Merry Christmas from the Gregoires...

Merry Christmas! We're having a mellow and merry Christmas at home this year...

"Hey Ethan, Christmas is tomorrow! Let's do a Christmas dance! Joy to the world..."

"Yay! Rockin' around the Christmas tree, have a happy holiday... La la la..."
"Um, Sophia? I think Mom was taking pictures of us dancing..."
Ethan waits for Santa...

Sophia "Sugar Plum" dreams of holiday fun...
"Yay! Santa came!" (Sophia in red on left, Ethan jumping for joy in green on right)

Ethan and Sophia with Mom
Sophia and Ethan with Dad...

Bringing our babies home!

A few pictures of the first night with Ethan and bringing our sweet Sophia home. It is wonderful to be together at last! Our first night with both Sophia and Ethan was blissful and busy! It feels so good to finally be home...

Ethan and Dad on Ethan's first night home...
Finally taking both our babies home...
Blanket-cocoons made with the blankets Grandma Karen made...

Steve brings Sophia in for the first time...



Sophia and Ethan...

Five Weeks Old :: Coming HOME!!!

We've been telling Ethan and Sophia stories about home for weeks now - what the nursery is like, how much we want them to join us, how we're excited to be a family. Already an explorer, Ethan told Sophia that he'd scout out this "home" place that we'd been talking about and would report back to her. Sophia agreed that this was a good idea.

Ethan came home yesterday and it has been a wonderful 24 hours!!! The first night was admittedly a bit uncoordinated, but Ethan is letting us know that we're getting the hang of this parenting stuff. Night #2 is going more smoothly. :)

After Ethan left with us last night, Sophia started drinking whole bottles. Ethan, Steve and I visited her this morning and when Ethan told her all about home. Sophia decided that going home sounded pretty good and that she would like to join us now. She passed her car seat test tonight, and it looks like she'll be home tomorrow.

Christmas is coming a little early this year - we're thrilled that our little family will be together and feel blessed that everyone is healthy. We are so grateful.

Ethan wonders what home will be like...

Ethan rests up after all those bottles...
Sophia kicks back with Daddy...
Sophia says, "Bye Ethan! Let me know what you think!"


Ethan heads out in his car seat...
Steve carries Ethan through the door.

Mommy and Ethan - home at last!
One of the cribs will be full tonight! :)
Visiting Sophia this morning - Ethan works on his bottle while Sophia takes a little break... Both of them finish all of their milk!

Ethan :: Six Bottles in a Row!!!

In the past 24 hours, Ethan drank 6 bottles in a row! If he continues to drink his entire bottles he could come home as soon as tomorrow or Wednesday! Steve and I are rejoicing and cannot wait to have him home!

Sophia continues to drink about half of her bottles consistently with an occasional attempt at a full bottle. She's making progress and we're hoping that she'll be able to come home soon too!

Four Weeks Old :: When are they coming home???

Sophia and Ethan are 31 days old now and we're all wondering when they may come home. Developmentally, the only hurdle remaining for them is to master bottle feeding. It is tough for them to coordinate sucking, swallowing and breathing when they're eating - they're working on building their stamina.

As soon as the twins can bottle feed at all 6 of their daily feedings they'll be ready to come home. In the past 24 hours, Ethan managed to do 3 out of six bottles, and Sophia has done 2 out of 6. So we're getting closer, and are hoping that the babies will master what they need to do within the next week or so, although it could take 2 weeks or more... While we hope it will be soon, we just don't know...

Some 1-month-old pictures:

Ethan and Sophia sleeping on Daddy...

Sophia sleeping on Mommy...

Daddy giving Sophia a bath for the first time...
Sophia likes Spa Day with Daddy...
All cleaned up and ready to go...
Ethan has no idea that he's next...

Ethan enjoys the bath too...after this picture was taken...really.

Ethan gets warm and dry...

Three and a Half Weeks Old :: New Digs and Fashion Show

It is very hard to wait for Sophia and Ethan to be ready to come home - Steve and I want them with us so much! Steve and I spend most days (and some evenings, too) with the babies. We did take some time out last Saturday to go to Gail (Steve's sister) and Mike's wedding. My baby shower was last Sunday and it was great to celebrate Sophia and Ethan's arrival! The good company, decorations, and food were wonderful. We had a great time! Many thanks to everyone for making it a special day!

Our twins are growing stronger every day and are gaining weight - they just need to be able to eat by mouth (bottle or breast vs. gavage tube). Sophia now weighs 5 pounds 8 ounces, and Ethan is now a whopping 5 pounds 5 ounces. We just started breastfeeding/bottle work last week and both Ethan and Sophia are taking about half of the bottles when they try them. Sophia has managed to finish an entire bottle twice, but it is still hard work for her to do that. Both Ethan and Sophia still need time to grow stronger...

The PT and OT come to check on the babies every few days, and both Sophia and Ethan are on track for their age. We are so thankful for the care they're receiving and are grateful that they're healthy. Now we just need to get them home! :)

In other news, yesterday Steve accepted a Senior Software Engineer position with the PHT Corporation, a company that develops wireless technology and software to support clinical trials for pharmaceuticals. He's excited about the job and is still working out the details of his start date, and we're hoping that he'll be able to start in January after the babies come home.

Ethan and Sophia together again...


Sophia lets us know that the holiday fashion is bears, penguins, and bunnies.

Ethan yawns about fashion - but he does look cute in his sailor suit! Side by side at Newton-Wellesley
There are nice places for mom and dad to sit, too!