Tricycles

The boys have had these tricycles for over a year, but couldn't get the hang of them until this last week. Adam learned a few days ago, and Matthew picked it up just yesterday. They ride around the tiled kitchen/entry way saying "fuunn!" We decided to let them pedal themselves to our neighborhood park this afternoon :)

 They were very dedicated.

The only problem was the hill just before the park. Matthew went full speed down, and Adam stopped every few feet to slow down. It made me a little nervous! It was also really hard to get back up, especially since Matthew didn't want ANY help. (Since he's all grown up now :P)

Adam in yellow. Matthew in blue.

When they are having so much fun learning new skills, it makes me feel better about having another baby in a couple of months. It makes me think maybe we will be okay. Nothing scares me more than multiple babies at one time... but this time, it will just be one baby, and two "big boys" :)

Matthew had so much fun it was hard to get him inside. He threw a fit, but was disciplined for it. Everyone was in a good mood and worn out for bed time!

Developing Toddlers

31 Months old (~2 1/2!)

Words/Sayings:

Adam:

• He is our little "Mario." For example, we ask, "What color is that?" and he says, "That's-a-blue!"
• He has perfected asking me for things. He looks right in my eyes, widens his eyes really wide and uses his best "cute high-pitched toddler that you can't say no to voice" and asks, "Show?" or "I-Pad?". Of course since I'm a mean Mom I actually say no quite a bit :)
• I worked a 12 hour day today, so Alan was the one that got the boys up & changed. This morning Adam said, "Daddy's here! (Points to his diaper) Yucky, right there. Change me please." That is probably the longest thought he has made into sentences. Language development is so cool :)
• Adam especially is obsessed with babies! He asks for the "baby" every time we get near one of the computers in the study. He likes to watch babycenter.com videos of babies in the womb.
• When Adam wants a turn he says, "Matthew's turn!" I thought they had figured out who they were a year ago!

Matthew:

• Matthew seems to get restless in the car, so I have been telling him we're "almost there." Now as soon as we take off (and often after that) he says, "Mommy!!"   "Yes?"   "Almost there!" (As a statement, not a question.) He said this as soon as he got in his wagon to walk to our neighborhood park yesterday. Priceless!
• Matthew has a habit we are trying to break, where if we tell him something he doesn't like or doesn't want to be true (Daddy is at work, No, you can't do ________ or You have to be patient) he will yell "Noo!! Please let that just be a stage!
• He is the best "pet parent" in the house. When Hobbes gets on the counter he says (commands), "Hobbes! Get down". When they are out of food he says, "Kitty cats, more food?" Then when I fill up their bowls he hunts Hobbes down and says, "Hobbes, come get it!"
• He also tells Adam what to do. For example, he'll say, "No, go pee-pee!" if Adam gets distracted after we've told both of them to go to the potty.
• He exclaimed, "baby potty!" when he only pee'd a small amount.
• When we sing "Twinkle, twinkle, little star" at night, Matthew sings, "Binkle, binkle. Binkle, binkle!"
• When Adam runs after him, he will jump into my arms and say, "Mommy! Scared!" and cling to me while laughing. Then he wants to attack Adam together and then retreat, while saying, "Scared!"
• When he has to pee he gives a little *gasp* and says, "Potty!" or "Pee-pee!"

Both

Adam in green. Matthew in blue.

• "Almost got it!"
• "I did it!" (Love that one)
• "Mommy, help me?"
• "Hopter!?" (For helicopter)
• "Mommy/Daddy's here!"
• "Momma _____, baby ______!" when there is a big and small size of the same object.
• "May I have/be accused? Please!" (May I be excused)
• "May I (have) _________, please?" When we ask them to ask nicely
• "Charge it?"
• "Batteries?"
• "Catch it!" "Throw" "Catch it!"
• "Mommy/Daddy, hold you?"
• "Vacuum nanner" (Vacuum cleaner)
• "Me me" (Excuse me)
•  Both boys used to say, "Mommy (or Daddy), watch this!" And then proceed to do some kind of ninja stunt. Then the other would say the same thing, and attempt the same stunt. Over and over. It was precious. Now, instead of calling us by name they say, "Unt!! Watch this!" Like a grunt, with the "Unt!" getting louder each time. (I actually had a dream/nightmare about this where Adam did it for 20 minutes straight.) I liked it much better when I was hearing my name!

Numbers/Colors

• The boys can count to 10, and sort of understand 10-20, but we haven't worked much on that.
• They recognize all their letters, and all of their sounds.
• Matthew knows blue, red, green, purple, white, black, pink and yellow. (For some reason Adam is confused about colors. I know he's not color blind, because when he sees green or red he says, "mine!" while Matthew claims blue objects. Adam always guesses, and sounds so sure of his guess when we ask him what color something is. "It's-a-red!" I am sure he'll get it though.)

Drawing/Coloring

• Adam especially loves to color! He is so focused, and really tries to write letters. He also loves to paint in the bathtub. He is very deliberate about all of this strokes.

Random Cute Stuff:

• Matthew was so sweet to me when I came home from work today. We were rough-housing a little, and he ended up hitting me in the face. I said, "Ow!" and pointed to my cheek. He looked very concerned, then kissed my cheek. Then said, "there!" and kissed my shoulder. Then my other shoulder, and all over my face, and even my badge holder. I melted!
• Before bedtime tonight the boys and I spent a while in our "cave" (under their sheet). Adam was drinking milk from his sippy cup leaning back against me, and Matthew was sitting on my left leg talking to me about how he could see the light through the sheet, and how it was scary when we "opened" the cave. It was so sweet <3 p=""> 

27/28 Weeks

At my almost 28 week midwife appointment, I only had a 25cm fundal measurement, or 25 weeks. I had also only gained 1 pound in the last 3 weeks (according to their scales at least). My midwife was a little concerned since I also have hypothyroidism, which can cause slow growth/IUGR in a fetus. All of my thyroid levels have been good though. I also went over a day's worth of my food intake (which happened to be the day before when I was working.. I usually eat less those days), and she told me I need to eat more. So I was a little concerned after I left the appointment, thinking I was starving poor Olivia. Adam and Matthew do steal a lot of my food!

The midwife office set me up with an appointment with a perinatologist to do a growth ultrasound. The next week at 28 weeks, 5 days we headed out for our ultrasound.The boys have never come with me to an appointment, but I thought it would be neat for them to see an ultrasound of the baby inside momma's tummy. Matthew ended up waking up on and off until 1:30am the night before complaining of his ear hurting, so we decided not to bring him & his germs. But Alan and Adam ended up coming with me. Adam sat on Alan's lap during the ultrasound, and was interested in the ultrasound. It probably would have been too much to bring both little hoodlums though :P

According to the ultrasound, Olivia is measuring perfectly! She was 2 lbs 10 ozs, which was the 43rd percentile. We got a good shot of her girl parts, and I am now convinced she is a girl! I had my doubts before because I really couldn't see. All of her organs are working great, yay! They also took my thyroid level again. I am supposed to go back for a monthly growth ultrasound (which I don't think I really need, but it is nice to see her)

Olivia's face. She looks a lot different than the boys already!

She has been kicking and moving a lot inside me, but she seems to move less when the boys are around. So Adam & Matthew haven't gotten to feel her move :( It is probably a protective instinct, the cats also either freeze or run away from the boys :P