Month 10! (+ 1 week)

Ok, so where to begin...  The boys have sworn off all purees, including fruit.  They want to feed themselves and don't want me to help.  I can't even get them to taste anything unless I pin them down and force it (which I won't).  Luckily they'll try most anything I put on their trays.  I've been trying to come up with enough foods that are finger friendly but aren't all carbs.  Zach likes green beans from a can.  Alex will happily munch on steamed broccoli.  Neither like cheese, but they'll eat shredded chicken.  Of course they like bread, and these cheddar cracker things.  Both ate some little cubes of watermelon, too.

We've also experimented with spinach and artichoke dip (love it!), mac 'n cheese (Alex is ok with it), garlic bread (cats are a fan), and rice krispies with milk (love it!).  They're pretty much addicted to cheese curls.  Both boys will just about leap out of their chairs when I get the bag out.  Zach grabs one and immediately starts biting pieces off.  Alex will drive it around his tray then lick all of the cheese off before sucking on the corn puff.  I even busted Furball doing cleanup on some pieces that fell on the floor.

Jim and I are going back and forth on whether to get the boys an outdoor playset for their birthday this year or to wait until they're able to fully use one.  The pro's for getting it now is that we have some money from my grandma, and the boys really, really like to swing.  The con's are that they can't really use much of it and it'll take up a lot of space.

I'd also like to get them a wagon.  I think they would really enjoy cruising around in one, based on how much they love the cart things at the grocery store.  It would also let them be able to take some toys with them that they could retrieve on their own if dropped.  Toys R Us seemed to have one with a canopy that might work.

The boys continue to do well.  Both are experts at pulling up and standing.  They'll also take a few steps towards me to get hugs, then whip around and go back to their toy.  I haven't been able to get them to willingly take my hands in theirs, though.  When I reach for them, they'll pull them away.  Once I hold them, they'll grab on.  I've been trying to get them to give me five or ten, and they think its funny.  Part of me worries that they have a tactile aversion or something.  Of course this is silly because they hold toys and pick up things all the time.  Maybe it's a developmental milestone of some sort, wanting to hold someone's hand.

Each boy is working on a third tooth.  Alex has a bottom right nub poked through, while Zach has his top left front showing.  It also looks like a couple more teeth might be on deck.  This has pretty much destroyed any hopes of the boys sleeping through the night.  They're even boycotting some morning naps.  I've tried Motrin, in case they're in pain, but it didn't seem to help.  On top of teething, they also have runny noses, which results in snoring and even more night waking.  Every night for the past week or two the boys have ended up sleeping with me for a few hours.

All in all, the boys are doing pretty well.  They seem to say "da da da" and "ma ma ma", plus "oh no no no" with intent.  They're scooting around on their behinds a little, and are stuck in reverse when on their bellies.  They're really into playing with each other.  Alex managed to bite Zach's toes the other day.  They'll also lick each other's head, grab hands, and try to hug their brother.  It's pretty cute when no one gets injured.