11-11.5 Months

The month of November (and December) can be summed up by just saying: double ear infections.

I'm starting to write this post the day before their first birthday (Dec. 27th), but I need to recount the end of November.  The babies woke up a few days before Thanksgiving with colds.  We took them into the doctors and she said "no ear infections... but it could turn into ear infections within the week".  Thanks for that, Doc. Humph.  Jon was home on vacation around the time this was going on.  I am so very thankful that he was.  Alton and Ashlyn were both miserable.

We had a day where we had over 5 throw ups and by the end of the night, Jon and I decided we needed to get rid of our carpet and put in wood laminate flooring in our living room.  The next day, we went down and ordered it!

We had a lot of pj days :)  I think this picture is funny... Ashlyn solving all of life's problems by wearing her pjs with a diet coke in hand :) It was just a rough time in this house!

For Thanksgiving, we went to Jon's parents house.  Sadly, no pictures.  We had a wonderful meal, skyped with family and even played on the playground with the babies and their cousins, Storey and Jakson. 

A few days after Thanksgiving we took the babies back into the doctors.  They both had double ear infections and they were given antibiotics that they had to take for 10 days.

Alton started to clear up within a few days, however, on day 7... he woke up with the scariest hives!  I immediately called Jon (who had just left for work) and asked him to come home.

It took about a week for the hives to go away.  Lots of benadryl.  Sorry, Alton... looks like you are allergic to amoxicilin (at least for now).

Ashlyn's symptoms didn't really go away.  She seemed okay, but I had a funny feeling that she wasn't feeling better.  I took her back in when her fever came back (I believe this was December 18th).  Her ears were worse than they were around Thanksgiving.  We are still on meds, and I still don't think she is doing much better.

A few days after the 18th, we took Alton back in because his symptoms came back.  He has double ear infections again too and a really terrible cough.  So now he's on two meds.  An antibiotic and a steroid.  The steroid just ended today.  Alton hated it.  It made him so angry that he would cry and cough so much that he'd throw it all up.  He has been throwing up a lot lately, especially after his bedtime bottle.  I'm hoping this ends soon.

I will say that the cuddling has been really nice :)  The above picture was Alton cuddling with mommy and daddy watching "Wheel of Fortune".  Heh, Jon's mom said,"And of course for Alton it involved a spinning wheel"  I laughed out loud for that one.  It's true, like we've said before, Alton just LOVES everything that spins.  It was fitting for how calm he was when we took this picture.  With his favorite people watching a GIANT wheel that spins :)
Besides all the sickness, these babies are so wonderful.

Alton at 11mo

Ashlyn at 11mo

Ashlyn started to really take steps on November 22nd.  She started walking on December 10th.  She seriously runs all over the place!!

Alton decided he didn't want to be one upped by his sister so he decided to get walking too :)  He started walking while he had the hives.  He started on Dec. 14th.

The babies are babbling all the time.  I'll talk about their (well... Alton's) growing vocabulary in their one year post :)

Alton and Ashlyn love to be near each other.  They make each other laugh.  They fight over toys and accidentally sit on each other, but they really do love each other.  You can already see a special twin connection.

Daddy got a new piano from his parents.  The babies love hearing him play and they love to bang on the keys right along with him.

We are very slowly getting to normal foods.  Slowly is the key word.  Because the kids have been sick, I have had to just stick with favorites.

They tried scrambled eggs and seemed to like them alright.

I'm still clueless how to get them to eat normal food.  They just gag on things so easily and Ashlyn hoards food in her ample cheeks haha.  She just keeps food in her mouth and doesn't want to swallow.  It's like she's waiting for it to dissolve so she doesn't have to swallow.  She's a funny little thing. I'll throw a party  be glad when all this daily gagging and throwing-up ridiculousness is over!!  Let's just say that our new floor (pics to come) has been a serious lifesaver since these kids have been sick!  Worth.every.penny.

We sure do love our nuggets.  I am amazed by them constantly.  These goofballs have changed our lives forever and we are forever grateful for them.