Month 10, Week 3

Up until this point, the boys have only been able to be reactionary to the world around them.  If I put them in a toy they don't like, they'll cry.  If I feed them something they don't want, they'll let me know.  This week, though, they've started to cry because they want something, and it doesn't even have to be in their visual range.  Alex has started complaining during meals because he wants a drink of water.  I'll get up, get a glass, and fill it from the fridge.  You'd think I was about to hand him the best thing ever.  He'll wiggle in his seat and squeal with glee, then grab the cup and just about drown trying to drink it.

The downside of this new found decision making is they can get pretty serious about what they want.  We had our first major meltdown in Wal-Mart, all because Alex wanted my phone.  He screamed at the top of his lungs, tears streaming down his face.  I think if he was able to reach the floor, he would have thrown himself down on it and done some kicking.  Nothing I did seemed to matter.  He wanted the phone.

Out of options (besides just letting him scream the rest of the trip), I gave it to him.  Almost immediately Zach reached for it.  This caused a whole new round of preemptive screaming.  Just in case Zach did manage to get the phone, Alex would already have the complaining well underway.  Alex also was holding the phone away from Zach, another new development.  Normally they just try to play with whatever item they have and then react once their brother takes it away.  In the end I just had to take the phone away.  Eventually Alex stopped screaming, when he saw people looking at him.

They seem to be taking different tracks in their motor development.  Zach is leaning more towards crawling.  He spends a lot of time on his belly after diving for a just-out-of-reach toy.  He's also started sleeping on his tummy at night.   He still can't crawl, but he does scoot around backwards and has managed to get one knee under him at different times.

Alex, on the other hand, is fully focused on standing and eventually walking.  He started cruising this week, doing a side-step around some activity tables we have.  If he hits a brother roadblock, he'll try to shove Zach out of the way so he can complete his journey.  So far he only seems to go counter clockwise around things, but will also take a few steps towards me or Jim if we're nearby.  He's also discovered he can lean into the activity table, causing it to slide towards Zach.  Zach will start yelling to alert me that he needs saved, but sometimes I can't get their fast enough and he'll get pushed over.

Zach has a bunch of teeth coming in - top front two and bottom left.  Despite this, he slept for about 8hrs straight two nights this week.  It's only happened while he was sleeping on his tummy.  Alex, who seems to be in a dental holding pattern, continues to wake up every 1-2hrs for either milk or holding.

The boys' wagon came in on Monday and we've used it everyday except one (due to rain).  They love it and will happily sit in it for walks around the neighborhood.  They sit facing each other and are just barely in reach of heir brother to do some scratching and biting, so I have to keep an eye on them.  Alex and Zach know their names and they know what "No" and "Stop" mean.  Whomever I address will immediately halt their assault and look up at me innocently.

As far as talking goes, I would consider their first word to be "Daddy".  They'll yell it whenever they seem Jim, although they sometimes use it for me as well.  I've also heard Alex whispering "Cat" at Frodo as he walks by.  By far their favorite thing to say is "Da da da" and they'll use it pretty much non-stop throughout the day, whether Jim's here or not.  If it seems like they're asking about him, I'll say "Daddy's at work but he loves you very much."

Month 10, Week 2

It was a bit of an unusual week for us.  We had zero playdates.  Instead we worked on getting all of our naps (2) and meals (3) in.  The situation with eating hasn't changed much.  Both boys want to eat what they can feed themselves.

One glimmer of hope is they're really, really interested in trying what's on our plates. If it's on a plate and we offer it with an adult utensil, they'll at least try it.  For Zach, "trying" means sticking out his tongue and testing the edible waters.  If it somehow makes it into his mouth and he changes his mind, he'll spit it out.  Alex will open wide and seems unable to spit it out, even if he thinks it tastes terrible.  He'll complain but keep right on chewing.  If its obvious that he really, really hates what he's eating, I'll fish it out for him.

They've been trying all kinds of new things.  Chicken quesadilla, yogurt with fruit jam, Cheerios, corn flakes, Rice Krispies, black olives, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, rice, beans, soy/rice cakes, and spinach snack pizza.  I also picked up these squeeze pouches of fruit puree.  Zach seems to really like them and has sucked a couple of them dry.  Alex has been wanting water so I've been letting him drink out of a cup.  He's getting pretty good at it and doesn't spill or choke much.

I submitted the paperwork to the HOA for a play set.  We decided on a rainbow kit with swings, a slide, and a clubhouse thing.  Right now they won't be able to use much of it beyond the swings, but they really love being outside.  I bought them a little splash pool, too, for some backyard fun.  After dinner in the evenings we've been spreading a blanket in the grass.  The boys just sit and squeal with delight.  They'll rotate around, watching birds or the cat rolling on the patio.

Sleep hasn't been their strong suit and that continues to be the case.  Zach has both a top front left and bottom front-ish left tooth coming in.  Alex has a bottom right tooth poked through, and I suspect he's working on some top canines.  I can't even remember the last time I got to sleep the whole night without two little boys ending up beside me in bed.  This also means Jim spends a lot of time wrapped in a blanket on the floor.  We've tried Motrin, but it doesn't seem to help.

I've updated the boys' pictures to their website (pw: jma&z).  There's some really great ones this time.  We met up with Chii-Wey at Heritage Park in Simpsonville.  Unfortunately, about 30min before we got there, Alex threw up all over himself.  He kept throwing up for the next three hours.  I spent most of the photo shoot holding him (which is all he wanted), although he did perk up for about 5min at one point.  Immediately after I took him to the pediatrician.  He got some medicine to keep him from throwing up and seemed fine from then on.  Can you get a 3hr bug and not pass it on to your brother or mom?

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.