Eleven Months!

Our little guys are eleven months old!.  If this past month had a theme word it would have been 'autonomy.' Baby boys have been all about doing things on their own like the big boys they are becoming.  They want to hold a spoon, to eat finger foods, to crawl, pull up on things and whatever else they can figure out to do day by day. 

Abraham (left) and Winston showing off their grins.

 Happy boys.  They squint their eyes when they smile like their mama.

Tried so hard to get them to wear their Charger caps for a pic but

 alas they kept taking them off.

This past month has also really brought about the twin bond that people talk so much about.  The boys have become so much in sync that it can be kind of spooky at times.  It used to be that one baby would sleep longer than the other quite frequently.  These kids seem to always wake up at the same time now.  They take food off of each other's tray even when their own tray has the exact same stuff.  We tickle one baby and the other baby starts laughing.  They seem to feed off of each other's energy so if one is whiny and fussy then the other starts up too.  They "talk" to each other all the time.  They will get absorbed into the same toy and play sweetly together for a prolonged period.  They no longer get frustrated if one takes the other's stuff.  I still discourage it because I want them to understand that they are indeed separate people with rights to their own stuff.  I know it may not last too much longer but for now I will take it. They get into fun little competitions over who can rock their exersaucer the fastest and hardest and which can splash the most water in the bath tub.  In the bath, one baby will touch the other baby's arm and say something and then they proceed to flap their arms in unison getting water everywhere.  They smile at one another and wave hello.  Abraham has mastered saying 'baba' for brother. Winston takes Abraham's arm in his hand and makes Abraham do the same motions he does e.g. tapping their trays on the high chair. I look at their relationship and realize what an immense blessing it is for them to have a constant companion and playmate.  I think about how as twins they will always have a sense of needing to think about another sibling and to share their mama and papa. 
With all that said, I think this month's update has been the hardest to write in some regards because even though the boys are unique, the lines between their personalities have gotten more blurred.  They are in the stage of watching and mimicking their brother so facial expressions, mannerisms and what they figure out to do seem to cross over quite frequently.  They are both social little guys and like going to the store with mama.  They love bath time.  They really enjoy taking walks through the neighborhood.  Taking a walk is a great distraction as well if they are having a grumpy day due to teething or what not.  They are crawling and getting faster all the time.  It is all about containment to make sure they stay safe unless I can move along with them.  I can ask the boys to come to me and they will crawl onto my lap so that I can put them on the nursing pillow.  The boys now roll off the  pillow when they are all done and will often take off crawling.  I now nurse them sitting on the floor just for safety's sake.  They can sit up on their knees and are trying to pull themselves into a standing position.  Abraham is so close to standing.  He can get one foot flat under him and he cannot figure out how to go from a squat to a standing position.  Abraham also does this downward dog looking pose when he tries to stand without anything to grab.  He just cannot push himself all the way up and then gives up. 

I am working on getting the boys off purees.  They still choke easily and of course it scares me.  I gave them tiny cubes of apple the size of my pinkie nail or smaller and they choked. Heck, they choke up when they nurse sometimes still.  I was talking to my mom about it and I guess my brother was the same way.  He had a narrow airway for his age and could not eat any crunchy foods without close supervision until he was 2.5 years old.  For now the boys eat very, very cooked vegetables, raisins, brown rice and bits of whole grain bread on their own.  The main thing is that they are healthy and growing.  I try to make sure they have very balanced diets.  It's a process, right?  They still get quite a few calories from nursing so I am not worried about it.  Their reflux has gotten much, much better. Abraham has seven teeth and Winston has eight teeth.  They just need to learn how to chew with them.  They wear 12-18 month clothing.  They sleep about 11-12 hours a night straight through unless they are sick or cutting a tooth. 

Abraham (left) and Winston love to take baths.

Abraham (left) and Winston had some help standing up here.

Abraham (still on the left, kind of happened that way this month) and Winston.

Abraham is still my scrappy little guy.  Both boys are complete wiggle worms but Abraham has to have his legs going all the time.  This can make diaper changes a challenge but it is something we are working on--a time to wiggle and a time to sit still.  He has not been giving hugs as much which makes this mama sad but his latest thing is giving pats.  You know how it seems like second nature to hold a baby and pat their back?  Abraham caught on and I think that he thinks that is what should be done.  When someone is holding him he will pat their shoulder. It is funniest and sweetest thing.  He is still my more vocal little guy and is constantly trying to mimic tones and words.  He has mastered waving and say 'hi.'  As mentioned before he knows that Winston is 'baba.'  The boys do not usually use mama or 'dada' unless they need something or they are having some separation anxiety.  I see that Abraham understands a lot more than he can say.  He will giggle and smile when he understands something like the word or sign for milk or when I say we are going for a car ride.

Abraham

Winston is becoming more affectionate which I of course adore.  He will lay his head on my shoulder and cuddle with me.  He used to be too busy for prolonged snuggles.  Winston was the first one crawling and he definitely has it mastered.  He will be out of a room and at the other end of the house in the blink of an eye.  He loves clapping.  He loves to happy shriek.  He smiles and shakes his head when he "talks."  He is a hands on guy and wants to touch whatever is in front of him.  We can try to read him books but he wants to touch the book instead.  Winston had a rough go cutting his two front teeth but now he has four pearly whites on top that he can flash. Winston does great with table foods and feeding himself.  He likes to touch faces.  I think it is a sign of affection for him even when it comes out like slaps.  Again, working on what gentle means.  He is such a boy and everything gets pounded, banged and slapped.  Along with his happy shriek, this can mean there is some serious noise coming from him. 

Look at Winston's choppers!

I did not mean to write a novel this month but that is what happens when I never get a chance to finish and I keep adding to my draft.  Well, I got a first birthday party plan.  I better get busy!

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

My kids have mixed feelings about bananas but they will eat a whole bowl of spinach. Go figure.



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Nine Months!

These little guys are now nine months old. I brought them to their nine month well babies exam earlier in the week and learned that our identical twins are identical in their weight and measurements  .They are both 18 lbs. 12 ozs., 28 inches tall and a head circumference of 18.75 inches. That one surprised me because they have always had variance. The nurse was pretty amused by the whole situation as well. I really thought these kids had broken 20 lbs. but it was just my current lack of muscle strength.  Regardless, when you have these baby boys loaded up in their car seats they are heavy.  I can no longer carry them both in their car seats all the way to the car. I have to take breaks! So the little guys are on the lower end of weight and height (34 and 37 percentile) which I was surprised at because of their clothing sizes but their head size is off the charts according to the doc.  Poor guys do not like getting their shirts pulled over their giant noggins.

I love their fuzzy heads--Winston (left) and Abraham.

This is real life.  Abraham takes things away or pulls on his brother and

Winston lets me know how he feels about it.

This is how Abraham feels about green beans.

Abraham is becoming such a sweet and affectionate little boy.  He gives lots of hugs and it is absolutely heart warming.  He gave the nurse a hug when we went to the doctor's and she was thrilled because as the one who has to give kids their shots, she does not get many hugs.  Abraham also has a stubborn streak and does not like correction.  It's something we are constantly working on.  He is a texture eater and is not too crazy for things that are more grainy or that he has to chew.  He makes the sweetest coos when he wakes up in the morning and when he is done drinking milk. 

Winston checking out his apple.

Winston is so outgoing and loves to work a crowd.  When people stop to talk to the boys, Winston starts shaking his head and giggling to put on a show. He is more vocal (or whiny) about his needs and wants. In general he is more sensitive and once corrected will stop because he does not like disapproving tones and looks. His smile takes up his whole face.  Winston loves food. Period.  He is pretty open to eating whatever is set before him.  He still loves his mobile above his bed and gets so excited about it being wound up.  He flails his little limbs in anticipation and his eyes and smile show such innocent and joyful expectation. 

Observing babies in the wild in their natural habitat.

Abraham likes trying to open up drawers.

 "Hey mama, what's up?"

These boys are rolling all around and are figuring out how to crawl.  Abraham has the backwards scootch figured out pretty well but gets frustrated when he backs up into something and cannot maneuver back out.  They pivot on their bellies and do 360's.  They are both sitting up really well now. I just had to give Winston a little more time. It's amazing how one baby starts doing something new and his brother picks it up within a matter of days.  Both boys can say mum-mum and dada.  They have learned that when they want out of their play yard or jumpers that 'mum-mum' works pretty well.  I am working on some sign language with them and look forward to them hopefully learning to express their needs better.  This will lead to both happier babies and a less stressed mama.  Winston has six teeth, four on bottom and two on top.  Abraham has four teeth on the bottom and is right behind Winston with his top teeth as well. 

 "We are kind of busy here with the ornaments. Do you mind?"

 My beautiful family

 Love how they look like little men in button up plaids and flannels.

 Trying to motivate them to crawl.

These little guys love when someone sings to them, they are learning about how fun it is to have books read to them and they like to rock and shake their heads in unison.  They are a lot to handle at times but they are so much fun.  It's a blessing to see how much more they are each becoming their own little person with every passing week.

We are so excited for our first Christmas with our baby boys.  We have been so blessed with our  boys and look forward to teaching them about Christ their Savior and the reason we celebrate our Immanuel at Christmas time. 

We Like To Eat...

Some of the most entertaining moments in our household are during meal times.  The boys can make the funniest faces and are absolutely hilarious.  We are working on more finger foods.  Winston likes food period.  He will eat anything it seems, so it has been an easier transition for him.  Winston chews really well and with the three teeth he cut in the last week, he is catching on really fast.  Abraham is my texture eater.  He is not too impressed by table food because he likes purees.  I know it is just going to take him more time. 

It's amazing to see the similarities yet the differences in these little guys. It's also amazing to see how they change as the months go by. When the boys were newborns, Abraham was the big eater.  He picked up nursing quicker and was a much faster eater than Winston. 

Love these little guys:

Abraham can give such mischevious looks.

Winston likes gnawing on apple slices. 

I am Abraham and I am a stinker. 

They grab the spoon but the food does not quite make it in their mouth. 

Winston was all smiles here because he felt like a big boy. 

Just One Day

I have accomplished one day now as a SAHM (stay at home mom).  The boys are at a really pivotal stage developmentally and I am really thankful that the Lord saw fit for me to stay home with them at this time.  Abraham is starting to develop separation anxiety.  I walk into the next room and he gets upset.  I have to keep talking to him to help him try to understand that I have not left him.  Both boys are getting little tempers at times and Winston even arches his back and kicks his legs.  Where do kids even learn that?  Isn't it amazing how intrinsic (cough...total depravity) it is for them to act that way?  The boys are also becoming competitive in regards to attention from me.  I can play with and hold one baby for a while and then go spend some time with the other baby and the original baby starts wigging out.  I obviously want to quash that competitiveness.  I want them to understand that I love them both equally and that they should be happy to see their brother loved in the same way that they are.

I know that I have a big transition to go through.  My biggest concern is creating a healthy balance of spending good time with the boys but also getting things done around the house when Eric is at work.  I don't want to be slothful and waste too much time.  I had a good talk with Eric in regards to goals and expectations for the coming weeks.  We agreed that there should be goals but to limit any expectations. By expectations I mean things that I expect from myself or things that Eric could expect from me.  The problem with expectations is that they are not always realistic. Something I am trying to do to keep progressing forward in getting into a new routine is to keep a daily journal or record of items that I get done and goals for the week to accomplish.  For example, one thing for today was that I gave the dogs a bath and trimmed their nails so that got written down.  A lot of little things will eventually add up to the big goals. 

One thing I have been working on is introducing more variety into the boys' diet and letting them explore touch and taste by feeding themselves.  Even at four months they were starting to grab for food so I knew they were ready.  I did not want to get them too dependent on being fed all the time.  Winston loves food no matter the form and is taking to feeding himself pretty well.  Abraham is definitely more picky in regards to texture and flavor.  Both little guys love their apples however.  Winston has managed to bite off big chunks with his teeth so we watch pretty carefully to make sure he does not try to swallow the whole thing.  Here they are:

Pterodactyls and iPhones

So what is new with us?  I am currently holding down the fort here.  Eric comes back from a work trip tomorrow.  Fortunately, his first two trips have been short so it has given me a chance to acclimate to him being gone.  My sweet husband decided to get me the new iPhone so that we could stay in touch with FaceTime.  I love him.  I am totally the type that takes a gesture like that to be really romantic.  Roses die and fancy dinners out can pad the hips but iPhones are forever (okay that's a bit of a reach).  It meant a lot to me however that he prioritized getting me a new phone so that we could stay connected. I was so excited because I thought I was going to be able to post a video but I am having technical difficulties with my phone syncing with You Tube.

I mentioned a while back that Abraham was my careful eater.  Yeah well, he let me know how he felt about a rice and green bean mixture the last two nights.  He was eating straight green beans a couple of days ago but I made the mistake of adding pureed white rice.  The child apparently prefers the store bought rice cereal.  He alternated between blowing raspberries with his mouth completely full thus projecting white rice and green bean mixture everywhere or just pushing it out with his tongue.  Oh, he also made a screeching sound like a pterodactyl as he was pushing the food out.  It was so ridiculous that I was trying not to laugh. The last thing I wanted to do was encourage that behavior however.  The crazy thing is that Winston was sitting right next to him chowing down on the exact same thing and getting antsy when it took too long for me to give him another bite.  These babies and their flip flopping. Man, now I am bummed I cannot get that video up.  Trust me, it's hilarious.  Hopefully I can get it figured out this week. 

I absolutely love being the mommy to these boys, every messy bit of it.  Sure they have their moments but how can I not just melt when I get a face like the one below?

"What, do I have I have something on my face?"

Wordy Wednesday: The Teething and Feeding Edition

I have fallen off the blogger wagon as of late and am trying to get back on. I really don't have an excuse. By the end of the day I tend to feel like mush and writing is the last thing I feel like doing. I figure the only way I am going to remember this crazy twin time in our lives however is to write it down; so forgive this more verbose post as I am trying to document what is going on with our little men and how quickly they are changing.

Abraham cut his first tooth two weeks ago and Winston quickly followed last week with his. They cut the exact same tooth. At first I thought they had each cut a tooth on the opposite side from one another but it was in fact #24 that was the first tooth cut for both of them. Winston cut his second (#25) tooth earlier this week and it looks like Abraham is just days away from it as well. The actual tooth cutting has been easier than the weeks and months leading up to it. Abraham especially was like a different baby once he got over that hump. The drooling, drool rash, biting and irritability have been way less of an issue. They don’t do the random pain cry (as opposed to whiny, hungry, tired, etc.) nearly as much anymore. We hardly used any pain reliever when the teeth were coming through and not any for the tooth that just came in for Winston. It was just a matter of checking one day and sure enough they had finally come through. I am not sure if it was the teething necklaces that helped so much or that our kids just have a harder time with the earlier stages of teething as opposed to the actual cutting part. Abraham is my biter, if you catch my drift, and I have had to flick him when he does it. He has not bit me in the last four days so I am hoping he has caught on.

Eric manages to show off Winston's toothlets

This is the face Winston makes every single time he tastes his food for the first time. 

Fortunately he warms to it pretty quickly.

Also these boys love their food and were definitely ready to start getting some variety into their diets. Abraham took to eating from a spoon right away and would get grumpy if there was a deceleration in the pace. It was like a constant shoveling motion with him. Winston was tongue thrusting more and would also keep bringing his right hand up to his mouth and start sucking his thumb. We kept taking his right hand and removing it from his face while telling him no. We would also hold his hand down until he figured it out. Winston now does really well and generally has about the same pace as Abraham when it comes to eating. Winston is still our little gourmand however and will roll the food in his mouth and play with it before actually swallowing it. We tend to feed the boys separately because they get distracted by watching one another. They both eat about a cup of oatmeal mixed with breast milk in the morning and a cup of a vegetable and rice cereal mixture in the evening. Their afternoon bottle gets some oatmeal added to it as well. They are learning to drink water out of sippy cups as well as regular cups. Winston picked up the regular cup really fast. Winston would be watching me drink water and his little mouth would make the motions so I decided to give it a try. Granted it gets a little messy when they take in a little more than they actually swallow, but that’s why we only use water for now.

Abraham open his mouth nice and wide.

Winston showing how off his big boy cup.

They are packing on weight quickly with the addition of more solids to their diet. My arms get tired quickly if I am trying to hold or bounce them both at the same time e.g. at church trying to keep babies that have missed their naps happy. Collectively they are over 30 lbs. of baby and with their car seats over 40 lbs. I need to get some weight training in so I can keep up with these kids. The increase in solids also meant more sleep for Eric and me (cue the sounds of celebratory music in the background). The increase in solids has also meant waking up occasionally around 3 a.m. to some gross diapers. Seriously, I wish the kids would contain their BM’s to daylight hours but I guess that’s how their little metabolisms work. Of course once they get their diaper changed, they are even more awake and they need something to eat (read milk) before they will go back to sleep. They take after their mom in that regard, not the milk mind you, but I have to eat something if I wake up for more than a couple minutes during the middle of the night. Six months was a really big milestone for us and I think it has gotten easier juggling the needs of the two babes. The boys are at a really fun age and I am looking forward to doing their seven month post and sharing all the little personality quirks that have come out in the last several weeks.

Random Friday

-This past week was pretty difficult on the sleep front. The boys were both waking up to eat every three hours. Pretty sure it was the standard six month growth spurt. Last night was so much better. They each slept over eight hours before waking up to eat again--thank you Jesus! I was getting a bit frazzled there but am seeing strong hope for more sleep.
-Made a ton of pureed carrots for the boys last night. So much more economical than jarred baby food and it does not have all the preservatives and added junk. Think I might have to post about making baby food as I do more of it.
-The boys are picking up eating with a spoon pretty quickly. Hopefully the cereal and vegetables in their diet will help with the spitting up. We gave Abraham the first dose of his reflux medicine today. He has been more irritable the last couple weeks so maybe the meds will help.
-Tomorrow we are going to try to do photos of the boys again. Hopefully it will go better than last time.
-I am hoping to post about Adam and Alisha's wedding this weekend. I just have not had the energy this past week.
-Starting to see hints of fall. The mornings have been cool enough that I use my heater on the way to work. Then afternoon comes and it's hot again. Today had a cool breeze though. Looking forward to sweaters and scarves and pumpkin, lots of pumpkin.

Happy Friday everyone!

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Six Months!

Our little Abraham and Winston are hitting the half year mark tomorrow.  A&W get to celebrate by going to their Uncle Adam's wedding.  That is why I am actually early with my monthly post for once.  Fun fact: One September 9, 2010, we found out we were expecting twins!  And here we are September 9, 2011, and our little boys have been with us for nearly six months already.  That first OB appointment gave us some very unexpected news but I see where we are now, as a family of four, and I could not imagine it any other way.  Having multiples has been the most stressful and sanctifying experience of our lives but at this point the joy has surpassed all of that by leaps and bounds.

Hey, who are you?  (Winston, left; Abraham right)

Our 'Thing One' and 'Thing Two.' (Abraham, left; Winston, right.)

Our little men are becoming more expressive and are finally taking notice of one another.  They look at one another and touch each other's faces and smile.  They notice our little dogs now and watch their movements with curiousity.  They notice when mama or papa leave or enter a room.  In general, a lot more aware of their environment and the people in it.

Playing nicely together. (Winston in the green, Abraham in the blue).

Winston shows off his bouncing skills.

Abraham shows how intense concentration and
vigorous hitting will make his toy play music. 

They love to be outside and do really well in the stroller while taking walks.  They added some length to their legs and now love the jumper and the exersaucer.  The only problem now is that they both want the jumper a.k.a. "bouncy bounce" and start crying when they see the other baby using it.  They like using their toys and grasp for things really well.  They are beginning to hold their bottles. They still enjoy playing on the flloor but we have to watch out because they will roll or scooch away.  They are gaining more strength in their core but are not ready to sit up.  They are pretty top heavy so they need to lean on something in order to stay upright. 

They are still in size 3 diapers and are mostly in 6-9 month clothing.  I think their weight gain may have plateaued a bit because they look longer and leaner.  They will get weighed next week at their six month well baby appointment. The boys go down for bed at 7:30 and will sleep anywhere from 7-10 hours before waking up to eat again.  This means we get some full nights of sleep but the last week has been a bit more spotty because suspected teething.  The boys have been wearing their Baltic amber teething necklace for about 3 weeks and we noticed a substantial difference within a couple days.  They drooled less, stopped chewing on things as much and cut way back on the meds.  Now Abraham looks really close to cutting a tooth (inflamed and hard bump on his lower gum) and we have been medicating again.  Who knows though, it could be another month before it pokes through.  They both suck their fingers or thumbs for self soothing but we try to limit it to bed time. The boys are still nursing and only take formula at most for one feeding a day.  We have only progressed to rice cereal in their bottles but now that they are six months will probably start with more solids. They both do this cute thing where they cover their eyes with their hands when they are eating and ready to go to sleep. 

Abraham loves his feet and hands.  He holds his feet above him or he clasps his hands and studies them.  He is more flirty and is pretty easy to give a smile.  He has a temper, no joke.  Both babies will cry if they want to or don't want to do something because, well, they're babies. But little A brings it to a whole new level.  The child looks you right in the eye, takes a deep breath and starts to scream at the highest pitch imaginable without a single tear in his eye.  Sigh.  Trying to work with him on that one.  He makes up for it however by giving the best little hugs after he clasps his hands around our necks.  He gives this hard squeeze while burying his head on our chests.  Abraham is also getting to be a little wiggle worm and starts doing flexes and head bobs when he is eating.

This is Abraham's latest face he likes to make.

Abraham is all jumped out. 

Winston gives the biggest smiles that take up his whole face and has become a lot more mellow.  In their ever flip flopping tendencies, I would say Winston is the easier baby now.  He also naps great and has been consistently sleeping through the night.  He is a mover and when he on his belly is trying to figure out how he can get moving forward.  Winston moves his arms and legs like he is swimming and gets frustrated that he is not going anywhere.  He is a champion raspberry blower and can really get the bubbles going.  Winston tends to do this either when he is in a really good mood or when he is tired and winding down. He is also learning to use his voice and can make an 'ah, ah' sound that I am hoping will turn into a mama. 

Winston thinks his fingers are tasty. 

Hey mom, I have bubble blowing skills. 

We are crazy about these little boys.  Each day with them becomes more fun.  There are new challenges to be sure but watching them become their own little people is the most gratifying experience I have ever had.  Parenthood is awesome...now.  Those first months were really hard but God got us through it and it feels like ancient history.  Six months seems so long ago yet it seems like A&W were just born.  Isn't it a wonderful thing to be excited about the future?  These little boys make me excited. 

Sleep Training

In early June I had posted that we had reached a major milestone, sleeping through the night. Abraham had slept through the night multiple times in a row and Winston was beginning to sleep in longer runs, typically 4-5 hours. Then there was major regression in the following weeks and I was really disheartened. The boys were each waking up 2-3 times a night again. I was a zombie and on the verge of a break down. The human body can only be sleep deprived for so long without feeling ill effects. There is a reason that sleep deprivation is used as a method of torture. I was not being effective at work and felt so behind on stuff at home. 

But I digress, I became convinced that it was time to put the boys in their nursery and take back our bedroom.  Now, I am glad that we co-slept (the babies sleeping in bassinets close to our bed). I think in general it was good for the whole family. It allowed me to stabilize my milk supply, helped us learn about the boys' personalities and helped us bond with them. The issue is that babies are smart and they know how to get their needs and wants met. Out of exhaustion I was unwittingly rewarding undesirable behavior by bringing the babies into bed and falling asleep while nursing. Winston especially I think became aware that crying meant nursing and getting to be close to mom. Every time I put him back in the bassinet, he would cry and I came to realize he was the one calling the shots. I am learning that while I have a lot of Attachment Parenting (AP) tendencies that I also believe in healthy balance. I believe that child centered parenting can lead to a lot of problems and ultimately it is a parent's responsibility to direct a child, teach them how to develop positive sleep patterns and learn self-control. I was not envisioning a future where I was getting up in the middle of the night with two 9 month olds. Here a lot of true AP parent types will argue that there is a reason that a baby is continuing to wake up in the middle of the night at nine months of age e.g. baby needs the calories and needs to develop trust with their parents. I totally understand that and I think it comes down to each parent understanding their individual child. What may work for one child may not work for another. For our situation, the boys had both demonstrated they could sleep longer periods without needing to get calories in. Both boys have demonstrated good growth.  Furthermore, at this point I think our babies need good sleep for neurological development and physical growth. One reason the newborn stage is so hard is because the baby is getting used to life outside the womb and parents are getting used to them being on the outside as well. Becoming a parent is a huge life change; becoming a parent times two the first time around is intense. I was encouraged that life would get better around twelve weeks and it did. At that point I knew that the boys had the ability to sleep longer periods, now I needed to foster that ability. We were going forward and then we stalled.

I am not the hard core shut the door and come back in 8 hours cry it out (CIO) type but tough love was needed. Just moving the boys into their own room resulted in better sleep for all within days. They did not fuss at all the first time we put them down in there for the night. We would wait several minutes after hearing them cry on the monitor before going in to get them to see if they would fall back asleep on their own.  The feedings drastically dwindled from there.  The results?  Abraham started sleeping from about 8:30 pm to 5:00 am again consistently.  Then Winston slept through the night for the first time last weekend and has continued to do so all week.  He actually slept 12 hours straight last night.  We are completely amazed.  Here's the crazy thing and I know parents of multiples will relate to this...now our formerly good sleeper is the one waking up at night.  Just when you get used to a behavior coming from one baby they change it all around.  I think Abraham and Winston are in collusion in order to prevent us from ever getting decent sleep again.  Abraham has been waking up all week (sigh).  I have no problem with getting up one time a night for a feeding but he is waking up more than that.  We are trying to do our best of feeling out if he really needs that second feeding but at this point I think it's the comfort thing again. We know their cries now and what they mean so I think we may have to extend more tough love. 

I had mentioned that I was thinking about heading into solids since the boys were four months old.  Other than rice cereal in their bottles, we have not progressed in solid foods but just that little addition has seemed to make a big difference.  They stay satiated longer and I think that has really helped as well. 

The wonderful thing about these boys getting more sleep is that their dispositions are so much better during the day.  They wake up happy and are more inclined to take good, long naps.  Winston can now take a 2.5 hour nap in his crib.  Just weeks ago I could not have imagined that happening.  They are so much better about going down for a nap now without any fussing.

So to any new twin parents out there, I know how hard it is when it comes to getting hardly any sleep.  It really does get better, I promise.  I don't have any system or methodology to recommend.  I just started seeing patterns and behaviors and started feeling it out.  I have read enough different perspectives on sleep training to leave me second guessing myself but the here are the main two things: 1. Most pediatricians will recommend sleep training after 4 months which is exactly what we did because the boys were showing signs of being ready. 2. If you have twins you will have to do some form of CIO if you want any chance of getting sleep cycles synchronized before the first year.  While both boys have slept through the night, they have not done so at the same time.  When the day comes that Abraham and Winston sleep eight hours straight at the same time, meaning that Eric and I will be able to also, there will be great rejoicing and celebrating in our household.  And I hope to be able to post that update really soon =-)

Four Month Well Child(ren) Appointment

I took the boys to the pediatrician for their 4 month check up.  Fortunately they like new environments and people so they are always happy when they go to the doctor's.  It was definitely a performance and they kept smiling and blowing raspberries for the nurse. 

Well, I was pleasantly wrong in guessing Winston's weight because he is no longer significantly bigger than Abraham.  There is only a 1/2 ounce and 1/2 inch difference between them now.  The pediatrician was very pleased at how much Abraham has caught up.  They are still on the skinnier side for the percentiles but he confirmed that they do have big heads- 96th percentile for Winston!  So W's big noggin may be the reason I thought he was still heavier.

Here are the stats:

Abraham

Birth-5 lbs. 15 ozs.; 18.75 inches

One Month- 7 lbs. 1 oz.; 21 inches

Two Months-10 lbs. 8 ozs.; 21.75 inches
Four Months- 13 lbs. 13.5 ozs.; 25 inches

Winston

Birth- 7 lbs. 9 ozs.; 20 inches

One Month- 7 lbs. 10 ozs.; 21 inches
Two Months-11 lbs. 13 ozs.; 23 inches
Four Months- 13 lbs. 13 ozs.; 25.5 inches

So as you can see, Abraham aka Little Man has caught up and the boys are now just about even.  I am so thankful that Abraham has caught up.  It was a little disconcerting for him to be so much smaller than Winston when he was born because they are identical twins.  So now with introducing some solids it will be interesting to see how fast they grow.

Four Months!

Okay, I am still behind on some holiday posts but I am trying to keep on top of the boys' updates.  Yesterday A&W turned 4 months old!  They are no longer my teeny tiny babies.  I admit a certain level of melancholy at packing up and/or giving away their newborn and 0-3 month clothing.  These little boys have been so blessed with clothes from their shower as well as hand-me-downs.  At the rate they are growing, I feel like I am always having to go through and get the smaller sizes switched for the larger ones.  For the most part the little men are in 3-6 month clothing and are fitting into some 6-9 months.  They seem to be built like their daddy (at least for the time being) and have the majority of their height in their torso.  This means that their clothes fit nice and snug in the chest and a little long on their legs.  They also have huge noggins.   Part of the reason they need the 6-9 month clothing is because of the inability to get smaller sizes over their heads.  They are graduating to size 2 diapers.  Their weight will be checked later this week but I am guesstimating that Abraham is 13-14 pounds and Winston is about 15 lbs.  We shall see how accurate or inaccurate that guess is.

Due to those heads, they are a bit top heavy and are working to strengthen their necks.  They are getting better with the Bumbos but tire out pretty quickly with trying to keep their heads steady.  They are enjoying tummy time more and roll over pretty quickly now.  Both boys like to go from their backs and lay on their side.  They can roll over from back to front as well but apparently just don't feel like it very often.  They are starting to really vocalize and mornings are filled with shrieks and squeaks. They love to blow raspberries and are learning to mimic sounds and faces.  For example, I will make an 'o' with my lips and make a surprised face and Winston copies me.  They can be grumpy first thing when they wake up but typically have a smile for their morning greeting.  They go down around 8:30 to 9:00 and typically fall asleep within a few minutes without crying. Abraham sleeps through the night pretty consistently but Winston wakes up about 5 hours later, eats and falls right back to sleep. We are on the fence about letting him cry it out.  It's hard being a parent and trying to figure out the right thing to do.  My main concern is that the boys are on track with their growth so it just may mean more night feedings for now.  The boys are still nursing and are typically supplemented with one bottle of formula a day.  This is where I will be honest and say that keeping up with them is exhausting and I am most likely going to incorporate solids sooner than I thought.  Tonight we actually tried some bananas pureed with breast milk.  Both boys did well and Abraham even grabbed the spoon and shoved it into his mouth.  I think they are showing signs they are ready for solids and it will take some pressure off of me from feeling like Betsy the milk cow. They are chewing on their fingers and/or their brother's fingers on a pretty consistent basis.  Between that and drooling, I think they may be starting to teethe (but then again I thought that before and it was just general crankiness).

The boys love their play mat and both grasp the toys above them.  Abraham also stands now with his arms supported.  They have been pushing up on their legs for a couple months but Abraham is supporting his full body weight.  Have I mentioned this is all going too fast for this mama? They both like to fold their hands in front of them.  We joke that they are in deep prayer.  Winston started the snorting but Abraham picked it up quickly as well.  They sound like my little 'Porky' pigs. 

 Playing is hard work and tuckers them out.  Winston (left) sleeps with 

eyes half open so he won't miss anything.

 

Happy Boys: Abraham with his flirty grin and Winston 

with his gummy smile and tongue sticking out.

The biggest difference between the boys right now is really their little personalities.  They hit milestones within days of each other so it's hard to think of major differences but have no doubt that they are different people entirely.  Abraham is a flirt and loves to give a coy smile that reminds me a kewpie doll (although I am only 29 years old, I do know what those are). Winston's smile takes up his whole face and he sticks out his tongue quite often. As I mentioned before, Abraham is a sleeper and a good napper.  He decides he is tired and will fall asleep without a problem.  Winston fights naps with an incredible determinism. I think it just comes down to their little personalities, Abraham is more independent and Winston wants to constantly interact and socialize.  Abraham will play on the floor by himself, go down for a nap, sit in his car seat, etc. with much less fuss than Winston. I think Winston doesn't want to miss out on what is happening around him so he fights to stay awake and when he does nap it is much shorter than Abraham.  We are learning that stimuli have to be removed in order for Winston to nap whereas Abraham will crash for two hours despite lots of ambient noise and light.  We are constantly learning in this journey of parenthood and there truly is never a dull moment. We are so blessed to be the parents of these little boys and discover new joys in raising them each day.

Ten pictures would have them making ten different faces.

 Abraham

 

Winston

 Abraham looks surprised and Winston is amused.