in no particular order...

 Food truck Fridays have become a regular happening around here...

flank steak grilled cheese sandwich.  

Biscuit starts asking on Tuesday if we 'go to food trucks now Mama"

A couple weeks ago on a random Sunday we took the kids to Grandfather Mountain.  Everyone returned home in one piece (though I aged about 10 years).

family hike.  marcus was a nervous wreck.  i was prepared for someone to bash their head in and bleed to death on a rock.  we made it about a mile before turning back. 

gorgeous weather.  the kids have been obsessed with going again and keep asking about the mountains.  must be the latent Andean genetics.

the mile-high bridge.  also known as the "swinging bridge" (for good reason).  also known as "where mama nearly died of fright when javier decided to race across it".  there are some boulders you can climb to go to the overlook (sans barrier).  javier was incredibly pissed that we didn't let him go.

These chuckle-heads have started 3 day 2's at St. John's Preschool with Ms. Josey & Ms. Teresa

They love school and are annoyed on Mondays and Fridays when they don't go.  Javier especially loves it.  They have lots of friends from last year in their class and were just invited to their first birthday party solo (as in not as Emi's tagalong brothers).  They are un-potty-trained and, as evidenced this weekend, are COMPLETELY uninterested.  I promise to announce it to the world when they are potty trained, but really, I'm not worrying about it any more.  In January I'll be signing them up for gymnastics/tumbling (once they've turned 3 they can start participating in these things).  Javier is a speed demon on his balance bike and Andres loves his scooter ('cooter) more than life itself.

emipalooza 4.0

Yes, it’s October, and I’m just now blogging about Emi’s birthday party 6 weeks ago.   In order to avoid what happened last year (hello, 52 people at a 3-year-old’s birthday party – craziness – plus pregnant at the same time) we did things a bit differently this year.  During the week we had a joint party with Maisie and our playgroup pals.  The following Saturday we did a party with school/neighborhood friends.  Emi only wanted a bounce house and Hello Kitty themed stuff.  Unfortunately, her party was on the same day Hurricane Irene was hitting the Outer Banks and there was a lot of wind in Charlotte and the bounce house rental had to cancel at.the.last.minute.  So frustrating.  Thank goodness we had our backyard play set… between that and the wagons/riding toys/balls, the kids had a blast.  Thanks to Tia Ozlem for taking all the pictures.

My running joke is that if this is Emilia at four, I don’t know that I’ll survive her at 14.  While she can be sweet as pie most of the time, she certainly is prone to temper tantrums and fits of all-out crying and screaming.  She gets frustrated fairly easily especially because she wants to do everything by herself.  She loves her brothers dearly and is generally super sweet with them, but looses her marbles when they grab her toys or enter her room.  (She has a strict ‘no boys’ policy when it comes to her room).  She fights naps most days but desperately needs them, otherwise the late afternoons/evenings can be pretty dreadful.  She eats pretty much everything at this point (especially if there’s catsup on the side) and goes through phases where there isn’t enough food in the world to satisfy her. 

Overall our girl is an amazing budding athlete and student with a stubborn streak. We love you Puchis!

*At her 4 year check up she weighed 34 pounds (75th percentile) and was 41 inches tall, with a projected height of 5’5 – 5’7.  Her BMI was 14 (whatever that means), her spine is nice and straight, and her vision and hearing were excellent (which I found interesting since I can call her name a hundred times a day and maybe she hears me once).  She was super brave during her vaccines and didn’t let out a peep until the booster MMR shot (which does hurt).*

andres & javier–9 month update

This post has been sitting in ‘draft’ form on the computer for at least a month.  Since they just turned 11 MONTHS OLD, felt like the least I could do would be to post this.

The boys didn’t have their 9 month checkup until we returned from Quito, so technically, they were already 10 months.  Overall they are perfectly healthy, happy, growing cherubs who consistently crack us up and, occasionally, drive the big sister a bit crazy (especially when they start heading for her Barbie dolls).  They are still on the ‘small’ end statistically in terms of height/weight – Dr. Walker says it’s perfectly normal for twins to not ‘catch up’ in terms of growth with singletons up to age 3 – and Andres is still a bit bigger than Javier (though if you pick both of them up, I defy you to tell me the difference!)  Here are some stats and specifics.

Andres

• Height: 28 inches (25th percentile)
• Weight: 20 pounds even (30th percentile)
• Head Circumference: 18 inches (50th percentile)

Just like me

Sad to say, but it’s true.  Andres is just like me.  A picky eater.  I knew I’d get one, especially after the h.e.l.l. I apparently put my mom through in terms of eating/mealtime.  If he feels like it, he’ll eat it.  Otherwise, forget it.  Fruits are usually a ‘safe’ choice, except for applesauce which he doesn’t particularly care for.  Veggies are very hit-or-miss.  I’ve been making them soups and pureeing them (veggies with either chicken or turkey, some brown rice or barley) and that’s been somewhat successful… but if he doesn’t like the consistency, it’s coming right back to you.  He also doesn’t like the snap pea crisps, but prefers Cheerios instead.  He always has to have finger foods in front of him to snack on while he’s eating.  Also, if you don’t feed him at the right speed/tempo, forget it.  He flings his head back and cries.  It’s like he can’t wait the 3 seconds it takes for me to give Javier a bite before he wants his next bite. 

On a more positive note, he’s a total cuddle bug.  In an ideal world Andres would like to be held 24/7 (he totally got spoiled when we were in Quito).  He loves to be toted around and will pat you on the back (kind of like he’s saying thank you).  Unfortunately he also likes to try out his new teeth on you (all 7 of them), which means the occasional bite on the shoulder – ouch!  He sits independently, crawls easily, and will pull to standing.  His sleep is getting better (generally he wakes only once at night instead of 3-4 times as he was a few months ago) and I swear he’s saying “mama” though I honestly don’t think he’s saying it with any recognition… just likes the sound of it… which is fine with me.

 

Javier

• Height: 27 1/2 inches long (20th percentile)
• Weight: 19 pounds, 8 oz. (20th percentile)
• Head Circumference:17 1/2 inches (15th percentile)

I’m outta here!

I can’t believe I’m actually saying this, but Javier is walking.  So much so that I’ve had to put shoes on his little feet because the skin on his toes was starting to peel from all the walking he’s doing.  It started when we went to the beach over labor day weekend.  On the beach he realized the sand/deck was hard on his knees so he started crawling like this…

feet flat on the ground, and knees straightened.  From there it was a hop-skip to standing upright and then starting to lift that left foot (always starts with the left – maybe he’s our ‘zurdo’?) and making forward progress.  Yesterday was his longest walk… probably 20 steps from where he was all the way to Mama Anne’s arms while we were at playgroup yesterday. He’s now getting to the point where he walks almost as quickly as he crawls.

Javier loves to eat and happily eats just about anything you put in front of him… he opens his mouth so wide I swear he’s trying to unhinge his jaw like a snake.  He’s far happier now that he’s fully mobile and gets a great smile on his face when he’s toddling over to you.  He has 5 teeth now (the second front top tooth has finally broken through) and thanks to Ms. Anne’s wise suggestion of putting them in sleep sacs they are now both back to sleeping through the night – hurrah!

javier–6 meses

someone found his thumb! uses it pretty regularly as well.

brotherly love.

The skinny on my ‘mani’ -

Height: 24 3/4 inches long (8th percentile) – 1 1/4 inches longer.

Weight: 16 pounds even (20th percentile) – a gain of 2 pounds.

Head Circumference: 16 3/4 inches (20th percentile) – only 3/4 inch difference since his last visit.

My boy is SO much happier now that he’s not spitting up/projectile vomiting every two seconds. The combination of new meds from the Pediatric GI doctor, plus starting solid foods has really done wonders for both his tummy and his disposition.  He’s still more demanding and a little on the ‘intense’ side, but he doesn’t cry c.o.n.s.t.a.n.t.l.y. like he used to and is all around much happier and pleasant to be around.

Javier LOVES the jumpy and would stay in it all day long if he could.  He loves any kind of movement really – the big swings especially.  He also loves being held… like all.day.long.  I think Wednesdays may be his favorite day since we go to playgroup and someone, usually Ms. Alicia, is bound to pick him up at some point.  He also loves the stroller Ms. Amy has loaned us for our Chicago trip, but only if he’s sitting in the front.  He demands to be able to see what’s happening.

Javier is sleeping much better now – consistently sleeping from 7:30 at the latest until about 6 in the morning – not as great as his bro, but still 11 hours. He’s not much of a napper though – prefers to catnap throughout the day and waking at the drop of a hat, whereas Andres could sleep through a tornado.  When he cries, the only way to describe it is SHRILL.  Ohmigoodness is it LOUD – we tend to cover our ears.  He’s also ridiculously chatty – babbling all day long.

I’m a handsome devil, and I know it.

My boy is also a champion roller.  I mean he rolls everywhere and you can’t leave him unattended for a second.  If you put him in a swing or bouncy chair you have to put his seatbelt on, otherwise he rolls over in the chair and tries to shimmy off of it.  He also does this crazy scoot – not quite crawling but he lifts his butt up in the air and scooches along the ground.  It’s crazy.  I predict he’ll be crawling sooner rather than later… and then the real fun will begin.

andres–6 meses

before bed cuddles with papa.

andres, left; javier, right. I’ve mentioned I’m obsessed with baby feet, right?

Just in time for their first trip on an airplane, the boys had their 6 month checkup.  I looked back at Emilia’s stats at 6 months, and it’s wild just how close the 3 of them are.  Emilia at 6 months weighed 17 pounds, 12 ounces and was 25 1/2 inches long with a head circumference of 17 1/2.  Andres measured up as follows:

Height: 25 1/2 inches long (20th percentile) – he’s grown 1 1/2 inches since his last checkup.

Weight: 17 pounds exactly – up two pounds, 48th percentile.

Head Circumference: 17 inches – 28th percentile, up from 15 3/4.

My gordito – he’s such a sweetie.  Marcus and I remark that he’s just a ‘cool’ kid – totally chill and mellow.  It’s still rare to hear him cry – only when he’s tired (insists on sleeping on his tummy which is problematic when he’s stuck in a car seat :(), or just needs a little cuddle.  I still feel like he sometimes gets the shaft because Javier is more demanding, so I make sure he gets extra alone-time-cuddles with Mama before he goes to sleep.  Andres is a champion at sleeping.  He goes to sleep by 7:30 at the latest and regularly sleeps past 8:30 every morning.  Most mornings I have to wake him at 8 in order to get him fed and dressed in time to drop Emi at school – poor boo.  He also takes two good naps a day – the afternoon nap close to 3 hours.

Andres loves the jumpy and loves to giggle/laugh with us.  He’s also a champ at sticking things in his mouth and drooling.  Poor boy continues to cut teeth and he’s just a slobbery mess, often soaking through at least 2 shirts a day, even with a bib on.  He rolls from tummy to back and from back to tummy, but doesn’t do so super regularly – just kind of hangs out however you set him down.  He has, however, started to do this…

“what up, mama?” - a terrible picture but I didn’t have the chance to change the settings on my camera – afraid he would tip over.

The boys have started eating solid foods and Andres, not surprisingly, is a champ at eating.  So far they’ve tried sweet potato, banana, mango, pear, apple, prunes, green beans, carrots and green peas and Andres loves all of it.  Both boys have also skipped the whole start-with-one-meal-and-build-up plan and have gone straight to eating 3 meals a day – mornings a fruit with some cereal, lunch a fruit and a veg and dinner either a fruit or a veg with some cereal.  I fear when I have to feed them as teenagers.

javier–4 meses

Baby B…

Here are his stats:

• Weight: 14 pounds , 1 oz. (45th percentile – up 2 pounds, 7 oz since last visit!)
• Height: 23 1/2 inches (10th percentile – up 2 inches)
• Head Circumference: 16 cm (10th percentile – 1 cm growth).

do you see his hair?  it’s got some reddish tint to it and look at how it stands up.  want a closer look?

I’m considering putting in a little hair product to smooth it down.

I was most concerned at this visit with Javier and how he’s doing.  His acid reflux/heartburn really seem to be doing a number on him and he appears to be so uncomfortable and unhappy a lot of the time.  I don’t think it has to do with his personality; rather, he truly feels uncomfy poor baby.  Dr. W has upped his Zantac dose to kind of the ‘maximum’ of 1.2 ml up to 4x/day and that’s definitely helped for the time being.  However, the concern is that he’ll develop a tolerance for it again and it’ll loose its efficacy.  The next medicine he could try is Prevacid, however it’s not recommended in patients under a year, so before starting him on that Dr. W wants him to see a pediatric GI doc, just to get the green light on it.  I worry that he’s always hungry because out of a 6 ounce bottle probably 2 ounces end up on him/myself/the floor because of his spit up (even when I stop every two seconds to burp him) and we’re going through at least a couple shirts a day for him due to spitting up as well.  He arches his back, twists and turns and cries.  It’s so sad.  So we’re holding off on taking him to the specialist since he seems to be much better now on this new dose of the Zantac… hopefully he’ll outgrow it soon.

His photo shoot pics…

I had wanted to take pics of the boys in matching outfits but he’d spit up all over his and it was late so he was in his pjs.

Javier is a champion roller.  He rolls over from tummy to back regularly and has made it from his back to his tummy a couple times as well.  Not to be outdone by big brother, Javier has, much to our surprise, already cut his first tooth (lower right).  Ouch!

He’s also gotten much better at sleeping.  He regularly goes down between 7:30 and 8 (a bit later than A) and will sleep until 4:30 – 5 in the morning, nurse, then go back down until 7.  Not too shabby!  He’s taken to sleeping on his side, unlike his brother or sister.  Last night we found him curled up around one of the bumpers in his bed hugging it… I think I need to get him a good ‘lovie’ to curl around instead – far safer!  Naps are a struggle with him and the only place he naps well consistently is in the carseat or one of the little swings in the kitchen.  I think it helps that he’s sitting up and snug (he enjoyed being swaddled for quite a while).  As a result of his napping style he sometimes falls asleep in the oddest places.

in the jumpy – not the first (or last) time he’s fallen asleep there.

see? completely different outfit a few days later. don’t worry – we don’t leave him there.

don’t I know you?

Sunday evening was a milestone around here.  It was the very first time Andres and Javier actually made eye contact with one another and ‘recognized’ each other.  The part I didn’t get to document, because I was crying it was so sweet, was when Andres, in his 3-and-a-half-month way reached his little closed fist up to Javier’s face and touched him while Javier in his 3-and-a-half-month way leaned in towards Andres’ hand.  It was a.maz.ing. and over in a flash.  Suddenly Marcus was yelling “grab the camera” and of course I ran to get it and realized I’d left the battery charging downstairs so I’m racing to grab it and Marcus is saying “don’t worry, we’ll get it next time” but who knows when the next time will be, right? So I had to get it now even if my camera was on the wrong settings probably (definitely) and it was late and I was tired.  We couldn’t miss the magic of the moment.  We’ve tried in the past to get them to look at one another, but to no avail.  They just loose interest too quickly – one will look at the other and then they look away in an instant.  Sunday though, there was definitely the flash of recognition across both of their faces.  They knew. 

none of these pictures really do it justice.

love these boys.