In order to combat crying and fussiness, I take Nico and Olive on a walk every day in the stroller. We go down College Ave. (commercial street nearby and our neighborhood’s little “downtown”), often stopping at the bakery, bookstore, or coffee shop. We sometimes cause a commotion, with people stopping our double stroller (it’s like a baby bus) to marvel at the babies and the fact that I’m out and about with them alone. I’m not sure if it’s common for mothers to remain cooped up at home with a baby. I was told that as soon as possible, I should become comfortable being alone with the twins in public. I admit it’s a little scary, the possibility of simultaneous meltdowns and screaming while I get frazzled and strangers look on in pity or judgment. It’s only happened like once! Bring it on again girls. I fear not!

Although they hate getting put in their car seats, and scream for a bit, they usually sleep in the carriage once it gets moving:

Nico has the longest eye lashes!

The girls are slowly getting better at sleeping through the night and we instituted a bed- and night time routine. I nurse, then we swaddle them and read a book together while lying on the floor, Owen and I on either side of them (they actually seem to sort of pay attention). Then we turn out the lights, sing softly for a bit, and put them in their crib at 9pm. They often go right to sleep, although the other night Olive fussed for 2 hours before going down. Nico will sleep until 1-4am, and Olive 2:30-5am. So things are looking up, and I’m glad we were able to quickly break the cycle of having to soothe them to sleep while holding them or having them in our bed all night, which so many others seem to do.

Invariably they wake up for the second feeding at 6 or 7am, and then we change their diapers and bring them into our bed (initially in the hopes that they would go back down and I could sleep longer, but they don’t usually). It’s morning family bedtime, a very fun time for all:

We finally got a new vehicle! After many months thinking about it and researching the possibilities; talking to other families with twins… we got a Honda Odyssey minivan. We really never thought we’d do it, and just last summer when I found out I was pregnant, I said I wouldn’t buy a minivan. Well that changed! It was really annoying to have a lot of guests recently and not be able to go anywhere together. Also, the new minivans are actually quite comfortable and nice. My only regret is that we spent a lot of money on a new car, but didn’t get the model with the automatic sliding doors (those doors are heavy!), which would have been a few thousand more. Oh well, you can’t exchange a new car evidently. Once you drive off the lot, it’s yours.

We’ve had a heat wave all weak… high 80s during the day and 70s at night. I think the weather may be affecting Nico and Olive’s sleep; very fussy, waking up often. Their bedroom was 85 degrees last night! It’s about to end, but it’s been a pleasure to sit outside in the warm evening and not have to dress them so warmly.

These images show them each smiling, which happens daily now; I just couldn’t get them to do it at the same time.

Mark and Patrick just returned from Japan and brought back this Totoro sleeping bag. They like it because it’s so soft. Adorable!

Check out Olive’s HUGE smile:

The weather is getting warmer and we got some patio furniture. The garden is blooming like crazy; the beautiful and fragrant wisteria is in full bloom. I’ve never seen so many flowers as I have around our neighborhood. It’s wild and much different from the San Francisco mission, where we lived for years.

Perhaps only a mother could explain the feeling when you look at your baby’s face and think that you have never seen anything so beautiful; you just want to eat them up! They sometimes touch me on sublime level. Perhaps these guys are odd looking; I would never know, or care!

Happy Easter, Spring, Passover, Vernal Equinox, May Day, Eostre!

We had an eventful weekend. We went “hiking” with Jen, Deneb, and Seren at Point Bonita lighthouse, which overlooks the Golden Gate, and in Muir Woods, which contains the nearest old-growth Redwood forest. On Easter, Carol, who lives below us, had a BBQ and invited some neighbors, including the twin family next door. It was good to meet more people around us, including a couple who lives in a commune/compound across the street that was started over 30 years ago, and a woman in her 80s, Denise, a French-Canadian who was also a twin (unfortunately, her twin died 15 years ago). I will try to get a photo of her soon. She lives a few doors down and is a treat. She has boundless energy and drives a late 60s bright red muscle car of which she is the original owner.

Nico and Olive are definitely our little gifts this year:

(if you click on the photo above and go to flickr and can’t see a photo, it is because I marked it so only friends/family in my Flickr network can view it. Send me your yahoo ID, and I will add you to my friends, then keep yourself signed into flickr and you will be able to view all my photos. Eventually, all photos of Nico and Olive will be marked private so only friends and family can view them).

There’s nothing cuter than when they sit up alert and stare at me when I talk to them. Nico looks at me intently and seriously, Olive nonchalantly.

Owen snapped this great shot.

I said I wasn’t going to dress them alike, but there you have it… we have so many two outfits and it is truly delightful (am I really using that word?) when they wear the same thing. I’ll do it occasionally (so don’t stop giving us matching outfits! . As long as they don’t grow into eccentric spinsters who dress alike into old age, like those famous twins in San Francisco. Then again, maybe that’s not so bad.

While visiting my neighbor Lisa, I put Olive in her deluxe swing, and Olive immediately stopped fussing and was quiet for almost 2 hours. So I got one of my own from another mom in my twins group. It is really a great place to plop a baby down when you need a break, but I also feel that guilt caused by a baby quietly staring into space: shouldn’t I be talking and singing to her, developing her brain, engaging with her while she’s alert, etc… Another mom told me that the cradle motion develops their brain and perhaps that is the only justification/rationalization that I need. I’m wondering if I shouldn’t get another one for both to use simultaneously. Olive is definitely the bigger fan.