Smiles!

This week the girls both started smiling! These aren't gas smiles either! We don't get too many, but when we do, it's very obvious what they are doing. Soon, I'll get it a picture of their cute little smiles!

Sylvia Out On The Couch & More Sleep for Mommy and Daddy

Sylvia crashed on the couch after her morning feeding. They are now sleeping about 4-5 hours between night feedings; we've eliminated one all together! Then, after we feed them at 5 or 6am, they go out for another few hours.

Momma loves getting 4 hours of consecutive sleep! We still have to figure out the witching hour. Last night, we decided to put them down an hour early (8pm) and they slept until 1:30am! After their feeding, they slept until 6:15am.

Evelyn is Loving Grandpa

Out Like a Light

Evelyn often falls asleep with the paci half in her mouth and then sucks it back in. Hilarious!

Visit to American History Museum

Grandpa, Alexis (niece), the girls and I went to the newly renovated American History Museum.

6 Week Birthday

We wanted to celebrate the girls 6 week birthday so we baked a cake (actually, we wanted an excuse to bake a cake, so we thought it would be appropriate to do it in honor of the girls).

Sylvia is on the left, Evelyn on the right and Alexis (my niece) is holding the cake.

It was good.

Babies or Dolls?

I enjoy dressing up the girls in their new clothes. Now that they finally fit in some things, it's a lot more fun to pick out their clothes. The blue dress was just given to us from our friends Jon and Andy Swope (along with several other outfits).

Evelyn is on the left and Sylvia is on the right.

More Museums!

We went to the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum -- Dad, Alexis and the girls are pictured here with the Blackbird spy plane.

Bath Time With Evelyn

Daddy doesn't get any screaming from Evelyn during bath time, like Mommy does. Looks like Daddy has a new permanent job! http://sharing.theflip.com/session/bc845ec9381279c3605ca37982fb05a2/video/4439040

Evelyn Greets Grandpa

Grandpa fed Evelyn and she greeted him with a puke! Check out this video. http://sharing.theflip.com/session/687137c0290837bc6bfbee0ab3577330/video/4439020

Grandpa Benson and Niece Alexis

My Dad and neice, Alexis, are visiting from Indiana. My Dad (Grandpa Benson) is loving on these girls like crazy. Check out Evelyn asleep on his big belly!

Alexis is nearly 11 and has three siblings all under age 3! She probably has more experience with babies than any of us combined. She will be a great helper for the week she's here.

I'm loving the help already!

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.