9 Months old and looking for Sleep!

The boys turned 9 months on Sunday--I can't believe it. Time is really flying by! However, we have started some serious sleep training/crying it out methods last night after advice from our doctor....so at about 11 pm last night--the time seemed to stand still!!!
We were still really struggling lately with the boys waking a few times a night out of bad habit.....and I would reluctantly go in and feed them in a zombie-like state. Thus, I knew something had to change--they used to be such great sleepers!!! What had happened?! (Vacation, teeth coming in, learning all kinds of new things like standing, etc......) Anyway, I really knew we had a problem when their naps started suffering too. So, after talking to the doctor yesterday about all this, he agreed that it was time for some "tough love". I think Anthony and I both knew that is what we needed to do---and we would half-ass it many times--but then give in and pick them up/feed them because we didn't want to wake the other baby......urgh---what a vicious beast!
So last night, we said to hell with it, and they can just cry through each other and will eventually fall asleep, etc. We would go in and check on them at 5 and 10 minute intervals to make sure they were ok, not poopy, etc, and then pat them and say goodnight and leave room again. Well, they cried for a straight hour. It really sucked. BUT--- Mason didn't wake up again, and when Noah did the 2nd time, I only had to go in once and then he fell asleep!
So, we will see how tonight goes, hopefully it just gets shorter and shorter until they have learned. The other kicker to this is that Noah has learned how to Pull himself up and stand in his crib holding onto the rails....then he just cries for us to come in! It is probably the cutest thing I have ever seen....but the most frustrating at the same time! ;) So we are also trying to get through this stage with Noah. On the other hand, Mason's 2nd tooth just broke through--so he is a bit fussier here and there-- but he is doing pretty well with it.

On another note-- they had their 9 month old Check-up yesterday--and both boys are in perfect health!! The only thing is that we need to start doing some stretching/training on Mason's neck for his tilt---so that the one side of his neck doesn't have shorter muscles than the other side.
Our little Buggy (Noah) weighs 17.05 lbs, and our big-man Bubba (Mason) weighs a whopping 19.8 lbs!!! I knew that he was bigger--but didn't realize he was almost 3 lbs bigger!! We were a bit concerned that Noah was too small, but he is still growing perfectly on his little growth chart--so there is no problem! Also, he is just so fricken' squirmy and active! He just does NOT sit still, and is almost crawling, standing, etc---so he is just burning a lot more calories too. The interesting thing though, is that Noah is actually TALLER than Mason! Noah is 27 1/2 inches, and Mason is 27 1/4! So, he may just be a bit taller and skinnier, and Mason short and stout! ;)

Another big milestone the boys have hit is that they are eating finger foods now! they can grasp little Cheerios and such and put them in their mouth! They are not perfect at it yet--but they really love doing it and we have tried so many new fun foods now! WE are also suppose to give them meats and a bit of dairy/protein now. This last week I started just giving them tastes of things I was eating-- lunchmeat, cheese, etc., so I think they will really like all this new food! We did find out though--that they "should" be eating a lot more then they are! So, my mouth dropped a bit (won't be the last time wiht this subject I'm sure!) thining about the amount of money we are going to be spending on baby food! So, I broke out the food processor, and started making some of my own yesterday. I think my approach is going to be to do what I can. I am not going to stress myself out about making my own baby food non-stop, but if it something I can just throw in the precessor, adn give to them right then---great! Also, I think I will make a few big batches to freeze once a week. At this point I think we have to from a financial standpoint! The realization of me getting a job is even more close at hand now...............Boo.

anyway-- that is where we are at! It is definitely a cool age--they are learning so much stuff, and so interactive--- but at the same time, this has been the hardest stage yet. I hear that it only gets harder in many aspects.....bring it on I guess! ;) Hopefully I can handle once they start sleeping at night again!

Mason LOVED the little Ducky bath! Thanks Karysa!

Uh-oh.....

June 2011

June has been an event-filled month for the boys! They are both sitting so well, and rolling all around--but Noah is already trying to crawl as well! He will get up on all 4's and rock back and forth! I think that he also is ready to Walk-- he is just the squirmiest little thing and does not want to be constrained at all--always wanting to move around and do something. Gets a bit tiring to say the least-- I think that we have quite a little adventurous and energetic by on our hands....;)

Mason continues to be just the sweetest little laid back dude! He just lounges around and plays and sticks everything in his mouth! He can sit and such--but he still prefers to just lounge back on his little pillow (which used to be my nursing pillow for them--2 uses!!). He will get really hyper sometimes though and just thrash around like a fish out of water--it is adorable! Speaking of his mouth--Mason has a tooth coming in!! You can see it on the bottom making it's way in--poor guy! He tries to stay happy though!

Mason has unfortunately had a few set backs this month again....boo. His reflux that we thought was disappearing, has come back in full force suddenly. It is tremendously frustrating--and we are pretty much at our wits end. However, there is really nothing we can do...again, he just has to grow out of it. Apparently around the 1 year mark is when it gets significantly better.
In addition-- Mason's started tilting his head really bad again to the side--so I decided to ask the doctor about it since it has happened a few times now. I took him in, and now we have to get him a MRI this next Wednesday to make sure that he doesn't have a Brain Tumor (which is Worst case scenario obviously...but the doc doesn't think he does), and also to make sure nothing is structurally wrong with his spine. The other bad part to this is that he has to be put under anesthesia. It goes without saying I guess that we are NOT looking forward to this--and are a bit nervous for sure......my poor baby---I just feel so bad for him lately. It make it even more heartbreaking b/c he tries to be such a happy little guy--and is such a sweetheart! urgh!!

Both boys really LOVE the Papasan chair outside, love being outside in general, like to scoot around in their Walkers (well...Mason just rolls backwards when he gets really hyper--but Noah goes all over the place!), the johnny jumper, and just rolling around with each other on the floor! They are really noticing each other a lot now--and they will look at each other and laugh, or grab the other ones' face, and they will imitate each others noises--it is super cute to say the least. It is true waht people always said about toys too....they really love anything ADULT-- cell phones, keys, kitchen utensils, etc.! They also really seem to like the baby oil bottle--they shake it really hard and think it is funny! Mason thinks that the Wind is funny--it is pretty cute. Mason has also really learned very good dexterity skills lately--and can pick up little pieces of food with his 2 little fingers! Anything that has to do with food--Mason will excel at! When I took him to the doctor last week--he weighed almost 20 lbs! He is perfect for weight! Noah is still smaller-but he is just so active that I think he has a higher metabolism too.

On top of them both teething, we have had some very tired days lately. Since our vacation to Phoenix last month--the boys have returned to some bad sleep habits...and we have let it go on and it has just kind of had a snowball effect. Last night they woke every 2 hours again....
We have gotten them back in the habit that when they wake up and cry at night, I will feed them to get them to go back to sleep-- and this is NOT good!! Like I said, it has kind of snowballed, and we are reverting back to Newborn days it feels like! We are working on this and trying to let them just cry a bit again, and get back to them sleeping through the night like they used to--but it is a tough habit to break. Jenae is tired.

We had a BBQ for Anthony's Bday on the 26th--so that was a lot of fun! Thanks to everyone who came!
The boys have also enjoyed their first Hike! We went on Father's Day! It was short--but really fun! They looked so darned cute int heir little backpacks!
They also both really like getting in the little swimming pool I bought for them--although I have to add warm water to it for Mason b/c he is such a wuss! ;) Another thing that we do a lot of pass time and have a change of scenery is to play on mom and dads bed. We also try to get them out on a walk or something in the late afternoons now that they have dropped their 3rd nap--they need a little extra entertainment in the afternoons or they get fussy!!!

The boys will be 9 months old on July 17th--can you believe it?! Enjoy the pics, and I'm sure that next month we will have some crawling news to report!

(I forgot to take off my Watermark on some of the pics when I uploaded them--sorry! ;)

Noah likes to hold onto the walker sides like he is driving a car!

Uncle Brandon!

Noah likes to drink out of anything Adult....none of this sippy cup business!!

Mason loves to put the mirror on his face and then he gets really hyper!

Mason LOVES the guitar! Ever since he was tiny--he has always responded to it! (with Uncle Jeremiah!)

Such big boys now...they sit in their crib and play!

They are absolute Teething machines right now. Noah really loves this little Mesh bag--I put frozen fruit in it and it really helps him. Mason doesn't like the cold...so he doesn't really like it.