The Hoverman Honeys....: May 2011

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Airtime for Anna

Anna is our little sweetheart and true to form she is working very hard at learning to be a good big sister for her little brothers but it is taking its toll on her.

She is having a hard time adjusting and needs lots of hugs and cuddles from us these days. So, figured some airtime for Anna would be good. Here are some of the things I'm loving about Anna these days:

Favorite thing that she says: "Bip!" which means "zip"

Recent feats of intelligence: Anna can recognize "A" for Anna, "O" for Owen, "D" for Daddy and occasionally "Z" for Zeke. Pretty good for 20 months.

Favorite moment: We had the Chuns over this weekend and as soon as they showed up and the babies made their appearance downstairs, Anna organized us to sit on the couch and let her hold one of the boys. She got all set up and looked right at Andy waiting for him to notice her, and absolutely beamed when he did. She was so proud of herself!

Favorite activities: Playing with water in the sink and being "OWTsiiiiide"

Next time any of you see Anna, please give her a big hug and tell her how special she is!!! (Then you can get all googly-eyed at the babies:)

Monday, May 30, 2011

Random stats & some solo pictures

Distance in inches that Eli projectile pooped managing to hit not only the bassinet but his brother IN the bassinet: 31 inches (I measured)

Distance in inches that Roby has managed to projectile pee in an arc behind his head: 49inches

Generations from the original Roby to the new Roby: 7 (Roby French who founded the French family farm in Sandwich, NH)

Number of Smith babies who have slept in the Smith family bassinet: 40 since 1900 (including Roby and Eli)

Number of twins who have slept in the Smith family bassinet: 1 (Roby and Eli)

% of boys circumcised in California: 30%

% of fathers of sons in Dave's highly scientific poll of our friends who opted for circumcision: 92%

Number of measures on SF ballot banning "male genital mutilation": 1

Pounds gained while pregnant with Sarah Jane: 42

Pounds gained while pregnant with Eli & Roby: 41 (nothing like lying on your side for 15 weeks to make sure you a) don't snack and b) lose all muscle mass)

Number of pounds lost two days after delivering 12 lbs worth of baby: 10 (go figure)

Number of children three and under required to qualify for the Patriotic Motherhood Medal in the Soviet Union: 4 (I qualify!)

Roby, tired of the camera already

Extremely long toes - Anna's were like this too

Eli, being very patient

Saturday, May 28, 2011

First playdate

On Friday Roby and Eli met Lila Berrien Schmitz who was born on May 7th. (Lila is my oldest friend Jenny's first daughter, Jenny and I sat next to each other in first grade.) Future prom dates perhaps?

Yes, they are identical

In case you had any doubts. (Roby is on the right)

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Dad escapes with Sarah Jane after morning rain

Boys and Abby sleeping. Anna with Owen at Studio Grow....

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Sarah Jane, fixin bikes with dad

How we're telling them apart and other updates...

Eli in blue, getting ready to head home from the hospital

Hi Everyone -

We are in our third full day home from the hospital (Tuesday) and still surviving. Yesterday was interesting as I was in a lot of pain and a phone call to the doctor led to a trip to the doctor which led to a trip back to the hospital for yet another ultrasound (I think the ultrasound techs just missed me.) The end result is that I'm fine and that I need to take more Percocet. Works for me. For the record, having done three labors three different ways (epidural, no epidural and c-section) I vote for the no epidural hands down. C-sections are no fun.

Today we headed to the pediatrician for a weigh-in and some trimming. The boys came home with a little less skin and a lot of sugar water in their tummies (anethesia for the under 8lbs crew.) Dave and I came home fairly traumatized from watching but no one fainted. The weigh-in was a little disappointing as they aren't gaining as fast as we'd like them to be. Current stats are as follows:

Roby
At birth: 19in , 5'14oz
Lowest point: 5'4oz
Left hospital: 5'8oz
Today: 5'9oz

Eli
At birth: 20in, 6'2oz
Lowest point: 5'8oz
Left hospital: 5'12oz
Today: 5'14oz

While they are growing, Dr. Cutherbertson says we have to feed them more often during the day. Tough because all these little guys want to do is sleep. Today we spent 45 minutes trying to wake them up (culminatiung in Dave sticking Roby's head under the cold water faucet) for a total of 5 minutes of eating. While they are big and healthy and barely qualify as preemies, they are still pretty groggy.

As for telling them apart, in the beginning, Eli was clearly bigger and also had more jaundice so it was relatively easy. However, at this point, I have to admit that they don't look at all different to me. Since we no longer have the hospital bracelets, we've come up with some systems

Roby is usually on the right (the viewer's right)

Eli is our blue baby and Roby gets all the other colors. Unfortunately all our boy clothes are blue so that one doesn't work so well. You can tell by the hats but the hats fall off...

Eli has a blue ribbon pinned on his clothes, hopefully that will stay better than the hats
Last but not least, Roby has a red toe

Less obvious in pictures, Roby sounds like a mouse when he cries (squeaky) and Eli sounds more like a cat (mew-y)

Right now they are cuddled together in the middle of my nursing pillow, just as they were 7 days ago.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Swaddle by dad (swaddle all star)

10am, Sunday 5.22.11
Sarah Jane at surprise play date with nursery school friend, Anna with Melissa, our rockstar baby sitter. Eli (blue hat) and Roby are sleeping. I am reading the nytimes and enjoying not having my vitals checked every 3 hours. Dave, who is ever incapable of sitting down is fixing our sprinkler system. We all enjoyed a delicious breakfast cooked by grandma who showed up at 6am this morning, our hero! All is well nearly 24 hours post return from hospital.

Someone else likes the bouncy seats too...

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Roby heading home

Eli heading home

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Earlier pic- boys 30 min old

Roby, napping

Eli, napping

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Introducing...

Dear friends and family,

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of Roby William Hoverman, at 5lbs 14 oz and Eli Stephen Hoverman, at 6lbs 2oz last night (May 17) at 9:12pm and 9:14pm respectively at Alta Bates hospital here in Berkeley.

Roby William is named for Abby’s dad Robert who comes from a long line of Roberts and Robies, (pronounced “Row-bee”) and Eli Stephen is named for Dave’s dad Stephen.

They’re identical twin boys (and no… we haven’t gotten them mixed up…yet).

Abby and the boys are recovering well. Abby is ecstatic to no longer be carrying 12lbs of baby and looking forward to being up and about after 15 long weeks of bed rest, Sudoku playing, blog trolling, Glee watching, and trying to figure out why anyone uses twitter.

Sisters Sarah Jane and Anna are looking forward to dressing them up, having tea and doing their (small) amount of hair.

Pictures enclosed, in the twins picture, Roby is on stage right and in the family picture Sarah Jane is holding him and Abby is holding Eli.

Hope you can each meet them soon.

Lots of love,

Dave, Abby et. al

__________________

Dave Hoverman

Senior Principal

The Parthenon Group

555 California St, 31st Floor

San Francisco, CA 94104

(415) 486-3611 (direct)