The girls are 6 weeks old!

Unbelievable, isn't it? Let's compare, shall we...

June 20, 2008

































July 17, 2008



















And while it sometimes makes me incredibly sad that they're growing so fast, there are certainly some trade offs. For example, look how much more interactive they are already!

































































Also, we got to go to church yesterday, for the first Sunday since mid-April (pre-bedrest)!



















The girls were well-behaved in the service, but of course had to pick the most inappropriate times to squeak and grunt while trying to poop. Both of them. Nice.... :)

After church they demonstrated more how much they are starting to play.

































































As for everything else....

They are doing better on their every 4 hour feeding schedule, but sometimes give us a run for our money still when they disagree with the plan. :) We're getting there, I suppose.

Before the last couple of days (more on that later), they were sleeping 4.5-5 hours for two consecutive segments, almost every night. Heavenly! They still get incredibly fussy (read: inconsolable, usually screaming) for several hours in the evening, which we're hoping they grow out of quickly! They try very hard to self-pacify, but their little hands just don't cut it when the need to suck arises. Unfortunately, they also can't keep their pacifiers in when said need arises, so the tedious job of replacing them several hundred times an hour of course falls on Kyle and I. Don't be jealous.

On occasion though, they will fuss and fidget until they calm themselves down. This is wonderful, because a) it didn't require our help, and b) it often results in very cute photo ops :)




























On the mommy front, the abdominal muscles continue to give me problems (galore), but I'm regaining strength otherwise, which is very nice. I have had a heck of a time with 4 spots that keep opening up on my incision, but we finally found the culprit of the worst one. The knot at the farthest end won't dissolve still (I'm guessing because it's bulkier), and so my body is totally rejecting it and trying to shove it out.

The solution? Take it out

My OB suggested it, and said I could come in or just have Kyle do it at home. It really wasn't as big a deal as it sounds, but it was a funny picture to say the least, to watch Kyle sterilize surgical equipment and have a go at my incision in our bedroom. We couldn't get the whole knot out because the sutures kept breaking (which means they're breaking down at least!), so hopefully the rest will come out soon or dissolve on it's own. This would help the healing process tremendously! So any bets? When Elise and Avery turn 6 months, do you think I will no longer feel the effects of this pregnancy?! :)

That's about it for us. The three of us girls have been staying INCREDIBLY busy with errands, shopping trips, household chores, etc when we aren't playing or fussing/consoling. Kyle has been working longer days, which stinks but is I suppose a nice way to ease us into his next rotation, that begins later this week. For the next 8 weeks or so, I'll be on my own every fourth day AND night, and we'll miss him for about 14 hours a day the rest of the days. Boo! We are still so appreciative of his program for giving him such easy months in June and July. Also, we look forward to more good months beginning in October. Thank goodness for being another year farther along, and having more elective months! ;)

So please, if you think of it, say a little prayer that when he's gone for days I might see a lot of this:































or this:

















and not so much of this:














Take care!