We're cutting back the milk

We are attempting to cut back the milk consumption for our boys. We go through about three gallons a milk a week, sometimes four. For some reason milk really helps them go to sleep at night and also nap time. I sometimes give them as much as two and half bottles at night.

So it's not wise to give the boys so much milk and with cost that goes into buying so much milk, we're starting to cut back.

We've been working on giving them one bottle of milk and substituting the rest with water. Last night was the first night of success and I believe Joy had success during nap time.

I think it's the laying down to concentrate on drinking that helps them go into dream land. We tried water before but usually they ended up just spitting it out.

Last night, Jasper was having so much fun taking his sheet off his bed. Joy and I were in the living room watching a movie while the boys were supposed to be sleeping but rather jumping and playing in their cribs. I heard Jasper pulling his sheet off and when I went in their room, Jacob was playing with Jasper's sheet. They're such good sharers.

I had a hard time getting Jasper to keep his sheet on so I gave up putting the sheet back on. He eventually went to sleep without a sheet. I was able to put a sheet on his crib and move him without waking him, only minutes after he went to sleep. Either I'm good or he was really tired.

They are both doing a great job at talking. Still gibberish with an occasional "da da" or "ma ma". This week Jacob started doing hand motions while he talks. It's really cutest thing. Some of his hand motions look like gangsta symbols. Hehe

Today, Joy said they all went to the store with Joy's mom and Jacob was talking to everyone. Sometimes people would talk back. I wish I were there!

This week, they also advanced their climbing abilities. They can now climb up into their highchairs. They have also been able to release their trays.

At one point, Jacob was climbing the high chair, holding on to the tray when Jasper released it on him. Jacob went falling down to the ground. Luckily, he was not hurt or even cry but that prompted me to put the highchairs away into the closet. Joy had to do the same thing after breakfast and lunch the next day and so on.

Last week, Jasper was main buddy. This week is Jacob. They really take turns with me.





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Dancing blocks and words

During the nights this week, I have been reading to the boys more and having dance parties. It usually starts out with me getting my drum that Joy got me out. The boys love the drum.

I've been really into listening to cheesy Halloween songs, so I searched for "monster mash" on pandora. The boys seem to like dancing around. Although, the other night they were visibly too tired.

They both went from hanging around and dancing a little to playing with their blocks over by the toy box with themselves.

For a while now, Jacob has been able to stack two/three blocks. Even though, it's advanced Jasper wasn't catching on until the other night.

I showed him how to do it and without actually stacking a block, I would hand it to Jasper. Jasper caught on quickly and before anyone knew it, he was stacking 5 to 7 blocks like it was nobodies' business.

This week, Jasper was also able to point a tree and when I would say "where's a tree." He would get really happy point and start talking.

It's really good now to start naming things around the boys. Jacob brought me a basketball and I would say "ball" and pass it back to him. He got a kick out of it.

Jacob loves to talk. If you ask him a question, somehow he knows to respond and boy does he love to respond. It's really cute.

Joy held out her phone and said "black phone." She said that Jacob said something that sounded like black phone but then quickly changed it to "da da."

Tonight we took them to the nature realm and let them walk around. They did great. There weren't many people there so the we pretty much had the place to ourselves.

Tomorrow, Joy is going out with her mom and the boys and I are gonna have a "dudes day." I'm looking forward to it.


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Phone home

Last week, Jasper was loving his play phone. He would talk into it and walk in and out of the living room. He had a good conversation with Elmo, the type of play phone they have.

So Monday on the ride home from work, I called and Joy tried to give them the phone to see if they would talk in it. Jacob seemed to take control of the phone. He was talking up a storm. I would say "dada" and he would repeat it. I asked him where his nose was and he touched his nose. Joy had to tell that.

Wednesday, I talked to Jasper more on the phone. He was a little more reserved but he did he did talk a bit. I got him to sing "Ahh." I stated singing to him and he dropped the phone and ran off. Jacob took the phone and after I stated singing, he dropped the phone and ran off. Little critics! :-)



Wednesday night, we went to the library to have baby time. This time, there was another couple there with their 13 month old. We were hoping the boys would interact more with the little girl but they all seemed to be independent.

The boys loved rolling the ball back and forth with the librarian and marching around the room. The librarian brought out bubbles, which Jasper loved. He stood right by the bubble maker.

Yesterday, it was hottest day we've had in 16 years. So after dinner, we took a family trip to dairy queen. The boys shared dq ice cream sandwich, which they ate on the ride home. When we got home, I gave them a bath and Joy took all the fabric off the car seats to be washed.


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Growing, speaking, moving, and stealing

Over the weekend we had to lower the cribs. The boys are starting to try to pull themselves up and we don't want them to learn while in their cribs when we're not there. After we lowered them, Joy put them in and had them standing, leaning on the railing. They got the biggest kick out of it. Jasper enjoyed falling down on his butt after awhile, Jacob not so much.

A couple days ago I went to get Jasper out if his crib. While doing so, I started saying/singing "good morning!" over and over. Then Jasper mumbled out something resembled "good morning." I was stunned. Joy said he is trying to mimic me. So naturally, I've been saying a lot of "good mornings."

The boys have become masters in their jeep walkers. They can both move themselves almost where ever they want to go. It's not uncommon now to be in the bathroom and then see one of the boys stroll up. They've also been getting themselves stuck in a traffic jam-like situations in the hallways.

They have also been able to play more independently on the rug with their toys. However, they've become quite jealous of each others toys. Even if they both have the same toy in hand, one will drop it and try to steal the others. This can cause tears.

One day, Jacob was working really hard to get a toy out of the toy basket. He was so determined and when he finally got it out, Jasper took it.

Although this isn't new, the boys get upset if you walk by them without saying "hello." I'll come in from work and put my stuff away and they'll get so upset if I don't stop by and play with them first thing. Although, if they're in their jeeps they can just come along.

The last couple of nights have been rough. The boys have waking up about every hour during the night screaming. I'm not sure if they're not feeling good, teeth, or what.

This morning around 6:30, Joy got up with Jasper and decided it was time for them to both be awake. She wrote out a schedule for feeding and nap times. If all goes well, we hope the boys will start to sleep better at night.

This weekend, our friends Heather and Kit are flying in from Colorado. They haven't been up since last June. I bet they'll be surprised at how much they've grown.

first words!

I am writing this with Jasper on shoulder, trying to rock him to sleep. It is my birthday and I got a wonderful treat from my boys. A few days ago, Jasper began to say "mom mom mom" and on Saturday Jacob began to say "da da da."

Sunday morning when I woke up, they were playing on the rug and facing each other. Jacob would say "da da da," and Jasper would respond by saying "mom mom mom." I was lucky enough to get this on video.

Well, I think Jasper is falling asleep, so I will try to put him down shortly. Jacob is sleeping with grandma on the couch.

Goodnight!

Crawling and speaking/singing

Last week, I took a week of vacation between Christmas and New Years. It was so nice being home with Joy and the boys. It was a great week of just hanging out at home. There were days were we didn't leave the house.

The boys are moving a lot more on the rug we put out for the them. They are really good at turning around in a circle and crawling backwards. They love trying to get to their toys or to our dog or cat.

Jacob loves being on the rug so much he hasn't wanted to play in his jeep. Jasper on the other hand has been much more active in his jeep.

The boys have been sleeping much better at night. Although Joy and I figured it would be better to divide and conquer. Joy has been bringing Jasper to bed with her and I have been sleeping with Jacob on the couch. This works because we all get sleep.

Jasper has been talking up a storm. He sings himself to sleep and then talks during the day. In last couples days he has been saying "mom mom mom." How cool is that? His grandma is constantly trying to get them to talk by saying "mom mom mom," and "dad dad dad."

Jacob has been singing by holding a single note out. It's really impressive! Out of nowhere, he'll just sing "ahhhhhhhh". It's so cute.

I gotta get my phone out to record them speaking! I tried the other day but as soon as I did they stopped.