I just reread my post from March 5th; right before the boys were born. In it I wrote, "Speaking of expectations... Jason and I are trying not to have any expectations about anything the next several months. I've read many books, have ideas on how we want to do things, but realize that each baby is different as is each family. We will take one day at a time and figure out what works best for Gavin, Wyatt, Dad and Mom. Without having expectations, we free ourselves to enjoy each stage without becoming disappointed or irritable at how things are or are not going."
What great words I needed to hear and to refocus on right now! No expectations on sleeping, eating, moods, etc. I need to keep focusing on each day at a time (actually more like every wake period). I need not be afraid to try new things, even if it doesn't work for our two boys. One thing that I do many times throughout the day is to ask my self 'What is God wanting me to teach or do for His children right now?'. This helps me get myself out of the equation and remember I am God's instrument for Gavin and Wyatt's lives. I so often keep trying to put myself back in the equation by thinking about rest, chores, etc.; which is why I say I ask myself this question many times throughout each day.
My focus for this week... Zero Expectations! Thank You God for these reminders and Your unfailing love and grace!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
'Inching' Forward Quickly
This past week has been huge in development for both boys! I am amazed at how much has occurred these past several days. Here is a glimpse as well as some other things I want to record about the boys:
- As I mentioned in my last post, Gavin and Wyatt have discovered that they have a brother to laugh and smile at. They have also discovered that their brother always has the 'cooler' toy! Both boys reach for the toy the other one is playing with; both boys have actually taken the toys from each other at times. I'm lucky though, there are no tears yet.
Gavin's hair is much lighter than when he was first born; it's' almost the same color as Wyatt's right now.
Gavin is no longer showing signs of a temper that I mentioned a couple of posts back. Wyatt has become more 'clingy' and 'wiggly' this past week. He's also become a lot more vocal. He is exploring just how high pitched his voice can get. Trust me, he can get pretty high! I'm hoping this doesn't last too long.- The boys have been belly laughing so much these days. They get truly 'tickled' and are just so joyful. It warms my heart to see and hear such joy from them!
Both boys love story time. Gavin gets so excited and often begins to talk and laugh!
Gavin and Wyatt started to kick their legs and wiggle a lot when on their tummies. On Jul 22, 2011 Wyatt moved about 6 inches towards a toy by doing the 'worm'; or modified army crawl. He did it again later that day, the next and now wiggles all the time! He won't stay on his back. Rolls on his tummy back and forth, and honestly, just LOVES to move ALL the time. He even moves all the time when he sleeps. He turns 180 degrees one way, then back, then 360, then 360 the other way. He then scoots his butt up against the crib and falls asleep with his legs up in the air against the rails. He then scoots and sleeps on his tummy. If you get what I'm trying to get at, he moves ALL the time now. As far as 'crawling' is concerned, he is getting great at the leg motion, but not quite there with the arms yet. He's still moving across the floor though. Gavin on the other hand is doing excellent pushing up with his arms and moving himself around in a circle while on his tummy (and back). He's really enjoying tummy time too. Both boys reach for toys, pull them towards them or scoot towards them and plays while on their tummy. If you combined Gavin's arm movements with Wyatt's leg motions, you'd have a crawling 4.5 month old! I can just see the fun they will start to have once they are in motion (and continual motion I believe it will be).- The boys love peek-a-boo now. They belly laugh continuously as we play; even for about 5-10 minutes sometimes.
- Gavin still loves cereal; rice is great but he loves oatmeal the best you can tell. Wyatt has really been enjoying it again the past few days! If Wyatt continues to enjoy it and eat more the next couple of weeks, we'll start introducing real foods! Veggies first and then fruits.
- The boys were sleeping through the night very well for about a week. They started waking up once a night though several days ago. Some nights they'll sleep through the whole night, others they will wake up and cry for 30 minutes then back to bed; other nights it can be 1-2+ hours. They are back in the same room now 100% of the time, so we've had many nights of back and forth yelling. They eventually ignore the other one though and stay asleep. Last night they slept all night though, so we know they are heading in the right direction. Honestly, I think the 'set back' is the fact that they are developing so much so fast this past week or so. They love to be awake and play. When they wake up at night, they aren't hungry, but you can tell just want to play.
- Anyways, because of the huge variance in sleep patterns their 'first morning meal' has been somewhat more of a variant than normal. We used to eat between 7 and 7:30 am, but now it's anywhere from 6:15 - 7:45 it seems. I feel it's okay for now because it seems necessary depending on the day/night. I am 'saddened' however because it seems like both boys (Wyatt more so) are early birds and like to wake up on average about 6am... Sigh. Once they sleep consistently all through the night though, 6 am will not be a big problem. We will see how the next couple of weeks go.
- Naps are still variant. They take 3 naps a day; ranging in time from about 30 min to 2 hours. As long as they have one 1.5 hour nap a day I'm very pleased; this doesn't always happen though. Gavin is a 'better napper', but neither boys have a 'pattern' yet. If one does not develop in the next month once nights become more regular, then I will start to sleep train them for naps too. My hope is that this occurs naturally this next month though as it often does in 5-6 month olds. All in all though, our boys seem to sleep about 10 hours at night and 3-4 hours during the day.
- Gavin's tooth still hasn't poked out further; I guess it's stuck (jk!). Wyatt has two new white dots on the top of his gums, but you can't feel anything yet. Both boys have their fingers or toys in their mouth about 90% of the time it seems. Wyatt actually 'gums' very aggressively. He's actually sucked/gummed blister like caluses on 4 of his fingers (two on each hand).
- The boys seem to show frustration when toys aren't doing what they want them to do. If they can't get a toy to their mouth correctly or moving the way they want, they seem to become agitated.
- Gavin and Wyatt love to be moving all the time. They typically only like their bouncers now right before nap time when I read them stories, or a random play time for about 10 minutes. Other than that they are on the floor playing (Wyatt on his tummy most of the time), in the jump-a-roos which they LOVE and BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE in, or in the activity centers upstairs. They love to sit up; mostly in your lap or using you to help balance them a little, but the Bumbo seats are good too. My days are getting a little more interesting as I'm learning to balance both boys activity and needs. Loving it though and so very thankful!!!
Anyways, I think I captured most of what I wanted to for now.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
'I Have a Brother!' - Learning to 'Parent' Twins
Gavin and Wyatt are four and a half months now; and up until this past week, I really haven’t seen me as ‘mothering’ twins. Perhaps it’s because they really haven’t interacted with each other until recently. (This is so beautiful to watch!! They are starting to touch, laugh, smile and talk to each other a lot more these days!) Please do not misunderstand what I mean by 'mothering'! I remember seeing the ultrasound for the first time and crying with such excitement and love. I remember what it felt like carrying two very healthy and big boys not too long ago! I remember the first time I saw them and held them in my arms!! I remember all the beautiful times we’ve shared the past several months as they’ve grown. And yes… I remember all the extra ‘work’ involved with having two versus one. When you have twins, your parenting doesn’t increase by one, but rather exponentially. Simple tasks such as wanting to sit outside takes about 5-10 minutes of prep work before you can actually get out there and by that time, they are ready for bed! Feedings, sleeping, and just about every activity takes a lot of planning and organization. Just these past couple of weeks I have become elated that I can now go to the grocery store with the boys ‘all by myself’! So yes, I have ‘noticed’ that we have two wonderful blessings from God, but up until this past week, I really haven’t understood what ‘parenting’ them together will be like.
When you have one baby, ‘everything’ is about them. They get what they want, when they want it, etc. Yes, even if you teach your children life doesn’t ‘revolve around them’ as many of us try to do, they still never have to adjust to another tiny individual who demands everything they do at the same time that they do! The difference I’ve seen this week is found in Gavin’s and Wyatt’s different personalities and abilities developing very quickly. One week, Gavin will be more clingy and high strung, the other week, Wyatt will take his turn. Some times they both need my complete attention at the same time; and yet others they are both completely content in entertaining themselves and exploring the world. This was easier before they were ‘as mobile’ as they are now. Even though they aren’t crawling yet, they are still moving around and are very very active! (Even the pediatrician said they are very active and strong 4 month olds!)
Gavin is really enjoying cereal where as Wyatt is not as enthusiastic right now. This has made meal times even more challenging (as if it wasn’t already!). I now have mastered feeding Wyatt the bottle with my left hand while spoon feeding Gavin with my right (all in high chairs now). And mom of course isn’t fast enough when they both use the spoon or when I have to burp one.
Just this past week, they have discovered that their brother always has the ‘cooler toy’. No matter what toy they have at the moment, they eye their brother’s toy and begin to reach for it. Gavin has actually taken the toys out of Wyatt’s hands. I’m lucky now though, because Wyatt just laughs.
So my thoughts this week have been more about ‘parenting’ twins instead of just the ‘logistics of two’. What many parents face a couple of years after their first is born, we’ll soon be facing ourselves. We’ll have to teach Gavin and Wyatt patience, sharing, love, forgiveness, etc; all at a very early age. I pray that God provides the right words and direction each step of the way. I pray Gavin and Wyatt develop a very special bond that will keep them close their whole lives. I pray God is the center of their relationship; as we as parents try to make sure He is the center of our house and lives.
With all this said, I want to reiterate just how thankful I am for our two blessings God has entrusted us with. I am forever thankful for such beautiful little boys; beautiful on the outside yes, but so fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator!!! I am so excited to watch as they begin to reveal who God made them to be. May we help them to learn who they are, Whose they are, and how He wants to use them. Thank You God for our twins!!! Please help us be the parents You call us to be.
When you have one baby, ‘everything’ is about them. They get what they want, when they want it, etc. Yes, even if you teach your children life doesn’t ‘revolve around them’ as many of us try to do, they still never have to adjust to another tiny individual who demands everything they do at the same time that they do! The difference I’ve seen this week is found in Gavin’s and Wyatt’s different personalities and abilities developing very quickly. One week, Gavin will be more clingy and high strung, the other week, Wyatt will take his turn. Some times they both need my complete attention at the same time; and yet others they are both completely content in entertaining themselves and exploring the world. This was easier before they were ‘as mobile’ as they are now. Even though they aren’t crawling yet, they are still moving around and are very very active! (Even the pediatrician said they are very active and strong 4 month olds!)
Gavin is really enjoying cereal where as Wyatt is not as enthusiastic right now. This has made meal times even more challenging (as if it wasn’t already!). I now have mastered feeding Wyatt the bottle with my left hand while spoon feeding Gavin with my right (all in high chairs now). And mom of course isn’t fast enough when they both use the spoon or when I have to burp one.
Just this past week, they have discovered that their brother always has the ‘cooler toy’. No matter what toy they have at the moment, they eye their brother’s toy and begin to reach for it. Gavin has actually taken the toys out of Wyatt’s hands. I’m lucky now though, because Wyatt just laughs.
So my thoughts this week have been more about ‘parenting’ twins instead of just the ‘logistics of two’. What many parents face a couple of years after their first is born, we’ll soon be facing ourselves. We’ll have to teach Gavin and Wyatt patience, sharing, love, forgiveness, etc; all at a very early age. I pray that God provides the right words and direction each step of the way. I pray Gavin and Wyatt develop a very special bond that will keep them close their whole lives. I pray God is the center of their relationship; as we as parents try to make sure He is the center of our house and lives.
With all this said, I want to reiterate just how thankful I am for our two blessings God has entrusted us with. I am forever thankful for such beautiful little boys; beautiful on the outside yes, but so fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator!!! I am so excited to watch as they begin to reveal who God made them to be. May we help them to learn who they are, Whose they are, and how He wants to use them. Thank You God for our twins!!! Please help us be the parents You call us to be.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
4 Month Update and More
I have so much to write about to catch this blog up to date; I just know that I’m going to forget half of the things I want to capture from this past month or so. The boys have grown drastically; physically, developmentally and emotionally.
The beginning of June we went to El Paso for my sister’s high school graduation. The boys and I were able to stay two weeks; which gave my mom and grandma more time to spend with our boys! The trip went great.
• We spilt the 12 hour drive into 2 days; stopping and spending the night in Senora (the half way point). This worked out great by really allowing the boys (and us) to stay on some type of routine and get a good night’s rest.
• It was wonderful watching my little sister graduate… all grown up now. It’s hard to imagine she is 18 now and getting ready to spread her wings. It seems like just yesterday I was able to hold her for the first time at the hospital when she was born. At one point we watched old home videos… tears came to my eyes as I watched my baby sister explore the world as a baby while holding my two baby boys. Wow… Needless to say, I am very proud of her and excited to have her here in Houston now!
• We brought our pack and play for the boys to use as a bed while we were there. Little did we know that they would begin to wiggle around and move from side to side while we were there. Between that and their ever growing size, we ended up having to borrow another pack and play from some friends of friends so we could have one for each of them. This worked out much better.
• The boys were great troupers on the car ride down there which was 2 days for them. Then the next day we had a graduation party for my sister and cousin in which the boys did great with all the new people. The next day we took them to my mom’s work and they did great. The next day was Selina’s graduation and they did excellent. Needless to say… they needed a break after all of that. We tried to keep as much of a routine as possible while we were there which really helped.
• The boys developed a lot while we were there with their awareness and ability to begin playing with toys. They were using the jump-a-roo right before we left and began to love it more while we were there. (They now LOVE it and interact with all the toys, but I’ll share more about that in a minute.)
Since we have been back home, the boys continue to amaze me with their quick development…
• Wyatt rolled over for the first time at 15 weeks from his back to his tummy. He then learned how to roll over from his tummy to his back. Now when he wants he just rolls back and forth. He does roll both to the right and to the left which is great to see.
• Gavin rolled over for the first time this past weekend at 4 months from his tummy to his back. He’s so close to rolling from his back to his tummy, but he leads with his head too much to actually flip over. He actually is moving all over the floor now by rolling on his side and pushing off with his feet and leaning his head way back. He’s contorting his body, but learning he can move somewhere that way.
• Both boys are sitting up so well these days. We of course still have to be there for balance or let them use a seat, but they pull themselves up into a sitting position when in our laps and are learning to balance well.
• The boys love the jump-a-roo as I mentioned before. These days they love to jump, jump, jump… and play with all the toys along the seat.
• Their ability to play with toys now is amazing. They reach for what they want and are becoming very coordinated. Just the other day, Gavin pulled out his pacifier with two fingers, studied it a while and then placed it back in his mouth! (Now if only they could always do that…!)
• The boys are really taking an interest in Pickles and Noodles these days! They will reach out to touch them and then love to touch their noses and fur as the dogs lick on them! Gavin grabbed and pulled on Pickles’ fur the other day though, so we will have to some how start teaching them how to be gentle… Pickles of course didn’t do anything… she sometimes lies on her back so ‘they can’ rub her tummy!
• Gavin cut his first two at 3.5 months. We noticed he was fussy for a few days and during one of his crying fits, I noticed he had ‘fuzz’ on his gums. I went to wipe it away, and it was a little tooth starting to poke through! It hasn’t poked out any further yet though. He’s feeling much better these days. Both boys drool like crazy (Gavin more so) and LOVE their fingers. It is hard to get Wyatt to get his fingers out of his mouth these days; he’s even developed small blister looking marks on this thumb and pointer fingers on both hands.
• Gavin had developed what I can only describe as a ‘temper’. He is always very animated in both his facial expressions and talking. But there are times he stiffens up and screams when he is ‘frustrated’ or things aren’t going his way. He is a very very sweet boy though! He just is learning his likes and dislikes and how to express it. He actually hasn’t done this in about a week, but just the past few days, it seems as though Wyatt is learning he can do similar things. Perhaps it is just another way of them exploring the sounds and motions they can make.
• The boys are daily learning new sounds they can make. They try screaming (happy) and they try different ways to move their tongue and mouth at the same time. Just the other day Gavin learned to spit (great fun during meal times) and Wyatt has learned to talk and make bubbles at the same time. Their voices are different, but both so wonderfully sweet! This past week Gavin has learned to make the G and H sounds and has developed a ‘new laugh’. I love watching them explore their abilities!
• I have to mention about the way they feel in my arms. I describe Gavin as melting into my body and Wyatt as my snuggle bug. They are both so sweet and cuddly… I thank God for entrusting us with them so that we may love on them dearly!
• Gavin has what we call ‘a little crooked smile’! It’s so cute and can almost look mischievous, flirty or shy at times! Wyatt’s whole face and body light up when he smiles! He pulls his arms and legs up to his face. Oh, these boys melt my heart and have me in the palm of their hands!
• They just had their 4 month check up and they are doing great. Both boys weight 15 ½ - 16 lbs (different by only 2 oz). Gavin is 26 inches and Wyatt is 25 ¼ inches. They are right where they should be in all measurements. I thank God for great health.
• Gavin and Wyatt are wonderfully happy boys. It brings me such joy seeing them smile and laugh on a regular basis. Sure they have rough days when they aren’t feeling or sleeping well, but most days they seem to really enjoy themselves and those around them. They love interacting with people too.
• The boys started to eat rice cereal a week ago at 17 weeks. For three days we just fed them a tiny bit (less than a teaspoon full) in the mornings. Then for two days I fed them twice a day. Then increased it to 3 as well as the quantity they eat. Wyatt seemed to enjoy and figure out the spoon very quickly. Both boys were really starting to seem to enjoy it more though. Then about a week ago, Wyatt stopped opening his mouth fully and kept putting his tongue in the way, all while Gavin has begun to love it and eat like a pro. Not sure why Wyatt regressed in this area, but I’ve decided to keep feeding Gavin cereal, but focus Wyatt on the bottle right now. I’ll keep giving him some cereal when I give it to Gavin, but not try to force it on him. He will let me know when he is ready. But in the mean time, I don’t want to deny Gavin what he is ready for and excited about. So here is what I do right now: I start them off with a bottle, feed them cereal and then finish up with a bottle if need be. As soon as they get fussy, I know it’s time to stop cereal time… I want to focus on keeping meal time a joyful time. Our plan right now is to keep them on cereals for about a month, or until they have ‘mastered’ eating from a spoon. We’ll let them try other types of cereal here in the next week or so. After that, we will start them off with veggies and then fruits. I still plan on making our own baby food and am very excited about it!
• Gavin and Wyatt were baptized this past Sunday; 07/10/11. Josh and Selina are their sponsors! It was such a special day and the boys were in a great mood and feeling great that day. I pray that they may truly know, love, and follow Christ and that He may be glorified through their lives. Thank You God for entrusting us with your precious sons and for sending your Son to die for our sins that we may be forgiven. Praise His glorious and Holy name!
• At their 4 month visit, the doctor confirmed that they had a mild case of Eczema. She recommended using a different lotion, along with hydrocortisone. A couple of days later it was bright red and so much worse; we weren’t sure if it was the shots making it worse, or if they had a reaction to the lotion. I took them back to the doctor and it turns out they did have a reaction to the lotion… and it looks like I was too on my arms. Since then I’ve stopped all lotions and just put on Cortisone twice a day for two weeks. Their skin is so much better!!! I am so thankful it is no longer red, irritated and the Eczema is clearing up too!!
• At the doctor visit, we were told that the boys did not need their nightly feedings of 6-9 oz… that it was just a habit now. So we started to wean them to only eat between 1.5-3 oz and then this past Thursday we started to teach them to sleep through the night. The first night Wyatt slept all night and Gavin cried the first time for about and hour and the second time for about 30 min. The second night both boys cried for about two hours off and on; they kept waking each other up after settling down. The past few nights they have slept all night (we’ve had to put the pacifier in their mouth only a few times, but they quickly fall back to sleep). The boys are getting great at soothing themselves back to sleep. We’ve been letting them sleep in separate rooms right now while they learn to sleep through the night. We’ll get them back in the same room within the next week or so though so they get used to each other’s noises again.
• Naps are still sporadic… They usually fall to sleep close to the same time for naps, but the length of each nap varies. One might sleep 1.5 hrs and one might sleep 30 min. The next nap they might switch or it will be the same. Sometimes neither of them sleep. Rarely do both sleep good naps at the same time. I haven’t noticed a patter yet to the better sleeper… perhaps Gavin enjoys slightly longer naps more consistently though. They still take about 3 naps a day; their first two are the main ones (although those can be real short still) with the third one being more of a power nap.
• I’ve been getting better and more used to getting out and about with the boys. I recently bought a new baby wear carrier; the Gemini. I love it! It is just what I needed. The Baby Hawks just aren’t working for us yet. They are too wide at the base as are most of the carriers. But the Gemini has the ability to narrow at the base which fits their legs much better. I can now carrier one and keep the other in the stroller. I then use the other unused part of the stroller (without the carseat) as a basket at the store. Some day I’ll be able to put them both in the shopping cart, but until they can sit up on their own, this is the best I can do. And I’m so excited I found something that works. It gives me a since of freedom being able to run errands on my own with the boys.
I know I am forgetting many things I want to keep track of, so I’ll just have to update as I remember. Here are a few pictures of the past month… I have so many good ones, but not enough room to post them all. Enjoy.
The beginning of June we went to El Paso for my sister’s high school graduation. The boys and I were able to stay two weeks; which gave my mom and grandma more time to spend with our boys! The trip went great.
• We spilt the 12 hour drive into 2 days; stopping and spending the night in Senora (the half way point). This worked out great by really allowing the boys (and us) to stay on some type of routine and get a good night’s rest.
• It was wonderful watching my little sister graduate… all grown up now. It’s hard to imagine she is 18 now and getting ready to spread her wings. It seems like just yesterday I was able to hold her for the first time at the hospital when she was born. At one point we watched old home videos… tears came to my eyes as I watched my baby sister explore the world as a baby while holding my two baby boys. Wow… Needless to say, I am very proud of her and excited to have her here in Houston now!
• We brought our pack and play for the boys to use as a bed while we were there. Little did we know that they would begin to wiggle around and move from side to side while we were there. Between that and their ever growing size, we ended up having to borrow another pack and play from some friends of friends so we could have one for each of them. This worked out much better.
• The boys were great troupers on the car ride down there which was 2 days for them. Then the next day we had a graduation party for my sister and cousin in which the boys did great with all the new people. The next day we took them to my mom’s work and they did great. The next day was Selina’s graduation and they did excellent. Needless to say… they needed a break after all of that. We tried to keep as much of a routine as possible while we were there which really helped.
• The boys developed a lot while we were there with their awareness and ability to begin playing with toys. They were using the jump-a-roo right before we left and began to love it more while we were there. (They now LOVE it and interact with all the toys, but I’ll share more about that in a minute.)
Since we have been back home, the boys continue to amaze me with their quick development…
• Wyatt rolled over for the first time at 15 weeks from his back to his tummy. He then learned how to roll over from his tummy to his back. Now when he wants he just rolls back and forth. He does roll both to the right and to the left which is great to see.
• Gavin rolled over for the first time this past weekend at 4 months from his tummy to his back. He’s so close to rolling from his back to his tummy, but he leads with his head too much to actually flip over. He actually is moving all over the floor now by rolling on his side and pushing off with his feet and leaning his head way back. He’s contorting his body, but learning he can move somewhere that way.
• Both boys are sitting up so well these days. We of course still have to be there for balance or let them use a seat, but they pull themselves up into a sitting position when in our laps and are learning to balance well.
• The boys love the jump-a-roo as I mentioned before. These days they love to jump, jump, jump… and play with all the toys along the seat.
• Their ability to play with toys now is amazing. They reach for what they want and are becoming very coordinated. Just the other day, Gavin pulled out his pacifier with two fingers, studied it a while and then placed it back in his mouth! (Now if only they could always do that…!)
• The boys are really taking an interest in Pickles and Noodles these days! They will reach out to touch them and then love to touch their noses and fur as the dogs lick on them! Gavin grabbed and pulled on Pickles’ fur the other day though, so we will have to some how start teaching them how to be gentle… Pickles of course didn’t do anything… she sometimes lies on her back so ‘they can’ rub her tummy!
• Gavin cut his first two at 3.5 months. We noticed he was fussy for a few days and during one of his crying fits, I noticed he had ‘fuzz’ on his gums. I went to wipe it away, and it was a little tooth starting to poke through! It hasn’t poked out any further yet though. He’s feeling much better these days. Both boys drool like crazy (Gavin more so) and LOVE their fingers. It is hard to get Wyatt to get his fingers out of his mouth these days; he’s even developed small blister looking marks on this thumb and pointer fingers on both hands.
• Gavin had developed what I can only describe as a ‘temper’. He is always very animated in both his facial expressions and talking. But there are times he stiffens up and screams when he is ‘frustrated’ or things aren’t going his way. He is a very very sweet boy though! He just is learning his likes and dislikes and how to express it. He actually hasn’t done this in about a week, but just the past few days, it seems as though Wyatt is learning he can do similar things. Perhaps it is just another way of them exploring the sounds and motions they can make.
• The boys are daily learning new sounds they can make. They try screaming (happy) and they try different ways to move their tongue and mouth at the same time. Just the other day Gavin learned to spit (great fun during meal times) and Wyatt has learned to talk and make bubbles at the same time. Their voices are different, but both so wonderfully sweet! This past week Gavin has learned to make the G and H sounds and has developed a ‘new laugh’. I love watching them explore their abilities!
• I have to mention about the way they feel in my arms. I describe Gavin as melting into my body and Wyatt as my snuggle bug. They are both so sweet and cuddly… I thank God for entrusting us with them so that we may love on them dearly!
• Gavin has what we call ‘a little crooked smile’! It’s so cute and can almost look mischievous, flirty or shy at times! Wyatt’s whole face and body light up when he smiles! He pulls his arms and legs up to his face. Oh, these boys melt my heart and have me in the palm of their hands!
• They just had their 4 month check up and they are doing great. Both boys weight 15 ½ - 16 lbs (different by only 2 oz). Gavin is 26 inches and Wyatt is 25 ¼ inches. They are right where they should be in all measurements. I thank God for great health.
• Gavin and Wyatt are wonderfully happy boys. It brings me such joy seeing them smile and laugh on a regular basis. Sure they have rough days when they aren’t feeling or sleeping well, but most days they seem to really enjoy themselves and those around them. They love interacting with people too.
• The boys started to eat rice cereal a week ago at 17 weeks. For three days we just fed them a tiny bit (less than a teaspoon full) in the mornings. Then for two days I fed them twice a day. Then increased it to 3 as well as the quantity they eat. Wyatt seemed to enjoy and figure out the spoon very quickly. Both boys were really starting to seem to enjoy it more though. Then about a week ago, Wyatt stopped opening his mouth fully and kept putting his tongue in the way, all while Gavin has begun to love it and eat like a pro. Not sure why Wyatt regressed in this area, but I’ve decided to keep feeding Gavin cereal, but focus Wyatt on the bottle right now. I’ll keep giving him some cereal when I give it to Gavin, but not try to force it on him. He will let me know when he is ready. But in the mean time, I don’t want to deny Gavin what he is ready for and excited about. So here is what I do right now: I start them off with a bottle, feed them cereal and then finish up with a bottle if need be. As soon as they get fussy, I know it’s time to stop cereal time… I want to focus on keeping meal time a joyful time. Our plan right now is to keep them on cereals for about a month, or until they have ‘mastered’ eating from a spoon. We’ll let them try other types of cereal here in the next week or so. After that, we will start them off with veggies and then fruits. I still plan on making our own baby food and am very excited about it!
• Gavin and Wyatt were baptized this past Sunday; 07/10/11. Josh and Selina are their sponsors! It was such a special day and the boys were in a great mood and feeling great that day. I pray that they may truly know, love, and follow Christ and that He may be glorified through their lives. Thank You God for entrusting us with your precious sons and for sending your Son to die for our sins that we may be forgiven. Praise His glorious and Holy name!
• At their 4 month visit, the doctor confirmed that they had a mild case of Eczema. She recommended using a different lotion, along with hydrocortisone. A couple of days later it was bright red and so much worse; we weren’t sure if it was the shots making it worse, or if they had a reaction to the lotion. I took them back to the doctor and it turns out they did have a reaction to the lotion… and it looks like I was too on my arms. Since then I’ve stopped all lotions and just put on Cortisone twice a day for two weeks. Their skin is so much better!!! I am so thankful it is no longer red, irritated and the Eczema is clearing up too!!
• At the doctor visit, we were told that the boys did not need their nightly feedings of 6-9 oz… that it was just a habit now. So we started to wean them to only eat between 1.5-3 oz and then this past Thursday we started to teach them to sleep through the night. The first night Wyatt slept all night and Gavin cried the first time for about and hour and the second time for about 30 min. The second night both boys cried for about two hours off and on; they kept waking each other up after settling down. The past few nights they have slept all night (we’ve had to put the pacifier in their mouth only a few times, but they quickly fall back to sleep). The boys are getting great at soothing themselves back to sleep. We’ve been letting them sleep in separate rooms right now while they learn to sleep through the night. We’ll get them back in the same room within the next week or so though so they get used to each other’s noises again.
• Naps are still sporadic… They usually fall to sleep close to the same time for naps, but the length of each nap varies. One might sleep 1.5 hrs and one might sleep 30 min. The next nap they might switch or it will be the same. Sometimes neither of them sleep. Rarely do both sleep good naps at the same time. I haven’t noticed a patter yet to the better sleeper… perhaps Gavin enjoys slightly longer naps more consistently though. They still take about 3 naps a day; their first two are the main ones (although those can be real short still) with the third one being more of a power nap.
• I’ve been getting better and more used to getting out and about with the boys. I recently bought a new baby wear carrier; the Gemini. I love it! It is just what I needed. The Baby Hawks just aren’t working for us yet. They are too wide at the base as are most of the carriers. But the Gemini has the ability to narrow at the base which fits their legs much better. I can now carrier one and keep the other in the stroller. I then use the other unused part of the stroller (without the carseat) as a basket at the store. Some day I’ll be able to put them both in the shopping cart, but until they can sit up on their own, this is the best I can do. And I’m so excited I found something that works. It gives me a since of freedom being able to run errands on my own with the boys.
I know I am forgetting many things I want to keep track of, so I’ll just have to update as I remember. Here are a few pictures of the past month… I have so many good ones, but not enough room to post them all. Enjoy.
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