Mostly March (a.k.a. the Fourth Month)

The big thing that improves our lives is that by the end of March the twins are often sleeping through most of the night. At first it's 5-6 hours between feedings, then 7 or more hours in between. (Once James sleeps 11 hours-- we get excited when they hibernate between feedings!) Usually they sleep between 7 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. Now (fast forward to the beginning of June) for the last month and a half they go to bed around 7:30 p.m. and wake at 6:30 a.m.

My mom (Grandma) continues to stay with us through March - and Grandpa visits a few times as well - until Mark's mom (Bubby) arrives at the end of the month. I have two days on my own between the time that Bubby leaves and Grandma returns. The first day (4/5) leaves me in tears by the end when James reawakens from his nap bawling and resists falling asleep eight separate times. The next day Mark's boss' wife, Leslie, comes over for the first time to play with the twins. She wants to run her own day care one day and loves to play with little ones. Having her here means I'm also free to do things like eat a meal (a luxury!) and pump. It's a much better day.

James is ready for his tryout with the San Francisco Giants

Nobody rocks a duckie bib like Julia rocks a duckie bib.


James is so surprised his hat flew off!

James becomes an expert at the vibrating activity rainforest chair and the whole time he's in it, he hits the hanging animals triggering music and the waterfall light. He actually waits until right when the music stops to hit the animals again to trigger the show. With all the noise it sounds like a casino (something my card counting parents know well...). In mid-March I start putting the babies on their backs on my propped up legs to play with them, and that's a big hit.

I love the babies' pre-talking sounds. James talks low and soft like he's cooing. Julia gets a big smile and shrieks. The babies now love bath time.


James, the Michelin Man


James gets a toupee to hide his baldness


Julia's excited to be held by Bubby

In diapering news...
When James pees on the changing table, we worry that our laughter might be encouraging him so the next time Grandma tries to solemnly say, "We don't do that, James." Julia has a diaper so bad that I realize it's leaking when I see a brown stain on the back of her clothes. The poop is all over her back and legs. To change her takes two of us, four soiled piddle pads, one new outfit, and a bath.

After diapering, Grandpa always takes James to see the dinosaur poster at the end of the hall. ("Let's see if we can find Grandma," says Grandpa, much to Grandma's dismay.) James anticipates where he's going and starts turning his head when he reaches the end of the hall.

Julia and James laugh at Mark's Bill Cosby impression. (Mark's impression consists of him saying, "Theo! Rud-eee! Eat your Jelly pudding POPS!") Then again, they laugh when I do it, too. Once when I happen to be holding a pacifier near Julia's face, she hits my hand until I put it in her mouth.


Mark amuses Julia with his Bill Cosby impression


James' GQ pose. (For some reason this reminds me of Burt Reynolds' 1972 Cosmo centerfold pose on the bearskin rug.)

On St. Patrick's Day the babies wear their matching outfits and Mark goes on an overnight ski trip with Google. This happens to coincide with the babies' first colds which equals no sleep for Grandma and me. Julia enjoys slugging us for a week in mid-March. When I stick my tongue out at Julia on 3/22 she tries to stick hers out, too. On 3/26 Grandpa brings Julia her first bouquet of flowers.


Grandpa brings Julia her first bouquet of flowers


"This doesn't feel like Daddy's beard..."

On 3/28 James closes his eyes while eating and smiles. He seems to smile bigger when I say the word "smile," so I test him by saying different things to him with the same inflection. "James do you like milk?" (No response.) "James do you like to kick?" (No response.) "James do you like to smile?" (James smiles.) The following day I can't get him to repeat this so I'm not sure if he knows the word "smile" or not.

Julia starts laughing and squealing the last weeks of March. She'll wake up in the morning and entertain herself in her crib with her squeals.

On the first of April, not only do the babies visit Google for the first time, James pushes his chest up during tummy time like he's doing a push up. Julia does the same on 4/4. On 4/6 Julia says "okay" plain as day. It's so startling to me I think there must be another person in the room! Julia also often says what sounds like "hi."

Matching outfits break!


Wonder which one is going to mess up a lot of school portraits in a few years?


Julia and James: 3 month old gangbangers


Mommy and her babies

In the last week and a half of March, James discovers his fist and it's always in his mouth after that. Both hands in his mouth make it look like he's playing an invisible saxophone. He starts putting everything in his mouth and drooling, which makes us wonder if teething is imminent. Julia follows suit a few weeks later, spawning the nickname "Droolia."

My knee is suddenly in a lot of pain the day of the twins' 4 month check-up so I limp as I take them around Kaiser. I suspect it's caused from the way I hold the babies while feeding them. (Is there workers comp for having twins?) Thankfully my meniscus slips back into place a few days later. Their check-up also brings more booster shots. The babies are really good about it - all things considered. In fact I think James cried for less than a minute which pleases Grandpa (I think because James "took it like a man").




Weights and Lengths:

12/07/09 (birth)
James - weight: 5 lbs., 9 oz.; length: 17.8" <5th percentile; weight for length: ~75th percentile
Julia - weight: 4 lbs., 9 oz.; length: 18.1" <5th percentile; weight for length: ~10th percentile

1/07/10 (1 month)
James - weight: 7 lbs., 2.9 oz.; length: ~21"
Julia - weight: 6 lbs., 4.4 oz.; length: ~18 1/2"

2/08/10 (2 months)
James - weight: 9 lbs., 0.0 oz <5th percentile; length: 21 1/4" <5th percentile; head: 14 3/4" ~8th percentile; weight for length: ~25th percentile
Julia - weight: 7 lbs., 11.5 oz. <5th percentile; length: 20 1/2" <5th percentile; head: 14 1/4" <5th percentile; weight for length: ~17th percentile

3/06/10 (3 months)
James - weight: 11 lbs., 2.6 oz.
Julia - weight: 9 lbs., 8 oz.

4/08/10 (4 months)
James - weight: 13 lbs., 14.5 oz. ~30th percentile; length: 24" ~18th percentile; head: 16 1/2" ~44th percentile; weight for length: ~60th percentile
Julia - weight: 12 lbs., 4 oz. ~21st percentile; length: 23" ~10th percentile; head: 16" ~42nd percentile; weight for length: ~58th percentile

Look how much they've grown since their two month check-up! Especially their heads!