Two months is better than One

All is well in Baby Land. The boys are growing like crazy and are cute as buttons. The are strong little little guys and are keeping their necks up, standing with help, and thrashing about in general. Neither Oliver or Liam is smiling on demand yet, but I think they are both close. They are, however, extremely bright eyed and alert. They enjoy books, singing and mirrors (I think they think they're looking at their brother.)





For the past few weeks we have had very exciting visitors and visits. David, Siri and Elle Burin (David is Chris' oldest mate) came to visit during Thanksgiving week and we had a wild night of partying. Haha. We sat around talking about poop and breastfeeding. Their Elle is almost two and is an adorable pip.






For Thanksgiving, Chris, Amy, Liam, Oliver, Poppy and Lefty got in the van and traveled to Ithaca to spend the weekend with the Ivers. On the actual holiday, so many people wanted to hold the babies that Chris and I sat around like zombies. I don't really remember it but I know it was great. We had dinner with the Funke family, shopped on the Commons, and I had my first 5 full hours away from the boys while Babcia and Grampy babysat and bottle fed! Uncle Jonathan got to do some serious bonding with babies.

When we got home from our travels, we got an exciting first visit from our COUSINS, Johnny and Andy Scherer (and Uncle Joe and Aunt Katie, of course.) This was incredibly fun and the start of many adventures and mischief- making to come. Aunt Katie was helpful, as usual. Johnny brought his new Thomas the Train cars and he and Chris played with our train set. Andy sat and smiled like the chill and contented baby he is. And Uncle Joe brought us lunch. What a great visit!






















We also had a fantastic visit with Aunt Lipa, Uncle Keith Jones and Chris Perry. Aunt Lipa turned 30 in late November and we wish her the best for her 30's!!!
















Other than the unbelievably helpful visits from grandparents, Aunt Lauren and Uncle Ick, and Rachel and Tony, we had one more very exciting visit from Uncle Harry. He came in from New York during week seven for a music conference and was able to make a stop down to Geneseo to give Oliver and Liam Hannukah gifts and Russian voodoo medicine for me. He loved the boys and is now in much better graces than Aunt Dina, who stayed in NY for some reason (possibly she has a job and life but whatever...)















Here are the darling Liam and Oliver in their Christmas suits given to them by Gammy.



A bright eyed Oliver.

Week Five and Staying Alive

I may sound like a moron to those of you who have kids but this is really HARD WORK. I used to think that an accomplishment was, say, completing an advanced degree or possibly getting a Fulbright Scholarship. Now I think an accomplishment is giving two babies a bath and doing some vacuuming while also keeping myself fed and reasonably clean. You can't keep too clean because babies always somehow get something moist on your clean clothes. Maybe spit up, maybe poop- who knows. I think that every year the local high school should have an awards ceremony for parents who make it through another year and keep their kids alive. Some official could call up each parent in the community and give them a gold star per child alive that year. I've only done this for a little over five weeks and already I think I deserve some sort of sticker- possibly even a scratch and sniff sticker- for my efforts. And I'm not even doing it alone! I have grandparents and a sister here almost every day helping me. And I have nice babies.
Week five was hard work- if you didn't catch that. The babies are thriving, but they had the dreaded "growth spurt" during which they needed to feed about every two seconds, and I ended up with double mastitis. I don't want you to feel bad for me. I want you to feel REALLY bad for me. (Hahahaha)

Despite my complaining, the Oliver and Liam are AWESOME and growing by leaps and bounds. Both boys can focus on faces and other objects, can track with their eyes, can push themselves up off of their chests when on their tummies, can hold their heads up, and both Liam and Oliver have started smiling from time to time. The other morning when I took Liam out of bed he gave me such a wide smile I almost tripped- it was fantastic! Even when they're fussing they're cute.



We had a lot of nice visitors in the last few weeks including all of the Grandparents who helped out tremendously. Shown are Babcia and Grampy Ivers. Also, Aunt Rachel, Aunt Lu and Uncle Ick and Cory, Brianna and Roghan Foster.
We also had our first few outings (other than walks around the block). First we tried Lauren and Erik's for some football action, and since we were highly successful, attended Oliver and Liam's Grand Uncle Art's 65th birthday party.
We are looking forward to a Thanksgiving at the Ivers and a Christmas at the Scherer's.
Let's toast to safe and healthy holidays and restful nights!

Spooky Stuff: Halloween and Baths

The Ivers Boys had another exciting week. They experienced their first tub baths which they both enjoyed very much. I'm sure they'll be mildly angry at me in about 13 years if they see I sent out naked pics, but they're so cute I can't help it. Neither peed in the water until the 3rd bath which made me very happy.


We had some exciting visitors this week: Steve, Lisa and Paige Brent; Aunt Judy and Aunt Pat; and Grampy and Babcia Ivers who stayed and helped me with baths, fussy babies and sanity. The Aunts came and made us a delicious dinner and then presented Liam and Oliver with hand-made quilts. What lucky babies these are to have such fantastic and talented relatives!








We also celebrated Oliver and Liam's first Halloween. Oliver was a cat and Liam was a pumpkin. As you can see from the photos, they are enjoying their costumes immensely.


The boys are darling and sweet babies and with all the help we're receiving from family and friends, this is a very happy household. The other night, the boys even let me sleep for a whopping 2 3/4 hour stretch!!!!!!!! Can you imagine??? I can't believe I used to be able to sleep for 9 hours straight. Or stay up past 10pm. Welcome to crazy town.


Here is Tony, some Peruvian babies, and a very hungry little Liam. We tried to tell him that you can't get milk out of ankles, but he isn't a very good listener. Sometimes he tries eating Oliver's head. He also fails to get milk there but valiantly tries.








P.S. If you're looking for a diet plan, try breastfeeding twins. It takes a bit of time out of your day but you can eat literally ANYTHING and lose a ton of weight.

Two weeks of Two Sweet Babies

Coming Home!

Our little Fozzy Bears

Time is flying, and at the same time days are LONG. Babies thrust caregivers into some sort of odd time warp. Our babies are awesome and behaving marvelously- as long as someone is feeding, changing or holding them. At first, Liam and Oliver made noises like little squeak toys when they needed something. Now they make bleating noises like sheep or really unnerving grunting noises like zombies. Ask me about the song I wrote about this new phenomenon- (although my mom disapproves.)
We've had a ton of great visits from relatives and friends: Lauren and Erik come at least twice a week to help out, hold babies and make food; Gammy and Grampa Scherer, Uncle Joe Scherer (minus poor Aunt Katie, and cousins Johnny and Andy due to a bug), Aunt Nancy, Uncle Chris and Aunt Cat, Aunt Lipa, Uncle Keithjones and Chris Perry, Uncle Tony and Aunt Rachel, Uncle Steve, Aunt Lisa and Paige, and tons of neighbors.



Oliver is his father's son. There is nothing gentle about him. He is charming and messy and twitchy and absolutely darling. Liam is a bit less messy, but very noisy and wild eyed. They like being together and Oliver is quite a snuggler with his brother.

My middle name IS Danger after all

What should have been a cursory midnight feeding/diaper change turned into a lovely mustard yellow christening for mom. MMMmmmm. What can you expect when your child's middle name is Danger?

WELCOME IVERS A and B!!!!

They're finally here and clearly some of the finest children ever born (along with the reader, of course.) Liam James (Bond) and Oliver Xavier (Danger) Ivers were born Thursday, October 11, 2007 at 6:46 and 7:06 am. Liam was 4 pounds, 13 ounces and 18 3/4 inches; Oliver was 5 pounds, 5 ounces and 18 1/2 inches. Each is happy and healthy and feeding (and pooping!) like champs.
I was told on Tuesday October 9 at a doctor's appointment that these boys needed to be delivered due to Liam dropping off in weight. Doctors and nurses at Highland Hospital tried valiantly for over 30 hours to induce me, and then out of the blue I needed to deliver. It took less than an hour and was more like a party atmosphere than anything you see in the movies. Chris and Lauren attended the delivery and Aunt Lauren took amazing pictures. Everything was fantastic and uncomplicated.
We had wonderful visitors in the hospital and well wishers from all over the North East calling and sending gifts. Aunt Lauren and Uncle Ick, Gammy Scherer (poor Grampa was sick!), Babcia and Grampy Ivers, Aunt Cat and Uncle Chris Brent, The Gambill Family, Uncle Tony and Aunt Rachel Bailey Jones, Marta and Kaitlynn Frank, and others popped in the hospital to give us flowers, toys and dinner. Thank goodness because hospital food is worse than it is rumored to be.
So far at home, people have made us a ton of dinners and have stopped in to help cook and clean- and to meet the awesome little rugrats. Gammy Scherer is staying with us to help right now, and Grampa Scherer finally was able to visit! I may be biased, but I think these children are darling- even for newborns who usually look like aliens or lizards. Okay, they looked a little like lizards at first, but things have drastically improved. Oliver looks like Fozzy Bear and Liam is a thoughtful and bright eyed little man who looks like a Keebler Elf. Chris and I have not really slept but are still remarkably happy about these two guys.