I have failed to provide a 2 month update on our boys. As we fast approach their 3 month anniversary, I gave up hope that I was going to put together a separate 2 month post and decided to do a combo 2/3 month update. Let's hope this catches me up for month 4! I blame my lack of a 2 month post on showering, or lack there of really. See, I usually think of my blog posts in the shower, but my showers have not been consistent (gross, but true) and the ones I have taken are very, very short, so I have not had a chance to think of what to write! That being said, let me take a brief step back to talk about our lives at month 2 and then update you on the boys' current shenanigans.
Month 2:
Looking back, I think the transition between month 1 and month 2 was less about the boys developments and more about our ability to survive. We were lucky enough to have help (via visiting family) for the first 4 weeks. But after the first month, Chris went back to work and our help left, leaving me on my own to figure out how to care for these 2 munchkins. I am not going to lie, it was rough. The lack of sleep was overwhelming. I had a lot of engorgement/duct blockage issues with breast feeding and pumping causing tears and many, many uncomfortable days and nights. Chris had to come home early on more than one occasion because my ship was sinking and he needed to bail water. We had cloth diapers to wash and bottles to clean and two babies that always needed something. Despite being awake for most of them, there were not enough hours in the day to get done everything that needed to be done. Slowly though, over those 4 weeks, we figured things out and we managed to make it to their 2 month doctors appointment with two healthy, happy, growing babes.
(L: Brady, R: Brody)
I had a lot of help from this new trusty friend. Some mornings, having a home brewed latte makes having been awake much of the night all ok. Happy-chino, don't mind if I do.
We saw our first smiles this month and as expected, they melted our hearts. Chris would yell out that one of they babies was smiling and I would ask, "Are they farting?". I was obsessed with seeing real smiles, not ones that were caused by relieving gas pains. Eventually we saw or first real smiles and all the sleepless nights seemed to melt away. At first, Brady's smiles were a little easier to capture by camera than Brody's.
(Brady)
Month 3.
This past month has been really fun! The boys started to sleep-in longer intervals and those intervals even started to overlap! I started to get a little more sleep making all of our lives a little happier! After the boys got their first shots, we felt more comfortable taking them out and about. I have mastered getting two babies in and out of the car by myself. In addition, we have been on several family hikes and the boys have even been to Whole Foods and the farmers market for some food shopping. I can honestly say we are living again and it feels great.
As the personalities of the boys have continued to emerge, I am constantly surprised by how much of their personalities were apparent from the start, even in utero. I don't want to fall into a pattern of constantly comparing the boys, but when you have two babies it is easy to do. The number one thing that consistently amazes me is how different two babies, twins nonetheless, can be. One develops a rash from our detergent, the other doesn't. One farts up a storm because I ate too many beans, the other is fine. One loves a particular toy, the other hates it. One sleeps easily, the other sleeps restlessly. Although their similarities are abundant, it's their differences that crack me up and keep me wondering what they will be like as they grow older.
Brady.
Brady shows and communicates his emotions very clearly. We knew this early on when we saw him waving his fist during our first sonogram. I could always feel him pounding away inside my belly when I was sad or upset. His mercurial personality has been apparent from the start. When he is happy, he screeches with delight. It almost sounds like he is yelling, but he is just expressing his excitement. When he is uncomfortable (usually due to gas), he screeches in pain, throws his fists around, bangs on us, all in an effort to tell us what he needs. He demands to be held, is quick to give a smile when he is happy, he is a restless sleeper, often moving and murmuring in his sleep and he sleeps way less than his brother. The other morning when we woke up, I looked over and he was smiling ear to ear. His smiles are open mouthed and glorious. Now, each morning I am greeted by his toothless, open-mouthed grinning face and it is wonderful.
Brody.
Brody is a laid back and generally pretty relaxed guy. If Brody starts to fuss and is not tended to right away, he tends to just fall back to sleep and wait for us to get to him. Brody also found his smile during these last 2 months! When Brody smiles, his mouth develops into a cute flat line or a crooked grin. In addition, Brody has been experimenting with sticking his tongue out. His little tongue pokes out and in in (usually a little to the left) in a rapid movement that if you did not know to look for, you might miss!
In the last few days, Brody has developed a wicked lower lip pout. When he pushes out that lower lip and it starts to quiver, it melts my heart. How can something so sad be so cute at the same time? Brody has also started to be a masterful coo-er. At night when he is eating, he looks right into my eyes and "talks to me" for what seems like forever. His most cute coo sounds like he is saying "OOOOhhhhhh" and I like saying things to him to elicit this response. While Brady was the first to smile, Brody was the first to move into 3-6 month clothes. Our big boy has developed some pretty cute thigh and arm cub.
Both boys found their fists this month. I love watching them look at their hands and move their fists to their mouths. Brody in particular was enamored with his own hand when he found it. He spends most of his free time looking at it and moving it to his mouth.
Brody
Brody
Brady
Also, this month both boys have clearly seen and acknowledged the dogs, particularly Rocco. The first time Brady locked eyes on Rocco (as Rocco was peering over the car seat and drooling on him) a confused look can across his face and then a huge smile. It was so cute! Brody was a little more nervous about Rocco's drool and he started to whimper when Rocco looked right at him and then he reached out to try and touch him. It is going to be so fun seeing these guys fall in love with their pets.
Favorite developments this month:
-Smiles
-Hand sucking
-Clear recognition that I can help them
-Better head control
-Batting at toys and us
-Pulling stuff closer to themselves with their feet
-Hugging us
-Smiling when they see a toy they like
-Generally more aware of their environment
Nicknames we are still using:
Collectively, Chris calls the boys the MBs (Man Babies). We also use the following nicknames for the twins.
Brady-
A-Bee the Bay-bee
A Bops
Man Baby 1
Brody-
B B the guns
Gunderson
Brody Bear
B Bops
Man Baby 2
Happy 3rd month birthday boys! You are becoming so much fun!
