Behind Bars

7.5 Months

Evan has a tooth! Amelia has two! Things are progressing rapidly around here. They both started hugging their blankies and stuffed animals. Just two weeks ago they could have cared less. Also:

Amelia is:
- making new funny faces.
- having deep, personal conversations with herself.
- using any object to stand, including her brother, crib rails, large toys, the couch.
- starting to scale the safety fencing, moving slowly and methodically like she is on the edge of the Chrysler Building.
- climbing all over me when I'm laying on the floor and launches off of me.
- trying to steal any toy Evan has from him, including his pacifier.

Evan is:
- taunting Amelia by pretending to give her his pacifier and then tugging it away from her.
- not minding that his sister is crawling over him. He thinks it's too cool.
- curling his lip up with a little bit of attitude when I'm feeding him something he doesn't like. It's usually green.
- jumping so high in the jumparoo he's almost jumping out! 'Cause his legs are so darn muscular.
- gaining weight rapidly. He already gained half a pound last week when we were at the cardiologists. And yes, his heart is great!
- talking to himself using a deep, boy whisper. We call him Darth.

Lot's O' Laughs Today!

Craziness on the homefront

They are both doing so many new things every day. Right now, both insist on putting their pacifiers in their mouth all by themselves, love to just sit and turn pages of their books, and love to play with their toys.

Neither are allowed in the Bumbo chair anymore. Amelia crawls out and Evan can't crawl so he falls out. He did that today, but didn't seem to mind. He was probably thinking, "Victory!", since their main goal at 3 months old was to escape. I've had to tell Evan's therapists that he can't sit and play with toys on the tray because he throws the toys, gets the tray off, and goes over the side. That is how he plays with the chair- it is a game!

I was going to post a movie of Amelia standing, but she's already outdone herself. She is now trying- or thinking of trying- to climb the fencing. If I took her socks off, I'm sure she would do it. As my grandma said the other day, she comes from long line of monkeys!

Updates from the past week

Evan:

-loves and jumps in the jumparoo as much as his sister.
-blows raspberries on my arm.
-is up on his knees and figuring out how to crawl. He gets frustrated, but is doing it.
-is cutting back on occupational therapy, too. He's doing such a good job figuring out how to hold things on his own.

Amelia:

-puts her fingers in the play fence and stands up.
-leaps like a frog.
-grabs a handful of skin and pinches.
-cut her first tooth.

It is very busy around here and we are very tired!

He did it!

Evan passed up his sister in weight! He is 14 lbs, Amelia is 13 lbs, 9 oz. They are still measuring pretty low percentage wise, but are catching up fast. I don't expect them to break 50% on anything because John and I aren't, or weren't, very big. Amelia is pretty long, though- 35 percentile. Could it be possible that I will have a tall, skinny girl? She is an inch longer than her brother!

Sitting Pretty

Amelia sits and crawls and here are some items to prove it. Yes, my kids look like ragamuffins. They live in onesies because it so hot here. There is no point to putting their shorts on if we aren't going anywhere. I guess if you have kids you already know this. And socks are a battle to keep on. A battle I lose every time. The fencing you see here is their new pen. I mean fenced in play area. This temporary townhouse is a wee too small to completely baby proof. It is clutter city. Anyway, enjoy!

Happy 7 months!

Here are some pictures taken over the past few weeks.

After a month of fast scooting, Amelia officially crawled yesterday. As soon as I get video, I will post it. She also enjoys laughing hysterically while trying to get away from a diaper change. She loves my frustration.

Evan is starting to scoot. The orthopedics doctor we see here says there is no concern for him trying to get up on that arm. It still scares me that he will break the bone that he does have in there (the ulna), but I have been assured it will be fine. He also enjoys kicking fast and very hard. It really hurts. I am trying to get him to not kick Amelia in the head, but so far he does not understand the word "gentle" yet.


Amelia relaxin'.


Evan up on his elbows (yay!) looking at the water pond.



Saved!


Cutie.

Dessert.


Amelia in her new high chair.


Evan about to fling his rubber band ball with his toes.

Shout Out

Shout out to Maisy Marie, born August 5th. Amelia and Evan can't wait to meet you!

No, not Evan too!

Can you believe this? Now I have to watch both babies constantly. I wish I had abs like they do. He sat right up to watch his sister on the floor- while the swing was swinging.

His head is now basically straight and he can turn his head to the left all the way. An amazing accomplishment in just 3 months. Evan gets to skip physical therapy next week because he is doing so well.

Help!

Evan & Amelia both started blowing bubbles with a mouth full of food today.

Amelia scoot-crawls everywhere. She especially loves to go underneath anything that will allow her enough space to be under it. Wherever I put her down is an unacceptable location to her and she must move 10 feet immediately.

Yep, it's getting fun around here.

Superhands Kid!

I thought I would let those of you who don't know- mostly my family who is not on Facebook (sign up Grandma!)- that Evan is a Superhands Kid on the Superhands Network. I have been endlessly researching Evan's condition on the internet and ran into this website. I wanted him to possibly meet someone like him someday. There are many kids on this website that have problems with their hands and have overcome this and other obstacles in their lives. It is perfect to show him he is not alone. The internet is an amazing thing- I can't imagine not having it to network and find other people who are going through what he is. And what I am, too.

http://www.superhands.us/pages/evanh.html