Week 46, Happy Halloween

By Cyndi
October 31, 2011

We had a costume birthday party on Saturday and luckily the boys' costumes fit well, even though I hadn't tried them on beforehand!

If you need a laugh anytime this week, take a look at the pictures below! :)

Zach says mooooooooooo and Tyler says cluck cluck!

They lasted about an hour in the costumes, until they were sweating and ready to play!

Finally, we are free!

On Sunday, we ventured to a local park to take some fall portraits. Thanks to the gorilla pod & self timer, we got a few pictures that are good (about 5 out of 150 pics).

Tyler in the blue & Zach in the red

Picture fail

On Saturday, I leave for fun & sun in Cancun, while Matt stays with the boys. (Mental Note: I definitely got the better end of this deal, since when he went on his birthday vacay, I laid on the couch 7 months pregnant).

And just as a reminder .... this was a year ago .... how time flies!!!!

Till next week when I'm sunburned and ready to work only a few more days before our trip to Chicago!

Week 45, Videos galore

By Cyndi
October 25, 2011

Well, it is quickly approaching 8pm on Tuesday and in hopes of not boring you, I will amuse you with videos & pictures from the recent weeks.

Out to a deli for lunch after Shabbat Services.  Tried a small taste of corned beef, but not sure either little guy liked it, but they loved the challah at the kiddish at temple.

Do you know who is who in the next three pictures??

Week 44, 10 month review

How has life changed in the past two months ... (here is where they were at 6 months and at 8 months):

• Bottles: Still 4 bottles per day, but we are considering in the next month to move to three.  The big news here is that they are holding their own bottles!!!!!!!  
• Schedule: 730a to 630/7p, with two naps.  They are on schedule like clockwork!
• Solids: We are up to three meals per day, fruits, vegetables, dairy (yogurt & cheese), grains & meats.  We are trying new stuff all the time!  No allergies yet.
• Movement: Officially crawling everywhere!!  Tyler can go from sitting to crawling. Zach hasn't figured it out yet.  Both are pulling up on the music table, crib, Meigs' water dish etc.  Both cribs have been lowered because they are pulling up on the edges!
• Plagio: Done and Done.
• Clothes: 12 month onesies are tight, so we've moved mostly to 18 month onesies & 12 month pants!!
• Diapers: Size 3 but only for another week and then we are moving up in the world to 4s.
• Fine Motor skills: Since they are practicing each time they eat finger foods, the pinch grasp is getting there.
• Gross Motor skills: They both still LOVE to jump in the jumpers!!  Matt and I love this too, helps to tire them out, along with a safe place for when we need to do something for a minute.
• Reflux: Great news here.  After the 9 month pediatrician appointment, we found out that the meds weren't doing anything because they had gained so much weight.  So we stopped both and have no issues!
• Language:  (new category this month)  Both Tyler and Zachary babble, mainly in the mornings
• Teeth:  Tyler has 5 (top three, bottom two), Zach has 3 (top one & one very close, bottom two)

I really love doing these updates, because you realize how much has changed in such a short amount of time. Even though we chase them around the house, I really like this age.  They smile so much, cuddle a little, and don't tell me 'NO' yet!!!  I'm able to get out of the house alone on the weekend to run errands while Matt is at work and they don't fuss in the stroller.  It takes a lot of planning and equipment, but I manage.

The next few weeks are busy for us.  Blessing of the Babies (Shabbat Bereshit) next weekend at temple, two parties Halloween weekend, my (one year late) 30th birthday trip to an all-inclusive with my good friend Stacie, planning our Thanksgiving week-long trip to Chicago & the boys' first birthday!

 Now, that's enough reading for one post ... here are the fun pictures!

10 months old!

Cure Search Walk -- Medina Family to support their daughter Isabelle who is battling Leukemia

T&Z enjoying their post walk bottle

Princess Isabelle

Our first (& successful) trip to Wegmans with T&Z riding in the shopping cart!  We got a lot of looks :)

Week 43, Life in Pictures

October 10, 2010
By Cyndi

I'm a woman of few words tonight ...

We are practicing finger foods with every meal.  They are doing pretty well

Tyler exploring ...

This was NOT posed ...

Happy boys!!

Awesome mom moment, I take a picture, he falls down and cries, I soothe ...

Pumpkin Patch 2011 - more interested in eating hay than smiling

Zach and I

That is all.  Come again next week!!

Week 42

By Cyndi
October 4, 2011

Since it has been two weeks since the latest update, let me recap the latest at the Alderson house.  After the 9 month pediatrician visit, we found out both Tyler & Zach had officially outgrown the car seat carriers.  The layzboy recliners are now installed in the car and encompass the entire row since the boys still need to be rear facing.

Update on the Stats:
WEIGHT

		Tyler	T %	Zachary	Z %
Birth	12/13/10	4lb 1oz		3lb 14oz
2 Months	02/14/11	8lb 8oz	4%	8lb 15oz	10%
4 months	04/21/11	12lb 9oz	10%	13lb 4oz	18%
6 months	06/15/11	15lb 4oz	10%	15lb 12oz	20%
9 months	09/22/11	19lb 1oz	25%	19lb 9oz	30%

LENGTH
Look carefully .... my children are 90th percentile for length?  Do you know how tall I am?

Birth	12/13/10	18.75		18.5
2 Months	02/14/11	21.5	10%	22	20%
4 months	04/21/11	24.5	40%	24.75	50%
6 months	06/15/11	26.75	60%	27	75%
9 months	09/22/11	30	90%	29.75	90%

HEAD 

Birth	12/13/10	12.25		12.75
2 Months	02/14/11	15	10%	15	10%
4 months	04/21/11	16	10%	16	10%
6 months	06/15/11	16.75	25%	16.75	25%
9 months	09/22/11	17.5	25%	17.5	25%

Tyler has also become the adventurous one.  He is exploring the house much more than Zach, who is content with scoot near his toys.  Tyler crawls under the kitchen table looking for the laptop cords and over to stick his hands in Meigs' food dish.  Tyler has also learned to pull himself up on the crib to his knees.

Matt and I are starting to see differences in their personalities.  Tyler is more adventurous, a pickier eater & the bully.  He will crawl over to Zach and take a toy away.  Thankfully Zach doesn't care, yet.  Zach is our garbage disposal and is content in one spot playing with his toys.

Both are still perfecting crawling on their knees.  Tyler can make it for a few and Zach one or two.  Soon enough ....

Their beloved spot ... how fast can they get to the vent before I refocus their attention

Rosh Hashana was uneventful with us.  The boys went to daycare, because services were overlapping naptime and a bottle, which would be impossible to do during RH services.  Stacie and I went to our favorite consignment sale this past weekend, where I had fun and got some fabulous deals.  I have completed the boys fall & winter wardrobe along with finding some awesome toys!

Retails for $45, scored it for $10

One of Matt's ATC friends who moved back to NY was down with his wife, who has become a friend of mine, and their 7 month old daughter came to visit everyone ... we had a great time hanging out and the boys made it more than an hour after bedtime so we could stay longer.

And we're missing six more kiddios!

We had another date afternoon/night where our new high school babysitter was with the boys for almost 8 hrs.  Everyone survived, including Meigs, who loved his new friend.  Matt and I went to Les Miserables at the Kennedy Center and saw his cousin Max Quinlan perform in the ensemble.  As of Nov. 1st, he will be playing the role of Marius, one of the primary characters!!  It's an amazing show ... so if it is coming to your city, we suggest you go see it.

That's all for now ...