Scarlett and Clark - 4 Months

Scarlett and Clark turned 4 months yesterday! Our days with them have been flying by, and while it seems like they were newborns just yesterday, it also feels like they've always been a part of our family. It's hard to remember how easy our days were when there were just two kids in this house.

The babies have had some major changes over the last month. Sleep being a big one. We went from Clark sleeping through the night, to him waking every few hours. Scarlett's long stretch of sleep seems to be getting shorter and shorter. We stopped waking them both to eat since their sleep schedules were so different. That resulted in me waking up way more than I should be. One night I counted and I was up with one or the other of them 8 times throughout the night. Needless to say, I'm not game for that many wake ups, so we are getting back to some stricter sleeping arrangements.

They just started a new bedtime routine that doesn't involve nursing to sleep. I am trying to be better about not just pulling Scarlett into bed with me if she cries and won't take a paci. It's so darn easy to just pull her in bed though, so we aren't completely away from that. We have started to work away from the swaddle, which may be partly to blame for their less than stellar sleep. They are both currently rocking the one arm out swaddle. While Clark loves the ability to suck on his fingers, Scarlett isn't quite sure what to do with her arm a lot of the time.

Their naps have also seen a major makeover. Since they were born, they've always napped in the living room, usually in their swings. Harrison and Brooke are no good at being quiet, no surprise there, so swing naps have become problematic the older Scarlett and Clark get. They have been napping in their cribs for a week now, and it's going really well. Falling asleep is pretty easy for them, but making it past the first sleep cycle has been tough, especially for Scarlett. We've wound up with a bunch of 30 minute naps, and only a few lasting an hour or more. If anyone has any suggestions on how to get them to nap longer, I'm all ears.

We are trying to stick with and E-A-S-Y routine as much as possible. Their routine gets a little messed up on mornings when we run errands or go to the zoo or library. They both fall asleep easily in the van, so often they end up sleeping sooner than they should. They happily roll with the changes, and we're usually able to get back to the normal routine after their next nap.

Over the last month we began noticing Scarlett getting increasingly irritated during feeds. She would get painful gas and randomly cry out or have a hard time burping. She also had an eczema flare up that coincided with the timing of her tummy issues. Combing that with her constant blowouts, and we started to think maybe she has a milk allergy. I went back and forth on if I should cut out dairy, but I eventually decided to cut out all dairy and soy from my diet. We are going on almost 2 weeks of dietary changes, and we can see a huge difference in her. I've even noticed that Clark is less gassy during and after feeds. They both eat every three hours and are now nursing for shorter periods of time. I'm not sure if they've become more efficient or if we're just spending less time burping, but our nursing sessions are now about 15-20 minutes instead of 30-45.

This is what their schedule has looked like over the last couple weeks:

5am tandem nursing session

5:20am back to sleep

6:45am lay in bed for a milk top off

8:30am nurse and up for the day

10:00am nap time

11:00am nurse and then play

12:30pm nap time 

1:30pm nurse and then play

3:00pm nap time

4:00pm nurse and then play

5:30pm occasional cat nap

6:45pm bath time

7:00pm pajamas and final nursing session

8:00pm bed time

1am-5am occasional quick nursing session and then back to bed

Playtime still mostly consists of time on their ocean play mat. The love hanging out with their best friend, blue octopus. He tells great jokes and has a little fish friend they can hang onto. ;) They are both spending more time in the exersaucer and jumperoo, as well as their Bumbo seats. They each got a cloth Eric Carle book from the Easter bunny, and they have really taken to those. Their bouncy seats are permanently on our island, and they happily hang out there while we eat breakfast and lunch, or while I cook dinner or clean the kitchen. I decided to purchase their high chairs last month even though I know we won't be starting food for another couple months. I'm glad I bought them early, because they really enjoy sitting with us at dinner time.

Clark

Clark is still in size two diapers and is wearing 3-6 month and 6 month clothes. He can fit into 6-12 month clothes, but they're a little baggy. He weighs 17lbs (70th %) and is 25 1/4" long (70th %). He doesn't cry often, but when he does it is the saddest thing ever. He has a very high pitched wail of a scream. Painful gas and me raising my voice are guaranteed to result in him crying. I've learned pretty quickly not to yell at H and B if he's around. I think maybe he's just trying to keep them out of trouble. He is a very happy boy and he smiles and talks a lot. He has decided over the last month that tummy time really isn't that bad and he's getting pretty good at it. He has more hair than any of the other kids had at this age. It's super soft, mostly blonde, and I absolutely love rubbing it. His nicknames include C Dub, Chubby Man, and Meatball.

Scarlett

Little miss is wearing size 2 diapers and can still fit comfortably into 3 month clothes. Most of her things are 3-6 months, and there are a few 6 month items mixed in. She weighs 15lbs2oz (80th %) and is 24 1/2" long (60th %). She LOVES Harrison. She likes everyone, but he is her favorite and I think she might be his too. She has always been willing to take a paci, but she is now especially fond of her hippo Wubanub. She craves touch. She sleeps best when snuggled up against me, and my hand resting on her chest or letting her hold my hand is enough to soothe her back to sleep most of the time. Her face is so perfectly round that I sometimes think she doesn't look real, almost like a baby doll. She smiles and giggles all the time, and while she doesn't "talk" quite as much as her bother, she is still a chatterbox. Her nicknames include Scarlitto, Punky, and Little Miss (think Spin Doctors and imagine us singing it to her 10,000 times per day).

Happy 4 months, Scarlett and Clark. If the last month has taught us anything, it's that just when we think we have it all figured out, you two will throw us a curve ball, or two. I can't wait to see what changes the next month has in store for us. 

Weekending

We had one of those weekends that's so great in early spring. Pefect weather and somewhere fun to go on Saturday and Sunday. Friday we spent the whole day at home working on nap training Scarlett and Clark. Is nap training a thing? It is now. Them napping in their swings has become impractical, so Friday they got their first taste of sleeping in their cribs. There were tears, screaming, rocking, and lots of shushing, but we managed three solid 30 minute naps in their cribs. Not great, but it's a start.

Saturday morning we headed to our local Touch a Truck event. Brooke and Harrison had so much fun. We wish it would have lasted longer than 2 hours. Scarlett and Clark were no doubt happy when it was over. Too many loud noises for them to nap well in the stroller, and they aren't much for eating on the go. We made it through with minimal tears, thanks to help from my mom, and then spent the rest of the day at home playing in the back yard, and strengthening our crib nap game.

Saturday evening a few of my best girlfriends came over for a makeup and hot tub night. Once the kids were in bed, we hot tubbed, ate junk food, and got a lesson in contouring and eye makeup. 

Sunday morning we were all off to the zoo bright and early. The zoo was much more Scarlett and Clark's speed. Not nearly as noisy, near constant stroller cruising, and Daddy as their second adult. We ran into some friends, had a few great animal experiences, and didn't have to fight the crowds too bad. It was a great start to zoo season.

Again the afternoon was spent outside in the back yard. Rob was busy working on the kids' new to them swing set, H and B ran around like crazy people, and I again tended to two babies who think 30 minute naps are appropriate at 4 months old. The kids were all asleep by 8:20. Rob and I were able to enjoy dinner together after the littles were in bed and we closed out the night with Fear the Walking Dead. I didn't love the first season, but I am really enjoying this season so far. 

I hope you all had a great weekend full of fun springtime activities. I'm already looking forward to more time at the zoo, mornings at the farmers market, and dinners on our patio. Cheers to Monday being over, and on with the week!

It's Friday!

It's Friday! Weekends haven't meant much around here lately because it's been the same thing every day. Feed babies, clean up after twin tornadoes, try to get as much sleep as possible, repeat. Now that spring is here, there are a lot more fun activities planned for our weekends. Our zoo opens this weekend, and that's a pretty big deal in our house. You'll be able to find is there at least once a week, usually Sunday morning. Now onto a little Friday randomness.

After two years of people telling me I should join Snapchat, I finally bit the bullet. Brooke and Harrison are absolutely obsessed with filters, and I'm completely obsessed with puting the filters on the babies. If you want to follow along with my daily baby spam and random thoughts, @jennpargeon is my screen name. 

Who else loves Kimmy Schmidt? I binge watched the first season when I was a few weeks pregnant with Scarlett and Clark. I've been looking forward to season 2 since I finished the first one, and it didn't disappoint. I finished the last couple episodes yesterday, and now I'm already looking forward to season 3. Episodes 6 and 9 were favorites for me. I think I may have to go back and rewatch both seasons, because I can't get enough!

Tank

Tee

I am at that odd inbetween phase of the postpartum body. Maternity jeans are out, but my hips are still a full size bigger than pre preg, and don't get me started on twin skin and nursing boobs. I've grabbed a couple shirts and a one size up pair of my favorite jeans to get me by. Loose and flowy is the name of my shirt game right now, and these two are a couple of my favorites. This tank is one I think I may pick up too.

After dealing with plantar fasciitis for the last couple years, and having everyone tell me I should get Birkenstocks, I finally broke down and bought a pair. I had a really hard time getting past the 90s aspect of them. Then I saw a few of the newer styles and settled on these ones in stone. They are super comfortable, and I'm happy to have a pair of sandals I can comfortably wear besides my black Crocs. And yes, I own Crocs sandals, but they aren't nearly as hideous as they sound. 

I drink coffee like its my job. I recently gave up dairy which means no half and half, and hot coffee with almond milk doesn't top my love list. Enter cold brew coffee. It's so easy, and my new favorite way to make coffee. I put 2 tablespoons of grounds in a mason jar with 1 1/2 cups of water after dinner. In the morning I have coffee ready to be strained and poured over ice. No more watered down Kuerig iced coffee, and iced is so much more tolerable with almond milk.

I hope you all have grand plans for your weekend. Our association garage sales are going on today, so I think there may be a nice walk and a few dollars spent this morning. Happy Friday!!

Scarlett and Clark - 3 Months

We survived the fourth trimester! That's right, these little twinkies are now three months old. Another month has flown by and we fall more in love with these two every day. I'm a week late getting this posted, but here it is.

Scarlett

Little miss has started laughing, and it is the most adorable thing ever! She is most likely to laugh if we are playing with her feet. Pat A Cake or Wheels on the Bus with her feet are a couple of her favorites. She is a very happy baby, as long as she's not hungry or tired, and smiles almost nonstop.

She is a professional clothes ruiner. No exaggerating, she has a blow out every day. Usually in the morning when she's in her car seat and out running errands. Not one to be limited by her car seat, she will gladly shoot poop up her back while sitting on your lap or in her Bumbo seat. Thank goodness for Oxi Clean. She is still wearing size 3 month onesies and pants. She can wear both 3 month and 6 month one pieces or sleep and plays.

Clark

Our chubby little man gets chubbier by the day. He is so round and looks so much like his big brother. He was slow to give us smiles, but now he has a happy face on most of the time. He loves sitting in his ocean bouncy seat or having a stare down with the octopus on his play gym. I think the boy may have a future in marine biology. ;)

His clothing sizes are kind of all over the place. Some 3 month onesies fit, and some are too small. He's definitely in 6 month sleep and plays, but some of those are already too short. He is wearing size 2 diapers. 

It doesn't happen every night, but he frequently sleeps 10-12 hours straight. Big man is my champion sleeper, and I'm so thankful for that.  

Scarlett and Clark have a pretty set schedule/ Thankfully they are willing to be slightly flexible if we need them to be, but most days if goes like this: 

7:30-8 wake up and nurse 

9:30 nap time in their swings or sleeping while we run errands

10:30 nurse

12:00 nap time in their swings

1:30 wake up and nurse

3:00 nap time in swings or in our bed

4:30-5 wake up and nurse

7:00 pajamas and final nursing session of the day

8:00 bedtime

5:00a wake up to nurse and then right back to sleep

Their nursing sessions are still between 30-40 minutes and they both eat at the same time. Both babies get lots of gas when nursing and need burped frequently. Scarlett doesn't usually make it to the 5am nursing session. Sometime between 1am and 3am she comes into bed with us for a mini side lying nursing session. She falls asleep next to me and stays there until Clark wakes up.

Their time between nursing sessions involves time in their bouncy seats, on their play mat, in their Bumbos, stories, songs, or hanging out with Harrison and Brooke. There's also a lot of going places that happens during their awake time. I try to have them home for nursing sessions, but they are content to be on the go the rest of the time. 

They both still hate tummy time, but I'm continuing to work on it. Clark needs a hand for extra head support when he sits in his Bumbo. Since his version of tummy time involves him laying like a slug, I am trying to give him as much assisted sitting time as possible. Scarlett will push herself up a little bit, but after a minute of so, she's done with being on her belly. After seeing her roll over any time we put her on her belly last month, she hasn't done it at all this month.

In the week since I originally wrote this, so much has already changed. I will save the updates for their 4 month post, but it's crazy how quickly things change. Everyday with these two is a new adventure. We love them so much, and they make me think we could handle more kids after them, even though I swore we were done. I'm sure my opinion on this will change soon, but right now I can see more babies in our future. As much work as the newborn phase is, they're so sweet when they're this little.