Missing pieces...

Don't you just hate when you're reading a book or watching a movie and a part of the plot is introduced and then is never mentioned again? That is one of my big pet peeves and yet I feel like as the author (ahem) of "Our Story" I have done the same thing in a way by not updating you on several issues.I'm sure you all are just dying to have some updates on these missing pieces of info. So, here are a few questions I thought you might be losing sleep over or that some of you have emailed me about (be they big or small).

1) Is Joel still alive and did he ever finish PA school?
Great question! Yes, thankfully Joel is alive and well:) Sometimes we wonder that as well as he is like a ghost in the night coming home for a few hours of sleep and then heading back out into the brutal world of internship and study. He is now doing a rotation in surgery and also finishing up his senior project. He will graduate in August-hurray! We miss him around here--big time!

2) How old are the babies now and have they had any repercussions of being born sooooo early (29 weeks)?
Sam and Amelia will be one years old on April 11! In some ways I simply cannot believe it and yet in others their birth and time in the NICU seems like it was years and years ago. Thankfully we have not experienced one single serious repercussion of their prematurity since they came home from the NICU. Of course, their development is more along the lines of their due date (June 27) but that is expected and they should catch up by their second birthday.

3)How did the hammock work out for Amelia?
We still love our La Siesta hammocks! Again, they are obviously not a cure all for sleep issues, but Amelia does seem to sleep better as there are less distractions in the hammock than in our bed. Also, we bought Sammy one for nap times and it helps me immensely in getting them both down at the same time! I just stick them in and push and usually after about 5 mins they are both snoozing away. Sammy starts out his night in his hammock and then moves into our bed at his first night feeding. He and Amelia are opposite in that he sleeps MUCH better in our bed snuggled up against one of us:)

4) How are cloth diapers workin' for ya?
I would say we are using cloth about half of the time. That is mostly because I haven't forked out the moolah to get the next size up that they need, which is silly because I AM forking it out every week for disposable. Anyhoo, I still love them and get great satisfaction every time I throw a load in the wash and think about the money and landfill space we are saving.


5) Are you exhausted?
Yes, I have been a little overwhelmed and have needed a recharge. Being unable to go into public places with the babies for a lot of November-March(RSV season) has been hard. Though we have had a cozy, fun winter for the most part and I have been more content than I could have ever expected, I still have been craving some time out in the big ol' world. With no family here to help and Joel being gone most of the time, we decided the time had come to find someone to come over a few hours a week and let me go to the grocery store, the library, the coffee shop, etc.

Enter Sabine.

She is from Haiti and moved to the U.S. only a month and a half ago. A mutual friend connected us and I am so thankful. I was really missing being around internationals (I taught ESL before the babes came) and so it is so fun to be around her and also to help her with her English. She and Sam really hit it off and he smiles this huge smile as soon as she comes through the door. I love hearing her laugh ring out as they play and play. Amelia is still wary of new people and so she sticks with me a lot. Still, it is helpful to be able to put her in a sling and get things done around the house and know that Sammy is having fun, or have Sabine take them for a walk and let me do a few quick errands.
Of course Shari has also been here for the past two weeks and that has been a tremendous recharge for me!

Tara and Echo are coming for a visit in April and Jennifer is coming for a weekend in May--yay!!!

6) How many teeth do the babies have now?
Sammy has six and is working on two more. Amelia has one!!

7) How is breast feeding going? Are you planning on weaning soon?
Breast feeding is still one of the most wonderful, peaceful parts of our days. I hope it continues for a long time to come, but I plan on leaving that up to the babes.

Okay, I guess that is enough for now. Let me know if you have any more burning questions:) Hope you all are well, Jenny