Here is a quick picture update while I have a few minutes. I'll come back and fill in things later.
I've been sick. Now Cody might be sick. So far, the boys are not sick.
Alex dancing in his swing
Here are some bath time pics. Their dignity was maintained with a well positioned wash cloth and then I cropped out most of the wash cloth that you can see. It is important to note that I do not have any pictures of the boys in their birthday suit.
Alex enjoying a bath
Ben playing around at first
Ben thinking about getting upset
Ben getting more serious about being upset
Ben upset
Ben sleeping on Cody
Alex sleeping by me
Not sure, maybe Alex?
Not sure, maybe Ben?
Not sure, maybe Alex? I like when they do weird fancy things with their hands like this.
New developments: Eyelashes! They are both growing these long beautiful eyelashes. They got that from Cody, definitely not me.
What he is
wearing: He is fitting in the 0-3 month sleepers a little better. He is still a little short, but he is getting there.
Favorite memory of the week: I had both boys in the crib close together while I was changing the bedding for one of them. Alex was using Ben's shoulder to hold his pacifier in. It was very cute.
I don't actually remember things well enough to really post things here. I have to desperately remember something that happened. I'm with them too often! Cute things lose their cuteness when you see it all the time.
Least favorite memory of the week: He has been super spitting up this week. I can think of at least 2 times this week where he threw up enough to make a puddle in my sports bra. Totally gross.
What we're looking forward to: I'm still waiting for a smile that does not signal vomit.
Ben
Weight: 8 lb
New developments: They are both starting to actually look at us. Before they would look in your general direction, but you can see them actually focusing on your face now... finally.
What he is
wearing: The clothes that were so big I had to roll up the sleeves and pants in the NICU are now pretty much too small. The arms definitely fit and are almost too short on my favorite outfit for them. I'm sad about that. Cody has offered to try to find my favorite sleeper in a bigger size.
Favorite memory of the week: He gave me baby kisses. It was more pressing his mouth on me and gnawing, but it felt like kisses. I'm sure he was just trying to tell me he wanted food, but it was nice. Also, he tried to latch on to my nose. He got his mouth on it and started sucking before I figured out what was going on. Silly, hungry boy.
Least favorite memory of the week: Ben isn't sleeping as well as he used to. When I put him in his crib, its a toss up whether or not he will sleep. I've had to pick him up and put him in bed with me for a little while a lot more often.
What we're looking forward to: Their 2 month well baby check is today. They will get their shots and stuff.
Cody & Courtney
Favorite (non baby) memory of the
week: Cody let me sleep until noon Saturday and he washed all of the bottles. I only missed the 9 am feeding and part of the noon feeding, but it made a huge difference to my sanity.
Least favorite memory of the
week: I really wanted to make lasagna, but I didn't have what I needed for sauce. It was total devastation. I can't go shopping with the boys yet, so I was trapped here dreaming of the lasagna I could be eating.
Well it is the 2nd week of weekly updates and I'm already late. Time really flys when you have 2 babies! We've made it another week. They are still alive and relatively happy. We're starting to get a pretty good routine going.
Before we left the NICU, one nurse told me that I'd really miss having the nurses there to take care of the boys and to give me a break. She said I'd really miss it in a week. I'm really enjoying not being in the NICU. Even when I'm really tired and the boys have been crying for an hour or more... I don't miss the NICU.
They have their appointment to get the Synagis shot tomorrow. (As I post this, they had the shot today.) Hopefully Cody can make it out of work early to help me take them (He did.). It is at the Children's Hospital. I have become quite familiar with the Nebraska Medical Center. I'd rather just go there but whatever (The Children's Hospital was actually quite nice and easy to deal with.).
Alex
Weight: Our scale has been having some massive swings in weight display. It is either broken or there are some major issues with gravity that the government isn't telling us about. When something is weighed more than once consecutively, you may get weights that vary by 20-50 pounds. I'm pretty sure that neither baby is 20-50 pounds.. so it must be the scale.
They were weighed today at their appointment, but I was too flustered to remember the exact weights. They are both about 7.5 lbs give or take. I think.
New developments: He is going to bed in his crib like a real trooper. When I put him in the crib, he might drop his pacifier once or twice but after that he snoozes like a champ.
What he is
wearing: A lot of the outfits they have worn since birth are getting dangerously tight. Some of the onesies can't be buttoned in the crotch anymore. I'm changing his outfit as often as I can so I can see all my favorite clothes on him before he finally busts the seams. It is like a baby's clothes greatest hits over here. They are still too short for the 0-3 sleepers. I have a feeling they will be trapped in between sizes for a while.
Favorite memory of
the week: He likes to hold my finger while I give him a bottle. It is really sweet.
Least favorite memory of the week: We tried a new formula that the doctor recommended. It did not go over well. There was a lot of screaming and crying. The boys were upset also. :)
What we're looking forward to: I'm still waiting on a smile. They smile in their sleep a lot. They make a happy face when they are awake, but then they always spit up. I'm pretty sure it isn't really a smile if it signals yacking.
Ben
Weight: They were weighed today at their appointment, but I was too flustered to remember. They are both about 7.5 lbs give or take. I think.
New developments: Ben is passing Alex in head control. They both do pretty well when you hold them on your chest. Ben is doing a lot better with trying on the floor. Their heads are so heavy that when they try to lift their head off the floor, their legs come up instead. If you give their head a little boost it helps a lot.
What he is
wearing: Ben is still a little smaller than his brother, so he isn't testing the limits of his fabric quite as much. I often times lose all 3 of one of their embroidered name hats, so occasionally they will both be wearing an Alex hat or a Ben hat. I always find the other 3 eventually, but by that time I usually lose the other 3.
Favorite memory of
the week: I've started putting them in bed with me to snuggle around 10am. They won't sleep, but it is a nice break between feedings. Ben has been extra snuggly.
Least favorite memory of the week: Did we go to a Superbowl party? No. I cleaned pee out of Ben's ear. Twice.
What we're looking forward to: I'd really like them to sleep a little longer overnight. Right now they only sleep 1.5-2 hours between feedings. Not enough time to catch a nap in between for me.
Cody and Courtney
Cody and probably Alex snuggling in the chair.
Sometimes feeding and comforting 2 babies requires you to resort to questionable feeding techniques. Alex was screaming too much I had to pick him up. Ben would scream too much if I took his bottle away. Good thing I'm good with my feet I guess.
Favorite (non baby) memory of the week: We got Shep back. It is nice to have him around. He is not in love with the babies, but we missed him. When the babies start to really get worked up and crying, he picks up his bone and walks around with a weird face. I'm not sure why, but it is funny. I think he is feeling a little neglected after being with my parents and Amy and Andre for so long. He has to wait until after I deal with the babies before I can take care of him. Sadly, I have to wait until I take care of the babies and then him before I can take care of me. I'm usually starving and about to wet myself before everyone else is taken care of and I can finally do my own stuff.
Cody's audit went well, so he was in a pretty good mood for a day or so. He brought home $50 worth of BBQ that I was forced to eat for nearly every meal over the next 4 days.
Least favorite memory of the week: This week was a blur. I'd say the worst was listening to the babies cry because of formula issues.
What we're looking forward
to: I mostly look forward to sleep. Cody mostly looks forward to internet gaming. I'd like to say parenting has done this to us, but those were the same things we looked forward to before babies.
What you all came for... more baby pictures!
Alex in stripes Ben in the back. They take their best naps while laying like this on the couch. I don't love it, but it is nice to keep them quiet sometimes.
I'm not positive about which baby is which. I think Alex is in the dark blue and Ben is covered with the white burp cloth. We put them like this after eating sometimes when they are extra spitty. Sitting up is supposed to help with that.
Baby tummy time. Ben is in the stripes and Alex is in the blue pants. They were only slightly enjoying their time on their tummies.
Still on the mat, but no longer on the tummy. They did the usual pet each other/punch each other.
I know I'm not supposed to feed them like this, but sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. They are both pretty good at keeping a bottle up themselves. When it is a lighter bottle, they will actually use their hand and hold it.
I'm not sure which baby this is, but he somehow fell asleep like this and I was too happy he was sleeping to wake him up. He is between the back of the couch (on the right) and a couch pillow (on the left). When I put him on the couch he was closer to the middle. He used his legs to push himself to this position against the arm rest (top of his head).
Here is a video of Ben trying to get the pacifier back in his mouth by himself.
Sort of Tummy Time. Ben (in stripes) was trying a lot harder than Alex, but even he wasn't giving it his all. Alex (in sports print) was mostly wanting to eat some food. You can see them both pulling up their feet when they can't get their head up.
