It's been a while

We haven't made a blog update in while. I guess because there hasn't been any exciting news, and Bill hasn't mistaken the alarm clock for the Angelcare alarm anymore either :) We also haven't taken many pictures, but we do have a video or two, if we can just find time to download them to the computer and then upload to YouTube. But free time is obviously in short supply these days!

I think Brandon's reflux is a lot better. He's been on Prevacid for nearly a month now, and they are on thickened formula which has drastically reduced the amount spit up for both boys. We actually switched them from the Enfamil AR formula (which is thickened with rice starch) to Enfamil Premium a few weeks ago, because that rice starch was really having a negative effect on their little tummies. Sometimes when changing their diapers it looked as if a bunny rabbit had soiled their diapers ;) Of course, as soon as we switched to Enfamil Premium they started spitting up again because the formula wasn't thick. So I did some googling and decided to make my own thickener. All it consists of is 3 tsp of xanthan gum mixed with 8 oz of water. The resulting product looks really gross, like something out of Ghostbusters, but it does the trick. It's just a cheap knock off of a commercial thickener called SimplyThick, which is really expensive otherwise. Once mixed with the formula it has an egg nog consistency (blech). Oh well, it's tasteless and I'm just happy that it does as good of a job of reducing spit up as the AR formula did, but the Enfamil Premium formula is gentler on their tummies.

Colin and Brandon have also been doing really well with their solids (when we find time to feed them some). We don't give them much solid food yet, but they are at least swallowing more of it instead of pushing it out their mouths. Though we do have to "recycle" a few spoonfuls, but they have definitely improved on their swallowing. They really like carrots and sweet potatoes, but didn't seem too keen on the peas. They also like pears which I mix in with their oatmeal. Also, they are taking more formula per feeding session. It's not uncommon for them to take 5 oz or 6 oz, and occasionally 7 oz per session. Hallelujah! I remember wondering just a month ago if they would ever consistently take more than 3 oz.

Oh, and we moved Brandon into the nursery last weekend, and he's been doing great there. We still get up to feed him at least once throughout the night, and usually twice, but its not so bad since we moved the glider rocker back in there. Colin is now in the mini crib at the foot of our bed, and I think he is sleeping better there too. Once Colin can go longer stretches at night we'll move him in the nursery too. But since he still tends to wake every 3 hours or so I'm hesitant to put him in there, while Brandon is on the verge or starting to sleep through the night. I've heard from other twin moms though that twins quickly get used to each others cries and can sleep through the loudest crying fit. I hope that is true for our boys when the time comes for them to share the nursery!

Lastly, I'm hoping to have some good pictures to upload after Thursday. We are having a big "tailgate lunch" in my building Thursday for the VT vs. UNC game that evening. And not only will the Marching Virginians be here (to pick up canned food we've collected for Hokies for the Hungry), but the Hokie Bird will be here too!! Provided that H1N1 isn't running rampant through our building on Thursday, and provided the boys are in good humor, Bill and I are going to plan on running home and bringing them to work for a little bit. Hopefully we'll get some good pictures of them with the Hokie Bird then! :)