Newsflash: I'm a mom.

On an intellectual level, I have known that I'm a mom for about seven weeks. Today, however, I had one of those moments where it really hit me. I actually felt like a mom. At about 3:00 this morning, I started noticing that Jake was very congested & was having trouble breathing easily. My suspicions were confirmed when he demonstrated his ability to spit up in a projectile fashion because just couldn't breathe well while lying flat on his back. I cleaned him up & put him in bed with me, propped up on a pillow to elevate his head, & we slept well until morning. At the 8:00 feeding, it became apparent that both of my kids were having the same issues, & they weren't getting any better. So, I made a appointment to see the pediatrician at 11:00. They both have colds & will be fine with time & some saline nose drops, but this whole experience did bring a new awareness for me. Sitting in the doctor's office, trying to bottle feed two snotty, coughing, sneezing, crying kids simultaneously (J was on his way back into town from a business trip), it occurred to me that I am not just a caretaker. This is not a babysitting gig, & I'm not just "playing house." I am their mom. They depend on me & J for everything. If they don't feel well, they need us to fix it. If they're hungry, they look to us to feed them. If something hurts, they want us to make it feel better. I love the fact that I am needed - and at the same time am humbled by it. Maybe I'm a little slow getting to my "aha" moment since I've been a mother for nearly two months, but oh well. This little diatribe is certainly not for the purpose of complaining. Rather, I feel immensely blessed. (By the way, J did get back before I left the office & saved my sanity by helping me finish feeding & dressing them.)

Now that you've listened to me ramble, I'll share a few other details. One highlight of going to the doctor was getting to have them weighed & measured again. Jake is now 8 lb 8oz & 20.5 inches long. Mallory is 7 lb 12 oz & 20 inches long. I know that plenty of people start out with babies bigger than that, but they seem huge to me! Here are a few recent pictures...

With Nana last weekend:Looking cute in their church clothes two Sundays ago:Chillin' in Mommy & Daddy's bed one Saturday morning:They don't actually sleep there. We just put them there for a few minutes to keep them quiet while we were getting ready.

Mallory hanging out with JT when she brought dinner for us. Her little Callie will be here any day now!The cutest co-conspirators you've ever seen: