Seven Months Old

Sue here back from the blogging grave for a moment.  Today is August 1^st.  Seven months ago today was Graham and I’s second anniversary.  We were celebrating with some takeout from Olive Garden, eaten in front of the TV watching a movie I can’t remember now.  I had essentially been in labor of one form or another for the past three weeks at that point, so nothing was super comfortable, but it was a good day.  A sweet day.  It felt almost stolen, in a way, after several weeks of hospital stays and bed rest to be doing something so normal and “us.”  From that place, sitting on the couch, eating my fettucine alfredo (yum), it was hard to imagine life any other way than that, just the two of us, loving life.

The next day at the same time, I was in a hospital triage room with nurses and doctors swirling in and out explaining the upcoming surgery, preparing Graham and I for what was to come, telling us we were finally about to meet our babies.

The very first picture

January 2, 2012.  I was just 33 weeks along, but it was far enough.  Evelyn Ann was born at 9:41 PM a whopping 3 pounds and 15 ounces.  Abigail Elisabeth followed (or was brought out ratherJ) a minute later weighing in at 4 pounds and 11.5 ounces.  My little babies.  They took them away right away, I didn’t get to hold them or kiss them.  I met them the next morning.  I couldn’t believe they were mine.  They were so little and small and delicate.  I couldn’t believe they would let me hold them, but they did.  IVs and lines and all.  I was, after all, their mother.  And they were my girls.

Tomorrow my little babies will turn seven months old.  SEVEN.  MONTHS.  OLD.  I would say where has the time gone, except that I can tell you exactly where it has gone:  diapers, nursing, crying (them), playing, not sleeping, more diapers, playing, crying (me), laughing, cuddling and walks and long nights and long days and baths and changing clothes and wiping off spit up and other stuff, and the list can go on.  We’re tired.   It has been the hardest, most challenging, most humbling, most exhausting, and most enthralling, most entertaining, most wonderful thing we’ve ever done.  From where I sit now, it seems almost like a blur, a blink of the eye.

Evelyn is now 14 pounds and is our little Zen baby.  She was infamous early on for these wise, sage-like looks.  She didn’t smile often, and when she did it was hard won.  She looked at us like she was taller than us.  Like she knew a lot more, and was slightly disappointed in our performance as parents.  But then, slowly but surely, she started smiling.  And it’s the sweetest little twinkly smile.  She giggles when you kiss her neck.  She has blue eyes that are starting to look a bit hazel in the right light, little string bean legs that we’re convinced are dancer legs.  We think she’ll be a ballerina- she has the pretty dark hair and delicate features- she’s so pretty.  She talks and blows bubbles and looks at you like you ought to understand and will jabber back when you talk to her.  She sucks her thumb when she’s bored, but wants her paci when she’s tired.  She is so precious and shy and just steals your heart.  And she always crosses her legs at the ankle like the true Southern lady she is.

Evelyn at 6 months (CBM Photo)

LIKES: Her daddy.  Her pacifier (she holds it like a cigarette and takes long drags on it before popping it out and holding it in her hand for a while).  Her teething toy from Amy LaBarr and Nicole Shields (thanks girls!).  Kicking her legs like a crazy person.  Rolling over.  Rolling back.  Being outside, anytime, anyplace.  Avocado.  Her playmat.  Diaper changes.  “Kissing” momma’s nose, and holding momma’s hair.  Stealing toys from her sister.  Rolling on to her sister.  Anything Abby related.  (We also think she probably likes masterminding shennagians involving herself and her sister, and perhaps planning world domination, but she just can’t act on those yet)

DISLIKES: Baby rice cereal.  Being in her carseat for extended periods of time. Going to sleep.  Being swaddled.  Being told what to do in general (I’m a peacock, Captain…you gotta let me fly!).  Dairy (sad for momma).  Tummy time.  Socks.  Shoes.

Abby is 15 pounds and our Wonder Baby.  We’re pretty convinced that every day is pretty much the best day ever for her.  She’s our little extrovert.  She has the bluest eyes, the softest most beautiful skin and these big clear cheeks that just kill you.  We like to say she smiles with her whole body- her little shoulders scrunch up and her cheeks and chin jut out and she just grins.  She has one tooth!  Her hair is light brown and thicker right on top- it curls into an awesome fauxhawk when she’s fresh from her bath.  Her face is so open and precious I just want to eat her!  She laughs this hiccupy little laugh when you do pretty much anything.  She is passionate- whether she’s happy or sad you’ll know it.  She sucks her fingers, but loves her paci.  Her legs are chubby and she just melts into you when you hold her.  She falls asleep with both arms behind her head like she’s on a beach somewhere relaxing- and has ever since her NICU days under the blue bili lightsJ  She sighs sometimes as if to say it’s all so wonderful she hardly knows how to contain it.

The Wonder Baby at 6 months (CBM Photo)

LIKES: Everything.  Her daddy.  Her pink blanket (she sleeps with it over her face now, which freaks me out but she’s deteremined).  Her “book” (teething book).  Anything I have in my hand.  Food.  More food.  Pretty clothes and headbands (she grins every time I dress her up).  Anything her sister does.  Cuddling.  Rolling over and around.  Kicking.  Talking.  Music and dancing.  Diaper changes and laying on the changing table looking at the map.  Smiling, smiling’s her favorite.

DISLIKES: The nasal aspirator.  Anything that touches her nose.  Having a cold.  The sun (solar sneezer!).  Being left alone.  Having to wait to eatJ

We are so blessed.   Tonight was spent quite differently than that night seven months ago.  We fed the girls pureed avocado (they loved it) for the second time, spent equal amounts of time cleaning up what they spit out, and attempted to eat dinner ourselves.  We cleaned the girls up, changed them, put on their pajamas, I nursed, then put them down to sleep.  I are now slumped on the couch in our living room hoping to be in bed by 9pm.  And it’s awesome.  And crazy.  96% of the time, I wouldn’t have it any other way.  The other 4% of the time, I’m just overly tired and don’t know what I want.

Maybe one day I’ll backlog the last few months, but let’s be honest, that’s probably not going to happen.  We quite literally have our hands full most of the day (and night too- praying they sleep better soon!)- but I’d like to.  Until then, thank you for loving our girls!  We are so taken with them, it is icing on the cake to have friends and family who are delighted with them too.

The Fam (CBM Photo)