April 2009 Epistle

April showers bring May flowers, that is how it goes right; well we have had some good days of rain, but we have also had sun and warm temperatures. I love it! It is getting warm outside and so I get to play out in the backyard. My favorite activity in the backyard is playing with water much safer than playing with fire. It does not matter to me whether it is the hose or the sprinkler, I will play in it and with it and in either case be completely soaked when I am done.
As I continue to get older and become a greater boy I learn some of the necessary things in life, such as using the potty. Mama has started to make me use the potty and get me out of diapers. It can be exciting to use the potty, but it is also a major chore. I have to quit whatever I am doing—which almost always is much more enthralling that going potty. However, I think its fun to wear undies, but I do get them dirty often because I will not stop playing. Sometimes I do well, usually when Mama reminds me because we go together, but other times I either do not want to go or I try and pee just a little bit really fast so I can hurry back to what I was doing.
This month I experienced a very important step in my eternal progression, I learned to empathize. Mama broke her toe while Daddy was gone to Utah, she smacked it on a door. I found myself very concerned with her foot, I had to have my toe buddy wrapped like hers.
Buddy wrapping is cool, just tape the broken toe to the unbroken neighbor and done. I looked stellar!
As for being a big brother, I love it! I like to check on him and make sure he is okay.
I enjoying seeing him and making sure he sees me, I will give him his pacie, kisses and plenty of hugs. Sometimes Mama has to remind me to be gentle, but I am just so excited.
Easter was in April like most years but those April showers did not cooperate; they are supposed to not fall on Easter or the Saturday before, that ruins the outdoor egg hunt. So instead Mama and Uncle Austin hid all the eggs inside. Fortunately I rebounded and still enjoyed the egg hunt. I got a boat in my Easter basket, I think since I have been talking about a boat for a while. That evening in was in the bath tub and floating happily along with the bubbles I got too. I got eggs filled with chocolate candies—yummy! Some others were filled with dinosaurs, frogs and turtles. My favorite, of course, was the chocolate candies. I would find an egg and quickly open it hoping that it would have yummy-tasty candy inside, if it did not I dropped it and went on to the next egg.
A while ago Mama bought me some puzzles, Cars puzzles, and now I love to put them together. I can almost put them together by myself I am best at putting Lightning McQueen together properly. Mama and Daddy only showed me a few times and helped just a bit as I was learning them, then I could do them all on my own.
I am so looking forward to the rest of spring and then summer, we have some fun things planned. Take care of yourselves and do no to anything dangerous—that is a word I know well. Love you.

Corin Douglas O’Berry

Hair

I love Corin's hair a bit longer because it looks like this

It curls all over, but unfortunately it has to be geled up pretty good for it to stay.

But after a day of playing and nap, even just inside the house, this is what happens. Also, the gel wears off pretty quickly right after I do it because he is so active.

Yeah, total crazy hair, and it then drives me crazy. It will calm down a bit, and he'll have little curled up ends around his ears and in the back, but still not as cute.

So, yesterday, we decided to have it cut. This is only the second hair cut Corin has ever had.

It still looks cute all geled up and still shows a bit of the curl, just not as much.

And here is the end of day result

So, definitely a difference from before. At least it doesn't hang in his eyes.

P.S. Corin's hair naturally parts down the middle.

HAPPY EASTER!

The boys in their Easter outfits!

Yes, Corin did keep his tie on.

He was excited to wear it; just like Daddy.

We went over to my parents house (Nana and Papa) for Easter "dinner" (we ate a late lunch/early dinner). We have church at 9AM, so we did our Easter baskets over at Nana and Papa's house after we ate and cleaned up.

Corin really enjoyed his Easter basket. He got a boat to go in the tub, Thomas bubble bath, Moon Sand, eggs filled with turtles, frogs and a giant one that had the person in it for his boat. He also got a chocolate bunny. You always need a chocolate bunny on Easter. Declan's Easter basket had baby toys, cute pair of shoes (Nana bought them), eggs filled with socks.

Since the weather did not cooperate, we did the Easter egg hunt inside. It took a lot of coaxing to get Corin to find the eggs, (they were in plain sight), but we finally got him to do it, or at least for a few minutes. He was too interested in doing his own thing and playing with his boat. We told him that some of the eggs had candy and then he him excited. Not all the eggs had candy in them some were filled with small dinosaurs, turtles and frogs. I didn't want him to have too much candy and he has been talking about dinosaurs so I thought it was a fun thing to fill the eggs with. However, once we convinced him that there was candy in the eggs (chocolate candy to be exact and Corin loves chocolate), he went around just opening eggs and if there was a candy inside it went straight in the mouth and if not he went onto another egg leaving toy and eggs scattered all over the floor.

We had a great time with family. Corin LOVES his uncles! He was jumping all over Adam (that's what he gets for laying on the floor) and hiding eggs himself for Austin to find.

Best Buddies

When Corin was about a month old we went to Build-A-Bear and bought him the Shamrock Bear, named Seamus, which is his best buddy; he sleeps with it and it goes EVERYWHERE with us, if we don't have him it is a tragic day. Seamus is a well loved bear. The bottoms of his feet are permentally dirty, he has gone through 3 shirts and 2 pairs of shorts, his fur is flattened and has been washed multiple times.

1/10/08

6/26/08 (Corin was sick too)

So, today we went to Build-A-Bear to get Declan a best buddy and got him this cute frog. Hopefully Declan will come to love his frog, Connell, as much as Corin has come to love Seamus.

Same Outfit

Corin is a bit older, but oh well. I thought it was fun to find the pictures of Corin in this outfit and then put Declan in it as well.

It has been such a blessing to our financial budget to have 2 boys and for them to be born close to the same time of year so the clothes I had for Corin work for Declan as well.

Corin vs. Declan

I thought it would be fun to blog about comparing my boys when they were infants.
This was probably more fun for me to write about than for others to read.

Stats:

Corin: 6lbs 14oz, 19in
Declan: 7lbs 8oz, 19 1/4in
Labor:

Corin: 8 1/2hrs

Declan: 11 1/2hrs

I think Labor with Corin was worse because I waited til I was 7cm to get my epideral while with Declan I was at 5cm. Contractions with Corin were constant while Declan was inconstant. The pain for each was different and of course uncomfortable, who likes labor pains anyway?

Delievery/Pushing:

Corin: little less than 1hr

Declan: 20min
I had to be on MagSulfate with Corin, so that was not a great experience.

Each of the boys had to be put in the NICU for a while, Declan stayed longer, however.

Burping:

Both boys are stubborn at burping

Spitting Up:
Corin was constantly spitting up, no matter how much he was burped. Shane would ask when he got home how many shirts I went through and how many outfits Corin went through that day, or he would say "That is different shirt than you had on this morning" and most of the time my response was "You missed the ones inbetween"

Declan was spitting up quite a bit in the hospital and I thought he was going to be like his brother. Declan's spit ups seem more like milk drool than the yucky, stinky spit ups that Corin had. Until recently he hasn't had many spit ups, but we have had a few and some big ones at that, where I thought all of what he just drank came up, but it wasn't the stinky kind since it came up so quickly after he ate, where as Corin would wait a while than spit up so the milk would be sitting in his stomach. I haven't had to change clothes, yet, with Declan, up he has had to have some outfit changes and so far not more than one in a day. So, as I wrote this about Declan's spit ups, he did spit up a big one that I had to change his sleeper and onesie and it was 1 1/2hrs after his last feeding. Of course, it always seems to happen that way; they prove you wrong. (3/31) But, I'll have to say that it was more a watery consistancy than the thicker kind that Corin would always have.

4/6: Declan seems to be spitting up more lately. He is on a mix of breast milk and formula, so that could be it (Corin was also) He'll spit up with a burp, after a burp and later on. You never know. Corin did a lot better when having straight formula than Declan does, but it's going to happen at some point; I'm going to have to ease him onto it more gradually than with Corin. Declan will drink it fine, it just seems to give him a lot more tummy bubbles than with Corin.
Sleeping:
Corin actually went for longer lengths of time inbetween feedings than Declan is. He is up about every 3hrs to eat. 4/6: Declan is getting better at sleeping, we are going at least 4hrs in between feedings at night and during the day he seems to be up more, but as with the night needs to be put completely asleep with cuddling before laying him down.

Declan has to sleep swaddled in blankets because he gets cold and uncomfortable more easily. Corin was content to sleep just in a onesie and sleeper with no blanket at times, but I would wrap him up and he didn't mind that either. Corin also hated his arms to be swaddled next to his body, they had to out. At first Declan didn't mind his in, but he has been wiggling them out so he can have them close to his face, so if you swaddle him with his hands close to his face, he is better off.

Declan is quite noisy when he falling asleep, sometimes when he is asleep and when waking up. During the night I'll hear him through the monitor and think that he is waking up, but he isn't just making noises. One night I heard him and thought it was about time for him to eat, but he didn't actually wake up til an hour later to eat. Corin was quite when he slept and since he would go for longer periods of time, which could vary day to day, I would wake up in the middle of the night to check on him to make sure he was alright (still breathing) because I hadn't heard anything.

Both boys had to be put completely asleep at night, by rocking or walking around before they are able to lay down in their bed.

Corin used to sleep with his hands at the side of his head. Declan's hand are near his chin and cheeks.

Corin; he always slept with his mouth open too.

Declan

Declan; so maybe he is going to start sleeping like Corin did. At least, so far, he sleeps with his mouth closed.
Or maybe not...guess he has more traits like his brother than I thought. But this is actually more of a rarity for him to sleep like this.

Diaper changes:

Both boys hate diaper changes. Parts were exposed and they hate those getting cold.

So far, Declan has not had any blow outs, just a few leaks, where as Corin at this age did.

Declan has only peed once,which was today (3/31) when I have changed his diaper and I don't think it's all because I'm used to changing a little boy's diaper since there have been times I have left him uncovered as I was wiping , if it was Corin I would have been peed on, I always had to have him covered.

4/6: The little watering hose has gone off more lately. Have to be more conscience of keeping it covered. Shane was changing Declan's diaper a few days ago on the dining room table and he sprayed everywhere!

Eyes:

At birth Corin's eye color was charcoal and turned brown. When I look at Declan's eyes I think of more of a blue-charcoal color, if that makes sense compared to when Corin was an infant and I looked at his and thought charcoal color. we'll see what color Declan's eyes become.

Corin hardly every opened his eyes when he was tiny even when he was awake. People used to think he was always asleep, which yes, infants sleep a lot, but even when he was awake his eyes would be mostly closed and he would occasionally open them to peak out to see what was going on, than close them again.
When Declan is awake his eyes are, most of the time, open looking around. Maybe its because there is more noise with an older brother.

Corin

Declan
It's hard to tell eyes in pictures and from looking at these pictures, the boys eyes seem to be more similar than I discribed, but I still think they have different eye color as infants. Declan's seem to be looking more on the blue side lately.(4/6 is when picture was taken)
Hair:

Corin basically had fuzz for hair at birth and it was much lighter than Declan. Declan came with hair and it's dark. Corin's hair is the color of mine and Declan's is the color of Shane's.

Corin is about a month old in his picture. It was hard to find pictures to show off

Declan; it's hard to tell from these pictures, but the amount of hair Delcan has is far greater than what Corin had.

Back of Declan's head to show his hair. Corin had a thin layer of hair that barely covered his head, nothing was sticking up like with Declan's hair.

Corin hair now has curl like Shane (not as curly though, when there is no gel in Corin's hair it is mostly flat and only a few up curls on the ends. I think this is due to the fine texture of his hair) and has my color and texture. I wonder if Declan is going to have Shane's color and my straightness.
Cuddling:

Declan is definitely more of a cuddle bug. He will sit by himself for a while in his swing or bouncy chair and than start fussing to get out. Once you get him out and he cuddles into your shoulder and chest, he is perfectly content.

Corin would cuddle, but would be content to sit in the bouncy chair or swing for longer periods of time. In the early AM Corin would wake up and the only way for him to go back to sleep after he ate was to sleep with him on the couch with him between you and the back of the couch.

Pacifier:

Corin took to a pacifier right away and liked it. Declan, on the other hand, took a while to take to it and still isn't all that fond of it. It is inconsistant as to when he'll take it and when he'll make a face and not want it. Sometimes he'll take it when he is tired and when I am trying to make a bottle. Not even when he is fussy will he take it either. Just depends on his mood and if he wants it or not, unlike Corin who would take it whenever you offered it to him. When Declan gets hungry he sucks on his fingers and fist, but I don't think he'll be a finger sucker because he only does it when he is hungry and not at other times.

Declan; I was trying to give him a pacifier (hence my hand in the picture) and this was the face he made.

He liked it this time and took it to fall asleep with.

Lately (4/6) it seems that Declan is getting more into his pacifier, but still doesn't take it nearly as much as Corin did and sometimes even when he is tired he doesn't want it and at other times gets really into sucking on it and wanting it. Who knows...

Veggie Eating

In some of my previous posts I have mentioned the fights I have had in getting Corin to eat some veggies. Its not that he dislikes them, but he only eats a few of them; green beans is his primary veggie and if we call peas beans than he'll eat those as well. But, I think we are progressing in the area of veggie eating, at least for now, we'll have to see later on if he fights it since it seems he goes through stages. A few nights ago with dinner we had a salad, which is the salad that came with our take home meal from the hospital (frozen lasagna and garlic bread). Corin has been talking about tomatoes, so I thought I'd put just a few small pieces on his plate as well as cucumber. Well, he ate them with ranch dressing, but he ate them! I was SO excited!! This past week cantalope was on sale at King Soopers, and it sounded really good to me, so Shane went out and picked me up a few. When he was out I asked him to get some tomatoes (Romas) and cucumber (English), which also happened to be on sale. Corin has also been eating the cantalope like crazy, he is much more of a fruit boy than veggie. So, I have been giving Corin some with lunch, just small amounts so it doesn't get wasted, with lunch and he has been eating them, still with ranch, but not too much of it since I get to control the quantity. He actually asked for more today, which thrilled me as a mother!! Both times he ate the cucumber first, so maybe he likes them better. Shane did comment that he thought so. I agree with Corin that ranch with veggies make it much better, however Shane would disagree. He isn't as good as his cousin Eric, but maybe one day he'll get there.