Ups and Downs

We have started putting the twins in the exersaucer. Ok, so technically it's too early. Eleanor's feet don't touch at all, and only Adam's toes hit the bottom. But they are holding up their heads well enough that I'll stick them in it for a few minutes as something new.

Most afternoons, we go from one thing to the next as they get bored. On their backs under the play mat, then in the bouncy seats, then on their tummies, then upstairs to look at the mobile, then eating, then held for half an hour until they fall asleep, etc. It just seems to go in circles like this all day. So the exersaucer was a change of pace. They both seem to enjoy it, but Adam actually plays with the toys, whereas Eleanor watches them wide-eyed. She much prefers Baby Einstein movies. She gets so excited her feet and arms get going and she'll squeal! It's really cute. And never mind that the American Pediatric Association says no TV until babies are two.

Whoever wrote that can either afford a nanny, or has never had a baby--particularly twins. I think waiting until 35 to be a mom has made me much more relaxed about that kind of stuff. Or maybe it's just the situation that cries out for throwing the "rules" in the circular file. I don't know. Any way you look at it, our kids (all three of them!) are happy, smiley, and lavished with attention.
On the down side of things, Adam and Eleanor's grandpa, Jim's dad passed away last Sunday after a battle with non-Hodgkins lymphoma. We are so fortunate that he was strong enough to be able to come to our house and hold the twins a couple months ago. We have wonderful photos that will be treasured memories forever. For those of you who didin't know him, Tony was a great person who was a fantasitic grandpa to four other grandchildren (including our Alex!), and I know he wished he could have seen the twins grow up as well. I've seen pictures and heard stories of him with Alex mowing the lawn together, making coffee, and picking tomatoes from the garden with him. It makes Jim and I sad to know that Adam and Eleanor will not have those experiences with their grandpa, but we will be certain to pass his memory on to them with stories and they will always love their grandpa.