Wow, can you believe Bennett & Kendyll are four months old already?!?! I know this is a sentiment shared by all parents (and especially other Moms of Multiples - MOMS) . . . in some ways it seems like the time has really flown by and in other ways it seems like they have been here forever! We are very thankful for our two beautiful, healthy and ever-changing duo and we're excited to move into this next phase. I have never been a "baby" person, so to have them evolve into little "people" with personalities and less like little "blobs" has been quite a relief (Tim seconds this sentiment as well!)! I thought I'd take this time to really update everyone on how they have developed and their personalities at this point.B & K (or Ben & Ken as our friend Erin likes to call them :-) ) are more alert, responsive and ever so cute! They will "talk" to you for a long time and it really doesn't take much to make them smile or even full on giggle (almost . . . it starts out as a silent deep smile, but then the sounds come afterwards). They LOVE to go for walks around the neighborhood (just like big "brother" Tabasco) . . . they are normally wide-eyed and checking it all out -- although they aren't too fond of the hats we make them wear, but it is for their own protection! They haven't really noticed each other yet, but they don't fuss nearly as much when we put them down next to each other . . . I try to have them do tummy time or lay on their backs on the couch next to each other in the evenings so they start to like hanging out together. Since they were never in the same crib (as often multiple babies are) I want to make sure they still have that closeness. They are sleeping much better -- they have actually gone "through the night" from 8:30p - 7:30a most of this week (sometimes pacifiers need to be replaced during the night, but with no feedings I'm technically calling it STTN!). Both B & K have very good head control now and will follow things -- and people -- with their eyes around the room and into the next. They haven't really mastered holding on to things -- other than mommy & Becca's hair and whatever necklace I have on that day -- but we're working on it. They seem more interested in the little toys / items hanging from their rocking chairs, swings and car seats and get excited when these items make noise or play music. It is so fun to watch them try to figure it out (and I can tell they really want to figure how to make the noise come back when it stops). Bennett -- aka Benny & the Jets, Frog, B-man, Buddy-Buddy, Boonini -- is such a sweetie! He will put his "smooth moves" on any lady around (and he often practices with Tim, too, just to make sure he is doing it right). We call him a FROG because he often sleeps in his swing/boppy/carseat with his legs folded up like a frog, 25% of his wardrobe has frogs on it and he loves to stick his tongue out. He is really into licking things -- his bib, hand, shirt, your shoulder if you are holding him, etc. It is too funny! He gets soooooo excited when one of us comes into his room to rescue him from the crib . . . he'll wave his hands and kick his legs in joy and give us the biggest smile ever. He HATES to be alone . . . if you leave the room for a second instant tears will appear and it will turn into a full-on cry fest if you don't return quickly. We've learned in order to get anything done, we must move his swing/boppy/carseat, etc. so that he can see us at all times. Then he is happy! He still needs to be swaddled -- SUPER TIGHT -- to sleep at night and I really hope to start weaning him from this in the very near future. Mainly because he is Houdini and can break out of his velcro swaddleme blanket, no matter HOW tight / snug / secure we get it. Honestly, this is what wakes him up at night (somehow breaking free) and once we re-swaddle him he goes right back to sleep. I may need to just take one weekend and suffer through some real lack of sleep (and major crying, I'm sure) to get him used to sleeping with his arms out. He has quite a temper when he is mad -- turning bright red and crying so hard that he almost forgets to breathe -- but as soon as you pick him up it as if nothing happened. Not sure where he gets this from . . . Kendyll -- aka Kendy, Miss Social, Banana, Chickie-Monkey and Chunky Monkey -- is definitely our more independent baby. She is ready to be on the move already . . . when placed on the floor she uses her "thunder thighs" (as we lovingly call them) to scoot herself around in a circle. She does not like to sit on your lap -- she would much prefer to be standing so she can get a better view of what is going on in the world. She is our big-time talker -- the other night she was sitting in her boppy on the couch talking back to the Channel 10 weatherman Chris Bradley. Seriously, she was blabbing away at him for a good 5 minutes -- I wish I would have gotten it on tape! She will also carry on full conversations with her "heartbeat" crib bear at night / in the morning and any other item you stick in front of her. She still shrieks at the top of her lungs (blood curling shrieks) when she is hungry, mad or tired and she has somehow taught her brother how to squeal loudly, too, because Bennett has just started to do this as well (lovely). She is easily aggravated (or I should say, quick to tell you when she doesn't like something), but she can easily be calmed with a pacifier. She has BIG blue/gray eyes that can melt your heart and some of the funniest facial expressions! She does not like to be swaddled anymore -- she prefers to have her arms free (although we do still wrap her up from the waist down). She has recently started to "make out" with her hand . . . seriously, it almost looks a little bit naughty. She will kiss, lick and suck the daylights out of the back of her hand -- she much prefers to do this instead of sucking on the pacifier at times as well. Again, something I need to capture on video because it is really funny. She, like, goes into a zone once she finds her hand -- true love! :-pAll in all, life has become much easier over the last few weeks. The evening fussiness is starting to dwindle (I won't say we are totally out of the woods on this one, but we're getting there) and we have become pros at being out & about with them (even me by myself!). I think this is going to be the best baby stage -- we are sleeping more & they are less fussy, yet they aren't mobile and they will still sleep in their swings. I have a feeling what is lurking for us around the corner -- teething, crawling, awake more & needing to be entertained every second of the day -- will bring on a whole new set of challenges. So we're going to try to enjoy it while we can. Plus it is summer -- yay for being able to be out doors and go places!!!B & K will be at the doctor's office on Monday, so look for an update on weights, etc. next week. Thanks again, to everyone for your love, support, thoughts and many gifts! And thanks for continuing to read the blog . . . I still can't believe I've kept it up this long!! ;-)
Some new pictures, including B & K in the t-shirts Daddy brought back from his trip. Enjoy!
We survived the week -- yippee!! Tim made it back safely on Saturday and we spent the weekend running errands, doing stuff around the house / yard and resting. Now that the camera is back, I promise a post of only B & K pictures sometime this week. On to even more exciting news . . . I didn't want to say anything sooner, but in the midst of all of the craziness last week, Bennett & Kendyll have decided to *almost* sleep through the night. With the exception of the "Horror Night", as I like to call it (the night I lost my ring & of the storm), B & K have been going to bed between 8:30p - 9:00p and sleeping until 5a. It started last weekend . . . Friday night they went 9p - 4a, then Sunday 9p - 4:30, and a little bit longer each night. Last night they went down around 9p and slept until after 6a!!!! They have been eating more during the day and I think that has a lot to do with it. Woo-hoo! Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself, but I'd like to think this is a sign of life getting back to normal for us all (read: consecutive hours of sleep).
THREE nights down, THREE to go . . . . It was a rough 24 hours . . . I lost my wedding band, the kids were up every two hours at night, we had horrible storms / monsoon and Tabasco threw up all over our new family room carpet. Ugh! But we are surviving and things are looking up. I always take off my engagement ring when I get home from work and just wear my band at night. The kids were fussy, so I decided to pack them up to go do a few errands (read: make them sleep / be quiet in their carseats for the evening). When we got home, they were SCREAMING to eat, so I gave them quick baths, fed them and put them to bed. As I was cleaning up and (STILL) trying to put our kitchen back together, I happened to look down at my hand and realized my ring was missing. I had not taken it off and my mind started to race about all of the places I had been /things I had done that night and where it might have fallen off. After searching through diapers / diaper pails, trash, laundry bins, couches, calling Target, Home Depot & Lowes and waking the twins up to look through their cribs & blankets, I had no luck in finding it. I didn't sleep at all Tuesday night, sick to my stomach about losing such an important thing (plus, it was stormy and for whatever reason B & K were up at least once an hour). I called Tim Wed. morning to confess my news and actually had a really bad day at work (for other reasons). But just as the saying goes, once you stop looking for something it appears in front of your eyes (um, not sure if that is really a saying . . . ) . . . I am happy to report that I found my ring under the dish drying rack in the kitchen. Did I put it there -- no . . . I have a feeling it fell off into a dishtowel as I was drying my hands. Did I look all over the counter -- I swear yes, but I don't really care anymore at this point.Whew! Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come. Tabasco still isn't his old self, but I'm sure he ate something he wasn't supposed to in our yard. :-) I need a drink at this point (if only I weren't a single parent this week . . . ).
Tim left for Amsterdam this afternoon. I will officially be alone with B & K for the longest period of their lives . . . SIX NIGHTS!! So far, so good. Grandma & Grandpa Z and Uncle Mark came down for the day to watch the kiddies while I painted the kitchen. I can tell I haven't been to the gym in a while . . . my arms are killing me!!! It looks nice, though, and once we finish pulling off the miles of blue tape and accessorizing I will be sure to post a picture or two. It looks a MILLION times better!! Sorry no new pictures of B & K . . . actually, it will be a while as Tim took the new camera overseas with him to take some pictures. So maybe I'll post a few of those this week (along with a few of the kids, too, I guess).I'll be sure to post again later this week -- countdown style -- to note our progress. Right now I have to go take care of my other baby, Tabasco, he is dying for some attention before we go to bed.
