11 Months - Stats and Habits

Easter's Egg Hunt at the church

I am teary today reflecting on the past three days. These girls are no longer babies but little people. Their achievements grow as quickly as they do.

Little Ava did something glorious and terrifying. She took her first 2 steps. From the coffee table at Grandma's house to Rocio. Then again from Rocio to me. She got so excited and it nearly made me cry. Ava still won't crawl, but loves to be led around the house. She only needs to hold on with one hand. It's like walking around with a little toddler, not an 11 month old!

Tina's learned to not only walk her walker down the hall, but to backup and turn it once she hits the wall or another piece of furniture. She's very adept at walking and crawling and using the combination to get around to nearly anywhere she wants.

Ava has a habit of twirling her wrists, but the other day, I noticed they weren't twirling, but she was opening and squeezing her hand...her first sign: "milk." Later the next day, as she sat from my hip looking down and talking to Hayden, Tina clapped her hand against her leg: the sign for "dog." I wasn't sure if it was an accident. I put her down and said, "Tina, where's the dog?" She looked from me to Hayden and slapped her hand against her leg again. There you go! Are they finally getting this? Ava signed for milk again, ironically at the birthday party for one of our Baby Signs classmates.

Tina's been having some teething pain and thus her sleep has been interruppted, but both girls have two glorious teeth and are eatting more finger foods. Blueberries and avocados are their favorites right now.

10 Month 3 Weeks - Mobility and Motion

On the move and not looking back!

What's happened! I missed a week! Well, these girls have started on the move. Tina's crawling, but that's not the beginning of our concern. They are cruising with the confidence of "Chariots of Fire" and, with their new push walker (seen with Ava above), they are literally running down the halls.

They love their new-found independence. They look at each other, running circles around the coffee table, chasing each other around the superyard, giggling and laughing so hard they nearly bring themselves to their knees. It's really very cute.

Time for the outlet covers and more extentions for their superyards. The timing of the bi-annual Twins Club fundraising sale is perfect. We need to convert from gyminis to toddler toys. Amazing - I can't believe that they will soon no longer be infants, but toddlers!

While Tina has found comfort in her mobility, Ava, while enjoying it, has been more dependent. Separation anxiety has transferred from Tina to Ava.

They are also intent on talking. When Tina gets going, she gets very animated and punctuates her multi-syllable sentences by throwing her arm in the air and pointing. During these times, we call her "Little Hitler." There are a few words that they - mostly Tina - are saying: "dog" was one of the first ones, "Mama" in context (Ava's strong on that one), "Yeah," and "Bye/Hi" which they use interchangeably.

10 Months 1 Week - Fun at the Library

Things you should take advantage of but sometimes forget...
Perhaps it's because it's negatively associated with high school and college when you were cramming for tests or writing research papers, but somehow, I think I forgot about the public library!

Well, we've re-discovered the library and it's taken on a whole new breath of life. Our place in the City is about 6 blocks from the local branch of the SF library. At the suggestion of a friend whose boy is about 9 months older than our girls, we went to visit the "Lap Sit Story and Song Time" at the library. My lord, there must have been 20 moms and their kids there all on a giant carpet in an annex room especially for this event. The librarian, a gregarious, energetic, petite Asian lady, knows all the kids and moms by name and greets them with a puppet whom she has deemed the Potrero Library mascot. 30 minutes goes by quickly with about 4 stories and 8 songs that have the kids (mostly birth to age 5) clapping, singing, and waving their arms, smiling to (or at least completely captivated by) the whole experience. I can see why this is so popular!

After the storytime, the girls and I travel to the main library and check out a weeks worth of books. I also find they have a bi-ligual section with many books in Spanish. I check out some of those too, as I think it would be great to read to the kids in Spanish (and practice my skills!). This leads me to an idea about looking for something in Italian. Since I can't read it, I find some kids videos that can do the talking for me. While perusing the videos, I notice they have a video on Infant and Kids CPR and Choking. This is also something I put in our pile - what a great thing to watch and share with other caregivers!

Here's a great bonus: The kids' books, when checked out on their cards, don't have any late fines! So, Ava and Bettina get their first library cards at 10 months old. We check out a Baby Einstein video as well (we don't have "Old MacDonald") and we're finally ready to head home.

Another great tool I never knew about: the SF Library has everything online. You can log on and do a search for specific title or topic. Let's say that you found the book you want, but it's at a different branch. Or, perhaps it's checked out and is also at a different branch. No problem... Just put a hold on it and ask that it be delivered to whatever branch you wish. I have 2 videos and a book already waiting for me.

A funny thing happened while watching the Italian video the other night.... Since I've known Paul I can't get him to utter a word of Italian. He's fluent in both Italian and Genovese (local dialect). Even while visiting Italy 2 years ago, I needed to literally push him to get him to ask someone a question. He will do anything to avoid having to speak it himself, usually answering in English instead. However, while washing the dishes, I could hear Paul speaking Italian to the kids during their video time. Not just repeating what the Italian video encourages or is trying to teach, but having conversations with the kids explaining much more to them. Now, those of you who like to hassle Paul and tease him about the things you all learn from this site (that would be you, Carlos!), please don't ruin my moment here and tell him that I can hear him! I love listening to him find this unique way to bond with the girls.

Other exciting news that happened this week: Bettina's cutting her first tooth! Also, both girls are waving "bye!" They surprized me when their Great-Grandma and Great-Aunt, visiting from Oregon, waved bye and they both waved back! They do this all the time, now.

Daddy Day Hike #3 - The Presidio

Our Daddy Day Hike this month was a historic walk through the beautiful San Francisco Presidio. No longer an active army base, the Presidio is maintained by the National Parks and who keep the 11 miles of historic paths, buildings and trails that have some of the prettiest views of the Bay. We started on the Ecological Trail up to the Julius Kahn playground near El Polin Springs. We picnicked at the playground after the kids swung back-to-back on the swings.
After lunch, we continued through the Cypress Grove to the historic Lovers' Lane.

We encountered a couple of kids selling their "home made" lemonade and cookies from their decorated Lemonade Stand along Lovers' Lane. Who could turn down a couple of entrepreneurial kids?? The cookies and lemonade were good and a bargain at 50 cents!

To see the photos, you can click here.

10 Months - Spring is Springing...and Cruising, too!

Ladybug Girls

Spring has officially sprung and the grass is growing almost as quickly as our girls. So many changes in them this last month, and mostly in their blooming personalities.

Ava is definitely the independent one and a studier and thinker at that. She can play by herself and really find lots of things to do to take up her time. Only when she's tired does she really need Mom. She wiggles more than a jar full of little caterpillars and is constantly kicking. Although Tina's more apt to cruise the furniture (again, neither are interested crawling - it's two-point mobility for them both), Ava takes the risks and has made the larger improvements on balance and standing. She scares Mom to death, but she likes to constantly test herself by taking her hands off the "aid" and stands on her own - no help. Now Mom's more comfortable that she won't fall each time she tries, and instead watches with amazement (not panic) when she stands for 3-4 minutes by herself. In fact, her confidence in this is so high that she will now put both hands on the toy she's been inspecting and focuses now on the object rather than just the act of balancing.

Bettina continues to improve on her "cruising" skills. She can transfer from one piece of furniture to another. This way, she boldly strategizes how to hop from one piece of furniture to the next in order to reach the prized possession in mind (usually the computer or the TV remote control). She moves very quickly and I have to remember not to be gone from the room very long.

They have added asparagus (which the love, who would have guessed?), cottage cheese, chicken and tofu to their menu. You should see Tina's reaction to her tofu... nothing could be any funnier. She squishes up her face like she's just had a sour lemon and razzes and spits everything out! I have to hide it in other foods and she doesn't so much notice. It's a shame she doesn't like it since it makes a great beginning finger food! So easy to just chunk it up and put on her plate. Well, we're also using Cheerios (so many of those!), Ziebeck toasts and chunked bananas. They are having more and more success with finger foods.

No more new teeth for either, but we're hoping it will happen soon for Tina - her drool rash is so difficult to keep in control. We are having to weed out the 6-9 month clothes as they're too small now and the 6-12 month one-piece PJ's (the kind with the feet) are almost getting there too, Tina's so tall.

We are starting to attend a lot of their playmate's first birthday parties, so that's starting to come onto our radar... how did that happen so fast?!?

The Question: To Minivan or to SUV

Well, my trusty Toyota 4-Runner is now up to 202,000 miles. The A/C broke years ago, just before the CD player, so I've been in the habit of driving with the windows rolled down and have started listening to the radio, abandoning my collection of CDs. This worked just fine for me and the kids until about a month ago when the window motors also started to slow, threatening to break as well. Since I rely upon those motors to allow me to store and retrieve my always necessary stroller, it was at this point that Paul and I needed to switch cars. Shortly thereafter, the topic of getting a new car started.

To SUV or to Minivan...that is the question.

Personally, I've always been one to favor the SUVs. They're just more comfortable, taller and, in the back of my mind, I'm still hoping I can pull a horse trailer. However, being open-minded, Paul and I decided that we needed to research 6 different models: 2 were minivans and the other 4, SUVs. A number we decided against right after our first tour of the dealership lots: the Odyssey was better than the Sienna; the Pilot too small with chincy 3rd row seating, the Suburban too big. The Sequoia was pretty much the same thing as the Tahoe, but more expensive. So, down to the Tahoe and the Odyssey.

I test drove the Tahoe and fell in love. The feel was so familiar, it drove smoothly, and I was sold on things like memory instruments and the OnStar system. The back entry, with the Dutch door, also made a lot of sense for the dog. It wasn't until I went to the Honda dealership that I figured out its fatal flaw: in order to gain access to the 3rd row seats in an SUV, you have to fold down one of the seats in the 2nd row. "So, just exactly how do you do that without having to take out a carseat?" I asked the salesperson at the Toyota dealership about the similarly designed Sequoia. He was initially at a loss, but, quick on his feet, he answered, "Like this!" He opened up the trunk and suggested that people just climb over the seat. I was astounded at his unrealistic answer. He may have been thinking older kids, but I was thinking grandparents. How do you tell your adult passengers to just climb over the seat? You don't; it's obnoxious!

The Odyssey is the only car we found that has a solution to this problem. In their 2nd row, you can take out part of the seat, sort of like a leaf in a dining room table, and push the other seats together to create essentially an aisle along the side. They also have the family in mind with other design aspects: build in sunshades on the side windows, Lazy-Susan storage accessible from the front seat or the 2nd seat, the ever-so-convenient automatic sliding doors (love this!), and flat storage of the 3rd row seats so my extra-wide stroller fits easily. It's stiffer and shorter than a SUV and it doesn't come with OnStar or memory-everything, but for the family, especially when you have two or more kids in carseats for the next 5 years, it's really the best choice, we thought.

All being said, here's now the newest member of our Family: our new minivan!

The new Family Car If you need one, visit Kahn at San Leandro Honda - he's a straight-shooter and will make it easy.

9 Months 3 Weeks - Artistic Double Trouble

Trevor seems a bit puzzled by our attempts to forever capture the memory of his little feet.





So, the Twins Group I've been attending, called DoubleTalk II, get together once a week for an activity. Some weeks it's a walk, another for lunch, girls night is scheduled for next week and this week, it was a family activity. It was also my turn to plan. After rainy skies proved a trip to the carousel and park unwise, I countered with a family activity to create a family keepsake. We all visited a store called Color Me Mine in Walnut Creek, chose a piece of pottery (or bisque), and painted it to our fancy. It was rather interesting to have 5 sets of parents and their sets of twins all snuggle into the shop with their strollers, car seats, etc. and try to navigate around the other customers already there and staring with awe at the group congregating in front of them. Most of us did like Gianna and Trevor (above), painting our kids' feet and stamping them on little platters with other sweet sayings. The pieces, after being painted and fired in the kiln, are ready for pick up a week later.


Paul and I did a large, shallow bowl with both the girls' footprints along with their names and the date. The whole experience cost just under $40. Not being particularly artistic, it will be interesting to see what our hap-hazard design will look like. However, it was a bit fun. If you choose to do this sort of activity for your kidlets, I would recommend having a little bit of an idea of what you'd like to do as far as design. It makes the task seem less daunting and you're less likely to get the deer-in-the-headlight momentary-lapse-of-creativity brain-freeze (whew! that's a lot of hyphens!).

9 Months 2 Weeks - Big Sur

Well, this week, the Curletto clan (extended) traveled down to Big Sur, just south of Carmel, for a short vacation. Although the weather forecasted rain, we didn't see a drop until our drive home. We stayed with the Martinez's in a 2-bedroom cabin in Big Sur Lodge, nestled in the middle of Pfieffer Big Sur State Park. Paul and I drove down in enough time to take an afternoon hike through the redwoods to see a little waterfall.

We had a blast horsing around with all the little cousins and took a mini-walk around the complex just before putting the girls down to sleep for the night. The next morning, Paul and I traveled south for another 11 miles to Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park where a majestic waterfall cascades down into the Pacific Ocean. To see all the photos, click here.
Sidenotes on the cabins: pluses - great location; minuses - not enough pots and pans to cook much, the single wall heater is not enough to heat the place and is placed in a terrible place when you've got 4 little kids with you.

9 Months 1 Week - Sea Ranch Celebrations

Sea Ranch Celebrations

For Christmas, my sister gave our mom a "Girls Weekend." We choose Sea Ranch, CA as our get-away destination, researched a great 3-bedroom ocean-front house to rent, and took off for our 3-day girl-indulgent weekend that coincided with Grandma's birthday.

Sea Ranch is a wonderful place for walking, chatting, cooking and connecting. We've decided we'd like to make this an annual event! Click here to see all our photos.

9 Months - Stats and Habits

9 Months
Ava:
Weight: 16.4 = 15%
Height: 26 3/4 = 30%
Head: 44 = 40%

Bettina:
Weight: 17.8 = 30%
Height: 27 3/4 = 60%
Head: 44 1/2 = 52%
Tina's height dictates that she needs to go into the new carseat, the Britex Marathon.

Eating:
Both are eating 3 meals/day with about 6 oz. each (1 1/2 Stage 2 jars)
Foods include: Apples, Avocado, Broccoli, Cantalope, Carrots, Green beans, Kiwi, Mixed Cereal, Oatmeal, Rice, Peaches, Pears, Peas, Potatoes, Prunes, Spinach, Squash, Yogurt
The pediatrician says to start proteins (meats) when we want to. Also, she noted that the Gerber style of puff veggies and fruits - the kind that melt like rice paper in the kids' mouths - is really just a gimmick. "It's like eating air," she says. We are switching to Cheerios.
Ava only has the one left bottom tooth that's still coming in. Tina's still gummy.

Sleep:
Both are sleeping through the night. Well, they will usually wake up - in various stages of "awake," but they are expected to put themselves back to sleep, which they do 99.99% of the time. Their "transitional objects," a little cow-shaped and horse-shaped blanket, help them do this really well and I'm glad I encouraged them to "bond" with them. Bedtime's at 7:30pm and they usually don't get up until 7:00 am. They're still taking 2 naps: an hour at 10am and usually an hour and a half (sometimes 2) at 3pm.

Play:
Their favorite toys are still their sterling rattles that Tracy & Addi game them. They will drop everything when they hear it's distinctive chime. They like their wooden toys by Haba (a horse and a set of twins in a wooden arc) which came from Grandma and me and love the balls that came with their Tiny Love elephant toy which Ava's godmother Lisa gave. They don't drop them into the elephant shape yet - they just like to shake the balls like rattles. They love, love, love to watch Baby Einsteins, which they do just between their baths and bedtime.

Developmentally:
Sitting up is a cinch and both now (instead of only Tina) prefer to stand clutching on to my fingers for support. Tina likes to test herself and will usually let go with one hand, and then both, to see if she can balance. She also likes to lean toward a table or the ottoman and shift her weight back and forth. This is probably her favorite game. They are both babbling with some coherent but still inadvertent words (mama, dada - which really sounds more like duh duh). Both will stand without assistance for a few seconds. It comes easier for Ava but Tina practices it more. They're using pincher grips, but usually, with finger foods, the objects are too small for them to get it to their mouths - most of the object is stuck in the thick parts of their fingers instead. Neither are crawling in the conventional way: Ava's creeping backwards when she's on her belly, doing donuts in the sitting position, and, like her sister, is tri-poding to reach things. Tina pulls herself up and is starting to "cruise."

9 Months - They've Got Cribs!

It's an innate, genetically instilled process triggered by motherhood. You can try to delay it, postpone or even pretend that it doesn't exist, however, like PMS, when it hits, it cannot be ignored. It rears it's motherly head and we all, unwillingly or not, conform...

Most people get to set up their nurseries a month - usually 2 - before their baby/ies are born. However, with all the construction in our house as well as the "creative" use of space, we didn't do this; we didn't have enough room to even set up proper cribs. Our girls first shared a single Pack 'n Play (temporary travel beds/play spaces) and then grew to sleep in their own. They haven't had, however, proper beds: ones with full size mattress, or even a mattress at that! Everything was hodge-podge, mismatched and temporary. This weekend, however, our world - and theirs - grew bigger.


Here is Ava clearly enjoying her full-size crib; one with a full-size mattress, real bumpers, fitted sheets, crib toys, and a beautiful handmade heirloom-quality quilt made by her Great-Aunt MaryAnn...and it all matches! Tina gets another one just like it. I was beaming with pride and a nesting instinct that most moms go through before their babies are born. It was a long time coming, but I, too, conformed. I sat in my little rocking chair and marveled at the "baby things" in all their glory: matching sheet sets! beautiful sleigh cribs! cute crib toys! I'm taking it all in understanding what every mom does when she thinks no one is looking. Isn't this just a wonderful thing?

It's taken a long time - I mean a long time (they're 9 months old, for goodness sakes!), and they are still in the living room and not a "proper" nursery, but I still take pleasure in the sight. My shoulders soften, my breath comes in longer stretches, and my eyes look appreciatively at my husband for giving me a really good nest. Do the girls sleep any better? Well, no; not yet, anyhow. However, I will, and that's a start.

Happy Valentine's Day! - Mommy Buying Guide

A little valentine from our cupids to yours.

Gone are the days of wishing for diamond necklaces and sexy dangle earrings. (All the dads are thinking, "Thank goodness!" They don't understand our ever-constant attraction to jewelry. "Didn't I buy her a necklace last Valentine's Day?" Well, yes, but really, my dear, it never gets old.) Necklaces and dangle earring have now become hazard magnets - hazards with the curious eyes and curiously strong hands of your baby. Time for husbands and dads to think a little differently when shopping for the mother of their baby/ies. Let's get smart and realistic - how to shop for your new mom:

• Instead of dangle earrings, try buying studs. Much harder to pull on and still allows your love to feel a little decorated. You will still win wonderful husband points and stay strong on the romance Richter Scale if you go for the diamonds or the appropriately colored sapphires or rubies.
• Sorry, but pretty much all necklaces are out; short and long. At least for every-day baby time. Babies spend a lot of time at neck level in mommy's arms and just can get their fingers around anything. Try again in another 2 years - or later if you're planning to have other ones.
• Every mom needs good looking cotton shirts completely devoid of baby stains to wear around and, more importantly, outside of the house. Go to Ann Taylor or some other retailer that has nice trendy shirts, perhaps even one that's a little feminine with a little lace edging or something. Wanna win extra points? Get a matching pair of pants or flirty skirt to match. It will really boost her sense of being put together. It will make her feel stylish and a much happier woman. (Mom's often "forget" they're also a woman and not just a mom.) Make sure the entire outfit is machine washable; she doesn't need to run extra errands to have it clean.
  Women always love it when a man picks out an outfit for them; it shows you spent time and thought when giving. But if you don't have the confidence you'll get the "right" thing, a gift certificate will work. However, if you go this route, you must also get the following gift to accompany it.
• Flowers are nice, but even better is a coupon for a babysitter! Free time that she can use to spend some uninterrupted girl time with her friends or to go shopping unencumbered and luxuriously try on anything she wants to!
• On a budget? Come home early, draw a nice bath with lots of bubbles and a calming CD, glass of wine and a good book. Go to her, demand that she hand over the baby/ies and tell her she's banished from all rooms but the bathroom. You will bathe, change, and feed the babies and put them to sleep for her tonight. She may initially feel awkward, but she'll love it and take the longest bath you ever thought possible.

Now, well-armed, go out and make her day! And, while I've laid it all out, pass this note to my husband so he won't be outdone by all of you!

8 Months 4 Weeks - Daddy Day Hike #2 Huckleberry Trail

So, this was another one of the "weird" months where there's a 4th week before the girls' actual birthday. Always sounds so funny - you'd think at the 4th week, they'd be 9 months, but not yet...

We had another great hike yesterday in the Oakland Hills. This time on a trail called "Huckleberry Nature Trail" on Skyline Blvd. close to Grizzly Peak in the Oakland Hills. The hike started out with a steep descent into a forest of ferns, bay trees, delicate forget-me-not flowers and many, many seasonal streams. It was dark and moist and everything was covered in moss. From the bottom, there was a steady mild rise that took us up about 700 vertical feet where the manzanitas and huckleberry, madrones and pine trees take over the vegetation. There were nice openings that hailed great views. Our favorite was at marker #6 which showed Mt. Diablo for the first time.


Huckleberry Nature Trail - Daddy Day Hike #2

I got to try out my new Asian-style Mei Tai-esk baby sling by a company called Baby Hawk. I have always been a big believer in the comfort and necessity of a Baby Bjoirn. I actually have 3 of them (one for Paul and a spare) and have used them all the time. I thought they were the absolute best. Out of curiosity, however, I tried out this Baby Hawk and got a major surprise: it's more comfortable!! Especially, I think, since my babies are bigger/heavier now compared to their births. The Baby Hawk just seems to hug them closer to my body so their weight isn't pulled forward and heavier on my shoulders. Anyhow, after trying it, I had to get it. And, I also had to get the one with the pocket on the front - definitely worth the extra $10 bucks. On our Daddy Day Hike, I stored the nature trail map, my camera and the ever important car keys in the pocket to gain easy and repetitive access to them.

Another major mile stone realized during the hike: Ava's first tooth is coming through! We were very excited!

To view the photos of the entire hike, click here.

8 Months 3 Weeks - Picnic at Mavericks

Picnic at Mavericks

The world-reknown surfing contest at Mavericks, near Half Moon Bay, CA, was on a beautiful sunny day on Tuesday, Feb. 7th and with tempuratures in the mid-70's. Ava, Bettina and I went there to check out the scene and picnic on the cliffs (which is definately something we won't be able to do once they start crawling!). The contest boasts of 25' - 50' waves (more on the 25' this year) and crowds upwards of 50,000. Click here to view the pictures of our big picnic and surfing adventure.

We have also been trying a new feeding routine. Last week at my first meeting with my DoubleTalk II (a group of new mom's with twins) class for 6-12 mos kids, it was suggested that I should give the girls their bottles before feeding them their solid foods. So, I tried it. Well, it didn't work as well as I thought. I could barely get them to choke down 2 oz per feeding - not the 6 oz they suggested, and they still ate 3-4 jars of Stage 2 baby food. However, something may have clicked; both slept through the night most nights this week, which is great!

Besides our class, the group makes an effort to meet another time between classes to do something social. This week, we walked the reservoir, which is nice. I hope during this class not only to pick up some pointers and to touch on some high interest topics like child-proofing, sleeping, and food habits, but to gain new moms to be social with. It just helps to hang out with other twin moms to fortify your determination to go out and conquer the world!

Adeza Photo Shoot Results

You have to commend Paolo, the photographer from the photo shoot we did for Adeza. Adeza really knew what they were doing when they hired him. Paolo was nice enough to forward a number of thumbnails from the shoot including the following:

I think this one (above) was the one they are going to use for the ad
Tina's "Puppy Dog" look Ava looking serious
They have really made my day and I hope to decorate their room with a couple of these precious things. Paolo is an excellent and award winning photographer I would recommend to anyone. Check out his website if you have the need.

Welcome Baby Ella!

Welcome Ella!

Well, my cousin Jonathon and his wife Emily finally get to see their bundle of joy! Ella was born Feb. 3rd near 8pm our time (they're in Norfolk, VA). From what I hear through the grapevine, everybody's great, healthy and already at home!

My uncle sent out this picture, being the proud first-time grandpa, among others. I do have to say, she is a beautiful newborn. There aren't many of those! I was so pleased to hear the name "Ella" being used. You may recall that that was my preferred name for Ava back when I wrote this blog entry, "What's in a Name?", but it was vetoed by Paul. For every thing a reason, right?

Congratulations, Emily & Jon (as well as my Aunt MaryAnn and Uncle David - first timer grandparents)! Hopefully, they will tell us more through emails or their blog (http://babykalbach.blog.com/).

8 Months 2 Weeks - Back at the Barn

Ava on Misty








Tina at the barn

We had another visit to the barn this week as the farrier came down, as he does about every 6 weeks, to change Misty's shoes. This time, however, we were escorted by my mother who was able to lend an extra hand to either take photos or hold a kid.

The girls can now sit up very well, so sitting on Misty wasn't a problem. Ava frankly had more fun grasping the lead than sitting on Misty. Bettina, however, really seemed to enjoy it. She grabbed ahold of her mane just like an old bareback pro.

Misty did a nice job being gentle with the girls and tolerating the new shoe job all the while. I just can't wait until these girls can hold on themselves and we can give little pony rides!

Speaking of which, this week also marks the time we put the cow back in the barn. No, we don't also have a pet cow, but for the last 8 and a half months, I've been acting like one (for the girls' benefit, of course!). Well, this cow decided it was time to quit. It's only frozen milkshakes for the girls - at least until those run out. The girls don't seem to have noticed. So, one of the first things, besides clothes, that goes in the garage "until the next one comes" is the definitely overworked pump and all those glorious nursing bras.

8 Month 1 Week - There Ought To Be A Law

Just a few things that, if made into law, would make my life a bit easier!!

There Ought To Be A Law:

1. All MOM's (Mothers of Multiples) should have designated parking spots reserved just for them up close to the storefront/gym entrances, just like the handicapped. I mean, isn't it a handicap to begin with to try to carry 2 carseats, a purse, and a diaper bag, especially in the rain, all the way inside?
2. All retail stores, especially if they sell items for children, should make their aisles wide enough for a stroller. I can't tell you how many times I've had to "bushwhack" my way through rounders of clothes. If the girls were any older, I'd equip them with machettes so they could thin the forest of fabric that engulfs them as we attempt to get to the kids department. (I wonder what the stores would do if I had a wheelchair instead of a stroller?)
3. There should be only a 2-minute time limit that MOM's are obligated to make small talk with strangers who stop you from getting your errands done to answer silly questions or to make small talk conversation. Clock starts with the first "Aw, are they twins?"; when the 2-minutes are up, we should be able to walk away without feeling ungrateful.
4. Since it's recommended that we buy two and a half times the clothes, bottles, etc. for twins, there ought to be a law that at tax time, we get to claim two and a half dependents.
5. All adults should be able to rely on the following law: There should be no obligation to buy a gift for both twins if you're kid/you is only friends with one of them. Same is true for god-parents, etc. Also, don't feel that you have to get them the exact same thing - they have different likes/personalities. Just because they were born as a set doesn't mean that they always have to be treated as one.

Gotta laugh at these

Even though I didn't come up with these, I have heard all the following questions myself, except for #1. If you were thinking about saying one yourself, please refrain!

15 Dumbest Twin Comments (posted by Parents of Twins Journal)--
15. "I could never do it." (Oh, really. What would you do? Would you put them on the curb with signs around their necks that say, "Free to a good home. My mom can't do it."?)
14. "Do they have different personalities?" (No. They are the same human being divided into several parts.)
13. Said by a stranger, "They're identical, right?" Mom answers, "No. They're fraternal." Stranger response, "They are NOT!" (OK. You're right. I have no idea what I'm talking about. These are not my children. I thought it would be fun to borrow them from a mom down at Baby Gap. It's been more than an hour. I guess I should return them.)
12. "Are they 'paternal' twins?" (Yes. They have a father. There was only one virgin birth.)
11. "Just wait till they're older. It only gets harder." (Thank you. I woke up this morning hoping I'd receive a word of discouragement while pushing a cart of preschoolers down the cereal aisle.
10. "When one cries, does she wake the others?" (No. Multiples cannot hear each other's cries because they all communicate with their special telepathic language only.)
9. From a perfect stranger: "Were they in the same sac?" (Hello. Nice to meet you, too. Will you be sharing your gynecological history with me as well?)
8. "Are they developmentally behind?" (Well, let's see. They're 3 years old and thus far, all their graduate school applications have been denied. We'll get back with you on that.)
7. "How do you do it?" (Haven't you seen the Nike commercials?)
6. "Are they natural?" (Nope, their arms and legs are made of silicone.)
5. "You must be SO busy." (Are you volunteering to clean my house?)
4. "Did you take drugs?" (Well, there was this one time in college...)
3. "What do you do when they all cry at the same time?" (Sometimes I cry. Sometimes I go to Starbucks.)
2. Said to a mom of boy/girl twins: "Are they identical?" (Uh. Not exactly.)
1. Only one comment could be voted No. 1. Drum roll, please. After a stranger had been informed that the toddler boys were twins, she asked a simple question: "Are they brothers?" (Enough said.)

8 Months - Photo Shoot Recap

Tahoe Snow

The photo shoot for Adeza was actually quite interesting. It took place in a cozy warehouse-like studio just down the hill from our SF house and was well heated for the babies' comfort (most of whom were only clad in diapers). We got to see another mom and 5-month baby girl finish up their shoot before our girls went to work. There were about 10 people there, all with very specialized jobs: the stylist, art director, casting director, photographer, his assistant, etc.. And, even though our kids are nowhere near school aged, a state-approved teacher was there on the set to ensure that the girls weren't being over-worked or otherwise exposed to too much stimulus for their age. The stylist decided that plain cotton diapers and no t-shirts was the look they were going for. Bettina went first and then Ava, then the two together. Everyone made funny faces and sang to entertain the girls and get them to smile. They never did smile, but they were captivated by the camera and did a good job sitting up straight and gazing at Paolo, the photographer. When all was said and done, they showed us the photo they decided to use - one with the both of them. They got lots of compliments, again, and, again, I'm unsure if they mean it or if it's just part of the lip service/polite culture of the industry.

Regardless, it was fun and interesting and we left on time just after 10:30: 1.5 hours of work. The timing was great as the twins settled into their naps as we started our road trip up to Tahoe to visit my sister, her husband and our friends Scott & Nicole visiting from North Carolina. The weekend went by quickly and we enjoyed exposing the kids to their first snow, first snow suits, first gondola ride, etc., and took lots of photos, which you can see by clicking here. Monday morning, the phone rang and the caller ID told me it was the casting agent calling again. From the beginning of the conversation, it sounded as if the girls were to get another gig quite soon. She's asking when we're returning to San Francisco. When I tell her tomorrow, she's very excited and asks if we'd be able to come to another casting call for a different client. However, the call is not for the girls...it's for PAUL! They enjoyed meeting him over the weekend and think he'd be great for a shoot for Chase Bank. Well, Paul doesn't enjoy the limelight and refuses to go. He'll make extra money doing other things, he says, not photo shoots, though!

Well, too bad. We could have had quite the superstar family! As it is, only the twins will be making money off of any photographs.

8 Months - Stats and Habits

"Helga"

"Little Bird'

Well, it's hard to believe that these girls are already 8 months old. Many of the moms with which we have been spending "mommy group" and/or "play group" time are starting to plan their kid's first birthday party. Wow! I'm not ready yet - still have plenty of time, but it sure makes me realize that it's just around the corner.

In the meantime, we'll focus on what the girls are doing by the beginning of their 8th month. They both have reached the following benchmarks which are indicative of things kids can do at the end of the 7th and beginning of the 8th month:

• Razz (or motorboat sound) when being silly and coo, babble and laugh when happy
• Smile often when interacting with people
• Sit up without support and can even stand up without assistance (but certainly with a spotter)
• They object if you try to take away a toy (or the bottle) and look for it if they drop it
• Work to get an object that's out of their reach and can pick it up
• Play peek-a-boo (and they love it!)
• Pass toys from one hand to the next
• Tina can say "mama" indiscriminately and feed herself a cracker. She's also very interested in feeding herself and usually makes a mess of eating time by sneak-attacking the spoon or food dish. Mom has to become more alert!
• They are eating 3-meals a day now and continue to add new foods every 4-days or so, although neither have signs of teeth (other than unexplained fussiness!).

Tina has really started developing separation anxiety and demands my attention or piercing shrieking will ensue. She's also jealous of any attention her sister gets. If I choose to feed Ava first, Bettina will literally throw a shrieking hissy-fit. This surprised Dad as he witnessed it during our drive up to Tahoe.

New Nicknames:
Bettina is now known as "Helga" for her sheer stoutness, size and clumsy determination. We are terrified of her "Terrible Twos" a year and half in advance.

Ava has taken the mannerisms and name of "Little Bird," showing nearly all the opposite attributes as her twin sister plus a funny habit of flapping her arms around nearly all the time.

Stats:
Tina is 18 lbs now - almost a full pound more than last week!
Ava is 17.4 lbs
It's getting hard to carry them in their infant carseats now, they're so big!

Casting Call - They Got the Job!

Well, turns out that Ava and Bettina will be spending their 8th month anniversary posing for the camera, trying to help a company called Adeza promote more of their pre-term labor screening tests called a Fetal fibronectin test.

The funny thing is that I myself needed this test during my pregnancy with the twins. I wrote about it during my 30th week of pregnancy in this blog-journal here in the entries at the bottom called, "7 Weeks Left - Or So We Hope" and "And, the Verdict Is... Bed-rest."

Should be an interesting process. Both Paul and I will go together to the shoot, which should last only a couple of hours (they're guessing 2). What an interesting start to the kids' college funds. Afterwards, we will pack up the kids and head up toward Tahoe where we are supposed to meet Scott and Nicole at my sister's house. We will be there until Tuesday and hope to enjoy the snow and the time away. Since Nicole is pregnant, we will likely stick to less-potentially impacting sports such as cross-country, snow shoeing or just plain hiking in the snow.

7 Months 4 Weeks - Daddy Day Hike - Redwood Creek Loop

Paul's "big" present from the twins last Christmas was a book entitled, "Best Hikes with Children - San Francisco Bay Area" as well as a Kelty Wanderer backpack that matches the one gifted to us by my Aunt Peggy and Uncle Jack way back at our babies' shower. This gift was sort of also meant to reclaim Daddy away from all the work he does with the house, etc. so he could spend more time with the kidlets and his very lovely wife (me).

Before Christmas, the girls and I went through the calendar as well as the book and carefully selected one suggested hike per month, bookmarked it with a sticky and wrote the date on which we would hike with Daddy. The first hike was supposed to be January 2nd, but since there was a giant rain storm that weekend, we changed the date to today. The hike in store, according to the pink sticky with the January date, was Redwood Creek Headwaters Loop trail, a 3-hour nearly 3-mile hike off of Skyline Road in the Oakland Hills.

It is listed in the book as "moderate hike for children." Well, perhaps this is because they are tucked safely in their parents' Kelty backpacks... We found it very steep and caught ourselves huffing and puffing frequently. However, the exercise is very well rewarded. The entire trail is full of ferns and redwoods. Creeks and streams bubble by from all directions and the trail, for the most part, was fairly dry with good footing, even considering the recent relentless rains (which fell even as late as yesterday). It was fairly cool - so much so, in fact, that toward the beginning of our hike, before the Girls' Camp picnic area, there was thick frost on the ground - and it was nearly noon! With the forest as dense as it was, we were in the well-covered shade +90% of the time. I was glad we bundled up the kids very well with hats, etc., however I'd almost wished that I'd put them in their cozy snowsuits just in case.


Picnic at Girls' Camp

When we got to the Girls' Camp (about 20 minutes into the hike), we stopped at a couple of stumps around a fire ring and fed the babies their squash and peaches in an impromptu picnic. Daddy marveled at how well Tina is opening her mouth and how often! She would have eaten the 2 jars by herself if she didn't have to share with her sister! She is interested in using the spoon herself and Mommy has even started her with finger-food because her interest seems so high. Ava used to be the more determined eater; now she has a legitimate rival.

We continued down the trail until we hit the floor of the loop where a nice bench by the creekside waterfall invited people to take a break. We found some people there doing just that and had them take our picture. Signs point out that natural rainbow trout live and spawn in the creeks and that they are common to see. They also (strangely) remind us that they are dangerous for pet dogs to eat raw. (Where did that come from??) We are also told by our friendly photo-taker friends that thousands of ladybugs congregate in the trees in late winter. Quite a site, they say and also the reason for their visit. From there we started a significant and long ascent taking us over 700 vertical feet through more redwoods and eucalyptus forests. Tina decided that she didn't want to be in the backpack any longer and started to wail terribly. She didn't stop until Mommy took her out and carried her in the front with Ava sitting quietly behind in the backpack. After a few dips and hills, we gained more altitude, found drier oak and pine forests, and finally the ridge trail, which completed our loop back to the parking area. We tried another time to get Tina to stay in the backpack, but she'd have none of it. The hike really did take us about 3 hours, but that did include a kidlet picnic. It was beautiful and very uncrowded. We like this particular hike immensely and look forward to next month's, which is in the same relative area, slated for February 11th to Huckleberry Path.

Casting Call - Update

They called us back! We're in the top running!! The clients need another day to decide, but we've been asked to keep next Tuesday free for the photo shoot.

The casting director was cute, though. She complimented the kids and told me to make sure to keep our entertainment permits updated (which you have to do every 6 months). "I think we're going to find some work for your girls - they're really cute!" Well, I think they're cute, but to hear it from someone who sees a lot of kids, it makes you blush with pride....even if she may only be saying it as part of her business diplomacy.

7 Months 3 Weeks - Casting Call!

The girls have had their own set of dramatics - we took a "movie" this week with Tina's stealing the spotlight and the Podee right out of Ava's mouth. So, why not take it to the next level?

We received an invitation to participate in a twins casting call for some infant and pregnancy products. The casting manager (who advertises often in the twins club) is looking for twins that appear of Italian decent - something like a mix of Caucasian and Mediterranean. I thought we fit that bill, seeing the girls are half Italian and half mix of much of Europe. Assisted by our very wonderful nanny, Rocio, we ventured into the City to the photography studio where they photograph all candidates for review. Tina and Ava did great and even sat up on their own unassisted for a number of shots and smiled on cue. We won't hear if they're interested in using us until later on in the week, but the process was interesting and fun.

We were also told that we'd need to get the girls "entertainment permits" so they would be eligible to work within California. The permit is good for 6 months and the casting manager said that, even if we're not called on for this shoot, they may call us back for something different for which we are right. I have to go downtown to government offices tomorrow with either their birth certificates or their baptism certificates and their applications to get the permits.

7 Months 2 Weeks - Two Wardrobes

Well, it's official. Tina can no longer fit in the 3-6 month clothes and needs to go up to the 6-9 month size. Ava, however, is not ready for this transition, so this means we need to have 2 different wardrobes in the drawers: one for Ava and one for Tina. Ava's clothes are the 4 drawers on the left and Tina's are the 4 drawers on the right.

With this new development, I've found I really look forward to dressing Tina as she's the one with the new clothes that we haven't used yet. The newer clothes are more interesting than the also cute clothes that Ava wears, but are too familiar with the last 3 months of dressing. Who would have guessed that the older sister would get the hand-me-down clothes!!

Tina is now nearly 17 lbs and Ava is still a pound behind at nearly 16 lbs. Both are sitting up on their own, albeit still rather shakily. Can't keep them unattended that way, but they can now sit in grocery cart seats and restaurant high chairs - one reason I decided it was time to shop eBay for a grocery seat cover that would fit both places. Now, I can go grocery shopping without the stroller - provided I have either the Bjiorn or the backpack - which means I can purchase more items and am not limited to just the amount of stuff that will safely balance on the top of the stroller sunshade. Of course, if I don't feel like going out to juggle two kids (who, by the way are starting to grab anything within their reach), there's always Safeway.com.

As far as the house, Paul's working with a friend on it this weekend. We went shopping for recessed lighting at HomeDepot and Paul hopes to install them with his friend's help this weekend. I'm researching housecleaners so we can attempt to eradicate the more or less 10 months of dust from the living areas. After this, I hope to start setting up the cribs and the toys so we can live there more often.

Food Schedules

It's been about a month since we've started solid foods and about every 4 days, we add a new food to the potential menu. They are to have between 2-3 servings of food a day. I serve 2 servings in the morning, usually, a familiar food served mixed in with their rice cereal, the 2nd serving. The "new" food, serving #3, is for their lunch, served at about noon. To date, their familiar foods are:

• rice cereal
• bananas
• pears
• sweet potatoes/yams
• yogurt
• peaches
• apple sauce
• green beans, and now,
• white potatoes

We tried carrots and zucchini, but Ava didn't like the carrots and Tina hated the zucchini, so we stopped those and will try again next month. The rest of the month, we're scheduled to try:

• prunes
• squash
• peas
• egg yolk, and
• avocado

Then, we'll go back and try the "rejects" (like carrots and zucchini) again.

Tina opens her mouth wide now and even lounges for the spoon for the foods she likes. Her favorites are white potatoes and bananas. When she's finished, though, or when she doesn't like something, you couldn't get a wedge between her lips, much less a spoon, if you tried. She clamps down pretty good. Ava's pretty good about everything, which goes along with her generally accommodating and happy personality. She's a little bird for pretty much everything.

7 Months 1 Week - 2006, Here We Come!

Happy New Year!

So, the girls did pretty good New Years Eve, especially taking into account the chaos of the day. For one thing, the biggest storm of the year (2005) hit just before followed by a couple other smaller storms. Northern California was a mess! My sister, who works in Reno, couldn't get home to Tahoe as I-80 was closed down for 2 days due to rock and mud slides.

As I stood changing Tina's diaper, I heard a large crash from outside. Turns out the entire fence to the street behind us fell down with a giant wind gust. This unnerves my mother as now everyone passing by on their way to BART can not only look in, but stroll in, if they desired. What a mess! We got a call from my sister-in-law advising that the NYE party planned at her house was still on despite the fact that the storm had taken their power.

We got there just after 7 (1.5 hours after the girls' bedtime) and arrived at the still-darkened house lit up by an inviting fire and a dozen or so candles. The champagne wasn't so cold and all in the freezer was beginning to thaw (what a shame they visited Costco just a day before!!) We set up the Pack N' Play in the dark upstairs but enjoyed the cozy fire and I silently relished the fact that football and other distractions couldn't intrude on this "family time." The kidlets slept undisturbed upstairs for the most part.

PG&E called every 2 hours or so with postponed estimates on when the power would be restored. At one time, we were hopeful as not just one, but five different PG&E trucks loitered outside the house trying to fix the problem. After about 2 hours, they went home - or elsewhere. We joked we wouldn't know when midnight came because we had no clocks, but of course, everyone with a cell phone helped us solve that problem. The power finally came on just as we were leaving --- at 12:45 am!

New Years Resolutions?? Well, January 1st, Lullaby Lane is having a clearance sale. Time to start setting up our house as though we're going to live there. On the list: crib mattresses and car seats - the next size. And, although I'd planned on getting the smaller Britax Roundabout seats, the Marathons were on sale for the same price (about a $80 savings each!) and Paul thought the larger weight limit (40 lbs vs. 65 lbs) would be better for us. He also reassured me that my concern about having 2 Marathons not fitting in my backseat would be short-lived as he hoped to replace my '93 truck with nearly 200,000 miles with something more updated (I've never had a new car, so this would be nice).

The cribs, which we ordered back in September, should arrive and be ready for pick-up on Jan. 4th. Then, we'll have cribs, mattresses, handmade bumpers & quilts. If the babies can sleep well, perhaps I can, too! They are almost too big to share the Pack N' Play. Paul's almost ready to start painting the back of the house (we decided on Butter Yellow for the back 2 rooms). I resolve to do everything in my power to get this darned house ready for a family - and ready for me to entertain kidlets all day long. Let's hope it's a good year. May 2006 prove to be more settling that the year before it.