New Photos from December 2008

Playing together

Maia

Callia

With their dollies

...in case you still can't tell them apart

Almost 5 months!

We are all enjoying having Daddy home more often and we are so relieved all went well with his project. He is still wrapping things up at work and we are busy getting ready for Christmas. Our days are very, very full and I find it best to keep to a routine so the girls are not too overtired and cranky by evening. Right now, since they are sleeping 3 naps a day we are staying close to home more often since going anywhere gets them too excited and they don't nap well. Then it makes our evenings very difficult trying to get them to sleep when they are so overtired. Thank goodness for on-line shopping (we are avoiding malls and shops) - pushing a double stroller around all those crowds does not appeal to me in the least! Hopefully, we'll stay healthier too!

The girls are doing very well and we are getting into more of a routine each day. It's nice to have a more predictable schedule since I can most often count on some time that they will nap at the same time. Then I can get some chores done! I have never worked so hard in my life and I wish I was 10 years younger and had more energy. It is by far the most amazing and wonderful job I have had and I enjoy every minute I spend with these two little beings.

Callia & Daddy

Callia is such a joy. She is incredibly sweet and loves to smile and coo. Her hand / eye coordination is amazing and she loves to be read to, taking in all things visual. She also is so alert in social settings, looking all around and "interacting" with others with many verbal sounds. Her favorite song right now is "5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" - she coos and goos whenever I say it to her. I wish she would smile for the camera since she has the sweetest smile...someday I will catch it!

Maia

Maia is such a sweetie. She loves to be sung to and spoken to. Some of her favorite songs include: "Itsy Bitsy Spider" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees & Toes". She also giggles hysterically when I sing, " Ice, Ice Baby" to her. Both girls are very ticklish and crack up at Mommy being silly. I can say anything to Maia and she laughs and laughs. She is making many new sounds but mostly one that sounds similar to a pterodactyl. This is especially fun at 3 am. Maia adores her sister and just wants to touch her when I put them near each other. They often reach out and hold hands which is incredibly precious.

Here are some pictures of the girls in some Christmas outfits given to them by my cousin's parents' in law. They are so sweet!

Daddy's home!!!

Callia

Jason has been working so hard this past month on a project for work that required him to work nights and weekends recently. The demo for the project was on December 4th and went amazingly well! We are so proud of him and are thrilled to have him home now. The girls only saw him for a few minutes each day but always had a smile for him when they did see him. Now we are enjoying lots of time with Daddy since he has taken the month of December off.


The girls are changing so much and have many new "tricks". Callia is over 14 lbs and smiles, coos and giggles whenever she can. She loves to have books read to her and is great at tummy time. Her neck strength is amazing and I can see her sitting up in another month or so. Callia's new trick is sticking her tongue out and trying to make "strawberries".


Maia continues to make us laugh with her funny expressions. She has started rice cereal and isn't sure if she likes it yet (Callia definitely does not like it quite yet) but eats a little bit. She also rolled over for the first time yesterday! Both girls have been attempting to roll but Maia pushed herself over all the way and hasn't done it since! Our favorite new "Maia trick" is that she growls whenever we show her this lion rattle she has and ask "What does the lion say?" It is very cute and I think she is a genius in the making.


I am doing well and just totally love being a mom. It is hard work taking care of twins but worth every second. They are both such different little beings and it is so fun getting to know them. We are all looking forward to our first Christmas with the girls and will celebrate with their grandparents at our house. Last year, I was so sick for Christmas and didn't put up any decorations (bad morning sickness). It's really wonderful that we can truly enjoy the holiday this year with our daughters.

PS. Sorry these pictures are a few months old but Jason hasn't had time to upload more recent ones yet.

Maia

Peaceful slumber...

Maia Callia

All is going well for us as Maia and Callia officially turned 4 months old on the 19th. They are both amazing little human beings who delight us every single day. The first thing they do every morning when I approach their cribs is present me with a huge smile and sometimes a giggle. This is my favorite moment of every day! They are truly happy little babies who just love to be spoken and sung to, but also value their "independent time" sitting in their bouncy seats or together on their "aqua mat". It is so fun to watch them interact as they will coo back and forth with their own secret language. Maia especially looks up to her "big sister" and smiles from ear to ear when she sees her.

Jason has been working incredibly hard on a very important project he is leading for his company. He has a major demo coming up on Dec 4 and is working many nights and weekends to make sure this demo goes without a hitch. We are very proud of him here but miss him terribly. Luckily, the girls and I have had many people helping us while Jason works so much. Thank you to Alexandra, Jen R, Linda, Susan, Gillian (our fabulous babysitter), Audrey and others who have helped me put the girls to bed this past week. The girls (and I) were having a hard time going to sleep at night and putting them to bed by myself was hard. It took all of these wonderful people and a full week of letting them cry a little to get to an evening where I put them to sleep and I haven't heard a peep from them since 6:30 pm. Phew! It was hard work, but I finally feel like we are establishing more of a routine around sleeping and it is pretty easy to put them down.

Anyway, I so enjoy my days with these amazing babies. They are smiling , giggling, "talking", grasping objects, etc. They are each over 13 lbs and of average weight and height, according to our pediatrician. She thinks they are wonderful babies and I would have to agree!

We are looking forward to the holidays with them and we are so very thankful to have Callia and Maia in our lives.

Sleeping "Through the Night"

The girls are nearing their official 4 month birthday but are now 16 weeks and doing many new and exciting things! First and foremost, they generally sleep through the night now with the occasional waking. Getting them to go to sleep, however has been challenging but once they are really sleeping, they will wake usually around 6:30 or 7 am - we feed them at 10:30 or 11pm and so that is 8 hours!!! I have moved back into our bedroom and so it feels to me that the girls are all grown up now, having their own room!

We are currently taking another Isis Maternity class and learning great things about their development at this stage. They are able to "sit up" a bit more with assistance like in an excersaucer or Bumbo seat. They are also grasping onto toys more often and putting them in their mouths. I really think they are starting to teethe because both girls tend to chew on their hands quite a lot. They find some relief with a frozen washcloth but there is nothing like a hand!

Their favorite activity continues to be cooing and gooing at each other and with mommy and daddy. Callia is especially social and "talks" to all people when we are out. She "chatted" with the woman sitting next to me at Mommy and Baby Yoga and won the heart of our Isis instructor as she "sang" along with the songs she was singing in class. Maia is still so animated and loves being sung to and read to.

Jason is extremely busy at work these days but after December 4th when he has a demo for a project he is working on, things will calm down for him. We miss seeing more of him but he always finds time to spend quality time with his girls each day. I am busy trying to keep the house afloat - always a bottle to wash - but it is easier these days to get to some things now that the girls sometimes nap at the same time. Plus, our wonderful babysitter, Gillian (who comes twice a week) takes great care of the girls so I can actually go out and run errands, knowing they are in great hands.

We all took an Infant Sign Language class at Isis and learned great ways to incorporate signs into our day. The girls love any song I sing that has hand motions so it has been fairly entertaining for them to watch me sign "thank you" and "more" among others. Just another fun way to teach language development!

Maia being animated

Callia in her Bumbo seat

BFF's

Happy Halloween!

We had such a nice evening and so much fun seeing Maia and Callia in their Halloween costumes. Callia, the sweet kitty cat, did not love her hood on and cried until we took it off. She rarely cries so we knew it really bothered her as she has never likes to wear hats. Maia, the adorable pumpkin, seemed very content in her role as a pumpkin - although, she took a little snooze in the sling while some trick-or-treaters came. It was fun to introduce the girls to some of our neighbors who hadn't met them yet.

Sisters...

Callia and Maia are becoming fast friends as they are really enjoying their time together. Every day, I make sure they have time to be right next to each other (besides feedings) when they can interact and be close to one another. Lately, whenever we have them face to face, they smile and coo at each other and it is the most adorable thing I have ever seen. They were even making each other giggle the other day. Of course, whenever I try to capture this on film they don't do it. It's a conspiracy.....

We are getting ready for Halloween - Aunt Jodi, Uncle Mark, and cousins Jack and Charlie sent the girls these great bibs plus really cool Halloween socks. We plan on dressing the girls in their costumes and answering the door with them, if they are still awake. We usually have some neighborhood kids stop by and that is always fun. Jason and I usually have a pumpkin carving contest but it is always debatable who has "won" since we are also the judges. We will see if we can find time to carve this year. We will make sure to post pictures of the girls in their costumes.

These are pictures from Daddy's birthday...it was a very special day!

Callia

Maia

Approaching 12 weeks...

It's been a really hard week as we have all been adjusting to the loss of Aslan. It is so strange to walk past our bedroom and not see him there or hear him "yelling" at us for attention. Anya, our female tortie, really seems to miss him, too as she spends the whole day on the part of the bed that she and Aslan used to hang out on.

On a happier note, the girls are doing very well. Callia is 10 lbs 11 oz and is smiling up a storm. She loves to "talk" and just tonight was cooing for Daddy as he was singing a Grateful Dead song to her. Maia is 10 lbs 2 oz...a bit smaller than Callia because she wasn't eating as much for awhile there. Partly because she decided she didn't like her bottles anymore and then she caught a cold. But now she is eating well again and using Callia's bottles which have a faster flow nipple. She is definitely a person who knows what she wants and that includes wanting to be held all the time. Sometimes, while I am attending to Callia, Maia works herself up into a "tizzy" until I finally come over to her, put the sling over my shoulder and the minute she sees it, she sighs. She loves riding along in the sling as long as she is close to Mommy.

Maia

Callia

Our beloved Aslan

Today we said goodbye to our wonderful Siamese cat, Aslan. He lived for 19 very happy years and finally gave in to kidney disease after several years of medications and subcutaneous fluids. We are all missing him tremendously but are so glad he is at peace. Jason wrote this sweet obituary in his memory:

Aslan Redi passed away on Saturday, October 4, 2008. He was with his caretakers, Jason and Carrie. He had been suffering from kidney disease for five years. Aslan was born in 1989 in Centerbrook, CT to parents, Pogue and Chaing Harper. Aslan spent the early part of his life in Princeton, NJ where he was mentored by fellow Siamese cat, Ming and "befriended" by Cairn Terrier, Yoda. In 2000, he moved to Belmont, MA with Jason ("dad"). In 2004, he was joined in Belmont by cats, Anya and Owen (and "mom" Carrie). While his relationship with Owen was tenuous, he became a good friend and companion with Anya to his very last day. Aslan was known for his Olympic jumping ability, his classic Siamese wail, his friendly, intelligent nature, and his warm nightime cuddling. He will be missed by his family.

10 weeks and so sweet...

Maia and her giraffe lovie

Callia and her tiger lovie

Maia

Callia