Twice the Fun: The Miracle of Twins: 2013

Friday, December 6, 2013

3-4 Months

Carson and Cole turned 4 months on November 22nd.

They have had a busy month!! October 27th was baby dedication day at church. My mom and dad, Brad's mom and dad and Brad's grandparents made it out for this special day. The boys each received a Read to Me Bible and a certificate to remember the day. Pa and Nana Alsup gave the boys a sweet card and a few glass trinkets for their room to remember the day by.

The boys experienced their first Halloween on Thursday, October 31st. We dressed them up as "Thing 1 and Thing 2." Grandpa and Nana Herndon came over as well as Uncle Josh, Aunt Erin and cousin Laney. We all had fun taking pictures with these little cuties!!

Unfortunately, the boys have still been suffering from reflux issues:( On November 2nd, I took the boys back to the doctor. Omeprazole twice a day was added to their medications to give them. This has helped the boys a lot over the past month. At this appointment we learned that Carson weighed 15lb 2oz and Cole weighed 15lb even. Growing boys!!!

Monday, November 4th was my first day back to work since being off for bed rest and maternity leave. It was a hard drive to work that morning!! But I knew the boys were in good hands with Nana Alsup. They so enjoy their days they spend with her and I have to admit, I have come to enjoy my days at work. However, the best part of those days is coming home to my sweet boys!

Saturday, November 9th, we had the boys 3 month pictures taken at Ridgetop Station Park. It was a beautiful fall day for these pictures although it was a little windy!

Carson and Cole enjoyed spending the day with Aunt Cindy Hall on Saturday, November 16th. I was able to enjoy a day of shopping with mom, Erin and Laney at Christmas Village. They were such good boys for her and took long naps that day.

At this point, the boys are taking 6oz consistently every 3 1/2 to 4 hours during the day. They are slowly moving towards sleeping through the night, as they are now sleeping 4-5 hour stretches. This makes for a happy mommy and daddy:) At the boys 4 month appointment on November 22nd, they each got 3 more vaccines. Although they weren't pleasant, the boys did so well. Carson weighed 16lb 6oz and Cole weighed 16lb 6oz!! My boys are getting so big!! Lastly, the boys received their next Imagination Library book this month, called Baby Sounds. We have read it several times already and the boys enjoy it!

CARSON

Trying to roll over

Really studying objects

Loves to talk

COLE

Learning to blow bubbles

Mastered tummy time

"Smiley Cole Man"

Thursday, October 31, 2013

2-3 Months

The past month has been a fun one! The boys are becoming very expressive and love to smile at us:) It has been fun watching them smile and recognize us when we talk to them. They also enjoy smiling at ceiling fans and lights. They are incredibly entertained by them. We have practiced tummy time a lot in the last month and the boys are getting stronger and stronger at lifting their heads up. We have gone for several strolls on the greenway near our home since the weather has gotten cooler and more comfortable.

We left the boys in the nursery at church for the first time on Sunday, September 29th. They enjoyed snuggle time with the sweet elderly women. I think it was harder on mom and dad:)

We also started the boys in their cribs in their room for the first time. Saturday, October 12th, they took their first naps in their cribs. Carson took a 30 minute nap and Cole took a 15 minute nap. It was a good start! Sunday, October 13th we tried Carson and Cole in their cribs overnight. Needless to say, that night was spent up and down trying to get them to sleep for a while. After a few days and nights, the boys became quite comfortable in their cribs and seemed to enjoy the ambiance of their room.

Unfortunately, we noticed that the boys were still struggling with reflux during this time. We took them back to the doctor on October 7th. The doctor instructed us to continue the Zantac we give them twice a day and add a few teaspoons of rice cereal to each bottle they drink. At this time, the boys are drinking 5oz every 3-3 1/2 hours. So, we bought the variable flow nipples and moved up to the big bottles! At this doctor visit, Carson weighed 12lbs 10oz. and Cole weighed 12lbs 7oz.

Before the boys were born, a coworker of Brad's dad got the boys their own Loveys. Carson has a "Moo Cow" with his name on it and Cole has "Lovey Dog" with his name on it. They love to have these loveys with them to hold onto and snuggle with.

CARSON

*sleeps 3-4 hours at night

*loves to grip and hold objects

*loves his monkey wubbanub

*smiles a lot and loves to "talk" to us

COLE

*sleeps 4-5 hours at night

*trying to suck his thumb

*loves his lion wubbanub

*smiles and laughs at us

BROTHERS

Our second book from Imagination Library came this month!

We love our Wubbanubs!!

Friday, September 27, 2013

1-2 months

During the first and second months the boys have really become more alert and more focused on objects and people. First, we noticed that the boys were watching their mobiles on their swings. They would stare for long periods of time at the mobiles above their heads. Then, we noticed, towards the end of the first month, that they could focus more on our faces. They began to smile at us towards the end of the first month as well :) It has been fun to interact with them a little more!

Carson

Cole

Although there were smiles during this time, there were also fussy days

:( At this time we noticed that the boys were having a lot of issues of spitting up and gas. We were so concerned that we took Cole, who seemed to be struggling the most, to the pediatrician on August, 27th. He determined that the boys were suffering from reflux. So, the boys were prescribed Zantac liquid twice a day as well as a new formula. Since birth, they had been drinking Enfamil. The doctor had us switch to Enfamil GentleEase. There did not seem to be any change, so then he switched them to Similac Alimentum. This did not stay down at all for the boys!! So, we decided to try them on Similac Sensitive. Finally! A formula they could keep down and actually seem to enjoy eating! They have been on this formula ever since and are now eating 4-5oz. every 3 hours.

The boys also both experienced their first stuffy noses:( For about a week and a half we had to use the "big blue monster" aspirator to help them clear their noses. Needless to say, this was not a happy time!

Happy times were also a part of this stage in their lives. At the end of August, they got to meet their great-granny (Herndon). Carson and Cole also visited with great- Grandpa and Grandma Alsup. The boys had many visitors from grandparents, aunts/uncles, to friends, to new acquaintances. A few of the moms in my MOMs group were kind enough to bring meals or help out with a feeding or two.

Spending time with Grandpa

Carson is dressed up and ready to meet great-granny Herndon.

Cole is a sharp dressed man.

Cole studying Grandpa's face:)

During this stage, the boys started holding their head up longer and started doing "tummy time" more. Wake time was also introduced since they were becoming more and more observant. Wake time consisted of reading a book, singing or talking to them, tummy time or swinging in their swings. By the end of the two months, the boys were sleeping 4-4 1/2 hours at night. It took a while to get to this point, though! We enjoyed snuggle time with the boys as well. Lastly, Carson moved up to size 1 diapers at 6 weeks. Cole followed soon after, at 7 weeks. They are getting to be such big boys!!

Tummy Time!

Hello!

Peek-a-boo!

I finally figured out the best and easiest way to feed Carson & Cole at the same time when I am by myself. I set them each in their own high chairs and sit between them in another chair. This does not hurt my back!! And they are elevated up enough that the amount of spit up is greatly reduced! So I am happy and they are happy:) They enjoy sitting in their high chairs in the kitchen next to me while I wash dishes or cook as well. They have even fallen asleep in their high chairs! Sweet boys!!