March begins...

Unbelievable how time flies! I'm so, so happy that it's almost Spring. I'm so excited to have the babies outside a lot, and make trips to the park and NYC (finally!). Today we tried to get the babies outside for some Easter photos while it was sunny and reasonably warm. 2 (mostly) naked babies + shrubs + 55 degrees + bunny ears = chaos. Poor Oliver LOST his mind- I am officially the cruelest mommy ever. So, we posed on the living room rug instead, in clothes, and everyone cooperated.

Poor Violet had another tough night last night- I am hoping a budding tooth is the cause- not just a sudden urge to stay awake. I finally had to brave going downstairs at midnight (the height of mice party time), clapping and snapping to shoo the rodents away. Little Bug and I tried to rock in the glider, with me touching no part of my body to the floor, but she just wanted to mush my face and give kisses. Even exhausted and mouse-paranoid in the middle of the night, I can't help but mush her back.
Luckily, we had the exterminators come today- hurrah! They confirmed it's mice, not rats (whew...), and said it looked like a few FAMILIES were present. They found "evidence" (don't ask) in every room on the first floor, Violet's room (my heart stops at that), the bathroom and the guest room on the third floor. DISGUSTING!!!!! They were very, very nice. Ben realized he used to live near one of the exterminators in NYC- he had managed a bar Ben liked to frequent where you could buy a beer and 3 hot dogs for $5.00. I love my husband. Anyhow- we're hoping all the families of mice will be gone soon and we can walk around barefoot again.
On Monday, I start rehearsals for Norma (an opera by Bellini) with the Opera Company of Philadelphia. I feel so, so lucky that I'm able to do this- that Grammy and Omi will be helping Ben take over "bedtime duties" while I'm in rehearsals, that Ben works from home and won't need to be racing home in an evening commute, that I'm able to sing even with my newly expanded family. I've been practicing while the babies are playing in the room- they are really into it! They stare and stare at me when I sing. After I've gone through the music, I let them sit on my lap and bang on the piano for a while- they love it.
I'm adding some new photos below of the sweetest babes trying to pose with their ears (you'll see the one that earns me the "meanest mom" title), and then one at the end of cousin Ava and Uncle Ben swinging at the park. I thought it looked like they were swinging over the edge of the city.