4 Months! Where has the time gone?!

What a fabulous four months it has been! Yes, there have been plenty of sleepless nights (even quite a few as of late...ugh!), but this last month has been so much FUN! The boys are growing so much and developing these amazing little personalities! We are so in love. And I can't say enough how extremely fortunate and blessed I am to have had the past 17 weeks off to be with my guys.  With that said, school is looming around the corner as we go back in about 2 1/2 weeks (boo, I LOVE my job, ask anyone, but I think I am going to have a little bit harder time than I thought with regards to going back to work and leaving my little men with a sitter). But, that's for another post (the one probably titled "Why Can't I Stop Crying?"...lol!). So, on to celebrating the 4th month of my little guys' lives!

Landon and Parker

Boys, you both continue to grow bigger and stronger and what joy this brings to our daily lives.  We had a fun month.  Of course, there was your first visit to the beach, but we also had a very exciting visit from your auntie and your cousins, Zack and Drewger who are 6 and 4.  And boy do those boys just love being around both of you.  They are so eager to hold you and play with you.  It's funny! They are even willing to throw away your diapers when we change you and Drewger was SO excited to change a diaper or two.  Not sure that will last too much longer! LOL! We also played tourist while they were here so you gto to see a bunch of cool sites in your very own city like the Natural History Museum, the Shark Reef and parts of the strip which even included your first ride on the monorail from Mandalay Bay to the Luxor. Very cool! I am happy to say you both still love bath time, which is one of my favorites.  Parker, you love the water on your head, and Landon you could do without it. As for eating, you both are still nursing about 5 or 6 times a day and in the last 2 or 3 weeks we have started finishing off your day with a bottle of formula.  You both were getting about 4 oz, but this past week Landon you've been eating 6 oz and Parker is eating 5 oz. We are trying to get you to sleep in until 6am each morning and that seems to be getting better. Although, sometimes you do try to wake up at 5 or 5:30am. We're hoping to get you more on that 6am schedule soon with school starting soon for Mommy and Daddy.  Everyday as you both grow bigger, stay awake a little longer, and  become aware of so much more around you, we continue to add to the stacks and stacks of memories we are making with you two.

Landon,

We had quite the month didn't we my little big guy? Of course, we had a fun and exciting 4th of July at Newport Beach, California with Gigi.  That was a great week for you because you and your brother actually slept through the WHOLE night (about 8pm to 5am). Oh how mommy wishes we could repeat those 4 days.  =) It's ok though.  A lot of other things have happened this month that are very exciting and maybe that's why you keep waking up at night.  I forgive you.  ;) You have really discovered a lot this month: your hands, your brother, toys, you legs and feet.  It's amazing seeing you realize something new. During your 14th week you actually started keep a tight grip on some toys like your little multi-colored ball and your rattle.  You can hang on to it for a good 30 seconds to a minute sometimes. And you have really started noticing your brother.  He definitely started to see you before you saw him, but it's great to see both of your expressions now as you look and realize there is another small being right next to you.  I love it! And although you waited until a couple of days after your brother, you finally rolled over from your belly onto your back.  And once you got it down, you just kept doing it.  It cracks me and Daddy up every time because it is so exciting to watch, but I have to admit, you kind of look like a turtle who gets flipped over and just doesn't know what to do.  LOL! Your arms just sort of stay frozen for a couple of seconds and your eyes are huge as you hear us clapping and laughing in excitement.  It's awesome!

You also have really found your voice.  To say you were the quiet one could be an understatement.  You would giggle when we'd get you going, but your brother was considered the yapper. Oh little man, you have stolen his thunder.  And you talk sometimes at the funniest times.  You like to talk to your mobile in your swing.  One time in the middle of the night when I was feeding your brother, you must have been able to see me from  your crib, and of course it only seemed natural I guess to say hi, because you started chatting with me right then.  Daddy was cracking up when I made it back to the room because he heard you over the monitor.  And one of the greatest moments was this past week when we sat you and your brother up facing each other and you starting "talking" to each other.  It was wonderful.  You both just kept smiling, looking at each other and gabbing up a storm.  We can't wait for that to just flourish even more! So like I said, you started having sleep problems this past week waking at some points almost every hour or two.  We were at such a loss.  We thought it maybe could be teething because you have for sure discovered your hands and the drool has started like a faucet, but we haven't seen any teeth just yet.  The sleeplessness lasted about a week.  I did feed you at some points twice during those nights so it might have been one heck of a growth spurt too.  With that being said, we rang in your 4th month with your 4 month appointment.  It included shots which really seemed to kick your butts this time with a full two days of low fever and crankiness, but it has finally passed! Dr. H also told us that because of a low heart murmur she heard at your last appointment and again at this one, that we need to go see a cardiologist.  =( That appointment is in a couple of weeks and we are just praying that they clear you and all is well.  That's not where is ends though.  She also recommended that we go to see a specialist about your head. It has a bit of a flatness to it on the left side (partly probably because of your kink in the right side of your neck since birth with has always caused you to naturally favor keeping your head turned to the left). Poor guy.  Dr. H told us not to be surprised if you were in a helmet the next time we see her.  That appointment is next week.  We'll see what they say but we'll do whatever we need to in order to make sure you are growing strong and healthy kiddo! But nothing seems to dim your playful mood.  You are such a lover and you cheese out when we play with you.  You really love it when Daddy gives you Eskimo kisses.  It is lovely! I am praying for you buddy with all these little hiccups that seem to keep plaguing you. But I am grateful we have the means to be able to get your the help for them! I love you my chunky monkey, and chunky you are.  =) You weighed 13 lbs 8 oz at this last appointment on your 4th month day and measured in at 24 1/2 inches! We can definitely feel you getting bigger every time we pick you up! Love you buddy and we are excited about the next couple of months and all the things you will start to learn and do!

Parker,

You are still my little little man! Where your brother seems to be at the high end of the spectrum with weight gain and such, you are at the opposite end, gaining just what is necessary to get by, which is about 1/2 oz a day. But Dr. H is still pleased, saying you are growing well and will just be our lean guy.  But I think you will hold your own with your brother soon enough.  I wish I could say that you have stopped spitting up or that it has alleviated some, but that's not really the case. You can still be counted on to spit up pretty much after every meal, but you definitely have some good days where not too much comes out.  I just continue to pray the older you get and the better your digestion gets, that is will lessen and disappear before we know it. You continue to  be our little chatter box.  You talk when you're tired, when you're hungry, when you're happy...you pretty much talk all the time.  And your range in sounds and such is wonderful to hear. I have no doubt you will continue to be our talkative one as your vocabulary increases.

You too have discovered how wonderful your hands are and have really started to grab objects and hold on to them. You easily grip your rattle and love to steal the ball away from your brother.  I am sure that will be a cause of many fights to come.  LOL! You were the first one to roll over from your belly to your back on July 17th. And you did it a couple of times, but then decided that since you could check that skill off of the list, you didn't really feel like doing it since.  If I had to put my money on anything, I would say that you are going to be the first one to roll from your back to your belly.  The way you arch your back and push up onto your side, you are almost there.  If you could just figure out how to move your arm down to allow your body to flip.  Soon enough kiddo!

We tried to put you and your brother down for a nap unswaddled. You both weren't having it. You do fall asleep right after we swaddle you. So funny. We know we need to break you of this habit soon enough, or sleep prop, we just have to figure out how! I guess we'll wait until we really feel it's necessary, like when you are really rolling over.  And something tell me, that if it weren't for your brother waking up in the middle of the night and getting fed (which means we feed you too), I would almost bet that you might sleep through the whole night.  Call Mommy chicken, but I am just not sure enough to not feed you and see if it happens.  =) I enjoy you my little expressive man.  I feel like you have so much to say and I could never get tired of listening to you! And that smile of yours...priceless! Just keep growing strong baby boy! You sweet little guy you!

And boys, I know the next couple of weeks are going to bring about many HUGE changes as we go back to work and your will start at the sitter's house.  We have been very blessed to find a wonderful woman who raised twin boys of her own.  And I have no doubt she will smother you both with so much kindness and love.  We can see that just within our small time with her thus far.  But I bet I am going to be the big baby as we start leaving you.  5 months with you (with really only a handful of hours away) is going to be a challenge.  I know we all can do it, but I will miss watching you laugh out loud during your naps or discovering something new during playtime.  Oh, what a great first 4 months it has been.  Thank you my sweethearts for all the happiness you have brought me! I love you both so much and my heart is so full from you! Let's bring on the adventures of your 5th month!!!