Snaps

It's like we had a photobooth dropped off at our house.

Olivia had helped Audrey with the bandage in the car on the way home from Fort Dodge. She seems to kind of like it.

They are growing personalities with their long bones, and they are distinctly different. Henry may be less demanding or persistent, or maybe mellow, but Audrey is also more quick to smile, even if she hasn't had her demands met just yet.

They are both starting to verbalize back to us when we talk to them, and they seem to now recognize that we can show our affection for them by presenting our teeth in addition to picking them up and holding them close. So they are responding in kind.

Henry is ticklish when you give light squeezes on the sides of his knees, and even giggles; Audrey isn't. Audrey kicks the bed or changing table vehemently with one leg when she's mad, as though she's stomping punctuation to her argument. Henry says "Gkee" when he's hungry and "Waah" when merely tired or rarely upset. Audrey goes directly to throat-centered, growling yells for food, wet pants, gas, cold, overstimulation, and it is effective for her. We're imagining she will be as verbal as her sister was and is, in addition to looking nearly identical to Olivia at the same age. Speaking of and by Olivia, they each now crane their necks around to look for her when they hear her voice around. They might be afraid of her affection, but also are captivated by her in general. Their gas brings tears to our eyes at times, unfortunately often to theirs as well, with Audrey sometimes rigidly arching her back in response to some GI upset. She got her first blocked tear duct today, but so far nothing infectious for either of them - not even a runny nose after 5 days of daycare under their diaper straps. I attribute that to Mom's diligent breastmilking.

They are an utter joy, even when enraged, and i miss them hourly while away at work.

Perhaps it is the same effect of the run back seeming shorter than the run out, but they seem to be growing much more quickly to me than Olivia did. I hear no admonishments to enjoy these days while they last, because I feel the brevity of their separate and together infancy in my skull, skin, hands, shoulders, fingertips, eyes. Such that even taking the time to think about how short my time is with them, is a time lost from noticing their Audrey and Henry-ness.

I wonder if this is also because i have twice as much to notice, in addition to their sister and mother? I look forward to finding out.

Happy Nearly 3 Months Old, Littlests.