So this is life.

These precious souls will be a month old this week. No, we can't believe it.

Sweet, sweet Katharina is like her Momma when it comes to sleep. One minute she'll be eyes wide-open, taking everything in, and I'll turn around to pick up her crying brother, look back, and she's out. Not like my-eyelids-just-met, I'm-only-resting. Out cold. Like, go ahead, try to wake me, and good luck. And she's out like a light. Katharina does everything daintily-- she yawns and cries with grace, she sleeps like an angel, she even grunts like a lady, and right now, she is all girl.

Sebastian sleeps like his dad. He's hard to wake, and hates anyone who tries. If you succeed, he'll need at least a half an hour to reach a level of wakefulness at which he can only slightly function. When he's hungry, he's just that-- h u n g r y. Though he's not as calm as his sister, he does love his morning snuggles in our bed. He's a pro at wake time and is gaining better control of his arms, eyes and head. He rolled over for the first time last week (I almost threw up a little writing that). Yes, he's 3 1/2 weeks old. No, I don't think that's normal. Yes, it is bittersweet. 

They're simply tiny darlings. We went to dinner last week-- dinner complete with a bottle of wine, starters, dinner and dessert. They slept like angels the entire time, and we almost forgot they were with us, except for the flocks of people coming by to peek.

On top of getting older, they're growing fast too. Huh, imagine that. They're now wearing mostly newborn clothes, though they still have room for swimming in a lot of them, and have outgrown their preemie diapers! (We're about to place an order for snazzy cloth!). Last Thursday they weighed 6 pounds 8 ounces and 6 pounds 11 ounces. Katharina is still in the lead.

As for us parents, we're doing well. Peter is loving fatherhood, and it really does suit him well I think. My unbiased opinion (ok, I could be biased): he is the greatest multi-tasking man I know. He was meant to raise twins. Heck, maybe we'd even like to do this twin thing again! Hold that thought.
Thanks to living in a walking town, I have 4 pounds to lose before I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm feeling fantastic, and finally over that awful weepy stage of baby blues (which, I might argue, is multiplied with multiples), and thoroughly enjoying this time with our babies.

It really is a take-each-day-as-it-comes life, and I love that. I don't really manage any more than what one day holds, so this is working out for us! If you were to show up at our home unannounced, you'd probably find half a dozen diapers (for each baby) lying in a pile on the living room floor. That's because I like to make one trip to the trash (my husband believes I have an aversion to trash cans and has more than once led me to it and introduced us as if I were a kitten being shown its newly placed litter box. I'm changing my ways). You also might find bowls from last night's chili sitting on the kitchen counter, along with the cutting board, pots, pans and plates used to prepare said chili. There may be dust bunnies on the carpeting and I'm pretty sure my windows need washed. The bathroom mirror hasn't been cleaned in a week, nor has the shower. The downstairs carpeting was blessed enough to get vacuumed last week, but the upstairs, well, better luck next time. There might be bills that have been torn open and left sitting on the coffee table, along with a few pairs (or, not pairs) of baby socks and a bottle of nail polish; a basket of laundry on the kitchen floor and two loads drying on various racks throughout the house. But moving on, you'd find two delighted parents resting in their not-so-neat home, holding two tiny miracles with full tummies and lots of smiles.

And we are pretty sure this is what parenthood is about.



God's given us grace for this time. We're slowly getting back in the saddle, but honestly, there are so many snuggles and smiles we'd miss if this house were sparkling. Somehow, like never before, we're able to leave the house be, because they're only like this once, and we all know the dishes aren't going anywhere.

-A.H.