Let's Get Creative!

Dex, after deciding that his hair was a better palette than his paper.

Daddy, Jax and Dex paint with Mommy's shaving cream. As a result, my boys smelled very girly for the rest of the day!
Jax (l) and Dex (r), try painting with fingers AND feathers.
Following in the footsteps of his brother, Jaxon tried his face as an art medium.

When I first found out I was pregnant, and I began envisioning my life as a mom, one of the things that I was most looking forward to was toddler art creations. Now that the boys have finally reached the point where they can enjoy these, as well, I am in Mommy seventh heaven! Sure, there's a lot of clean-up involved... and a lot of prep work... and the two of these things combined, usually take longer than the actual art project... but it is just so much fun to watch these little boys get creative and explore new colors, texures and experiences. So, a little paint ends up in the hair... or face... or floor... that just means we get to end our fun in a big tub of bubbles!

Toddler Hugs

This is Jax with M. He spent all afternoon trying to hug her... even when she wasn't quite the willing participant he was looking for! They really have a neat relationship. If the boys are outside and M sees them, she'll come running up to them saying, "Da Boys!! Da Boys!!" Likewise, the boys start squealing with excitement everytime they see M. How lucky are we that she lives just a couple hundred feet away? :)

Playin' in Cool

Do these photos even need a description? I was recently discussing with some friends how much I am loving each new phase of mothering. These photos should sum up my reasoning pretty well. The boys constantly crack me up! They are so unbelievably silly... roaring, squealing, tickling, running... and now they're in love with these silly headbands... it's just too much. Times like this could go on and on forever, as far as I'm concerned. THESE are the moments I was hoping for. Dex has the shades... Jax is in blue.

Great Plug!!

I have to do a plug for a super local photographer. The boys were recently photographed by Krysten Halek and featured on her website/blog as part of her June feature: twins. The photos are fantastic and she was so incredible... patiently following the boys while they played outside our home. As a result, she was truly able to capture them in their own element, instead of posed oddly inside a box or a wicker chair (which seem to be ever so popular at portrait studios!).

To see a few of the boys' photos, go to: http://kehphotography.typepad.com/.

To see the rest of Krysten's website and samples of her work, go to: http://www.kehphotography.com/.

Fun, fun friends

The boys had a great time playing with their friend, L, the other day! They especially like it when she squeals and giggles. Dex, shirt- Jax, no-shirt.
Jax and L play a little duet.
We got to spend Father's Day afternoon with our little friend, M! The boys adore her... especially when she joins them in their under-the-table playspace.

This video absolutely cracks me up. The kids love copying each other. One of the boys started shaking his head during supper, and then before I knew it, it was a rotating game of Shake Your Head. Luckily, I was able to catch the last few seconds of it on camera!

Speaking of copying, Dex was so enthralled with M eating at her Chair Table that he decided it would be the perfect place for his snack. It's the little things, right? :)

Getting our toes wet

Jax and Mommy, getting used to the water.
Dex and Daddy... Dexter had no fear of the depth of the water and kept trying to get away from us!! Too funn!

Dex and Mommy... and Jax, decided the water is great near the steps.

Jaxon, hanging out with Daddy and Uncle Chris.
Again, our little daredevil was trying to jump into the deep end. Good thing Uncle Chris was there to keep his hands on Dex!

We had such a good time visiting with my sister and her family a few week-ends ago. It went far too quickly, and somehow, I didn't get any decent photos of her or her adorable little boy... good thing we have a few more visits to look forward to this summer. Last summer, we took the boys out to Christopher's grandparents' place to play around in the pool and to visit. The boys were such little fishies, splashing and playing to their hearts' content. This year, they were a bit more cautious! Jaxon truly had to warm up to the idea of getting into the water and had to inch his way in on his own terms. Dex, though still a bit of a fish (and completely oblivious to the dangers of deep water!), also took a few cautious moments of examining the pool before jumping in.

We took the boys to a neighborhood wading pool over Father's Dayo week-end and they both LOVED it. I think that will be something we'll have to do more often. It was so much fun to watch them so freely exploring the water.. and so nice to know that it was only about 10 inches deep.

As for "Getting our toes wet," it's more than just a title for these photos. We're in the midst of beginning a new therapy program for both boys... and you could say, I'm handling it a bit like Jaxon with his pool adventure. Inching in slowly... not quite sure how I'll feel when we're fully immersed. We're in the assessment phase... tests and videotaped visits... contracts and meetings. The program averages 36 hours of therapy a week and occurs in the home with 1-4 therapists per child. That means, in our tiny little student apartment we have the potential to have 10 adults and 2 children trying to fit into our little living space. If you've been here, you know that merely the thought of where we'll put all the shoes is enough to stress me out. I have to believe we're doing the right thing, and although the sacrifice of handing over our personal space and family time is daunting (and, there are times when I find myself really fighting this aspect), we can't sit back and do nothing when we know there are really sucessful programs like this one out there. So, that's our news. On top of this program, we're still trying to squeeze in private speech and OT, as well as our precious family time. Aagh!! I don't think I ever could have imagined just how greatly our lives could change over a period of three months. Let's hope our little family adjusts to these changes and that we see really remarkable fruits from all this labor...

Daddy Time

See what I mean? They absolutely adore their daddy.

Daddy's Day

The boys cuddle with Daddy for a few minutes before bedtime. Jax- left, Dex-right.

We're in the midst of beginning an unbelievably intensive therapy program for the boys (yes, both boys... I'll post more on that later). We're finalizing assessments and contracts, but we're going to be looking at 20-45 hours a week of therapy. One of the great aspects of this program is its emphasis on parent involvement. I love the idea of being instrumental in the therapy, as opposed to just sitting back and letting someone else connect with my children. However, in the course of signing contracts, etc, there have been many discussions as to what D.R.'s involvement will be. The program that we're working with has set times, hours, meetings... during which D.R. is expected to be present. One specific expectation is a weekly meeting, scheduled mid-afternoon and lasting for 2 hours.

Due to the obvious time constraints of D.R.'s being in the midst of a busy residency program, it's just not going to be possible for him to meet all of these expectations. He can't possibly just take off an afternoon to attend this meeting. He is FAR FROM an uninvolved father, however. I have found myself rallying on his behalf so much over the past few weeks, that it has made me all the more thankful for everything that he contributes to this family. He is up at 5 every morning, has to kiss the boys good-bye while they're still sleeping, studies for a few hour before work (so he won't miss out on getting the boys ready for bed by studying in the evening) and then puts in a long day at work, getting home a good 12 hours later. Yes, he's usually pretty tired when he gets home, but does he ever use that as an excuse to relax? No! He jumps right into helping the boys finish supper, take baths and get ready for bed. They look so forward to this time of wrestling, cuddling, splashing, giggling and storytelling.

He might not be able to put the hours into this therapy program that they're asking of him, but the quality of the time he does spend with the boys is indisputable. Just knowing that he would spend his every waking moment with the boys, if he could, is enough to make me feel like the luckiest mother in the world. I've been so proud of him. He handled his last year in med school, knowing he was about to have TWO babies. He dove into a busy intern year, on call every 4-6th night with two newborn babies at home and an equally sleep-deprived wife, he's now knee deep in his residency program... gracefully balancing the demands of a competitive career path and two of the busiest little boys every born onto this earth. NOW, he is tackling another bold commitment and he does it with love and fatherly compassion, knowing that, in the long-run, it's going to be worth it and everything is going to be okay.

One day, when the boys are older, I hope I'm able to adequately communicate to them, all the sacrifices that their Daddy made for them and just how deeply he has always loved them. All this, and he still changes every other diaper when he's home and is still quick on his feet to run to the boys if one of them wakes in the middle of the night... Seriously, how lucky could Dex, Jax and I be?

Mine!

"A-ha!!! I have triumphed! The chip is MINE!" (Dex)"Hey, my turn!! Why does Dex get all the good food?" Here, with friends, Dex gets fed by a little buddy while Jax anxiously points on the inequity of the situation.)

A few months ago, the boys learned the sign for "My turn." This basically cut our daily tantrum ratio in half, as the boys stopped screaming when they each wanted a turn with something and, instead, began beating their chests ferociously. Recently, the wonderful and amazingly quiet chest thumping was replaced with the loud, roaring sounds of, "Mine!" "My turn!" and "Let go!!" Of course, for dramatic effect, the chest thumping is still present, but it is accompanied by the dual vocal assertions of two very noisy little boys.

We've entered into a new phase... new territory. Any object is now an item to be feverishly fought over. If Dex has it, Jax wants it... If Jax has it, Dex wants it. This morning, it was the green cereal bowl. Later, it was a mailing tube. Just prior to their nap, it was the green sippy cup. Once the sought after item is in an individual boy's posession, he takes great pride in flaunting is acquisition to his empty-handed brother. These circular games (or battles) can go on indefinitely unless Mom or Dad steps in and removes the coveted object. I suppose I should be thrilled that each boy is showing such determination in asserting his independance and strong-will... but, geesh, it can be so exasperating (albeit, entertaining). Is this just the beginning of a whole-new toddlerhood?

Post-op update

Pre-surgery, Jaxon sought out as many computers in the hospital as he could!


"Hmmm... maybe I can skip the surgery and hust hang out here for awhile..."
More buttons!!!

Here we are, two days post surgery, and Jaxon is doing great. He had a pretty rocky day Tuesday. Coming out of surgery was no fun for him and he was pretty miserable that evening. We're guessing he had some pain either from the incisions or from the change in pressure that can occur from the tubes. Wednesday morning, however, he woke up as happy as can be and he has been as giggly as ever all day today, as well. I've even seen him begin to play imitation games with sounds, which is really fun. We're still really hopeful that this will bring good things for his language development and we'd love to see him be free of ear infections for a long, long while! In other news, Dex saw the ENT yesterday, and we're going to hold off on ear tubes for him. Though he has had his share of ear infections and fluid build-up over the past year, his ears are looking really good, right now. His hearing is fine and with the minimal risk of more ear inefections over the summer, we'll see if we can make it through fall.

The Wonderful World of Make Believe... and other updates from our little neighborhood

One of the classic delays associated with ASD is an absence or lack of pretend play. In these cases, children actually need to be taught HOW to pretend. We've seen such amazing improvements in Jaxon since beginning our interventions (dietary, speech therapy, occupational therapy, play therapy, floortime therapy). He is so very engaging and social... and his speech is improving every day. One area, however, that I would consider to be one of his strengths is his capacity to pretend. He's never had a problem pretending a banana (or a shoe, puzzle piece, sippy cup, etc.) is a phone. He'll say, "Hi, Daddy! Bye, Daddy!" over and OVER! This week, however, he and Dexter took their pretend play to a whole new level... and I felt my storehouse of motherly worries decrease... ever so slightly.

We spend a great deal of time playing outside on the playground. A few mornings ago, we woke up early to enjoy a quiet morning in the sand... just the three of us. Apparently, a work truck had beaten us to the punch, however, as we found deep tire treads weaving through our sacred play area. At first, the boys just walked along the treads, as if they were following a very important trail. After a few moments, though, I found them both sitting one in front of the other, facing forward, deep in the tire treads, noisily making engine sounds. "What are you doing?" I asked. In unison, they shouted, "Car! Car!" They were pretending they were driving and riding in a car. Seriously! How cute is that! I have no idea how they were able to communicated this little game to each other, since they literally sat down at the same time and began making engine noises at the same time. They must have been plotting out this scenario in their cribs the night before!

Their second make-believe milestone was also at the playground, where we sat at a pretend table, eating and drinking pretend food together for a good ten minutes. Oh, it was quite a feast! We had blueberries, strawberries, cookies, cereal, grapes, apples... and we finished the whole meal with three big cups of chocolate milk. The best is when they would stir their cereal or offer me a bite. All of this they did with no physical prompts or toys... it was all in their imaginations.

In other news, Jaxon has his ear tube surgery tomorrow. I have more than my share of anxieties, but am so very hopeful that this will eliminate or reduce is all-too frequent ear infections and maybe even help in his speech development. The surgery is at 11:30 tomorrow morning and, believe it or not, D.R. is going to be with us for the whole thing! As my friend Allison told him tonight, I'm probably going to be needing him more than Jaxon will... and I truly believe she's right.

There are so many other things I feel I should include in this post... I'll just have to do more writing this week! My sister, her husband and their GORGEOUS little boy are back for the summer and I was lucky enough to spend Sunday evening with them. This fills me with such joy, as it's been so hard having her absent during this past year.

We have also officially began a new therapy for Jax (and it looks like we'll be including Dex, as well... more details to follow). It's an Applied Behavior Analysis program and is equally exciting and terrifying for me, as a mother, as I grapple with the realities of how it's going to be affecting our family. The average child in this program receives 36 hours of therapy a week... and, as D.R. and I were discussing last night, outside of naps, mealtimes, bathtimes and transitions into and from these activities... I don't even know if the boys are awake 36 hours a week! And when do we get our intimate family moments and sweet, quiet cuddles if there's always therapy going on? I'll know more specifics about our particular treatment plan in the next few weeks... and, of course, will keep the blog updated. Just know, if I'm harder than usual to reach (because, yes, I know I can be difficult to reach!), it's because of this major change we're adjusting to.

There you have it. Celebrations and fears... all wrapped together in one post.

Friendly Fare

We have enjoyed one of the most enjoyable weeks we've had in ages! Both boys were healthy and happy, which meant oodles and oodles of giggles and fun-filled days. As it turns out, we were also able to gobble up good food with friends on several occasions throughout the week.

Auntie T was brave enough to join the boys and I at a restaurant down the road. The owner was unbelievably kind enough to allow the boys to climb ALL over the place, exploring every chair, table, sofa, door, window, counter, nook & cranny!! It was really fun for the boys to try new foods and eat in a new environment (okay, that was fun for me, too) and SO nice for me to have such a good friend to make it possible for us to do something so adventurous! :) Dex- left, Jax- right.

Mid-week, we enjoyed a great evening with more friends. This was a milestone for the boys, as they got to sit at their first kids' table with their friend, M. Sure, the ants in their pants got the better of them, and they were soon scavenging for food at the grown-up table... but, it was absolutely adorable while it lasted... and definitely fun for all.


Jax- left, Dex- right.

Best post-meal activity? Definitely pulling ALL M's books of the shelves as quickly as possible! How fun! Good thing there were three toddlers to tackle such a task!

Jax- with T; Dex- with Josh

We also had another indoor picnic with Auntie T and her co-worker, Josh. This might have to become a regular tradition, because the boys just can't get enough of that drum set!!

Introducing...

...our new little social butterfly! Jax has been becoming SO much more social, lately! It has been so much fun for me to watch him with the children on on the playground and with people we meet running errands. He says hello to everyone and LOVES the attention he gets in reply! Last week, he my friends Jillian and Sophida visited and Jax was, once again, a little charmer. He was so enthralled with Jillian's pregnant tummy. When I told him there was a baby inside, he just had to keep touching her!! :) Luckily, Jillian was sweet enough to allow ten little fingers to investigate this hidden baby! Sophida taught Jax a new way to play the piano, too... with his bootie! Hmm... we'll see if this new technique catches on... Dex was a little charmer, too, of course. It just so happens, however, that I only have photos of Jaxon with the ladies.

All the kids are doing it...

How many munchkins does it take to balance a tire swing? Here are the boys with their pals and neighbors, T and H. From left to right, T, Jax, Dex, H. A little montage of the swinging sidekicks...

In the blood

Dex bangs away while Jax chomps his cookies... yum yum.
"Hey, Chad! Listen to this!"
Jaxon serenades Auntie T with one of his newest compositions.

The boys have always enjoyed music. This makes me SO SO SO happy. On a daily basis, they ask to play with the guitar, bang away on the piano, dance around to the stereo, bang away on one of their many self-made percussion intruments... or try to make a duet or trio out Mommy playing the piano and/or singing.

We had a great time visiting Auntie T the other day and playing around on a few of the instruments she's lucky to have right outside her office door! The boys even got to enjoy an indoor picnic lunch of veggie sushi, edamame and stir-fried pork... of course, their favorite part was the yummy cookies at the end of the meal! Mommy got to enjoy having a ratio of three adults (our buddy Chad was there, too) to two little rascals... what fun!

I'm sure many toddler enjoy music. I know this is nothing particularly unique to the boys, but I like to believe that they've also inherited this family love of music. Yesterday, as we were making the 40 minute drive to celebrate our niece's fourth birthday, we listened to an old mix CD I recently came across. Not sure what was on it, we all sat back to enjoy one surprise song after another. The boys played happily in the backseat as we listened to Billy Holiday, Duncan Sheik, Tony Bennet... and then, an old Latona's Thirst song came on. "Shhh..." D.R. whispered, "Let's see if they can tell this is Mommy singing." The boys stopped their playing and just sat and listened... intently. As soon as the song was over, Jaxon shouted, "More! More!" I thought perhaps he wanted the toy he had dropped, so I handed it to him. He threw it on the floor and kept shouting, "More! More" I tried turning the volume up on the next tune, but that was not good enough. FINALLY, I skipped the CD back to replay the Latona's Thirst song, and he happily sat back and began listening, AGAIN!

Now, I have no idea if they knew who was singing, or if they had some vague happy memory of all the music rehearsals they sat through in-utero, or if, perhaps, they were just fans of that particular song. But, it was the first time they had specifically requested to hear a song OVER AND OVER AGAIN (and we did listen to the same song for the entire drive!)... and I was tickled pink that it happened to be one of mine. Aah... :)