The week in review...

It's amazing how much can happen in a week - or at least how much new stuff you can learn about your kids throughout the course of a week when they're babies!

So, rather than waste time with the formalities, let's just get right to the good stuff!

First, let's start with what we've learned about little Austin this week...

1. Austin is still an angry baby.

No, not joking... we actually have validation now! Even the daycare people seem to agree (although they've been far to nice to actually come right out and say it out loud...) What gives it away? Hmm... well, on one of his report cards last week, the question was actually asked if they could bump him up to 6 ounces of milk to get him through the 3 hours between bottles... or maybe "even though he's just 2.5 months" he might enjoy a little cereal by spoon between bottles? What are they trying to say??

And needless to say, in passing conversations with Jeff, they have remarked at "how different Austin really is from Tyler!" Considering they always referred to Tyler as "such a happy baby", I think this is their way of being polite. Poor little Austin!

2. Austin really likes his bumbo seat.

Austin is a pro at knowing when it's dinner time. Our dinner time. And he likes to make sure we know he knows by crying throughout the entire meal - even when he's just had his bottle moments before and should be pleasantly sedated by his meal.


But, we've finally discovered the secret to a quiet meal... the Bumbo seat! Apparently, all Austin really wanted was to sit with his family during their meal. Who would've thought? So, now, when he gets cranky during dinner, we sit him in the middle of the table in his bumbo, and he bobs away in silence as we dine.




Now on to Tyler...

1. Tyler wants his own big boy chair.

... and we don't mean an adult-sized seat. As much as Austin enjoys his bumbo seat, lately Tyler seems to be enjoying it even more. In fact, he likes to carry it around with him to make sure it's always ready for him when he's ready for a seat.

2. But he's not ready yet for a big boy bed!

Thanks to the close-timing of our little offspring, and their penchant for growing a bit longer than the average baby, a bit quicker than the average baby, Austin will soon be exceeding the length of his bassinette and looking for a more accommodating sleeping arrangement. This means, Tyler will have to vacate the crib for its new occupant.

So, it seems most logical that rather than buying a new crib, Tyler upgrades to a toddler bed. Well, he hates it. A lot. In fact, at 3am this morning, he was curled up on his bedroom floor with a blanket. By 6am, he was curled up under his crib. Yes, under it.

Evidently this will take a little more time than we anticipated.

3. And last, but not least, Tyler understands far more than we think he does...

Tonight, when trying to help him accept his new bed, I was lying in the bed and told him I'd read him a book if he brought me one. Wouldn't you know it, he actually understood exactly what I was saying! I guess it's easy to underestimate what kids know when they can't actually talk using real words.

He set his bedtime bottle of milk down at the top of the stairs, slid down the stairs, then returned a few moments later with one of his treasured Dr. Seuss books - handing it to me to read. Of course, with his short attention span, we didn't get more than half-way through the book, but it's the thought that really counts, isn't it?

And at least for that brief moment, he was willing to snuggle in his new big-boy bed. It's a start, right?