Believe it or not, it's already been half a year since our sweet Moses was born. These days we're enjoying seeing him sit independently and play with toys, happily clap his hands, and get up on his hands and knees and rock his cute butt to and fro. He has made some valorous attempts to crawl and we suspect it won't be long before he fulfills his mission. Today I noticed a something sharp poking through his lower gum, and upon closer examination beheld a little white speck. That's right, Moses got his very first tooth on his 6 month birthday! You would never guess that he's teething based on his steadfast sweet temperament, although he does seem to prefer Mommy's company over anyone else's :)
Moses' doctor is currently out of the country so his 6-month check-up will have to wait, which is just as well since our health insurance from Joe's new job won't kick in for another week or two. In lieu of a well-baby visit, I took the boys back to Bed Bath & Beyond to find out Moses' weight. The boys have now decided that standing on scales is great fun, so we had Moses try out half a dozen scales, each claiming unique weights ranging from 20 to 24 lbs. So we'll just say that he weighs about 22 lbs., which happens to be above the 95th percentile. Supposing Moses has only gained 1 lb. in the past month and is now only 21 lbs., he would still be among the top 5-10% of 6-month-old baby boys. I also measured him this evening and he is about 28 inches long, which would also put him in the 90-95th percentile.
Moses is still exclusively breastfed for the most part. Last week I bought him one of those mesh feeders and he has enjoyed using it to gnaw and suck on delicious fresh peaches and plums. I've also scraped some apricot pulp with a spoon and let him have a few bites. I've decided to hold off on traditional baby food for now since he is clearly thriving on breastmilk alone and I don't see the point in creating extra work for myself! Besides, I've read that introducing solid foods earlier than 6 months (and some argue 1 year) will deprive a baby of crucial nutrients by replacing the amounts of breastmilk he needs. In other words, as healthy as pureed spinach may be, it's certainly no substitute for the goodness that comes from mama's milk.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Vacation Bible School
Last week the twins attended Vacation Bible School at a Methodist church down the street. It was their first time in a structured school setting away from Mommy or Daddy, so I was a little concerned about how well they'd do, but their friends Lizzie and Michael were also attending, and Miss Leah was one of the helpers, so I knew they would be in good hands.
The folks running Vacation Bible School were wise in that they knew that food--particularly junk food--is the key to a preschooler's heart. I was unable to extract much information out of boys regarding their daily activities other than what they ate. Among other things, they feasted on bagels with "crim cheese", "rice Christmas treats" (Rice Krispies Treats), and "red juice". They also told me they "took a couple sips," meaning they drank from the water fountain. "Red juice" seemed to be the most frequently recurring theme throughout the week, and I can imagine it must have seemed like heavenly nectar to these sweet-toothed boys whose previous perception of juice was limited to watered-down 100% fruit juice.
During the week we tried in vain to detect any evidence of Biblical instruction they might have been receiving at Vacation Bible School--the boys would only talk to us about food (and no, I don't believe "red juice" was used as an allegory to Jesus' shed blood!) Throughout the week there was also occasional mention of a cricket, which they eagerly introduced me to on Friday--a lonely little dead cricket on the floor in the corner of their classroom, not a class pet or story character as I had previously speculated. On one of the last days Caleb happily pointed to a door across the hall labeled "Music" and asked, "want to go do music?!" and he also mentioned learning a song, although he didn't feel the need to share it with us. At the end of the week each boy brought home a prized plastic cross filled with sand, Bible verses on keychains, and a Bible story booklet. And thus we were pleased to learn that there had been a "B" in VBS after all!
The boys' teacher told me that earlier in the week they kept to themselves and refused to participate in any of the activities, but by the time Wednesday rolled around they were joining right in on all the fun. Throughout the week the boys insisted that they did not want to go to Vacation Bible School, and sweet Caleb fought back tears the first couple of mornings when I dropped them off (but he stayed tough and never actually cried). By Friday morning, however, he was smiling and waving good-bye to me as I stood outside the classroom door.
As much as I enjoyed my peaceful mornings with just Moses, I did miss my big boys. I always arrived 15 mintues early to pick them up, and enjoyed observing them from the window before entering the classroom. The first morning I was saddened to find them sitting next to each other all by themselves at the table, but also thankful that they had each other for comfort. The second morning, only Caleb sat at the table while Joshua played nearby. As the week wore on, I would return to find that they'd ventured further from the table, playing with toys and reading books with their teachers. And when they would first see me, they'd exuberantly exclaim, "Mommy! Did you have fun at Vacation Bible School?!" On Saturday morning they actually asked to go to Vacation Bible School, but of course there was no more Vacation Bible School to go to. I know they'll be looking forward to going back next year.
The folks running Vacation Bible School were wise in that they knew that food--particularly junk food--is the key to a preschooler's heart. I was unable to extract much information out of boys regarding their daily activities other than what they ate. Among other things, they feasted on bagels with "crim cheese", "rice Christmas treats" (Rice Krispies Treats), and "red juice". They also told me they "took a couple sips," meaning they drank from the water fountain. "Red juice" seemed to be the most frequently recurring theme throughout the week, and I can imagine it must have seemed like heavenly nectar to these sweet-toothed boys whose previous perception of juice was limited to watered-down 100% fruit juice.
During the week we tried in vain to detect any evidence of Biblical instruction they might have been receiving at Vacation Bible School--the boys would only talk to us about food (and no, I don't believe "red juice" was used as an allegory to Jesus' shed blood!) Throughout the week there was also occasional mention of a cricket, which they eagerly introduced me to on Friday--a lonely little dead cricket on the floor in the corner of their classroom, not a class pet or story character as I had previously speculated. On one of the last days Caleb happily pointed to a door across the hall labeled "Music" and asked, "want to go do music?!" and he also mentioned learning a song, although he didn't feel the need to share it with us. At the end of the week each boy brought home a prized plastic cross filled with sand, Bible verses on keychains, and a Bible story booklet. And thus we were pleased to learn that there had been a "B" in VBS after all!
The boys' teacher told me that earlier in the week they kept to themselves and refused to participate in any of the activities, but by the time Wednesday rolled around they were joining right in on all the fun. Throughout the week the boys insisted that they did not want to go to Vacation Bible School, and sweet Caleb fought back tears the first couple of mornings when I dropped them off (but he stayed tough and never actually cried). By Friday morning, however, he was smiling and waving good-bye to me as I stood outside the classroom door.
As much as I enjoyed my peaceful mornings with just Moses, I did miss my big boys. I always arrived 15 mintues early to pick them up, and enjoyed observing them from the window before entering the classroom. The first morning I was saddened to find them sitting next to each other all by themselves at the table, but also thankful that they had each other for comfort. The second morning, only Caleb sat at the table while Joshua played nearby. As the week wore on, I would return to find that they'd ventured further from the table, playing with toys and reading books with their teachers. And when they would first see me, they'd exuberantly exclaim, "Mommy! Did you have fun at Vacation Bible School?!" On Saturday morning they actually asked to go to Vacation Bible School, but of course there was no more Vacation Bible School to go to. I know they'll be looking forward to going back next year.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
We Made the News!
Yesterday we attended the Friendship Firehouse's 235th birthday party in Old Town. While we were there, a reporter from AlexandriaNews.org interviewed me and a photographer snapped a photo of the twins playing on an antique fire engine! Check it out! Contrary to what the article would have you believe, we actually have 3 sons (I guess the reporter didn't notice sweet Moses in his stroller), and the boys were not nearly as somber as depicted in the photo!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Natural Remedies for Newborns
While Moses has overall been a much easier baby than the twins were, he did have a few issues we never encountered the first time around. Several people have asked how we treated these minor maladies, so I thought I'd share our natural remedies before I forget them.
Baby Acne
The most effective treatment I found was washing his face and scalp with Dr. Bronner's Organic Peppermint Soap every morning. Then later in the day I'd wipe the affected areas with a Witch Hazel-soaked cotton ball.
Cradle Cap
When he was a few weeks old, Moses developed a classic case of combination skin- his face was oily but his scalp was dry. Ever since I started washing his hair with Weleda Calendula Body Wash, he hasn't had any dry scalp issues.
Yeasty Tongue
Moses had a yeasty white tongue as a result of being pumped full of antibiotics (that he probably didn't even need) while he was in the NICU. To get rid of it, I sprinkled PB8 Probiotics on his tongue after every feeding, or as often as I remembered to. This cleared up Moses' tongue in no time and I never got thrush!
Baby Acne
The most effective treatment I found was washing his face and scalp with Dr. Bronner's Organic Peppermint Soap every morning. Then later in the day I'd wipe the affected areas with a Witch Hazel-soaked cotton ball.
Cradle Cap When he was a few weeks old, Moses developed a classic case of combination skin- his face was oily but his scalp was dry. Ever since I started washing his hair with Weleda Calendula Body Wash, he hasn't had any dry scalp issues.
Yeasty Tongue Moses had a yeasty white tongue as a result of being pumped full of antibiotics (that he probably didn't even need) while he was in the NICU. To get rid of it, I sprinkled PB8 Probiotics on his tongue after every feeding, or as often as I remembered to. This cleared up Moses' tongue in no time and I never got thrush!
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Snowman Music
One day a couple months ago I randomly decided to play our Tschaikovsky's "Nutcracker" CD. As soon as he heard it, Caleb exclaimed, "It's snowman music!" At first I was confused as to why he called it "snowman music", but then it occurred to me that they must have heard this music on their winter-themed Baby Einstein DVD (which, by the way, they haven't viewed in well over 2 years).
When we first started listening, Caleb would ask, "deh deh?" at various times throughout the piece. (Yes, we are working on getting them to ask "what's that?" in lieu of saying "deh deh?" but it's turning out to be a long, grueling process.) He wanted to know what was making the noises at different times throughout each piece. Hearkening back to my days in the school band and orchestra, I attempted to guess which instruments were making which noises and relayed my dubious knowledge to Caleb. Our conversations sounded something like this:
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "Ummmm... I think those are violins."
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "Those are flutes."
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "Ohh, I don't know. Cellos?"
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "That's silence."
Caleb: "They're resting, Mommy."
Caleb and Joshua ask to listen to "snowman music" on almost a daily basis now. Caleb is now pretty good at identifying the intruments on his own. Whether or not they're the correct instruments is debatable, and I fully accept responsibility for any errors he makes in the identification process. The part that always seems to fascinate him the most, however, is the silence (probably since silence is such a foreign concept to our boys!) Caleb still likes to ask "deh deh?" when the music stops, and he and Joshua will proceed to discuss between themselves the fact that the lack of noise is silence and that it means that "the instruments are resting."
When we first started listening, Caleb would ask, "deh deh?" at various times throughout the piece. (Yes, we are working on getting them to ask "what's that?" in lieu of saying "deh deh?" but it's turning out to be a long, grueling process.) He wanted to know what was making the noises at different times throughout each piece. Hearkening back to my days in the school band and orchestra, I attempted to guess which instruments were making which noises and relayed my dubious knowledge to Caleb. Our conversations sounded something like this:
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "Ummmm... I think those are violins."
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "Those are flutes."
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "Ohh, I don't know. Cellos?"
Caleb: "Deh deh?"
Me: "That's silence."
Caleb: "They're resting, Mommy."
Caleb and Joshua ask to listen to "snowman music" on almost a daily basis now. Caleb is now pretty good at identifying the intruments on his own. Whether or not they're the correct instruments is debatable, and I fully accept responsibility for any errors he makes in the identification process. The part that always seems to fascinate him the most, however, is the silence (probably since silence is such a foreign concept to our boys!) Caleb still likes to ask "deh deh?" when the music stops, and he and Joshua will proceed to discuss between themselves the fact that the lack of noise is silence and that it means that "the instruments are resting."
Friday, July 17, 2009
Moses is 5 Months Old
Moses is 5 months old today! Joe expressed my sentiments perfectly when he said, "It seems to have gone by quickly, but at the same time it feels like he's been part of the family since the start."
People keep asking me how much Moses weighs, so I took the boys to Bed Bath & Beyond this afternoon to find out (since we don't have a scale at home). Moses weighs 20 pounds, which is more than double his (substantial) birth weight. He is over the 95th percentile for weight. Today was the first time I've ever been able to get the twins to cooperate and stand on a scale, so I went ahead and got their weights, too. Caleb weighs 39 lbs and Joshua weighs 42 lbs. Caleb is just below the 90th percentile and Joshua is just over the 90th. So the consensus is that we've got some pretty big boys!
Moses is beginning to exhibit a bit of separation anxiety when he's away from me. Last night we left Moses with Mimi and Papa while Joe and I took the boys swimming, as we often do. He was asleep when we dropped him off, and when he woke up, he apparently cried a good 15 minutes straight until we came to pick him up. Mimi remarked that it was the first time she'd ever actually seen him crying hard. That's pretty impressive, considering all the crying she witnessed on a regular basis when the twins were babies! Moses behaved similarly when we were at Granny and Babo's house last weekend- he would start crying if I wasn't holding him or if he couldn't see me.
Moses isn't sitting up on his own yet (except for a few seconds, like when I placed him on the scale to weigh him) but I'm sure he will be soon. He is at the phase where he's grabbing everything in sight and becomes frustrated if he can't have the object of his desire, particularly watermelon slices which I occasionally let him taste (his only non-breastmilk food yet). He likes to flap his arms around and when he hits you, it hurts! He is still a remarkably good-natured baby, and his older brothers continue to adore him, play with him (they like to play pat-a-cake with his feet), and look out for his well-being. If I let an unfamiliar person hold Moses (for example, at church), the boys grow very concerned and say, "Want Mommy to hold Moses? Want Mommy go get Moses?" Likewise, Moses looks out for his older brothers. Moses became very concerned when he saw Joshua and Caleb "wrestling" with Babo. Eventually he realized that they were just playing, and then he started smiling and undoubtedly looks forward to being able to join in on the fun someday, too.
People keep asking me how much Moses weighs, so I took the boys to Bed Bath & Beyond this afternoon to find out (since we don't have a scale at home). Moses weighs 20 pounds, which is more than double his (substantial) birth weight. He is over the 95th percentile for weight. Today was the first time I've ever been able to get the twins to cooperate and stand on a scale, so I went ahead and got their weights, too. Caleb weighs 39 lbs and Joshua weighs 42 lbs. Caleb is just below the 90th percentile and Joshua is just over the 90th. So the consensus is that we've got some pretty big boys!
Moses is beginning to exhibit a bit of separation anxiety when he's away from me. Last night we left Moses with Mimi and Papa while Joe and I took the boys swimming, as we often do. He was asleep when we dropped him off, and when he woke up, he apparently cried a good 15 minutes straight until we came to pick him up. Mimi remarked that it was the first time she'd ever actually seen him crying hard. That's pretty impressive, considering all the crying she witnessed on a regular basis when the twins were babies! Moses behaved similarly when we were at Granny and Babo's house last weekend- he would start crying if I wasn't holding him or if he couldn't see me.
Moses isn't sitting up on his own yet (except for a few seconds, like when I placed him on the scale to weigh him) but I'm sure he will be soon. He is at the phase where he's grabbing everything in sight and becomes frustrated if he can't have the object of his desire, particularly watermelon slices which I occasionally let him taste (his only non-breastmilk food yet). He likes to flap his arms around and when he hits you, it hurts! He is still a remarkably good-natured baby, and his older brothers continue to adore him, play with him (they like to play pat-a-cake with his feet), and look out for his well-being. If I let an unfamiliar person hold Moses (for example, at church), the boys grow very concerned and say, "Want Mommy to hold Moses? Want Mommy go get Moses?" Likewise, Moses looks out for his older brothers. Moses became very concerned when he saw Joshua and Caleb "wrestling" with Babo. Eventually he realized that they were just playing, and then he started smiling and undoubtedly looks forward to being able to join in on the fun someday, too.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Elmo's Eyes
Most people know this character as "The Money You Could Be Saving" if you switched to Geico. Caleb and Joshua, however, see it as "Elmo's Eyes". They first met Elmo's Eyes on a billboard on Route 1 that we drive by on our way home from church. Months later, they giddily anticipate the billboard even before it appears on the horizon, and as soon as it peeks out from behind the trees, they scream, "It's Elmo's eyeeeeeees! Elmo's eyes on top of the money! Elmo's eyeeeeeeees!" at the top of their lungs and erupt into uproarious laughter.
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