Drag Races, Eating Solids, and Chewing on Each Other

It has been a busy couple of weeks!  Not really, but with 2 babies even the smallest thing feels like you are busy.

Cody's parents bought a new drag car.  This prompted a last minute trip to Wichita for the family.  Long story short, his parents brought the old car instead of the new car.  We still had a good time.  It was extremely hot and extremely loud.  The babies handled it pretty well.  Like the great mom I am, I forgot their bag of toys in the car.  I don't know if toys would have helped the situation, but they did eventually get tired of playing with a plastic bag full of pacifiers and a plastic container of wet wipes.

They did eventually manage to fall asleep.

 

Here is a video so you can hear how loud it was.  After watching the video, Cody told me that it doesn't really demonstrate the noise level.  So, use your imagination to add in a 2nd (or more) generator plus the drag cars driving by to go line up and the sound of the actual races.  Then pretend you have baby ears.... that's how loud it was.

 

http://youtu.be/9_13znjPgPo

 

 

 

This is where we set up camp.  It was pretty much noon time sun.  This created very small areas of shade.  The area between the pickup and trailer was our best bet.  There were generators running everywhere. They did fall asleep like champs.

 

I did eventually have Cody run back to the car to get our cooling towel.  If you don't already have one of these, you should go buy one.  You get it wet, wring out excess water, and then snap it.  It gets really, really cold and lasts for quite a few hours.  It was the best $10 I've ever spent at Home Depot.

 

I had to leave the babies alone in the room while I ran down to the car to get their toys, diaper bag, food, etc.  The room had those cups wrapped in plastic.  The boys thought that was the coolest thing ever.  When I got back to the room, they were still happily playing.

 

I had about 5 hours alone in the hotel.  This is how we spent our time:

 

One headed- 2 body baby monster.

 

Baby Wrestling.  Ben on left, Alex on right

 

Ben left, Alex right.  You can see a wet spot on Ben's face where Alex was chewing on him.

 

Alex left, Ben right

 

The babies finally met their Great Grandma on Cody's Dad's side. Cody's aunt and uncle  and a family friend were also there.  We stopped by my parents house on the way back.  It was a nice way to cram a lot of family into a couple of days.  Lots of fun.

 

Back home:

 

We are working on solids.  It is starting to go pretty well (finally!)  They LOVE pears.  Alex really likes green beans.  Weird baby.

 

Ben

 

 

Alex

 

I think Ben is blue Alex Black.  Toy stealing again.

 

Alex protecting his treasures.

 

In the course of fighting over the toy, Alex rolled on Ben's arm.  You can see Ben's hand down by Alex's elbow.

 

 Ben blue Alex black.  Ben's arm under Alex.  2 smiling babies!!

 

Ben?  The wet spot in his hair is where Alex was chewing on him.  They have started doing what I call baby kisses.  They put their hands on either side of your face, lean in with mouth wide open, and plant one right on your face.  They sit there with their mouth on your face for probably 5-10 seconds.  Then they pull back and give you a big smile.  It is absolutely disgusting and horribly awesome.  They do it to each other occasionally. 

 

I really don't have anything to say about this one.  I think it speaks for itself.  Alex under the futon.  Ben sitting up.  The dark spot on the middle is where someone was chewing on the fabric.  Babies are gross.

 

Alex

 

Alex.  They both really like rolling under things like this.  Ever since I put the cover on the futon, it is like a race to hang out under there.  Weirdos.  They are both doing the crawl thing with one foot.  They are getting way better at it.  They can make some serious progress.  I caught Alex hanging out by the stairs the other day.  I don't know how he got over there so fast.

 

7 months!

I don't know what kind of update I'll be able to manage, so I'll just upload pictures first and then try to do explanations.  The babies have been crazy lately.

This is one of the best pictures of them together that I've ever seen.  Unfortunately, Ben's black and white patterned shirt does not photograph well!  Those are straight lines, not swirly lines.  Ben in black Alex in white.

 

 

Ben (maybe) posing.  They are VERY good at sitting now. We will just say they are officially sitters.  They will sit and play for 20 minutes or more if they are in the mood. 

 

 

Alex (maybe) giving you his best smile.

 

 

They are both starting to "crawl."  Alex is just a little bit better than Ben, but Ben is getting there also.  I'm using this picture to explain how they do it, and why I am putting quotes around crawl.  It is not really crawling, but it is definite forward progress.  The progress is incredibly slow though.  They move inches at a time.  Say he were to move to get the green circle in front of him:

 

 Step 1: pull his right leg up toward his belly a little bit (not all the way just enough to extend)

Step 2: reach out left arm

Step 3: extend right leg and extend right toes (toes are what make the most progress)

Step 4: extend left arm as far as it will go

Step 5: if he hasn't reached the circle, repeat steps 1-4

 

Basically, they are moving with a little bit of leg extension, a lot of toe extension, and some arm stretching.  It is very slow and happens in short bursts like lunges, but they will cross the whole room that way.  Slowly.

 

Update: Even better, I was able to catch him moving for something on video.  It isn't the best shot, but next time I post a video he might have a better method of movement.  Here is Alex "crawling":

 

http://youtu.be/BVVO203NbKE        

 

 

 

I've posted before about how their favorite toy is that red circle thing.  I've posted lots of pictures of them chewing on it.  They have started getting REALLY good at stealing from each other.  This causes a lot of crying.  We were going to stay at Cody's parents house for a while for harvest, so Cody bought a toy just like the red one only it is blue.  The first time there was an argument over the red one, we gave the other baby the blue one.  Problem solved, right?  Wrong.  Now they don't play with either toy.  The red toy is now ignored.  Here are some pictures of their new favorite toys:

 

Alex with a wireless computer mouse.  They LOVE to grab at the computer mouse.

 

 

This thing that used to hang from their activity center.

 

A baby clothes hanger, a diaper, and an empty bag of wipes.

 

You can see Alex fiercely guarding his activity thing.  Ben is plotting his attack. 

 

Brother's ear makes a fun toy!  Alex grabbing Ben

 

The space under a reclining couch and a power cord.  You can see Alex brought the baby hanger under there with him.

 

Soft books.  Ben with the soft book Alex with the crinkle blanket.

 

Ben with a larger baby outfit hanger and a wipes bag.

 

Here is a picture from harvest.  Cody was in the combine.  It's not really a picture of anything specific, but he really enjoys going back to the farm to help out. 

 

 

We had our first 4th of July with the babies.  Our Homeowner's Association had its 2nd annual fireworks over the lake.  Our house faces the lake.  There is an empty lot across the street from us, then a house, a street, and another house then the lake.  That is how close we were to fireworks.  This isn't the best picture, but cell phones don't seem to take great pictures of fireworks.  Alex had a little melt down before they started and fell asleep.  He slept through the whole thing.  Ben stayed out there with us.  It was pretty loud, but he did pretty well.

 

 

Cody and Ben sitting in the dark in our driveway waiting for the show to start.  There are less funny faced pictures, but I really like this one.

 

 

Happy 4th of July!

Here are the boys celebrating their first 4th of July!

 

 

Alex in orange Ben in blue

 

It took a lot of work to get that picture.  Here is the 2nd runner up.

 

 

Here is a taste of what it is like to try to get 2 babies just learning to sit up to take a picture sitting up with a hat on in the grass:

 

oops one fell and one lost his hat

 

one is upset and one is looking off the wrong direction

 

one fell down and took the other with him

 

Cody is NOT amused by this exercise.  Also, he is chewing gum.  He chews it with his mouth open.  Gross.  One baby upset, one husband upset, one baby okay

 

This one is okay but they are looking the wrong way

 

As difficult as it was to take one with the hats, getting  a picture of teeth is even harder.

 

Alex's 2 bottom teeth

 

Ben's 2 bottom teeth