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!!!

13!!! A Big Patriotic Week!

Visiting Gigi in Newport Beach, CA at Newport Dunes!
Boy's first camping trip!

What a big week we just had! So, I think it is only fitting that it have a post of it's very own, especially since I would likely forget some things if I waited until the boys 4 month mark to write about them. So, a mini celebration to their 13th week of life!

We  felt it was time to escape the Vegas heat. I mean, every time we walked outside, it would literally felt like we were melting (hitting 105* that week and as I am writing this, it is 114* outside! YUCK!)! So, what better place to go to do that than the beach and to have the boys go camping technically for the first time?! We were off to Newport Beach, California to visit Gigi (Grandpa's mom, mommy's grandma) for 4th of July week.  And we were all excited to hear it was going to be in the 70s for the most part! Ah, what would that be like?! We went from Monday until Friday and had the most amazing time!

We started our drive to SoCal right after both boys woke up and ate. It usually takes about 4 hours to drive there, but we made a pit stop in Baker, California for the boys to eat again. They were great the whole way and pretty much slept until we were pulling off the freeway near our destination. Newport Dunes is where Gigi calls home and we were ecstatic we were getting to stay with her for a few days. Lodging would be tight as we were staying in her 32 foot RV, but it all worked out wonderfully. The boys did great! Monday was spent basically relaxing for our first night there, and Gigi getting some cuddle time in with her two great grandsons. We walked down to the bay but the wind was blowing and it was a little bit of torture for the little guys.  They weren't sure how to handle it.  The wind literally was taking the breath away. Poor guys.

Tuesday, while Gigi was at the gym, we headed up to Huntington Beach to have breakfast at the Sugar Shack and then walked out on the pier for the boys first "sighting" of the beach. It was a bit chilly, so they didn't come out of their car seats, but we got some great pictures none the less. And then (as food seems to always be a highlight for this momma), you can't go to Newport and not visit the Crab Cooker at least once. So we headed over there for a late lunch/early dinner and boy was it YUMMY! Nothing like the crab cakes and clam chowder there! =) After some naps and general playing at Gigi's, it was time to settle into bed for the night. The boys really did go down very well the whole time we were there for bed time (naps were hit or miss as they napped up on Gigi's bed), but they were very content in their pack and play bassinet for bedtime and it fit perfectly right next to Gigi's kitchen table (and darn it, would you know Grandma, we never did get a picture of our perfect little set up!). Well, at about 3:30am that night/next morning, I woke to a little bit of noise from one of the boys, but then nothing. They were out! So I sat there, waiting, and waiting, and waiting...from 3:30am until Parker started really stirring around 5:15am! What?! Yup! They had slept through the night for the first time! Even my hubby asked me when he opened his eyes around 4:45am, "No way! Did I miss something?" Nope, honey. Just me sitting, waiting and thinking any  minute one of our babies would wake up! LOL! And I am pleased to say, they continued that for the rest of our stay (and even the first night back home, but the last few nights have been a little touch and go)! Gigi said it was the cool, salty ocean air. Haha, whatever it was, can I bottle it up please?! It was amazing. And I noticed a change in the boys too. They woke up pretty happy and content.  What a milestone! Fingers crossed that it just continues!

4th of July finally made it and we joined some of Gigi's neighbors for an omelet boil (I think that's what they called it).  We headed down the road to another RV and got to pick our favorite omelet ingredients, put them in a big Ziploc bag with a giant scoop of scrambled egg. Then, they were labeled with our names and added to the waiting area. The "chef" dropped each one into a giant vat of boiling water for 13 minutes and viola, yummy omelet breakfast! And it really was delish! We sat and chatted a bit and then the 5 of us decided to take a cruise around the dune's bay to check out the 4th of July happenings.  The place was packed with patriotic beach goers settling in for the day and for the evening's fireworks show! We made our way around the entire bay and headed back to the trailer for a nice little lunch and nap. Then it was time to welcome some more friends and family at Gigi's, which included my second cousin and her husband, and my grandma's good friend! We all had a great afternoon chatting, catching up, and just enjoying the very overcast day. And we couldn't have a 4th of July gathering without a BBQ. Burgers and salad were served and it was all yummy. After putting the boys down, Daddy volunteered to stay behind at the trailer on baby duty and the rest of us wondered down to the bay to get a good spot for the fireworks. To be honest, I don't know if there was a bad seat! The fireworks went off right above our heads. One of the most amazing 4th of July firework experiences I have every seen.  It was great. We even got to see a couple of shows off in the distance.  When all was said and done, we headed back to the trailer for a little festive dessert of angel food cake topped with strawberries, blueberries, and Cool Whip.  YUM! A great way to wrap up a great 4th!

Our last full day in Newport Beach was a wonderful one as well. We headed over to Balboa Island for breakfast at Wilma's Patio (see, there I go continuing to talk about food! I had some of the most wonderful eggs benedict in case anyone was wondering!). After breakfast, we drove down and parked on Topaz St., where grandma's family once owned two homes, one of which I was lucky enough to experience as a kid. Awe, the memories. We parked and headed down to the ferry that would take us over to the peninsula. The boys FIRST ferry boat ride and it was awesome! Of course, they slept through the whole ride, both ways, but I loved being able to take them on it! We walked around the peninsula and down to the pier, picking up two postcards that we sent from right there with a little note from Gigi and a memorable magnet to add to our growing magnet collection of places we've been!

Breakfast at Wilma's

One of the houses on Topaz St. on Balboa Island

The Balboa Pavilion

On the ferry

Huntington Beach Pier

And we finally rounded out our trip by taking in a MLB baseball game. Another first for the boys! We saw the Angels of Anaheim take on (and win) the Baltimore Orioles. It was fun and we stayed until the 8th inning. The boys did great and stayed up for a good chunk of the game and then finally fell asleep in their carseats. We had a great time and it was a wonderful experience.  Overall, the trip was fabulous and just what all of us needed! It was awesome spending great quality time with Gigi, especially since she hadn't seen the boys since they were about a week old. Now, with them being so active and talkative, she really got to see them growing up and into their little personalities. And I loved just being able to hang out with my amazing grandma for a few days.

So we said our good byes and gave big kisses and headed out. The boys had another great car ride all the way home, sleeping most of the way. Back to the horrid heat of Vegas, but with amazing memories of a beautiful summer trip to the beach with Gigi! Aaaahhhhh!

Three Month Old Today!!!

Every time we hit a milestone date, I always think how crazy it is! Time sure is flying! And I really do try to stop and enjoy these little, special moments with each of my little guys! So much has happened in the last four weeks too.  Guess I'll get started (and I am still trying to figure out a format for how I want to record all the happenings. As of right now, I keep track week by week of everything they are doing and what's happening on my phone).

9 Weeks Old

Landon, my chunky monkey, you fidget when you eat. Hands moving back & forth kind of like some OCD tendency.  It's hilarious.

Parker, my little man, you always have clenched fists holding on to something. My shirt, your bib...Daddy actually calls your bib your security blanket (and since you wear it a lot because you still are spitting up quite a bit, it is the easiest thing to hand on to).

On June 3rd, we fed you both a 4 oz formula bottle. Parker, you slept from 7:30 until 1am!!! Longest stretch yet. We woke up a little surprised. Landon, you were having tummy issues all that day so you fell asleep, then back up for an hour fussing a bit, but then slept from 8:30ish until 1!!

Landon you're so funny with your binky. Even if you want it, you won't just accept or take it. You pierce your lips together and make it impossible for whoever is trying to put it in your mouth. And if you really don't want it, we certainly know it. It won't last and you will spit it farther than I ever think possible. And you're our little burper. When sit you up after eating, you have no problems just burping right away. And I know you will hate me writing this and putting it out into the internet, but boy are you gassy! It's what can wake you up out of a dead sleep and sounds like it is coming from a grown man. But it makes us laugh all the time, because for some reason we still never expect it.  As we've heard said before, baby farts are funny!

On June 5, you guys had your 2 month well appt. where you got your first set of shots. :( It's hard to see you cry and have that pain inflicted, but honestly, I feel like it was almost nothing compared to the appointment where you had your circumcisions.  And we were pretty prepared.  Dr. H said we could give you a little Children's Tylenol before you came in, so we did.  Really, you both cried for a second or two and then were fine.  I think the appointment and the shots though wore you out.  We took you home, fed you right away and you two were pooped!  You both had a low fever on & off for 2 days. And you slept a lot but probably because of the Tylenol we gave you about 2 times a day. At this point, you were still waking just about every 2 1/2 hours all day & night. Boo.

10 Weeks Old

On Sunday, June 10th, you had your first pool visit to Christa's. Landon, Mommy put your feet in. At first cried, but then I did it again and you liked it after that. I think it was the initial coldness that just took you by surprise. Parker, your feet didn't go in this time but soon enough.

Parker, you laughed out loud at Daddy on June 12th while Daddy was playing with you lips. We loved it! It was the greatest sound!!!

We live in one of the most popular destinations in the world, so why not take you to some of those big sites?We went to the Hoover Dam on Friday, June 15th for an early Father's Day outing. We had breakfast in Boulder City at the famous Coffee Cup Cafe (it was very yummy too).  You both didn't feel like sleeping, so you were content with just looking around the cafe as we ate and enjoyed a beautiful summer morning.  Then we all walked across the dam. We had the whole thing to ourselves the whole time. We only ran into one other person walking across the dam, and she worked there.  And it's not like it was that early.  It was about 7am! It pays to get places early. As Grandma always says, early bird gets the worm! 

On June 14th, we put you back in your cribs again for the second time (the first time we did that, we only lasted a night and 1/2). You both went down really well. Not much fussing and fell asleep with us only having to come in once or twice to try and quiet you.  We both have to wake up and come in to feed you in the middle of the night, but never more than twice. Now, I wish I could say we were only going in there twice, but that's not so.  Something just seems to happen that makes you both very fussy after the 2 or 3 am feeding. We're hoping you'll both grow out of that soon!

11 Weeks Old 

We celebrated Daddy's first Father's Day. We went and ate lunch at Subway then headed up to Cashman Field to watch the Las Vegas 51s play the Colorado Skysox. Your first baseball game!!! It was fun! We carried you in with the Baby Bjorns and got to go on the field to take a picture during their annual Father-Son catch time. We only stayed for 2 innings, but they were a LONG 2 innings. Unfortunately, the 51s were losing 0-12. Boo. It was 105* today and probably even hotter at the stadium. You guys were such great boys. You napped at first then both woke up and played a bit. And you were little rock stars.  People kept stopping and checking your both out, loving your baseball outfits and big smiles! We had such a great day. Then you came home and passed out! The heat really kicked both of your butts!

Landon you are definitely our congested boy. You always seem to have a stuffy nose and have become used to, although never really like it, the saline up your nose and the hospital-grade nose sucker. You started to really get close to full-on laughing this week. We kind of shake your belly or tickle it and you try to laugh. You want to. It's almost as if you don't know what you need to do to make it happen. It's the cutest thing and I can't wait for the day that you just let it go. Big love bug, we have you in 1-2 diapers. They are ever so slightly bigger than 1s and not quite 2s. Something tells me you could easily pull off 2s though.

Parker, you are still our tiny little man. I always worry that you're not getting enough to eat, or more like keeping enough down, to gain adequate weight. You are in 1 diapers but we have to make them pretty tight. Newborns would for sure be too small though. But I think it's just because when we put you next to brother, you just aren't as big as him.  He is our heavy weight, and you my boy are our feather weight!

You both have found your hands and in full force. You both seem to want nothing more than to put them in your mouths. We try to replace them with your Sophie giraffes but it never fails, you're all about sucking on your fists. It's funny too because sometimes in the middle of the night I'll wake up to hearing this sucking noise and when I look at your video monitor, one of you will have your hand out and will be just going to town! Hilarious!

One of the cutest things your dad and I love are when you both are falling asleep and you smile, kind of chuckle, and make this sound like a dolphin. Too cute. And although you both do the same thing, you both make it sound so different.  Ah, those little moments!

12 Weeks Old

We went and got a weight check on June 25th. You both are definitely growing! Parker, you weighed in at 9lbs 9oz.  Landon, you have 2 lbs on your brother weighing in at 11lbs 11oz!

You both are pretty good sleepers. Don't get me wrong, we have some bad days, but for the most part you take good naps and really go down well and sleep well at night! Mommy and Daddy are thankful for that! We also really watch your sleep cues for nap time. Landon, you get a little fussy, but really it's all about yawning for you. Once we see a yawn or two, we know it's time to "wrap and sack you," as we say. We put you in your swing and if we've timed it just right, you are usually sleeping within 10 minutes. Parker on the other hand, you are our vocal one. You get fussy and tend to tell us you're done doing whatever we are doing. And sometimes you pass right out in your bouncy chair but then other times you get even fussier there. And the batteries ran out in your chair and we haven't replaced them, so we just bounce you by hand if you're really cranky or fussy.  And then our hope is that you sleep the whole time. Haha. Doesn't always happen with you little man. You seem to nap for 1/2 hour to an hour and then can sometimes wake up and be wide awake!

Landon, you LOVE the ceiling fans. I mean love them, bordering on obsessed. You'll find it in any room or from your swing and just look like you're gushing at it or flirting with it. It always makes me smile. And oh you have started blowing bubbles. Both of you! It's like you discovered drool this week. Lol. Your eating habits have sped up a bit. You are faster eaters, done most of the time in under 10 minutes now. Parker, love bug, you are pretty much out of newborn outfits. Some 3 month outfits are a little too long, but they are definitely fitting around your belly. Landon, cutie pie, 3-6 months fit you best. Some 3 months getting a little too tight. 


As we round out your first 12 weeks of life, we are hoping that we'll soon figure out this whole sleeping thing. Going down is great (and even going back to sleep after your middle of the night feeding is good), it's just making it to 5:30am without any hiccups (haha, or maybe I should say without farting...get it? Because that's what seems to be the culprit).  This week we started feeding you a 5oz formula bottle for your last feeding of the night, then you get baths, we read a story and it's off to bed.  This bottle seems to get you a good 5 or 6 hour stretch at least.  Then we do a 3oz breast milk bottle sometimes topped off with another 1oz of formula for the middle of the night bottle, just so that feeding goes a little quicker.  Daddy will feed one of you while I feed the other. We've only done this for a couple of nights, but it seems to work pretty good. We'll see how it continues on in the coming weeks! Fingers crossed we start maybe going to sleep from 7 or 8 pm until 5:30! Wow, what would that be like?!

I should probably start wrapping this up.  I could write pages and pages about you both.  You are really the little loves of my life.  I thought going back to work in the fall wasn't going to be too difficult, but after literally spending every day with you minus a few hours here or there, I know it's going to be harder than I think! I am not ready for that yet and luckily, don't have to think about it for a while.  However, we have met with a couple of babysitters and are hoping we'll make a decision about a great place for you to go to once we go back to school in August. So, it makes me happy to end this post by talking about how both of you are really looking at and seeing each other, just in this past week. It's like "oh, who is that other little person right next to me?" It's cute. And sometimes when you lay you down next to each other, you happen to find each other's arms or hands and will hold them. I know it's probably not on purpose, but it still warms my heart! Keep growing big my little love bugs! I can't wait to see how many more memories we get to make this summer and to see these great milestones you keep reaching! It makes my heart so full! I love you both!