A World In Motion - 5 Month Update

I am amazed at how fast time is flying by. I sit and look back at these past five months and feel so thankful for these great months we've been able to spend with our precious sons and watch them grow into the young boys God made them to be! Oh how fast they are growing; physically, mentally, developmentally and I hope spiritually as well (for I know that the Word does not return empty; even at their young age, the Spirit is working in their lives). The boys are in almost constant motion these days. I have to break this concept up into pieces so you can try to visually see how active they really are! Below is a list of things I want to capture about this time in their lives (in no particular order):

• Gavin rolled over for the first time from his back to his tummy on 08/01/11; so we now have two rolly-pollies! They roll from their backs to their tummies and back to their backs all the time... although they roll more from their backs to tummy than anything. (For some reason, Wyatt will not roll from his tummy to his back while in his crib though.)
  
  


• They love tummy time and would spend a large portion of their days on their tummy if it wasn't for spitting up (I try to let their food digest a little before they play on their tummy, but this is a huge challenge!) and for eventual frustration that they can't crawl yet. As a side note, Wyatt has not been spitting up much lately (it lasted about 3 weeks).




• Although they have not mastered the idea of letting their arms and legs work together to move somewhere, they have realized that by moving their legs they can scoot forward and by moving their arms the can rotate their bodies. If there is a toy that they want, they will find a way to get it! Gavin loves to press up as high as he can go with his arms. Wyatt loves to pull his legs up under him and press upwards.



• Sitting... Oh how strong they are getting. As they've been doing for months now, they will go from the reclined position in our laps to the sitting up position. But these days they have a lot more balance while in that position. When I'm sitting on the floor with them, they sit wonderfully in the center of my legs, but when on their own 100%, they lean forward way too much. They haven't fully learned to use their arms as a tripod yet, although both boys have started to try this out this past week. They use the two seats we have for them excellent; the Bumbo is pretty secure, but the other chair gives them a lot more opportunities to sit more on their own than supported.



• Because of their ability to sit up is improving, they have decided that sitting in a reclined position just will not do (unless it's time for a nap and I'm reading them stories). Meal times can be a major challenge as they try to sit up continually instead of resting into the high chair. It's mighty difficult to feed an open mouth pointing down as they do non-stop crunches! Bath time was also the same way. A while back we switched to an infant tub (A Whale of a Tub) because they were getting just too big for the Puj Tub. This worked great for a while until recently; they will not recline in the tub and thus spend almost the entire bath trying to do crunches and sit up. I tried putting them at the other end so they can actually sit up the whole time, but they aren't quite there yet either. So last night I ordered the Hug Tub which is like a Bath Boppy to use in our tubs. So no more baths in the kitchen... But exciting news is they get to take baths together now and oh what fun that will be when they start to interact!!! Plus... they get to really spash now which they are learning to love to do! In the meantime I am bathing them in a seat in the tub which is working great. They really seem to enjoy the big boy bath time!









• Wyatt has learned that he can 'flail' his arms widely now instead of just moving his hands. He gets so excited he'll pump his arms up and down and sadly ends up hitting his face a lot. Because of this he has learned that he can throw toys now as well. He finds it great fun to throw a toy.



• Both boys have learned that they can drop toys these days which proves great fun while their in the high-chair ;)



• While in your arms or lap, Gavin loves to wiggle and scrunch himself down over and over again. The best word for Wyatt's movements is wiggle, wiggle, wiggle! Wyatt tries to get out of your lap or the bouncy seat. Since he can't crawl or sit up yet though, he ends up scooting himself on his tummy and then onto the floor.



• They still love the jump-a-roos. Wyatt has started a new 'marching' motion that looks like he is trying to walk with side to side steps. Gavin has started to bounce forward, backward and side to side. He'll jump, jump, jump and then stop himself by standing straight up stiff as a board!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brLE9k0O6t4




• They love the activity centers as well. We have a sationary saucer in which they can rotate the seat and play with all the toys around them. We have a walker with a muscial keyboard they love to play with and we just bought a new one where the center is stationary and they seat roates around it. The boys love this new toy and are discovering how to move around from one toy to the next. They often love to just spin around and look down at the floor as they move. They are discovering the world of 'walking'.



• Wyatt has now learned that it's fun to try to stand up when in my lap and will pull himself up using the play center in front of him. He can stand holding on to it for a few seconds at a time.






• Both boys have excellent strength standing whether on our legs or in the activity centers. Rarely do they 'sit' in the seats in a relax manner. They stand and use the seat as balance rather. You can see them exploring their sense of balance each time they are in it.



• Wyatt has taken a fancy to cups these days. He loves watching me drink from a cup and reaches out his hands. I can not try to take a drink when holding either boy because both of them try to grab it from me. So I gave Wyatt a cup with water in it the other day to see what he'd do and he put it to his mouth. I lifted it slowly to give him some of the water and he thought it was great fun; half the water in his mouth, the other half on me! Wyatt also likes playing with the sippy cups and puts them to his mouth and sucks, but I haven't yet tried to put anything in them yet. I don't think he has the lean back and suck motions down yet, so I'll wait a little longer. Perhaps I'll give them some water in sippy cups this month and see if they take an interest in learning this new concept.
  


• Wyatt loves to hold his bottle when he eats. If I let go, he'll hold it for a while. He is so very kind and often helps me put the bottle in his mouth if it's not nearing him fast enough!



• Gavin just loved cereal so much, brown rice is his favorite followed by oatmeal and white rice. It has to be thick though. Wyatt still wasn't interested in spoon feeding though... until...
  


• We fed them carrots for the first time on 08/06/11. I cooked them and put them in the food processor and the boys thought that was the greatest thing! Gavin couldn't get enough and... Wyatt loved them! He now likes to eat from a spoon; carrots and cereal alike. Since then the boys have tried butternut squash and loved it. I plan to let them try avacados, peas, bananas, green beans, sweet potatoes (order might change...) in the weeks to come. I am so excited and happy to make our own baby food!



• Gavin and Wyatt are sleeping through the night consistantly. They've decided that between 5 and 5:15 is their new wake up time though... I've heard that this is common for this age and praying it's not something that will last throughout their childhood! If the sun is still sleeping we should be too! We can get up when the sun is up... So Gavin and Wyatt stay in their bed until 6am and then we eat breakfast at 6:30. Bath is still at 6:30 and then we eat and get ready for bed. They are asleep by 7:15-8pm each night. They are still taking 3 naps a day from 30 minutes to 2 hours with no set patterns each week. Gavin still enjoys sleep a little more than Wyatt, but they are pretty similar in this area; probably because they are twins and in the same room.



• This past week Gavin and Wyatt have discovered that there are 'things behind them' at all times. They are constantly look over their sholders and 'upside down-like' trying to see the world behind them too.



• Gavin and Wyatt love singing times. Their faces light up when we begin to sing. Their favorite song has been: sung to the notes of London Bridges: 'Jesus loves to hear me sing, see me smile, laugh and play. Hear me praise Him every day. I love Jesus.' Just now as I sang it to them they began to smile and move like always! They love music throughout the day. I have some old VHS tapes for children that are full of fun silly songs and the boys seem to really be captivated by these. They don't get to watch them much, but it's a little treat every now and then for them. Soon they'll be able to watch Veggie Tales and other fun wholesome and educational shows from time to time.



• As I mentioned in my previous post, we are starting to try to sign with the boys. It's becoming a habbit for me here at home (not in public yet though) and I pray it helps the boys as they grow.
  


• Gavin and Wyatt cut their first teeth this week, 08/08/11; two bottom teeth each. They are trying to be troopers, but you can really tell it's bothering both of them. I find it interesting that they are cutting them on the same day! (The pediatrician said the 'tooth' Gavin cut last month was actually a cyst that has gone away. So this is his real first tooth, no mistaking it this time.) They each have two other teeth getting ready to come out, but they have not broken the skin yet.



• Tickle time and lots of kisses on the neck will get the boys into laughing fits! They are very tickelish on their lower backs and sides and Gavin's neck is also tickelish. Games of peek-a-boo, silly songs and random sneezing will also creat lots of belly laughs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zx4n7TWF-xY

• The boys are wearing size 9 and 12 months right now. This means they can now wear big boy pjs which is just way too cute on them! They are growing by leaps and bounds. Just about 17 lbs right now.



• The boys roll and scoot all over their bed these days. Wyatt is EVERYWHERE in it. I had to put the bumpers back on the bed this past week because he was kicking his legs out between the bars and then trying to roll over... not good at all. So now they are safe and free to roll around as much as they want... (just please make peace with your beds and sleep past 5AM!).



• The boys love it when we make all sorts of sounds. In addition to laughing at the sounds we make, they are making a bunch of their own these days. They seem to try new sounds every few days.



• Wyatt gives his huge smile to everyone these days all the time. He has new friends the first second he meets people and entertains them from then on out. Gavin studies people the first few moments and then makes friends and flirts. Both boys love to talk and share their laughter. They are such joyful boys it warms my heart.

Even though they are very active these days, Gavin and Wyatt are still wonderful snugglers as I've mentioned in other posts. I love my time as I hold each one of them in my arms, stroke their hair, hold their little hands, and kiss their cheeks. I love it when they nestle into my body and I sing to them softly and whisper how much I love them and how special God made them. I love how Gavin still melts into me and Wyatt snuggles so tight. I love my little wiggly snuggle worms!

Signing - A Better Focus On My Words

Communication is vital in our lives; without it the very core of ourselves and society will crumble. Communication with our family, friends, our community, the world and most importantly our God. I could go on for many hours about how important I believe communication is in our lives and how fascinating I think this subject is; but this isn't the point of this short post. Instead I want to share about a new way of communication we've been exploring in our home; signing.

Our boys just turned 5 months today and each day we see their awareness of the world and their communication growing drastically. So often young children become extremely frustrated daily because they are unable to communicate their needs, thoughts and desires with their parents and those around them. It is because of this and our desire for increased communication, that Jason and I have started to 'sign' with Gavin and Wyatt. Our goal is not to learn the entire language of signing, but rather learn and teach the boys words that they will want and need to communicate with us on a daily basis. We've learned from others that this can benefit many children and parents. We started a couple of weeks ago in order for signing to become the norm for us; especially at home. We know that the boys understand and are aware of a lot more than we realize. Although they are unable to sign developmentally for a while, we can already see them focusing on our hands and even look back and forth between our moving hands and theirs.

So here is a list of words that we've learned so far:

• Jesus


• Daddy


• Grandma


• Brother


• Good


• Boy


• Happy


• Milk


• Eat


• Drink


• More


• All Done


• Dog


• Cat


• Potty


• Hi


• Sorry


• Please


• Thank You


• I Love You


• And they Love singing and signing Jesus Loves Me!

Other Things Will Learn Soon:

• Pain/Hurt (and they can then point to what hurts)

Worship
As I've been signing these past couple of weeks, I realize that I truly pay attention to the actual words I am saying and signing. Have you ever been reading or speaking and really only the words are coming out, but you never embrace the meaning? I realize just how often that happens. This past week I realize how often this can happen in my communication and worship with my God. I've learned through the years just how important full communication with God is; not just talking, but listening and genuine time each day. How often I fall short though and allow this beautiful gift He has given us to be minimized. So why not learn to sign during my daily worship to my God? Why not truly embrace and linger on each word I speak to God? Why not internalize what His name means to me as I let my body speak to Him and not just the words from my mouth?

Signs are often very symbolic of the words true meaning. The sign for Jesus embraces the nails in His hands and thus I focus on His sacrifice and gift each time I speak His name. I've learned to sign 'Father' before pointing up when speaking about Him. Lord is the shape of an 'L' moving as if a seat belt across your chest; what a great symbol of His protection and the armor of God!

In addition to singing/signing Jesus Loves Me with the boys and further explaining that He loves Gavin, Wyatt, Daddy, Mommy, and everyone and we love Him, I am learning how to sing/sign the song 'All in All' through videos on YouTube. I can not tell you how great this has been this week. Being able to focus on each word in the song brings my worship and thankfulness to a new level. I thank God for teaching me new ways to communicate and commune with Him each day. May the words of my mouth and hands be pleasing to You oh God.

'Speaking of Expectations'... Yesterday's Thoughts for Today

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

'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.

'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.

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.

12 Week Update

I've just recently looked back at the videos of our boys their first couple of weeks. I knew our boys have grown and changed, but wow... I just really didn't realize how much until I saw the videos. Their cries are so different, they are so much bigger, and their awareness and interaction is drastically different. I am so thankful to have all the little video clips I do of our boys at each stage. You think you'll always remember, but because I am with them every day, I really haven't seen the drastic change after just 12 short weeks!

Here is what has been going on the past few weeks:

• The boys have learned they can put their hands and fingers in their mouths and have had great fun doing so all the time now! They have discovered their legs as well... They spend a lot of time kicking and stomping them intentionally now. This also keeps them widely amused. It's also made time in the bouncer even more fun for them now as they bounce themselves.




• The boys are doing great at learning to sit up these days. Wyatt LOVES to sit up and perhaps I should word it the other way saying that he hates to be reclined. So often he's not happy unless he's sitting at 90 degrees. He'll be reclined in our arms or the Boppy and won't just lay back (which makes feedings difficult these days); he's constantly doing what looks like crunches as he tries to pull himself into the sitting position. Just yesterday, he actually did pull himself up a couple of times when he was in his daddy's arms.




• Because they've been doing so great learning to sit up, the past couple of weeks we've let them play in the activity saucer which they seem to really enjoy. This past week we let them try out the jumparoos and wow... they really do love it. They jump a lot and really enjoy the movement and activity.
  
  I'm happy to announce that our boys have been sleeping very well the past few weeks! It's by no means perfect, but they are doing great. They wake up once at night for a feeding; some time between 12:30 and 2:30. They then wake up again sometime between 6 and 7. We typically don't start our morning feeding though until 7. Wyatt seems to be the early riser where as Gavin seems to be able to sleep a little later. Their naps are going well too for the most part. They usually get in at least one good nap in a day, along with other shorter naps. They are eating somewhere between every 2.5 - 4 hours and eating somewhere between 3-7.5 oz each feeding. We start our bath time at 7pm at night they are in bed by 8. I'm getting the hang of not having the hang of everything each day. I'm learning that each day will be different and to learn to adjust. I've also learned that having zero expectations helps.
  
  The boys' looks are starting to change again. Just the other day, Gavin looked just like his Daddy as I was feeding him. It was so strange (and great) to feel like you're feeding your husband from 27 years ago!
  


• They boys have learned this past week that they can 'scream' even when they aren't unhappy. I guess you can say they are discovering their voice more these days.




• The past couple of days they have discovered their hands as well. They'll extend their arms and stare at their hands for a little while; almost as if they are saying... huh... look at that!




• The boys LOVE to laugh, smile and talk when they are awake!




• Gavin and Wyatt 'noticed' each other for the first time last week. They laid there and stared at each other, smiled, talked to each other and touched each other. I just sat their and smiled and cried. It was so precious. They don't do it all the time, but they have done it more since then. It will be great fun watching them become best buddies!




• The past couple of weeks I've been able to go for walks with them without them having a complete meltdown when we get back. I've learned to go first thing in the morning after their feeding and changing. They then get to enjoy the walk a little, then fall asleep. The longer I stay out the longer nap they get in. So we are gone about an hour. They wake up as soon as we get home. We then play for about 30 min and then feed, play for a short while and then they settle into a real nap in their rooms. It seems to work pretty well. I've enjoyed being able to get out too. It's been hard to jog with our stroller though, so we just bought a jogging stroller. It comes in next week and I'm so excited to try it out!




• I just brought out the 3-6 months clothes for the boys. The other week Wyatt was 14 lbs and Gavin was 13.5 lbs. They are growing so fast it's crazy.

I know there are more great things to talk about, but I have to run and tend to mommy duties. I'll be posting more and adding photos when I get back from my trip to El Paso which we are very excited about!