getting out

We're pretty good about getting out with the babies. Maybe its a function of the renovations we are/have been doing to the house (resulting in 1938472 runs to Lowes and Home Depot), or perhaps its a function of our somewhat limited social life since we don't have a lot of friends here (and we have two babies).

Regardless, we go out at least once a weekend, usually at least once a day if not more. We had a four day weekend for New Years, and over the course of the weekend went (with the babies, there were a couple of other stops too) to Lowes, Home Depot, Ikea, the Y, the park and a friend's house.  They are 5 months old now, but we've always been doing this and its actually a littler harder now than it used to be since sometimes they won't nap while we're out (carseats used to be a SUREFIRE nap). I know (well, I think anyway since we don't have much to compare to) we have fairly easy babies - low reflux, relatively good sleepers (especially Quinn), not particularly screamy if not overtired, no special needs - but I can't help but judge a little when I read on mommy message board how hard it is to get out of the house with a baby (well, one presumably without issues as mentioned above). I actually think its going to be 10 times harder when they're toddlers, can run, and have opinions.

One of my favorite things about the weekend (besides family time in general) is dressing the girls up.  I leave for work before they're awake most days, so its a weird joy to pick them out coordinating outfits (and repack the extras in the bag to go with them...). For another two weeks, they're hanging out with their grandma's during the day.  Their Grammy usually gets them dressed in super cute outfits she puts together from their drawers (or coordinating sleep and plays).

My mom is another story. Yesterday I got home and they were still in their pjs from the night before. On Tuesday she'd watched them at her house, and while I'd repacked the diaper bag with extra tops and pants to coordinate with what they had on, I came home to find them entirely mismatched and wearing stuff she'd dug out of the bottom of the bag (like under the changing pad). Not a big deal in life, but a red shirt and pink pants with a green hoodie? What was wrong with the (more accessible) gray shirt and white sweats (which would have matched the hoodie just fine).  I know this is a first world problem, and not a problem at all, and I'd never complain to her about this, but it still irked me for some reason (maybe because I had spent 3 minutes putting coordinating replacement clothes in the bag?).

Anyway...here is a shot of the girls on our walk this Sunday at the park. They fit perfectly in the 3-6 Gymboree hoodies their Grammy got them for Christmas, so I have to assume Gymboree runs a little small. Avery IS a good fit in 3-6 now, but they're mostly (except this) huge on Quinn still :)

staring at the ducks while Mommy flaps the blanket around trying to get them to look at her/the camera.