Six Months!

It's hard to believe, but Alex and Ari are six months old today! That's half way to one year...amazing.
They had their six-month check-up today. Here are the stats:
Arielle weighs 15 pounds (20th percentile) and is 27 inches long (90th percentile)...tall and thin!
Alex weighs 19 pounds (75th percentile) and is 28.5 inches long (95th percentile)...a basketball player in the making (or, if Daddy has his way, a soccer player). They passed their exam with flying colors ("An A+," according to our pediatrician) and without too many tears from the obligatory vaccinations. The anticipation leading up to the visit must have exhausted Arielle, as she fell asleep on Daddy's shoulder during our appointment: Meanwhile, Alex was hanging out on the examination table: We received the all-clear to start some new solids (veggies, more fruits) so in the weeks to come, we'll see how Alex and Ari like peas, squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc. It's very exciting to see how much the kids are changing on a daily basis-- and a sobering reminder of how fast time flies.

Look, Ma-- No Hands (Part Two)

Arielle asked me to let everyone to know that she, too, is starting to sit unsupported for short periods of time ("See, Ma...anything Alex can do, I can do better!"):

Shana Tova

The start of the Jewish New Year has been an exciting one for all of us. To begin with, Ari and Alex's great-grandmother, Yayita, arrived from Chile this week and got to meet Ari and Alex in person for the first time. Cousins Denise and Jason, and Nicole and Alan, also came to Washington from New York to celebrate the new year. Here is the proud great-grandmother with her great grandchildren (and Mommy!):
Ari and Alex attended Rosh Hashanah services for about an hour, and were extremely well-behaved (and smiley) for the duration. Following services, we all headed over to Miri and Opa's house for lunch with all of the relatives, where we were joined by Nana and Poppy Jack, as well as Alan's niece Jen and her boyfriend, sophomores at Georgetown. It was quite a crowd! (From L to R, seated: Cousin Alan, Aunt Debbie, Cousin Naomi, Jen, Yayita, Cousin Nicole, Ari, Daddy, Cousin Jason. Standing: Nana, Miri, Cousin Denise, Mommy, Alex, Opa, Cousin Jonathan, Uncle Jason, Poppy Jack):

On Sunday morning, Cousins Denise and Jason (who were also houseguests this weekend) babysat Alex and Ari so that Mommy and Daddy could run in the Parks Half Marathon. Ari and Alex were a little confused when they woke up to find someone other than their parents peering into their cribs, but as soon as they saw the new folks had bottles, they were all smiles. Denise and Jason did an excellent job taking care of the kiddos, and when Mommy and Daddy returned from the race, they were already down for their morning naps (the kids, not Denise and Jason). Here's a shot of Mommy and Daddy when they got home from the race:The remainder of Sunday was spent having lunch with the extended family and visiting with Nana and Poppy Jack. It's been a busy weekend and the week ahead looks just as busy: a sign language class, neighborhood play group, music class, and Ari and Alex's six month birthday (and doctor's visit)! No rest for the weary...

Happy First Birthday Cousin Jonathan!

Continuing the string of birthday celebrations, Alex and Ari joined their cousins Jonathan and Naomi (and Aunt Debbie, Uncle Jason, Miri, Opa, and Uncle Jason's family) at Jonathan's first birthday party. Ari and Alex can't wait until they are one year old, so that they can eat chocolate cake, too. In the meantime, Mommy and Daddy were more than happy to eat Alex and Ari's shares. Here is the birthday boy eyeing his cake (which it turned out he was too tired to eat...so leftovers were saved for him to enjoy later this evening):

Here is Ari preparing for the party with a bunch of balloons:
Aunt Debbie, Daddy, and Mommy with all of the cousins:
One of the benefits of having older cousins is trying out their fun toys. Alex enjoyed himself in Jonathan's swing:And once we got home, Ari had fun in a jumper handed down by her cousin:So, all in all, a great weekend of birthday celebrations. Oh-- and a milestone: Alex learned to roll himself over from his back to his stomach (previously, he could only roll from his side to his stomach which meant someone had to help him get to his side). Plus, we received exciting news: Alex and Ari's paternal great-grandmothers, whom they have never met in person, will be coming to visit from Chile and Germany! They cannot wait to meet Yayita and Oma, and are especially excited that all of their great-grandmothers (including their maternal great-grandma, "GG") will be here at the same time in mid-October. What lucky kids!

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today was a special day, as we celebrated Daddy's birthday. Before the celebration, Alex and Ari attended their first music class at the Hebrew Home. Despite their young age, they were fascinated by the guitar, singing, musical instruments, and other kids (including two sets of their twin friends). They were also excited to see (and to be shown off by) Nana, who works at the Hebrew Home.

This evening we went to Miri and Opa's house to celebrate Daddy's birthday with gifts, dinner, and, Daddy's favorite, Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake! Aunt Debbie, Uncle Jason, cousins Naomi and Jonathan, and Uncle Jason's mother and grandmother joined in the celebration.

Daddy getting ready to enjoy his Baskin-Robbins ice cream cake:

Birthday boy and his family:

Miri and Opa with Ari and Alex:

Another birthday celebration is on the horizon: Cousin Jonathan turns one year old on Sunday!

Look, Ma-- Hands!!

More accomplishments this week: Alex is holding his own bottle (for the most part...he does still need a little help!) He probably realized that if he holds his own bottle, he can get food much faster, and without the breaks required when Mommy is trying to feed two babies at once ("Just give me the bottle, Ma...I'll take care of it myself!"):

Not to be outdone by her brother, Arielle demonstrates how she can hold her foot in her mouth (she says, "Bottles are for sissies. Betcha can't do this, bro!"):
Lest you think that Alex is outpacing his sister in the milestone department, I should mention that Arielle was the first to master the "social smile" (at 6 weeks) and to roll over from her back to her front (around 3 months).

This week has been a very social one. On Tuesday we visited Mommy's long lost high school friend, who also happens to have boy/girl twins who are now two years old (and the best of friends). It was a fun glimpse into what lies ahead for Ari and Alex. And a reminder of how life works out in funny ways to reunite us with people from our past.

On Wednesday we attended the first Washingtonian Woods (our new neighborhood) playgroup at the home of a fellow mother of twins. Ari and Alex enjoyed meeting all of the kids they will grow up with over the coming years.

Just to prove we're not elitists who only hang out with other twins, today our good friend Jane came all the way from Virginia ;) to visit with her new 8-week old daughter, who also happens to be an Alex (short for Alexandra). So even though you don't have to be a twin to hang out with Ari and Alex, it helps if you have the same name. Here is proof that not all of our friends come in twos:

Tomorrow we start music class at the Hebrew Home (with, we admit, at least two other sets of twin friends). More importantly, tomorrow is Daddy's birthday! This weekend will be busy with many birthday celebrations, including Cousin Jonathan's on Sunday. We are all looking forward to a fun weekend!

Look, Ma-- No Hands!

Today was a lazy, rainy, and generally uneventful Monday, but there was one item worth mentioning: Alex is starting to sit unsupported! He isn't yet sitting for extended periods of time, but he can sit by himself long enough for Mommy to grab the camera and take a picture:

(No, that's not teeth inside his mouth, just a reflection off of the drool!)

On a more somber note, today was also the 5-year "terriversary" of the 9/11 attacks. We can only pray that our children will grow up in a world where they don't have to worry about such horrific acts.

The Best Laid Plans

Alas, one thing I've learned as a new mother is that even the best laid plans can go wrong, especially when your life is dictated by a little one (or, in our case, two).

As I mentioned in our last post, this weekend we had plans to host a Saturday playgroup for Alex and Ari's twin friends. However, Friday as we were preparing to leave the house for Shabbat dinner at Miri and Opa's house, Ari threw up all over herself and Mommy (we think the fact she was covered in vomit bothered her much more than her stomach did!) Dr. Miri checked her out when we arrived and diagnosed her with a minor stomach bug. While it likely wasn't contagious, we decided to spare other parents the worry and reschedule our play date.

Dr. Miri made a housecall on Saturday to check up on Ari, who seemed to be doing 100% better. Just to be safe, Ari and Alex took it easy, lounging around the house and doing quiet activities like reading:

In light of Ari's improvement, we invited our friends Kelly and Seth, and their almost one-year old daughter Alyssa, over for dinner. Aunt Lori and Uncle Sam joined us and we all enjoyed pizza while being entertained by an adorable Alyssa.

Today Ari and Alex watched Daddy coach his first soccer game of the season, thus beginning their indoctrination into the world of soccer. They seemed a little less interested in the game than in being held and entertained by the parents of the soccer players, but we are sure they will become versed in the intricacies of soccer in no time. The kids were enchanted by the girls, who are also our fall-back babysitters should grandparents and aunts/uncles be unavailable. The well-played game ended in a tie, and with a picture with the team:

And so another weekend comes to a close (boo, hoo!) but we have a busy week planned, including a visit with Mommy's high school friend and her two-year old twins, a neighborhood playgroup, a play date with friends from Jones Day, our first music class at the Hebrew Home, and Daddy's birthday!!

Play date

First, I have to correct an earlier post, thanks to my astute friend Jenna. She pointed out that the Labor Day Parade was not, in fact, Ari & Alex's first parade. Rather, Ari & Alex were participants in the Fourth of July "parade" hosted by Miri and Opa's neighborhood. The parade consists of all of the neighborhood children (and grandchildren) riding bikes or strollers decorated for the Fourth of July down the neighborhood's only street. While this isn't a "parade" in the traditional sense (floats, marching bands, etc.), it is a longstanding tradition on Seven Hill Lane and we all were honored to participate this year. Here is a shot from the first parade in which Ari & Alex participated (Daddy is pushing Ari & Alex and Miri and Aunt Debbie are pushing cousins Jonathan and Naomi):

Today Ari and Alex got together with their oldest and dearest friends, Sydney and Alex Goldman. Mommy and Daddy have been friends with Sydney and Alex's parents since before all of the kids came along, and Alex and Sydney even came to Arielle and Alex's bris/naming ceremony while they were still inside their mother's tummy! The kids had a blast hanging out with their buds and playing with Sydney and Alex's toys. Here is a shot of Sydney and Arielle enjoying some "girl time":

As the weekend approaches, we're looking forward to hosting a playgroup (picture four or five sets of multiples all rolling around on our basement floor) and to watching Daddy coach his first soccer games of the season. Check back for an update after the weekend!

Weekend recap

It is a few days late, but I thought I'd recap this past Labor Day weekend's events, especially since we have some pictures.

Friday evening we had Shabbat dinner with Miri, Opa, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Jason, and cousins Naomi and Jonathan. We welcomed Miri and Opa back from their month-long tour of Europe, which included a cruise of Russia and Scandinavia. Ari and Alex missed Miri and Opa very much, so they were excited to see them and show them how much they had grown since Miri and Opa left at the beginning of August.

On Saturday we lazed around until dinner time, when Miri and Opa came over to go out to dinner in the Kentlands at our new find (thanks to Melissa Arking), Crepes A-Go-Go.

Sunday morning, Mommy and Daddy went out (separately, of course) for 17-mile training runs in preparation for the Marine Corps Marathon on October 29. Daddy gave Mommy the opportunity to get some gardening done when he took Alex and Ari out for lunch with Miri, Opa, Aunt Debbie, Uncle Jason, and cousins Naomi and Jonathan (our house came with a beautiful garden but, unforunately for us, not a gardener!) Later that day we had dinner at our neighbors' home (who we knew previously through Dan's Maccabi soccer team) and Alex and Ari were on their best behavior.

On Monday, Ari and Alex attended their first parade, the Annual City of Gaithersburg Labor Day Parade. They were joined by their buds Brenden and Neve Norris and Jessica and Hannah Bernstein. As always, three pairs of twins made for quite a spectacle. Ari and Alex seemed disappointed to find out that the parade mostly consisted of political candidates making one final push before the upcoming primary election, but there were a few high school bands that seemed to catch their attention. Unfortunately, Alex didn't seem to care much for the loud drums, so I guess maybe we'll try the parade thing again in a few years when they are a little older. Here is a picture of Alex and Ari getting ready to head out to the parade:


On Monday evening, we celebrated Poppy Jack's 60th birthday with dinner at Mon Ami Gabi in Bethesda. Poppy Jack doesn't look a day over 40 and certainly doesn't look like a grandfather. Here we are, celebrating with Poppy Jack, Nana, Aunt Lori, and Uncle Sam:

All in all, a nice long weekend. We're looking forward to lots of fun events in September: Daddy's birthday, cousin Jonathan's birthday, Rosh Hashanah, and Aunt Lori's birthday. We will also be starting a neighborhood playgroup, a sign language class, and a music class at the Hebrew Home. Looks like we're going to be busy!

Five Months

Since we're starting this blog a little late, we wanted to post at least one picture from Arielle and Alexander's early days. While we won't try to recap every milestone that has occurred between their birth on March 29, 2006 and now, this picture (when compared to the ones that follow) will give you an idea of how far we've all come in the last five months.

Alexander Benjamin and Arielle Brooke arrived via c-section and were delivered at Georgetown University Hosptial by Dr. Joseph Collea. Arielle was born first, at 10:54 a.m., weighing 5 lbs., 14 oz. and measuring 19 inches tall. Alexander was born quickly thereafter, at 10:55 a.m., weighing in at 6 lbs., 11 oz. and measuring 20 inches. Here is a picture of Alex and Ari on their very first day outside of Mommy's tummy:

Flash forward to today: Alex and Ari celebrated their five month birthday last week, on August 29. At their four month visit to the pediatrician, Alex weighed a whopping 16 lbs. 12 oz. (85th percentile) and measured 26.5 inches (95th percentile). Ari weighed 12 lbs. 14 oz. (70th percentile according to the nurse, but we think she may have made a mistake...) and was 24.75 inches tall (75th percentile). Here are a couple of pictures from shortly after that visit, before Alex and Ari's first outing to our new neighborhood's pool:

At five months, Alex and Ari are just starting solid foods-- rice cereal, oatmeal, and today, apple sauce. Ari seems to love eating solids more than Alex does, which is surprising given his apparent love of food, at least in the liquid form. She kicks her legs and opens her mouth wide with excitement when she sees the spoon coming...something like this:

Here is one of their latest pictures, taken on their five month birthday last week:

That's all for now...more updates to follow in the weeks and months to come, so please check back and feel free to leave us a message in the comments section!

Welcome!

Welcome to the Reichmann Family Blog. We have decided to start a blog to keep our friends and family updated on our family's recent adventures and on Alex and Arielle's latest accomplishments. Granted, we should have done this about five months ago but we're a little behind the times!
We will try to post updates on a regular basis, along with the latest pictures. We hope you'll check back frequently!