the.betterleys.com

Mini Update

July 17th, 2007

Can hardly get my head around it.  We have two almost 6 week old children.  It’s crazy.

The last few weeks have been good, but busy.

We took the kids and us for some professional photos on the Fourth of July. They turned out awesome, so watch for those in your mailbox soon. It was a long day and the kids first trip to the mall.

They are starting to become so interactive. It’s really wonderful. The hardest part though so far as been, at least for me and for sure on the weekends for James is this adjusting to this period. Because they aren’t sleeping during the day so much anymore and are awake that means we aren’t able to nap during the day either. So this part is taking a bigger toll on us than the feedings every 2 hours thru the night. Granted they feed every 2 hours during the day now though..which takes a toll on this nursing mom. It all is really wonderful though-we are truely blessed and happy.

The kids are sleeping 4-6 hours thru the night now going to bed around 10:30pm most nights and sleeping till around 2:30-4:30 before waking. Then they are up again in another 2-4 hours (4:30-6:30), that sleep isn’t as consistant yet. Now they are taking little hour long naps after they eat during the day. Like today Evelyn took an hour long nap while her brother and I chatted Then he is now napping and she’s been gazing at me while I’m’ typing this for the last hour and a half, she’s dozing off now though.

Roxanne, their 2nd visitor came the day before the 4th to meet the kids, and then the kids had their 3rd and 4th visitors over this past weekend. Friends Silvia & Pete came around on Friday night and then their Great Uncle Randy came over on Saturday.

Monday I took the kids into my work (or atleast my work thru Thursday-I’m becoming a Stay at Home Mom as of then due to daycare costs). I think two of my friends thru work will be coming by next Tuesday night to see the kids on a less crowded level.

I’m thinking I am going to go on my first solo extended period of time away from the kids on Thursday. There is a Mothers of Multiples meeting/get together. We’re meeting at a resturant - downside is that it’s a 25 minute drive one way, so James will be alone for at least 2 hours with the kids. He’s only been alone for at most an hour so far. He’ll do wonderfully, it’s just that he’ll need to bottle feed them both, likely, twice. Normally James is the only one bottle fed, and that’s after nursing so it’ll be likely that he’ll need to be fed much more and he spits up the formula more than what he gets from nursing.

Thought I’d post some milestones/observations over the last 2 1/2 weeks since we last posted about the kids.

James & Evelyn:

• both do this pursed lip thing with serious looks/stares-will have to try to get a photo of this, I was sure we had one in the gallery but I guess not
• they’ve learnt how to cough
• have had first smiles-caught Evelyn on camera but have yet to catch James
• started to copy the sounds of their siblings-Evelyn now cries how her brother has all along, and James now cries like Evelyn has all along-mostly they cry with their original cries though
• follow objects and Daddy & Mommy when moved back & forth in front of them
• turns to look at Mommy and Daddy when they are held by someone else, or hear their voice
• sleep 4-6 hours thru the night, I think we even had a 6 1/2 hour one time
• look side to side when holding up their heads

James alone:

• LOVES the starfish on his bouncer-he gazes at that things and gets very excited to see it spinning
• has upgraded pacifier size-he’d been using a tiny one from the hospital forever because of his size, his mouth also was smaller
• has ‘rolled over’ several times when placed on his tummy on the couch
• makes uhuhuhuhuh sounds, I tried to capture this on video to share, but haven’t quite gotten it yet - it’s his ‘rev’ up to crying
• powerful kicks - so much that he moves himself up your chest if he’s laying on it or along the playmat if he’s there
• hold head unsupported for around a minute
• enjoys tummy time if someone interacts with him aswell

Evelyn alone:

• barely uses a pacifier anymore
• grunts/clears her throat while sleeping-need to get this on video as well, it’s quite cute
• LOVES to be on her stomach, prefers to be on someones chest but the couch or playmat works also
• really studies the person holding her -she is content to gaze at someone for hours making faces
• Hehe, I have something written down for her but it looks like ‘haha/bajngo and’ - so much for writing it down during the 3am nursing
• hold head unsupported for upto 2 minutes
• enjoys tummy time alone for short period of time, prefers someone interacting with her

I’ve started using two signs with the kids-I’m getting emailed a development stages weekly and it has given us Mommy so far, so I looked up Daddy to be able to start using that as well when talking about James or handing them to him as well. I think the kids think I’m crazy and I don’t expect them to use them for another 5 months but it’ll get us/me used to signing them and maybe they’ll actually use them sooner even.

I will try to update again Friday or next week-after James has his hip ultrasound on Friday (since he was breech they need to check for Developmental Hip Dysplasia) and I have my 6 week post-partum appointment.

Kamie

 

Edited to add:
*A tip for viewers of the gallery-some of the photos allow you to click on them, they then open in a new window with a clearer image. Clicking on the photo in that opened window will bring you back to the gallery. The image is full size as uploaded then, instead of being compacted slightly.

Entry Filed under: Baby