Catching Up with Mary and Sophie

It’s been a while since the last post and we’ve been pretty busy, so here’s to catch up on things, and like my filing system I’ll go most recent first. (Sorry I got a new computer installed at work today and have been a little obsessed about file transfer… anyway, onto the girls!)

Sophie and Mary had their first full day at their new babysitter’s house on Tuesday. Erika has a 2 year old daughter, Elana, and she loves to play with our girls. The girls are just staying there on Tuesdays when I work, so Peter can get in an extra day of work during the week. They may stay with her at other times here or there. But I’m hoping this is the start of a wonderful relationship.

Sophie, Elana and Mary

Sophie demonstrating her table manners

The girls were 9 months old on Monday, July 7^th. We spent the 4^th of July weekend at home rained in but had a fun time playing inside. The girls were dressed in some cute red, white and blue outfits, so I took some pictures of them sitting on the changing table – watching the rain out of their bedroom window.

Mary and Sophie

The girls are eating more solids now and a little more variety. Sophie has really improved with the eating – she voluntarily opens her mouth now when I used to have to trick her. This picture was taken last month. At that time, I was feeding them both, but Sophie had her own spoon to feed herself. She wasn’t that capable, but she would keep putting the spoon in her mouth, and I could shove in food whenever there was an opening.

We took a vacation the first week in June – kind of – Peter went to the ACA meeting in Knoxville and we also got a place in Gatlinburg where I stayed with the girls and Grandma and Grandpa came to visit. I also got the chance to take a break and spend a couple of nights with Peter at the Hilton in Knoxville and go out with some friends I had not seen in a couple of years. The girls had a great time too – they went to the pool for the first time! We just went to the baby pool, but since then we’ve gotten some floats so they can be in the big pool with Mom and Dad. (We did that a couple weekends ago but no pictures.)

Mary and Sophie on the way to the pool

Testing the waters with Mom and Grandma

Mary likes to kick and splash!

Well, that gets us back up to date, I think. It’s about time for the girls to get up from their nap and I hear someone singing a baby song. Thanks for visiting!

Lee Park

Mom, Mary & Sophie

Around a month ago, our friend Andy was in town for a conference, and the girls and I went to meet him in downtown C'ville. Andy is a great photographer, so I asked him to take some pictures of the girls during his visit. These were taken downtown at Lee Park. You can see the rest of the set and download from Flickr at http://flickr.com/photos/ehcalum/2569805063/in/set-72157605552858074/.

He did a great job capturing the girls' expressions. Especially Sophie. It's hard to get a picture of her when she does not look serious, because once she sees the camera she is just focusing on figuring it out.

I do regret I did not dress a little nicer - I didn't really think about the fact that I'd have to be in some of the photos since the girls could not sit unsupported! Oh well, maybe my dream will come true and I'll get nominated for What Not to Wear. I'm trying to dress a little better now but admit I've recently been spotted in the same outfit at Kroger. But then usually all eyes are on Mary and Sophie. It's not rare that someone will start talking to them without even acknowledging I am there. That happened yesterday and Sophie promptly let the two ladies know that she doesn't like being approached by strangers - good girl! Mary was just flirting as usual.

This is our first week back home after our vacation in Tennessee. I will post some pictures and write about that later.

Hello Again

I realize it's been a while since our last post. So here are some more recent pictures of the girls. Nothing much to report, it's just been business as usual. Mary has a tooth - I think that's new since the last post.

Peter's mom Ilona came to visit the first weekend in May. She was only here for a day but we made the most of it. She played with the girls and got to see some of the sights in Charlottesville. We had lunch that day at Michie Tavern, it's a historical landmark near Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's house). They have a big lunch buffet and servers are all dressed in 18th century dresses. It's often crowded with tourists but not that day, and they were able to accommodate us and our big stroller as soon as we arrived. Sometimes it's nice that you get extra attention when you've got two infants in tow. Usually it's just people wanting to make comments or ask questions (are they twins, are they both girls) but the girls like the attention.

Nagyi and Mary

Nagyi and Sophie

And I had a nice first Mother's Day. It was special, but then every day's a little special with the girls. We did go out to lunch and it was the first time it had just been me, Dad and the girls going out together.

Mary and Sophie with the Exploration Station

Sophie

As you can see, Sophie likes to lick things. Especially the Exploration Station. And my arms, particularly during bath time. She likes to kick a lot too, crib rails, crib toy, floor, her sister... Mary doesn't like being on the receiving end of the kicks though - we try to prevent that as much as possible. Now I've given Sophie the nickname Licky Kicky. I can't come up with one for Mary though, she likes to eat and jump a lot, but Hungry Jumpy doesn't have the same ring.

Podees and the Hatchery

"What is a Podee??" you might ask. They are some special bottles with tubing attached to a nipple that works like a straw. There are a couple of bottles that have been passed around through CMOM (C'ville mothers of multiples) and after seeing a set of older baby twin boys using them, I was ready to give them a try.

Mary and Sophie using their Podees

Mary seemed to catch on right away. The bottle worked for Sophie too, but she was really caught up at first with figuring out what the thing was and how it worked. I've been using them the past couple of days trying to get the girls used to them. I'm hoping they will come in handy while we are traveling.

The girls only have a bottle 4 times a day, so we've avoided having to feed them on the run for the most part. But I think this will give us a little more freedom and will make it easier if someone else has to watch them like a babysitter or at the church nursery. So far we've only had a sitter after they are in bed so we can go out to dinner, and this Sunday they'll go to the church nursery for the first time.

Mary using her Podee

We've been trying some solids lately. Started off with the cereal and neither girl wanted anything to do with it. So we've moved past that. But the doctor said to keep trying the cereal. A few of my friends suggested mixing it with applesauce, so maybe we'll try that. So far they've had applesauce, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, pears and banana. Now I've tried to feed them all that - Mary will eat anything but not Sophie. She will chew on the spoon though, and I'm pretty sure I've managed to get applesauce, sweet potatoes and peas into her. Most other stuff just ends up on her face and bib.

Sophie "eating" peas

The girls are still not crawling yet! (But close.) I'm only frustrated because I know I started crawling at 5 months. But maybe it's a good thing - haven't exactly got around to babyproofing everything. The next milestone is we'll have teeth soon. Mary has one on the bottom - you can feel it but can't see it yet. She was really fussy tonight, and I thought maybe that's why, but she was just tired.

Sophie and Mary having some "tummy time"

OK, if you've read to this point, maybe you're wondering about the hatchery. The hatchery is our back porch. About this time last year, birds started leasing condo space. I'm not kidding - I've actually seen birds come and check it out (kind of like an open house). The dogs serve as their security guards. We had 2 bird families last year. This time we have 3 nests, and I think each one has a family, or a family in the works. Peter said our first baby birds flew the coop today.

Baby birds in the hatchery - just moved out today!

Sunshine Girls

Mary and Sophie chillin in the crib

It was a nice day today. The girls and I took advantage of the weather. They went to the office with me for a little while this afternoon so I could turn in some invoices that were in the stack on my desk, since I never seem to get to those during the course of a work day. They were very patient while I took care of some work and did not cause too much of a disturbance in the office (besides folks being distracted by all the cuteness).

But the past few days in Charlottesville have been quite gloomy and rainy, which is why the girls are sporting some yellow and flowery outfits from Grandma. They have been our little rays of sunshine while we've been cooped up in the house all this time. Tomorrow, Dad's day to babysit, will be nice too, so I'm sure they'll take advantage of the sunshine.

Easter Picnic

Sophie and Dad

Mary

Let's go on a picnic!

Here are pictures from our picnic in the park that I mentioned on our recent post, "Easter in Georgia." These pictures were taken the Saturday before Easter during our visit with Peter's mom Ilona (that's Nagyi to the girls). It was a beautiful day so we just packed up the lunch Ilona had prepared and had a little picnic in a park nearby. We all had a great time as you can see in the pictures!

Don't we have some cute little bunnies?

Dining Outdoors

Horanyi Family: Dad and Sophie, Mom and Mary

Dad and Sophie, Nagyi and Mary

Mary and Mom

Nagyi and Sophie

Sophie and Dad

Nagyi and Mary

Nagyi and the girls all had a birthday recently. Sophie and Mary share their 1/2 birthday with Nagyi's birthday, which is April 7th. It's hard to believe the girls are already 6 months old, but the time has passed. (Didn't pass this fast when I was expecting for some reason.) They've each become more active in the past few weeks and are now rolling and turning around in their cribs in all directions. Hopefully they will also be crawling any day now - they are getting close. We go to the doctor tomorrow for their 6 month checkup. Can't wait to show the doctor much they have grown!

More on Easter in Georgia

Wow, that was a wordy post last time - what more can I say about our trip to Georgia? Well, yesterday morning when I got up with the girls I was thinking about all I wrote and realized I left out our trip to Aunt Tricia's house! I am sorry for not mentioning that - it was on Thursday, our first day there, so I was probably tired. :) Sophie was still getting used to the new environment and had a little spell there but was fine. Mary was fine the whole time and enjoyed being the center of attention while I was outside calming down Sophie.

The girls visited with Great Aunt Tricia, Uncle Bill and Amy for a while. Then Mandy and Kadie came by (Aunt Tricia's granddaughter who will be 2 this summer). Kadie was very nice to the babies and gave them both hugs. I think Mandy was a little nervous having her around little babies, but it was so sweet!

Don't have any pictures but will post some next time!