Month 6, Week 3

As I sit here writing this, both boys are asleep, nestled together on our bed.  I can hear Jim snoring from his pile of blankets on the floor behind me.  Light shining out between the bathroom doors reflects off two cherub faces at peace with the world.  There is little remaining of the complaining, crying, laughing, squealing, coughing, sneezing, grunting, tooting, slurping, and flailing that led up to this point.  Three days of family visits have defeated our immune systems.

Contrary to the galavanting we did leading up to the holidays, we've stayed home all week (sans a much needed grocery store run).  There has been no naps in the van; no meals perched on foreign furniture.  Baths have been taken and daytime sleep has been a primary goal.  We're taking 3 - 2hr naps again, at least for now.

We've even managed to get back to chomping some solid food.  Peas are a new addition.  I still haven't been able to find salt free ones to make my own so they're eating packaged organic ones.  They love them, though!  We retried apples and discovered Alex will happily eat them if they're still partially frozen (think apple slushy).  He'll also grab and lick fresh apple slices.  Zach doesn't like them any way, though.  It was hilarious watching him back away from an apple slice once he knew what it was.  I have never met anyone that didn't like apples.

You can really see their personality differences when they're eating.  Alex will try anything and opens his mouth for every bite.  You have to almost wedge the spoon into Zach's mouth, even for foods he likes.  He'll stick out his tongue to taste what you're offering and makes funny faces when trying something new.  He also insists on shoving two or three fingers in his mouth when he's eating.  Most of the time the food ends up on them and he sucks it off.  By the end of the meal, Alex will have a little food around his mouth and on his chin.  Zach will have it smeared through his eyebrows, up his arms to his elbows, and all over his high chair tray.  He is the reason they wear bibs.

Alex continues to hone his sitting skills.  I can leave him on the floor with a pillow behind him, 95% confident that he'll be in the same position when I return.  Zach uses the pillow as an excuse to lay back and be lazy.  Both boys want whatever toy I flash in front of them, resulting in many tug-of-war matches.  There's no sore looser (at least not yet) and their limited attention spans don't allow for grudges.

Zach has figured out how to whistle.  These boys don't like to stick to the normal milestones I guess.  He's been experimenting with pursing his lips and while on the changing table today he combined it with some heavy breathing.  The result is a soft, light note.  Of course I told Jim about it as soon as he got home.  Sometimes I wonder if he thinks I make these things up, but sure enough, a few minutes later he got his own mini recital.

A number of the new Christmas toys have really challenged the boys' fine motor skills.  They're having to learn how to grab things with an open palm instead of bear hugging it to their mouths.  The boys are on the cusp of understanding object permanence, where things still exist even if you can't see them.  We have a couple of toys that I can stick their rattles and keys inside.  Then we practice opening the doors and getting them out.

Both boys LOVE books and we've been reading to them everyday now.  We have some cloth ones that are good for chewing, a plastic bath time one that's apparently good for licking, and then some board ones that are real page turners.  The regular ones are with direct supervision only since they enjoy ripping and crumpling paper.

Their old toys haven't lost their appeal, though.  They still spend plenty of time exersaucering and jumperooing.  Zach has slightly longer legs than Alex, and can just reach the hanging bird on the jumperoo now.  Sometimes Alex or Zach will get a little too over stimulated by everything there is to do, so we'll relax in the bouncy chairs.

Their hair has started to come in and it's the most marked visual difference between them.  Alex has a cow lick right in the front, so his hair parts towards the left.  It also makes some of it stick straight up.  hehe  Zach doesn't have this feature so his hair just falls forward onto his forehead.

Between the new toys and books, my days are a little easier.  I managed to do a load of dishes and laundry, plus eat breakfast and lunch today.  My next goal is to add a shower in there somewhere.