4 months old and growing!

I can't believe it--but the boys are 4 months old! They are really getting to be such cute little inquisitive babies--and new things are happening everyday! I'll kinda breakdown each boy here to let you all know how they are doing!

Noah-- Oh my....he is just got the cutest little smile to melt your heart! He isn't quite as vocal as his brother--but he is not missing anything! I think that he really takes in his surroundings and decides when he wants to say something. He is a smiley little guy though, and loves just looking at mom and dad and smiling and cooing at them. He and brother both love the changing table still, and love laying together on the ground and playing! Noah is now 13 lbs, and doing just great! He still spits up a bit b/c of the reflux...but that's a whole other story I will address below. ;( He is fascinated with his hands, and you can see him really try to figure out that he wants to try to hit things with them...getting there! He likes to sleep on his tummy sometimes when he wakes in the middle of naps. Naoh is overall a very happy and pretty easy little guy---but as he gets older he has started to cry to let us know how he feels sometimes--just like his brother! I think that after so much time of seeing Mason cry and then get attention, he has finally learned that he can do that too! Noah is doing fantastic with sitting up! He will almost sit unassisted! Not too long for him! It is so cute--he absolutely adores the TV!! He looks for it! I think that has actually helped him learn to sit. ;) He also rolls over on to his side a lot to chew on his hand when he is on the floor--and one day he almost rolled over! He will be doing all these things very soon I think! He loves to chew on his hand---he puts his thumb in his mouth, and then his other 4 fingers over his face--it's pretty cute! he does not take a pacifier anymore.

Mason-- Oh what a little talker! He is just adorable when he gets under his Jungle Gym playmat (his favorite toy!!)-he just goes nuts and talks and screams and thrashes around--it is hilarious! He will do that for long periods of time--it is so nice to see him so happy! He has become a more happy baby in general-- he really likes to interact with mom and dad--he will hold on to our hand and look right at us, and then imitate cooing/talking noises that we make. It is like a little conversation! He seems to be pretty independent--just does his own thing when he is on the floor or looking around. He is still our dramatic little guy though ;)-- he can go from 0-10 in 2 seconds! He is a very happy baby--but when something upsets him, it takes him a while to calm down again. He is not quite as strong as Noah with sitting up and rolling--but he is not far behind--and is doing great!! He too loves to chew on his hands--but he likes to stick his entire fist in his mouth! Then when he gets really excited he screams and then shoves his fist in his mouth--it is so cute!! We thought that he had a really gnarly case of Cradle Cap-- but nothing we were doing was helping (it was on his face too)--and then when we went to the doctor this week he said that it was actually Excema. So, we got some prescription cream--and it is already almost gone!! Oh-- Mason is 13.8 lbs!

So, they are both still struggling with their Reflux issues. A few weeks ago we actually saw a Pediatric GI specialist. Turns out they both had Reflux and Colic--can you believe it!!?? Poor dudes. The Colic is pretty much disappearing, but the Reflux is actually Peaking about now (4 months)--so we are seeing quite a bit of spit up. Good thing is that it should be gradually getting better now. However, he wanted us to get Upper GI tests for both of them to ensure that they do not have any stomach blockages, etc.... both of the tests came back clean! He decided that we should try Erythromycin to help empty the stomach quicker so that they are not spitting up as much volume. We tried it for a bout a week and a half, and it wasn't really doing anything--so we stopped. So, after a few months of trying different medicines and such-- we decided they are Ok for the moment, and as long as they don't get any worse we are just going to live with it and hope they get better (and do a lot of laundry!). They are still on Prevacid (to reduce the acid in the stomach), but that is it. I sure do not miss putting syringes in their mouths all the time!
We just wanted to make it as comfortable as possible for them, and reduce the amount of damage to their esophagus, but the medicines don't really do much--so it is Father Time that will be the prescription!

As of yesterday--we did start them on Rice Cereal! I actually had a hard time with this for some reason--like I was already forcing them to grow up too fast or something.....I don't know. All the doctors told us to go ahead and start though because it would really help with the Reflux as well.
They seemed to really like it yesterday! yeah! This morning Mason really liked it again, but Noah was a little unsure.....we'll see tomorrow!

They get their night time routine and such at 6:30 and 7, and then they are usually asleep between 7:30 and 8:30, and then they sleep until about 3. I feed them at 3, and then they go back to bed until about 6:30 or 7. Noah usually wakes up at 6:30 on the dot and just plays in his crib. Mason is more like Mommy.......for those of you that know my morning demeanor....you know what that means....;) He sleeps a bit longer--and usually only is content in the crib for a few minutes before he realizes he's hungry. So, they are sleeping pretty good at night for their age! The doctor says at about 6 months (maybe a little before) we should be able to drop that 3am feeding! A few times they have gone for 10+ hours--but that is rare.

The Lopez household is ever-changing, and we are loving watching the little dudes grow!
Enjoy the pictures!
(as you can see I am obsessed with their little feet ;)

Head holding, Giggles and Grins!

Well, the boys are now 12 weeks old (this sunday), and I can't believe it! As crazy as it has been, time really does fly!
The last couple weeks have really been rewarding in so many ways! Both of them are now really holding their heads up well, and can push up onto their arms when on their tummys! They are continuing to "coo" and talk to us (Mason really does a lot!)--and last night we heard Mason Giggle for the 1st time!! It was so fricken' cute!!! I managed to get a video of him right afterward, and he let out another little giggle! See below video!

Another great milestone has been that they are continuously sleeping about 4.5-6.5 hour stretches of sleep at night! hooray!! One of them has actually gone about 7 hours a few times....but I think I may have just slept through more of his crying....who knows?! they are still eating about every 3 hours during the day, and taking naps throughout day; but they are definitely having more "awake" time where they play, etc. They both really like to be on the Changing Mat, but Mason especially.

Good news also is that Noah doesn't have to take Iron supplements anymore--he is back to normal. I will be so happy when they don't have reflux anymore--and they don't have to take a bunch of medicine everyday! I do have them both on Probiotics now too--just for good health--but also b/c they weren't pooping (TMI...sorry!;) very often, and now they seem to be doing that more regularly.

They are both battling their Reflux issues still, but I kind of think that Mason may be getting a bit better--or just getting used to it more--because he isn't as fussy as much as he used to be! yeah! However, Noah now has more fussy spells then he used to.....but overall, he is a pretty easy baby! Mason is going to be a little high maintenance regardless I think...;) they are both so cute though...even when they cry....it is hard to not just hug and kiss them all the time!

Anthony and I are truckin' right along! Just taking it day at a time, and really enjoying these new little milestones of interaction!

Hope all had good Holidays, and we look forward to seeing you all in the New year!!













Mason...


Noah...

















Happy 2011!!

9 weeks old and growing!

Wow! Time really flies! It's been a busy and ever-changing last 4 weeks or so!

the boys are growing very well, and doing great overall! Mason still deals with his Reflux issues and is a bit fussy because of that sometimes, and now we have found out lately that Noah has a bit of reflux issues as well. He started spitting up a lot like his brother, and then getting really fussy (unusual for him) and looking like he was in pain a lot. I was nervous that he was developing Colic (oh no!), but he seems to have just had some bad issues with gas lately, and then the spitting up more is hurting his little esophagus. It is definitely not fun for any of us--but the doctor says that they should outgrow this by 3-4 months--so we are almost there!!

Mason now weighs (as of Friday the 17th) 10.8 lbs, and Noah weighs 10 lbs!! Noah is sure catching up quickly! They got their 1st round of shots at the doctor on Friday, and they did pretty well with the actual shots (I think it is harder for the parents to watch!); but then little Noah started acting a bit weird, and went really Pale, and so we had the doc look at him before we left, and turns out we had to hook him up to the little O2 machine to see what was going on! He was just acting dead to the world-- it was really scary. But we got him to wake up a bit, and he got a bit better, and then managed to get him to eat a little, and he got even better. They tested his iron levels though, and he is a bit on the low side, so we have to give him Iron supplements for 2 weeks. Poor dude. Traumatic day!

We are trying to get some good sleeping habits formed now as well, and I think that we are making good head way! We had a really good night last night--and hopefully it will continue. The doctor told us that they "should" be having 5-6 hour sleep intervals at night now....and they are not! They still wake up at 3 hours on the dot and want to eat! she told us that they (mostly Mason.....our big baby!;) needs to learn how to self soothe himself to sleep, and that will help with the length of sleep, and the reflux. Here's hoping!!

As for Anthony--he is doing great with dealing with small intervals of sleep at night--and then going to work all day! He is a great daddy, and the boys really love to look at him!
At home he has stayed busy besides the boys----as we crazily decided to re-do our Office! Upon doing this, we discovered that the previous person that did all the framing, electrical, etc in the basement did a complete botched up job of it0--so we had to tear everything down to the foundation and are starting from scratch! We both had a little too much coffee that day we decided this was a good idea right now....

I have actually been lucky enough to meet up with a new photographer friend in the last 2 weeks, and able to get out and do a family photo shoot, and an engagement shoot! She has also been kind enough to invite me to be a 2nd shooter/assistant on all of her 17 weddings this year!! I am also still an associate photographer for Grant Oakes, and have a few others that are mentoring me/letting me shoot with them! Anthony has designed my website, and so in the near future I will have that up and running, and then my hard work leading up to really getting myself out there will actually be happening soon! I am super excited!! I will send yo all the link to my website once it is done! In the meantime-- if you need family pics, portraits of any kind, know someone getting married, etc.......pass them my name and let me know, and I would love to shoot! (This is of course all possible only with the support of Anthony--he is amazing! Also--our parents for babysitting so I can go!!! Thank you!)


Here are some cute pictures from the last few weeks! There are so many to choose from because they are just so darn cute, it is really hard! ;) (I am biased...I know!)

Happy Holidays to you all!! Stay Safe and Warm!

One month old already!!

There is not too much to report at this point-- But they are ONE MONTH OLD already!!
They are doing great and growing like little weeds!! Mason is probably well over 7.5 lbs by now, and Noah is probably around 7 or so (?). We goto the doctor on Tuesday--so we will see!
Mason is still dealing with his Reflux issues, and has little tear duct infections--but he is very healthy overall (says the doc). They are going through a little growth spurt--and Noah seems to want to eat non-stop!
The nights are becoming tougher--- but it won't last forever! ;) I can't believe how much they change everyday......

Anthony and I were lucky and got out of the house on Saturday night for the 1st time--
Grandma Lorrie and Grandpa Greg watched the boys, and we went out to a Movie and Dinner with our friends (Alex and Alysha). It was great! It was a nice little b-day celebration for me!; )

Anyway-- here are a few pics from recently--enjoy!!!













We LOVE this picture!

















We have had many visitors and such--here are a few pics!


Anthony's Uncle Jay came to visit from Phoenix!


Devin came to help for a weekend (thank you!) and Logan came along and stayed with Dodo (grandma).....but not before he got a hold of some of Anthony's Power tools! I thought this picture was hilarious with his underwear sticking out!