Hello everyone! Wow, longest we've ever gone between posts...oops! Lots has been going on, so lots to tell you about (and lots that kept me away from writing!!). For starters I have been taking a course once a week and have had homework to work on, and have picked up a website to design as well - so that's most of my free time right now! But that's all necessary stuff...anyhow to the fun stuff, the cute little girls!

Naomi has finally started walking. At about 21.5 months she confidently began to toddle around our living room. Started with a few steps to a very proud mom, dad or aunty, but now we're moving along to running and starting to figure out jumping (versus just bending and straightening her legs, her feet will JUST leave the floor). Dancing is also one of her favorite things to do as well, as there is almost always music on in our house. Making her own music with her many "drums" (our many plastic containers) and her "drumsticks" (her blocks) is always fun too.

Her vocabulary is absolutely astounding too. She can say just about anything you ask her too (well, as long as it's not a really long word, and only one word at a time generally) and often will learn words only having heard them once. Her favorite thing to do with her many books is to point to things and either have mommy say what they are or say what they are (with pretty good accuracy!) herself. She's even starting to get some letters and a couple of numbers right! Colours are work in progress, blue and yellow, and sometimes green, are usually accurate, but other than that she's not sure what colours are...we'll get there! Names, though, that's something she's great at! Love's to look at pictures on the computer and point out who everyone is.

Miriam is learing all sorts of things! She's started solids and is having a great time with that. She will eat whatever we give her with very little complaint. Almost looks like she's trying to show up her sister! Has lunch and dinner every day with us and sometimes breakfast too, often breakfast is just some cheerios to munch on while mommy and Naomi eat, but she loves it.

Miriam is also getting mobile too. She is rolling with confidence to get her wherever she wants now. She is constantly rolling to (and over) many toys to play away. She's quite happy to be on her tummy and play with toys and recently has even started to push herself backwards (much to her dismay) while trying to get toys that are in front of her. All very cute! And to top it off, her hair is finally starting to look like it's growing! What a sweety.

Anna signing off to go write in the baby book while everyone else in the house sleeps the afternoon away...

Hello Everyone! Wow have we grown and progressed - for both little girls!! No, Naomi hasn't officially started walking yet though.

Miriam has begun doing some serious "talking" lately, it's been tons of fun! It definetly makes things confusing on the monitor when one of them start talking now - you can barely tell who it is! Until either Miriam goes more into "cooing" or Naomi pulls out some of her words you really can't tell.

Miriam has not rolled yet, but she's starting to move around in a circle with her kicking and reaching out for things. The combo tends to slowly spin her around. She has been having lots of fun reaching out for and grabbing things, rings and a stuffed ball with cute faces on it have been her fun toys; easy to move around. It's been lots of fun seeing her learn how to do things.

Miriam has also been very tolerant of he sister; it blows me away how patient and tolerant she really is! There's been a few mornings where they've both woken at the same time and I have to deal with one before the other and Naomi always wins on that one...Naomi would scream if I come in her room and leave without her, but Miriam is fine with it - as long as I don't take too long! She had only just started getting fussy the one time that I had to bathe Naomi (unplanned...) in addition to dressing and getting her downstairs. Miriam has also not been too scared lately when Naomi comes storming over to her and pokes or squishes her somewhere.

Naomi has still not officially started walking. On the 24th of January she took a couple of steps for her "Auntie" Amanda (behind mom's back of course!), the next day she did a couple for Mommy, and then the day after that a couple for "Auntie" Lisa - but since then not a thing. Today was the first day she even showed some semblance of interest in even trying. She had one no hands wobble today, other than that she's only been going to crawling right away when not furniture walking.

Her vocabulary completely blows me away every day. In the last week I swear she's learned and regularly used more words than she learned in total before that! Most of the main things in her life she can name quite accurately. Toys have names, toy animals make correct noises, important objects she remembers, it's amazing and crazy! Not stringing words together yet (with the exception of "all done"), still just single words, but she's beginning to make herself VERY understood!

For example, we went on a small road trip in the car yesterday and she adamently requested her water numerous times despite being "all done" many times as well. And if we did not react fast enough the plea began to sound quite desperate, and then she'd also remember to add please, or her "dee-dease" as it still is. It's been lots of fun learning new words with her and seeing her so happy that she's getting really good at it and getting things right. There have been frustrating times of course. On the same trip yesterday when she saw the map book, she pointed to it and said, rather demanded, "STORY!!!" and would not take no for an answer (tears and all!). She knew it was a book (which she also said) and according to her that means it must contain a story, so on Daddy went to make up a story to various maps as Mommy turned the pages - we travelled all over the Lower Mainland in the story! It was quite fun, but it's starting to be annoying that whenever she sees a book she demands a story, even when it's a time when we can't read one. Oh well, I really can't complain that she likes reading!

So that's how it's been in the world of Naomi and Miriam - lots of fun and frustration (but mostly fun!!) and TONS of learning.

Anna signing off to head to bed as Naomi and Miriam continue to be quitely sleeping, Nanook tries to on the floor, and Adam catches some news on the Olympics...

3 Months in 1 week and 17.5 Months

I know, two pictures from the same sitting, but they're both so cute! I love how in the first one Naomi is entertaining Miriam and the second one you see that Miriam is really being entertained, awarding Naomi with a huge smile. They, well Naomi primarily, have been having lots of fun together already. Naomi is very excited about having a new playmate, but I don't think she quite understands why she doesn't move much, but it doesn't seem to bother her. Seeing them interact is very cute. However, Naomi currently has a fascination with pointing out facial features such as mouth, nose, eyes, etc, which has unfortunately meant she's poked Miriam really good in the eye a couple of times. She does feel bad though when her sister starts screaming...then she realizes (temporarily) maybe it wasn't a good idea. So interactions still require much supervision!

Naomi's walking still has not come yet but she is so very close! There have been many times where she's let go of furniture and stood by herself for a moment, looked like she was going to take a step and then crouch down and crawl. There's also been a couple times where instead of crawling from standing she kind of lunges forward...so we'll see what happens. She still has a month and a half to be on track for where her mom started walking.

Naomi's vocabulary on the other hand is rapidly increasing. She is able to name a decent chunk of her toys and most of her words are actually quite accurate. Her "please" is probably her least accurate word, comes out more like a "dee-deese", but then she can say "cookie", "Lucy" (her cabbage patch doll), or "car" essentially perfectly. And she's been very proud of the fact that she can say "Mommy" and "Daddy" completely now instead of just "Mama" and "Dada", so says them often even when she doesn't need to. It's quite cute! We'll be driving in the car to go shopping or something and she'll be quite in the backseat and then randomly blare out "MOMMY!! MOMMY!!" and when I reply and look at her she's just got a huge smile on her face - so cute!

Lastly for Naomi, her eating has really progressed as well. She eats basically exactly what we eat, no more specially cooked baby food. We still have to cut things smaller and occassionally blend things and spoon feed them to her, but more and more food is finger food. She actually gets really frustrated if you try to feed her entire meal to her, she will sometimes refuse to eat if she doesn't have something she can do herself. So crackers and vegtable juice or milk in a sippy cup have been added to many a meal in addition to cheerios!

Miriam is growing and advancing leaps and bounds all the time as well. Her favorite thing is still to lie down and kick up a storm. She has not yet learned to roll over or anything. She is getting much more interactive though. She has an absolutely beautiful smile that is very rewarding and will coo at you happily if you make faces at her or try to interact with her, so much fun!

Miriam is growing tons as well. If she isn't 12 pounds yet then she's very close! At the doctor just over a week ago she was 11 pounds, 9 ounces and 23 inches long. WOW! Growing so fast. Still eating very well too.

Miriam is an absolutely amazing sleeper as well (hopefully I don't jinx anything by writing this!!). She generally, with occassional exceptions, will sleep from when we put her down (between 9pm and 11:30pm) until about 9am in the morning. SO SPOILED! And on top of that the girls are also roommates and have been for about a month now. Both of them seem to be able to sleep through the other making noises, Naomi sleeps through us bringing Miriam in to bed and Miriam will sleep through Naomi waking up singing in the mornings - what a treat! So so far sleeping is working out quite nicely. We'll have to see how things go once we start putting Miriam down to bed awake...

Anyhow, that is all for now. I should head to bed in case Naomi decides to wake up early again...she's woken up 30 min earlier than the day before the last three days...

Anna signing off as Adam and Nanook just head to bed and Grandma and the girls continue to sleep.

1 Month and 15.5 Months

Hello Everyone, long time no write! It's been a bit more difficult to find the time to do a blog, understandably! Hands have been a bit more full this time. Currently everyone's still sleeping but about to wake up, so we'll see how much we get done!

Miriam has been growing so fast! At her first weigh in she was gaining half a pound a week, not bad for a teeny tiny baby - well not so teeny anymore. She's working very hard on outgrowing her outfits - not that she doesn't get to try them all on with how much she spits...

Miriam has been having a little bit of trouble with gas, she's working so hard on chowing down she forgets to let out some burps and such regularly so gets a bit fussy sometimes, but seems to be getting better with that.

She's also been working on sleeping well at night - successfully most of the time! She does sleep at night for the most part, granted she sleeps most of the day away anyhow. But generally not too tough to get her down, occassionally it takes an hour or two, but once she's down she'll last a few hours and then when she wakes up she'll go back down to sleep without too much difficulty. Last night she went to sleep for the first time shortly after her sister, so about 8pm, and got up 3 times at 9pm, 2:30am and 7:45am going back to sleep afterwards and is still snoozing as we speak...so not bad at all! Mommy and Daddy got to have a nice social evening with some friends, it was wonderful!

Naomi has been taking her role as big sister seriously and making sure to keep learning and growing as well. She's gotten up to 12 teeth now and her vocabularly is steadily increasing. Some new words are "Nanook", well "Nanoo" would be more accurate, but the dog still comes when called. Has been using "all done" regularly for various uses now, from finishing eating or having her bottle to being finished her nap and wanting out. She had up before and tries to use up when she means down, but if you correct her she says down, or "doo" rather. Anyhow, words have been cute!

She's also starting to use more of her toys in fun ways. Her ride on/walker toy car has has actually been used to walk behind and push, working on walking! Still thinks she can't do it by herself without a finger or some furniture though. She's also played pretend with a lunchbox we got pretending to take food out of the lunchbox and eat it and of course sharing it with others who also have to eat it. Super cute!

Well sounds like the little ones are waking up so should go for now, catch you again in a bit when I find another spare moment away from kids, laundry and house stuff!

Anna signing off while Adam, Miriam and Nanook catch a few last 'z's and Naomi starts singing in her crib...

5 days old and 1 week from 15 Months old

Hello again everyone, and Miriam says hello too! She's been exploring the big wide world the last few days. She's been from the hospital, to mom's office, off to church and bible study and of course spending lots of time at home. Most of her time is spent sleeping, otherwise she's likely eating, filling her tiny diapers or having another bout of the hiccups.

Her sleeping has been pretty good so far. She does spend most of the time sleeping as mentioned, but of course as soon as mom decides it's bed-time feeding goes into hyper-drive. So between about 9 and midnight she'll feed about 3 times before she finally will let us put her down in the play-pen to sleep. Once she gets really good at sleeping she can use her crib in her soon to be shared room with her sister, but for now she has a temporary spot in mommy & daddy's room. So once she's down she's been doing some pretty decent stretches of sleep, letting mom recover nicely.

One other thing that we've noticed is how much smaller she is right now than Naomi ever was. We had to invest in some smaller sleepers and onesies so she wasn't swimming in everything we put on her. But it's quite the adjustment now to go from nursing the little tiny baby to playing with Naomi as she climbs the stairs - she's made her big sister look so much bigger!!

Naomi has been being a great big sister. She has not appeared to be too jealous yet, not sure about sharing her receiving blankets though. She's been very curious about the new little addition that spends a lot of time on mommy's lap, only smacked her a couple times but not trying to hurt her, more exploring the new "toy". She has also definitely enjoyed having all the visitors around to play with her, she grabs their attention when they're not oogling over her new little sister.

Naomi has been learning lots of new things as well. From new words and expressions to exploring new things. She's learned more about "hello's", or cell phones as we call them, having fun with a couple fake/old ones of mommy & daddy's. Nanook and her have also become better friends, until she grabs her tail or foot. But enjoying chasing each other around.

Anyhow, that's all for now. Should probably go help deal with the two little ones instead of writing about them!

So Anna signing off to feed the littlest one while Grandpa gets ready to feed the older one and Gradma, Aunty Martha and daddy get some things done around the house.

Welcome Miriam Gloria Violet

Wow, what an incredible day! First off I want to apologize both for the delay in getting this up, and for any bad grammatical mistakes! It has been a long 24 hours! As was mentioned in the previous post we looked like all was good to go, so we packed up, loaded up, and then sat around waiting! Anna was most frustrated at getting all excited, and then for everything to grind to a screeching halt! After a shopping trip, dinner and playing bathing Naomi still nothing was happening.

Off to bed we all went around 10:30 - 11:00. At around 11:30 Anna started to have contractions. Both Grandma and Daddy were passed out quite soundly. Around 12:45 Mommy got up to have a shower to see what it would to to the contractions which were coming strong and solid about 10 minutes apart. In the 12 minute shower she had 3 contractions! Apparently she explained what was going on prior to the shower, and I (Adam) was suppose to get up and talk to Grandma about the happenings. I have no recollection of that conversation! Imagine my surprise while I had been off in dreamland only to be woken by a screaming pregnant lady saying we need to go. NOW!

After a number of phone calls around (thanks to all those who answered the phone at 1am!) we very quickly made our way to the car, and then to the hospital. I will not mention how long it took here on the web as it may incriminate me! We arrived at the hospital a little before 2 am. It was funny, upon our arrival the fantastic labour and delivery staff did not seem to think things were that serious. After a closer exam they discovered that Mom was at about 5cm dilated. They started to take it a lot more seriously! Within an hour Mom progressed to 8cm! The doctor was called and made it just in time to start pushing!

Anna did a phenomenal job! After a few good pushes we were greeted by a absolutely beautiful baby girl. What a change from Naomi's birth! From the time we arrived at the hospital to the birth it was 2 hours, not 20! Miriam Gloria Violet Kouwenberg entered into this world at 3:50am. She was very kind to her mother, no stitches were required! Miriam tipped the scales at 7lbs even. Because the delivery was all natural with only some nitrous oxide to cut the pain (or make mom fly high as a kite) Miriam was incredibly awake and alert. She took to nursing like she had been doing it for years! What a relief!

By the time she was 6 hours old she had spent more than a third of her life eating! We hope this trend continues for a long time! Through out the rest of the day she was wonderful, sleeping great, eating great, and she even got to have her first bath!

It is now about the same time that we went to bed yesterday. Here is hoping that tonight will be less adventurous that the last!

A very proud and tired Mommy and Daddy going to try and get some rest in the hospital, a exhausted big sister and Grandma sleeping back home, and a beautiful baby girl sleeping like a log, saying a very good night to all!

Waiting to go to the hospital

So the thumb twiddling begins! Managed to get some decent sleep last night despite the odd contraction, slept from about 11pm until 5am and then rested between contractions that were about 10 minutes apart, but quite painful. Made arrangements for the day and plans to head to the hospital, got the car packed up and had a light breakfast then contractions stalled again. So now we're waiting for them to pick back up and we'll head in. At least it looks like we won't have to worry about morning rush hour traffic!

Anna signing off in hopes of a contraction soon, while Grandma makes some coffee, and dad plays with Naomi and Nanook