciation could use some work, but these words seem to be pretty standard these days.

Miles

• Dog
• Cat
• Bird
• Fish
• Bubble
• Bath
• Uh oh
• Baby
• Moo
• Meow
• Mama
• Dada
• His version of "Cocka-Doodle-Doo!!"
• Milk
• Ball

Vivienne

• Miles (my favorite)
• Dog
• Cat
• Nose
• Mouth
• Eye
• Mama
• Dada
• All done
• Throw away
• Uh oh
• Baby
• Baa (sheep sound)
• Moo
• Meow
• Bath
• Bubble
• Milk
• Piggie?  I think she calls him "Bee"?
• Ball
• Plane
• No

Happy 18 Months!

Miles and Vivienne had their half birthday on Wednesday.  We would love to take on the tradition of our friends, Kristi and Ian, and take our kids out for doughnuts on their half birthday.  I honestly forgot about the doughnuts this year, but coincidentally, I picked up doughnuts on our way to visit our friends, Jessica and Alex.  So they DID get doughnuts on their half birthday!  (And that was the first time I have bought doughnuts in at least a couple of years probably.)

On Friday, we took the kids for their 18-month appointment.  It went very smoothly.  The kids are healthy and thriving.  Miles' stats were:

• Height:  33 in (71%)
• Weight:  27 lb 8 oz (88%)
• Head Circumference:  19 inches (79%)

Vivienne is still our little biscuit.  Her stats were:

• Height:  30.25 in (9%)
• Weight:  22 lb 13.5 oz (54%)
• Head Circumference:  18 inches (35%)

We both have some short women in our families, so it's not entirely surprising that Vivienne is in the lower ranges for height.  I think it's probably still too early to tell how short or tall she will be, though.

Miles and Vivienne are at such a fascinating age - learning new things every day.  They build with their blocks and enjoy putting their puzzles together.  They are learning to solve problems (though very simple problems at this point, obviously).  They add words to their vocabulary every week.  They also really enjoy playing with one another, which provides a welcome opportunity for me to get things done around the house during the day.

It's a joy being their mother. 

Big Shoes to Fill

She has some mighty big shoes to fill.  Literally.

(For the record, she puts these on by herself.  It's adorable.)