Friends
We were so happy to get a visit from our dear friends Bobbie and Robert! They were making a quick pre-baby trip from Florida. Thank you for coming! We love you, looking forward to meeting baby Z!!
Peek-a-boo
We got to visit with our sweet friend Jen and her little one Elizabeth. In the picture below pregnant Jen is holding a laughing Alden while Elizabeth is pulling up on her back playing peek-a-boo :)! What a treat to spend time with them!!
Play date
We got to visit with most of the Wrights today. Ellie, the newest addition to their family, was due one day apart from the twins. Due to the twins early arrival and Ellie's late arrival they are about five weeks apart. William and Josiah are great big brothers! I wish I had a picture of them playing with Asa, he thought he was so cool hanging with the guys:). Johanna, the mom of these beautiful children, has been a fountain of knowledge and encouragement for this new mom-thanks! 
On The Cheap: Baby Cameras
Many of you may think that I (Austin) probably cannot offer you any advice in raising your child. Oh, you are mistaken. I am, dear friend, always on the lookout for ways to make life easier and more productive--particularly without spending much money (or at least less money). This is particularly important when you have twins. Today's topic: baby cameras.
For those who do not yet know, baby [fill in the blank] will always cost more than normal [fill in the blank]. We decided that we needed baby cameras to monitor nap times via video. It's not a necessity, but our friends with kids have said that they enjoyed having the video or wished they did. We wanted to put together a system where (1) we could have multiple cameras, (2) we could view the cameras through our iOS devices (rather than carry around a big white plastic piece of crap) and (3) we could view the cameras from outside of the home (e.g., from work). From my research, there was no such system labeled as a "baby monitor" available on the U.S. market that meets all of these criteria. What is available? Security cameras.
Asa and Alden are in full lockdown thanks to these Foscam security cameras, which you can pick up in a pair for less than $200.00:
These babies run wirelessly to our wireless router. We monitor through an app on our iPhones and iPads called LiveCamsPro ($1.99). As long as our devices are connected to our home wireless system, we can view and control the cameras from that app. The final piece is that I set up a web portal that allows me to log into our wireless router from work where I can view (but not control) the cameras remotely. There we have it. All three criteria met for less than $200.
The only weird thing that I should have expected is the night vision on the cameras. To accomplish the night vision, the camera lights in the ring around the lens emit a red glow. It is not awful, but the cameras take on an anthropomorphic quality that makes it seem like the Eye of Sauron:
I don't think the cameras are instruments of the Dark Lord, but the night vision pictures often make me wonder:
Did you just hear a hawk shriek when you saw this? You are not the only one.
Whatever the eternal consequences, these cameras were a great deal and have served us well!
For those who do not yet know, baby [fill in the blank] will always cost more than normal [fill in the blank]. We decided that we needed baby cameras to monitor nap times via video. It's not a necessity, but our friends with kids have said that they enjoyed having the video or wished they did. We wanted to put together a system where (1) we could have multiple cameras, (2) we could view the cameras through our iOS devices (rather than carry around a big white plastic piece of crap) and (3) we could view the cameras from outside of the home (e.g., from work). From my research, there was no such system labeled as a "baby monitor" available on the U.S. market that meets all of these criteria. What is available? Security cameras.
Asa and Alden are in full lockdown thanks to these Foscam security cameras, which you can pick up in a pair for less than $200.00:
The only weird thing that I should have expected is the night vision on the cameras. To accomplish the night vision, the camera lights in the ring around the lens emit a red glow. It is not awful, but the cameras take on an anthropomorphic quality that makes it seem like the Eye of Sauron:
I don't think the cameras are instruments of the Dark Lord, but the night vision pictures often make me wonder:
Did you just hear a hawk shriek when you saw this? You are not the only one.
Whatever the eternal consequences, these cameras were a great deal and have served us well!
Conduct yourselves appropriately
We went to visit some friends I worked with at the symphony, and the babies got to meet maestro John Morris Russell of the Cincinnati Pops. 
Go Reds!
We took the babies to their first Major League Baseball game. Thanks to Austin's work we were in a suite. The ballpark gave us certificates of their first visit (see below). The great American ballpark is right across from Austin's office building. The babies did really well. We left before the game was over since it was past their bedtime but the Reds won, yay!
Four Month Stats
The babies are both growing well.
Alden
Weight 13.01 lbs
Length 2 ft
Head 16.5 in
Asa
Weight 17.10 lbs
Length 2 ft 3.25 in
Head 16.5
Alden
Weight 13.01 lbs
Length 2 ft
Head 16.5 in
Asa
Weight 17.10 lbs
Length 2 ft 3.25 in
Head 16.5
Peeps
We are blessed by many people that love us and the babies, both near and far. Here are Bob and Rebecca in New Hampshire, and Ken and Debby in Cincinnati. We hope to see more friends and family soon!
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