Devin -- Week 21 (3/5/14-3/11/14)

Thankfully, Devin has continued to take a bottle well, which has given me a little more freedom to go places. We have continued to have many great snuggles, but his neck below the chin is easily his most ticklish spot. Devin giggles, but the person who can get him to giggle the most is definitely his brother. With the time change and a wedding, Devin got to hang out at Uncle Matt and Aunt Lori's house late one night. He loved all the cuddling and love he was given there, and he slept in late the next day. Later in the week, teething became a greater issue, so Devin ended up with a "wrap nap" while I played with his brother. At the end of the week, we went and visited the butterflies at Frederik Meijer Gardens with our friend Chelsea! Devin loved to look around and seemed to want to lean out of the wrap to see more. What a curious little boy he is becoming!

Tummy time for brothers in jammies

U of M sleeper doing my tummy time!

Taking a break from jumping to chew on his hand 

What a happy boy in the jumper!

My boys! Love them all so much!

The many faces of Devin -- Concerned...

...Flirty...

...Silly...

...Happy!

"Go BLUE, Mommy!"

Wrap...yum yum!

Hanging out in the stroller at the Gardens

Having fun with Chelsea

Kyler -- February 2014

This month was such an experience of highs and lows. Kyler has become a very talkative little kid (even more so than before), and he has also been showing independence, leading to a lot of time outs and some pushed boundaries. He has genuinely shown love and concern for others, along with saying and doing some funny things (see the last bullet point). Here are a few highlights from the month:

• He finally did really well getting a haircut. It was amazing! We could not believe it was the same kid, and I think the hairdressers thought we were over-exaggerating the previous experiences.
• He keeps getting "tooted" and "pooped" mixed up...which was not fun when he "tooted" in the tub...
• He loves to say "Mommy," but usually because he wants something.
• He had fun with Calvin nursing students as they practiced taking vitals from him. He loved to show off and have them "listen heart." The professor said he was doing things a 4-year-old should be able to do. Go, Ky!
• He is always concerned about Devin when he is crying: "Help, Mommy. Devin sad. Get him." Once I also found him with one hand behind Devin's head and one hand under his legs, trying to pick him up. He has also sometimes offers lovey to him when he cries.
• He likes to pretend with lovey: "Drink water, lovey," or, "Eat lunch, lovey."
• During the winter Olympics, Kyler and I went "ice skating" in the living room. He got to be part of a lot of "lifts" while we danced to the music, and he sure loved it! 
• When fussy or crabby, he has been known to hit me, Ryan, or Duncan. Time outs have become much more frequent. 
• He thought it would be fun to "forget lovey" at church. When the doors were locked, we had to wait for someone to open it and look from lovey...only to have Kyler run to hide lovey again before going out the door. Thankfully, I caught on the second time.
• He rode the carousel at the mall and Sandy (the horse) at Meijer. In both instances, he wanted to "go faster."
• He made his first impression of a character on television: Bob Goblin from a show called Wallykazam! It was hilarious!
• He either eats like an adult (more than Ryan or me) or like a bird (nothing).
• Very "Mommy-oriented," he sometimes does not want me to put him down when I get him up in the morning.
• Once when I got him up, he pointed at me and said, "Devin's balls." As it turns out, he was pointing at my chest. I guess this is because I often feed Devin in front of Kyler, and Kyler is a little obsessed with round objects. :)

Snuggled up on the "big bed" with Mommy to watch a "show"

What a cute little eater with a new haircut!

He loves to "read" with these books. He spells out the words on the computer, and it talks... (supposed to be for 3+)

Just a cute little man

Gotta love mac and cheese face...the trick is to clean him up before he touches ANYTHING!

Alphie--another favorite toy that does letters and other educational things

We have a lot of cars...this kid LOVES them!

Riding into the sunset...

...well, it will be sunset when he gets the lights

Reading to Devin during tummy time

ABCs...his actual favorite book!

Giving me a great little look here

Showing Devin proper tummy time technique...he wants to do it all the time!

My happy boy!

Always right there with his brother...

...or getting into mischief

Devin -- Week 20 (2/26/14-3/4/14)

This week started out focusing on the fact that Devin would not take a bottle. We tried so many different bottles, and different people who would be willing to try and get Devin to drink. Poor Ryan finally had to do a bottle boot camp on a Saturday morning after getting home from a conference. Kyler and I left all morning so that there would be no distractions. After beginning to try and feed him at around 8:30am, Devin screamed and fussed until finally giving in and taking a bottle at 11:50am! We had him drink mostly bottles for the rest of the weekend, and since then he has had at least one bottle a day. We definitely have a stubborn kid on our hands! As much as I am glad that he takes a bottle now, I will admit that I really missed feeding him those days when we focused on bottle feeding, and I was kind of relieved when he was just taking one bottle a day. I love my snuggling and cuddling with him while he eats!

Devin also got to try out the "jumperoo" for the first time! He was not so sure what to think of it, but after we put a few pillows under his feet, he liked just looking around and bouncing a little bit. Rolling over has started to be another task he keeps working on, but I think with his really large head, it might take a bit of effort. Devin had his four-month appointment with the pediatrician this week and continues to be a big boy. He was 18 lbs 5 oz (91%) and 27.25 inches tall (96%), and the doctor kept saying, "He is a good looking boy!" I have also been told that I will probably have very tall boys, but that is something that I am not really too surprised about. Finally, my favorite times this week were when both boys were in Kyler's crib together, smiling up at me with Kyler saying, "Devin, snuggle with me!" I have also really loved Devin's naps with me and know that soon they will be a thing of the past.

A little tired in the jumperoo, but he did love it!

Well...kind of excited anyway

My sweet little man

Devin -- Week 19 (2/19/14-2/25/14)

We have had another fun week and continue to be amazed at the growth that Devin shows. This week he started to want to stand up all the time. If he can push with his little feet and have a little support, he wants to stand up. Working on getting our tub times figured out, Kyler and Devin had a few tub times together, which was so much fun. But Devin loves to kick, and Kyler does not seem to understand that if you sit next to the kicking baby...he is going to kick you. He tried to explain to Devin, "No kick, Devin," but I am not sure that he will understand that for a while. Later in the week, we had Josie and her mom over for a visit, and Devin sure got loved! Josie is so good with babies for her age, and I hope that they stay close as they grow older. We enjoyed celebrating cousin Mekinley's birthday, but Devin still refused to take a bottle and drooled everywhere...teething is DEFINITELY happening.

Devin has still been giving many great smiles, especially to his brother when waking up in the morning. He seems to really like sitting in his Bumbo seat, as it lets him see more of what is going on. I often find him napping on his side with his thumb in his mouth, much like his brother did at this age. Daddy loves to hold him in church, and it is just a really nice time to be able to cuddle with and focus just on him. It is so wonderful to be singing and holding him while we praise God together.

Such a worried little face in the morning!

Standard nap position, but who can blame him!

"Whatcha looking at, Mommy?"

Our tummy time party!

Duncan really loves babies--especially his brothers!

"Tummy time is hard work, Mommy!"

Such a cute face! Love this little ham

Snuggled in his frog towel after bath time with his brother

Just hanging out in the jungle gym

Love this little guy

Devin -- Week 18 (2/12/14-2/18/14)

We are slowing getting better at naps, but most of the time, Devin really loves to be snuggled in my arms--and why would I want to put him down? My sweet boy turned four months this week, and later I find that he is much more vocal, often just enjoying talking to me when I am looking at him. I notice that he likes to talk a lot more when Kyler is not around, but if anyone knows what Kyler is like, that is probably because he could never get a word in edgewise. Devin has also become very good at grasping things and moving them from one hand to another. Sometimes he gets this really excited look on his face when he can "hang on" to something.

Kyler does like to comfort Devin though, often telling his brother, "Don't cry, Devin," and will even offer him his prized possession--lovey! I love how Devin smiles up at his brother, and I hope that they always love each other this much. Along with sharing lovey with his brother, Kyler does not seem to mind that Devin will sometimes take a nap in his crib downstairs. Devin will start to get fussy, and since the room is close by to the toys, it works out nicely and helps me to see how Devin will do when we switch beds (very soon). We have settled into our new bedtime routine, with Devin's bath around 7:25pm and Kyler's to follow. We have been very happy to almost always have both boys in bed and sleeping by 8:30pm...which means...dare we have a life?

Cozy in his "Valentine's Day" fleece...it's red, okay?!

Such a cutie...and then he pooped...I think this was a pre-defecation grin

Trying to figure out what this toy sounds like!

"This is a sheep....baaaa." Listening so intently...

Kyler thought that we should have a little reading time together

I think that Kyler wants Devin to love the ABCs as much as he does...which might be nearly impossible

On his side with his thumb

What a cutie, right?!

"I grabbed the ring, Mommy!" ... Both excited and scared

Devin -- Week 17 (2/5/14-2/11/14)

This was a week of a very fussy Devin. We get all kinds of great smiles, but he has really not liked going down for a nap. So while Kyler has been sleeping, I have just snuggled and held Devin so that he at least gets in a good amount of sleep. I know that I could be getting many more things done with my day, but I also know that there is only a limited amount of time that a baby will sleep on his Mommy. So I am soaking it all in as much as I can. Devin's bedtimes on the other hand have been going great, with him typically going down around 8:15pm and not waking up until 7:30-8:00am. Devin continues to love the wrap when we are out and about, but I have started to wear him looking outward at home. This allows him to see what his brother is doing; plus, it gives me a bit more freedom too. It seems like it's a great win for all of us.

Kyler has become a very concerned brother when Devin is upset and will often say, "Help, Mommy. Get Debin," or, "Don't cry, Debin." It is really precious to see that Kyler loves to watch and take care of his brother, and Devin continues to smile more for Kyler than probably anyone else. We enjoyed one great experience this week with both boys. The Calvin Nursing Department has a pediatric lab, in which students practice taking vital signs from kids. Both of our boys were willing participants (after being volunteered by Daddy and Mommy). Devin was melting everyone's heart with his smiles, and he loved to grab onto the stethoscopes or anything else that he could get his little hands on.

Looking so big in 6-month jammies!

We have one tall little boy!

Not sure about tummy time...

...okay, very concerned about tummy time!

One of my many snuggle/nap times. I love it!

Who wouldn't want such a snuggle buddy?

Devin -- Week 16 (1/29/14-2/4/14)

We officially have a teething baby--well, no teeth yet (of course), but plenty of drooling and puffy gums. Kyler had his first teeth at 4.5 months, so this is really not all that surprising. But I still hate seeing Devin so uncomfortable. He really does not take medicine very well, and I often end up with sticky Tylenol coming out of the corner of his mouth and into his hair. On top of teething, Devin is on a complete bottle rebellion, but Ryan has still been very diligent in trying. Even with the fussiness, the short naps, and the bottle refusal, he still just loves to see me in the morning and gives so many smiles to his brother. Kyler loves to include Devin in everything and often wants to "wake Devin" right away in the morning. Devin is now grabbing all kinds of things, but when he starts to grab his brother's things, we will have to see how much he likes him. I love my little boys, and it is so much fun to see them growing.

Someone so snuggly!

My cool dudes!

"I see you, Mommy!"

My sweet little man.