Nic has discovered his feet

Nic is very happy - he has discovered his feet! He has been on antibiotics for a week - and has a nasty diaper rash - so we have been spending a lot of time with him on the changing table! And he discoevered this his feet are attached to him! Yeah! Now we are going to start working on "Thump, Thump!"

Nic loves to stand

Oh man! Nic loves to stand! Not sit, stand! His legs are quite strong and he can stand on his own from a weight bearing perspective. No balance whatsoever though! He gets mad when he is laid down to play in his Baby Einstein or to do anything else on his back for that matter. He has not sorted out how to roll over yet and he is not a huge fan of his tummy!

So... being practical parents, when we saw a Baby Einstein bouncer at Sam's Club, we thought about it for a day, and then bought it. He likes it! He doesn't bounce all that much at this point but he is upright, he plays with the toys a bit, and he can talk to us! And Jac!

Jac said hi to me

I came home from running some errands this evening (I don't leave without the kids all that often) and Jac said "Hi" to me when I came in! Awesome!

Jac talking to Ama and Akon on the videophone

Ama and Akon sent us a VOIP videphone so that they can talk to Jac and see him at the same time. We set it up tonight and Jac was able to talk to them.

Jac is so clearly "talking" that it is really interesting to watch. He also understands - sort of - how a telephone works. Tonight, he also showed us that he sort of understands what to do with the electric toothbrush and Daddy's shaver. He put the toothbrush in his mouth and the shaver to his face! So cute!

Cute little sick stuff

I like to call the kids all different sort of nicknames, some of them last a while, and some for a day.

I have been calling Jac, "cute stuff", for a long time. That "something stuff" format is used for many different things.

Examples:
Cute stuff
Silly stuff
Biggie stuff (Nic's current most common nickname)
Funny stuff
Talking stuff (Jac gets this moniker pretty frequently)
Chubby stuff (Another Nic favorite)

This picture is Nic in what I call, "Cute little sick stuff" mode.

So sick!

We are all sick - and we have been for over a week. The kids have been to the doctor twice! Nic has now been diagnosed with an ear infection (and most likely his right ear drum has ruptured (and already healed over)), and Jac with a sinus infection. I just hope that this is not going to set Nic up for more ear infection problems in the future since he is still so young (that is the bummer of being born at the beginning of the winter cold season).

Tonight, Joseph and I, after being so sick all week, and trying to care for the kids and ourselves, decided that we probably had sinus infections also, and went to urgent care. We were told that we do not have sinus infections, just a nasty cold virus. Argh! Good doctor! No antibiotics! Joseph commented how when you pay that much money to see a doctor you really want him to give you some meds! Ah well! Joseph got cough medicine with codeine and is sleeping away - so that is worth something!

Augh, two sick parents and two sick kids. Joseph has not been to work since last Wednesday. Thursday he stayed home for me and rest of it has been him also!

My mom pointed out that it could be worse, we could all have diarrhea and vomiting. I will grant her that! Although Jac has been vomiting and is now down to 14 pounds and 11 ounces (from a high of 15 pounds 3 ounces) because he is throwing up a lot (strong gag) from the post nasal drip. Every ounce is such a struggle that this is a little disheartening. Hopefully he will be feeling better soon and we can get the weight back on him.

Augh! I can't wait to feel better, and to have the poor little kiddies and Daddy feel better. Other than the throwing up, Jac seems to be faring the best of all of us. Poor little was screaming last night - fortunately he is resting right now and I am about to go join him.

Goodnight.

Jac saying bottle

Jac is starting to try to say more and more. He "talks" all of the time, but in Jac talk. It is quite clear that he is explaining all sorts of things, if only we spoke "Jac". It is the cutest thing in the world to listen to and I could spend hours, and hours listening to him "explain" things!

He is really starting to try to make real word sounds though. In this video he is saying his version of bottle!

Jac stacking blocks (and Nic playing with blocks)

Jac has figured out how to stack blocks! I have seen him do one block on top of another before but never 3! Wow! Milestone! Nice work Jacie!

It is also so cute to see how Jac will give Nic blocks!

Jac and Nic "playing" together

It is great fun to watch the boys start to interact a little more. Nic is able to spend quite a few minutes (5 or so) in the Bumbo at a time. Jac likes to come over and see what he is doing and interact with him. In this picture and video they are playing with one of Jac's favorite toys (and the one that I credit with teaching Jac cause and effect).

18 month and 4 month checkups

The boys had their 18 month (closer to 19 for Jac) and 4 month checkups last week. Nic is now 16 pounds and 1 ounce and Jac is 15 pounds. Jac is 28 inches tall now and Nic is 25 inches tall. My boys are getting bigger!

Nic is 75th percentile for weight! Big boy!

Dr. B was happy with their progress and their health. It turns out though, that we were all in the progress of getting sick when we went to the doctor and we had to go back yesterday. We all have a little cold, and Nic in particular is coughing a lot. Jac has been throwing up from post-nasal drip and we are all feeling under the weather.

It snowed here tonight. It is really pretty on the trees. It should melt tomorrow though. This has been a pretty mild winter so far - knock on wood!

Happy 19 month birthday

Jac is 19 months old today! Amazing! He is closer to being two than he is one! He seems to be really getting the hang of walking a little bit more now and he is using more signs. He now knows the sign for food, and he will do it! He is also using the sign for more quite frequently, although sometimes I am not sure what he wants more of! Our little boy is growing up!

Nic "sliding" at Kangaroo Kingdom

We have been going to Kangaroo Kingdom again (we took a break after Nic was born). It is a lot of fun to take both of the boys, if a bit challenging. The other day I set Nic down on and helped him "slide" down a slanted piece of foam. He seemed to enjoy it!

More steps

Jac is now up to about 8 steps in one walk! Wow! He has been practicing walking with Daddy in the evenings and he is getting better and better. He is starting to be able to stop in the middle of walking and balance - and then start again. He is also starting to try to turn while he is standing!



Update: 9 pm - Jac is walking even more confidently this evening - and making turns while he is standing! Amazing. We counted 11 steps but I am pretty sure he did more than that.

Big day for Nic

Yesterday, on the way to Kangaroo Kingdom, Nic didn't fuss in the car seat. He was awake most of the time, and he didn't cry! He and Jac were in the back together without anyone else and Nic didn't scream! Hallelujah!

Later in the day he cried in the car seat and spent a good amount of time screaming but one car ride without crying! I was in heaven!

In the afternoon, after we went to Kangaroo Kingdom for a second time, he slept in the car seat on the way there, the whole time we were there (an hour), on the way back, and for an hour after we got home! Amazing! Yeah! He slept for 4 hours or so!

Well, this all means that he didn't go to sleep without a lot of muling and puking (as my mother would call it) until 1:30 am! You can't have your sleep and sleep to!

What Mommy calls Jacie

I call Jac Lovey Dovey all the time!

Mommy break - Nic drank from a bottle

Joseph says I am not defined by my breasts. Now does that sound funny or what. You have to take it in context though! Last night I left the house for about an hour for a much needed Mommy break. When I came home I found Joseph holding Nic with a bottle in his hand. Joseph had made sure I left a can of soy formula before I left, in case Nic got hungry. Nic nurses pretty frequently, so not surprisingly, he got hungry. Joseph gave him the bottle and he drank an ounce and a half before I came home.

And it made me sad. Somehow I like being the sole source of his food, at least until he can start eating other things in a few months. Silly! I think it has something to do with not being able to nurse Jac, and having to pump. I am not sure.

The only problem with this, is that in the middle of the night last night he threw up! A lot! Not a spit up (which he does a tiny but of several times most days) but an actual retching throw up. On the couch! Not good. Hmmm ... I am not absolutely sure it was caused by the formula - I guess we won't know until we try it again. I am just not willing to pump - I would rather just nurse him - so formula is really the only option if I take a break. I just can't bring myself to pump again after eight months of pumping for Jac.

Jac practicing "more"

We have been practicing "more" with Jac, the sign and the word. He hasn't said more too many times but he has been doing the sign. Last night Daddy was practicing it with him. Jac was in the crib with a bunch of blocks and Daddy would request the blocks using the "more" sign and Jac would give him the blocks. It was very heartwarming to watch Jac play this game so nicely. He understood what Daddy was asking for and handed all of the blocks over.

Happy 4 month birthday Nic

Our littlest one is four months old! Man, how time flies. He is already doing so many things! He likes to stand (with help of course, but he can support his own weight). He cries in the car - a lot. The only thing that keeps him from crying is a "Wheels on the Bus" YouTube video played on Mommy's iPhone or Daddy's iPhone wannabe!

He coos, and laughs, and smiles and screeches a lot! He likes to hang out in his Baby Einstein - if someone will kneel over him and talk to him while he does it. He will hang out and watch the mobile in the crib for 10 minutes or so if he is in a good mood - and you can even leave the room for part of it!

He loves to have his diaper changed! It feels like his happiest moments are on the changing table. He smiles and coos - and the more naked he is the better!

He likes his babysitter Christina the best! She has a real feel for little ones like him. Today we went to music class and Christina held him during class (and helped him stand for most of it). He really liked it and was making little laughing and screeching sounds for most of it! And I didn't even have to pay or him because he is so young!

I think he is about 16 pounds and change now - we shall see on Friday when he has his 4 month physical and Jac has his 18 month one - with Dr. B.

He doesn't sleep well during the day - and gets over tired. He is sleeping better at night - some nights better than others. Most nights we get one good 4 hour stretch in.

He loves to nurse, but he is starting to go longer between feedings - now maybe 2 hours during the day.

He is growing like a champ and has legs like tree trunks. I have definitely seen fatter babies but he is just solid.

He can hold his head up - really well. You still have to support his trunk when you are carrying him but for the most part you don't have to worry about his head.

He can sort of sit - sort of. He lists forward and to the sides if you let go. I think he has the strength but not the balance.

He can hold his head up when he is on his tummy for several minutes. When we did it tonight he held his head up for 2 minutes! Wow! He even makes motions like he is trying to soldier crawl when he is on his tummy.

He drools - a lot - and puts his fists in his mouth. Today I think he was staring at my bagel! I don't think it is going to be too long before he is grabbing for our food.