Ok, this is going to be another one of those mega posts. You might want to grab a snack. This could take a while. If you'd rather get a pictoral version, I've updated their Fifth Month Candids and added Halloween shots (pw: jma&z)
Waaay last Saturday was Preston's second birthday party at Wayne and Nina's. There was something in the water because none of the babies would take naps that day. Our boys were pretty cranky most of the time, with brief periods of happiness. They slept pretty well on the way home, though.
Monday was our first official playdate with other babies. We joined the Greenville Stay at Home Mom's group at their organizer's apartment Melissa G). There were 5 other babies besides our two. A few could sit, one was experimenting with crawling, and two were in the same boat as us. Alex and Zach attempted to make friends by sharing their toys. Jacque the Peacock was a fan favorite and two other moms said they had one at home. Initially I held Zach while Alex worked on his shyness from his carseat. Once Alex seemed more sure of himself, I got him out and Melissa held him.
Melissa's two boys are older, in the preschool to kindergarten range but she was hosting the playdate to be sure all of the GSAHM members had something to participate in. Her boys were particularly interested in Zach and Alex. The littlest one would try to play with them by bringing them toys. At one point I had Zach sitting in a recliner beside me. I hear talking and look over to see Melissa's oldest boys just chatting away with him. He was telling Zach all about how he knew these other twins and how they were friends. It was very cute, especially since Zach was transfixed on him.
The playdate went really well with only a little fussing here and there. I got to talking to Jasmine, mom to Annika. Her daughter's about a month older than the boys and crazy cute. We kind of hit it off and will probably try to get together in the future. Alex liked staring at Annika. I think he was jealous of how much hair she had.
Tuesday was the Mother of Multiples meeting. Jim dropped me and Alex off, and took Zach to the mall. Alex and I had a pretty good time. We sat together during the Bellies and Babies part, then went picnic style on the floor for the actual meeting. I met Melissa A and her two girls, Bronwyn and Aeralind. They were so tiny at 7 weeks old. It's hard to remember the boys being that small but they were. I held one of the girls while Melissa held Alex. I think we were both surprised. I felt like I wasn't holding anything, while Melissa was probably getting a workout. I can remember the early days with all of the bouncing and holding - feeling like my arms were going to fall off. That's nothing compared to the mini-beasts we have now!
Jim reported that the mall trip went pretty well initially. Zach really liked looking at all of the people and the window displays. They stopped by Panera and Zach's cuteness scored Jim a free coffee. They covered both floors before Zach started to get fussy. This is where things stopped being much fun. Zach started crying and wouldn't stop no matter what Jim did. To make matters worse, Alex and I had all of the good toys with us. I didn't think they'd need them at the mall.
Jim called me and I could hear screaming in the background. Alex and I packed up as fast as we could and headed for the entrance. I got the in van and held Zach until he calmed down. I'm still not sure what got him so upset. He wasn't hungry and his diaper wasn't bad. I wonder if he just missed me, but I don't know if he's even capable of that yet. I thought they were still working on object permanence and once something was gone from view, it no longer existed.
So, we've tried Jim watching both boys, and me taking one. Neither option has been successful. For the next meeting we're going to attempt both boys coming with me and see how things go. In theory it shouldn't be much different from our outings together but they're usually much more cranky in the evenings. I can't nap/feed/go as easily.
Thursday we went to Bouncing Baby Boo Bash at the downtown Greenville Library. Amber (with Gabe and Graycen) and Mellissa (with Bronwyn and Aeralind) met us there. It was a costume party with stories, songs, and dancing. Ninja Alex and Pirate Zach just kind of looked around. Bat Gabe and Ladybug Gracen had some fun with bubbles and musical instruments. Pumpkin Bronwyn and Bunny Aeralind held a blanket down, but they did it in an extremely cute way. We were there for about an hour before heading home for naps.
Saturday was Halloween. We hosted a family party at our house, per tradition. This year it was more kid-centric and we didn't do a separate adult party. The whole week pretty much led up to the party, from decorations to food prep. It was right before Halloween last year that we found out I was pregnant, so that's added another memorable aspect to the holiday. The nephews came over for Trick Or Treating and cupcake decorating. We had finger foods that everyone seemed to enjoy. Nina told Thomas that the punch was Magic Potion. I warned him that it would turn him into a frog if he drank it. When he asked if I was kidding, I admitted that I was. It would really turn him into a newt. muhahaha
We all went Trick Or Treating while my sister manned the door. Jim held Alex while I carried Zach. We didn't have buckets for them, since they couldn't eat candy and we didn't need to be eating it either. Mainly I just wanted to watch the nephews go from house to house. It was the first year I went with them. Weird, I know.
I'm still recovering from Halloween. I wonder how long it will take to get a letter from the home owner's association about our decorations still in the yard. Packing things up takes so much more energy than unpacking.
In developmental news, the boys have been hard at work learning new things and perfecting the old. They've gone from punching their toys to opening their fists and grabbing them. I looked over at Zach on the play mat the other day and he was slamming two toys together. This also means you can't stuff things into their hands to be held indefinitely. They can let go now. Um, not that I've been doing that with rattles... hehe
Alex likes to hold out his hand for kisses. I'll plant a big, squeaky one on it and he'll pull it back quickly. He'll do this right before falling asleep for his nap. It's funny watching him laugh at the kisses but complain about the nap in between them. He's been really Hold-Me-Love-Me this week. He just wants to sit in my lap and snuggle a lot of the time. I don't really even need to do anything while he's there. He's content to just sit. The bouncy chair and swing are liked less and less everyday.
Zach has started holding his left foot with his left hand. I've taken advantage of the situation and have him hold his own leg for diaper changes. He does pretty well and really tries hard not to let it get away from him. When it does, he gets big eyes and tries to catch it. I don't know why, but I find it really funny.
Zach also has started squealing with glee. We pulled out the exersaucer this week and Zach just goes to town in it. I never knew one kid could have so much fun. He yells and squeals at all of the toys, at Alex, at me, and at anything he thinks might need it. The downside of only having one exersaucer is Exersaucer Envy. One boy will look wistfully at the other while he plays. I'll usually hold the non-exersaucering boy up to the side of it so he can play, too. I've looked on craigslist and there's plenty of used ones for sale. I don't want to wear out the magic of that toy. though. I try to pace them as we rotate through their toys so they don't get bored too fast. Taking turns makes the fun last longer.
Both boys have taken chewing and drooling to the next level. A number of people have commented that they must be teething. I don't see any red gums or increased crankiness, but it's possible. Zach has been having a tougher time sleeping at night. They're really ferocious about the gnawing. They'll grab anything and stuff it into their mouths. They'll just turn on you and start sucking on your arm or hand. If no toy or parent is available, they always have at least one finger in their mouth and spit running down their chin.
Along with that, I think we're going to try rice cereal soon. They have a strong interest whenever we eat and have been reaching for out plates during dinner. Jim once joked that we'd know they were ready for solid food when they snatched the pizza off our plates, and it's just about getting to that. hehe I may try to set up the video camera for their first food attempts. I expect wide eyes and lots of spitting.
11.03.2009
10.24.2009
4
Month 4, Week 3
Whew! It's been a busy week around here!
Last Sunday we all went down to Wayne and Nina's for a visit. The boys were pretty good for the first couple of hours but their tiredness caught up to them. Both were crying and my only option was to put them down for naps. I felt bad to leaving Nina with all of the nephews, but I knew the crying wasn't going to stop. We hijacked their bed for over and hour while the boys slept.
I thought there was a Mother's of Multiples meeting on Tuesday. Everyone brings a snack, so the boys and I went to Publix to get chips and the materials to make dip. This was the first time I took the boys anywhere by myself and it went pretty well. Now, we were only in the store for about 15min and I fed them before we went, so I had stacked things in my favor.
When we first walked in, one of the deli workers was leaving. She saw the boys and got this huge grin on her face. She stopped and asked me if they were twins (yep!). I was kind of worried that standing and talking to this lady was going to make the boys fussy, so I started pushing the stroller forward a little, to kind of rock it. I guess she understood (or thought I was in a hurry), so the next thing she says is "I'll walk with you!" Uh... Ok. hehe So here I am, walking through Publix with her while she asks me questions about the boys. Apparently a co-worker is expecting twins, so she wanted info I guess. The whole thing was pretty funny.
We made it through the whole trip with no crying - not even any grouchiness in the van. I was surprised. When we got home, I put the things away and we took a nap. About 2hrs later, we got up and started making the dip. I put the boys in their bouncy chairs and stuck them up on the island in the kitchen. I showed them all of the utensils I was using and talked them through the chopping and mixing. They really liked the red bowl I used and gave it big, wide eyes every time I held it up. We also sniffed all of the ingredients (except the onions!) and talked about what color they were. I don't think they like parsley much.
Dip in the fridge, we took another nap and woke up just as Jim was getting home. The plan was to divide and conquer. I'd take one boy to the meeting while Jim took the other to the mall. We got everything packed up and headed to the Greenville Hospital (they use a conference room there). Jim dropped me and Alex off. I head to the room and it's empty. Ugh. I come to find out I was a week early. I called Jim to come get us. Alex had a good time looking around, though. We headed to Target instead, our default destination when plans go awry.
Jim and I increased our life insurance policies so the boys are covered if either or both of us get mowed down by a turnip truck. To be sure we're not playing the system, they sent over a nurse on Wednesday to take some samples. The boys were on their playmats and were streeetching their necks to see her. It was pretty cute.
Thursday was a big day for me and the boys. Publix earlier in the week was kind of a practice run. This was the real deal. I took the boys to the mall by myself. We met another mom there who had 9mo boy/girl twins. We walked around for about 30min while the babies chilled in their strollers. After that we met up with the Greenville Attachment Parenting group, who were also walking the mall that day. All in all, we spent 2hrs walking around. Both boys were pretty good. I got some minor fussiness from Zach about 1.5hrs in. By then Alex was asleep.
I was really surprised at how well they behaved, considering they had been up for about 4hrs total before we headed home. Normally they start getting cranky after 1hr at home, but I guess there's not as much fun stuff to see here. We also walked briskly, which they prefer to slow grocery store walking. We were quite the sight, too - a caravan of about 5 strollers and 8 kids doing laps. Luckily there's not much traffic on a Thursday morning.
We're on week 2 of The Bedtime Routine. They know that a bath is coming and as we walk towards the tub they get all squirmy with excitement. I fill our garden tub with a couple of inches of water, put a towel down, and stick them both in. Their initial reaction is to give me big eyes and pee. hehe After getting used to the water, they'll kick and splash around. Tonight Alex got fired up and really went for some full body flailing. He ended up splashing himself in the face, which stunned him. The look on his face was hilarious, like "Who just did that?!?!"
They both still cry during the post-bath diaper/moisturizer/dressing part. Man, do they really hate moisturizer. I've read all of this stuff about baby message and it's obvious they weren't talking about our boys. They LOVE having their heads and cheeks rubbed, but apparently that's their limit. Zach even took it up a notch with some good screaming tonight as I tried to rub him down.
The next step in the sleepy time saga is getting them to sleep in their cribs for naps. I wanted to get them back to their normal sleep schedule first and we're almost there. Hopefully Jim will be able to help me kick start crib napping this weekend. In other sleep news, they've started waking up at 4am-5am and not going back to sleep unless I hold them. After rocking them for 30min, they still pop their eyes open when I try laying them down. So... I take them back to bed with me and Jim is banished to the floor. This needs to stop before it becomes an expectation.
They've been working on their development to-do list. Zach has decided that sitting is his preferred method of contact with the floor. Laying down is for babies. He's been practicing all week with a Boppy pillow around him for when he falls over. I'll sit in front of him with Alex on my lap. They'll just coo and laugh at each other, although Alex does try to reach for his face. After a few minutes, I'll switch their places so Alex can practice. They're getting ok at it but still tend to lean on an arm or two for support. They expect to be able to sit up anywhere, so there's a lot of grunting when they try to sit up in their car seats. The bouncy chairs have lost some of their fun since they don't want to lean back as much.
Both boys have also been working on their outside voices. I had them on the bed, facing each other this afternoon. They were only about 1ft apart but you would have thought it was a mile with all of the yelling. Alex will just let out a big, gleeful yelp every once in a while. Zach was practically shouting in return. They find each other HILARIOUS and constantly laugh. Like I mentioned before, Alex will try to reach for Zach and I'm careful he doesn't grab his face or anything.
Alex in general likes to reach and grab for things, while Zach likes to just look at it for a bit first. Someone told me that Zach is the one to watch out for - he's a planner. hehe Both boys will grab and chomp toys pretty well now. I gave Zach his peacock toy this afternoon. What I got in return was a much wetter version. While Zach munched on it, Alex was watching with a sort of jealous look, even though he had a toy of his own. When I swapped their toys, he still was watching Zach's toy more than his own. I don't think this was full on jealousy, just a grass is greener situation.
Both boys are almost constantly chewing on a hand. Alex is up to 3 fingers at a time, while Zach prefers 2. They'll suck their thumbs but not very often. A game Alex likes to play is to hold out a fist. Jim or I will give it a big, squeaky kiss. He'll laugh and pull it back for a minute before extending it again. They also love having their cheeks kissed. Sometimes it's a way to get them to stop crying, even.
I've been telling them the story of the Three Little Pigs. I considered having the Big Bad Wolf catch Swine Flu at the end, but Jim thinks that'll mess them up once they go to school. hehe
Last Sunday we all went down to Wayne and Nina's for a visit. The boys were pretty good for the first couple of hours but their tiredness caught up to them. Both were crying and my only option was to put them down for naps. I felt bad to leaving Nina with all of the nephews, but I knew the crying wasn't going to stop. We hijacked their bed for over and hour while the boys slept.
I thought there was a Mother's of Multiples meeting on Tuesday. Everyone brings a snack, so the boys and I went to Publix to get chips and the materials to make dip. This was the first time I took the boys anywhere by myself and it went pretty well. Now, we were only in the store for about 15min and I fed them before we went, so I had stacked things in my favor.
When we first walked in, one of the deli workers was leaving. She saw the boys and got this huge grin on her face. She stopped and asked me if they were twins (yep!). I was kind of worried that standing and talking to this lady was going to make the boys fussy, so I started pushing the stroller forward a little, to kind of rock it. I guess she understood (or thought I was in a hurry), so the next thing she says is "I'll walk with you!" Uh... Ok. hehe So here I am, walking through Publix with her while she asks me questions about the boys. Apparently a co-worker is expecting twins, so she wanted info I guess. The whole thing was pretty funny.
We made it through the whole trip with no crying - not even any grouchiness in the van. I was surprised. When we got home, I put the things away and we took a nap. About 2hrs later, we got up and started making the dip. I put the boys in their bouncy chairs and stuck them up on the island in the kitchen. I showed them all of the utensils I was using and talked them through the chopping and mixing. They really liked the red bowl I used and gave it big, wide eyes every time I held it up. We also sniffed all of the ingredients (except the onions!) and talked about what color they were. I don't think they like parsley much.
Dip in the fridge, we took another nap and woke up just as Jim was getting home. The plan was to divide and conquer. I'd take one boy to the meeting while Jim took the other to the mall. We got everything packed up and headed to the Greenville Hospital (they use a conference room there). Jim dropped me and Alex off. I head to the room and it's empty. Ugh. I come to find out I was a week early. I called Jim to come get us. Alex had a good time looking around, though. We headed to Target instead, our default destination when plans go awry.
Jim and I increased our life insurance policies so the boys are covered if either or both of us get mowed down by a turnip truck. To be sure we're not playing the system, they sent over a nurse on Wednesday to take some samples. The boys were on their playmats and were streeetching their necks to see her. It was pretty cute.
Thursday was a big day for me and the boys. Publix earlier in the week was kind of a practice run. This was the real deal. I took the boys to the mall by myself. We met another mom there who had 9mo boy/girl twins. We walked around for about 30min while the babies chilled in their strollers. After that we met up with the Greenville Attachment Parenting group, who were also walking the mall that day. All in all, we spent 2hrs walking around. Both boys were pretty good. I got some minor fussiness from Zach about 1.5hrs in. By then Alex was asleep.
I was really surprised at how well they behaved, considering they had been up for about 4hrs total before we headed home. Normally they start getting cranky after 1hr at home, but I guess there's not as much fun stuff to see here. We also walked briskly, which they prefer to slow grocery store walking. We were quite the sight, too - a caravan of about 5 strollers and 8 kids doing laps. Luckily there's not much traffic on a Thursday morning.
We're on week 2 of The Bedtime Routine. They know that a bath is coming and as we walk towards the tub they get all squirmy with excitement. I fill our garden tub with a couple of inches of water, put a towel down, and stick them both in. Their initial reaction is to give me big eyes and pee. hehe After getting used to the water, they'll kick and splash around. Tonight Alex got fired up and really went for some full body flailing. He ended up splashing himself in the face, which stunned him. The look on his face was hilarious, like "Who just did that?!?!"
They both still cry during the post-bath diaper/moisturizer/dressing part. Man, do they really hate moisturizer. I've read all of this stuff about baby message and it's obvious they weren't talking about our boys. They LOVE having their heads and cheeks rubbed, but apparently that's their limit. Zach even took it up a notch with some good screaming tonight as I tried to rub him down.
The next step in the sleepy time saga is getting them to sleep in their cribs for naps. I wanted to get them back to their normal sleep schedule first and we're almost there. Hopefully Jim will be able to help me kick start crib napping this weekend. In other sleep news, they've started waking up at 4am-5am and not going back to sleep unless I hold them. After rocking them for 30min, they still pop their eyes open when I try laying them down. So... I take them back to bed with me and Jim is banished to the floor. This needs to stop before it becomes an expectation.
They've been working on their development to-do list. Zach has decided that sitting is his preferred method of contact with the floor. Laying down is for babies. He's been practicing all week with a Boppy pillow around him for when he falls over. I'll sit in front of him with Alex on my lap. They'll just coo and laugh at each other, although Alex does try to reach for his face. After a few minutes, I'll switch their places so Alex can practice. They're getting ok at it but still tend to lean on an arm or two for support. They expect to be able to sit up anywhere, so there's a lot of grunting when they try to sit up in their car seats. The bouncy chairs have lost some of their fun since they don't want to lean back as much.
Both boys have also been working on their outside voices. I had them on the bed, facing each other this afternoon. They were only about 1ft apart but you would have thought it was a mile with all of the yelling. Alex will just let out a big, gleeful yelp every once in a while. Zach was practically shouting in return. They find each other HILARIOUS and constantly laugh. Like I mentioned before, Alex will try to reach for Zach and I'm careful he doesn't grab his face or anything.
Alex in general likes to reach and grab for things, while Zach likes to just look at it for a bit first. Someone told me that Zach is the one to watch out for - he's a planner. hehe Both boys will grab and chomp toys pretty well now. I gave Zach his peacock toy this afternoon. What I got in return was a much wetter version. While Zach munched on it, Alex was watching with a sort of jealous look, even though he had a toy of his own. When I swapped their toys, he still was watching Zach's toy more than his own. I don't think this was full on jealousy, just a grass is greener situation.
Both boys are almost constantly chewing on a hand. Alex is up to 3 fingers at a time, while Zach prefers 2. They'll suck their thumbs but not very often. A game Alex likes to play is to hold out a fist. Jim or I will give it a big, squeaky kiss. He'll laugh and pull it back for a minute before extending it again. They also love having their cheeks kissed. Sometimes it's a way to get them to stop crying, even.
I've been telling them the story of the Three Little Pigs. I considered having the Big Bad Wolf catch Swine Flu at the end, but Jim thinks that'll mess them up once they go to school. hehe
10.17.2009
0
Month 4, Week 2
It's been a rough week. My parents headed out on Tuesday and I think I was a little shell-shocked. My "here-can-you-watch-him-while-I..." option was gone. Long gone.
I think parenting is a little like operating in a fog. Every once in a while the mist lifts and you see things for what they are. For me, the boys' sleep schedules (well, lack of them) came into full view this week. We used to follow the sleep-eat-play method where you feed them right when they wake-up. This works great because they don't associate eating with sleeping, so in theory anyone can put them to sleep. Then they started crying when it was nap time. The easiest way to quiet a crying baby? Feed him!
From there things just snowballed. I found myself pinned to the bed Tuesday. One baby was literally on top of me, nursing while sleeping, the other at my side, doing the same thing. They had been nursing for an hour, with 45min of that on auto-pilot while they snored softly. Cute? Yes. Painful for me? Also yes. I tried unplugging one boy. He immediately started rooting around with his eyes still closed. When he couldn't find his human pacifier, he woke up screaming. This woke up the other boy. The crying got so loud that I had to get them up and focused on something else, even though they only had half of their nap. The constant nursing needed to stop. I wanted my sleep-eat-play back.
I spent Tuesday evening reading a book Jim got me about sleep schedules. I felt trapped, not only by the excessive nursing but because they require me to sleep with them during the day. So I decided to try to get them to sleep in their cribs with the Cry It Out (CIO) method. It sounded easy the way the book put it. I don't know what I was thinking, trying to make two major changes at one time...
Wednesday morning Jim gets a call at work from me. I'm bawling. I made it through 15min of CIO before I broke down. It wasn't the crying that bothered me. Zach was giving us his angry/stubborn cry and that doesn't phase me at all. I can do stubborn, being good at it myself. It was Alex. He was just laying in his crib, giving me a heart wrenching sob. When I bent over to comfort him, the little boy tried his hardest to smile at me, even with tears running down his face. He just wanted held and loved. I burst into tears and didn't know what to do. The book doesn't want you to pick them up. Jim, the voice of reason, told me to forget the book and get those boys to our room for proper holding. Tired from the crying, they almost immediately went to sleep. Alex was sure to give me more smiles and some snuggling first, though.
I'm still working with them on the no nursing to sleep thing. There's lots of crying involved for naps, but it's all the angry type which is loud, but ok. We've also started them on vitamins for vitamin D. Zach makes a face but eats them. Alex cries and tries to spit them out. He'll also cough them in my face, so I'm covered in yellow goo. More tummy time is on my agenda, but I think I'm already at my quota for crying.
Wednesday night was also miserable. The boys were exhausted so we tried to put them to bed earlier. You'd get them to sleep, put them down, and their eyes would instantly pop open. Then they would start crying. After the 2nd attempt at putting them down, we couldn't find anything to calm them. Not even walking them around the house would help. Alex ended up crying himself to sleep in his crib. Once they finally passed out, Jim headed for some wine while I hit the ice cream pretty hard. We had aged about 10yrs in the last half hour.
So... Add to the list establishing a bedtime routine! Thursday I was supposed to go to a Mom's Night Out and Jim's mom was going to come over to help watch the boys. With what happened the day before, I didn't think it would be the best thing for the boys if I was gone for bedtime. Jim's mom still came over, though, and brought his sister and her son with her. It was nice having the company but I was still in my PJ's and hadn't found the time to shower yet - at 5:30pm. Luckily the boys were all about the grins and babbling, so they were distracted.
The bedtime routine is a work in progress. The idea is to get them calm and sleepy so the crying is minimal. Combined with the amount they spit up during the day, I thought a nightly bath might be a good option. They'll tolerate the bath but get upset once we take them out of the tub. Their hatred of clothes is well known, and it doesn't get better when you add in being wet and cold.
Today went fairly well. Alex has accepted that there is no more nap time nursing. Zach has not and cries every time. I've been trying to pay closer attention to when they should go down for a nap. According to the book, if you try to put them to sleep when they're just getting sleepy, there's less crying. Apparently if they're rubbing their eyes, they're already overtired. I look for that kind of staring off into the distance thing, then I take them to bed. This happens about 45min after they wake-up. That's not much time to change, feed, and play with them.
They've really started getting into their toys, especially any that rattle or have crunchy fabric. They'll grab the toy with both hands and try to stuff it in their mouth. Jim calls it Dino Chomp. They'll also wiggle and squeal with glee when they get excited. Zach was practicing his outside voice in the van tonight, while Alex is working on his yelling. Both boys have become expert grocery store babies. The last two trips have been cry free, even including the van ride.
I had to adjust the straps of Alex's car seat today. He's gotten taller and they needed moved to a new shoulder slot. I guess he has a longer torso than Zach since they're the same total length.
I have prints of the boys' 4mo pictures. I just need to meet up with everyone to pass them out. There wasn't a good (i.e. both babies smiling) shot of both of them, so I combined two individual pictures. That's what you get with one being grumpy.
I think parenting is a little like operating in a fog. Every once in a while the mist lifts and you see things for what they are. For me, the boys' sleep schedules (well, lack of them) came into full view this week. We used to follow the sleep-eat-play method where you feed them right when they wake-up. This works great because they don't associate eating with sleeping, so in theory anyone can put them to sleep. Then they started crying when it was nap time. The easiest way to quiet a crying baby? Feed him!
From there things just snowballed. I found myself pinned to the bed Tuesday. One baby was literally on top of me, nursing while sleeping, the other at my side, doing the same thing. They had been nursing for an hour, with 45min of that on auto-pilot while they snored softly. Cute? Yes. Painful for me? Also yes. I tried unplugging one boy. He immediately started rooting around with his eyes still closed. When he couldn't find his human pacifier, he woke up screaming. This woke up the other boy. The crying got so loud that I had to get them up and focused on something else, even though they only had half of their nap. The constant nursing needed to stop. I wanted my sleep-eat-play back.
I spent Tuesday evening reading a book Jim got me about sleep schedules. I felt trapped, not only by the excessive nursing but because they require me to sleep with them during the day. So I decided to try to get them to sleep in their cribs with the Cry It Out (CIO) method. It sounded easy the way the book put it. I don't know what I was thinking, trying to make two major changes at one time...
Wednesday morning Jim gets a call at work from me. I'm bawling. I made it through 15min of CIO before I broke down. It wasn't the crying that bothered me. Zach was giving us his angry/stubborn cry and that doesn't phase me at all. I can do stubborn, being good at it myself. It was Alex. He was just laying in his crib, giving me a heart wrenching sob. When I bent over to comfort him, the little boy tried his hardest to smile at me, even with tears running down his face. He just wanted held and loved. I burst into tears and didn't know what to do. The book doesn't want you to pick them up. Jim, the voice of reason, told me to forget the book and get those boys to our room for proper holding. Tired from the crying, they almost immediately went to sleep. Alex was sure to give me more smiles and some snuggling first, though.
I'm still working with them on the no nursing to sleep thing. There's lots of crying involved for naps, but it's all the angry type which is loud, but ok. We've also started them on vitamins for vitamin D. Zach makes a face but eats them. Alex cries and tries to spit them out. He'll also cough them in my face, so I'm covered in yellow goo. More tummy time is on my agenda, but I think I'm already at my quota for crying.
Wednesday night was also miserable. The boys were exhausted so we tried to put them to bed earlier. You'd get them to sleep, put them down, and their eyes would instantly pop open. Then they would start crying. After the 2nd attempt at putting them down, we couldn't find anything to calm them. Not even walking them around the house would help. Alex ended up crying himself to sleep in his crib. Once they finally passed out, Jim headed for some wine while I hit the ice cream pretty hard. We had aged about 10yrs in the last half hour.
So... Add to the list establishing a bedtime routine! Thursday I was supposed to go to a Mom's Night Out and Jim's mom was going to come over to help watch the boys. With what happened the day before, I didn't think it would be the best thing for the boys if I was gone for bedtime. Jim's mom still came over, though, and brought his sister and her son with her. It was nice having the company but I was still in my PJ's and hadn't found the time to shower yet - at 5:30pm. Luckily the boys were all about the grins and babbling, so they were distracted.
The bedtime routine is a work in progress. The idea is to get them calm and sleepy so the crying is minimal. Combined with the amount they spit up during the day, I thought a nightly bath might be a good option. They'll tolerate the bath but get upset once we take them out of the tub. Their hatred of clothes is well known, and it doesn't get better when you add in being wet and cold.
Today went fairly well. Alex has accepted that there is no more nap time nursing. Zach has not and cries every time. I've been trying to pay closer attention to when they should go down for a nap. According to the book, if you try to put them to sleep when they're just getting sleepy, there's less crying. Apparently if they're rubbing their eyes, they're already overtired. I look for that kind of staring off into the distance thing, then I take them to bed. This happens about 45min after they wake-up. That's not much time to change, feed, and play with them.
They've really started getting into their toys, especially any that rattle or have crunchy fabric. They'll grab the toy with both hands and try to stuff it in their mouth. Jim calls it Dino Chomp. They'll also wiggle and squeal with glee when they get excited. Zach was practicing his outside voice in the van tonight, while Alex is working on his yelling. Both boys have become expert grocery store babies. The last two trips have been cry free, even including the van ride.
I had to adjust the straps of Alex's car seat today. He's gotten taller and they needed moved to a new shoulder slot. I guess he has a longer torso than Zach since they're the same total length.
I have prints of the boys' 4mo pictures. I just need to meet up with everyone to pass them out. There wasn't a good (i.e. both babies smiling) shot of both of them, so I combined two individual pictures. That's what you get with one being grumpy.
10.11.2009
0
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.
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.
10.07.2009
0
Month 4, aka The Big Update
Ahhhhh! How did I miss 3 weeks??? Where did the time go?
Most of that time the boys have been either getting sick, being sick, or slowly getting better. We still have a bunch of stuffy noses going around. For the most part they've taken it in stride but they've been having a harder time sleeping at night. Jim set up their humidifier to add a Vicks scent and that's helped some. Zach's been sicker than Alex. I've spent a number of nights just holding him while he slept, to help his breathing.
In developmental news, I think the boys went through a serious growth spurt. They are already stretching their 3-6mo outfits to their limits. We had to replace them with 6-9mo ones this week. I guess when Nina said they wouldn't be wearing them long, she wasn't kidding.
A couple of days ago the boys saw each other for the first time. We had just woken up from a nap and they were laying on our bed. Zach looked at Alex first, and started laughing and cooing. A few seconds later, Alex turned and did the same in return. They laid there for a few minutes, giggling at each other. It was really wonderful to watch. They're not constantly aware of each other, but kind of catch each other's eye and enjoy moments here and there together.
Tummy time has continued to be forced upon them and slowly they're lasting longer before crying. The record is Alex rolling over 3 times. He's also been trying to roll from his back to his belly but hasn't quite pulled it off. Zach prefers to move laterally. We'll put him down on the play mat or in his crib, and it's only a matter of time before he's turned 45 or even 180 degrees. He also managed to nearly pull the whole play mat down on top of himself by tipping it with his feet.
I don't see any signs of teeth coming in but chewing is going full force. They'll try to snag burp cloths when you're dabbing their faces. After his bath tonight, Alex grabbed the towel with both hands and went to town. They'll suck on toys, hands, and even Jim's arm. Their tongue thrust reflex keeps them from really getting much into their mouths, though. It's all surface gnawing and drooling.
We've had a number of adventures this month. The first was a mom's night out for me. Grandma Pat came over to help Jim watch the boys while I spent a couple of hours at a paint-you-own-pottery place. The boys now own a frame with the world's ugliest sheep on it. Things went well, with only a little fussiness before I came home.
This was the success that Jim needed to boost his confidence at watching them. When the Mother's of Multiples meeting came around, he decided to watch them solo while I went. The boys were sleeping when I left, but it was only their 30 min evening nap. Unfortunately after that, they spent the rest of the time crying. They wouldn't eat the bottles I pumped for them, nor would they settle down. Both wanted to be walked around, which is impossible to do by yourself. Jim tried everything but nothing would work. About 5 min before I got home, the boys passed out from exhaustion. I felt really, really bad. The boys don't hold grudges, though, and greeted Jim with giant smiles the next morning, just like always.
Mornings really are the best time with the boys. I'll hear them stirring around and go in. From their cribs I'll get big grins, then squinty eyes when I turn the light on. One will lay there and coo at his mobile while I change the other one. Jim will stop in to say good morning, garnering tons of grins and laughs. The boys will wiggle in delight when they see him coming. Then we'll all head downstairs. Jim will eat breakfast and make his coffee while we play on the mats.
The boys still sleep a lot, more than they're awake. They'll be up for 1.5hrs before taking a 2hr nap during the day. At night they've worked up to sleeping 3-4hrs at a time. That doesn't give us much time to do things during the day.
On Saturday we went to the Simpsonville park as part of a Mother's of Multiples playdate. The boys were missing a nap to be there and got fairly grumpy. At home, their grouchiness doesn't bother me, but it seems like when we're out, it really stresses me. I'm not sure what my problem is, but I need to stop getting like that. It doesn't help the boys, and it certainly doesn't make the trip pleasant for anyone else if I'm snapping orders.
We ran into the same problem at a friend's birthday, too, where I kept comparing our boys to the other baby there. The other baby is a month older and a lot calmer than ours. While Alex and Zach were demanding to be walked around, Eli just happily sat there in his car seat. Sure, the boys are known to sit in their bouncy chairs for 5 to 10 min, but not anywhere near as long as Eli did. I need to get over this idea that our boys will ever be anything other than what they are, which is energetic and cute.
Well, I have more to write but I'm going to call it a night here. Hopefully their 4 month pictures will be ready soon and I'll finish the mega update!
Most of that time the boys have been either getting sick, being sick, or slowly getting better. We still have a bunch of stuffy noses going around. For the most part they've taken it in stride but they've been having a harder time sleeping at night. Jim set up their humidifier to add a Vicks scent and that's helped some. Zach's been sicker than Alex. I've spent a number of nights just holding him while he slept, to help his breathing.
In developmental news, I think the boys went through a serious growth spurt. They are already stretching their 3-6mo outfits to their limits. We had to replace them with 6-9mo ones this week. I guess when Nina said they wouldn't be wearing them long, she wasn't kidding.
A couple of days ago the boys saw each other for the first time. We had just woken up from a nap and they were laying on our bed. Zach looked at Alex first, and started laughing and cooing. A few seconds later, Alex turned and did the same in return. They laid there for a few minutes, giggling at each other. It was really wonderful to watch. They're not constantly aware of each other, but kind of catch each other's eye and enjoy moments here and there together.
Tummy time has continued to be forced upon them and slowly they're lasting longer before crying. The record is Alex rolling over 3 times. He's also been trying to roll from his back to his belly but hasn't quite pulled it off. Zach prefers to move laterally. We'll put him down on the play mat or in his crib, and it's only a matter of time before he's turned 45 or even 180 degrees. He also managed to nearly pull the whole play mat down on top of himself by tipping it with his feet.
I don't see any signs of teeth coming in but chewing is going full force. They'll try to snag burp cloths when you're dabbing their faces. After his bath tonight, Alex grabbed the towel with both hands and went to town. They'll suck on toys, hands, and even Jim's arm. Their tongue thrust reflex keeps them from really getting much into their mouths, though. It's all surface gnawing and drooling.
We've had a number of adventures this month. The first was a mom's night out for me. Grandma Pat came over to help Jim watch the boys while I spent a couple of hours at a paint-you-own-pottery place. The boys now own a frame with the world's ugliest sheep on it. Things went well, with only a little fussiness before I came home.
This was the success that Jim needed to boost his confidence at watching them. When the Mother's of Multiples meeting came around, he decided to watch them solo while I went. The boys were sleeping when I left, but it was only their 30 min evening nap. Unfortunately after that, they spent the rest of the time crying. They wouldn't eat the bottles I pumped for them, nor would they settle down. Both wanted to be walked around, which is impossible to do by yourself. Jim tried everything but nothing would work. About 5 min before I got home, the boys passed out from exhaustion. I felt really, really bad. The boys don't hold grudges, though, and greeted Jim with giant smiles the next morning, just like always.
Mornings really are the best time with the boys. I'll hear them stirring around and go in. From their cribs I'll get big grins, then squinty eyes when I turn the light on. One will lay there and coo at his mobile while I change the other one. Jim will stop in to say good morning, garnering tons of grins and laughs. The boys will wiggle in delight when they see him coming. Then we'll all head downstairs. Jim will eat breakfast and make his coffee while we play on the mats.
The boys still sleep a lot, more than they're awake. They'll be up for 1.5hrs before taking a 2hr nap during the day. At night they've worked up to sleeping 3-4hrs at a time. That doesn't give us much time to do things during the day.
On Saturday we went to the Simpsonville park as part of a Mother's of Multiples playdate. The boys were missing a nap to be there and got fairly grumpy. At home, their grouchiness doesn't bother me, but it seems like when we're out, it really stresses me. I'm not sure what my problem is, but I need to stop getting like that. It doesn't help the boys, and it certainly doesn't make the trip pleasant for anyone else if I'm snapping orders.
We ran into the same problem at a friend's birthday, too, where I kept comparing our boys to the other baby there. The other baby is a month older and a lot calmer than ours. While Alex and Zach were demanding to be walked around, Eli just happily sat there in his car seat. Sure, the boys are known to sit in their bouncy chairs for 5 to 10 min, but not anywhere near as long as Eli did. I need to get over this idea that our boys will ever be anything other than what they are, which is energetic and cute.
Well, I have more to write but I'm going to call it a night here. Hopefully their 4 month pictures will be ready soon and I'll finish the mega update!
9.16.2009
1 comments
Month 3, Week 1
I attempted my first outing with just me and the boys today. The local library has a Mother Goose on the Loose book reading every Wednesday. My goal was for us to attend. I was pretty nervous and kept going over different scenarios in my head last night, stressing myself out.
The boys woke up from their nap at 9:45am, pretty much the perfect time. I fed them and plopped them in bouncy chairs while I took a shower. They think the bathroom is so cool, probably since we never have them in there. Afterwards we went downstairs, changed some diapers, and headed out. There was a little initial Zach fussing when I put him in the carseat, but otherwise they were happy. The library is about 15min from our house. By the time we got there, Alex was asleep, so Zach and I voted him as the carseat baby. I put Zach in the baby carrier and we all headed in.
Unfortunately, there's a limit on the number of people that can attend and they were full. I managed to get a shower and have two happy babies at a place 5 minutes early and we were turned away! I'm STILL disappointed. I went ahead and got a library card in prep for lots of baby book reading in the future. By now the boys are looking at me (still happy!) like "Now, what?" I called Jim and we picked him up for lunch. So the trip and the stress wasn't a total loss. I got to eat lunch with my favorite boys.
Dispite the lack of actually getting to participate in the event, just practicing getting the boys up and about was good for me. I feel a lot less trapped in the house. If I need to, we can always pack up and go somewhere. I'd feel a lot better if my stroller would come in. Supposedly it'll be here early next week. I've heard that twice now, though.
In less Marcie-centric news, Alex and Zach continue to hone their toy batting skills. Both are able to pick out a dangling toy and hit it with either hand. It's hilarous watching them get all focused and intense on a blue jingling elephant, then reach out tentatively with a fist. Sometimes they miss and hit another toy, or they get too excited and the fist they weren't watching will fly out and hit things.
We've started rigorous tummy time training this week. Each boy gets 5min on a playmat. Zach is really good at holding his head up high, but tends to get tired pretty quickly. He'll just lay there like a splat, waiting for the time to run out and for me to pick him up. Alex is able to roll onto his back once before getting too tired. By the time they're done, they're so exhausted that they have to take a nap. hehe
Alex will practice sitting while I support him but Zach only wants to stand. Neither want to sit in the baby tub for baths (that I do by myself now). I have to keep one hand on their mid section and say "We sit in the tub." about a million times. Maybe eventually they're get it.
Zach is close to discovering his feet. He likes to stick his legs up in the air so I think it's only a matter of time. Normally the boys wear footed sleepers but we've been doing some diaper time during the day, too, which they love. There's so much kicking and arm waving when they're in their skivvies.
Both boys try to do an open mouthed kiss when you smooch their cheeks. I'll do an exaggerated kiss then hold my face still while they slobber all over it. hehe I've also been doing raspberries on their tummies during diaper changes. Theiy're not sure what to make of it. I just get surprised, wide eyes.
I went through all of their baby clothes the other night, sorting out what they can't wear and getting what they can fit into organized. I have the 0-3 mo clothes from Nina and Stacy ready to go back to their respective owners the next time we see them. It was so sad, packing away their little clothes. They were so small and contain such good memories.
The boys woke up from their nap at 9:45am, pretty much the perfect time. I fed them and plopped them in bouncy chairs while I took a shower. They think the bathroom is so cool, probably since we never have them in there. Afterwards we went downstairs, changed some diapers, and headed out. There was a little initial Zach fussing when I put him in the carseat, but otherwise they were happy. The library is about 15min from our house. By the time we got there, Alex was asleep, so Zach and I voted him as the carseat baby. I put Zach in the baby carrier and we all headed in.
Unfortunately, there's a limit on the number of people that can attend and they were full. I managed to get a shower and have two happy babies at a place 5 minutes early and we were turned away! I'm STILL disappointed. I went ahead and got a library card in prep for lots of baby book reading in the future. By now the boys are looking at me (still happy!) like "Now, what?" I called Jim and we picked him up for lunch. So the trip and the stress wasn't a total loss. I got to eat lunch with my favorite boys.
Dispite the lack of actually getting to participate in the event, just practicing getting the boys up and about was good for me. I feel a lot less trapped in the house. If I need to, we can always pack up and go somewhere. I'd feel a lot better if my stroller would come in. Supposedly it'll be here early next week. I've heard that twice now, though.
In less Marcie-centric news, Alex and Zach continue to hone their toy batting skills. Both are able to pick out a dangling toy and hit it with either hand. It's hilarous watching them get all focused and intense on a blue jingling elephant, then reach out tentatively with a fist. Sometimes they miss and hit another toy, or they get too excited and the fist they weren't watching will fly out and hit things.
We've started rigorous tummy time training this week. Each boy gets 5min on a playmat. Zach is really good at holding his head up high, but tends to get tired pretty quickly. He'll just lay there like a splat, waiting for the time to run out and for me to pick him up. Alex is able to roll onto his back once before getting too tired. By the time they're done, they're so exhausted that they have to take a nap. hehe
Alex will practice sitting while I support him but Zach only wants to stand. Neither want to sit in the baby tub for baths (that I do by myself now). I have to keep one hand on their mid section and say "We sit in the tub." about a million times. Maybe eventually they're get it.
Zach is close to discovering his feet. He likes to stick his legs up in the air so I think it's only a matter of time. Normally the boys wear footed sleepers but we've been doing some diaper time during the day, too, which they love. There's so much kicking and arm waving when they're in their skivvies.
Both boys try to do an open mouthed kiss when you smooch their cheeks. I'll do an exaggerated kiss then hold my face still while they slobber all over it. hehe I've also been doing raspberries on their tummies during diaper changes. Theiy're not sure what to make of it. I just get surprised, wide eyes.
I went through all of their baby clothes the other night, sorting out what they can't wear and getting what they can fit into organized. I have the 0-3 mo clothes from Nina and Stacy ready to go back to their respective owners the next time we see them. It was so sad, packing away their little clothes. They were so small and contain such good memories.
9.07.2009
0
Month 3!
The boys turned 3mo old this past Friday! Chii-Wey came over for their photo shoot. Right now the boys have semi-predictable eating and sleeping schedules, so we were able to get some good smiles in. This was MUCH less stressful than the last two times. You can view their pictures here (pw: jma&z). I hope to have their 3 month candids up there soon.
I've already mentioned that the boys graduated into size 2 diapers, but over the past few days their clothes have also gotten tight. We broke out the 3-6mo outfits yesterday and they fit much better. Target was having a baby sale so we stopped by today and got a few more sleepers.
We also decided that they've pretty much reached full capacity on the co-sleeper. It holds 30lb and combined they're at 27lb (Alex 14lb, Zach 13lb). They've also started waking each other up in the co-sleeper. When one of them gets fussy, they like to lift their legs waaay up in the air then slam them down, causing the entire thing to shake. A couple of those and you've got two boys trying to bring the house down.
So tonight we moved them into the nursery. I'll admit that I'm a bit sad to see them go. I like having them close by and have been known to just sit and watch them sleep. It'll be a good thing, though. The boys aren't quiet sleepers and this should give Jim better rest for work. Likewise, sometimes Jim's snoring startles the boys. I'll probably be the only one that doesn't improve their sleep. hehe
So... Our little boys are growing up. I know they're still small, but for some reason I expected them to stay really small a lot longer. Goodbye Dino On The Loose outfit. We barely knew you.
In other baby-related news, I officially quit my job last Thursday. I left on good terms and my boss wants me to give him a call when I want to get back to engineering again. I'm now a stay-at-home mom, a sentence I never thought I'd type. It feels good, though - far better than the alternative. I'm pretty passionate about the boys. I can't say I ever felt that for any of the engineering jobs I've had.
I started on the boys' Halloween costumes this week. Alex is going to be a ninja and Zach is going to be a pirate. I'm making them out of fleece so they can wear them over normal clothes and be warm enough. I think they'll turn out ok. I'm not the best at sewing but they should at least hold together long enough to go around the neighborhood.
We ordered a double jogging stroller last week and I hope it comes in soon. I have no problems with taking care of the boys 24/7 but I'm starting to climb the walls around. One weekly grocery trip isn't enough non-home time for me. With the stroller I should be able to at least walk around outside for a bit. I'm hoping (and praying) that the boys like it. They enjoy the outside and watching things go by, so it has a chance to work.
Trips in the car have gotten a little easier. I can shake various toys and the boys will stop fussing to watch them. The toys we have for this are pretty limited, though, so I ordered some car toys from Amazon. The first "toy" is a set of wrist bands and striped socks that rattle when the baby moves. They love eating their hands so I hope they like these, too. I also got a activity bar that clamps on their carseat and a peacock that's supposed to be good to chew. hehe
In baby development news, the boys have been honing their chomping skills. Fists and individual fingers get gnawed on a lot. Alex spent some time today just staring at his hands, tasting them, then staring some more. Zach has started sucking on his hands before going to sleep. They have also become more particular about things. Alex refused to nurse in the cradle hold, and would only start eating when I moved him to the football hold. It looked pretty silly feeding one baby like that, but whatever works I guess. Zach will fuss and fuss until I'm holding him just right to go to sleep.
One last tidbit. I came across this picture the other day. It's me when I was 3mo old. I think the boys look a little like me, especially in the no hair department.
I've already mentioned that the boys graduated into size 2 diapers, but over the past few days their clothes have also gotten tight. We broke out the 3-6mo outfits yesterday and they fit much better. Target was having a baby sale so we stopped by today and got a few more sleepers.
We also decided that they've pretty much reached full capacity on the co-sleeper. It holds 30lb and combined they're at 27lb (Alex 14lb, Zach 13lb). They've also started waking each other up in the co-sleeper. When one of them gets fussy, they like to lift their legs waaay up in the air then slam them down, causing the entire thing to shake. A couple of those and you've got two boys trying to bring the house down.
So tonight we moved them into the nursery. I'll admit that I'm a bit sad to see them go. I like having them close by and have been known to just sit and watch them sleep. It'll be a good thing, though. The boys aren't quiet sleepers and this should give Jim better rest for work. Likewise, sometimes Jim's snoring startles the boys. I'll probably be the only one that doesn't improve their sleep. hehe
So... Our little boys are growing up. I know they're still small, but for some reason I expected them to stay really small a lot longer. Goodbye Dino On The Loose outfit. We barely knew you.
In other baby-related news, I officially quit my job last Thursday. I left on good terms and my boss wants me to give him a call when I want to get back to engineering again. I'm now a stay-at-home mom, a sentence I never thought I'd type. It feels good, though - far better than the alternative. I'm pretty passionate about the boys. I can't say I ever felt that for any of the engineering jobs I've had.
I started on the boys' Halloween costumes this week. Alex is going to be a ninja and Zach is going to be a pirate. I'm making them out of fleece so they can wear them over normal clothes and be warm enough. I think they'll turn out ok. I'm not the best at sewing but they should at least hold together long enough to go around the neighborhood.
We ordered a double jogging stroller last week and I hope it comes in soon. I have no problems with taking care of the boys 24/7 but I'm starting to climb the walls around. One weekly grocery trip isn't enough non-home time for me. With the stroller I should be able to at least walk around outside for a bit. I'm hoping (and praying) that the boys like it. They enjoy the outside and watching things go by, so it has a chance to work.
Trips in the car have gotten a little easier. I can shake various toys and the boys will stop fussing to watch them. The toys we have for this are pretty limited, though, so I ordered some car toys from Amazon. The first "toy" is a set of wrist bands and striped socks that rattle when the baby moves. They love eating their hands so I hope they like these, too. I also got a activity bar that clamps on their carseat and a peacock that's supposed to be good to chew. hehe
In baby development news, the boys have been honing their chomping skills. Fists and individual fingers get gnawed on a lot. Alex spent some time today just staring at his hands, tasting them, then staring some more. Zach has started sucking on his hands before going to sleep. They have also become more particular about things. Alex refused to nurse in the cradle hold, and would only start eating when I moved him to the football hold. It looked pretty silly feeding one baby like that, but whatever works I guess. Zach will fuss and fuss until I'm holding him just right to go to sleep.
One last tidbit. I came across this picture the other day. It's me when I was 3mo old. I think the boys look a little like me, especially in the no hair department.
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