Mikey and Michaella have been growing in leaps and bounds!! This means play time gets more exciting everyday. They are awake longer and trying new things everyday. For instance just the other night i put a rattle in their hands and they were able to hold it... now i am sure they didn't mean to shake it but the joy the had when they saw this fun thing waving around in their hand. If that wasn't exciting enough now when they lay on their play mat they bat at the toys hanging from it instead of just staring at them. And just the other night Michaella reached up and grabbed one of the toys and held on to it... Mikey on the other hand bats and kicks at the toys full force and gets such joy when he connects with them (typical boy).

They also LOVE the toys Santa brought them for Christmas especially when mommy is running around the den singing and dancing for them... so do they really love the toy or just their crazy mommy???

On days that we are in a good mood and full of energy (usually in the morning) we give our bumbo seats a try and enjoy the world from a sitting position. This works their necks out and gets their poor head a rest from being on something all the time. Then usually after an hour or two of playing they get stressed out and need some down time. This is where they will lay in their crib and watch their trippy mobile... kicking, swinging and cooing till its time for a nap.

Everyday its something new and exciting... i cant wait to share many more pics of many more firsts!!

The M&Ms de-stressing under the mobile

Its bumbo seat time!!!!

Mikey holding his rattle for the 1st time

It's music time!!!!

Michaella holding the rattle for the 1st time

xoxoxoox

Its play time!!!

Some pics of the M&Ms playing with their daddy and pups....

The M&Ms having a staring contest

Mikey laughing away

Mikey laughing at his daddy

Michaella enjoying a relaxing tummy time

Play time isn't just for the kids anymore

Poor Little Belly Button

I noticed a few days after the M&Ms turned 2 months old that Mikey's belly button was oozing. After further investigation i noticed a bulb of skin inside his belly button. I called the pediatrician's office and they suggested having him come in and get looked at. Mikey and mommy had their 1st solo date and went to see Dr.H that afternoon. Mikey was a really good boy in the car and was FASSSTTT asleep by the time we got to the doctors office. They weighted my chuncky monkey and he was 12.2 pounds!!!! Getting big fast!

Anyhoo...the doctor looked at his belly button and said he had an "umbilical granuloma" which is a piece of tissue that remains after the umbilical cord falls off. This tissue can ooze and become irritated. The treatment was some silver nitrate applied to the granuloma. The pediatrician we saw that day was not our normal doc and she apparently didn't know how paranoid i am b/c she never warned me what would happen to his poor little belly button. The pediatrician did tell me his skin would get stained and look yucky but nothing to worry about... she failed to leave an important disclaimer out!!! Apparently silver nitrate can cause a chemical like burn where its applied, but i found this out the next morning when it looked like poor Mikey had 2nd degree burns all around his belly button. Obviously i ran and called the pediatrician. The calmed my fears and told me it was normal and how to care for it.

Mikey the next day after his 1st silver nitrate treatment.
Dr. H said that id it was still oozing by next week to call them and bring Mikey in for an additional treatment. A week later his belly button looked slightly better but still oozing and the granuloma was still there... so in again we went. This time we saw Dr.S and Mommy and Mikey were very happy. Dr. S said 1 more treatment and "Mikey Man" (that's what Dr.S calls him) will be just fine. So another round of silver nitrate (this time more carefully applied to limit the amount of unnecessary burns) The nurses suggested letting air get to the belly button to help dry it up and keep the oozing from staying wet and icky and instead turning it hard and crusty so it would fall off. So for a day or so after the treatment Mikey had to sport a not so flattering look!!!! (all that kept running through our heads is "fat man in a little coat" hahahaha!!) Its hard to see but he is healing nicely and just this morning all the scabs were gone and the granuloma is nearly gone and Mikey is back to sporting a better look.

Mikey and his cool new look!

Play time means diiferent things to different kids??!!

After our morning bottle we have some play time before the morning nap. We started in our bumbo seats... Michaella decided that wasn't exciting enough for her. Where as Mikey found his seat just fine!!

Mikey fast asleep in his seat

Michaella and daddy playing tummy time

They see each other for the 1st time!!!!

The M&Ms were getting ready for bed when they turned toward each other and it was so cute to see them see each other for the 1st time. They just layed there and stared at each other for like 10 min!!! too cute!

Babies 1st x-mas!

The M&Ms celebrated thier 1st x-mas this year. It wouldn't be a traditional x-mas if mom didnt go to the mall and get an ornament. See below for thier 1st ornaments...

The new family ornament

Mikey's 1st ornament

Michaella's 1st ornament

The day after x-mas some of Mike's family came to town to see the M&M's for the 1st time. It was nice to share our babies with the family. Check out the pics...

Mike and his Dad w/ the babies

Grandpa, Grandma Denise & Uncle James

Mom, Dad, Uncle Phil, Aunt Bridget, Cousins Mark & Claire

The M&M's turn 2 months!!!

Mikey and Michaella in their Bumbo seats

Dec 27th 2009 Mikey and Michaella turned 2 months!!! Time flies when your having fun. They have grown and changed so much since they came home. They are holding their heads up great as you can see by the picture above, they are awake A LOT more now, they track objects really well, and can spot mom from a mile away!!! They are really enjoying their toys Santa brought them and will spend some time staring at their mobiles and soothers. They are getting so squirmy now i have to buckle them in their swings... and watch out when you are burping them b/c they will go flying out of your arms if your not careful.

They had their 2 month check up with Dr S on Dec 30th 2009. They came home from the hospital at roughly 5 pounds (Michaella) and 6 pounds (Mikey)... drum roll please... Michaella is 10.6 pounds and Mikey is 11.9 pounds holy chunky monkeys the practically doubled their birth weights!!!!!! Dr S was happy to see them growing so well and seeing that they are smiling and seem to be on track developmentally despite being 1 month early. They got their first set of shots... does it make me a bad mom that i laughed at how Michaella reacted?? She screamed for 3 seconds after each prick and then proceeded to pass out.. see the picture below. Mikey on the other hand acted very offended that the nurse would dare hurt him and cried for some time afterwards. My mom happen to be in town for the holidays and decided to stay that night while Mike worked in case they ran a fever. They were good for about 36 hours... when they spiked a low grade fever. For the most part they were good just a bit cranky and slept a bit more as long as they had some Tylenol in them.

Michaella at her 2 month check up asleep after her shots

Daddy making Mikey feel better

Michaella napping her fever off

Mike feeling better

Michaella feeling better