(Not so) Little Ladies

Whew! I just completed the first of what will now be frequent long appointments at the doctor's office to check on the twins and monitor their progress. I have only good news to report...
  Both girls look "marvelous" according to the doctor, with excellent heartbeats, lots of amniotic fluid, and solid blood flow. Baby A is still breech and first, blocking the way for Baby A who is still head down. They are running out of time (and space!) to change positions, so it looks as though a C-section delivery may be in my future.
  The big news of the day was the girls' weights: Baby A weighed in at 4 pounds and 9 ounces, and Baby B weighed in at 4 pounds and 7 ounces! Just in case your math is rusty, that's 9 pounds of baby!! The doctor was practically giddy to see them doing so well with several weeks left to keep on growing. I was slightly less enthused, just because I'm not sure how much more I can watch my stomach expand! Of course, I'm thrilled to hear they're doing so well and not showing any signs of wanting to make an early appearance. From here on out, I will go once a week for an ultrasound, 2 doctor's visits, and 2 fetal stress tests.
 I only have one picture to post today because it's nearly impossible to see anything clearly since the girls are so big. Although, I did have the same cranky technician today who told me within a few minutes of starting the ultrasound that all she wanted to do was "go home and take a nap." But I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt and not blame her for my lack of photos. :)

Here's a profile of Baby A...

Last Day of School!

It's hard to believe that almost a year has passed since we moved to Richmond, Caroline turned one, and then a few months later started nursery school! Today was her last day of "Cool" and while I'm sure she doesn't understand she won't be going back next Thursday, she went along as cheerful as ever. When I picked her up she gave both her teachers a big hug and waved "bye-bye" to all her friends.

Ready for my last day!

Heading to my classroom with my school bag!

Let's get out here! It's summertime!

A Visit from our DC Friends

Olivia and Mason came to visit us yesterday! They were in town for about 24 hours and it was just enough time to let the mommies catch up and let the kiddos get in some serious play time. Caroline and I couldn't believe just how big Mason has gotten and how much he has changed as his first birthday approaches this weekend! He's an adorable little guy, who's already mastered the art of walking! Caroline was very good with Mason, sharing (for the most part) her toys nicely, giving Mason a run for his money during meal times, and not getting upset during the couple times that Mason cried. I count Mason and Caroline's interactions as a successful dry run for when her baby sisters arrive!
We didn't do anything super exciting during our time together, which was just fine with everyone. We spent the first part of the day catching up, feeding the kiddos, and taking naps and then in the afternoon, Kim came over with Madeleine and Clarke to visit. Before we knew it, it was bath and bed time and then time to get up, grab breakfast and head back to the train station. Although it was quick, Caroline and I loved having our good friends visit!

As usual, Caroline spent her time outside pushing Baby Gigi in the stroller.

Clarke and Mason bond over the ride-on truck.

Only pic of all four kiddos together. It was impossible to get them to look at the same time, especially since there was food in play.

Caroline and Mason do some parallel play.

Mason chows down on a  "hamburger" from Caroline's kitchen.

Getting Ready and Set...

...but not quite ready to GO! We've got about a month to go (by mid-June I'll be 36 weeks and the twins can safely arrive with little risk of issues) and while in some ways I feel like the time can't pass fast enough, I mostly feel overwhelmed by the idea that my life is about to be turned upside down by the arrival of these little ladies and sad that I'll be losing my one-on-one time with Caroline.
  I've been very busy ordering things (I swear I'm probably Target and Amazon.com's favorite customer), getting out and cleaning baby gear, washing clothes, and trying to convey to Caroline some idea of what's about to rock her world. Although, Caroline seems to be coping with the upcoming change better than anyone! I know she doesn't fully understand the whole situation yet, but it is uncanny how much she does seem to grasp.
  She is well aware that Mommy has two babies in her tummy, she knows the babies names (even though she can't quite pronounce them correctly), and she is definitely familiar with all the baby gear that the twins will use.
  Last week she insisted that we put an infant seat in the car with one of her baby dolls, and then requested that I roll "bebe's window down". Caroline has also be extremely busy testing out all the baby gear with her own two baby dolls, spending up to an hour each day moving them from the swings, to the stroller, to the bassinets, etc. and talking to them while offering bottles, snacks, and toys. Some baby care skills on which Caroline has room for improvement are gently putting the babies down (it's a good thing her baby doll's heads are made of plastic) and leaving the babies in appropriate places (see below). All in all, while I know the arrival of the twins will be traumatic in many ways for Caroline, I think she's about as prepared as one can be at 2 years of age. Let's hope these last several weeks bring a little more peace of mind to me!

P.S. For those of you curious about how the twins are doing these days, it seems they are moving along just fine! They're growing well, heartbeats are solid, and I've shown no signs whatsoever of pre-term labor (although I hope this isn't a sign they'll hang in there much longer than 36/37 weeks!). Next week, I have an appointment for which I was instructed to "pack an overnight bag." I won't be really staying overnight, but the appointment will include an ultrasound, separate visits with the high-risk OB and my general OB, and a fetal stress test for each girl (which I'm told takes at least 30 minutes for each twin). That plus the inevitable wait time in the office, and I'm definitely planning on bringing a good book and lots of snacks!
As for me, I'm hanging in there pretty well. I've definitely reached the point of pregnancy where aches and pains are present before I even get out of bed, I'm scrounging around for clothes that still fit, and I'm getting looks from people in public like, "ooh, I bet she's about to go any day now!" That being said, taking care of a toddler is an excellent distraction from these nuisances, and we've got a fabulous babysitter who's happy to step in when Mommy needs a little down time :)

Feeding a baby corn, a pepper, pizza, and bottles at Cartwheels and Coffee.

Going for a test ride in the infant seats with Baby Gigi.

Check out this adorable sign my friend Holly gave me! Too bad Caroline thinks it belongs in the swing, not on the front door :)

Yesterday, both baby dolls spent a large amount of time in the dog cages. In her defense, Caroline did supply them with bottles after a few hours :)

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all you moms out there, near and far! I hope you've had a great day. My Mother's Day was perfect: very low key and relaxing, just the way I wanted.
It started with me having the pleasure of sleeping in while Daddy took Caroline out for a car ride and a visit to Starbucks. Later I enjoyed eating lunch on the patio while watching Caroline play in her pool and the back yard, and then I took in a fantastic nap.
The late afternoon included more watching Caroline play outside while Daddy ran around after her, and (I know this will sound crazy to you) a highly satisfying vacuuming session. Seriously, there are few things that I enjoy more than vacuuming my house. It's calming, I get results immediately, and it's one of the most inexpensive ways I can spend my time enjoyably. So, yes, cleaning may not have been on your list of wonderful things to do on Mother's Day, but it was on mine and I loved every second of it :)
Because I was super lazy all day, I didn't even try to take any pictures. Paul took some during his morning drive with Caroline though...

This is what happens when Daddy is in charge: I get out of the house in pjs, a rain coat, and sun hat :)

People and car watching.

Enjoying some yummy coffee cake.

Birthday-polooza!

Caroline was lucky enough to attend not one, but two birthday parties today! Best friend Hailey turned two and celebrated with a party at the Children's Museum, and little Emmy turned one and had a birthday bash at her house. Caroline was very excited to attend both parties because most all of her favorite friends were there. Mommy and Daddy had a good time too, but it left all of us feeling worn out and in need of a nap!

Taking in the sights before jumping into the action at Hailey's party.

Birthday Girl, Hailey!

Catching a ride on the whale at Hailey's party.

On the train with Daddy and Madeleine. The train goes so fast, but Caroline loves it!

Running to the car to get to Emmy's party!

Caroline's favorite part of this party: the super fast slide!

Big Caroline, Sophie, and Caroline all dressed up and dancing.

Sharing cake with Mommy.

She's Got the Moves

Caroline has been doing a lot of "dancing" lately. It mostly involves shrugging her shoulders and rocking from side to side, but who knows, this could be the beginning of an illustrious dance career!
Here's a video showing off her latest moves. I apologize in advance for my swollen pregnant feet making an appearance in the video as well. I had them propped up on the table and had to move them mid-video. :)