a month? really?

Alex is a month old already. I can hardly believe it. And I haven't really blogged, though I've been meaning to. It's just that usually, by the end of the day, I am just so tired I want to go to bed and try to sleep, I don't worry about blogging. And forget about blogging with Claire around. She is way too much help on the computer.

We took Alex and Claire in for well visits on the same day. Alex had his two week appt and Claire had her 15 month. Alex was doing well. He was back at his birth weight and growing steadily. They measured his length at 21 inches. Everything looks good with him. The only problem we have been having is baby acne and diaper rash. The diaper rash is FINALLY going away. He has had it since we brought him home. We had two different prescription creams, and this last one is kicking it. It's actually aquaphor, lotrimin, and maalox. But it works. I can definitively say that he is getting better now. He has been a pretty good baby so far. He loves to snuggle, which is both good and bad. He loves to snuggle when he is sleeping. Early mornings he usually spends in the bed with us. So I don't sleep as well. He eats very well. I had to take Alex in again this week for the diaper rash and he already weighed a whopping 11 pounds. Claire weighed that much at her 2 month appt. He's a chunk. But he is sweet and patient with both me and Claire. I'm glad he is here. He seems to be reaching for things already, which is early. He likes to hold my hand while I hold him, and he tries to grab the dangly things in the puppy chair. He might just be stretching though. Not sure.

At Claire's check up, she weighed in at 25 pounds and measured 32.5 inches tall. She is in the 95th percentile for height and 75th for weight. The nurse actually took her back out and remeasured her height, because it was SO big. But I know she has shot up lately. She has gone from barely touching doorknobs to being able to grab them full on. She is starting to talk more and say more recognizable words. Thanks to Grandma, she knows lots of animal sounds now. Anytime she sees an animal she knows, she makes the noise. She saw a cow on TV the other day and started mooing. (Or her version of mooing. She doesn't open her mouth for cow, monkey, or dog noises, though they are all distinct and different.) The other day, we were at a cousin's house and she was playing with their kids. She patted the couch next to her and said "sit" to one of the kids. It was way cute. She also can say "hot" now, and usually blows when she says it (like she is blowing on hot food). We are working on cold. She signs "thank you" when prompted, and vocalizes "please" (though it comes out "plee") while signing it. She still uses her elaborate imaginary sign language, but she is getting better about using her words. I'm always amazed at how much she knows and understands. She knows how to put a DVD in the player. She is learning about on/off switches. She loves to turn the vibrator on and off on the bouncy chair. Unfortunately, she usually turns it off when Alex is in it and leaves it on when he is not in it. She has also become a little mommy, and is dragging the baby doll around with her everywhere. Usually it is naked. She loves to take it's clothes off.

There is a lot going on in and with our house right now, but I'll have to post about that later. I need to go to bed.