Ada's Sittin' Pretty

More pictures from Grandpa's birthday

Emmet REALLY like uncle Greg's Packer hat!


Ada and Julie having fun on the floor!

Happy Birthday Grandpa!

We had a nice day with Grandpa on Sunday celebrating his birthday! Ada enjoyed watching the Packers sitting on Grandpa's lap. Emmet was cranky (darn teeth) but did pretty well too!

Handsome little man Emmet

Fun with books!

Hard to keep up!

A quick (I hope) update....

We had Ada and Emmet's 6-month check-up. We've got two chunky babies on our hands! Ada now weighs 18lbs 2oz and Emmet weighs 17lbs 14oz. They are both 26 inches long. The doctor was pleased with their progress. They both received two shots containing 4 or 5 vaccines. They screamed but it didn't last long. The doctor recommended they both get a flu shot and a Synergis shot/RSV vaccine. And, something that I keep forgetting to post about - Emmet had been going to Physical Therapy and fighting through the required PT exercises at home for his Torticollis. I am proud to report that he has been "released" from PT. We were told to continue doing his exercises but that he's on the right track. He's made significant progress in the last 3 weeks! It's so nice to see him holding his head straight instead of tilted.

Let's see what else. Oh! Last Friday, Emmet cut his first tooth! He's working on his second and I'm expecting it to come through any day now. Poor little man...he's been just miserable for the last 3 weeks. Constant whining, and I mean CONSTANT! Ada is still toothless but she's been starting to gnaw on her fingers so I suspect she's starting. Ada is now able to sit on her own for several minutes at a time now and Emmet will tripod sit for about 30 seconds before he face plants! One of my favorite new developments is that Ada is reaching for me now...melts my heart! Emmet likes to suck on my face and wipe his slobbering hands on my cheeks - yum!

It's all going so fast. I just can't believe how big they are and how much they're doing! I swear there is a new skill every day! I still miss being home. This new schedule is difficult. I miss seeing Roger as we seem to be ships passing in the night right now. We're both exhausted...trying to remind ourselves that it won't be like this forever. Luckily the babies don't seem to notice!

Fun with family

Grandma Marcin with Emmet, Alexis with Ada



Cousin Alexis and Ada

Grandma Marcin, Emmet, Alexis & Ada

Today we had a nice visit with Roger's family. It's always nice when we can get together as it's often hard for us to find time in all of our busy lives! The babies had fun snuggling with Grandma Marcin and they LOVED their uncle Bill who made them giggle! Ada enjoyed sitting with her cousin Alexis.

Best Buds

Hi ho, hi ho, it's back to work I go

Boo hoo, sniffle, sniffle. Friday was my first official and full day back to work after this wonderful summer. Today was the first day of school. I spent a while sobbing last night and had to choke back the tears several times this morning and again this evening when I put the babies to bed. They go to bed so early (which I don't want to mess with because they are sleeping through the night) that I only get to see them for a little over 2 hours when I come home from work. I know they are being well cared for...there's no one better than Daddy (except me of course, he he) to be with them all day. I know they know I love them to pieces. I know this is what's best (and financially necessary) for our family and in that way I'm caring for our babies in the best way. BUT - I'm experiencing what I can only imagine is the "guilt of a mother" in a big way. How do I do this? How do I give 100% to both "jobs"? How do I "turn off" work mode when I come home? And if I can't, does that make me a bad mother? See? It's mommy guilt. Of course I will survive this and it will get easier with time. Right now though...not so fun.

Reflection

As I prepare to return to work I am reflecting on my time spent home with the babies. It seems to have gone so fast and yet so much has happened since the beginning of June. I decided to make a list...in no particular order.

• Ada and Emmet had their first trip to Nebraska
• They have increased their feeding amounts from 4oz to 6oz and now are moving on to 8oz.
• Lots and lots of smiles.
• They are giggling. Not the full fledged belly laughs but it's darn close.
• They are both rolling from back to tummy - but very rarely tummy to back. (Not so good when they wake up in the middle of the night and find themselves on their tummy and are not happy)
• They moved upstairs into their own room.
• They are no longer sharing a crib, although they don't sleep well unless their cribs are right next to one another.
• They LOVE to play with "stuff"...anything really - toys, mommy's hair, faces, daddy's facial hair, their own and eachothers hands.
• They are trying to feed themselves - "trying" being the operative word here.
• They JUST started rice cereal, which Ada loved and Emmet gagged through.
• They are (most days) on a pretty regular schedule.
• SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT! This is huge, obviously!
• They're showing interest in books (really just to play with them and eat them)
• They love watching the dog.
• Ada loves to stand up now and is working hard to sit on her own.
• Emmet has pretty good head control now (that darn Torticollis) - in June he was still so floppy.
• They're into (and growing out of) 3-6 month clothes and are wearing size 3 diapers. We had just started wearing size 2 at the end of June.
• It appears that they are remembering faces...they solemly stare at new people and just LOVE their Nana and mommy and daddy of course.
• Everything (and I mean everything) goes in their mouths.

I know there are more items I could add to the list but I will stop for now. They never cease to amaze me. My little miracles. Looking at this list makes me so happy and yet incredibly sad too. It's just a reminder of how much I will miss when I return to work and am no longer home to see it all happen! Good thing I have a job that completely consumes me when I'm there - I'd be a sobbing mess otherwise.

2nd and probably last attempt!

So, here are our 2nd attempts at a 5-month picture. I think they're adorable, however, they are not usually this serious. Honestly, they smile, smile, smile until I pull the camera out! These will probably be our last attempts at 5-month photos as I will be returning to work tomorrow (unofficially) - Friday is my official start day. Roger will be Mr. Mom during the day and working evenings and weekends. I have had 3 meltdowns already...I'm enjoying my time at home so much. Going back to work at the end of the summer is always hard, but this year is something else all together! I keep reminding myself that I am lucky that my career allows me to have 2 breaks throughout the year and the summers...it doesn't make it any easier but it helps!

1st Attempt at a 5 month photo

This is my first try at a 5-month picture of Ada and Emmet. Obviously they were not phased by my numerous and truth-be-told wacky attempts to get some smiles. I often times crack myself up with the silly antics I engage in just to entertain my babies. For example, this afternoon I put on an exhilirating and exhausting dance routine, complete with flowing receiving blankets (similar to those ribbon things in the olympics) to several Jackson 5 songs. If you can't laugh at yourself, who will? Oh, and 5 MONTHS!!! Can you believe it?

Exercising in our exersaucer!

Ms. Ada Lee


Mr. E-Man

Look what we're trying to do!

Ada and Emmet have been trying to feed themselves lately! It's too cute!

Our first swim!

Today we had an opportunity to take Ada and Emmet swimming with my best friend's family! The weather was perfect, not too hot and overcast - so no sun in the babies eyes! They didn't have a strong reaction to the water either way. We got some smiles and no screaming...so I'm counting that as a success! It was so nice to spend some time with friends and all of our kids!

It's mine...no, it's mine!!

Just can't stop...

I had to post this picture of Ada as it is SO typical. She will play, play, play until she just can't play anymore. Here she fell asleep with her hand on the toy in the swing!

Ada trying to roll

Ada has been trying to roll over...hasn't quite gotten there yet but she's working on it!

Morning Acrobatics

Last night we swaddled Ada and Emmet and put them in the crib in the usual way - heads in opposite corners of the crib. This is how we found them this morning. Completely turned around and sort of snuggled up together. Needless to say they are unswaddled from here on out as these loose blankets freak me out. Ada was scratching and sucking on Emmets head - the evidence was a red and slobbery head!

Sleepy Emmet