Two 2 year olds

 The boys are now over 2 years old and I have had thoughts haunting me lately about how I am going to forget everything about this stage that I have a love-hate relationship with. In a lot of ways I really just want to freeze them at this stage forever. Since I don't have any control over this I thought I should at least document it so that I can remember it myself.

Tenny

- Has been slow in talking, but the words I hear the most are "Stop it Chap." He is really good at any words that start with an "S" like "Show" or "Shoe" or "Sock."

- He is obsessed with screens. If you leave a phone, ipad, or laptop out and it is quiet you know that you will most likely find Tenny in a room handing out with it. He has figured out how to take pictures on devices without having to unlock them. If the device is unlocked already he is getting really good at swiping and can navigate his way into shows on Disney plus. A screen can entertain him for hours and he will watch entire movies on the TV without moving.

- He's usually the first one I hear yelling in the morning and after naps. He lets us all know when they are ready to get up. Most of the time we also hear jumping in their cribs with the yelling.

- When you say "Pew, you stink" he will hold his nose with his fingers.

- His huge smile, blue eyes, and blonde hair make him a little hard to resist, even when he is being naughty.

- He loves books and can usually sit through a few at a time. His favorite book is the Disney "cars" book with all of the different cars in it. He will look at that book for a long time.

- He is a pretty picky eater and really looks at the cues of others to decide if he likes something. However, he never turns down dessert. Ice cream and cookies are his favorite. He doesn't know very many baby signs, but he does know the "cookie" sign.

- He loves shoes, especially high heels that make noises on the wood floor. He often tap dances on the hard wood floor.

- If Chap is screaming, it usually because Tenny took something from him and then took off. Tenny does a great job of being sneaky but Chap gives it away.

- He loves having his back scratched. When he is having a freak out sometimes the only way I can get him to calm down is to give him his binky and blanket and have him sit on my lap with his back scratched. He just starts melting and can't sustain the screams.

- He loves anything with wheels. Trains, cars, bikes. I've found him trying to climb on the big kid bikes to ride them. He is also obsessed with driving the car. We have let him play in the car a few times and now every time we get in the car he freaks out when I put him in the car seat because he wants to drive the car instead. He always makes sure he buckles up before he starts driving. The night before we were supposed to leave on our family vacation to Florida he was playing in the van and turned the lights on. Needless to say, we had to jumpstart the battery the next day before leaving.

- He figured out how to climb out of the pack and play while we were on vacation in Florida but hasn't figured out the crib yet. His legs are a little too short and he isn't brave enough to make it that far down. While we were on vacation one night we had just put the boys to bed and come downstairs. Next thing we know we see Tenny sitting at the top of the stairs.

- He calls anyone "mom" that is taking care of him. I don't think I've ever heard him say "dad".

- He loves to draw and can hold a pencil the correct way already. The marks that he makes on the page are very intentional. We have to be careful about leaving notebooks or scriptures out though because he has been known to scribble throughout them. He also drew all over the kitchen bench one day. Luckily it was washable marker.

Chap

- He loves to strip off clothes. There were a few months (Nov-Dec 2020) that I couldn't keep his clothes on when he was sleeping. I started pinning his zipper pajamas and that fixed the nighttime but he was still stripping for naps every day. It was like every time I put him the crib it was a cue to start taking his clothes off. Tenny would just laugh and watch. I would come in with them giggling and Chap would be butt naked with his bedding all wet from his pee. Even dressing him in a onesie didn't help because he figured out how to climb out of it through the neck, or to pull his diaper off without even unbuttoning the onesie. The thing that broke it for good (hopefully) was going on vacation in Florida for a week. He didn't strip at all while we were there and hasn't since (cross your fingers). 

- One day I found  him stripped in his crib with poop all over his bed and on his hands. Let's hope he never does that again. It was not a fun cleanup. 

- He loves balls. In fact, I would say that was probably one of his first words besides mom. He has a pretty good throw too and will do it over and over again. 

- He has quite the high-pitched scream, but most of the time it is induced by Tenny stealing something. I don't think he is a screamer by nature.

- He is a really good eater once he tries something he generally likes it. He is super messy though. I am hopeful that we are through the food throwing stage. He was awful. I was mopping the floor every day because of him and I found food on the walls, curtains, and furniture. Since moving them to the table we have had less food throwing. If you are eating something he will sneak up next to you on the bench and back up into your lap. Then he will start smacking his lips. This means he is ready to try some of your food. If he has a bite, he will usually eat everything on your plate.

- He loves to put on socks and shoes. He is actually pretty proficient at putting on his own socks. I have found him with other family members unmatched socks that he found floating around the house on his feet.

- I've never had a kid that was so distructo. He tears up books, throws things, and opens containers that he isn't supposed to. He can unscrew just about any lid and loves to figure out how things work by taking them on and off. He doesn't do it mischieviously. I think he just gets bored and likes to explore. I'm pretty sure he was the one who got the laundry soap lid off and the cocoa powder. Although I would need a security camera to confirm.

- He is a super happy kid. He is very ticklish and has a contagious laugh. He doesn't like having his back scratched like Tenny because he is too ticklish and just giggles the whole time.

Four months

The boys checked out great today. They are starting to make a broader gap in their weights. Their builds are so different from each other. It will be interesting to see how they grow side by side.

They are both giggling like crazy this month. They love to play peek a boo and being tickled. They like to be a part of the action and not in another room if there is something going on. They still both sleep really great (although the last week they have been getting up at 4:00am hungry; I think they are going through a growth spurt). They feed 6 times a day for 10-15 minutes. I think they are getting about 4-5 ounces a feeding as that is what they eat when we give them a bottle. They take bottles every week at church so I don't have to nurse them. We also top them off with a few ounces of breastmilk pumped in the morning before they go to bed at night.

They both still like to be swaddled but are become escape artists and wiggle their arms out. They go to sleep on their own great. All we do is swaddle them up and stick the binky in. We've had a few people come help babysit while I went to appointments and shopping and they can't believe how easy they are.

Here are the stats from their appointment:

Chapman:
length: 23" (5%)
Weight: 11lbs 10 oz (5%)
Head: 16.5" (38%)

Super cuddly little guy. The young women in our ward fight over who will hold Chap because he is so much easier to hold being smaller and cuddly. He hates his tummy and loves the bumbo. One side of the back of his head is getting a little bit flat, so we are trying to position him on the other side while he sleeps.

Tennyson:
length: 24" (16%)
Weight: 13lbs 3 oz (13%)
Head: 16.25" (23%)

Still a super stiff baby. We call him "the brick" because that's what it feels like when you hold him. He loves to stand on his feet and gets really excited. He likes being on his tummy but does not like sitting in the bumbo. I think he doesn't like being folded in half for too long. Still battling craddle cap but hopefully it will go away soon with the vaginal cream we are putting on it :)

Three months

Personality. This month I am starting to see the individual personality of these boys coming out. We made a trip to Arizona and they were both troopers. They rode so well in the car and only cried when they needed to eat. They didn't have an appointment this month so I'm not sure where they are sitting on their weight, but I know that Tennyson is definitely heavier than Chapman. They also feel very different when you hold them as Chap cuddles into you and Tenny arches his back and tries to get away.

They are sleeping great at night. I feed them at 10pm and then they don't get up to eat again until 5:00am. I usually feed them and then put them back down and wake them up after the kids are off to school at 8:00am. It also allows me to get a run in before feeding them again. Still tandem feeding. One of my favorite things is seeing them hold hands as I feed them. I imagine they really like having a companion with them all of the time.

They were split up for an hour for the first time ever. I went to a Relief Society activity and left Chapman at home and took Tennyson with me. Felt a little bit weird to only have one baby with me.

This month we are getting lots of smiles and giggles. The siblings are going crazy over them lately and all fight over who will hold them. They fit into 3 month clothes pretty solidly but also some 0-3 month stuff still too.

We sure love these boys.

February in pictures

This month was cold but that didn't stop us from having fun. We finally feel like we are on a good schedule and got out a bit.

We went to the free carousel night at the mall. I think I rode that carousel about 15 times with miss Ruby.

Shad is super dad and handles twins like a champ.

Mommy does ok too and is soaking up the snuggles. The house cleaning can wait.

We are anxious for spring, but settled on an inside picnic with friends.

Someone went to the repentance bench and was so stubborn he finally fell asleep.

Haken and Jack have really stepped it up in taking care of the babies. Jack is holding a baby any chance he gets and loves to change diapers and clothes. They are the reason I can make it to church on time.

Gracie on the other hand is still asking which baby is which. She can't tell them apart. 

However, she has become a master big sister for Benny and Ruby. Any game she creates they want to be a part of it and she loves that they follow her every command.

She couldn't wait to show off Benny and Ruby at her Valentine's party at school. She insisted I bring them with me.

 Luckily the blowouts have been minimal this month. 

Haken has become a busy Jr. High student being involved in student council, the school newspaper, Science Olympiad, and Scholastic bowl. Sometimes I wonder if the extracurricular activities are just a ploy to get out of riding the bus home. He really loves the time he gets to spend with his friends though. He was one of the captains of the scholastic bowl team.