Love where I'm at.

Grace and Zoe sure are growing up! It's pretty amazing.

Grace has been half rolling over for a few weeks now. This morning, as I was getting ready for work, my Mom and I looked over and she had made it to her stomach! She still hadn't quite pulled her left arm out, but she had definitely rolled over! I received a text from my Mom that she did it again while I was at work. So amazing!

Just in the past week, we've noticed that they are reaching more deliberately for their toys. They focus on them, grasp them, and typically pull them toward their mouth! Zoe is all about pulling on toys from her activity mat. They also grab their stuffed animals and teething rings and are much better at getting them where they want them (again, typically the mouth)! It's so much fun to watch.

We all had a nice weekend. We took a family trip to Whole Foods on Saturday morning to search out some more dairy free options. I'm happy to state that we've found some good dairy free cinnamon rolls, yogurt, and ice cream... Oh and animal crackers and muffins! Also tried Daiya cheddar shreds last night on a chicken sandwich. The chicken was pretty spicy, so I'm not sure exactly how the cheese tasted, but that was probably for the best. Ha! So far I'm hanging in there, and we hope it has a positive effect on Zoe.

Sunday we took our first visit to my Mom's house. The girls were great in the car (about 50 minute ride). They were very excited to see Gram's house, which is very light and full of things to look at. They have their own room, which is lovely, and it was a great day. It was wonderful to be able to take a walk outside and in the woods. How I wish we had better walking options where we live! Mom's cats, especially Bobby, were fascinated by the girls.

On Thursday, Kate and I celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. She is such a great Mom to Grace and Zoe, and I'm so lucky to have her. I feel so blessed that we have these two beautiful daughters - it's what I've always dreamed of, and more.


~Kristy

Zoe reaching for her toy


Blurry Grace rolling over shot


Bobby checking Zoe out at my Mom's


Happy Zoe & her Gram


Grace conked out in her swing


Kate & Grace walking around my Mom's


Me, Zoe & my Mom


With my Mom & the Girls

Halloween and Milk Proteins.

So, we had a scare last Friday. When Kate was changing Zoe's diaper, she saw a spot of blood. We wound up taking her to the pediatrician, and they believe she has a milk protein intolerance. They recommended that I cut out dairy from my diet for three weeks (as both girls are exclusively breastfeeding right now) to see if that improves her condition. If it does, I imagine that will be a permanent dietary restriction until she either grows out of it or stops nursing. We didn't get too many details.

Thankfully Zoe seems to be holding up well. We are watching her to make sure she doesn't get worse, or show signs of a true milk protein allergy. I am very hopeful that this will be a temporary thing for her. I have little experience with food allergies, but after spending a good chunk of the weekend on the web trying to find dairy-free recipes and products, I am amazed at what is out there to fear. I pray that Zoe gets through this without any true allergy.

Taking her to the doctor due to illness was a terrifying thing. She is so much our "baby" of the two girls -- just because she is smaller and more delicate, quieter, and more pensive. It somehow made it worse. Luckily, we have a wonderful pediatrician's office and the doctor we saw was very nice. In the meantime, please send good thoughts Zoe's way. (And refrain from eating any frozen yogurt in my presence. Thanks!)


Grace and Zoe continue to amaze me with how much they grow. Their chattering has increased, and we often hear Grace talking to herself in her crib at night. They are laughing occasionally - the most adorable sound ever! Both like to "stand" in our laps and be pulled to standing positions from the floor. They are doing better with tummy time and Grace is still rolling on her side. We bought them an exersaucer recently and both seem to really enjoy it, although Zoe is still growing into it. They are both in size 2 diapers now and I bet Grace will graduate again soon! They have also started to skip their nighttime feeding some nights! We are still not sleeping through the night, as they have several wake-ups, but lately they haven't been eating. We're hoping this gets even more stable as they grow.




We lost power with Hurricane Sandy back in October, so that was an adventure. The girls were troopers -- they slept with a glow stick as their nightlight and ate their nighttime (and first morning) bottles by candlelight. We were just about to pack up and head to a friends' house when our power came back on. Whew! It was very cold in the house, but the babies looked all adorable bundled up. That being said, that was a stressful experience that I did not particularly enjoy.


Grace and Zoe also celebrated their first Halloween! While they didn't go trick or treating, they did rock their costumes (as you can see from the pictures below). They also helped hand out candy on actual Halloween. It's exciting to think that they can probably go around the neighborhood next Halloween!












We are settling in to a routine of our days in our family. We are so incredibly blessed to have my Mom, who is willing to watch the girls twice a week while I work. The girls absolutely love their Gram, and they are all having a fun time together. She is a trooper, for sure! It is much easier to leave in the mornings when I can leave Grace and Zoe with their Gram or their Mom. We are enjoying our time together at home on Wednesdays, and I'm certainly learning to work amongst naps, down periods, and after they go to bed!


Kate & Grace


Punky Zoe