A Sitter and a Belly Surfer ~ December 1, 2009

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We definitely did, although it was busy, and the drive doesn't get easier... The boys are pretty good in the car, but after 12 hours, I can't blame them for getting a bit cranky and wanting out of the carseats!

The boys will be seven months old on Saturday, and growing so fast! Matthew is sitting unassissted pretty well now, although he still tends to topple over just when you aren't watching.

Ryan sits ok... he falls more than his brother, but that's probably because he doesn't get as much practice. Ryan is so comfortable on his stomach that usually I let him play on his stomach while I watch Matthew sit... it's a bit hard to watch them both sit up at the same time, unless of course daddy is home. I call Ryan my "belly surfer" because he spins all the way around on his belly and is starting to push himself backwards. It won't be long (I am thinking by Christmas the latest) he will figure out how to move forward.

Note the onesies in the pictures above... our friend Kirk and his sister bought them for the boys. I had them in the onesies for Halloween day, but had to get them in them again before they outgrew them. They are so cute!

Matthew is definitely getting a tooth. I thought I saw some white on the trip home on Saturday and today it is definitely there... it looks like he will have his first tooth in a few days... his bottom right. Amazingly he hasn't complained too much, except for today and yesterday, and he only cries when he bites on something hard. I could have swore Ryan would have cut the first tooth... he has been so cranky and mouthing everything in sight for months.

Here are some links to videos I uploaded of the boys to YouTube. I can't upload them directly to the blog anymore (or just haven't figured out how yet).

This video is of Matthew and Grandpa Peterson. He kept pulling Grandpa's hand back to his mouth to talk some more.

The next video is of my belly surfer in action. Matthew is making noise in the background. :)

Hope you enjoy them!

Tweet

Wonderful Morning ~ November 10, 2009

Today we are celebrating the first day after the boys have slept through the night. It has only taken six months to happen, but hip hip hooray for them (and mommy)! I hope this is just the start and not just because the boys had a very busy day yesterday.

They had their six month check-up yesterday, and both boys are still 50% for weight, 75% for height and 90% for head size (big brains, right?). They got 4 (!) shots, not including the H1N1, which the office did not receive enough supply of. Then afterwards we went and got our family picture taken for Christmas. They turned out great! And then to top off the day, the boys got to start solid foods last night. They enjoyed some squash mixed in with their cereal. Maybe all that together helped them sleep better... but I am not complaining!

Here is a picture we took this past weekend of the boys and I at Powder Valley Nature Center in St. Louis. I was hoping for more fall color, but I guess with all the rain we got recently, all the leaves were off the trees already and all the color we had was brown and green. We will have to try again next year!

Tweet

Happy Halloween ~ November 1, 2009

I hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. Here is a picture of the boys in their costume, made by Grandma Smith. We didn't do much Trick-or-Treating, just went out and saw the neighbors.

In memory of Great- Grandpa Peterson and Great- Grandpa Smith. We will always remember you in our hearts.

Tweet

Meeting Ducky ~ October 14, 2009

In order to help Matthew enjoy tummy time a little more, and build up his strength, I found this ducky water pool at the store. The baby lays on the ducky toy and it's belly is filled with water, with little foam fishes that "swim" when the water moves around. So far both boys like it, Matthew tolerates tummy time now, but is no where near as strong as Ryan. But he sure likes to talk! He doesn't say much yet... mostly "ah-oooos" but it sure is cute!

Both boys also slept unusually well the other night. I did not hear them fuss until 6AM! But then last night they were back to their normal routine... up at least 3 times each, but at least it gives me hope that someday *hopefully soon* they will sleep 8 hours. Ever since we cut their feeding at 3, they have been eating cereal so much better (and drinking a lot more milk!). I think soon we will graduate on to cereal twice a day, if they keep eating so well.

I am also attaching a video of Ryan rolling from his back to his stomach. Watch out world, he will be on the move soon!

Tweet

Five Months ~ October 7, 2009

I am sorry I haven't posted in a while. We stopped feeding the boys at 3AM recently, and I have been up with them when they wake at night. I have needed the noon nap time for a nap of my own! Things are going much better now, it has been almost two weeks since we cut the feeding, and Ryan has slept through the night twice now. Matthew on the other hand still gets up a few times, but the past few nights he has only woken up 4-5 times (rather than every 10-30 minutes...).



We had our first Parents As Teachers meeting yesterday. I am not sure if they do this in every state, but here in Missouri they sponsor a free program to check and make sure your preschool aged children are on course for their age. Both boys are doing well, we just need to work on sleeping longer... :)



Ryan successfully rolled from his back to his stomach yesterday. He has been almost there for over a month now, yesterday was the first day I saw him go completely over. We will have a mover here in no time. Time to baby proof the house!



Both boys are getting better at sitting unsupported, but it will still be a little while before they master that.



Matthew has mastered squealing... and that is pretty much all he does now when he is happy. He definitely likes the attention it gets.



Here are some recent pictures. Hope to have more soon!

Ryan reading his book

Matthew chatting on the phone

Wearing Grandpa's hat while apple picking

A rare occurrence, especially during pictures

Tweet

Hanging with Daddy ~ September 22, 2009

Thank you everyone for the well wishes on our anniversary yesterday. Jason and I celebrated seven years already. We have had a busy week here since the last time I posted. The boys and I went to the lavender farm on Friday with Grandma Smith. That was fun, but I was hoping for more plants in bloom. We'll have to go back again earlier next year. Then Jason's friend Kirk came down and we went to another Cardinal's game. We made it through seven innings this time, and the Cards won again! Then we went out to dinner with Kirk's family, and the boys were a bit more cranky. But after a LONG day at the baseball game, I couldn't blame them for being tired.

The boys are getting so strong now. They are almost able to sit up... they are growing so fast! Ryan is starting to talk more, instead of just squealing, and thankfully they both seem to like Oatmeal cereal a little better than Rice. We just have to work on an evening routine to try and give them a chance to eat cereal more often.

Here are some pictures from the past week. The boys were having fun hanging out with daddy.

Tweet

First Cardinals Game ~ September 15, 2009

Jason was able to get tickets to last night's Cardinals game versus the Marlins. They were spectacular tickets right behind home plate. We were planning on bringing the boys to their first game sometime before the end of the season, but were thinking about a day game. But since the opportunity was there, and we were not positive we would get a chance to go again, we decided to bring the boys to the game too. They were wonderful, until about the middle of the fifth inning. It was after 9 already (slow game) and I knew that they were not going to last much longer (let alone me, I am used to being in bed by 8 the latest!). Matthew had a screaming fit when we were leaving, but otherwise both boys did very well. Even the people around us commented on how well behaved they were, but(I really don't know how much they can misbehave at this age... Matthew jumped everytime the crowd cheered, but after a few seconds he would settle down again. Ryan was asleep through the entire fourth inning I think. :)

Cardinals ended up winning the game too, yea!

Tweet