On my own and yummy solids.

Back to work for real today. No Norah, no staying home. It's all me after nearly a week of being away. Our day has been great! Both tomatoes are sleeping well, relaxed and happy. We've taken nearly six hundred pictures, had tummy time, social time, floor time, made formula, bottles, prepared peas for tomorrow, napped, talked, sung - we are on it! If they'd clear the sidewalks we could have a nice walk, but since they haven't and it was a little slippery when I came in this morning, I don't see that happening today. It is supposed to get warmer as the week progresses, maybe we can count on clear sidewalks at least one day this week.

It is truly amazing how strong and opinionated Jackson and Tabitha are getting. They are enjoying tummy-time play more than being on their backs. Both are getting frustrated that they are just stuck on their backs. Each can raise their hips to the side and roll from back to front with help, but without help - they are Stuck! Jackson is super smiles today, all light and friendliness. Tabitha is Mrs Chatty-Pants. So unbelievably cute and loud!

Tomorrow we're having peas for the first time, hooray for new food! Our list is getting big! I'm looking forward to having well-rounded meals with all the food groups. We can't start proteins yet, but definitely by Spring. I'm really looking forward to giving them yogurt and cottage cheese - YUM!!

Little Fingers

Jackson and Tabitha are doing great with their cereal! They really seem to enjoy it. This morning they were looking forward to it. I put them in their chairs and they both started smiling. Jackson began to smack his tongue and lips together. They both became a little giddy. It was adorable!

Roger and Sara were out last night, hence they were pretty exhausted and left late to work this morning. Roger loved watching someone else feed his babies. He didn't have to do anything, just enjoy them. I think he was as giddy as they were! And wonderfully enough not at all distracting. It was completely positive for ALL of us. He smartly took the opportunity to video them. They have really improved since my first feeding with them which came three days after Roger and Sara's first feeding, the babies first ever feeding. It is amazing how much they change in a few days. Tomorrow or Saturday they will start on another food, we're planning to do carrots. I LOVE carrots!!!

After solids we go upstairs, to their room, and drink bottles. Tabitha has started getting hers propped while I feed Jackson so neither of them has to wait. This isn't because waiting is bad but more that they have started eating and are hungry. It would be very frustrating for either of them to then just sit for twenty minutes while the other ate. She seems to be enjoying it and we're only doing it one time each day, after their cereal. She's also moving up to number three nipples. She's ready but Jackson doesn't seem to be interested. He gulps a bit then gets frustrated and then starts choking alternately with being annoyed. Whether it is on purpose or not he prefers the number twos and there's no need to rush him along.

When they are both finished I take my time and clean the last traces of cereal off their hands and faces. If you've ever fed a baby rice cereal you know how sticky, pasty and glue-like it can be. Then it dries all crusty and flakey. Somehow it gets EVERYWHERE even if you can only see it around their mouths, chin and cheeks. As diligent as you need to be to get it all off of their necks and faces, I love cleaning it off those little hands. Those little tiny fingers that have only been for fingerplays til now, suddenly are part of their meals. I find it exciting and special and nice. They lie on the changing table full-tummied and relaxed, looking happily up at me in their little food-coma way, while I gently clean their palms then in-between each finger. It is new and different but they just look up at me knowing I'll soon put them to bed, relaxed, full and clean.

What a great feeling.