Finally! We finally went out for DC Restaurant Week! Every time this event comes around (twice a year), we tell ourselves we are going to take advantage of the fixed-price, three course menu, but the best restaurants are always booked by the time we try to make a reservation. Not this time. We got a Friday night reservation for Ruth’s Chris Steak House, a sought out restaurant on the list of participators. I’m guessing that is a hot night for the week, so I was pretty proud to have snagged an 8:00 time slot while it was open. Our friends Ryan and Courtney had been to there for Restaurant Week before and said it was great, so we booked it for a party of four, and they joined us for a double date.
The traffic was horrendous both ways, but that didn’t ruin the night in the least. Valet took care of any parking annoyances, and the company and conversation were great. And can I just say that I have never tasted a filet so delicious. It was cooked to a prefect juicy medium, and it literally melted in my mouth, with the loveliest flavorful, crisp texture on the edges that I thoroughly enjoyed. It was also great to know that my mom was at home while the babies slept peacefully. Such a successful, elegant, quiet evening. This is the only picture of the night. Kind of embarrassing that I match the restaurant and their to-go bag. I didn’t mean to, I promise.
Now that was probably a little boring for you (I know all of you just come here for the babies, let’s be honest), so let me see what else I have.
Several more teeth have arrived, which isn’t much fun, but we are making it okay. At least they can eat more foods because of it (and seeing those top teeth when as they makes to Goofyish smiles is just cute). I have been feeding the babies a lot of different new things, including berry- banana pancakes, and cheese (grated cheese is perfect for beginners, I found out) which they love. Oh, and animal crackers. If I ever need a couple minutes of complete silence, those are the ticket. They aren’t always naked for eating time, but I think it might be easier to strip them as they start to feed themselves more, making quite a mess. We have lined the floor beneath them with a disposable tablecloth we can throw away when it gets good and gross. Very handy.
They are mimicking something new every day. It’s funny what they decide to copy, like when I stubbed my toe and gasped/inhaled loudly, Bennett kept breathing in and out really loud, just like me. Guess you had to be there, but it was pretty cute. I’m having kissing lessons with everyone each day because that is what I want them to learn next. They have the puckering down (see video from previous post), now I just have to teach them where to use those puckered lips (on me!).
They love water, whether it’s in the tub, pool, splashing spills on their high chair trays, and apparently warm rainstorms too. We found that out by getting caught in one during an afternoon walk. We didn’t hear one complaint as we briskly walked the rest of the several blocks home, getting completely drenched along the way. Ruby was even leaning into the falling rain, instead of hanging back where she was semi-covered. It’s one of the things I love the most about the East Coast, warm rain. 
They continue to scoot around, make messes, and get into things around the house. I have really started to get serious about baby-proofing as I put away end tables, put rubber bands around cupboard doors to keep them closed, and buy more gates. Ruby is pulling herself to standing on anything she can hold on to, so anything unstable is a hazard. This place is going to turn upside-down any day now, I can just feel it. I no longer have control over the cleanliness and order like I used to, but such is life of one with small children. We try to keep them contained to their play-corner, but sometimes they just want to explore new territory.
They are becoming regular church-goers, until naptime changes anyway. It’s been great to feel like an active member of the congregation again (even if it’s just for the first hour). The babies might be a bit disruptive with their laughing and playing throughout the meeting, but we try to keep the noise down with cheerios and juice.
Ruby started this new cuddly phase. She has always been my least snuggly baby, but now will always lay her head on my shoulder, especially on the way to bed. It makes me so happy. Alex also does this funny, flirty head tilt whenever we are kissing or cuddling him. Bennett just like to be all sprawled out during cuddle time. They are definitely all very different.
I decided we could probably take the cardboard bumpers down now, and needed to lower the bottoms of their beds anyway since they are getting way to big for the higher mattress setting. (We also got some new crib mattresses for the boys’ port-a-cribs, to replace the sub-par ones that were included with the cribs when we purchased them.) So with this whole new sleepy-time scenery we put them down for a nap to see how it would go. As I was going about my business while they were putting themselves to sleep, we started to hear a lot of laughter coming from their room, when what we usually hear is a little pre-nap fussiness, or blessed silence. It took me a second before I remembered we had taken the bumpers down, and then knew that was causing the funny giggles from behind their door. They were having the greatest time realizing that they were each only one or two feet from one another. With Bennett’s crib in the middle being covered on both sides, they had no way to see anyone else, so this must’ve been their first realization that they had roomies. I love to hear them laugh at each other when they are going down, or waking up. I’m not sure it will always be a good thing, and maybe they’ll want to have an all night party together in the nursery, but for now, I love to hear their sweet conversations.
