Milestones

Jane and Kate have been nursing exclusively (well, minus a bottle at night) for almost two weeks now. They are also smiling socially now. Not tons, but every day.

We're also learning more about their personalities. Jane is more high-strung. Or, if you like, Ekaterine is more laid-back. I think that it's mostly because of Jane's rougher start in life, but she can just get herself SO wound-up. Even when she's not crying, she has this almost quivering alertness. (Not that Kate doesn't cry, mind.) And Katie seems more likely to just lay back and look around, rather contentedly.

Though there are times when they both get really upset, and it's those times that they seem most identical. Why? Because their voices are identical. And when you have two identical voices yelling in identical rhthym, well, it's striking.

But they're both pretty happy campers. You know, as long as they're being treated properly. You know, as long as they're either eating or being held. That's how babies are supposed to be treated, you know. Never are they to be put down, oh no . . .

Also, these are strong little girls. They can both tummy-time with their heads entirely up off of the blanket. One of Jane's favorite games is to get tummy-timed on an adult's tummy. She picks up her head, scans around, finds the adult's eyes, and grins. Head down. Head up, look around, eye contact, grin. It's adorable.

And Kate seems fascinated with Brie and Sam. I love watching the older ones come and kneel down by the younger ones and coo at them. Kate especially seems to love it when Brie and Sam come and talk to her.


And Brie and Sam . . . have learned how to argue. The other night they were in bed, and I could hear them having a repetitive discussion. I put my ear to the door and heard this:

Brie: NO! You're Prince Charming!
Sam: NO! I'm baby Jesus!
Brie: No, you're Prince Charming!
Sam: No, I'm BABY JESUS!

Another recent argument was over which one of them was Alabaster Angel (from a DVD they watched a lot when I was in the hospital). Eventually I suggested that they were both Albaster Angel, and to my surprise, they thought that was a great idea. (Later, Brie told me she was "Cinderbaster", Cinderella being another favorite.)

Sam has also learned how to whine in full sentences. Hey, you take the bad with the good.

Brigid is enjoying writing the four words she is very sure of: Brigid, Sam, STOP and our last name.

And yesterday, she read her first two books! Our friends Cyndi and Jim sent down the Bob books, which they used to teach their kids to read, and Brie wanted to try them. So I sat down with her, and she made it through "Mat" and "Sam". It was so cool. I mean, I know that we all learned to read, it happened, it happens. But I've never SEEN it happen before. But, turns out, if you know your alphabet, and have spent time talking about what letters make what sounds, and you sit down and try, you can read! So, preschool time just got more exciting.

I'm happy about this, just because everyone in the house (except the babies, who don't know what joy there is other than milk, arms and binkies) likes books, and this is the beginning of Brie getting to enjoy books ANY TIME SHE LIKES, and not just when there's an adult to read them to her. I love reading, and I'm excited that she'll get to do it too. I know there's years between reading "Mat" and reading, say, "Prince Caspian" or "Barrayar", but it's the beginning of that, and I'm excited for her.

And she was just tickled too. It was excited watching her be excited, as she realized that she could do it. She was giggling. So cute.


And Adam and I? Well, our milestone is attempting to buy a condo. I hate it. Paperwork, money, calculations, way too many professionals, much much too much uncertainty, but hopefully it'll work out to be a good thing in the end. Please pray for us and everyone else involved.


well, that's it for this update. Gotta go get back to these four (four!) children of mine.

love,
Jessica

p.s. oh yeah. I should probably mention that the last two days Adam's been home sick. He's back to work today, but please do pray for him as he's still recovering, and for the rest of us, that we don't catch it. I think it was real, true influenze. The respiratory junk/fever kind. He had a fever of about 102 two nights in a row. But he does seem to be on the mend, and none of the rest of us seem to be getting it, thanks be to God!