My 'Little' 'Big Boys' are 20 Months!!

The last time I wrote a dedicated post about Gavin and Wyatt, was their 17 month update; that was 3 months ago!  So much has happened since then and they have grown so much in every way!  Because of the 3 month gap, I know I am going to miss so much, but here are some of the most important things I want to capture about our amazing oldest boys at this age:

The boys still have the most amazing love for life and continual joy!  They show such excitement for new things such as watching hot air balloons in the sky, airplanes/helicopters going by, spiders in the window, etc.  They love their Mickey Mouse, Doc McStuffins, Baby Einstein and now Little Einsteins (focusing on music, instruments and art) and letter/phonics DVDs.  They also have sat through two whole movies and loved them: Toy Story and Winnie the Pooh.  They love watching football with Daddy.  It brings me such joy watching them run around the room, squeal, high five and try to give a thumbs up Gig’Em (looks more like Texas Tech Guns Up though, haha).

They are all about sports these days.  The past couple of months seem to be a lot of baseball and basket ball; using their tee ball stands inside and out and their new basketball goal we attached to a door upstairs.  They are excellent at throwing too.  

The boys are all about puzzles these days.  They love dinosaurs, blocks, coloring/drawing, play-doh, animals and lots of cars.  I love watching them play pretend these days!  Downstairs they take care of their Goofy and Donald Duck by rocking them in the baby bouncer or rocker.  They take them for rides in the boxes.  They show them things out the window and give them kisses and hugs and let them play baseball with them!  Gavin’s favorite upstairs is his puppy dog that talks (sings, and names the different body parts like hand, foot, heart, etc).  He puts his Puppy in the swing, kisses it, and takes it to bed with him.

Wyatt and Gavin have the sweetest hearts.  They love to take care of Luke and give him lots of kisses, hugs and pats.  They even give him lots of doctor check ups!  Wyatt is especially great at sharing and has to make sure his brother Gavin is well taken care of.  He's always bringing him his water or snacks or sharing his toys when Gavin wants something.  If he gets something or does something, he makes sure his 'DaInn' gets or does the same thing!  They are always grabbing each others hands these days and pulling them along to go do something together.  (They also love doing this with friends!)  They love playing with friends and get so excited when I say we are going to someone's house or someone is coming over!

Speaking of bed: The boys are in big boy beds now for about 2 weeks!  They watched as Daddy took off the front panel of their crib, we put on new sheets and big boy comforters and pillows!  (Previously Jason had made a nursery door for us and I took down the curtains and blinds and put up blackout material that removes by using Velcro).  They were so thrilled and bouncing and clapping around all morning.  Then it was time for a nap.  Gavin was thrilled!  Wyatt not so much!  They cried and played for 1 hour 45 minutes before Wyatt fell asleep in front of the door on the floor and Gavin in the reading nook.  That night they went to bed without any fussing and feel right to sleep and slept all night!  Every since then they go right to bed and love their big boy beds and room!  The past several nights Gavin has been waking up once or twice at night needing a hug, then goes right back to sleep.  They wake up about 5 or 5:30 AM now because of the time change, but have been playing together until 6:30 when I go and get them and we start our day together.  Every night Jason and I tuck them in; I whisper ‘Tuck Tuck Little Duck” as I give them a kiss and tell them how much I love them (Gavin whispers back and does the same for his puppy ‘Duck Duck’).  Then we say our prayer ‘Thank You God as this day ends, for our family and our friends.  Taking time to sit and pray, thank You God for this great day!’  The boys love praying and it warms my heart as they lay on their tummy and back with folded hands automatically after I tuck them in!  (They also love to pray throughout the day and get so excited when they see others pray too!)

Meal times are not the most fun for Jason and me right now.  The boys don’t quite understand why they can’t play at the table.  I’m forever telling them we can laugh, have fun, be silly and even sing, but we can NOT ‘bang the fork, pull the placemat off, throw food, play with Mama's food, blow bubbles in their milk’ and they have to ‘SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN, SIT DOWN…’  I know it will sink in some day, but right now meals are a continual teaching process.  They continue to eat well some days and not so much others.  Overall they are great eaters and not picky (unless they choose to exercise their opinions that day!) 

They have been having fun with decorations and had a blast on their first Trick or Treating!  They thought it was fun holding their buckets out to people, but found the decorations best part!  At one point Wyatt sat down to watch someone’s black bucket with bubbly water and dry ice!  He also wanted the balloons someone had in their yard and dropped his candy bucket to watch the airplane and cheer as it flew by!  They loved trying candy for the first time.  The next two days they cried and kept going to the front door with their buckets asking for their shoes because they wanted to go ‘Deek Deek’ (Trick or Treat)!

They have also been trying to talk a whole lot more.  Gavin especially is becoming a parrot with so many words!  We are so excited to communicate with them and hear what they are thinking! 

Not sure if I mentioned this in my previous post, but Wyatt had to go to the ER because Gavin shut the front door on his finger.  It was bleeding real bad and I thought it could have cut deep to the bone.  No broken fingers and the doctor glued the skin together.  Our pediatrician said she would have preferred to stitch it, but it healed great regardless.  It looks like a burn wound now. 

Wyatt is still ‘potty trained’ the same as a month ago.  He has a few accidents at home, mainly when he is side tracked.  The biggest problem for him is that he says he has to go, but then doesn’t once on the potty.  We can do this 2-4 times before he goes some times and then sometimes it is an accident.  I guess he is still learning how to control when and when not to go.  He went through a couple of weeks of not wanting to poo on the potty, but is getting much better at this if he has to go when awake.  If it happens to be at nap time though, he’ll go in his diaper which we put on at naps and night.  There has only been one morning he woke up completely dry.  He didn’t go potty when he woke up, but after breakfast said he had to go and then peed a bunch!  Gavin shows increasing signs of getting ready to potty train, but still not yet.  He doesn’t like the diapers and wants to sit on the potty more and more.  Wyatt is often taking off his pants and running around the house naked if we can’t stop him in time; especially after dinner before bath.  He’s also unzipping his one piece pjs, so it’s just a matter of time before he completely takes them off at night… I sure hope not though!

The boys have learned to jump and think it’s so fun!  They also dance better and better as they learn to move in new ways!  Wyatt especially is particularly fond of dancing!  Wyatt is my dance buddy in the car; I love watching him bebop his head and arms and legs with me as we drive along.  Gavin is my singing buddy in the car (and home); it just warms my heart listing to his melodies as we drive along or as he runs around the house!  They love to sing too (especially Gavin still who loves to grab the microphone and sing ‘Lalalalalal’ really loud and so sweet sounding!!)!

Their letter and sound recognition is amazing and growing each day!  I can ask them to get me a certain letter and they come running with it.  Or they will come bring me a random letter and tell me the sound it makes.  Or I’ll ask what sound a letter makes and they say it.  They don’t do this with all letters, but a lot and it is growing every week!  They also recognize the color red, blue and yellow the best and sometimes green.  They are also great at recognizing their shapes.  They love circles and Gavin draws a great one these days!

One of our favorite games these days has 2 variations and is getting a third as they learn to talk more.  They love to point to things and we'll say the word.  This will go on for a long time and we'll repeat the cycle they create over and over!  Then I'll change it up and we'll ask them where certain things are (making sure to give them challenges) and they point to them or find them.  They LOVE this!  I'm now starting to point to things and ask them what it is.  Slowly they are able to say some of the words on their own!

They also love doing this as we read books which they still love to do!  Their two favorite books these days are a lift and flap zoo book where we play the above game with (making sure to include all the animal sounds!) and 'Designed by God, so I must be special' book (playing the same game as well!).

They love to pretend to cook and eat and feed us things they ‘make’ in their kitchen.

The boys still love to snuggle and give kisses and hugs.  They have the best laughs and giggles and have developed a new cute ‘chuckle’/hearty 'hahaha' when watching or doing something funny! 

I know I am missing a lot, but I will try to capture things better in the upcoming months when life gets a little more routine.  

Their first nap in their big boy beds: (I'm happy to say they are both all smiles now, even though Wyatt gave them saddest face ever his first nap.)

Our Precious Luke at 3 Months

Our sweet Luke is going to be 3 months old tomorrow!  These past three months have flow by so fast and have been so full as I mentioned in my previous post.  I thank God for our precious son.  My biggest prayers for him are that he grows to know, love, serve and glorify our God.  I pray that God help us help Luke discover who God made him to be and find what He wants him to be and do.  I love watching his personality starting to shine through as he passes the newborn phase and is heading on to the baby phase! 

Here are a few things I want to capture about Luke the past 3 months:

Luke is very calm and laid back.  Thus far he only cries when he is hungry, over tired or hurting with gas from the colic.  He can sleep through anything; and trust me, Gavin and Wyatt test this every day!  High volumes of noise and activity don’t seem to bother him in the least. 

About 3 weeks ago, Luke started trying to smile and coo more, but then he (along with his older brothers) got a bad cold and was congested for 2 full weeks.  During this time he barely cooed at all.  Now that the congestion is gone (and I’m sure his sore throat too), he has started to talk a whole lot more, interact, smile and show some excitement.  I just love watching him start to interact!

He is also starting to grab more and more things and at times put them to his mouth and lick on them.  He continues to be very strong.  During tummy time he often rolls from his tummy to back over and over again (and has done so since about 3 weeks or so).

This past Monday (5 days shy of 3 months), our little Luke had to have surgery to repair 2 large inguinal hernias.  About 3 weeks prior I was giving him his daily morning bath and noticed hardness above his penis area.  I called the pediatrician and she agreed it was likely his testicles just moving around as is common with little boys.  I took him in later that week for his 2 month check up and she said it was not his testicles, but likely a hernia.  Less than a week later I met with the recommended surgeon at Texas Children’s and he confirmed that Luke actually had two hernias and they needed to be repaired soon.  We waited about 2 weeks so he was over the 52 week gestational age they prefer.  I am beyond thankful that Luke was able to get the surgery, that we were able to take him to the best hospital for children, and that he was in wonderful hands (the surgeon and most importantly God’s).  But it was still so hard to see my tiny boy have to go through all of this.  The surgery lasted 2 hours (1 hour each side) and he did wonderfully!  It was so hard passing him to the nurses in the OR in his little hospital gown.   He has been recovering great and is such an amazing trooper!!!  I am so thankful to have this behind him so he can recover while his movements are minimal as it is!  (I think I forgot to mention in his 1 month update, but he also had his tongue clipped at 1.5 weeks because he was born tongue tied.  They didn't do this procedure in the NICU because of his low platelet counts.  We tested his blood again before the surgery and his platelets were great!)

Luke has also had colic since about 3 weeks or so.  It starts in the evenings some days, but typically hits the hardest between 3 and 6 in the morning.   Most of his pain is intestinal gas.  Because of this, his nights are very restless.  He seems so sleepy most nights and not even very hungry, but just can’t sleep.  Just the past 1.5 weeks, he hasn’t had screaming pains.  He is uncomfortable and can’t sleep, but he isn’t crying out.  I am praying this phase is about over for him (and us)! 

Because of this, I have not been able to sleep train him to the extent I want or did with Gavin and Wyatt.  Every day breakfast is sometime between 7 and 8AM and he eats ‘dinner’ about 5 or 6PM and a last meal about 7:30 or 8PM.  These days he gets his bath when we are done with breakfast and he takes a nap about 9 or 9:30AM.  He was sleeping a good 2 or 2.5 hours at this time, but since the surgery, everything has been off.  The other naps are short and not on a patterned time.  We often let him sleep in the baby pillow in his bed or bassinet as this seems to give him some comfort.  I do lay him down flat as well though to make sure he is use to that as well.  We swaddle him at night and his first morning nap.  I also try laying him down sleepy but awake for naps and that goes well most of the time.  Evenings are a mess and I can't figure out how to get him on a schedule or routine.  I know this has to do with the colic though and should get better this next month.  As soon as this colic has passed, we can start working on a schedule.  But for now our little guy has to get the sleep and food he can when he can!

Luke highly favors turning his head to the left.  He has developed a slight flat spot and I've tried EVERYTHING to avoid this.  You name it, and I've tired it.  I put blankets under sheets, I use head wraps that go in carseats when they are newborns, etc.  They work sometimes, but when he's determined to sleep with his head to the left, he'll wiggle past anything and then snuggle in!  I have noticed the past week though he is getting better at this and not fighting the resistance as much!  I guess he was just pretty comfortable int he womb that way!

He eats about 2-5.5 oz every 3-4 hours, even at night.  The past couple of weeks since his cold and surgery, the norm is actually about 2-3 oz every 3 hours. 

I don’t have his 2 month ‘numbers’ with me, but I do know that this week he was 12 lbs and 23.5 inches.  He’s tall and lanky.  I’ve been pulling out all the 3-6 months and a few 6-9 month clothes because he is so long.  I can’t use the one piece outfits with feet unless they are big because he is so long and his feet are so big! 

Our Luke is so sweet.  I love looking into his big eyes (I’m thinking they will be light brown like mine or possibly green) as he looks deep into mine.  I love him holding tight to my finger as he feeds and I stroke his thigh.  He loves to snuggle in on my chest and squeeze my arm, or tight in the cradle position with Daddy.  He loves to be pat (like you are burping him) and Gavin and Wyatt love to help out too!  His older brothers love to kiss him, pat him, lay down with him, swing him, bring him toys and blankets and the such.  He lights up when they come around!

I will try to capture more about Luke this next month! 

2 Month Photo shoot:

Luke's first Halloween:

The Fullness of Our Lives

I realize it has been almost two months since I posted and so much has happened since then.  It is has been nearly impossible to find time to write, but it’s on my mind all the time because there is so much I want to capture about my three sons and our life at this time.  My sweet husband is watching our boys so I can run some errands and now sit at Starbucks and have a few quiet moments.   My first post is a quick one; one I actually started a month ago and never finished.  I realize I just don’t have the time to articulate my thoughts in a fashion that satisfies what I’m truly feeling, but my short, choppy thoughts will have to do.  

Life in the French Household has been what I like to call very FULL lately.  Full of love, full of learning, full of changes, full of laughter, full of noise and yes, full of chaos!  Our days are full from 4 or 5am until 9:30/10pm and up once or twice from 10pm to 4 or 5am; I guess you can say from sun up to sun up (NOT sun down...)! It seems that every event during the day is broken into pieces.  I'll start to feed Luke when Wyatt has to go potty.  I'll take him potty and start to feed Luke again.  Then other breaks are taken because I have to play referee or booboo kisser.  I'll start the laundry or cleaning the kitchen only to realize something else needs to be done, but then have to stop again to play cars with the boys or give Luke extra snuggle time.  It seems that I never finish an activity these days when I start; there is just lots of interruptions.  Most of these interruptions are precious though and I have been praying that God continues to help me learn to 'let the little things go'.  Yes, I'd love to feed Luke more than once a day without an interruption, but learning to leave the crumbs on the floor so I can go read a favorite book to the boys as they snuggle on my lap, or run to the window to watch a spider crawl across it is just the best.  The crumbs, the dust, the dog hair, the laundry... they won't go anywhere (unfortunately!), but these moments to love and teach my children are going by in a hurry.  I don't want my boys to grow up and remember their mom (only) by the clean home she kept, but rather the love and memories we shared.  There will be a day when I won't have to worry about crumbs, blocks and so much laundry.  When that day comes, I want to use my new found time reminiscing all the beautiful moments we shared and smiling on the amazing men my boys became.

Ah, the fullness of our life right now... My heart is happy and content, my body and mind… oh so tired!  

Gavin and Wyatt have the most amazing energy and enthusiasm; their love for life radiates and overflows daily.  I am in awe daily as I watch them grow physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Most days are wonderful (albeit very FULL).  A fun part of parenting these days is learning how to help Gavin and Wyatt express their opinion and explore life and still listen to us the first time.  Testing has become a major part of some of our days some weeks. 

Being a parent allows you to look at the world God created in a whole new light; it also teaches you how to enjoy and embrace it!  One of the biggest things I've learned the past several years is to enjoy 'just being'.  Our time is precious and I try hard to protect it; time to relax, time to be with each other, friends and family, time to enjoy God's creation and blessings.  One amazing part of staying at home with my boys is allowing them to enjoy being children as they should.  They don't have to wake up early every morning to rush to daycare.  We don't have a strict schedule every day, so their is lots of time for reading, walks, playing outside, snuggles, etc.  

Another fullness we've entered into in our home these days is lots of noise and almost always at very high levels.  I've been praying a lot lately that God show me how to parent Gavin and Wyatt at this age.  How do I teach them to 'lower their voice' and yet not squish their spirit.  How do I encourage their amazing energy and enthusiasm God gave them, and yet teach them to channel it well.  How do I help them learn how to control their emotions in some situations?  If you come to visit our home these days, more often than not, I feel it's only appropriate to offer Tylenol in case the noise level was a little too high.  How Luke can sleep through it all or remain calm in what seems like chaos, is beyond me.  I am thankful he is demonstrating an easy-going personality thus far!  I know soon enough he will be right in the middle with his big brothers!

One ‘fullness’ we don’t have yet is sleep.  Luke has had colic pretty bad in the evenings and night since about 3 weeks.  I guess you can say this has allowed me to fill up on the caffeine.  It hurts to watch your tiny baby in such pain and discomfort.  The sleep training has been to a minimal too because of the colic and what it does to his/our schedules. 

Life with two 20 month olds and a soon to be 3 month old is honestly the hardest and yet best thing I’ve ever experienced.  This stage of life is a whole lot harder than twin newborns, only because of the activity level and constant teaching and shepherding the older boys who are still so young, while meeting the needs of our little boy, and doing all with such little sleep.  Emotionally and mentally I feel I’m drained and don’t have any of the answers I need to parent my boys. 

With my mom’s sweet gifts, I have been able to fill our living spaces with lots of Scripture.  I realize I just don’t have time to devote the time I want and need to read through the Bible these days.  But it’s the most important part of my day.  So I realized what I needed to do is to have Scripture EVERYWHERE and read verses here and there all day long.  I have scripture posted in the kitchen and the game room that I made toward the end of pregnancy.  I have books and cards full of different Scripture versus in the hallway, living room, game room, bathroom, and kitchen.  There are wall hangings and plaques placed perfectly in the kitchen and outside the boys’ rooms as great reminders for me.  This has helped beyond words.  

On a funny note: Last month I was rocking Luke in his room as I was trying to get him ready for bed for the evening.  Above the guest bed is the verse, ‘He leadeth me beside still waters.’  I sighed and told God I know he does this, but I just don’t see the still waters these days.  (I looked down at Luke and saw him staring at the cross behind us on the wall.  It warmed my heart and made me cry as I was reminded that this is what life and parenting is about: knowing our Lord and bringing ourselves and others to the cross.)  Later as I was talking to a friend and Jason about this, we laughed and said that my ‘still waters’ these days is likely ‘spilled waters’!  So now when the boys spill milk or water or I step on the thousands of crumbs in the house, I smile thinking this is the ‘still waters’ God leads me besides these days and I find my joy in knowing He gives me the peace in the messes of the day even!

I guess what I’m trying to say and capture is that life is hard right now; really really hard.  It is the most amazing gift and I truly treasure every day with my children.  I can’t thank God enough for entrusting us with three of His wonderful sons!  But I am weary and honestly feel lost in so many aspects of parenting these days.  I like to get things right the first time, but I feel that parenting is a lot of trial and error.  I continue to pray hard and ask God to guide us each step and work in all of our hearts.  He is teaching me so much and I am thankful I can lean on Him!

I better get started trying to capture a few things about my three boys before I run out of time.  On to the next posts about my amazing sons!!!