tnh9479

I have two tall skinny ones too. We have to have them wear shoes around the house so that their pants stay on! Last time they were measured in January they were 32 and 33 inches tall (at one year). They have definitely gotten taller as they don't have to stand on their toes to reach our door handles (and they have figured out how to open half the doors in our house now. They are into everything and Hana thinks if she bats her eyes and puts her head on us that she can do whatever she wants. Aye! Aye! Aye!

We want to fly to Morocco this summer with the twins (before they turn 2 and we have to buy them actual seats on the plane). I am curious where others have bought their tickets. My surfing on the internet has led me to believe that we'll be staying here. Has anyone tried a travel agent or have other suggestions?

Twila

In general, I think the boys clothing choices are HORRIBLE. You should see the size of Zak's wardrobe compared to Hana's. I even hate most of the boys shoes out there. I don't get where everything has to be so obnoxious.

Nessa@ Now that Sofia has 8 teeth I try to give her food to chew.

Sofia is eating everything, I'm glad she is not as picky as daddy, and the other things is that we put the baby whale away , she is taking baths like a big girl and she loves it! she starts swimming classes next week!

Our bath tub is soooooooooo slippery (it is worse with a tub mat, it is like surfing). I worried for the babies so I got them some of the bath seats that clip on the edge of the tub. Now that they are bigger, I have tried to NOT use them. They both panicked, were sliding around, and wanted out fast. So...bath seats for us for a little while longer.

I am so excited, my best friend from high school is flying in tomorrow night. I'll get to see her for a little while tomorrow (her flight got rescheduled for later). Then I take her and her new husband to Miami late Saturday morning to take a cruise. They return the following Saturday and we are picking them up and hanging out with them for the day before they fly back home.

I'm still afraid to feed Ben real food. I cook for him separate. Like I was making ''carne moida'' for Charles and I and it had ground beef, onions, garlic, celery, scallions, lots of spices, cumin, curry, cinnamon, crushed red pepper, salt, and I was just afraid to give it to him. Can he eat that? Won't he choke? Or the other day, I made sweet, sour and spicy chicken vegetable stir fry, could he possibly eat that? I still haven't fed him with any kind of meal I prepare for us. I make things like i pressure cooked dried black beans with collard green and beef, like a stew and then i blend it with very mild spices and that's what he eats, it's a full meal, carbs, protein, veggies.

Nessa - It really was trial and error for us. It started by them begging for everything we were eating. So, as long as it is not a choking hazard (like tough or hard) we have given them a chance. You just have to make sure it is cut up into small pieces. But...each kid is different. It took my two a while to get used to Cheerios. They were eating chicken and other items but would have issues with cheerios until about a month and half ago.

Vi - my two were eating mostly table food by 11.5 months. They pretty much eat everything we do (spicy and all). They LOVE really flavorful stuff. We just try to keep lots of peppery and tomato filled things to a minimum. Hana was eating coucous tfaya (minus the couscous) like it was going out of style last night. It basically is chicken with cooked onions, raisins, cinnnamon, ginger, tumeric, pepper, and honey. The ginger really makes it spicy and her nose was starting to run. But, she kept on eating it and had no tummy issues later.

I wish I was still living in Vermont. We always grew our own vegetables and never used pesticides, etc, and it was always just hours old! Now, we just try to eat fresh vegetables and fruit, although I do send canned fruit and vegetables to the babysitter for her to feed them. I would love to go organic, but even with a greenwise Publix and Whole Foods, it is still way too expensive.

Kelly...anything is possible. We conceived the twins on our first month trying. I will keep my fingers crossed for you!

We have had a consistent routine with our two and they have been sleeping 12 hours + a night since they were 4 months old. They know we have dinner, milk, sometimes a bath, then they get their jammies on and get in their crib. When we turn the white noise machine on (waves sound) they know that it is naptime / bedtime. I always give each a kiss, tell them I love them, tell them to have sweet baby dreams, and say night night. Sometimes they will talk or cry for maybe five minutes, but then they are usually out. Hana has been teething and having separation issues lately. So sometimes she will wake up every 45 minutes and dreadfully cry. We have found out if we go pick her up, dry her tears, walk with her for maybe two minutes and then put her back down she will go right back to sleep. Good luck everyone! It took FOREVER to get Zak (4 months) to be a good sleeper. Just be consistent! It is funny, but even when they are sick our two HATE sleeping with us. They LOVE their own beds soooooooo much. (We moved them to their own beds in their own room at 8 weeks...best thing we ever did).

ETA: One of Hana's first words at 7 months was ni-ni when she was ready to sleep!

We got our pics done at JC Penney too (see two in the sig). We had a 50% off coupon and we bought 14 8x10's (for us, his family, my grandparents and sister) and paid the sitting fee / online access fee and paid just under $80.

Nessa: I would go to your doctor just to get checked. It definitely sounds like things are a little haywire hormonally for you.

After the twins, it was for me. It took almost 4 months to get my period back (and that was without breastfeeding). I was beginning to get concerned and so was my doctor. But...for me...there was a LOT of things going on then that my body was dealing with (including wound care for the c-section incision).

I hope things return to normal for you soon!

On the u/s pics from our son, they put a circle around his weewee and typed, "It's a boy!". Ha! I didn't believe it. The u/s from about 28.5 weeks on it was definitely much easier and obvious to see.

Anyone have any good ideas to help teach a 12.5 month old not to bite his sister when he gets mad? She brings it on so she needs some discipline too.

Yay! No more fever today for Zak! He has the rash, and drum roll please, SO DOES HANA! You would have never known she didn't feel well. At least we are done with this.

Congrats about no whooping cough too!

Hopefully all the babies are on the mend.

I loved the kicks -- miss them now actually, though I get plenty from the outside

I missed them for quite some time after I had the twins.

AFU: It's officially roseola. Zak broke out with the rash about 1pm today. At our 3pm appt, his temp was still 103.7. If he still has a fever tomorrow, they want to see him to make sure a secondary infection has not set in because the rash is supposed to appear AFTER the fever has broken. I also asked about Hana and his opinion is that if she hasn't gotten it yet, she probably will not.

Well...Zak's blood counts and quick urine analysis came back ok. The ped thinks he has roseola because of his consistent high temps (was 103 two times at home today and 102.5 at the peds after a dose of tylenol 2 hours before). She said the only way we will know for sure is when his fever breaks and if he comes out with a rash. Since he looked worse than yesterday, she wanted to give him a shot of antibiotics to be on the safe side (because the bacterial cultures of his blood and urine will not be back until tomorrow). He has been a miserable guy today and mom is EXHAUSTED.

Well...I took Zak to get his blood drawn and to get his urine analyzed that I managed to collect last night. (My mom was laughing at me because when I was pregnant I had to do 24 hour urine tests and store them in the refrigerator. Now I am storing Zak's!) I have not been more frustrated or pissed than I was at LabCorp this morning. I had the ped's office call them because they refused to follow the doctor's order and process the labs stat. The ped's office calls me back and says the LabCorp regional office would like me to call to document what happened. So...I call. I tell them I think it is ridiculous I had to wait 1.5 hours for a blood draw on a sick 12 month old. Once they pulled us in the lab doors, while we waiting for the blood draw, some of the employees where dropping f-bombs about another employee. When the person was getting ready to draw Zak's blood, I told her my ped's office wanted to make sure some of the tests were stat. She told me because only one could be stat, it was office policy not to do any stat. My ped's office was FURIOUS. Only one test was unable to be done stat and the other four should be ok. They called the regional office and it was supposed to be done. So when I was talking to the same woman and she pulled up Zak's orders, it still wasn't that way. She had me stay on the phone while she called up the local office and spoke to the supervisor in charge and had them go pull his labs and input them to be couriered off immediately. All I can say, I am flipping tired. Zak is acting worse today than yesterday. At least he played a little and ate a little yesterday morning. All I can get him to do is drink today. No other symptoms.

I have been giving Zak Motrin too. The ped said it works better for higher temps (and I hate tylenol...it has screwed up me in the past). Even with that, he woke up with 103 temp this morning. I wouldn't worry so much if he showed other signs of being sick or was remotely himself.

Well...I called the peds office today because I had been unable to get Zak's fever down with tylenol. I spoke with the triage nurse and asked her if there was anything else I could do. His temp has been hovering around 102 for more than 24 hours. I was told I could bring him in today or wait and bring him in tomorrow morning if he doesn't feel better. Since I live so close, we decided I should bring him in today. It as a good thing. The poor boy had a temp of 102.9! But, that is it. He really doesn't have any other symptoms. The doctor examined him and was shocked his lungs were clear, his ears were fine, his throat and nose were fine. She said the flu is going back around (he has had all the shots) and they did a rapid flu test. That came back negative. So...the next thing to get a fever that high they thought he could possibly have a urinary tract infection. So...they cathertized the boy TWICE. They got very little urine out (even though I have been able to get him to drink easily). So, we sat in the office for about an hour with a urine bag on hoping they could get a sample. NOPE. (He had even drank half a sippy cup of juice while we were there and the other half before we left.) So, I am going to put another urine bag on and hopefully catch a sample to take to the lab tomorrow. He's going to get a blood draw as well.

Poor Zak! I picked him up from the babysitter today and he was not his usual self. He was all curled up with her on the couch. He wouldn't let me put him down for more than 5 minutes this evening. I took his temp right before putting him to bed and it was 102. He was coughing and sneezing a little tonight.

Poor Declan! I hope he feels well soon!

Our daughter is Miss Independent and can sit over in a corner playing with a toy for more than 30 minutes. We were kind of shocked this week when she decided to start crying and throwing fits when Daddy dropped her off at the babysitter (who has watched the twins since they were 8 weeks old). My husband hates to see her crying and will go back to her (only making the situation worse).

Tnh9479-Congrats on your husband's oath ceremony and thanks for sharing that here on VJ!

Btw...how was it like to have your children at the ceremony? Did they cause any problems or were pretty much well behaved throughout...Just curious..

Good luck with the rest of your journey as a USC and in getting your passport too.

Ant

They were relatively good. I brought plenty of snacks to stuff in their mouths, though. Daddy really wanted them there. One of the immigration officers went and got two flags for my twins so they could wave them. They really liked that (it was nice of her, because they didn't do it for the other kids).

I had to add that I think how much your child catches colds, etc is genetic too. I was rarely sick as a child and my husband is extremely healthy (I have seen him sick with a cold once in the 4.5 years he has been here). I wasn't able to breastfeed my twins (they were on formula) and they were only sick once their first year of life, and it was very minor. They too chew on just about everything (even though I try to stop it when we are out) and go to a private babysitter. She and her mom and have been sick throughout the year (as well as myself) and Hana and Zak have been healthy. I joke they took all my antibodies and left me with little!

As for the baby supplies, good luck with deciding what you want. We were given lots of hand me downs (clothes, toys, bottles, bottle warmer, etc) and that helped. I can tell you I HATED the baby gowns. My two would NEVER keep their feet in and were always cold. The gown was always up around their chest and annoyed the ####### out of me. I ended up buying LOTS of Sleep and Play outfits.

Zak is already my little toddler. OMG...he will love to eat something one night and totally refuse the next night. All he wants to eat are crackers, toast, and cheese. He hates to have dirty hands and will not eat something if he has to touch it and it is sticky (like the watermelon pieces last night...however...he decided the taste was better than the feeling and finally ate some). So...he wants mom or dad to feed him. Then...gets frustrated because he is not feeding himself. He is still not coordinated enough to use a spoon by himself. So...a little while more of frustrated baby.

Yup...Hana looks like she is wearing high water pants most of the time because she cannot wear the right length pants because they literally end up around her ankles when she is crawling. My husband is only an inch taller than me and I am 5ft 8 in. My grandfather and two uncles are both over six feet and my husband's sisters and brother are tall as well. So...it's no surprise they are tall!

Well...Hana and Zak went for their 12 month appt today. Poor babies got 4 shots (luckily the ped held off on the fifth). They are both doing well.

Hana : 21 pounds 4 oz (50%) and 32 in (97%) and a head size off the chart

Zak: 21 pounds 2 oz (25%) and 31 in (80%) and a head size at 90%

So...I have some tall, big-headed, lean babies!

Hey, people of the Big Baby Thread! Staashi forced us Canadians to participate here so here I am.

Today is our spawn's first birthday and the nice mom that I am I scheduled his one year check up for today as well. He's 18 lbs 11 oz, meaning he is in the TOP 3-4% for weight! Hahahah...well, he's healthy and happy. Just genetically on the thinner side!

I know there is a pair of twins on this forum so happy birthday, twins!

Yup...Hana and Zak's first birthday was today too! We are having their party on Saturday. I just spent some extra time with them tonight, fed them their favorites (chicken and sweet potatoes) and bought a small slice of cake that I split between them (and they LOVED it...Hana loved it a little too much...it was all OVER her face!).

We have had a BIG week. Besides their first birthday, my husband got sworn in as a US citizen yesterday!!!! We are officially DONE with USCIS! The twins LOVED waving their little flags along with everyone else, even if Mom and Dad were crying a little bit. (I don't think you guys will realize how emotional you will be until you are sitting there and thinking of all that you have gone through to get to this point.) We also went yesterday afternoon and got their 1 yr pics done. I'll update my sig with a few in a couple of minutes. So...we have started off 2010 in an awesome way!

Happy Birthday to J and B's spawn as well! (Ours have their one year appt on Monday. I'll have to post stats. Last time they went for the flu shot in November they were 21 pounds each. I know they are heavier than that now because the past week or so I can't carry the both of them up the stairs to our condo at the same time! I am more curious how tall Hana is. In October she was 31 inches tall -- way off the charts. Zak was 29.5 inches. So...we have tall, lean babies.)

Twila