9 Months!

I'm going to try to do an update, but we'll see how it goes.  My little monsters are due to wake up.  The pictures posted in reverse order, so you'll see them age backwards.  I don't have time to fix it.  This is more of an update post than a fun post, so you can just skim over all the reading if you'd like.

 

The boys have changed SO much since the last  postings.  They now officially crawl.  Normal, text book crawl.  Well, Alex has a normal text book crawl.  Ben's is still a little special.  He doesn't have great speed regulation and sometimes he pushes off with his foot too hard and flips himself over.  He does crawl faster than Alex.  As long as he doesn't tip over.

 

They are cruising along furniture.  It is amazing how they can work around things to get where they want to go. 

 

They play together.  They will spot each other from across the room and start laughing.  Then they'll crawl towards each other laughing.  When my parents were here, they crawled to each other so fast and so directly they met in the middle where they bonked heads.  Not fun.  They play keep away.  One will have a toy or something and the other will try to get it. They'll chase each other and grab at it.  So. Much. Fun.

 

I am not a huge fan of their new mobility.  When they get on the floor, they scatter.  I often find them in different rooms.  They've learned they can go down the hallway.  The hall bath is kind of the new place to hang out.  Alex enjoys flushing the toilet.  Over and Over.  and Over.  and OVER.  Silly baby. 

 

Playing by the bathroom.  Alex close Ben in rear.

 

 

Alex playing on the back door glass.

 

Back door again.  Alex with smooshed face Ben sitting on floor.

 

Alex in yellow diaper Ben in white

 

Back door.  Alex and Cody

 

Alex left Ben right.  Look how similar their hair color is! 

 

Compare: December 30 at 20 days old.

 

 

 

 

Ben standing.

 



 

Our dog, Shep, is kind of weird.  He has very specific requirements when it comes to where he will eat or drink.  Until now, putting his dishes in the hallway was a nice compromise between what he wants and where I want.  Well, the babies have learned how to get down the hallway.  They LOVE the water dish.  The Shop Vac was already in the hallway when I took this picture because the babies had done the exact same thing the night before.  Needless to say, we're trying to decide where to put his dishes now.  He hasn't been happy with any of the new locations.

 

Ben

Alex heard the commotion and thought he would see what was going on.  Alex left Ben right

 

 

He's pretty proud of himself

The boys got a cold.  They did not enjoy it when I propped up one side of their crib mattress.  I tried breaking out the old rock n play.  They are getting so big!

 

Ben left Alex right.  Ben using Alex to stand.  A brother is not usually a very sturdy object to use for standing support.

 

Playing together.  Not sure which is which.  I think Ben going to stand and Alex sitting on the floor.

 

Ben left Alex right

 

Alex left Ben right.  They were playing peekaboo around the box.  One would peek around to see the other, they would laugh, then he'd sit back behind the box again.  Over and over.

 

Making the same face

 

 

We're working on sippy cups.  They really look like they have it down, but they don't actually drink anything.

 

What's Alex doing?

 

Chewing on the knob. 

 

They managed to rip one of those cabinet doors off.  They are strong and work as a team.

 

Getting hair!  It is really starting to look darker.

 

Ben

 

Alex? and Cousin playing together

 

They both now have 4 teeth.  2 on top and 2 on bottom.  They are starting to get at least 1 more on top.

 

They are out of their 6 month clothes (finally) and on to 6-9 month and 12 month stuff.  Yay!

 

They have officially outgrown all of their KSU stuff.  Now they have to cheer on the Wildcats with no purple.  I guess we still have a couple of KSU bibs I can put on them during games.

 

We've officially had to put things like cabinet locks on the doors and other baby proofing measures.  I've learned that no matter how well I baby proof, they will destroy something if they want something dangerous in their mouth.  Ben pulled off a button from a cushion to chew, then he pulled off the plastic part on the spring to stop a door from slamming open to chew on it.

 

Mommy breaks are fewer and farther between.  I can't put them on the floor and sit somewhere to get away.  If they want me, they now crawl over to me and climb my leg. 

 

It's been a lot of fun at our house.  This is a good age.

Sleepy Baby

 

This is what happens when Alex skips a nap. 

 

 

The noise coming from Ben was the hurry up and feed me noise.  They are impatient little monsters when it comes to eating.  Ben was in a good mood while Alex was nodding off in his chair.

 

 

Ben.  They can feed themselves Cheerios.  You can see the one in his mouth.  Alex uses both of his hands and tries to grab as many as he can at once and shove as many as he can into his mouth.  Ben gingerly takes his thumb and finger and carefully picks up one.  Then he sits with it for a moment before carefully putting it in his mouth.  (Alex can feed himself one at a time like he is supposed to, he just doesn't always)

 

 

Both babies like to sit on the a/c vent.  Alex sat there playing with a cup for like an hour yesterday.  I tried moving him, but he would just crawl back to the vent.  (They were not there because of the window.  The other door has a window also with no a/c vent)  This is exactly what I would do if I were a baby.  They must run hot like mommy.  When they finally got off the vent, their little legs were really, really cold to the touch.

 

They play with stuff together a lot.  Very cute.  I think Alex is on the left and Ben on the right, but I'm not sure.

 

The boys had a doctor's appointment.  Alex is 18.5 pounds.  Ben is a little under 18 pounds.  She was very happy with their growth and development.  We had them on the exam table together.  They managed to completely destroy that tissue paper liner they put on those beds.  The doctor came in and they were both sitting there eating the bed liner.  Weird babies.  Then they both sat facing her and started talking to her together.  Very cute.  Those appointments take so long, I eventually give in and let the boys do anything that keeps them quiet.  That includes playing on the floor of an exam room apparently.  (Yuck)

 

Baby Video

The boys are pretty awesome.  Here is a typical morning for us nowadays:

 

 

 

Ben is the one on the left.  He wrestles Alex down as Alex tries to stand.  Then he tries to give him head kisses.  Eventually, Alex crawls away and Ben stands.

 

 

 

 

First Real Bath and Loving on Each Other

Here are some more update pictures.  I didn't want to put them with the pulling up post because pulling up deserves its own space.

 

Ben practicing holding the bottle himself.  Pretty close.

 

(Most of the stuff on the floor is stuff they play with.  They like to play with my shoes and I was encouraging them to crawl with the thermos because it rolls away when they grab it.)

 

 

I walked in on Ben going crazy in his pack and play after a nap.  He was smooshing his face on the side and talking up a storm.  Hilarious.

 

Alex loving on Cody

 

Alex orange Ben white.  I know we have a lot of junk everywhere, but that's all the crap they play with.  That includes the boxes and coat hangers.

 

Ben

 

Ben on left.  Alex on right

 

They turn their heads together to look at things like kittens looking at laser pointers.  This time they both looked over at Shep.

 

Ben kissing Alex

 

1st together bath without their baby tub!  They had a lot of fun.  It was significantly less stressful than one of them in the baby tub alone. 

Pulling Up!

 

 The boys are officially pulling up on their own.  On Everything.  It happened quickly over the last few days. 

It started with these low crouches. They were trying to pull up, but everything was too tall.  I got some boxes for them to use.  That way I could control how tall the base would be.  This box is full of magazines and books so it wouldn't tip over when they pulled on it.  After they started this crouch, Alex managed to pull his body on the box and slid off the other side like a slip and slide.  He was not very impressed.

 

They got REALLY banged up as they were learning to pull up and stand.  It really looks like I'm torturing them.  I swear, I'm not hurting them!  It is very difficult to manage two babies that can crawl and pull up in locations far apart.  Ben is on the left.  The yellow circle is his drool.  They are getting their top 2 teeth on top of this fun.  He has a cut near his left eye from the box.  Alex is on the right.  He has 2.. yes 2.. bruises on his FOREHEAD.  I didn't even know you could get such good bruises on a forehead.  The blue circles are the bruises.  Those came from hitting the floor.  The purple circles on his face are around injuries caused by the box.  Looking at all the box related injuries, maybe a box wasn't a great idea. 

 

 

 

The box doubles as an area to practice picking up Cheerios.  They are getting better.  It is amazing how much effort and coordination are involved in picking up cereal and putting it in your mouth.

 

Alex loving on Ben 

 

 

Good thing Cody put up the baby gate this weekend!  On Tuesday morning, Alex crawled over to the baby gate and pulled himself up while I was changing Ben out of his night clothes.

 

Naps are not going so well.  Why?  This is why.  I put the baby in the crib and then he goes bananas.  The first thing they do is sit up.  Then they start banging on their mobile.  Eventually, they stand up and start talking.  They have fallen too many times from standing in the crib, so I think they are afraid to get down.  When they are done standing, they start scream crying until I put them back down on the mattress.

 

Troublemakers.  Alex dark blue, Ben light blue

 

Here they are now with the box.  They can hold on it with one hand and not lean on it.  Occasionally they will even lift their hand off and just stand or flail their arms around for a second.  They are starting to realize they can't get things on the floor unless they bend.  That has reduced head bruises.

 

Yay!

Eating, Pooping, and More!

Things have been going well.  The boys are growing and developing well.  Alex is sitting up on his own.  Ben is getting there, but he isn't quite doing it yet.  (Edited: Ben actually sat up on his own while I was typing the original post.  Go Ben!) They are eating a lot of new foods really well.  They are not fans of bananas.  They are both really pulling up on everything.  They don't always make it up, but they are really interested. 

 

Ways my babies are like my old rabbit:

 

1.  They both like to chew on every cord they can get access to.

2.  They chew the crap out of your finger when you try to handle them.

3.  They poop on my floor.

 

Yes, they poop on my floor.  I was giving the boys a little naked booty time.  They are down to 1 poop every 1-2 days.  He had already gone that day so I felt safe.  Too safe it seems.  I went to pick him up and nearly cried.  Babies are disgusting.

 

My 3 boys.  Ben in green Alex in grey

 

 

Ben.  They boys LOVE the camera.  When they see it come out, they get excited like this and start crawling over to grab it.  That makes taking pictures of anything other than crawling towards me difficult.

 

Alex

Ben left.  Alex right

 

 

I threw this one in so you can see how far their teeth have come in.  I'm pretty sure they are both getting 1 or 2 on the top right now as well.  This has been a bit of a whiney week.  Ben with teeth Alex in back

 

I think this one is hilarious.  Ben's face coupled with Alex messing with his backside really tells a story.

 

Ben left Alex right.  This is a rare both smiling picture. 

 

The next 2 pictures go together.

 

1st:  Ben in front Alex reaching from behind for a hug

 

2nd.  Baby hug not accepted.  They both get really lovey with the other, but not usually at the same time.  One will reach over and hug or kiss the other.  The one getting hugged or kissed starts screaming like he is being murdered.  I don't know why they never do it when they are both in the mood for affection.

 

Feeding has been going really well.  Mostly.  Some feedings go better than others.  Alex has discovered the joys of blowing raspberries while eating.  You can see all the splatters on his tray from raspberrying while eating.

 

Ben tends to rub his face while he eats.  You can see his has food all the way up to his eyes.  I regularly have to clean green beans out of his eyelashes.

 

Ben in green Alex in white 

 

Ben crawled over to the top of the stairs.  Shep usually hangs out there.  He was not happy to have Ben join him.  Time to put up the baby gate!

 

Alex in white Ben in green.  I gave them a few boxes to play with since they started trying to pull up.  They are too short to get a good hold on our couch and we don't have a coffee table or any other low table.  Boxes seem to work.  The one they usually use is now full of books and magazines so it doesn't tip over.

 

Alex crawled his way behind the futon and was hanging out over the a/c vent.  You could see his little hair blowing in the wind.

 

Video Time!!

 

One of the best baby videos you will ever see.  ever.

 

Ben on the left Alex on the right

 

 

Alex in white Ben in green/yellow.  This is one  of those times Ben was more playful than Alex.

 

 

Alex crawling.  He is fast.  This video doesn't show him moving that fast, but a lot faster than he used to.

 

 

Ben in the activity thing.  Alex on the floor.

 

 

Alex on the floor.  He sits up on his own.

 

Standing without Assistance

The boys have been a lot like little monkeys lately.  They have both pulled up from sitting using me sitting near them as support.  They like to stand up and hug my neck.  I feel like a mommy monkey with a baby hanging from her neck.

They stay standing on their own really well if you set them up.  They won't stand forever by any means, but they will stand for quite a while if they are in a good position and interested in something.

Taking pictures of 2 babies learning to stand is a lot harder than pictures of 2 babies learning to sit.  I do have quite a few funny blooper pictures. 

Ben

 

Ben and Alex.  Alex looks a lot bigger, but I think that's just because he was on his toes a little bit and the shirt fills him out more.  I'm pretty sure they aren't that much different in size.

 

Alex sat up himself yesterday.  I was pretty pumped about that.  I think Ben might have also, but I didn't watch it happen. 

 

Ben may be skipping learning to crawl in a less ridiculous way and going straight to standing.  He gets around fine using their method, but he now wants to be standing all. the. time.