dosbebes

Dos Bebes Overload

Great day at the Cincinnati zoo with Dos Bebes. They got a bit wild near the Gorilla exhibit!

An Open Letter to the Passengers of Delta Flight 5468: We had no idea!

To the Passengers to Delta Flight 5468:

As the couple that inspired PlanetFeedback.com, we feel the urge to share our own feedback moment to the passengers of yesterday's Delta Flight 5468 from Newark to Cincinnati.   From exactly 5:30 PM (Boarding time) to 8:00 PM (escaping time).

First off, we had no idea!  Call us naive, perhaps, but had we known what would transpire on that flight we would rather have pushed the twin baby stroller the full distance to Cincinnati. 

We knew history was being made when the flight attendant noted, at the very end, while folks where rushing off the plane, that in her years working with the airlines that she had not quite experienced quite a scene.   

Everyone, she said, just assumed he would eventually wear himself out and just fall asleep.  I wasn't quite there when she delivered the fated quote, but Erika heard it loud and clear.

"This is the worst I've ever seen."  Fortunately, she said it professionally, and with a smile. 

And so again, to the incredibly patient and understanding and tolerant passengers of Delta Flight 5468, we sincerely apologize for our kids, especially Liam, screaming throughout the full distance of the fight. We accept full responsibility, and we're just horrified by the noise level. We can only be thankful that the guy directly in front of us was wired to the movie Braveheart on his portable DVD player, and that the woman behind us was an understanding grandmother. 

But to the others, we can't even begin to imagine what you went through.  We apologize, and someday Liam and Leila will make it up to you.  I'm just not sure how, but I know good Kharma will catch up on this one. It must!

Sincerely,

Erika and Pete
Parents of Dos Bebes

Growth March of Dos Bebes Continues

First a word of thanks to everyone who expressed their love and support regarding the death of Erika's father and Dos Bebes grandfather Walter T Brown. We are saddened beyond words over his passing.

Dos Bebes continue to grow and evolve and take on new, unique, and even peculiar qualities. Smiles are now the rule, not the exception; the hands grab with serious grippage; their little frames now have the strength to both sit up and turn over. They are, in short, a barrel of fun. Liam has been fighting a bit of a cough for the past two weeks, which has had us a bit worried. Leila has a peculiar - nay, unmistakable - sound she uses. We're not sure if she's making a request or just humming. Both clearly seem to be aware of one another and often reach out and hold hands, which is adorable. Oh, and every once and a while Liam has a scratch on his face that begs the obvious question: did he say the wrong thing to his sister?

Muchies Anyone? Lessons in Baby Talk

Parenting does weird things to you.  All of a sudden I'm inventing words and names that make absolutely no sense to most ordinary adults.  It's like I'm sinking into the "Baby Zone."  For whatever reason, I've really been into the name "Munchkins" to describe Liam and Leila.  For this time in their life, the name just fits.  But it just doesn't stop there.  I've literally come up with every variation on that name in the universe: Munchies, Munchsters, Munchie Wonkies.  Thank God they have no idea what I'm saying.  They'd probably deny any relation to us!

Strolling....Through the Kitchen

What is it about movement that serves as a sedative?  First it was the Fisher Price-Cradle Swing. Then of course there's good old fashioned rocking da' baby in your hands.  This weekend, we learned that when Leila and Liam start to make lots of noise, you put them in the stroller and just push them around.  This weekend however it was freezing outside, so we had to resort to just a million or so laps around the kitchen and dining room.  Which means the double-stroller turns around every couple feet. Fun.  But it works.

Big Milestone for Proud Padre

This was a huge weekend for me.  Erika caught a bug, dos bebes had a doctor's appointment, and the nannies were in short supply.   That meant Padre Pedro had to carry the ball...or at least much of it.  So I'm proud to report that I managed to take the kids to and from the Doctor's office without a hitch, and I pretty much took control of the nightime feeding.  (BTW, Dos Bebes both weigh in at about 10 lbs.) Here's more. Download LiamLeila.AVI

Adventures in "Sleepage"

Sleeping (or lack thereof) and parenting go hand in hand.  Either they are sleeping or we are trying to sleep. Sometimes we sleep together, but rarely. Usually we dream of sleep.  Often when they are in a deep sleep I can't sleep (like now).  Oh, and did I mention that I/we often dream of sleep.  Sleep is precious.  They are damn cute when they are asleep.

Doctor's Visit: Dos Bebes Hit Milestone

Dos Bebes just hit a huge milestone.  We put them on the scale at Doctor's Nofziger's office and Leila registered an impressive 6 pounds 13 ounces, while Liam was 6 pounds 9 ounces. Yes, we are pleased to report that dos bebes are growing...fast.  This was better than we expected. Nofziger, worth noting, is a bit of a local legend here in Cincinnati as was referred to us by a number of folks we really respect. As you walk in his office, there's an incredible mural of him surrounded by dozens of children.  He's been amazing, and very responsive to all our questions.

Guzzlers and Gourmet Eaters

Liam and Leila are barely five weeks old and I'm already seeing some peculiar and unique behaviors emerge...especially around the eating process.   Liam is a Guzzler, and Leila is a Gourmet.  Put the nipple of the feedback bottle anywhere the vicinity of his mouth and he will lunge for action.  Leila, on the other hand, takes it slow and steady, like a Gourmet eater.  At the end of the day, Leila takes less time to feed because there's far less upchuck or puke built into the routine.

Cradle Swing Reflections

I’m sitting here on a Sunday morning watching Liam and Leila sleep off their mid-morning meal of breast-milk while swinging away in these very cool Fisher Price Cradle Swings. Handel’s Watermusic is playing softly in the background and the majestic Ohio River beckons outside our huge glass window. It’s hard to describe the joy of watching these two, and not a second goes by when Erika and I don’t feel incredibly appreciative and grateful for all the love, encouragement, and good wishes so many of you have expressed in the past month. Liam and Leila are growing right before our eyes, and it’s just amazing. Check this out!  Download babywaltz.AVI