Xilon flew to the Dominican Republic today. It was a surprise trip, assigned to him at the last minute yesterday. He didn't complain, even though he had to be up and out the door by 6am. Waking up at the crack of dawn is getting easier for me -- never thought I would say that! It's all a matter of perspective, I guess. Livie and Wills used to sleep in tiny spurts of time -- 14 minutes, 50 minutes, 25. Whew, a schedule like that is rough on the parents! But now they fall asleep for the night around 10pm, and generally sleep 5-6 hours straight. Woo hoo! We saw the pediatrician for their 2-month checkup two weeks ago, and she said they will start sleeping more and more (during the day and night). And sure enough, they have.
I swear, during that 2-month checkup, Wills was listening to the conversation that Dr. Barnhart and I were having! She asked me the developmental questions about the babes (do they look at our faces, do they ooh and aah, do they follow your hand in a 180-degree arc when you move it from side to side in front of their face, etc.). I could say yes to most of them for Livie, but not for Will. But during the appointment, he started looking at me, and the next day, he began oohing and aahing -- and he started following my hand in an arc! Just a few days before that appointment, I'd started to worry, "What if my boy is blind?!" I thought this because he never seemed to look right at me. I guess that's a mom's job, to worry!
I'd hoped to create a family blog sooner, because the babes change so quickly, and I wanted to capture the memories on 'paper.' But really, this is the soonest I've felt able to jot to daily comments about our wee ones. Looking back, the first month is a complete blur. Xilon and I didn't know what the hell we were doing! Really, does any first-time parent? One of the babes would cry, and we would have a frantic discussion about what type of cry it was (from the prenatal classes we took). "Is he hurt?" Xilon would ask. "Maybe his diaper is wet," I would say. Livie cried so hard we thought she had colic. Now we hear a cry and we know what to do. Will likes to be held in the "patented Jenny DelFiacco arm tuck under" position when he eats (ask my mom for a demo sometime). Livie doesn't like to lie reclining in anyone's arms unless she is eating. If she's just hanging out, she wants to be sitting straight up and down on your leg or laying on your chest.
We continue to receive such kind support from friends and family:
Marney, Shannon and baby Amanda came over a couple of weeks ago for a play date with the babes while Xilon and I took a break from the house. We had lunch together in a quiet restaurant and marveled that no one was crying for our attention! Amanda (9 months old) looks so grown up compared to Wills and Livie. She crawled up a step while they were here, and she can scoot around on the floor. That gave the cats a start! Gabby and Lucy had just gotten used to our babies being around, and I think they are relieved that they aren't mobile yet.
Renee, Toni and Luisa were so sweet to stop by a week ago, with treats and a meal. Mark Romero watched both babies all by himself earlier this week while I ran an errand (how brave of him!). Mary came two Saturdays ago with a meal and stayed for 8 hours! I got to take a long nap! Sandy watched the babes on a Saturday afternoon while I baked little cakes for a party, and she and I also had a chance to catch up on life. Peter, Judy, Lyn, Glen, Mark H., Hue and Deb came by with dinner and games. I can't tell you how these visits cheered me on those long days while Xilon was at work! I was really scared when Xilon went back to work after 6 weeks at home with the babes and me. I didn't realize what a rite of passage that is. Several moms have since told me that they cried when they first had to be alone with their babies. It's an odd feeling! You are thrilled to be a mom ... but the little buggers are intimidating because you haven't yet figured them out. The worst thing is to hear them cry and not instantly know how to make them feel better.
Gina, Angela and my mom are regular visitors. All three have even done the night-time nanny gig for us, bless their hearts. Xilon and I also hired an actual night-time nanny. She came recommended by the Mothers of Multiples group, and we figured we'd need her for a few months. But after her first visit, the babies starting sleeping for 5 or more hours, so we haven't needed her help again. With teething season in our future, though, she may make another appearance!
Well, it's after 11pm, and Wills and Livie have been sleeping for an hour. Time for all four of us to go upstairs and sleep. Should be a great week -- the babies will be baptized on Saturday, Grandma and Grandpa Cunningham arrive on Thursday, and we have our first Baby and Me class!
I LOVE being a mom.
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