Al and Teo are Four Months!

Aaaand....the boys just turned four months old! 

We have suddenly noticed quite a few changes in their growth and development.  I've mentioned their gurgling and cooing in quite a few posts this past month, but just in the past two weeks I've noticed much improved head control, a lot more alertness and attentiveness, better tracking with their eyes, and a spurt of physical strength and coordination.

Al and Teo:

 

 

Sometimes the angle of the photo or bent/straight legs makes one look bigger than the other, but rest assured they are practically the same size. 

We went to the doctor for their immunizations and a general check up on the 28th, and learned that they are tracking very well on all their growth curves.  Their head circumferences both measure 43 cm (hovering at the 91st percentile).  Al weighs 6.88 kg and Teo weighs 6.715kg, or a difference of 0.37ths of a pound, and measures 63.5 cm and 63 cm long respectively.  These figures have them hovering right around the 50th percentile.  To me, they seem like they have grown so much and are so big, so it seems crazy that they're not considered bigger for their age.  Their weights also surprised me because Teo feels much lighter in my arms than Al does.

Here we are on our way to the doctor.

 Previously Al could barely lift his head off the mat, now he can lift almost as high as Teo.  They both turn their heads to follow objects now, and their eyes follow movements and voices.  I love when they turn and seek out my voice.  They also really like Michael's voice.  I think Al is partial to my mom's voice, but then again it could just be that he's already figured out an easy mark (i.e., the sweet sucker who will always pick him up).  Al's trademark move is to squeeze his eyes shut and wail and cry as loudly as possible, in the hopes of being picked up and held.

Just yesterday, Teo started to propel himself forward by lifting up his butt and pushing off of his feet.  Then this morning, he managed to scoot forward a lot very quickly (he was doing tummy time on a rolled up towel and was also supremely motivated by the light up musical toy just out of reach).  It was really remarkable! Since then, Al has also picked up this neat trick (are they somehow teaching each other)?!

Al and Teo both also have learned how to flip over.  Two days ago, they both did their first turns from their backs onto their tummies, though they both needed a bit of help from Michael to get them going.  I loved the expressions on their faces (and the lift of their eyebrows) as they discovered this neat trick.  Whoa, everything suddenly looked very different!  Then this afternoon while napping they managed to flip themselves over without help.  That was fast - watch out world!

I continue to get a kick out of all their chubby rolls, the ones along their thighs but also the ones in their forearms (forearm rolls are an impressive feat) and their dimples, the one in their chins but also the ones in their elbows (multiple elbow dimples, come on)!  They have such soft, tender skin, I can't help but stroke their arms and legs while holding them.  I snuggle them close whenever I can and get a good whiff - they won't smell like babies for too much longer.  And who knows if they'll ever let me hug and kiss them and clutch them tight once they become adults or teenagers or pre-teens... or even just toddlers with boundless energy.

All of that said, I am so relieved that they are four months.  I can only imagine how crazy and chaotic our lives will be with three kids so close together in age, but I find the first three months post-partum to be so, so hard, mentally, physically and emotionally, and getting through it with a toddler and twins this time around was no picnic.

Happy four months my darlings!

Beach Days, Park Days, Rainy Days, More Rainy Days...

This week was a pretty good week, overall.

At breakfast one morning we were working through a picture book on emotions.  At the end, I asked Lola to tell me when she felt happy, excited, sad, angry or scared.  And after we ticked through all kinds of scenarios where she felt happy or excited, I asked her about the others.  She thought about it for a while and told me that she really didn't feel angry, sad or scared.  I'm not sure if that's actually true, but it made me happy that those moments did not figure in her mind.

We kicked it off on Monday with an amazing day at the beach with me, Lola and her grandpa.  The weather was beautiful and sunny, but not hot.  To my surprise, Lola really enjoyed the sand, the water and the surf.  I fully expected her to denounce it, but after a few moments of fear she ended up loving it!  She was so happy and excited to be going on an adventure with me - how precious is this smile?!  Suited up as baby shark and totally ready.

We chose to go to Stanley Beach.  I was hoping that the beach would be less crowded there because it's so far on the south side.  I knew the rest of the week would be cold and rainy so this seemed like our best chance.  It turned out to be a really nice excursion and we were able to stay away from the other kids and families on the beach.  As expected, Lola was a bit scared of the sand and the water when we got there.

 But then she was ALL IN.  It was awesome.  These pictures have that celebrity paparazzi grainy quality because my dad was shooting them from the beach far away.

 It's rare for Lola to be so comfortable with a new environment so quickly - we picked up stones, shells and seaweed and walked around on the sand and in the water.  The water was really cold so she didn't take the plunge to go all the way in, but I was impressed.  She really, really didn't want to go home.

On Tuesday afternoon, we tried again, this time with me, Lola and her grandma, but it was not the stunning success of our first trip because, even though we brought an awesome orange float and I was making progress cajoling her into floating, a series of unexpectedly large waves came crashing to shore, making loud "CRASH!" noises that she did not like.  We were quickly out of the water after that, and then suddenly she hated the sand again, and then we just needed to go home.  On the car ride home, she was adamant that we were not going to the beach again.  Instead, she would rather go shopping for cakes in Causeway Bay where, she informed me with wide eyes, there was no beach.

On Wednesday morning I went with her to Sun Yat Sen Park where we ended up having a really fun time picking wild flowers and leaves and making "pizzas," "spaghetti," and various other delicious foods.  We sprinkled pepper, cheese, salt, mint, etc. on our creations.  She really got into it and helped me forage stuff.  I also taught her how to blow on little milkweeds.  It was so nice to see her engage with twigs and dirt and enjoying it.

I made her a crown of vines at one point.

We also pulled out Frankie the Fish, a big bubble blower that I got.  I have gotten really sick of blowing bubbles out of rinky dinky plastic rings, in case you cannot tell.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday have all dawned pretty cold and wet and drizzly.  But surprisingly, I haven't really minded them.  On Thursday Michael and I took Lola to Sun Yat Sen park in the late afternoon, only to discover it was pretty chilly, what with the wind whipping up the waves and the rain steadily drizzling.  Despite the wind and the wet, we had a lot of fun huddling together under one umbrella as she snacked on her grapes.  At one point she was riding on her scooter and just so content that she let out a huge sigh and promptly scootered off the path onto the grass.

We made it through this week with a minimal amount of temper tantrums which also really helped.  Despite her tantrums, Lola is still very cognizant and sweet afterward.  She always says, "I will not throw a temper tantrum again" or "I will not do that again." And she can usually articulate why it is that she threw a fit or was upset, or why she had to take two minutes in her room.

The boys are doing so well.  My main concern and guilt this week is that, by really indulging Lola and giving her a lot of attention and time, I haven't been able to cuddle the boys and spend as much time with them as I would have liked.  They are both growing so well and are more active and responsive than ever before.  I love their expressions - there is a wealth of meaning behind each chirp, gurgle and glance - I feel like they are always trying so hard to communicate their wishes and desires!  As a result of their growing awareness of the world around them, they have been terrible eaters as of late.  Al especially, but Teo also, gets distracted after 80 or 90 mLs, and starts grinning around the bottle and trying to chat. 

They both love sucking on their hands.  We haven't given in to the use of the pacifier yet, and I'm hoping we can avoid it so that we never have to wean off of it.

They got their heads shaved a second time this week - so now they are back to being shiny bald again!  They look more similar than ever before!  I mostly rely on their expressions and demeanor to tell them apart.  It's much harder when they are not side by side for comparison.

They are both pretty strong - we are working on ever more tummy time, as well as trying to get them to flip over.  At this point, we have to make sure they are buckled into their bouncers because they can really buck themselves up and out of it.  If they are in their Twin Z pillow and unhappy, they know how to make their bodies taut so that they practically lever themselves off of it.

They love their Fisher Price playgym.  They will stare at themselves in the mirror, and now are coordinated enough to reach out and grab toys as well as kick the musical keyboard.  They can both lie for long periods of time. 

Their laughs and giggles and smiles are so rewarding!  They often pop up unexpectedly like a bright ray of sunshine.  Look at Teo playing footsie with my dad here!

We continue to be unabashed about recycling Lola's onesies.  They fit the boys very well!

Family Time All the Time, Plus All the Ailments

It has been a lot of family time around these parts, which both makes Lola incredibly happy and, at the same time, incredibly frustrated.  I really hope we are in the hardest parts of her terrible two's, because her temper tantrums and uncontrollable, sudden sobbing occurring multiple times a day are fraying our nerves.  Given the current situation, I can't say that I blame her - I think I feel the same way on a lot of days!  Cooped up, free to nap or play, yet without school/work/routine, reveling in being near all my loved ones, yet needing a break.

 Al is 15 pounds now, and Teo close behind at 14.6.




They are still such good babies, really patient and adorable.  Their gummy grins are amazing - lighting up their whole faces!
 
They still seem largely unaware of each other at this point, though we try to put them in their cribs together to encourage contact and play.  Lola is still adjusting to the intrusion of two baby brothers in her life, and shows it by snatching away any of their toys and refusing to share.  Just this morning I witnessed a small miracle because she actually let Teo continue to use the Baby Einstein musical player without throwing a huge fit!

I mentioned that I went up to Bowen Road in my last post - now I have gone up there to jog and walk a few more times.  It helps me to clear my head and feel a little bit better.  Here are some views.

 

I have been struggling with my body lately.  It's to be expected trying to come back from being hugely pregnant with twins, but in addition to my body weight I have also been dealing with issues with my skin and teeth.

I'm still 16 pounds off of my pre-pregnancy weight and I have a very stubborn, hard mass around the center of my belly.  It's a bulge that sits up high and I believe is the "mommy tummy" that everyone talks about.  It's very discouraging and I despair at whether I have the discipline and time to get rid of it.  I wore a binder /belt for nearly two and a half months after my C section and have stopped now because my doctor said I don't need it any more.  Now it's just the long, awful road of post-surgery recovery.  Part of what makes this period so hard is knowing I have a whole closet full of clothes that I like that I cannot wear - and so I am stuck in bigger, baggier shirts and pants feeling frumpy and out of sorts while I wait to return to "normal".  The rational thing would be to work out toward regaining that normal, or getting a personal trainer to help me achieve the vision I want, but instead I would rather laze in bed and snack and complain. 

Whether due to stress, heat, or allergies, my skin has been breaking out all over.  About two weeks ago my arms, neck, chest and legs were all itching nonstop.  Now that has mostly gone away but I have a swath of itchy red hive-like bumps on my stomach and chest.  That has been irritating as heck and I am squirming in discomfort in the heat and humidity.  At first I thought it was because of my postpartum pregnancy belt - perhaps I had been cinching the thing so tight for so long that it was irritating my skin.  Then I thought it was a cream I was using to combat my dry skin.  Now I think it's a combination of stress and heat rash. 

Lastly, and for the icing on the cake, I have impacted canines and never properly addressed them, and it looks like after decades of avoiding the issue I have finally run out of time.  I am now consulting with not two but three dental specialists - a dentist, an oral surgeon and an orthodontist - to try to figure out how to fix my teeth.  If it were just a matter of a little crookedness, I would let it slide in a heartbeat.  I don't even care if I have an imperfect bite (which I definitely do).  But it's a matter of living with a temporary and imperfect situation for at least the next forty or fifty years, or undergoing a pretty invasive surgery, fixing the spacing, and getting implants, all of which will probably take nearly two years and countless hours of effort and discipline - if it all goes smoothly.  I don't want either scenario and it's leaving me wallowing in despair. To say the least, none of this has helped me achieve mental and emotional equilibrium!