Has it really been 4 months?

We've been a family of five for four months.  Really?  Four whole months?  It really doesn't seem like that much time has passed since we first met Lennox and Paxton, but I also can't imagine life without them!   The month of August has absolutely flown by.  We've had a busy month, so I'll give a quick run down of the highlights.

Brent and I are both doing good.  The little boys are starting to stretch out their feedings to every four hours most of the time and are sleeping better at night.  This makes for two happy parents that don't feel like zombies, which makes for a much happier household.  Brent was the lucky recipient of a recent root canal after a horrible toothache.  I decided that the actual root canal must not have been too horrible because he actually sent me a picture of himself during the procedure!  I'll spare you the picture, as I've never had a root canal and the picture didn't make me want one.  He's now recovered and doing fine.

All of the boys are doing great!  Conley is wild as ever and 110% boy.  He is into everything, including testing his independence.  Since the weather has been a little bit cooler he's been able to spend a lot of time on the playground at the park which he LOVES!  I think he would spend all day and night outside if given the choice.  He is still a sweet, loving cuddle bug which makes this Momma very happy.

Lennox and Paxton are both growing and getting big.  Both boys are starting to give us smiles, which is the best thing in the world.  Paxton is pretty easy to get a smile from, but you really have to work hard for Lennox to smile.  We had our 4 month check up and shots yesterday.  Lennox weighed 9 pounds 12 ounces and Paxton weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces.  Both boys took their shots like champs and only cried for a minute.  We finally got reflux medicine for Paxton, which we started yesterday and he is already a completely different baby.

We went to physical therapy for the first time a couple of weeks ago and the PT's were extremely pleased with where the boys were.  Thought that they were doing excellent with head control and gross motor skills!  We took Paxton to see the surgeon last week and confirmed that he does have a hernia.  So he will be having surgery to repair it at the end of September.  It is a fairly routine surgery and if all goes well it should be day in/day out.  Brent and I are extremely anxious about this surgery.  Although I believe everything will be fine, I cannot imagine having my baby put to sleep.

Drinking a smoothie with Dad

Playground fun

Made a friend at the playground

We painted some pictures for some beloved friends.
I had about this much paint on me as well.

Helping to sweep the patio after painting.

Sweet boy

Being silly

Conley's first artwork sent home from Parent's Day Out.
We think he is definitely going to be an artist.

Our sweet friend Joy's birthday party

Birthday party fun

Paxton

Everybody loves the Bumbo!

Lennox

Paxton

Conley

Before our 4 month shots

Paxton is all smiles!

We're not crazy yet!

It's been a while since I've posted an update and every night when we get all the kiddos settled I think to myself, "I should update the blog" and every night sleep wins out!  But I decided to forgo picking up toys today while Conley is at Nana's and update the blog.

But first, I want to share how incredibly lucky and blessed we are.  I know I've said this a ton, but it seems as of late I am being constantly reminded of this fact.  Maybe it's because I've been a little whiny about how hard it is to have two babies, a 19 month old, and not getting as much sleep as I'd like.  Or maybe because I've complained to Brent that our house is too small.  I don't really know why, but regardless of the reason I am grateful for the constant reminder.  Despite the things our family has been through over the last 6 months (losing my mom, very difficult pregnancy, the little boys coming so early) we really in truly have a wonderful life and it could be a lot worse.  I was just recently told of a family who had their twins at 27 weeks (just like us) and after a long stay in the NICU were told they would finally get to bring their babies home.  They were able to bring one of the babies home, but the other died before she could come home.  I'm sure this family was shocked and blown away by the events that unfolded.  When we were close to bringing Paxton home, I never thought that there was a possibility that he wouldn't make it home.  I just cannot imagine!

Onto the update.... We are all doing very well.  Brent and I are a little sleep deprived, but we've found a schedule that works for both of us.  We are both ready for these two sweet little boys to start smiling and interacting!  That's one thing that is really unfair to parents of preemies, by 3 months most parents are getting to interact with their babies, for us we've had 3 months of a newborn!  But we think smiles are coming soon!

We've had doctor appointments galore as of late.  So here's the quick run down:  Our pediatrician thinks we are doing good, we've been moved to going monthly for weight checks instead of every couple of weeks.  We were released from the eye doctor last week -- he said our eyes were good!  Also said that Lennox was definitely going to keep those blue eyes and Paxton was going to be a brown eyed boy.  The pulmonary doctor (he's the one who will tell us when we get to get rid of the apnea monitors, aka "baby alarms") said that he thought we would probably be able to get rid of them when we go back next month (WHOO HOO!!).  We go to physical therapy for the first time next week and the following week we will take Paxton to the surgeon to confirm if he has a hernia.  If Pax does have a hernia then we will schedule surgery.

Lennox is our chunky monkey!  At our last weight check he was a hefty 8 pounds.  He is built a lot differently than Conley or Paxton -- he is wide, stocky, and hefty.  He has also become quite the demanding little boy.  If he is awake he wants to be entertained and if he doesn't like something he lets you know immediately and very loudly!  This boy LOVES his paci!

Lennox - 3 months

Lennox - 3 months

Lennox - 3 months

Lennox - 3 months

Lennox - 3 months

Paxton is still our small wiggly worm!  At our last weight check he was 6 pounds.  I honestly think if the boy would quit moving he would outweigh Lennox!  He is an intense little boy, but is going to be a snuggle bug.  He is a moaner and groaner -- if he doesn't like it he groans, if he likes it he moans!  The boy desperately wants to suck his thumb, finger, or any part of his hand but can't quite get it yet.  He'll take a paci, but I think once he can get that hand he'll be done with the paci.

Paxton - 3 months

Paxton - 3 months (and not happy about it)

Paxton - 3 months

Paxton - 3 months

Lennox and Paxton

Sweet brothers

Lennox trying to steal Paxton's paci

Conley is a wild 19 month old boy!  He is turning into such a big kid.  He's recently really gotten into trains, so we play trains and more trains.  He also loves, and I mean LOVES, the movie Up.  The boy will sit through and watch the entire movie.

Conley with his big boy backpack

Sitting in the bouncy seat on top of the table

Saying Good Morning!
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