Won't you join us?

I gained a crazy amount of weight during my pregnancy with the girls. Part of it was having twins, but the other part was me feeling like the more food (healthy, nutrient-dense of course!) I ate, the heavier and healthier the girls would be. With twins there are many many inqueries by doctor, patient & family as to the weights of each baby and what that might indicate for their future. It can make you quite nervous. And as you may know, the girls survived neonatal surgery for their Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome (TTTS) at 16 weeks old, so I was also anxious that any moderate or strenous exercise while pregnant might potentially harm the girls in some way. Of course, at some point I was so huge and bloated with babies that walking up and down stairs was my workout of the day....it's true!

Well, words cannot describe how thankful I am that the girls are healthy and happy and I am grateful for every single pound I gained if it helped them in any way. (I think God is to be thanked for his overflowing blessings, not my diving into the Ben&Jerrys, but just in case). However, it's now time for the extra pounds to go.

So, I'm trying to lose the last 25-ish remaining pounds, mostly by exercising at least 4 times a week and trying to eat reasonably. I'm still nursing, so that makes it a little challenging because my body wants to hang onto every calorie I put in it. But it's been so much fun exercising at the Y, walking in the neighborhood, and doing yoga once a week.

And supportive husband that he is, Dave is currently training for a 1/2 marathon, which is a bewilderingly huge amount of miles to be run. To me anyway. But with both of us trying to fit in a healthy amount of exercise, it has been a great encouragement I think to us both. I love our new commitment to being healthier.

Rainy Saturday

Today my college friend Susan and her husband Chett came to visit us. Dave and Chett graciously took kid duty at the house while Susan and I had a great lunch downtown enjoying our catch up. We brought back yummy cheesecake to eat, I mean to share. It's a real treat to see our friends.

Isaac has been feeling "tough" as we call it when we're kind of sick. He's had a low-grade fever for about 24 hours and has been really tired. But he took a three hour nap today and woke up refreshed and ready to go. Soooo....we went to the mall. Yes, totally unlike us to be mall shoppers, but we are looking for a cell phone plus it was rainy and cold outside. Can't say I've been to the mall on Saturday night in a looooong time. Ahem, I'd like to keep it that way. But the kids loved it so it was fun.

"Mama, can I have a favorite?"

I love the way Isaac asks for "a favor." He doesn't know it, but his misuse of the phrase makes me all mushy inside. Kind of like when he was around two years old and he would say "yelly" for the color yellow. That was so cute; I wish he still said it that way. Anyway, whatever he's asking "a favor" about, I'm almost definitely going to give it to him. Love that little man.

We were preparing to wash the glass doors on the back of the house and I was looking for a spray bottle and rag. Isaac wanted to have his own spray bottle so he could help. And help he did. After about 20 minutes of hard labor spritzing and wiping water, he declared "Mama, I like washing windows!"



There was a knock-down-drag-out fight 9-month old-style the other day between the girls over a green striped hat. Both wanted to clutch it in their little hands so they could suck on it until it was a sodden rag. Sadie won this time. Here's a shot of Sadie the Victorious a little later (on the right), with the green striped hat in her right hand. Grace (on the left) doesn't bear grudges though.



However, I give Grace the "rythym award." She is always bouncing and rocking and having a good time, whether standing up or perched on her knees or sitting down. She does little crunches with her midsection and is just so enthusiastic about it. And if you are dancing too, she gets soooooooooooo excited. She single handidly commandeers any shakers and rattles she can find, just shaking them up in the air and bouncing up and down. It's such a joyous experience!

Grace also loves to chew cardboard. I took away some sopping wet piece of cardboard from her the other day and she was so mad she threw herself backward onto the wood floor. OUCH!

Sadie likes the high vocalizations; the "squeal" as we call it. She especially breaks into squeal whenever she sees Isaac. Those two are cosmicly joined. Sadie loves to give kisses. Big open mouthed loving kisses. Actually, Grace is a big kisser as well. And Isaac. We have the best kids...and lots of slobber around here!