Celebrating One Year Home!

We simply cannot believe it. Tomorrow, March 26th, we will be celebrating the one year anniversary of bringing Jared and Anthony home! It seems like only yesterday I was so scared of them being in the back seat alone all the way home (so of course, I crawled back there to sit with them) or that we were introducing them both to their big brother Schnitzel as we brought them into the "pack." He loved them from the start, just like Jason and I.

Of course this year hasn't been without its ups and downs but each and every day we are thankful to have them home.

In the last few weeks, the boys have changed so much. On April 5th, they will be 15 months...crazy! They still love the bathtub and love dancing as we get the bath water and toys ready. They aren't walking yet (fine with Momma) but are well on their way. They cruise along the furniture as fast as ever and have begun to stand alone for very short periods of time. The newest thing they love is to be chased. They can really crawl so fast when they want to.

Anthony has begun to say a few words here and there. Recently "Apple, Ball and Bye" have been added to his already extensive vocabulary of "Dada, Mama and Dog." It is so cute how he really tries to mimic what we say and even do.

Jared hasn't taken much of an interest in talking but of course says Dada repeatedly when Jason gets home from work at night.

They respond to our cues very well and Jason and I were just talking last night about how well they listen and respond to us. They are so fascinated with Schnitzel's water bowl and each time they crawl by it we have to warn them with "No-No" several times before they pass it up completely. Not to say there haven't been times the entire bowl has found is way on the floor or a baby's lap :)

Schnitzel is in hog heaven these days with all of the food they drop for him at mealtimes. He is slowly growing tired of Cheerios but eats almost anything else that falls from the heavens. He is super great when he plays with them and he and Anthony regularly enjoy a game of tug-of-war with some of Schnitzel's toys. Jared and Anthony also are very well mannered with him. They like to pet him and play with his ears. Schnitzel's only complaint is when they climb on him or happen to kick him on accident.

In the last week, we celebrated the anniversaries of both Jared and Anthony's laser eye surgery. Those days were so hard for us last year and it was unbelievable to look back on those times at how fragile they were and see how far they have come. We had a routine follow up with the pediatric opthamologist last month and all seems to be going well. Jared was showing some signs of nearsightedness but nothing that needs correction at the time. She will continue to re-check each year to monitor their vision and any changes.

The boys have had a cold this past week, runny noses and yucky coughs. It has been a week full of Benadryl and bedtime and not much sleep in our house :( This cold comes just a few short weeks after Jared, Anthony and Jason had the stomach flu. It all started on a Wed night with Jared throwing up his bottle at bedtime. Then after a few days of him being fussy and not eating much, I was woken up on Sat morning by the sound of Anthony throwing up in his crib. All followed by the fullest dirty diapers ever. There were even a few that caused me to pause and think "What do I do here..." Needless to say Anthony had a few impromptu baths in his diaper. Then Sunday night, Jason started with the upset stomach and was even laid up for a day or two. These poor babies just can't catch a break. I guess it's just the fact that because there is two of them, they pick up twice the germs and share them between each other.

These days, germs seem to be the only thing they share. Keeping the peace is a constant task around here. They are continually swiping toys from one another and this is not without tears, of course. We have to continually explain "taking turns" and "being gentle" to them, concepts a little out of their grasp, but better to start early since they have to learn to share earlier than babies without siblings.

Other than the illnesses, we haven't had too much going on here. Just the normal, crazy, day to day life with twins. On days when the weather has been nice we have gone for walks to the park. Jared and Anthony really like riding in the wagon and also like the swings. It is so funny, because every time we go to the park they are both unsure about crawling on the grass. They both warm up to it and begin crawling around and chasing the dog, but at the beginning they just kind of sit there and touch the grass. Anthony especially seems to be a little unsure of new textures but Jared just dives right in. Go figure!

The boys enjoy climbing on things and I recently turned a box into a tunnel which they really enjoy crawling through. I think the Easter Bunny will be bringing them a play tunnel for Easter this year!

This week has been the first week of a new schedule for us. I have switched them to one nap per day. So instead of a nap at 10AM and another at 3PM, they have been going down at Noon for about 2-3 hours. Each day their nap has gone longer and longer, which has been great for me to get things done around the house. I have begun feeding them lunch a little earlier and then giving them a small snack when they wake up to hold them over until dinner. They still get a small bottle of milk at bedtime. I was considering cutting this out recently, but the bottle is the easiest way to make sure they get their multi-vitamin each day. Their transition from bottle to cup for meal time was not difficult and when they had the stomach flu they went to bed every night without a bottle so I don't see it being to difficult to get rid of the bedtime bottle when we're ready to.

Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers,

Fight On! Little Fighters!!
Love, Momma

Thirteen Months and counting...

Anthony enjoying his birthday party

Jared enjoying his birthday cake

The four of us!

Anthony and Jared having fun in the bath

Well, time flies when you're having fun...or when you have twins that just turned one!!

The boys had their one year check up with their pediatrician and are continuing to do well. They both weighed in at 20 lbs. (Jared just a few ounces shy) and are continuing to grow by the minute, it seems.

They are one the move. Although they are not walking yet (Thank goodness!) they certainly are speed crawling ;) They love to pull themselves up and cruise along the table or couch and we have found out that Jared likes to climb (lucky us!).

Great news update: We finally met with a plastic surgeon regarding Anthony's metopic ridge in his forehead and he recommended we do not operate at this time. He said that his ridge and positional molding issues are very minor and if it were his child, he would not run the risk of the operation as it is a very invasive procedure. Jason and I were relieved, mostly because we did not want to have to make the decision to have the surgery or not. There are so many pros and cons to both sides and we weren't exactly ready to decide. The plastic surgeon recommended a follow up each year with him just to see how his growth progresses. He said it is possible that everything may just work itself out as his brain and head continue to grow but at the same time, it may stay the same even though his brain and head will continue to grow. Only time will tell. Just as the neurosurgeon indicated with the CAT Scan, there is still room in his scull for his brain to grow so it is not a medical issue at this time.

On a fun front, we are continuing to attend Kindermusik classes each week and the boys are still enjoying it. I have also started a 5 week sign language class with them. The class is more for me and proves to be an hour long play time for them, but it really benefits them in the long run. Sign language is supposed to help babies communicate long before they can talk. Although it seems clear that they understand what I'm telling/signing to them, they are not really picking up on signing back. Miss Annette (our teacher) said that it is normal and some kids don't pick up on the signing until long after the class is over. This is slightly frustrating for me, since many of the babies (some younger) in the class are repeating many of the signs to their parents. Just the life of parents of preemies I guess. You try not to compare them to other babies, or even compare them to each other, but in the end sometimes its hard to do.

Jason and I celebrated our first Valentine's Day with the boys home yesterday. It was, lets just say, not our most relaxing Valentine's Day together. Both Jared and Anthony were having a rough night and ended up going to bed a little earlier than normal due to a shortened afternoon nap. Jason and I finally sat down to dinner at about 9PM. Its days like that, although hectic and stressful when you are in the moment, that make you look back and realize how blessed we are to have our babies home with us every day.

I recently started bathing them together in the regular bathtub. They love it and have so much fun splashing and playing with their toys together. It is a lot easier (and faster) for Momma too!

Pretty soon here, I am going to change up their nap schedule. They are still napping twice a day, but soon we will switch over to one long nap in the mid-day. We will see how it goes. Last time I changed their naps it took me almost two months (and some help - Thanks to Nicolle and Darcy) to get Anthony switched over.

They are clearly going through a "Momma Phase" now. It is getting to where I can hardly leave the room these days. When I'm not home they are little "Angels" for whomever is watching them, but if I am home but not in the same room as them, they go crazy! If they can see me but not exactly touch me, all hell breaks loose! I know it is sweet that they want me, but it is getting a little upsetting because I can hardly get anything done anymore (whether Jason is home or not). A few of the Moms in our Kindermusik class reassured me that this is just a phase, but couldn't tell me how long it will last...keep your fingers crossed that it ends soon (for my sake).

They both have four teeth now. Two on top and two on the bottom for each. Jared's second top tooth just broke through yesterday, while Anthony's second bottom tooth it making its way in now. They have their fussy moments, but with Orajel, Tylenol and teething rings, we're making it day by day.

Jason and I still greatly appreciate all of your continued love and support and I keep you all in my prayers each night as well.

Fight on! Little Fighters!!

Love Momma

Happy Birthday Jared & Anthony!

First of all, Happy New Year to you all. Danielle and I must say that 2011 so far has turned out to be much better to start than last year. As you all have figured out by now, today is the boys' 1st Birthday.

We are truly blessed to have two amazing little miracles. It seems like every day that I return home from work the boys have grown an inch, gained a pound, or started doing something new. At this stage they are crawling, babbling, pulling themselves up to stand, sprouting teeth (not fun), and doing everything a baby of one year should be doing.

Given where we started on January 5, 2010 it almost seems unreal. We could have never anticipated when we left the house that morning what was to come. We could have never guessed our babies would be born that day. It was certainly a fear as we made our journey to the hospital, but not one that seemed realistic to us.

I don't think we can ever explain enough how traumatic that day was. I don't know that we can ever explain the anguish or pain of that day, which is why this day has been somewhat bittersweet for us.

Danielle and I talked about how today would be for us. We wondered how we would treat this day and how we would feel. Sadly, the day our children were born is a day that doesn't bring back thoughts of joy or happiness. We didn't know if today we'd wake up sad, anxious, or happy. In the end, I think it was a little of everything. I know that the second I woke up today I went back to January 5, 2010. I found myself reliving many of the moments. I won't bore you with the details, but let's just say the events recorded here in this blog are as vivid to me today as the day I wrote them. I can remember the day as if it were yesterday (it still feels like yesterday sometimes). For much of the day it was difficult to remember that the boys are home, the boys are okay, and the boys are thriving.

I know what you are thinking: "Look at the positive! Look at how well they are doing!" Trust me, these thoughts are there, and honestly, they have outweighed any negative feelings we have. Yet, the gravity of our experience surrounding their birth still weighs on us, especially on this day. Keep in mind that just because the boys are home and doing well, doesn't mean the emotional pain and trauma from their birth and stay in the NICU have gone away or will go away for us. That is why I have taken a moment to share with you a little bit of what Danielle and I are feeling today.

With these thoughts in mind we planned our day today. I couldn't take the whole day off of work as my boss needed coverage of some cases. I did however, take the afternoon off and came home at 12. Danielle and I decided that we wanted the day for just the four of us. Given that we weren't sure how we were going to be feeling, we didn't want a big production on their actual birthday (the big production, and trust me I'll have the bills to prove it, is this Sunday). So, we went to lunch with the boys at the Shoppes at Chino Hills and then walked around a bit.

We stopped into a cupcake shop there and bought the boys each a birthday cupcake (more on that later). As is the norm for us now, several strangers commented on the twins and asked how old they were. It was a lot of fun telling people that they are the Big 1 today! The boys behaved well, and even cooperated and took their normal 3 o'clock nap.

Earlier tonight we gave the boys their cupcakes. We sat them together in their high-chairs and placed each cupcake in front of them. Because I guess we aren't as smart as we thought, we placed one candle in each and lit it. We then started singing Happy Birthday, at which point Jared lunged forward (he's shaping up to be the crazy one, by the way) and almost burnt himself on the candle. We both stopped our song midstream, lunged forward ourselves and saved our two children from our stupidity. For those of you thinking, "I'd like to see that!" don't worry. It's on tape, at least for a second, before the camera starts shooting the floor and you hear me cussing.

After the near fiasco, the boys tore into those cupcakes. They both grabbed the frosting covered things and went to town. Anthony grabbed a handful of frosting and sort of mashed it all over his face. Jared, clearly taking after his Momma's sweet tooth tried to shove the whole thing in his mouth. I have to say I'm shocked because that kid almost ate the whole cupcake. Anthony did a number on his as well. Schnitzel enjoyed the scene too as shards of cupcake made their way to the floor and then quickly into his mouth. For Momma and Daddy it was a blast. Seeing those little monkeys covered in cupcake was a hoot. It was yet another reminder of how far they've come in this past year.

The rest of the night saw relatives from both sides of the family calling the boys. Of course everyone wanted to sing Happy Birthday, which the boys adored. We put Grandma and Grandpa, Aunties and Uncles, Cousins, and even Great-Great Grandma and Grandpa on speakerphone for the boys. They both sat and stared at the phone, smiled, and lunged for it. Anthony even clapped along a couple of times.

Danielle and I can't thank you all enough for the phone calls today, and for all of your support over the last year. Without it, we'd have surely cracked a long time ago. We are blessed to have you all in our lives. All four of us love you all very much.

So, the boys are in bed now and have been since about 8 o'clock (bedtime). Danielle and I have the rest of the night to ourselves, unless another rabid tooth decides to rear its ugly head.

We get the rest of the night to think about the wonderful family we've created. We get to think about those amazing little miracles in the next room. We get to think about all of the joy that on January 5, 2010 was so uncertain. Some things are still uncertain. But, we are hopeful, we are grateful, we are blessed, and we know one thing is certain: our love for Jared and Anthony.

Happy Birthday Men!

Fight On, Little Fighters!-- Love, Daddy

Time flies when you have twins!

Both "eating" thier drums

First visit with Santa

Jared giving a new meaing to being "in" the saucer

Anthony on the one day he decided to smile at the camera

I tell my self multiple times each week "You really need to update the blog!" I feel that I am letting down those of you who still follow the blog regularly. I am not really one to set resolutions for the New Year, but I will definitely do my best to update more frequently. I am sure you can only begin to imagine how hectic my life is everyday :)

One of my books about raising multiples has a Congratulations chapter near the older infancy/first birthday section. The author (pediatrician and mom of twins) congratulates me for making it through the first year with twins. She writes about how as a Mom of twins I have probably never felt more house-bound than you have this past year and how the year really does fly by because of how amazingly busy you are. This is so true. I do my best to take in each experience I get with Jared and Anthony because it moves so quickly.

The boys are doing very well. They just got over a cold which means Anthony needed to have his ear infection re-checked so he began another antibiotic last Thursday. It is definitely no fun having twins with colds but doubly no fun when they have ear infections also. The doctor recommended bringing them in for a recheck if they happened to get a cold, good thinking Doc!

Jared and Anthony had their first appointment and CHOC's developmental clinic last month. It was kind of a culture shock for Jason and I because the therapists, doctors and dietitian that we met with only refer to them as their adjusted gestational age (three months behind) where as our pediatrician always treats them at their actual age.

So, at the time of the test (Age 10+ Months) their adjusted age was 7 months 2 days. The therapists tested them at that age. We met with an occupational therapist and a child psychologist that basically played with each boy separately to see how they interacted, manipulated toys and applied problem solving skills. Both Jared and Anthony scored within normal limits (at or about their adjusted age of 7 months) on all areas of testing and actually both tested higher (at 9-11 months) on both active and receptive communication skills. We were very happy with their report. Unfortunately, this being their first assessment, although good scores this time, they warned us that there may still be bumps in the road for them in the future.

We met with a dietitian who spoke with us about the boys eating habits. We were happy to report that they love food (everything except cottage cheese). She was surprised that they were doing so well with finger foods and actually was slightly put off that we started them on the food schedule based on their actual age rather than their adjusted age. We explained to her that our pediatrician treats them at their actual age and we go by her advice. When the dietitian found out the boys' were already on toddler formula and we would be transitioning to milk at 12 months, she explained to us that they may not be ready. Jason and I had a discussion when we left the clinic and decided that with no disrespect to the dietitian, we would go with our doctor's advice...she did make it through medical school!

Both boys are on the move! Jared is a crawling fool and Anthony still gets everywhere he needs to go by rolling. Anthony is now pulling himself up and is often standing in his crib when I go to get him from his nap. It really is the cutest thing, he thinks he is just so amazing (which he is!). Jared is beginning to stand with his hands still on the floor (similar to the yoga pose: Downward Dog) and they both enjoy standing while holding on to something.

Their first trip to visit Santa went surprisingly well. Neither of them cried and Anthony just stared at him and played with his beard. So funny! We are definitely ready for their first Christmas and then their First Birthday just 11 short days after that. My how time flies.

This time of year as been incredibly hard for me personally. I have so many memories of my pregnancy during the holidays (mostly of my swollen feet) and then it always leads to the day that they were born. Such a bittersweet day for Jason and I. We have been talking a lot about how we will handle Jan 5th 2011. Obviously, it is the day that our amazing miracles were born and the day that our lives were blessed forever. However, the day also brings up some very traumatic memories that I am still dealing with, or trying to anyway. I often wonder if it will be this way for us forever, for the next few years or maybe just the first year...only time will tell.

Thank you again for those who still follow the blog. I make a promise to you (since you care enough) that I will do the same and update more frequently.

Fight On! Little Fighters!! - Love Momma

10 Months Old!

Jared and Anthony turned 10 months old on Nov. 5th and we celebrated with doses of Amoxicillin and Tylenol :)

Both boys have their first ear infection. Honestly, it came as a surprise to me; they didn't have a fever and weren't irritable. I called the doctor last week to talk to a nurse about Jared. Both boys had just gotten over a cold and Jared started coughing again. He was only coughing at night, and so much so that he would wake himself up several times a night. The nurse suggested that I bring him in to have his ears checked...and sure enough both boys had ear infections. Anthony's worse than Jared's and with no symptoms, until later that night. Anthony decided he didn't want to sleep, so Momma wasn't going to sleep either. We stayed up until 3:30AM, well he would sleep on an off, but couldn't stay asleep because he couldn't get comfortable, then slept until 5:30AM then we were up again :( Luckily, that was the worst night to report.

Jared and Anthony are both sitting up very well on their own and are rolling all over the house. Jared will get up on his hands and knees and rock back and forth...I think crawling is in his future. As for Anthony, he is content rolling everywhere he needs to go. It is so funny how their personalities are so different. Jared is the first one to do anything related to mobility while Anthony is never in a hurry (foreshadowed by how they were born!).

We are still enjoying our Kindermusik class every Monday and all of the Mom's comment on how much the boys change from week to week and how great they are doing developmentally. We have our appt with the EDAC (Early Developmental Assessment Clinic) for preemies at CHOC next week, so we will see what the professionals have to say. This being our first visit, I am not exactly sure what to expect. My understanding is that we will meet with many different people who will assess the growth and development of each baby. We will be a part of the clinic until the boys are about 3 years old at least.

The pediatrician is very happy with their growth and seems to think they aren't too far behind in other areas.

We have been to the neurosurgeon twice now. Dr. Loudon indicated that Anthony's situation is purely cosmetic but would like to take a look at a 3D scan of his skull just to make sure. Today, Anthony had his CT scan done and we went directly to Dr. Loudon's office where we received mixed news. Anthony does have a mild metopic ridge in his forehead but it should cause no developmental problems with his brain or its growth. However, he is going to refer us to a cranio-facial plastic surgeon for an opinion on fixing the shape of his forehead via surgery.

Dr. Loudon asked "Have I scared you enough?" to that, Jason and I replied that as parents of preemies we prepare ourselves for any news at an appointment like this. Dr. Loudon said that Anthony's case is so mild and he suggested that the plastic surgeon may take one look at him and not think operating is worth the risk. Of course, Jason and I hope for that, but we are realistic in thinking that surgery may be on the horizon.

For those of you who don't know what a metopic ridge is (I didn't either) it is when the forehead bone fuses too early and creates a ridge down the center of the forehead. It can cause a triangle-shaped forehead rather than a flat forehead with a prominent brow. Anthony's ridge is barely noticeable but is palpable. According to Dr. Loudon, Anthony's eyes are closer together and the divots above the eyebrows are not as far to the sides as they should be. In my opinion, you can't tell any of this until someone points it out. On the other hand, he does have a lop-sided head from positional molding (which is very common in preemies) and the surgery would also even this out. Jason and I are concerned of what this means for Anthony in the long term and Dr. Loudon says that the only concerns will be cosmetic and that the plastic surgeon would be able to answer our questions about how it will effect his growth.

This concerns Jason and I because, as we all know, no kid wants to be different when they are growing up. I was constantly picked on because I was the only redhead...how about that for shallow. So unfortunately, we will somehow need to make a decision for Anthony, but how will we know what he wants? Dr. Loudon said that sometimes kids ask the question when they get older "Why didn't you fix this when I was young?" What a spot to be in. We will only know the details once we speak to the plastic surgeon in a few weeks.

On a happy note, I am thoroughly enjoying spending my days with both of them. I love playing with them and watching them grow right before my eyes. I am so grateful that Jason supported the decision for me to stay home with them and although it has been hard some months, we both believe it is well worth the struggles.

I have been having a hard time with their napping lately, Anthony being the defiant one, but the last week or so has been much better. They are still sleeping well at night and taking two two hour naps during the day. They are still voracious eaters and haven't found anything they don't like...well cottage cheese is questionable. They have begun eating cheeses, yogurt, pasta and diced fruits. It won't be too long until they can switch to milk from formula, which will save so much money :) Hip Hip Hooray!

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers through this hard time, just have you have done for the past ten months. We are eternally grateful for your continued support.

Fight On! Little Fighters!! - Love Momma

9 Months Old - - WOW!

Jared feeding himself a rice cracker

Anthony enjoying one too!

Anthony (Left) Jared (Right)

The boys celebrated their 9 month birthday on Oct. 5th, we can hardly believe it. They are both getting so big and changing every day.

Last week, we went to the pediatrician for their 9 month check up. Jared weighs 17 lbs. 9 oz and Anthony weighs 17 lbs. 12 oz and both are 26 inches long. They are moving up on the growth chart and are both in about the 10th percentile for a 9 month old baby...Can you believe it? No immunizations ordered this time, but of course, they did each get a flu shot. Neither of them cried, we were there to comfort them as soon as they got the shot, so not even a tear. I think it is actually harder on Jason and I then it is on them when they get a shot. They have no idea its coming, but you do, then to see their little face frown and begin to cry...it breaks our hearts.

Their doctor is pleased with their growth and development. She thinks that they aren't too far behind where they should be at this age. They are both rolling all over the place and if they could just get their tummies off the ground, they will be scooting and maybe even crawling soon.

One area of concern it Anthony's head. Although it has evened itself out significantly since he began rolling over and sleeping on his tummy, the doctor wants it to be checked out. She is referring him to a Neurosurgeon at CHOC to make sure his skull bones have not prematurely fused and there is still room for growth and movement. She said she isn't too worried about it since there has been even growth since the last appointment, but she would rather be safe than sorry. If in fact, any of his skull bones have fused early, it could cause his head to grow lengthwise instead of equally all around and surgery would be needed to separate the bones.

Jared is the first to say "Dada." It happened last Monday night and Jason and I looked at each other puzzled...Did he really say what we thought he said? Sure enough...it was "Dada." Jason is so excited and tries to get him to say it every chance he gets. Anthony likes to babble a lot and by the way he is going, it seems like his first word might actually be "Uh-oh," but we'll have to wait and see.

We started attending a Kindermusik class on Mondays. It is a Mommy and Me class where the boys play and interact with other babies their age and there is lots of music and fun songs. They seem to really enjoy it and Anthony seems to have a crush on Miss Annette (the teacher). Jason had this past Monday off so he was able to go with us, and of course, he had fun too.

The only real struggle lately has been nap time. Some days are great and other days, not so much. I've been working on it the past 3 weeks, and it doesn't seem to be getting any better. Both boys are sleeping much better at night, but apparently don't like sleeping when the sun it out :) Jason said the other day, it is so funny how babies and kids fight taking naps but teenagers and adults can't ever seem to get enough sleep, funny how the tables turn.

The boys are starting to enjoy finger foods now and are still adding many new fruits and veggies to their everyday menu. Most recently, they have tried (and loved) watermelon, cantaloupe, blueberries and yogurt. Jason and I are most looking forward to switching them to milk once they are 12 months old. Formula is ridiculously expensive! Their doctor even gave us the green light to introduce milk a few weeks early if they don't have an adverse reaction to it.

All in all, things are going very well. I can't believe I've already started to plan their 1st Birthday party...time flies.

Thank you again for all of your love an support,

Fight On! Little Fighters!! - Love Momma

Doing Well and Growing Fast

As we approach the boys' 8 month birthday, we are pleased to announce they are doing very well. They continue to eat well and are sleeping better every night.

Both Jared and Anthony had a trip to the pediatric opthamologist a few weeks ago, for a routine eye check up. He was pleased with their vision as of yet and will be seeing them again in six months. From here on out, they will be seen every six months for eye exams unless something irregular comes up.

They are both sleeping well at night, with a few night terrors every once in a while. While, these night terrors don't wake them up, their screaming sure wakes me up. We have been directed by the nurse at their pediatrician's office, not to wake them up when they are having a night terror, but rather just to let them cry. Unfortunately, these can often last 10 or even 30 minutes. According to the nurse, babies and toddlers often have night terrors during a new developmental phase in their life. They can start as early as six months and come and go throughout their childhood. Also, both boys are rolling over comfortably now so I am in their room multiple times each night to check on them since they like to sleep on their sides and tummies now.

The boys have also enjoyed time in the pool this summer. They love the freedom of being to splash and kick. In fact, bath time has become a mini swimming/splash session, as I am usually soaked after giving them both a bath.

Bad news, the boys both had their first cold about a week ago. But with a humidifier, sleep, vapor baths and of course, saline drops and an aspirator for their nose, we all made it through fine.

Still no teeth yet. Both of them have been drooling and chewing like crazy, but no sign of a tooth on either of them. Yesterday afternoon, Anthony's mouth had a little blood in it and although I wasn't sure if that is a normal sign of teething, that was my first thought. Turns out, looks like he just scratched his gums with one of the many things he likes to put in his mouth :)

They are both getting stronger each day. While neither of them will sit up on their own for any duration of time, we see improvement day to day. Anthony, in fact, would rather stand than sit if he has his choice. He is much happier if you hold his hands and let him stand in front of you rather than sitting in between your legs.

They have become a lot more playful lately and love when I "get them" or play peek-a-boo. They also noticed each other for the first time a few weeks ago and even had their first fight. Jared wanted to suck/chew on Anthony's arm, but I guess Anthony did not want that, because Jared ended up with a scratch on his forehead. Albeit a coincidence, I still thought it was a funny sequence of events.

Anthony has found his screaming voice - yeah!! He tends to be more vocal than Jared in that he loves to talk all the time. He will talk in his sleep, talk to himself if he wakes up early from his nap and of course, loves yelling. It is funny, because you are not sure if it is happy or sad at first, but it turns out, he just loves to hear himself!

Thank you for your continued support and love,
Fight On! Little Fighters!! Love Momma