Auntie Lynn

My dear friend, Lynn, came down from New York just to meet the girls. We enjoyed a long lunch, including wine, salad, entree, dessert and coffee! I was able to enjoy every bit of it! The girls began to stir at dessert, but Lynn (who is incredibly good with babies) helped me calm them down and I fed them a bottle. Lynn also gave the girls adorable outfits I can't wait to dress them in. One is a pink seersucker-type shirt and shorts combo and the other is adorable linen shorts and a orange top. So cute! Lynn is super generous and incredibly sweet; the girls are lucky to have her as an "Auntie". [I have only a step sister and sister-in-law, so I thought it was appropriate to name a few of my closet friends, Auntie.]

Here she is with Evelyn.

Flip Video of Newborn Play Date

Lots of new babies! Evelyn and Sylvia had a play date with Ella and Max. Us Moms (me, Dori and Jen) enjoyed lunch and venting about the joys and pains of motherhood! It was a blast and we're planning to do it every few weeks.

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/50a597a973fc59eee668b4083b146da7/video/4411577

Pic of the Girls

We had pictures of the girls taken today. Isn't this adorable. The individual pictures you'll see when you get the formal annoucement.

Sylvia is on the left, Evelyn on the right.

The Paci Toss Game

Sylvia has a hay day with the paci toss game.

Cute Pics of Sylvia

Taken on her 5th week birthday.

Cute Pics of Evelyn

Here are some cute naked pics of the girls I snapped on their 5th week birthday.

The Swopes Visit

Andy, Emma and Charlotte came to visit today. The girls were so sweet with the girls and Andy is an old pro! Not only did they bring lunch, they brought adorable dresses and fuzzy blankets for the girls. They are the cutest summer outfits! You'll be seeing them sporting them soon! Thanks, Swopes!

Thank You SO MUCH, Gram!

My Mom was incredibly helpful the 2+ weeks she was here. Thank you so much, Gram! We can't wait to see you again in August and at Christmas!

Family Visiting

This weekend, my big brother Shane, Step-Sis Sherri, and Step-Dad Lanny came to visit this weekend and to pick up my Mom. Here are a few pics from their visit. I also took them on a tour of the White House west wing.

First Museum

It was only appropriate to take the girls on their first museum outing to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Here's Gram with the girls.

Evelyn Chilin'

Evelyn is so funny, she was literally in the sling, popped her head out and then sat perched on my chest with her arms folded like this.

David and His Girls

Cute shot of David and the girls.

First Real Restaurant Outing

On Monday, David and I were starving and stopped at Baja Fresh for lunch. While this was their first real outing to a restaurant, we'd would have liked that they went to a much nicer place that's not fast food. On Tuesday, my Mom and I went to Aroma in Shirlington for Indian. It was delicious and the girls were very well behaved. We even dined at Noon, which was their normal feeding time. This should give all new Mom's hope!

Sylvia Fighting Sleep

The girls are hilarious when they fight sleep. Here's Sylvia fighting it HARD!

4 Weeks Old -- Video

Random videos of the girls. Sylvia first and Evelyn second.

4 weeks old

The girls are 4 weeks old today! Read below about the bears.

Mini Me?

So, does Evelyn look like me? The first picture is of me when I was 4 weeks 3 days old. The second is a picture of Evelyn on her 4 week birthday (today!).

New Toys

Oma* (David's Mother, Patti) and Opa* (Step-Father, Lee) sent the most adorable stuffed bears for the girls. They hail from Vermont and come with a lifetime repair policy. We're going to encourage the girls to really give these bears a run for their money since they can be mailed back and returned as good as new. Notice they have bibs on with the girls' names and birthdays? Cute, cute.

Also, the bears will also subsitute for the bird in their monthly growth photos (today's to be taken after they wake up). While the bird is cute and belongs in their bird themed nursery, we thought the bears would be better.

Thanks so much Oma and Opa for the bears. The girls are scared of them now, but they will love them later :)

Oma and Opa are German for Grandmother and Grandfather. David's Mother's Father is from Germany and Sylvia's nose is pure Schmidt! Also, Sylvia's namesake is of his dear Aunt, also from the Schmidt family! We actually gave them their names in the womb; how could it have worked out any more perfect?

Evelyn and Sylvia Honor Memorial Day

This video was filmed on our new flip, courtesty of Grandpa and Grandma Benson

Cute and Funny Pictures of Sylvia

Sylvia is our chub-ster. Check out the double chin. Later in life she will undoubtedly argue it was the angle I took the picture. I love the picture of her with one eye open. She does this a lot when she's half asleep -- she checks out the scene and then either goes back to sleep or opens the other eye and wakes up. Also note she's flashing the peace sign.

Few Cute Morning Pictures of Evelyn

They were just too cute this AM so I had to snap some pics. Here's Evelyn.

Outing with Gram

My Mom, "Gram", arrived about a week ago and has been INCREDIBLY helpful! She helps David with the 9pm feeding while I try to get some sleep. Then, she wakes up in the morning to help him with 6am feeding (don't worry, I'm up at Midnight and 3am feeding!). She's been cleaning bottles, doing laundry, watching them while I'm at doctor's appointments, etc. You name it, she's doing it.

Yesterday after my neurologist appt (my hands are still numb, now we can thank carpel tunnel!), we went to Old Town and strolled by the water on the Mt Vernon Trail. I also attempted to go shopping and was successful finding a pair of shorts and a new t-shirt! Whoo Hoo! Momma's got 2 new things. Ha ha!

My Two Babies

I just love these girls so much I want to hold them both at once!

Wow! More Friends!

Naomi and Ray stopped by to meet the girls. Ray is the "Baby Whisper"...Evelyn fell asleep on him almost instantly! Sylvia greeted Naomi with farts and a poop!

More New Friends

Our friends, Pete and Dori, had their son Max just 14 hours after our girls. He's a ladies man, check him out! Evelyn was all shy (she's on his left), but Sylvia was trying to scoot in for a kiss. So cute and so big! Moms had a great time strollering, changing, feeding and having lunch. They also gave the girls incredibly cute Ralph Lauren sweaters (white with pink stripes)...you'll be seeing them stying in them soon!

Visiting a New Friend

Our good friends Kathryn and Thomas had their son just a few days after us on May 1st. He was 8lbs 2oz and 22inches. Big boy! His name is Thomas Francis Maxwell IV. His Grandmommy has nicknamed him "Max", which we think is adorabloe. Baby Tommy or Max, whichever you prefer to call him, is a cute as can be.

Nearly 3 Weeks Old

At the doctor
Sylvia in front, Evelyn in back

Sylvia
Evelyn (this is a "fake" dream smile, we haven't gotten a real smile yet)

The visit to the doctor went extremely well. All their newborn screenings came back without concerns, their weigh has surpassed their birth weight, and the doctor gave them overall glowing reviews. Sylvia is now 6lbs 11oz (her birth weight was a few ounces shy of 6lbs 1oz). Evelyn is a whopping 6lb 1oz (her birth weight was 5lbs 14oz). We don't go back to the doc until late June!

Burke Lake Park

Yet another outing with the girls. This time to Burke Lake Park where we strolled around the Lake, saw baby goslings and took a break on a park bench.

Squirmy Worms

The girls are squirmy little worms in their day time crib. Evelyn is closest to the camera.

Slings Rock

Thanks to my friend Josie who let us borrow this awesome sling for newborns. Whenever they FREAK out and we've tried everything else, we put them in a sling. This morning, I blow dried my hair with Sylvia in the sling and then wrote all these blog posts. She slept peacefully. They just like to be close to us all the time. It's very cute. Here's Sylvia in the sling.

Bath Time

Their belly buttons fell off and now it's time for a REAL bath 2-3 times a week. Sylvia was OK with it, Evelyn was not. The picture is of Evelyn wrapped in her hooded towel post bath (and freak out!).

Good Eating

See, parents CAN still make good meals with infant children. We enjoyed steak and a spinach salad AND a great glass of Pinot! Yum!

Funny Video Clip of Evelyn

We have a lot of fun laughing at the girls weird facial expressions, especially since they don't smile yet. Here's Evelyn and her scruntchy face.

Another Outing

Sylvia chilling
Me and Evelyn

David and I checked out another new spot -- Pohick Bay Park and Mason Neck Park. 2,000 acres of nature conservancy that's only 15 minutes away from us AND on the water. Very cool. We strolled around and enjoyed the park.

2 Weeks Old

Today is Evelyn and Sylvia's 2 week birthday. We're going to try to guage their growth by this bird. Every so often we'll take a pic of them so you all can get a good idea of how much they've grown. In this picture, Evelyn is on the left and Sylvia is on the right. They were squirming around a bit, so it's not the best picture, but oh well.

Our First Picnic

It's a beautiful Tuesday and we enjoyed a picnic and stroll at Belle Haven Park, right on the Potomac. It was really nice. The girls enjoyed lunch too (my first public feeding went off without a hitch...that means no accidential slippage if know what I mean).

We still manage to get out every day -- yesterday we put them in slings and walked the neighborhood, even though it was cold and overcast. It's sooo nice to get out of the house!

Mother's Day

Wow! Everyone loves Mother's Day. I got tons of cards from friends and family, and David's Dad and Step-Mom sent me flowers! Aren't they beautiful! This only added to the beautiful flowers given to us by David's Mom, my Dad and Step-Mom, and numerous friends to celebrate the girls' birth! Our house is so pretty with all these flowers. It helps with the poopy smell too!