A few post-insomnia ramblings

I should be asleep. I rarely get an opportunity to sleep from 9 PM on, but today was extra special. C took care of the girls this morning until noon, and then the girls nursed nicely (without teeth involved) so I didn't have to pump after feeding, and then they both went down before 9 PM and haven't woken up since! Of course that translates into an early morning for me, but since they are sick I'm not going anywhere. I had time to watch a TV show tonight! I know, you'd think that a stay at home mom would watch TV, right? Not me. It's nonstop action in this part of the woods.

Anyway, life is good. I never tire of the sweet smiles and fun noises that come from my tiny princesses. Cricket softly whispers "Nnnguh, nnnguh, nnnguh" to me and I think my heart will melt. Peanut yells, "Ay!" And I know she means me.  They love rough housing, which translates into me placing the girls side-by-side on the floor and gobbling their tummies. They both have such different laughs, but so very perfect. It's the sweetest sound.

I have turned my front room into a giant playpen. Gone are the candle lamps, the stone chess set, the tall, slender vase. They have been replaced with exersaucers, a talking mailbox, and a ball that rolls by itself and invites the girls to come play. My yoga mat has become a convenient changing pad, and the ceiling fan is really just a big mobile.

We listen to German radio hits for kids, and I am beginning to memorize the songs. The girls get plenty of exposure to the English language through toys, friends, and neighbors, so I am always trying to balance their bilingual exposure. I also listen to German books on tapes and I translate children's books as we read them. I definitely have had to extend my vocabulary. A dragonfly is a Libelle; such a pretty word. Many words for zoo animals are similar, but I never realized how many creatures show up in children's books!

Ah, at last I think that sleep has discovered me. Off I go, until my sweet angels break from their slumber. Then we will dive into another day of tiny pink bottoms, chubby fingers grasping at green peas and avocado, and sweet, clingy arms reaching for mama or daddy for a comforting hug before scrambling back onto the floor to discover something new.