The boys decided to eat normally again Sunday morning! I am very happy about this a few people did say they wouldn't starve! True enough. I read one book on "What to expect the first year" and they encourage to end the show and try again at the next meal. I will admit, I do still give a few more trys when they turn their head away, but I am no longer coercing them. I definitely believe now that their lack of appetite was due to the colds. They still have runny noses but both seem to be better. I am noticing Nathan rubbing his ear especially when he is agitated but not all the time. I am hemming and hawing as to go to the doctor. It's very cold and windy today (a glorious winter day!) and yesterday was so busy that I would prefer to keep them in today. Maybe if he keeps it up, we'll go tomorrow.
I love it, Nathan follows me around the house! I can hear his little hands smacking the ground as he goes across the wood floor. I try not to leave the room for a little bit after he went to all that work to get there. Thomas reserves his crawling for the rug in the living room. So far, the wood floors are too much work for him to stay up on.
Saturday, I took them around the yard a couple times in a sled, wrapped up warm of course. They really liked it except for the one tip over! We have just enough snow to pull a sled in. We also went to the mall to people watch! Nathan took his flirting pills, so all the ladies were stopping us. We get so much attention when people see to cuties in one stroller. Yesterday, we made it out to both the morning meeting and gospel meeting without Matt. It's very easy to get help, everyone wants to hold a baby.
Must go now,
I'm not sure where to start as so much seems to have happened this week. I guess, the good news first.
Thomas is crawling! Early Intervention was here on Tuesday and at the time, we were making comments like, "Thomas appears to be a long way off from crawling" and so we were looking into a physical therapist to give us some hints of ways to help him. On Wednesday and Thursday, I noticed he was repeatedly going from sit to crawl position back to sit which previously he had seemed fearful to change positions. By Friday morning, he was rocking back and forth in the crawl position. By Friday night, he was taking 1-2 strides! We are thrilled! It's so amazing watching the process. Much of it, they must figure out on their own or do accidentally the first time.
Now for some bad news....
Their colds don't seem to be going away. All the end of this week, their noses are really running although they are sleeping a little better the last 2 nights. We had some tough nights there Monday and Tuesday because of coughing. Their coughs are better but it doesn't seem we are done with the colds. I did call the doctor not that anything was really awful, but I wondered if he wanted to see them. He recommended that we keep fluid intake at a maximum and keep up with the pedicare cough suppressant. I'm not sure if this has anything to do with not feeling 100%, but Nathan has been really snugly the last 2 days. He has been my independent one, so I'm thoroughly enjoying this. If I'm on the floor, he wants to be sitting in my lap, if I'm working in the kitchen, he's at my feet pulling up on my skirt!
This week has been very challenging in the food department, especially with Nathan. I'm hoping that his appetite is just off because of the cold, but it's extremely frustrating. He takes 3 or 4 bites of what I've prepared for them and then starts crying, clamps his lips, pushes the spoon away and won't change his mind. One night, I let him eat with his tooth brush while I snuck bites into him. Another day, I figured out he would eat if I stuck a cheerio on top of the spoonful. About half way through that meal, he figured out that if he opens his mouth just a little bit, that he would only get the cheerio and not the rest of the food! Matt doesn't think I'm making it fun enough, it's not easy always making every meal into a production and performance! They ate like champs for so long, maybe I should be thankful for what easy time I did get. I wondered if perhaps they are bored with the food or if they want to feed themselves more, but nothing I do seems to get very much into Nathan. The last few days, he's simply existed on cheerios and breast milk. My mom suggested we get rid of the cheerios for a bit and just end the meal when he starts fussing. Then next meal, he ought to be hungry. Course that makes for a really happy boy! She reminded me that some of this is a power struggle and I was reminding myself that I'm their mom not their friend or pal. Thursday night, I was so annoyed with his fussing, that I plopped him into his bed while I fed Thomas. I think I've lost my patience with them a handful of times and 2 of them happened this week. I don't like how I feel afterward!
The last bit of bad news is that Thomas is still waking up early! I did try eliminating the afternoon nap, but that was a big flop. They are both still napping 1 hour at 9AM and 1 hour around 1:30PM. Thomas may just be a morning person! I try to think about the virtuous woman who "riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household" (Proverbs 31:15). This helps me to not be cranky when my day starts when it is still dark.
All I can think of for now.
love,
We went to Albany, NY this weekend to see my family and to attend my nephews birthday party. As we drove over, I noticed Thomas' hands were quite cold and he kept up this low-level complaining which I found to be unusual. Both boys ended up having fevers throughout the weekend so we just camped at my parents the entire time and missed the party! That's part of having kids though....they come first and the agenda can go right out the door. My parents were SO helpful. Friday night, I was up most of the night and Mom took over at 3AM so that I could get a little sleep. The fevers hovered around 101 and Tylenol seemed to help, so I didn't feel like we had to get home to see the doctor. By Sunday afternoon, I think both boys were on the mend and the only sign of it now is Thomas' cough. He wakes himself up from his naps coughing!
Recently, Thomas is starting our morning routine earlier and earlier. Yesterday it was 5:45 and today it was 5AM. When they were babies, they would stay in their beds talking and just hanging out, now Thomas hollers loud enough to wake everyone! I think this is a function of his being sick and the coughing, but I'm a little worried he is going to pick it up as a new habit. Today I just set him on the floor in his room by himself to play with his toys so that he wouldn't associate getting up (when it's still dark out) as fun! I feel bad, because I feel grumpy starting that early, they act grumpy and our entire routine gets messed up. Thomas was down for a nap at 7AM! We've tried putting their bed time later and giving them a bigger dinner. The only other thing to try is to get rid of one of their naps, but then they are cranky missing naps!
Today, early intervention came. Matt was dismissed early from Jury duty, so he met Julie. Nathan did his part of showing off his new tricks. We all decided that a physical therapist will come in to check out Thomas. This weekend, my mom would get going on a big old fake laugh to which Nathan would join in doing his version of a fake laugh. I demonstrated this for Julie to which she initially thought Nathan was really laughing until she saw him turn it off in a blink of an eye! What a goof-ball.
I think that's all for now.
love,
They just love to stand! When the dishwasher is clean, it's just the right height for them to play.
I noticed Nathan keeps doing a cross between a grunt and clearing his throat. I wondered why or what he was doing....then I realized! I have a wicked cold and I keep clearing my throat. Now, I do it a few times and he immediately starts. And this is why we need to be careful what we say around them, they mimic!
They've also figured out that they don't have to open their mouth when I'm feeding them unless they feel like it! Human nature breaks through.....I did find that if they are distracted with a toy, I can keep shoveling the food in. At first, I thought they were just getting full and so I tried giving them some bread which they feed to themselves and down it went, so I knew they are now exercising freedom of choice.
I have no idea why they haven't gotten my cold, but both boys seem to be fine and this started on Monday. The only thing I can think of is that it's a strain of RSV and the boys are vaccinated against it. I must admit, it's the worst cold I've had in years.
all for now,
Thomas is 20 pounds, 4 ounces! Nathan is coming along at 17 pounds, 12 ounces. We went in for a synergine shot today.
That's all, just a cute picture of them looking out the window. They spent time there on Sunday watching their Dad plow the driveway.
love,
Nathan seriously takes his promise to help his mom! See my new glasses? Oh, that's right these DDOBs aren't about the adults!
Have I written lately how much fun these boys are? We are so glad to have them!
I introduced cheese and yogurt last week. Nathan has hives on his torso, so I've eliminated these two items to see if the hives go away. I am putting some medicated calamine lotion on him. He doesn't seem to be annoyed by the hives at all.
They are both doing pretty well with drinking water from the sippy cups. Thomas accepted the cup first and finally the last few days, Nathan is sucking out of his. I still don't think they have the concept yet of lifting the cup up to get water out of it. I still hold it for them, but they get to play with it while they eat.
I keep meaning to let you know that I received no call from the doctor after their blood test last Tuesday which means that both their hemoglobin and lead levels were fine! So, I tossed the iron supplement out and all they get now is poly-visol with fluoride.
all for today!
love,
Nathan does his part of entertaining the crowds....I tried bathing them at the same time today so that nobody had to wait. It went really well--nobody took a dive. I think they had more fun taking it together. Then, they nap so much better after a bath! Nathan's skin is too sensitive to give one every morning, but I sure would love to. He has little patches of rough red skin behind his knees and in the crook of his elbows. Today, he got a red bumpy rash on his back. I use sensitive skin dove soap as recommended by the pediatrician but I may have to just skip the soap!
It's been so cold here that we haven't been able to get out to take walks. We were really spoiled for a few weeks there in January. Yesterday, we took a walk around the mall for an hour...we were all going cabin wacky! Today, we'll go to the library. Nothing planned for! this weekend as Matt has been really tired lately. Let's hope he can catch up on some sleep.
Yesterday, I had my first "where's Nathan" moment. I had been in the bedroom changing Thomas' diaper only to come to the living room to have it very quiet and no sign of Nathan. He was behind my chair getting ready to chew on a book. The last few days, I've really started to baby-proof. Nathan gets around now! Thomas has his ways too! He slides backwards on his belly. Another first: I was getting ready supper and Nathan crawled over and pulled on my skirt to stand up! One more first...Thomas pulled himself up into standing. Yes!
All for now,
Love,
My sister asked about how the boys teeth are and so now I'm on a quest to capture them in a picture! Nathan was easy as he only has 2 bottom teeth and he does these big open mouth grins. If you are interested in teeth....zoom in to check out his teeth! Thomas seems to generally hide his teeth when he smiles. I'll keep at it though and just maybe one picture will show all his pearly whites.
On Sunday, Christine McLaughlin gave the boys baby tooth brushes. I let them play with the brushes while I'm changing their diapers. Nathan has a bad little habit of rolling over while you are trying to put his diaper back on, so the tooth brush distracts him just enough for me to whip on the diaper!
The boys tried cheddar cheese yesterday and today with their breakfast. I'm not sure how much they liked it, they both! let out little shivers.... you know the ones like wow! that was nasty! I found a mild cheddar to help them get used to the taste. I also gave them broccoli at lunch today. We hardly eat broccoli here, so after 10 months, this was a first. During Bible study tonight, they were both tooting up a storm. Matt kindly reminded me that maybe Wednesday isn't the best day to try new foods! They both seemed to enjoy the broccoli. They seem to have huge appetites right now.
good night!
love,
