kara

The first one is Sophie. The second one? Owen.

“A sister is both your mirror—and your opposite.” —Elizabeth Fishel

Today we did the final walk-through of what will be our new house, as of tomorrow. The last time I saw it, I was on bed rest, and if you asked my doctor she probably would have said I wasn’t supposed to be walking at all, much less through houses.

Andy and I tend to walk through houses a second time and find great fault in them (just ask our Realtors). So I was worried about the walk-through today, afraid I had built up the house too much in my mind—that it wouldn’t live up to my expectations. I had just given birth to our boys when the inspection was scheduled, so Andy had to attend that alone. So much has happened between the open house and today.

Technically, we weren’t even supposed to be looking.

But we did. And I loved it then and I still love it now. The street could be prettier (there’s a gas station nearby) but the private, beautifully landscaped backyard makes up for that. It was built in 1910 and has character—lots of character (and another stone foundation, go figure). There is wallpaper that needs stripped, and light fixtures that need replaced, but it’s bigger—much bigger—and I can see us raising our family there, at least for a good while.

So here are some pictures (with the sellers’ furniture) of my favorite rooms and parts. We close tomorrow, and move in next weekend. I can’t wait.

front porch

front door

entry

living room

dining room

bedroom

backyard

“People are living longer than ever before, a phenomenon undoubtedly made necessary by the 30-year mortgage.” —Doug Larson

June 4 Andy called me from the NICU (he often visited James on his lunch break) with good, surprising news—James was ready to come home. We had thought he needed to be 4 pounds to be allowed home—but he was close and the NICU doctors determined our little warrior was ready.

Here Andy’s giving James his last NICU diaper change.

He was so small. I was worried about his neck, all the way home, but he did fine.

Finally, a family picture with everyone present.

Pop Pop and Nini holding James and Owen

Sleeping together, once again (and probably wanting swaddled!).

Welcome home, James.

“The light is what guides you home, the warmth is what keeps you there.” —Ellie Rodriguez

Sophie was so excited to help us with Owen’s first at-home bath. She eagerly gathered a hooded towel, washcloth and baby wash.

Owen did pretty well. Sophie kept telling him not to cry and was very concerned that he’d roll his head into the water. (She hates when water gets in her eyes.)

Nice and clean, post bath

“Everything is a miracle.It is a miracle that one does not dissolve in one’s bath like a lump of sugar.” —Pablo Picasso

“But Fidgety Phil
He won’t sit still;
He wriggles
And giggles,
and then, I declare,
Swings backwards and forwards,
And tilts up his chair.” —Heinrich Hoffman

My good friend Shruti also was in town Memorial Day weekend so she, her husband Arun and their daughter Rashmi, along with my good friend Aimee and her husband Jon stopped by to meet Owen. Sophie and Rashmi enjoyed a tea party (or bowls of applesauce) …

and pushing strollers around.

I so wish they could play together more often!

“Another novelty is the tea-party, an extraordinary meal in that, being offered to persons that have already dined well, it supposes neither appetite nor thirst, and has no object but distraction, no basis but delicate enjoyment.” —Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Sophie holding Owen for the first time

“Is solace anywhere more comforting than in the arms of a sister.” —Alice Walker

Memorial Day weekend Katy and Tom visited from North Carolina, and Kyle visited from New York. It’s rare for all of us to be together outside of a holiday. I love that there were three of us growing up, and now I have three of my own—and for one weekend, we were all together (with James in the NICU, though). I was so happy to see them, and so very thankful for all their help.

Katy holding Owen

Kyle holding Owen

Katy feeding Owen

Tom holding Owen

a difference in size

Katy holding James in the NICU

While there was lots of baby holding inside, it was pool time for Sophie outside.

To celebrate the boys’ arrivals, Sophie got a great new wooden toy from Katy, Tom and Kyle.

Kyle holding James in the NICU

Kyle and Sophie

Katy and Sophie

Tom and Sophie

“I don’t believe an accident of birth makes people sisters or brothers. It makes them siblings, gives them mutuality of parentage. Sisterhood and brotherhood is a condition people have to work at.” —Maya Angelou

We chose the middle name Orion for several reasons. We love stars. We liked how it sounded. Like Oscar and Olivia, it starts with O. Little did we know, though, how fitting it would be.

Orion often is depicted as a hunter and warrior. James was very much a warrior in the NICU. Daily he surprised the nurses and doctors by eating much more than his minimum at almost every feeding. Once Owen was sent home, I swear I sensed greater determination from James when giving him a bottle of breast milk. He sucked and sucked and sucked, taking in much more than I thought his tiny stomach could handle, so seemingly eager to be back with his brother, to be home.

And home he was sent, much earlier than anyone had predicted.

“Orion may seem very peaceful on a cold winter night, but in reality it holds very massive, luminous stars that are destroying the dusty gas cloud from which they formed.” —Tom Megeath

We had so hoped Sophie would have been able to meet her brothers in the NICU, but she battled a virus too long—so in the meantime, pictures on the computer had to do.

But finally Owen was able to come home, Thursday, May 27. He weighed X. Here’s our last picture of Owen and James together, in the NICU.

Owen did not like his car seat at first …

but he calmed down considerably on the nerve-wracking (for me, at least) drive home.

Finally, Sophie and Owen meet! Owen gave Sophie a car. Sophie gave Owen plastic toys (which she called bottles) that you push together to form chains. She picked it out on her own. She talked about the “bottles” constantly, and I thought for sure when finally allowed to open them she would want to play with them.

But instead she placed them, one at a time, on top of Owen in his car seat (and to this day she still makes sure they’re in the pack-n-play for Owen to play with).

First time in the pack-n-play (on top of the quilt Jill made for Andy when he was a baby!).

Nini and Owen

Sophie also got a present from Nini and Pop Pop to help celebrate Owen’s arrival—a beautiful, handmade baby doll cradle.

Jill and Owen

Welcome home, Owen.

“There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort.” —Jane Austen