Baby Herbs 4-Month Check-up

We took them to the doctor on Monday for their 4-month check-up, and they're doing great! Matthew is now 15 lbs, 11 oz., and 26 1/2" long, and Thomas is 17 lbs, and 26 1/4" long. They are up in the 75-90th percentiles for their age. Matthew has very sensitive skin and was really itchy and upset. The doctor gave us a prescription for some hydrocortizone ointment, and it has helped so much, even just the first day using it. Poor little guy--he was so miserable! Now, he feels better and isn't crying all the time before bed anymore.

We're heading to San Diego this weekend, and we're looking forward to seeing family. We'll get to meet River for the first time, and it'll be fun to have all 3 boys together.

Here are some new pics.

xo, j&c, m&t

Catching up!

Sorry I've been remiss in updating our blog! Last week Chris's mom came to visit on Tuesday - Friday. Grandma Kathy had a great time with the babies--feeding them, changing their diapers, and even getting up with them in the middle of the night! I had to go to Las Vegas Wednesday - Friday, so I was only here for one day and a morning with her before I had to go. Alicia also came to visit, Thursday - Saturday, so I got to see her Friday night and Saturday morning. The babies were very happy to get to spend time with their Grandma and Auntie Alicia.

Matthew and Thomas had their first big people food this week, too. They had organic brown rice cereal. They did really well and liked it! They wore a lot of it, too, but that's OK. Matt went swimming with his mommy last evening. He didn't quite know if he liked it or not, but he didn't cry, at least. We're going to take both of them in this pool this evening. Thomas was in the gym today and rolled over from his back to his stomach and went to sleep! Matt rolled over once, when he was on the couch. Matthew is very loud and makes lots of noise. Thomas is still pretty quiet, but he talks a little, too.

We re-arranged our bedroom and moved the crib away from my side of the bed and over by the door. Now, I can more easily get in and out of bed. Having the crib there seemed like a good idea at first, but it didn't turn out very well. When they cried, I always had to get up and feed them anyway, so it didn't really help to have the crib within arm's reach. Plus, the babies mostly sleep apart so as not to wake each other up--one in the crib and one in a swing, or both in the swings. But, last night we put both of them in the crib, and they did fairly well. We need to get them used to sleeping in their cribs. One of these days, we'll move them up to their nursery to sleep.

Bye for now. Love, j&c, m&t

Earthquake in LA

I was traveling this week for work in the LA area and felt the earthquake that was centered in the Diamond Bar/Chino Hills area. I had just come out of an appointment at the Palos Verdes Library District and was perusing their Friends book sale in the parking garage when it hit. I thought maybe it was an earthquake, but I wasn't completely sure. I'm glad it wasn't "the big one."

Matthew and Thomas are doing great! They're just over 13 weeks now, and they've gotten so big. We got them each a little Bumbo chair. They hold their heads up pretty well now, and they really like being able to sit up and look around. They especially like looking at each other.

Here are some new pics!

Love, j&c, m&t

The babies are almost 3 months old!

It's hard to believe, but Matthew and Thomas will turn 3 months on Tuesday! They are both so big. Thomas is about 15 lbs, and Matthew is right behind him at about 14 lbs. Matthew is more high-strung and cries more than Thomas. Thomas is quiet and easy-going. The are still generally getting up twice in the night to eat, but sometimes Thomas will only get up once. They've outgrown their littliest onesies and are moving into level 2 diapers!

Love, j,c,m,&t

Meme tagged from Jill

Jill tagged me to do a meme, so here goes . . .

Three Things...
THAT SCARE ME: That someone close to me will die, accidents, evil people

I LOVE: my family, my friends, and my pets...(yes, Jill & Kelli, this is identical to yours, but it's honestly what I would have put, too!)

I HATE: shopping, ironing, unloading the dishwasher, moving

I'M DOING RIGHT NOW: doing this meme, drinking coffee

I CAN DO: bookkeeping, play the piano (though I don't do it often), write pretty well

I CAN'T DO: crossword puzzles, remember details (have to write everything down!)

THAT ARE MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FOODS: pasta, hummus and pita, potatoes--prepared any way possible!

SHOWS I WATCHED WHEN I WAS A KID: Happy Days, Laverne and Shirley, Gilligan's Island, The Flintstones, Little House on the Prairie

I'm tagging these people to do the same meme on their blogs: Cheryl, Anthony

The babies are already 2 months old!

Hello everyone! They had their 2-month check-up on Monday (and they turned 10 weeks on Tuesday). They're very healthy and have gained so much weight! Thomas is now 13 lbs and 24 inches. Matthew is 12 lbs, 6 oz, and 24 1/4 inches. They had two vaccines--I wanted to spread them out to one per visit, but the doctor talked us into two--so we went with the recommendation of the Dr. Sears Vaccine book, which was rotavirus and DTaP vaccines at 2 months. The rotavirus was oral, and the DTaP was a shot. The boys only cried briefly with the shot, and they seem to be fine. I saw on the news this week that an autism gene has been found. The gene is still there in autistic kids, it's just "idle." That is why behavior therapy has been successful--it can turn the gene back on. So, the story went on to say that now the challenge is to create a medication that turns the gene back on instead of using the behavior therapy. Hmmm, more medication! Perhaps it's the vaccines that are turning the gene off!! There was no mention of even trying to discover why the gene is idle in the first place.

Here are some more pictures.

* "Let me in the picture!"
* "Matt and Mommy"
* "Matt on Tummy Time"
* "Thomas on Tummy Time . . ."

Bye for now! Love, j&c and babies

Herbs on a Roadtrip!

Last Friday we loaded up the car with baby gear and babies and went to Anaheim. I worked at the American Library Association convention for Baker & Taylor, while Chris hung out with Matthew and Thomas. He brought them by the booth each day for a little while, and it was fun to have my colleagues and many customers meet them. Friday we got to stop along the way and see Auntie Alicia in Yuma and Grandma Kathy in Oceanside. Then, Chris and the babies went back to Oceanside on Monday and spent the day with Grandma and Grandpa and Great Grandfather. We drove home on Tuesday and were all happy to be home. It was quite a feat to travel with these two little dudes!

Love, j&c and babies