I was looking back at old blog posts, and rediscovered my own wonderings about what the future would hold almost exactly a year ago, only a couple weeks before we knew that the future would hold a baby (or babies as the case would turn out to be). Sometimes I still feel glimmers of that sense of shock that came when we discovered we were going to have twins - we wanted a baby and were blessed with two! But these days, I obviously can't imagine our life without Clara and Molly, and sometimes realize I can't imagine what it must be like to have just one baby around.
At four months, I am seriously loving this baby age. The girls are interactive and observant, but still amenable to wandering around town with us - hanging out in their stroller or on our laps while we eat lunch or grab a coffee. We still have crazy moments, especially in the mornings.
Frank usually leaves for work by 6:15, so once he's off, I'm in an all-out sprint to eat something, feed the girls and play with them for a few precious minutes, shower, put the girls down for a nap (it's still so weird to me how they wake up and basically go right back to sleep), and get out the door by 7:30 looking like a decent impression of a professional.
In this fourth month, Clara and Molly are also bigger and more relaxed (read: less fussy), so we've got a whole new list of activities that we can do as a family. My favorite by far are family walks that we've been taking in a park near our house. It is too hot here to have had them out for long when they were younger, but now they really seem to enjoy it. Frank and I get a couple of early morning laps in, and the girls nap or check out the scenery.
One serious preference that is emerging is that Clara and Molly absolutely love being outside. When they get restless during the day, we put them in their stroller and take for a walk around the grounds of our building and it cheers them up without fail. They love the trees and light and sounds. It makes me excited for the weather to cool off just a bit so we can spend even more time outdoors.
We just got them swimming suits and swim diapers, so we'll take them for their first dip in the pool soon!
I'm also loving that the girls' personalities continue to emerge. They suddenly seem to have a sense of humor and will open their mouths with the biggest smiles if we make silly sounds or faces - it's not quite an audible laugh just yet, but close. Singing (even very off-key) is a big hit, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider is a household favorite.
Clara is a sleeping/napping champ, and sometimes gets a look on her face right before bed like - jeez Mom - just let me go to sleep already! Molly has been in a phase where she sometimes likes to wake up and have a little party at 5am. I hear her first chatter to herself before it turns into an all out holler for someone to come pay attention to her. Here's hoping it's a short-lived phase, and we once again get to "sleep in" until 6am.
The big events of the fourth month have been:
1) Thai mother's day. I was in a bit of a fog for American mother's day (Clara and Molly were only 3 weeks old), but I got to spend it with my mom who was in town visiting! Frank offered to take me out for Thai Mother's Day brunch in early August, which was so much fun. Plus, the girls heads are finally big enough to wear bows so we got less questions about their gender. Grow baby hair, grow!
2) Hiring a nanny. She's amazing - both we and the girls adore her! Every evening I get a full run-down of the elaborate daily goings-on of naps, food, and diapers. And at the end of the work day we get extra cute snuggles from babies who are dressed in absolutely hysterical outfits that the nanny has selected for them.
3) The return to work. I'd like to write more about this at some point, but Frank and I are both back to working full time. While I had some teary departures in the morning for the first week, I've had no doubts about my decision to return to work. I love the interesting challenges of my current job and equally love having someone wonderful whom I trust and who engages the babies all day (the nanny has "baby massage" time in their daily routine for heaven's sake!). If both those things weren't in place, we might be approaching this differently, but for now, it's working out beautifully for all of us. And gosh do I look forward to spending time together just the four of us on the weekends!
4) Visitors! Our good friends Natalie and Ryan were in town and Clara and Molly loved spending time with them (almost as much as Frank and I did)!
They're still just little peanuts - still slightly under 10 pounds at their four month check-up, but learning new skills at a lightning-fast pace and, in my entirely biased opinion, getting cuter every day.
For More Updates on Molly and Clara:
Becky
That was the light of my day! Such beautiful girls (and pictures, too).
Bonnie
My gosh they are so adorable, and you are so blessed to have such cutie pies.
Jess
Thank you Bonnie - I really do feel so, so blessed.
Bridget
Thank you for sharing! I always get excited when I see one of your new posts! They are adorable!
Jess
Thanks Bridget - Miss you and your whole sweet crew!
Claire @ Claire K Creations
Jess they are just gorgeous and I hate to say it but gosh they look like their daddy! I am so impressed that you are working full-time already. I don't know how you do it wonderwoman! Keep the photos coming.
I have a secret... they just keep getting even more fun from now on. Ollie and I have a ball together now!
krisitne
Loved this, Jess 🙂
Maggie in Michigan
Jess, you and your husband now have a nanny, you have returned to work, your husband also works outside the home, does this mean you have a ghost writer somewhere hidden to keep us updated on those beautiful twin girls. I just cannot imagine where you find the time to do the pictures, comments, signs, etc. Do you do the food site as your full time work or is that just for fun? So glad I signed up for your site, enjoy the recipes you give us, and now especially the baby pix. You both look great as new parents, maybe a tad sleep deprived but still plugging along! I will wait for the next email to see how the girls are doing.
Maggie in Michigan
Karista
Oh how I've been looking forward to this next Molly and Clara update! They are so completely delicious! Looks like you are enjoying Motherhood of twins... what an adventure. And you look fabulous by the way!
Carrie
Boy, if that doesn't put a smile on one's face. What beautiful daughters! Thanks for sharing! Enjoy every day they grow up so fast!
Jess
Carrie - you're so sweet - thank you for your note. I'm trying to enjoy every moment (even the tougher ones)!
Ashley
They are just absolutely adorable Jess! I love getting to see pictures of them in these updates!
mimi
They're adorable. Get nanny cams. If I had to do it all over again, I'd have them all over the house!
Cindy
Oh my -- I stumbled across your website after following a recipe. But found something so much better -- sweet beautiful babies!! They are simply adorable! My youngest baby is 13 years... it happened so fast!!