New little cousin, mommy’s week off & first foods success!

I have been absent from my blog for a little over a week now – because we’ve been so busy!

First off, I want to congratulate my sister and brother-in-law on the arrival of their newest bundle of joy, another little boy, last Friday, January 21st. He weighed 7 lbs 14 oz and was 21.5” long and is as cute as can be. He looks a lot like his big brother and a little bit like my boys. Big brother, who is almost 2 ½ years old, loves him to pieces and is doing very well with their home’s newest addition.

That brings us to my week (+ two days) off of work that I spent hanging out with my two little boys. We had a blast! We made a trip to Target, had a short 6 month photo re-shoot (we had cut our first session short because the boys got overtired but my photographer was kind enough to let us come back in for a few more shots to finish up the session), had their first taste of “real” food, tried sippy cups for the first time & visited their new little cousin. As you can see, we had quite the busy week together.

The boys have been eating rice & oatmeal cereal at their noon feeding for a couple weeks now. They had their first taste of “real” food last week. We started off by adding some sweet potato to their oatmeal cereal – which was a HUGE hit! They both loved it. Saturday, after a few days of sweet potatoes, we tried out pears which were also equally loved. We will be moving onto other veggies & fruit later this week. Real food feeding time is so much fun with them and we will soon be adding another session during their supper feeding time.

The boys also tried out sippy cups for the first time. I put some water in each of them and let them play with and figure them out. They both showed interest in them but neither of them was able to get any water out of the sippys – I might have to take off the spill-proof lock until they get the hang of it. Colton was the champ though; he was getting the hang of it pretty good.

I did accomplish one task last week which was getting my newest photos off of my camera and onto my computer.  Finally!

Wyatt



Colton



The boys (& Bailey) practicing with sippy cups

28 Weeks Old

It’s been so cold & snowy in the past week – I’m so sick of winter already and it’s only January! I can’t wait for springtime temps & more daylight so we can get out of the house on walks with the boys during the week. It’s just too cold and gets dark too early right now to do any outdoor activities with them.

This past week the boys have gone downhill in the sleep department. They were both taking turns waking up sometime between 2-4 AM and being immediately upset or they would both wake up and would be talking to each other. Either way – they needed some type of parental attention. We would take the upset baby out to the living room and rock/settle them down. We tried letting them go when they were both talking but they carried on for more than 20 minutes and then ended up becoming upset, so that didn’t work either. I’m hoping this is just a phase we have to get through… In general, the boys are sleeping around 10 hours each night. They fall asleep after their 5:30-6 PM bottle which ends up being somewhere between 7-7:30 PM and don’t wake up much for their last bottle around 8:30 PM. They are sleeping in their cribs for the night around 9:15-9:30 PM (most of the time). They sleep until around 5:30-6 AM.

We have had a busy last couple of weeks with a bunch of “firsts”. The boys had both their 6 month pictures taken and 6 month checkup last week and did fantastic! Cory & I attended an out-of-town wedding for my good high school friend on Saturday and also spent the afternoon doing some Babies ‘R Us shopping and double stroller test driving. The boys spent the whole day Saturday at my parents, including overnight because we arrived home from the wedding after their bedtime. This was the boys’ first overnight stay away from home without mom & dad and also the first night they have spent away from me since they were born. They are growing so fast and, even though I truly enjoyed getting a full nights’ sleep without having to worry about one or the other waking up, I really missed them. Sunday morning I spent out at my parents’ house playing & cuddling with my boys before I left for the afternoon with my mom & sister to go to a baby shower for my cousin & his wife who just had a little girl last week – 6 weeks early. Cory & the boys spent the afternoon at home, just hanging out and playing.

I know it’s been awhile since I’ve posted any updated pictures of the boys – I’m so behind on uploading them to my computer from my camera. I have some time off of work coming up at the end of this week & most/all of next week (we are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of my newest nephew!) so that is my goal for the week off. Pictures coming soon!

Wyatt
A friend of Cory’s mom dropped off another type of jumper, a Jumperoo, for us to borrow and of course – Wyatt LOVES it! This jumper is suspended from four posts, which are adjustable height-wise. We initially set it on the lowest setting, which we quickly found out was too low for Wyatt – he was bouncing half-way to the ceiling because his legs are so strong & he was getting such good leverage! We’ve adjusted it up to the third level, which slows him down a little bit but still allows him to enjoy the exercise.

Colton
Colton loves the new Jumperoo too – but for different reasons. No, he doesn’t bounce in it, but he loves the sounds & lights that are somehow activated on it (it must not be motion activated because he just hangs out with his legs hanging – there is no motion happening when Colton’s in it). He loves watching the lights and playing with his Sophie giraffe teether or any of the other assortment of toys we put on the Jumperoo’s console. My silly boy!

6 Month Checkup Update

We took the boys into the pediatrician today for their 6 month checkup. Our regular pediatrician is still out of the office so we saw the same pediatrician we had seen about a month ago for a second opinion on the boys’ heads.

The boys were both in extremely happy moods and loved the doctor – Colton couldn’t stop smiling. The doctor told us that they are definitely teething and that he could see some progress (towards having teeth) in both of their bottom gums. They also had another round of vaccinations and both did very well.

Here are their updated measurements:
Wyatt – weighs 17 lbs. 1 oz. & is 26.18 inches long (2 foot 2 in tall!)
Colton – weighs 16 lbs. 10 oz. & is 26.18 inches long (2 foot 2 in tall!)

Wyatt
Birth: 4 lbs 11 oz | 17.5"
1 week: 4 lbs 8 oz | 17.72"
2 weeks: 5 lbs 1 oz | 17.72"
1 month: 6 lbs 8 oz | 19.29"
2 months: 8 lbs 6 oz | 20.47"
4 months: 13 lbs 4 oz |23.62"
5 months: 16 lbs (35%) | 25.59" (32%)
6 months: 17 lbs 1 oz (34%) | 26.18" (29%)

Colton
Birth: 4 lbs 15 oz | 18"
1 week: 4 lbs 14 oz | 17.91"
2 weeks: 5 lbs 5 oz | 18.11"
1 month: 6 lbs 5 oz | 19.49"
2 months: 8 lbs 4 oz | 20.28"
4 months: 12 lbs 11 oz | 23.43"
5 months: 15 lbs 9 oz (27%) | 24.80" (9%)
6 months: 16 lbs 10 oz (26%) | 26.18" (29%)

We also started the boys on some rice cereal this past Sunday. They both have done pretty well with it. We are offering it to them once a day at the noon feeding. They have both been gobbling it right up. I’m glad they don’t mind the smell of it, although they gobble up their formula as well and that smells awful if you ask me! The doctor gave us the go ahead to move onto oatmeal at any time and also start introducing them to fruits & vegetables. His feeling is that practically any food is OK to give the boys as long as it’s pureed. This is fun & exciting news – let the new foods adventure begin!

I am planning on trying to make some of my own baby food for two benefits: to know exactly what’s in what is going into my boys’ mouths and to try to cut some grocery bill costs. I received a food processor from my parents for Christmas and can’t wait to try it out. I’m sure I’ll also be giving them store-bought baby food when time doesn’t allow me to make some, but hopefully I can dedicate a little bit of time every couple weeks to make some large batches and freeze the excess.


Colton's 1st cereal (don't let this face fool you - he really liked it!)















Wyatt's 1st cereal



26 Weeks Old / 6 Months Old

Happy 2011! The boys will be 6 months old tomorrow, Thursday, January 6th – I can’t believe how fast this first 6 months has gone. The boys have changed so much from tiny, helpless preemies to healthy, active infants that are so close to being on the move.

The boys’ rang in the New Year sleeping in their cribs. They were both wiped out after partying with their friends at a family party we went to at Wyatt’s godparent’s house. It is a great group of friends (all of the guys play softball together) and the fun part is that we are all having kids around the same time so they will all grow up together and, I’m sure, become very good friends too! Cory & I were sleeping just before 11 PM New Year’s night – the first year in a very long time that I remember not making it up to ring in the New Year.

No change in sleep since last week. The boys are sleeping around 10 hours each night. They fall asleep after their 5:30-6 PM bottle which ends up being somewhere between 7-7:30 PM and don’t wake up much for their last bottle around 8:30 PM. They are sleeping in their cribs for the night around 9:15-9:30 PM (most of the time). They sleep until around 5:30-6 AM. They continue to make it the entire night in the crib, with almost no interventions. Great job boys!

Both of the boys are still squiggling around a lot but no rolling over quite yet. They get both independent play time and play/reading time with mommy & daddy. We are getting ready to start introducing them to rice cereal and will need to get their high chairs (which we received as gifts before they were born) put together this week. We have their 6 month checkup scheduled for next week, so watch for updates from that appointment.

Wyatt
Wyatt tried out the jumper for the first time this week – and LOVES it! He always wants to stand and bounce in while you’re holding him so we thought this would be perfect for him. My sister was kind enough to borrow us hers, which attaches to any door frame. He didn’t know what to think about it at first and just kind of “hung out” in it but after he gets his legs going, he is a bouncing machine. We jokingly call him “Tigger” (from Winnie the Pooh) – “…because Tiggers like to bounce.”

Colton
Colton has been getting some good tummy time in this week with the help of the boys’ new mirror they got for Christmas. It has a bee & a ladybug on each side of the mirror. Colton’s reflection catches his eye for a minute but then he can’t take his eyes off of that bee! Most of the time he really just wants to grab at it and eat it but as he’s focusing so hard on it, he is lifting his head up really good and working those neck/back muscles.

2010 – A Year to Remember

We thank God that we are so blessed with our home, jobs, health, family/friends and two beautiful, healthy little boys. 2010 is a year we will never forget.

We began the year knowing that we were pregnant and due in early August; however it was just a few days into the new year (January 4th) when we found out that we were expecting not one, but two babies – twins! We had held back during all of the holiday parties from telling anyone our good news because we had agreed that we wanted to wait until our first ultrasound to begin telling anyone. We spread the good news to all of our friends & family by mid-January.

Our next big milestone was March 16th when we found out we were expecting two little BOYS!

Registering for upcoming baby showers and home improvements followed in the months of March & April. We re-painted & re-carpeted our two extra bedrooms. One was made into the boys’ nursery and the other one is their playroom.

Late-April and all of May were filled with baby showers and more preparations for the boys’ arrival. The cribs were purchased and assembled, a dresser was purchased and a closet organizer was purchased and installed.

We were able to enjoy a couple of camping weekends in during late-May and early-June. We even had the chance to visit my parents while they were on vacation at the lake for a short boat cruise and a little bit of fishing.

The 4th of July came & went with a bang and then just two short days later, our lives changed forever.

Wyatt & Colton were born on July 6th, 2010. Wyatt was “Baby A” and was born at 6:13 AM weighing 4 lbs. 11 oz. and 17 1/2” long. Colton was “Baby B” and was born at 7:44 AM weighing 4 lbs. 15 oz. and 18” long. After 5 days in the hospital, we were able to bring the boys home and begin our new lives as a family of four (+ 1 dog – we can’t forget Bailey!).

The rest of July, August and September were spent adjusting to my new role as a mom of twins. I spent the days at home with my two little men – snuggling, feeding, reading stories, stroller rides – just getting to know them. Some days were more stressful than others but looking back now, it was just part of the adjusting process. Other events that took place from July through September were – Cory & my 6th anniversary, two softball tournaments, visiting my parents camping, the annual Labor Day weekend year-end softball party and 3rd cousin & future buddy of the boys, JJ was born. September also brought another milestone to both Cory & I – we turned 30!

October marked a week-long bird hunting trip for Cory and Bailey and my sad return back to work.  October brought the boys' first big smiles and laughs. The boys' also joined God's family in being baptized in mid-October.  November brought the boys’ first Thanksgiving, they went to their first wedding and had their first colds.

December wrapped up the year on a busy note. The boys joined me for their first holiday baking day at grandma & grandpa’s house, along with my nephew & sister. (My nephew has a blast helping out, so I’m sure the boys will when they get a little older too.) I had the entire week before Christmas off of work and spent it catching up with Christmas shopping and baking and just relaxing with my boys. Of course, as my previous post explained, we did not have the healthy & fun first Christmas I had hoped for the boys – we missed most of the family Christmas parties but spent the Christmas weekend together as a family. We wrapped up 2010 with a New Year’s Eve pizza party at our friends house with all of our softball group friends, including all 5 kids and 1-on-the-way. It was an early New Year’s night – we were home for the boys last feeding at 9 PM and in bed by around 10:30 PM, but that’s our new-found appreciation of sleep since we’ve become parents.

That was our 2010 in summary. We had a great year!

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a healthy & wonderful 2011!