5 months

Already.
The babies are well over 1/3 of a year old.
OMG.
They're 21 weeks old. That's older outside babies than they were gestationally when we came clean about them being girls (since we knew from 13w).
Crazy talk.

They're really freaking cute these days. Lots of coos and giggles. They're within the developmental norms for actual age (being 5 weeks early, its expected they'd catch up by 5 mo), especially Avery. Quinn is a couple of weeks behind her, but (my non-medical opinion is she is) on track for somewhere between her physical age at birth (being IUGR and the size of a 30/31 weeker) and adjusted age.  At this point we have no reason to be concerned about her, but it is noticeable if you're around them a lot that she's not quite as physically advanced as Avery. Or maybe she's just destined to be more cuddly and less physical? Time will tell I guess.

oohhh hi. I guess I can not cry for the camera for a second.

I want to roll over soooo badly...

so how'd I do?

really going to hit my goal this time. If I keep saying it either I'll believe it happened or it will happen, right?

Last week's goal was 3, 4, and 5 miles (12 total). I ended up with 3.5, 2.3, and 4.5 (10ish). Not great, not terrible. This week is 13 weeks pre-race, and my last screwing-around-pre-training week before the proverbial heat is on. 3, 4, and 5 to do. 3.3 and 2.3 (lol) down.  Why the weird off plan mileage? Turns out there is a YMCA next to my office where I can use my AWAY membership 5 times/month. I have this crazy idea I can run at lunch once a week. I tried it today, hence the 2.3 miles. I could probably squeeze in 3 if I left my office on time...

we wish you a merry christmas

and happy holidays and all that jazz.

next year, buy outfits before Christmas Eve if you want them to match or coordinate beyond "both have snowmen on them" (They were an awesome deal for Gymboree though)

follow up

Semi-related to my last post, its time to start training for my next half marathon.
Much as I've discussed in the past (I won't even bother boring you with linking to all the whining), I have a two hour goal in mind. A time I used to hit with ease. This March I'm running the Georgia Half with a friend of mine, and I'm going to do it dammit.

hah.

Seriously though, I need to. I'm running NYC this fall, and for a lot of reasons it will probably be my last full for a long time, forever maybe, and I need to have a nice base to train with.

I joined Daily Mile (updates in the blog to come), and while this week is really 14 weeks out, have started training. I used Runner's World's Smart Coach to make me a plan based on my Thanksgiving 5k and my weekly mileage of 11-15 miles (which is a bit more...by a lot...than I've been running, but I think I can fake it). Its pretty low mileage, but I need that right now, need to build slowly and realistically.

The plan for this week is 3, 4 and 5 miles. Let's see how this goes.

perspective

I'll preface this by saying I've never been an ATHLETE. Never serious, never super competitive. No one is calling me up for select sides, wishing I'd move to their city, hoping I run in their race. Et al.

But, for 10 years I played rugby semi-competitively, and for a lot of that time, I worked out with rugby in mind. I didn't lift heavy enough or often enough, but when I did it was thinking ahead towards the season, looking at it as training. Not my hobby. Rugby was my hobby. Running ridiculously long races was my hobby towards the end of that too.

Now?
Now I'm lifting for the hell of it. For fitness I guess. But, not with an end goal, not with purpose of being better at something else.

I'm not sure how I feel about that.

sidebar: this is not the most worldly, introspective perspective post ever. first world issues for sure.

personality

gah, I almost want to use the word adorbs. Except it isn't a word.

Getting there.

We got a lot done yesterday!

We have handles - no more pulling doors open with painter's tape, or wedging your finger between the drawer and next cabinet to open it!

(and crockpot chili)

And baseboards (so the dog doesn't keep losing balls into the basement...there's a small gap between the sheetrock & floor as our ceilings are a smidge over 8 feet)

4 months!

It's incredible that the babies are 4 months old now! (Actually, 4 months, 1 week, and 2 days)

Yesterday they had their 4 month check up and were perfect by all counts. The doctor is happy with their physical development, even for Quinn who is still somewhat squishier than Avery. Quinn is definitely a few weeks behind Avery physically, but she's just fine for her adjusted age and is a bit ahead of her IUGR-weight age (that's totally not an official term, but someone told me IUGR babies develop somewhere between their 'size age' and their gestational age, and she was 31/32w 'size' at birth). Even though they'd both fall asleep prior to their shots - it was 7 pm and bedtime - they did quite well and only fussed for a few minutes.

I was worried we'd get yelled at for their being so thin still, but all is well and they're perfectly on the curves they've established! Since last month, Avery has gained 1 lb 9 oz and Quinn has gained a pound. Its crazy to think Quinn at 4 months is less than half a pound larger than my brother was at birth!

They've only gained a 1/4 in and a 1/2 in, so I guess they've spent this month porking up. Avery's thighs look all chubby now :) And they have giant heads for their skinny little bodies, given that 39 cm is over 25th percentile. I think even I can give up adjusted age on stats now and just go with actual.

Quinn

Poor baby is just dangling. She's a lb too light and an inch too short I think!

singleton

Sunday morning I had some things to return to the store, so I decided to take Quinn with me for the trip since she was up and chipper (Avery of course woke up as I walked out of the door...). This is the first time I've taken just one baby anyplace (excepting the early days when Quinn was in the NICU and we went out to eat with Avery, which doesn't really count anyway, especially since newborns are uber easy to leave the house with).

Omg.

Easiest thing ever. 

Quinn around 8 weeks old in a 0-3 sleep gown. 9 weeks later and her feet almost reach the bottom

Now, I admit,