Update on Boys

As of tomorrow, July 1, I am officially off for the summer and the boys' daycare schedule shifts to their summer hours.  They will be going Mondays and Wednesdays just half day, from 6:30am to 11:45am.  This way, they will eat 2 meals and a snack there, take advantage of the "school" curriculum, and then come home with full bellies just in time for a 2 hour nap!  I was really eager to leave them in daycare at least a little over the summer so that they don't lose the routine completely.  Otherwise, it would just be harder on all of us when they go back full-time on August 26th.  It will also give me some time during the week to do errands, have some time to myself, and do work too (I'm supposed to do the equivalent of 2 weeks' work over the summer, on my own time, however I want to manage it.).  I am really looking forward to my time with the boys, though!  It won't be easy because Sebastian has quite the temper lately.  But I'm actually hoping that having more time with him over the summer will help me work on it.  He's just so incredibly fussy lately--and never for any apparent reason!  Yesterday, for example, he just decided he didn't want to go inside anywhere.  No Home Depot (which he normally loves), no stores at the Wrentham Outlets, nothing.  He'd scream any time we tried to bring him inside.  Today, though, he was fine at Market Basket and at the mall with Carlos.  Who knows what goes on in that boy's mind?

Poor Adrian has a double ear infection!!  This is now his second ear infection since tubes April 5 and his second in less than a month.  He made it to the middle of June without one, but now two in rapid succession...it has me a bit worried.  There are no guarantees with tubes that they will stop the infections; they only lessen the pain and side effects.  I suspect the poor boy has allergies.  He has a lot of clear snot these days (a tell-tale sign of allergies), and if we don't test him and/or treat his allergies, it's possible he'll have a lot more ear infections.  It's also possible that if we don't find an allergy or are unable to treat it for whatever reason, he may need his adenoids out.  I want to avoid another surgery, so I will call the pediatrician this week (and maybe the ENT doctor) and see what they say about allergy testing and infections after tubes.  I want that poor boy feeling good and without fluid in his ears!!  Right now, he's avoided having to take more oral antibiotics because with tubes we can treat the infections with ear drops, but sometimes it's not enough.  I want his infection gone asap, but hope not to subject his system to rough antibiotics yet again.  I'm so frustrated, and feel so sad for that sweet little boy.  Nothing really phases him, but I think mostly because he's so good natured, not because it doesn't bother him!

As for developmental updates, Adrian is now not as vocal as Sebastian.  It's almost like now that Sebastian is talking more, Adrian lets him do the talking for them both.  It's usually a case of monkey see, monkey do with both of them, so if Sebastian asks for something or says something, Adrian can kind of get a free ride.  I don't like it, but I'm not worried yet.  I think it's more a personality thing than a delay at this point.

Adrian is attached to his puppy, which he calls "pa-poo."  He gives me pa-poo to kiss in the morning when I come in to wake them up.  Sometimes I have to sneak Puppy away to wash him, and when Adrian notices he's missing, he starts looking all over the play area for him.  It makes me sad!

Adrian is generally so much more mellow than Sebastian, but he has a stubborn streak, especially when he wants a toy Sebastian has.  He will just take it away and walk off--and he'll shriek if Sebastian tries to take it back.  He is also generally pretty gentle, but he will just take a whack at Sebastian from time to time.  This video is hysterical...check it out.  But it makes me feel like a bad parent for thinking it's so funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtnaKQKj5Bo&feature=youtu.be

Adrian has finally caught on to head nodding--he'll very deliberately nod yes and no, although half the time I don't think he knows what he's saying yes or no to!  Adrian will also do some animal sounds--today he gave me a good cat "meow."  But generally, he'll say something and then not say it again for a while, and then it will come out of him again at a much later time when we've forgotten he can say it!  He's always very understated!

Sebastian all of a sudden is exploding with vocabulary.  He says, "more" (Adrian prefers to sign it with his hands), "book," and "mine."  He calls everything his.  He actually said, "mine mom" the other day! Those were the first two words he's put together.  He still constantly asks for "crackers" after every meal (so does Adrian.  Goldfish are their FAVORITE!), and today he said, "mmmmmm banana!"  I couldn't believe it, but he actually said the whole word banana.  I still am not sure I actually heard it, but Carlos says he heard him say it before when I was away.  My favorite is how Sebastian says the word, "Nana."  We went to see her last Sunday, and he said "Nana" over and over and over again.  That boy has a sweet spot for his Nana, and has from the beginning.  (Who can blame him?)  Two visits ago, he hugged Nana goodbye when it was time to go, and he didn't want to leave her arms.  This time he gave her a hug and I think even a kiss--he doesn't do that very often to ANYONE.

Despite his firecracker personality, Sebastian can be incredibly sweet.  He will bring Adrian his Puppy when he notices that it's not near him.  If he's in the right mood, he'll snuggle on your shoulder and pat you gently on the back or the arm.  Once, he actually gave me a hug when I asked for one, and that same time, I asked for a kiss, and he actually gave me a legit kiss--right on the lips!  Ewww!  Gross!  ;) Sebastian's favorite thing to do is run down the hall like a mad man and flop himself on Lexi's gross bed.  And when she'll let him, she's his favorite pillow--he loves to rest on her!

The boys' latest thing is playing Peekaboo Barn on my iPhone.  I was in search of apps to keep them occupied when we are on the plane to Mexico, and I found this one.  They ADORE it.  It's so simple, but it is cute.  It's basically a barn that you tap.  The doors open and you see and hear a farm animal.  Anyway, it keeps them entertained!  We also bought a portable DVD to take with us on the plane and the DVD Cars.  We thought they would like it....I'm not sure they are convinced yet.  They weren't interested in the movie this morning, but they were surrounded by toys.  Perhaps on the plane when there's nothing else, they will like it more.  Or maybe we need to start with a simpler video.  In any event, we will be prepared...

Sebastian testing out the portable DVD player

We have been trying to get the boys to like their helmets a bit more so that it won't be as traumatic when I try to take them in the bike trailer (which Sebastian hates).  I wear mine around a little, and Sebastian tries to take it off my head because it makes him cry (?!!).  Now they are slowly warming to the idea.  Adrian loves his and wears his backwards and over his eyes if we leave him to do it himself.

Sebastian is getting there...

Adrian put his helmet to good use this morning to inspect the vacuum cleaner.  It was so cute!

Finally, a summary of this weekend.  We didn't do anything too exciting.  Saturday we went to Home Depot and Honey Dew in the morning.  The boys had chocolate donut holes--their new favorite food.  I wish they'd never had them before because we've created donut hole monsters!  This bench at the Bridgewater Honey Dew is just the right size for them to size on it like "real" people.  No need for a high chair there!!

The boys are finally old enough to color.  It will help when we take them out to eat at places that offer crayons and a placemat!  They made wonderful works of art to add to the Gattas Gallery, and they only bit the tip off the crayons once!

Thumper was cheering Sebastian on from the sidelines.

Saturday afternoon we went to the Wrentham outlets to buy the boys some new shoes.  They are growing so fast and they wear out shoes at daycare playing so hard!  I thought I had pictures of them in their new shoes, but I don't.

Sunday we went grocery shopping in the morning and then hung out.  Adrian built this tower basically by himself, with Papi holding it for support.

I had drinks and lunch with some old friends from the Harvard Admissions/Financial Aid office, and it was so nice to hang out with them for a few hours.  Carlos took the boys to the mall while I was gone.  I felt bad about leaving them at first, given I was away for 4 days last week, but I got over it--I'll be with them the whole summer!!!