Friday, February 15, 2013

all things OWEN & ETHAN : 8 & 9 months

My blue eyed boys are 9 months old!  Where oh where does the time go?  Both boys are so sweet. Seriously, scrumptious!  And they are so very different from one another.  Here's what they're up to...

9 month stats
Owen 20 lbs |  Ethan 22 lbs
As for height, I didn't measure and we've yet to make it to the doc yet, but what I will say is Ethan is by far taller than Owen.

- 9 months -
E, O



~ Ethan is fast.  He started army crawling at 7 months and full blown crawling by 8 months.  He's now gone vertical.  Pulling up on e.v.e.r.y.t.h.i.n.g.  Crawling up and into the fireplace.  Yup.  And we can't contain him.  We can't gate him anywhere because if we gated anything we would be gating Ryan in or out as well.  So, for now, one eye must always be on Ethan!

~ Owen's not far behind.  He skipped the army crawl and went straight to the worm.  That's right.  The worm.  He gets up on his hands and knees, as if he's going to crawl, but instead falls forward, and then repeats for motion.  I can't say I've seen it before. 

While Owen isn't pulling straight up on things like the couch or crib, he is pulling upwards on shorter things like the fireplace hearth and the low coffee table shelf (which he crawled onto).  Though he's incredibly mobile he has yet to master the transition from sitting to laying and vice versa.  

- O -


~ When Ethan wants me,  he finds me, comes to me, and asks me to pick him up.  When Owen wants me, he stays where ever he is and cries until I come get him.   

~ They're both putting their arms up to be picked up.  I love this upgraded communication!

~ They both love to eat.  They're eating a ton of homemade baby food, mum mums, and puffs.  And bananas and other fruits in mesh baby feeders.  The only thing they've refused is a zucchini, carrot, salmon puree, but I plan to retry with more carrots, we'll see.   

Ethan started eating yogurt.  Due to a milk allergy, Owen has to wait until after he's 1 to reintroduce milk products.  I already make a whopping mess when I feed the boys, when I have 2 bowls and 2 spoons, it's twice the mess (yes, normally they share a spoon, gross I know).  

- E -

~ The babies sleep in same room (but nap in separate rooms).  On the rare occasion when one wakes at night, the other, usually, sleeps through it.  However, they usually wake together in the morning.  This means both babies want to be picked up as soon as they see me.  Taking turns is not a lesson easily learned in infancy.  However, I've learned to pick them up, together, from their cribs (think about the logistics of that for a minute).  

~ Owen got 3 more teeth for a total of 4 (his bottom 2 first, then his top 2).  Ethan has his bottom 2 teeth.  All with little effort!

- O -

~ I heard Owen laughing and when I looked to see what was so funny it was Ethan crawling on top of him.  I have no idea why this was so funny but then Ethan started laughing too.  It looked very uncomfortable for Owen but if both boys were that happy, who am I to break up the fun?

~ Owen will hold his own bottle.  Ethan will not. 

- E -

~ Both boys spend their days smiling, 'talking', and playing and they still nap at least twice a day.   Naps last anywhere from 1 to 3 hours.  I do my best to keep them on the same nap schedule.  They do their best to keep opposite nap schedules.

~ They are still 2 of the 3 most loved boys in all the world!

- Bonus -
~ As Ryan got older and more mobile I quickly realized how difficult it was to capture his monthly 'chair' picture.  That is, without him lunging off or attempting to climb over, etc..  Well, multiply that by 2, cause the twins are a hot mess on the chair.  Here are some outtakes...

"Jump!"
"Feet!"
"Sit here" said Chris repeatedly
 "Daddy is so funny"
 "Ethan's yummy"
uh...
 "Enough mom"

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Wallpaper Begone

We're certainly not in a position to 'redo' our bathroom but there's just no excuse not to remove outdated wallpaper, add a fresh coat of paint, and update a few fixtures.

Then...


And Now...


The bathroom cabinets and trim were a tan, cream color and now they're a crisp white.  
And Chris replaced the hinges with hidden ones which I think makes a huge difference.  


And this these awful part ceramic, part plastic fixtures are no more.  
And the matching, filthy, loose outlets also received an update!


But, of course, the biggest difference is the wallpaper is GONE!  
Now if we can just get some stuff on the walls.


The same situation applies to our kitchen.  A redo would be fantastic but isn't in the cards.  The wallpaper wasn't as cooperative and had to be covered rather than removed.  Either way, it's GONE!

Then...
Now...


The walls are a pale gray (the kinda look blue on my computer).  Next up, wallpaper removal from the downstairs half bath and upstairs hall bath!

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Ryan's 1st day of Preschool

First let me express how intense the hunt for the perfect preschool is.  There are at least 350 in the area and everyone recommends a different one.  So I jumped right in.  I was looking for a couple logistical elements and then simply a good vibe.  After touring half a dozen or so I finally found the winner.  All Saints. It came with a glowing recommendation from our neighbor.

I was originally looking for a spot for fall, but they had a spring semester spot and we took it.   I've learned Ryan does well when 'prepped' so I did just that.  For a week or so prior to the first day I repeatedly discussed the in's and out's of preschool, mainly how parents drop off and pick up the children.  You have to realize Ryan has never been dropped off anywhere.  Ever.  So, I was concerned.  Well, I must have made my point because the day before the first day I said, "what will happen when mommy takes you to preschool?"  R: in the most bored voice ever, "you will drop me off, you will go home, I will play with the children, then you will pick me up."  That's right grasshopper.

That morning he was so excited.  So excited he actually said, "I'm so excited".  But then again he was also excited to wear his 'button shirt'...


He couldn't have done better!  He walked right in.  The teacher took his hand and in he went.  I actually had to ask him for a kiss goodbye.  He didn't look back.  The teachers said it was as if he'd been in preschool his whole life, that he just went with the flow.  That's my boy.  When I picked him up he said, "you picked me up".  That's right, just as planned!

Day 2, just as successful!  What can I say?  The kids a rockstar.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Potty Time

Written December 2012

We initiated "potty training" on 12.13.12.  Ryan was a month shy of 2 and 1/2. I was prepared for the worst. Constant accidents, messy clothes, etc. Well, I'm happy to report I was worried for nothing. I shouldn't be surprised. Ryan's yet to give us much trouble with anything.

As for the the potty, we explained what was going to happen (we'd been prepping him for a month), we had him go naked from the waste down for 3 days (easy to see when he needed to go and easy to get on the potty), and we kept a potty near his play area. In 3 days he had only one partial accident (started peeing but then stopped, held it, and finished on the potty). He pooped in the potty on day 3. On the 5th day we ventured out to a playdate. Success.

While we do frequently remind him, he mostly tells us when he needs to go. It's been a week and complete success! Every time he 'goes' potty he gets to take a picture with my camera (his choice for a reward). Mostly he takes pictures of his success (yes, it's gross but he's a boy and it's working).

I love that we said no more diapers and never turned back (except for sleeping). He looks like such a big boy in his undies. Each day he gets to choose which pair of underwear he wants to wear. He always goes for his boxer briefs over his non-boxer briefs. I don't know if he likes the colors or style better but his tooshie is darn cute in them.

Updated February 1st, 2013

Ryan has continued to amaze me.  He had one accident at home and one at preschool (but I blame the adults, myself included, for this one).  That's it!  He mostly goes #2 in the potty (the boy loves us to do the poopy dance and he loves himself a 'poopy treat', aka a Hershey Kiss).  He does wear diapers during nap and at bedtime.  The only issue I have with this is he sometime uses these times to go #2.

- Super adorable boxer briefs with a ball cap, cell phone, and tennis shoes.  That's my boy! -

Overall, I couldn't have asked for a better transition.  Let's hope the littles are as easy!