Month 4, Day 7

Well, we discovered the reason they went through their 3-6mo outfits so fast (and they've moved into size 3 diapers). They grew 3.25 inches in two months! Wednesday was their 4mo check-up. Alex is 15lb 14oz and Zach is 15lb 4oz. They're now officially average height and weight babies, as compared to full term singletons!

The doctor's visit was a good one. He said the boys were doing remarkably well. The only thing he dinged us (well, me, really) for was not enough tummy time. They should be doing more like 15min per day, not 5min. So... I guess tummy time will start to follow every play mat session. He also recommended they start taking a multivitamin, mainly to be sure they get enough vitamin D. Unfortunately the drops taste really bad, to the point Alex even cried the first time. When I tried them on Zach, he coughed most of it back in my face. Mmmm, I love the smell of vitamin goo in the morning!

The main downside to the check-up was their booster shots. They got the same round as month 2, so two shots in each thigh plus a liquid they had to drink. Their reaction was worse this time. Their fever was a little higher (but not dangerous) and lasted longer. It was hard on our hearts when we would pick them up and they would whimper because their legs were sore. They sobbed for about 30min before falling asleep Wednesday night. Around 4am Alex woke up crying. I held him until his Tylenol kicked in. Their fevers didn't break until mid-way through the second night.

My family came to visit for the past week or so. My parents came down, followed by my sister for a few days. It's been really good watching them get to know the boys. The last time they saw them in person was the week after they were born. Needless to say they've changed a lot! They're pretty good at telling them apart already, though!

Jim's grandfather, Red, passed away this week. He had been battling cancer. He was a really wonderful person, and as Jim told me, the world is a bit dimmer without him in it. He got to see and hold the boys over the past few months and I'm grateful for that. I only wish they could have spent more time with him.

Chii-Wey finished their 4 month pictures and sent them our way. You can view all of them here (pw: jma&z). I was a lazy mom and only did one set out outfits. They were a little grumpy to begin with, but by the end I managed to coax a couple of smiles out of them. I also uploaded their month 3 and 4 candids, earning me a second worst mom award for not only being late with them, but also not taking many pictures because the camera was full. You can't tell, but I'm hanging my head in shame.

We spent a couple of hours at Fall for Greenville today. I'm hoping the boys will learn to like the new stroller but so far they prefer to be held via the baby carriers. My mom and dad wen with us and ended up pushing an empty stroller while we bounced babies down Main St. The event was pretty fun and we got a few "Oh, are those twins?" comments. I was standing in line for a sandwich and the couple in front of me was expecting twins, too. I was holding Zach most of the time, and his main focus seemed to be covering my shirt completely in drool. He reached 85% completion before falling asleep.

Like I mentioned in passing, the new stroller did finally come in. I really, really like it and it's crazy easy to push around. The boys enjoy it if the conditions are right. I've been able to walk them around the neighborhood for 45min at a time with no crying or fussiness. The grocery store didn't work out quite as well. There was much back arching and gnashing of gums by the second aisle.

They're getting better at tolerating things in general, though. Crying in their car seats is at an all time low. Our last Publix trip had zero crying and they loved looking at all of the pretty food on the shelves. I can entertain them, or as Jim calls it, Babytain them. They're just starting to smile at Peek-a-Boo, rather than giving me wide eyes of surprise when I suddenly appear from behind a burp cloth. Alex loves to reach for things, while Zach prefers to stare at them. Both like to taste whatever they can get their mouths on.