Monday, February 16, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
a letter to our fans
Dear family and friends (specifically Nana and Papa, Aunt Lisa and Uncle Lee, Aunt Lisa K, Auntie Aimee, and anyone else who is considering a visit to Texas),
Just in case mom and dad haven't been able to convince you yet, we decided to put up a post on our blog and let you know that WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME VISIT!!! There are lots of reasons you should come spend some time with us here in Texas. Here is our top ten list.
1. We are REALLY cute kids, just ask our mom.
2. We really like to snuggle, and no matter how hard mom and dad try we can never get enough snuggle time.
3. It is really fun going places with us. Even going to the grocery store feels like you are in a parade when you are a red-head twin. Everyone wants to stop and talk to you.
4. We promise not to bite too hard when we nub on your cheeks and chin.
5. Texas is a great place to visit this time of year. It is nice and warm but not too hot. We can go to the park, visit the alligators, and eat BBQ.
6. We want to get to know you better because we live so far away.
7. We are twins so we are used to sharing our toys.
8. We are working on all sorts of new skills that we can show you - we are really good at jumping, we are learning how to crawl, and, most importantly, we are really good at putting things into our mouths.
9. We are sleeping through the night (at least most of the time) and that means we won't wake you up in the middle of the night.
10. If you don't come, we might just get upset and start whining...you wouldn't want that would you?
All our love,
Maya and Max
Just in case mom and dad haven't been able to convince you yet, we decided to put up a post on our blog and let you know that WE WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO COME VISIT!!! There are lots of reasons you should come spend some time with us here in Texas. Here is our top ten list.
1. We are REALLY cute kids, just ask our mom.
2. We really like to snuggle, and no matter how hard mom and dad try we can never get enough snuggle time.
3. It is really fun going places with us. Even going to the grocery store feels like you are in a parade when you are a red-head twin. Everyone wants to stop and talk to you.
4. We promise not to bite too hard when we nub on your cheeks and chin.
5. Texas is a great place to visit this time of year. It is nice and warm but not too hot. We can go to the park, visit the alligators, and eat BBQ.
6. We want to get to know you better because we live so far away.
7. We are twins so we are used to sharing our toys.
8. We are working on all sorts of new skills that we can show you - we are really good at jumping, we are learning how to crawl, and, most importantly, we are really good at putting things into our mouths.
9. We are sleeping through the night (at least most of the time) and that means we won't wake you up in the middle of the night.
10. If you don't come, we might just get upset and start whining...you wouldn't want that would you?
All our love,
Maya and Max
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Ian came over to play....
I've been meaning to post these photos of Maya and Max playing with Ian. Ian one of the most smiley babies I have even met. We had a fun time playing together and snuggling on the hammock.
If you look closely in this photo you can see Max's top two teeth. He now has 8 teeth. It seemed like almost every day last week I would find yet another tooth. Maya is just starting to cut her top right tooth. She is also showing off her bottom two teeth in this photo.
If you look closely in this photo you can see Max's top two teeth. He now has 8 teeth. It seemed like almost every day last week I would find yet another tooth. Maya is just starting to cut her top right tooth. She is also showing off her bottom two teeth in this photo.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
baby food
The babies are now eating three meals a day. So far Max is the bigger eater. He opens his mouth wide and is pretty much willing to try anything that we give him. I am amazed at how much he can eat in one sitting. Maya on the other had is kind of hit or miss, one day she will love something then the next she will turn up her nose and refuse to eat.
They also REALLY love being able to feed themselves. They will sometimes refuse to eat unless they can put the food in their mouths themselves.
I have been making most of our baby food. I'm not a health food purist, as this would be pretty hypocritical considering that given the option I would eat ice cream all three meals of the day (although I have been able to convince myself that ice cream converts directly to breast milk). I do like the idea that I know what goes into what my kids are eating. I also like the babies to be exposed to a variety of foods, in hopes that they won't be picky eaters. I also like the convenience of being able to make my own baby food out of food that we would eat ourselves. And finally I am cheap and I just can't seem to justify spending money on something that I could make myself for a lot less money. I've used the website Wholesome Baby Food as a resource for knowing when to introduce different foods.
Here are some examples of what the babies have been eating these days....
Our basic food staples:
* Pumpkin- right out of the can. It is packed with vitamin A and fiber. It is also cheap and very easy because it is already purred.
* Prunes- this is our number one food, due to the fact that Maya tends to get constipated very easily. I bought a huge bag of prunes while I was pregnant and hardly ate any of them. In the last two and a half months we have almost gone through the whole bag. We blend them with water in the baby food grinder and mix the sticky paste with water until it is palatable. The kids LOVE prunes.
* Avocado-mashed up right in the peel or cut up and served as slippery finger food
* Sweet potatoes-These I throw in the oven (not wrapped in foil) and make for dinner for us all. There are usually enough left over for the babies to eat for a couple of days.
* Peas- I've used frozen peas, steamed in the microwave and mashed.
All of the above mixed with:
* Whole milk plain yogurt
* Baby oatmeal (we don't make our own because baby cereal is fortified)
Finger foods:
* Baby Mum mums -these are great, they are easy to pick up and don't make much mess. They are sold at HEB (here in Texas) but you can also buy them on Amazon.
* Seaweed (nori)- (the type used for wrapping sushi) I read about this on the internet and tried it out. The babies love it and its good for them! It is especially useful when at keeping them occupied while I am cooking dinner or Lonnie and I are trying to eat without having little ones grab our plates.
* String cheese
* Grilled boneless tilapia
* Shredded chicken
* Blueberries
* Puffs- I avoided buying these because I thought they were a waste of money....but the kids love them and the keep them happy-money well spent.
* Soft fruit covered in baby cereal to make it easier to pick up
The babies have also tired and enjoyed:
* Cantaloupe
* Guava
* Mango
* Papaya
* Banana
* Apple sauce- I buy just the regular adult kind, but with now sugars or additives
* Clementine- Some sources say to avoid any type of citrus until 1 year old. The pediatrician we saw in CA said oranges and oj with pulp were good for constipation.
* Apricot
* Peaches
* Pears
* Green beans
* Carrots
* White potatoes
* Butternut squash
* Cottage cheese
* Rice cereal
* Barley cereal
Our next foods on the list to try are:
* Lentils
* Bell peppers
* Spinach
What do/did you feed your babies? What are your baby feeding tips and "secret weapons"?
Photos of Maya and Max eating nori (seaweed).
They also REALLY love being able to feed themselves. They will sometimes refuse to eat unless they can put the food in their mouths themselves.
I have been making most of our baby food. I'm not a health food purist, as this would be pretty hypocritical considering that given the option I would eat ice cream all three meals of the day (although I have been able to convince myself that ice cream converts directly to breast milk). I do like the idea that I know what goes into what my kids are eating. I also like the babies to be exposed to a variety of foods, in hopes that they won't be picky eaters. I also like the convenience of being able to make my own baby food out of food that we would eat ourselves. And finally I am cheap and I just can't seem to justify spending money on something that I could make myself for a lot less money. I've used the website Wholesome Baby Food as a resource for knowing when to introduce different foods.
Here are some examples of what the babies have been eating these days....
Our basic food staples:
* Pumpkin- right out of the can. It is packed with vitamin A and fiber. It is also cheap and very easy because it is already purred.
* Prunes- this is our number one food, due to the fact that Maya tends to get constipated very easily. I bought a huge bag of prunes while I was pregnant and hardly ate any of them. In the last two and a half months we have almost gone through the whole bag. We blend them with water in the baby food grinder and mix the sticky paste with water until it is palatable. The kids LOVE prunes.
* Avocado-mashed up right in the peel or cut up and served as slippery finger food
* Sweet potatoes-These I throw in the oven (not wrapped in foil) and make for dinner for us all. There are usually enough left over for the babies to eat for a couple of days.
* Peas- I've used frozen peas, steamed in the microwave and mashed.
All of the above mixed with:
* Whole milk plain yogurt
* Baby oatmeal (we don't make our own because baby cereal is fortified)
Finger foods:
* Baby Mum mums -these are great, they are easy to pick up and don't make much mess. They are sold at HEB (here in Texas) but you can also buy them on Amazon.
* Seaweed (nori)- (the type used for wrapping sushi) I read about this on the internet and tried it out. The babies love it and its good for them! It is especially useful when at keeping them occupied while I am cooking dinner or Lonnie and I are trying to eat without having little ones grab our plates.
* String cheese
* Grilled boneless tilapia
* Shredded chicken
* Blueberries
* Puffs- I avoided buying these because I thought they were a waste of money....but the kids love them and the keep them happy-money well spent.
* Soft fruit covered in baby cereal to make it easier to pick up
The babies have also tired and enjoyed:
* Cantaloupe
* Guava
* Mango
* Papaya
* Banana
* Apple sauce- I buy just the regular adult kind, but with now sugars or additives
* Clementine- Some sources say to avoid any type of citrus until 1 year old. The pediatrician we saw in CA said oranges and oj with pulp were good for constipation.
* Apricot
* Peaches
* Pears
* Green beans
* Carrots
* White potatoes
* Butternut squash
* Cottage cheese
* Rice cereal
* Barley cereal
Our next foods on the list to try are:
* Lentils
* Bell peppers
* Spinach
What do/did you feed your babies? What are your baby feeding tips and "secret weapons"?
Photos of Maya and Max eating nori (seaweed).
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
playing with shadows
In the late afternoon the sun makes great shadows through the trees into the babies' room. When Max wakes up from his nap he likes to sit on the floor and play with the dancing shadows.
What color eyes do you think Max has? We can't quite figure them out. They can look green, brown and even sometimes blue.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
first sunburn and teeth
Yes, our kids really don't have much hope for getting tan skin. I'll have to me more careful from now on. We went to the park on Friday, I didn't think it was sunburn weather....but I was wrong. Thankfully Max's hat kept him a little better covered.
In other news, Max is cutting four teeth....yes, four, that makes 6 in total. The top two plus one on the right have been starting to poke through for the last couple of weeks. (he got his first two at 5 months old) Then this afternoon I noticed that he is also getting another one on the bottom right. Thankfully other than a lot of drool he has been in a pretty good mood. I'm already missing his gummy grin.
Maya is pretty happy with just her bottom two.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
the blog fairy
The blog fairy answered my wish! The babies still woke up early this morning, but they weren't screaming by 6:30am...they were laying quietly in their cribs talking a little bit and making just the occasional yelp. Of course it is still a bit early to say that they have learned how to not cry upon waking in the morning, but at least I got me wish of waking up with out hearing crying babies in the morning and even a couple moments of snuggling before I got out of bed.
For the last two weeks we had been letting the babies fuss and cry until our "start time" of 6:30am, as long as it didn't get out of control. I guess your pediatrician was right Emily, that was all we needed to do...and of course ask the blog fairy.
For the last two weeks we had been letting the babies fuss and cry until our "start time" of 6:30am, as long as it didn't get out of control. I guess your pediatrician was right Emily, that was all we needed to do...and of course ask the blog fairy.
Friday, January 23, 2009
alarm clocks
My alarms clocks are broken. I have three of them, one on my night stand and two that sleep upstairs in their cribs. Every night before we go to sleep I set the alarm clock on my night stand for 6:00am. Each night as I put my babies to sleep I repeat to my other two alarm clocks....."Sleep at least until 6:30am, sleep at least until 6:30am, sleep at least until 6:30am.....". Then just for good measure, just before I go to bed myself I check on them again and whisper in their ears...."I love you sweet baby and please sleep at least until 6:30am". Even with the constant checking and resetting somehow at least one of these precious alarm clocks loses track of time and wake up too early.
It is not always the same child who gets off track, so I know that they CAN sleep in until at least 6:30am. It also doesn't matter what time they go to sleep the night before. The sweet babies take turns being the one who wakes up early. Each morning one baby will sleep in while the other takes on the responsibility of making noise, talking and then crying-until mom or dad decide that they can't take it any more and give in to the nagging alarm.
The rotating alarm clock responsibilities can start as early as 4:30am, but thankfully this is often a weak attempt, that only a mother can hear, that can be put on snooze at least for a little while. The stronger, louder and much more insistent alarm starts somewhere between 5:30am and 6:00am, those precious quite morning hours when I am finishing up my dreams and trying to squeeze in at least 6 hours of sleep.
This morning it was Max. The previous two days it has been Maya's responsibility. There have been less than a handful of days in the past eight plus months that I haven't been woken up to hair-raising sound of a crying child.
I can't really complain (and yet I do), the babies are sleeping much better than they did while on vacation- when they were waking up sometimes twice a night. At least they are sleeping through the night for the most part. But now that they are sleeping well at night I want more. I want that last hour or hour and a half. I would love to slowly wake up and a enjoy a few quite moments of peace before I get out of bed. Please sweet babies....give mommy a break. :)
Our two sweet babies showing us their innocent faces.
"Who me?? I would never want to disrupt your beauty rest mommy!"- Max
Do you really think you are in charge around here mom?- Maya
It is not always the same child who gets off track, so I know that they CAN sleep in until at least 6:30am. It also doesn't matter what time they go to sleep the night before. The sweet babies take turns being the one who wakes up early. Each morning one baby will sleep in while the other takes on the responsibility of making noise, talking and then crying-until mom or dad decide that they can't take it any more and give in to the nagging alarm.
The rotating alarm clock responsibilities can start as early as 4:30am, but thankfully this is often a weak attempt, that only a mother can hear, that can be put on snooze at least for a little while. The stronger, louder and much more insistent alarm starts somewhere between 5:30am and 6:00am, those precious quite morning hours when I am finishing up my dreams and trying to squeeze in at least 6 hours of sleep.
This morning it was Max. The previous two days it has been Maya's responsibility. There have been less than a handful of days in the past eight plus months that I haven't been woken up to hair-raising sound of a crying child.
I can't really complain (and yet I do), the babies are sleeping much better than they did while on vacation- when they were waking up sometimes twice a night. At least they are sleeping through the night for the most part. But now that they are sleeping well at night I want more. I want that last hour or hour and a half. I would love to slowly wake up and a enjoy a few quite moments of peace before I get out of bed. Please sweet babies....give mommy a break. :)
Our two sweet babies showing us their innocent faces.
"Who me?? I would never want to disrupt your beauty rest mommy!"- Max
Do you really think you are in charge around here mom?- Maya
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