Pics w Mom and Cooper's Faces

I read an article about how Mom's take themselves out of their kids' pictorial histories by always being the photographer and never in any pics themselves so I'm trying to be cognizant of that and get pics of me with the kids now.

Cooper has got quite a lot of opinions now. He gets very upset easily, but then also calms down easily. If he doesn't like something, he immediately lets you know.  This is how his fits start, with the lip coming out, quivering, the eyes getting watery (totally fake tears, there'll be like ONE of them actually come out), and then it's full on the saddest crying you've ever heard. 

Super Cooper and Brinley Batgirl

Aunt Kala got them the cutest outfits!

Twins (2)

My twin brother and sister, Brady and Ashley, holding my twins, Brinley and Cooper

 

Grasping objects

Cooper has been working on grasping objects. He likes to hold on to these rings on the activity mat, and to one on the bouncy seat. I tried to pull one of these rings from him, and he jerked it back real hard!  He was able to pass a rattle from one hand to another this weekend as well, which took a LOT of concentration from him.  Brinley will be soon to follow on these if past history persists - she's about 1.5 - 2 weeks behind him on everything.

Aunt Kala can always make them smile. They LOVE funny faces and funny noises with your mouth.

 

He wasn't quite sure about her trying to eat his hand.

 

 

Selfies, Reading & Reclining

We sat Brinley down on the recliner for just a minute to get something. But she immediately got real comfortable, putting her arm up and was super content to watch TV like this! So we added Cooper and they relaxed in the chair watching the TV for about 10 minutes (forever in baby time!)

This is our nanny's daughter that comes with her to watch the babies. Brinley already loves selfies, oh no!

The same night they chilled in the recliner they also got read to for awhile by Brandon's sister Kala. They really enjoy reading and definitely pay attention to the pages and also get antsy and want a different book after awhile (evident by grunts and whining that stop when you get a new book).

Brinley head update

We took Brinley to the plastic surgeon after the pediatrician recommended it for her head shape. He agreed she had a moderate case of plagiocephaly but did think it was more related to her neck (torticollis).  He said it's common in multiples who get cramped in one spot in the womb and their necks get tight on one side. She does turn her head both directions but definitely favors one side, so that's caused her to lay on that side more and then get the flat spot.  The good news is though that we've caught this early. She has until she's 5 months old (adjusted age, so really 7 months) before if it wasn't fixed she would have to get a helmet to correct it.  So we're going to see a physical therapist who will work with us on exercises to loosen up her neck, etc so hopefully we can get it corrected before needing a helmet.  It also will naturally get a little better when she starts sitting up and not laying down so much and plus being a girl in this case is a bonus that she will have hair that can cover if her head isn't perfectly round. I would really like to stay away from the helmet if at all possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Visiting Family

My little brother Brady came in town from Connecticut for a week. This was his first time meeting his niece and nephew.

We went to my parents for lunch with our whole family since Brady was home.  My sister-in-law Julie carried Brinley around like this for a long time. Brin loved it and eventually fell asleep. She only left a "little" bit of drool on Julie's arm.

My older brother Ryan (married to Julie) is a major baby hog and pretty much held Cooper like this most of the day.  This is the second time they've done that at my parents.  Definitely a bond forming already between those two.

This activity mat (that I got for 10 bucks at a consignment sale) started out as a just ok activity but now it's our go-to distraction to keep them happy wherever we're at.  They love it!

Cooper's First Ouchie

Cooper's first boo boo was caused by....ME!!  When we were visiting my parents the other day, I reached down to pick up Cooper off the playmat and jabbed him really hard in the forehead with my thumbnail (which isn't even that long)! It started bleeding a little and he screamed like crazy. I felt so bad, but he was ok pretty quick.

 

 

 

 

 

Hanging with Friends

We were in Clinton to visit my family and stopped in to see my friend Amanda's new baby, Davis, who is 1.5 mos vs Cooper and Brinley at 4.5 mos - Not much size difference!

Cooper chillin with the ladies...We also went to a BBQ with my friends Nicole and Kim.  The older girls are Clara and Avery, Nicole's girls, who were so excited to have THREE babies at their house.  Kim's 3 mo old baby, Harper, is on the left here.

Then they all got mad at too many pictures.

Cute pic of the day

Puppy Love

Ty loves his babies!

4 Months

 

 

 

Cooper and Brinley had their 4 month checkups at the doctor this week.  They are doing great! They're pretty much somewhere in between their birth age and gestational age as far as development which is normal. She was really happy with their growth. They are on the charts now for their birth age!  We don't expect them to move up much on the charts compared to other babies, its more about if they're gaining weight at a good pace, which they definitely are.  They've each gained 4 pounds since their 2 month checkups.  And this is the 3rd Dr appointment in a row (day after hospital checkout, 2 month, 4 month) where they've been exactly 1 pound apart.

For some reason both babies always poop at the doctors. You have to completely undress them, diaper and all, to weigh them and we got big surprises when we tried to take off their diapers!  Then I was playing with Cooper while Brinley was getting checked out, and I held him up above me and kissed him and he spit up all IN my mouth! and down my shirt, everywhere, and I had to go back to work after the appointment. It was so gross!! 

The Dr was very impressed with their 10-11 hours a night sleeping. Though this may be contributing to Brinley's flatness on the back/side of her head. We have been referred to a plastic surgeon to see what they think about her head. She doesn't have any neck problems which is common with flat heads. She can and does turn her head to both sides all the time, she just always sleeps at night on the one side, even if we switch what side she faces, etc. The Dr said she had a "moderate" case of it. I guess that's better than severe! We'll see what the plastic surgeon says as far as if its so bad to need a helmet. Hopefully not!!  And you'll see that her head circumference is the same as Cooper's, even though she's a pound smaller!!  She's in the 6th percentile for weight but 10th for head size!!  (note that the percentiles given are different for boys and girls which is why her percentiles are higher even though she's smaller).

Brinley just had the best time during the appointment. She seriously loves being around people and getting attention and just smiled and smiled at the nurse, the doctor, everybody. They were laying beside each other on the table, and after the Dr was done examining her and moved on to Cooper, Brin started grunting and kicking the doctor almost like she was mad that the doctor wasn't talking to her anymore!  Cooper was just so laid back and cool acting; the Dr noted how he just seems to be taking it all in and thinking so hard about everything. He can be so serious looking lately!

Their stats:

Brinley
Weight: 11 lbs 3 oz (6th percentile)
Height: 23 in (10th percentile)
Head Circumference: 15.5 in (10th percentile)

Cooper
Weight: 12 lbs 3 oz (5th percentile)
Height: 23.5 in (6th percentile)
Head Circumference: 15.5 in (2nd percentile)

First 4th of July!

Hanging out

Cooper and Brinley love to be outside. Here they are hanging out with grandma and grandpa scheidt (and Miles close by like always)

I think I keep saying this but they really are starting to be so interested in each other. I'll lay them facing each other and they just smile so big when they see the other one.

I was trying to get a cute smiley picture to send to Aunt Kala (who got Brin this onesie) but she was not having it that morning. Like she refused to smile!

We started swaddling Cooper with his arms in for a few days and this is how we found him one morning. so no more arm swaddles! Brinley has been breaking out of hers as well. We just use the swaddles as more wearable blankets then.

They both came about wearing these (over the top) outfits at differing times that day, and we just had to get a picture of them together in their "princess poodle outfit" and "tough guy basketball player outfit"! 

 

this is how they end up some mornings when I'm home alone with them and trying to get ready for work!  they actually seem to take their bottles better this way sometimes.



I see many years of this "he/she did it!" in our futures.

Cooper has found his thumb and will suck on it occasionally; usually just in the mornings when he's still in his crib but hasn't gotten up yet. Sometimes he'll lay in there dozing on and off, sucking his thumb for almost an hour!  This morning he was ready to eat but I was being slow hooking up to pump (multi-tasking!) and so he got impatient and started going to town on his thumb!  he unfortunately still doesn't have the best control of his arms so he'll be sucking on it then his arm will jerk away and he ended up with several scratches on his nose from his other fingers.