Two year and 4 month stats

We had our two year well check last Tuesday.  We brought in all three kiddos for well checks at the same time (the girls for their 2 year and Hudson for his 4 month - time flies!). Luckily, Hudson was the only one due for vaccinations or that could have proven to be a not-so-wise decision.  As it turns out, we were able to do Hudson's vaccinations at the end of the visit and simply take the girls out to the car before the nurse came in with the shots.  Whew - crisis averted!

Overall impression from the appointment:
3 very healthy kiddos.  Dr. Moore identified a heart murmur with Brianna, but he said it is benign and shouldn't cause any problems in the future. Thank goodness! I have a heart murmur too, also benign, also found by Dr. Moore when I was just a peanut.  I wonder if it isn't something genetic that I passed on to her? Hmm...

As usual, our kids are tipping the scales for both weight and for height.

Here are the stats, by kiddo:

Baby A - Miss Olivia - 2 year well check
Weight: 34 lbs 7 oz  (98th percentile)
Length: 37" (99th percentile)
Head circumference: 50 cm (96th percentile)

Baby B - Miss Brianna - 2 year well check
Weight: 34 lbs 14 oz (98th percentile)
Length: 37" (99th percentile)
Head circumference: 48.5 cm (76th percentile)

Note their height at 2 years - 37".  That's tall.  And let me tell you what I know about that.  I have read from several sources that if you take your child's height at age two, and multiply it times 2, the number you get will roughly be that child's height (in inches) as an adult.  So, lets do the math here with the girls.  37" x 2 = 74"!  That is 6'2" tall!!!  I'm a perfectly average 5'6". My family isn't overwhelmingly tall, so it must have come from Si's side! I have a couple of volleyball players on my hands! WOW!

Both girls have slowed down in weight gain, and have slimmed down through the waist (although I'm guessing this is common at this point because they are still so high in the percentiles for size!).  After their 8 month appointment I changed them from Vitamin D milk to 2% milk, against the advice of my pediatrician.  At this visit he told me I could switch them to skim if I wanted.  They are big girls. But they are proportional, not overly heavy for their weight.  Just tall, and appropriate weight for their height.  It's big for their age though...they do look like 3 year olds....

The girls are still wearing a few 24 month items (I am squeezing them into some 24 month fleece Carter's outfits this winter because Carter's doesn't do actual outfits past 24 months and I LOVE the fleece outfits), but really they are in mostly 2T pants and 3T shirts.  They seem to be interested in potty training and tell me that they need to go...as they are going...they've only actually pottied in the potty once so far...sigh...one day my patience will pay off, I just know it!

So, what about the little peanut?  

Well, there's nothing "little" about him!

Baby Hudson - 4 month check
Weight: 19 lbs 11.5 oz (100th percentile)
Height: 25.5" (61st percentile)
Head circumference: 43.5 cm (91st percentile)

He's already wearing mostly 9 and 12 month clothes. 6-12 month clothes are still okay, but most 6 month clothes are way too small. 12 month PJ's are the norm. He's in size 3 diapers.  He eats 6-7 times a day (4.5-5 oz bottles if bottle fed).  This kid LOVES to nurse. I love it. =).  He is becoming a distracted eater though, so that makes me a bit sad.  They grow up SO fast! He's also sitting up on his own already, something the girls didn't do until they were at least 6-7 months old.  I think he is able to do it simply because of his size -  he's so round - his fat rolls hold him up! HA!

Hudson has been sleeping through the night for a while now.  He goes down at about 10 PM and gets up between 7:30 -8 AM.  I am so blessed. Occasionally he will wake up at 5 AM, but I don't feed him if he wakes up at that time, so he usually just talks for a bit then goes back to sleep.  He's a really good baby.  Very mellow.  Goes with the flow. That is perfect for our crazy chaotic household!

I think I am going to wait a little longer before I start him on solids.  The pediatrician gave us zero guidance on starting solids.  I suspect he thinks that since we just went through this with the girls that we kind of know what we are doing.  True that Dr. Moore, true that.  I'm taking my sweet time with this one...if he will let me =).

So that's our update!

Hope you are having a great week!

Until next time -
Megan

We are TWO!

The girls turned TWO last weekend! Oh my!

I remember when the girls turned 1 as if it were yesterday.

It was so bittersweet.  My precious peanuts were no longer my little "babies".

And not only that, everyone who already had kiddos older than mine felt the need to tell me that the second year would go even faster than the first did, so to hold on tight! I didn't believe them.  How could it possibly go any faster than the first year already had?! Well it was possible alright! I feel like this last year has gone significantly faster than the first year did. Crazy.

I suspect the major difference between how we (as parents) view "Year 1" and "Year 2" is that the first year the kiddos are hitting so many huge developmental milestones (rolling over, sitting up on their own, crawling, first words, first steps, first foods, sleeping through the night, etc.) that there are more huge accomplishments to document and keep track of.  And pictures - oh the pictures - we had pictures taken so many times the first year! Newborn, 6 week, 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, 1 year.  And year two?  18 months, and two years. Maybe one more time in between somewhere, if we were lucky.

The second year the kids are building on what they learned the first year....they learn how to run, hop, and jump; how to color, how transfer items from one container to another, how drink from a cup or water bottle without a lid; how to use silverware properly; how to use multiple words together (like today at lunch "lights up more please" - Olivia asking us to turn up the lighting in the dining room during lunch); how to communicate with each other and show love and affection; learn that they have a choice (I want to wear this, not that).  It's no longer a year of firsts. Accordingly, I don't think we (as parents) document it quite as much.  That sure doesn't mean that not as much happens though!

So, what's new with our two year olds?

Miss Olivia - 
Olivia is our little diva! Loves to be dressed up, clean, and cute. She is Miss Independent. She hates having her hair done. She always wants to be first to do anything and will race her sister to the bathroom to go potty, to the dinner table to eat, and to the door to go outside. She's defending her first born status I think...I'm older...I get to go first...LOL!  

Olivia has become very attached to her baby doll "Llellow" ("Yellow" for those of you who don't speak toddler), and insists on putting "Llellow" in Hudson's swing, car seat, bouncer, exersaucer, etc..  Super cute.  

Olivia is becoming more and more verbal every day.  It is common for her to speak in 3-5 word sentences ("Mommy go work, bye!").  She likes to do lots of different activities, but she doesn't like to do anything for more than 5-10 minutes at a time. Unless she is outside...she LOVES to be outside.

Favorite foods include: eggs, ham, cheese, macaroni and cheese, ice cream, bananas, and yogurt

Miss Brianna - 
Brianna is our lover. She loves to cuddle.  When she gives you a hug, she will pat you on the back as if to say "it's okay Mommy". She will hit, or kick, or pull hair, just so that she can give a hug and kiss afterwards.  We've tried to explain to her that you can give hugs and kisses without hurting someone first, but she just doesn't get it! 

Brianna is very attached to her blanket "Bella".  I have no idea why her blanket has a human name and Livvy's baby has a color name, but whatever! Bri looks for "Bella" constantly when we are at home.  She doesn't  have to have her always, she just wants to know where she is at all times. Interesting.

Brianna loves to sing, dance, jump, and color.  She has been working on her ABC's and knows almost the whole ABC song.  She gets stuck on L-M-N-O-P, just as I know I did when I was little =). 

Favorite foods include: "K" (Special K cereal), yogurt, string cheese, peaches, cupcakes, and ham

Both girls can identify all of the letters of the alphabet and love going for walks up and down our block, stopping at each of the political signs in people's yards, and pointing out the different letters.  I'm so proud.  LOL. They also know all of the neighbors by name, and know where they live.  Awesome. That should come in handy when they start escaping out the front door when we take our eyes off them for 20 seconds to go potty...=)

The girls have their differences as well, naturally.  While Bri likes to sing, Livvy really doesn't.  Conversely,  Bri doesn't really talk much (in actual words) and Livvy talks a lot. Similarly, Bri excels physically - running, jumping, and spinning - where Livvy lags a bit behind. It's funny really.  We watch as one girl surpasses the other in one specific developmental area; and then almost like clockwork, 3 months later the other girl comes up from behind and surpasses the one that was previously in the lead.  It's amazing to watch.  We are so blessed to have twins =).

So that's what's going on here with our two year olds!  We had our two year well check this week too, but this post is already long enough, so I will post those stats separately =).

Hope you guys are having a wonderful fall weekend!

Until next time -
Megan

What free time?!?!

It's been two weeks since I've posted! Sorry fellow bloggers!  I underestimated how much time "free time" I would lose by taking a new job, losing half a day off, and simultaneously prepping for the semi annual multiples sale!  Geez!

So, to catch you up, in the last two weeks we have:
Had our pictures taken professionally twice!

Been to two play dates (what can I say, we love to play!)

And ran the OPMC semi annual clothing and equipment sale (this took tons of time!).  But we sold $657 worth of stuff this round - WOW!

The girls birthday is October 13th so we are doing some quick party planning too.  Since the girls favorite place to be at this point is PE 101 we figured it was only fitting to have their 2nd birthday party there!  It's going to be very low key - just family, friends, and playing.  We are having a make-your-own cold cut sandwiches and PB&J bar, crock pot macaroni and cheese, and cake.  That's it! Easy peasy! I just can't believe they are almost two!!! Where on earth did the last year go?!?!?!

Okay, that's all I've got ladies! Happy Tuesday!

Until next time -
Megan