I'll be doing their 18 month update in about a week or so, but thought I would share a few quickies.

Yesterday we picked up their glasses.  Coen already seems to be doing well with his prisms.  The assistant there said to watch him for any behavioral changes.  That the prisms can sometimes cause young children to become very irritable because the extra light reflections can bother them, and being so young they can't tell us there is an issue.  I thought to myself, wow this can't be a worse time to watch for behavioral changes!  Coen has begun teething again and is having sleeping issues so he's been quite the grump the past week.  Anyway, he seems to be adjusting well already.  After only observing him for the few hours he's had them, his eyes don't seem to cross as often.  Maybe it's my wishful thinking, but they appear to be helping correct the eye turning issue already.
Liam has been doing amazingly well too.  I think he was excited to have glasses like mommy and brother.  Yesterday afternoon he only took them off twice and only once today so far (it's still morning though).  He likes to touch them.. a lot, but he keeps them on much better than Coen did when he first got his.  (Of course Coen was 5 months younger.)  One super cute thing and a reason I think he likes having glasses is, when he touches them he'll look at you and grin and then keep on playing.  It hasn't even been 24 hours, but I'm hoping they work well for the both of them.

Ok, now on to bubbles!!
For my Mom's side of the family we just had Christmas this past weekend.  The boys made out like bandits and received lots of cool gifts from their Aunts, Uncle, cousins, Grandma and Grandpa Rick.  One of the gifts was a Finding Nemo book with sound buttons.  (You know the one, as your reading you match the pictures in the book with the picture to the right sound button.)  The story was finding the hidden bubble.  One of the buttons is Nemo saying "bubbles, cool!"  The boys just love this book.  I think it is quickly becoming a new favorite.
The other day I heard Coen trying to say apple.  I worked with him to help him along, and he kept saying app or pulpul.  I figured, close enough, he'd get it when he was ready.  Well today, I hear him saying abul.  I thought 'wow, he's getting closer to saying apple'.  Nope!  I was wrong.  This whole time I think he was trying to say bubble!  He was sitting with the Finding Nemo book and hitting the button where Nemo says "bubbles, cool!".  After he'd hit the button he would say abul.  I think all this time he didn't want to say apple, I think he wanted to say bubble.  Maybe he wants to say both apple and bubble since they have similar sounds, but in any case I'm glad that he's trying to sound out what he's hearing.  It's just too cute to watch them learning.

The most recent news is both boys will have glasses.  Coen went in for his 4 month follow up and Dr. Mark has decided to change his RX and will be adding a prism in his lenses.  This will force him to use both eyes together instead of switching what eye he's looking out of.  Dr. Mark said they would eventually ween him off the prism so he'd return to regular glasses and may also end up having to patch an eye also.
We noticed just over a month ago that Liam's eyes were starting to turn in as well.  He didn't seem to want to use his left eye anymore.  We're not sure why this started, but seemed to get worse in a short period of time so we made an appointment for him as well since we were taking Coen in for his follow up.  Turns out Liam will need glasses too.  His RX isn't as strong as Coen's and his eyes don't appear to turn as badly as Coen's so hopefully the glasses will be just the fix that Liam's eyes need.  So we'll be ordering new lenses and glasses for the boys this coming week.  Will post pics when we're all set with our new glasses.

The boys are as wild as ever!  They are into everything.  Climbing into their booster chairs, into our chairs, onto the kitchen table, on their chairs and table (new gift from Aunt Janet, which they love!  They've even been sitting at their table for their snacks the past few days.)  They are the energizer bunnies.  They go and go and go. 
Just the other day, Milo and I were sitting in the living room and we hear Coen and Liam yelling.  (They like yelling and being boisterous when standing on things.  I think they're objective is to get your attention so you can see what they're up to... and they also just like being loud.)  So they're being very loud and we find Liam sitting and Coen standing on our dining room table.  You can't help but laugh at their adventurous nature, yet it's so dangerous.


As part of our bedtime routine we've been brushing the boys teeth.  They've never really protested, but don't seem to really enjoy it either.  Here recently, when it's time to brush their teeth, we ask them, 'are you ready to brush your teeth?' and Coen will head straight for the door and say 'ahhh'.  (Not all the time, but more often than not.)  They really seem to be enjoying recently.


One thing that really amazes me about them is their willingness to play on their own.  I will often find them sitting together reading books and playing with their toys.  These are the moments that I can get some housework done.  :)  A few other things that keep them entertained for hours at a time:  belts, blankets, climbing (that's a given at this age), our bed, laundry and laundry baskets, bowls/cups with a spoon.  I am very blessed to have such independent boys.

At the last update the boys were getting over a 2 week cold.  They got over it just fine then Liam came down with a 24 hour flu.  It was my first night staying up with him so he could vomit.  We spent the entire night in a chair in the living room cuddled up.  I didn't get any sleep, but he did.  I didn't realize how much he moves while he sleeps.. he was everywhere!  I tried moving to the floor so I could attempt to sleep, but that just woke him up and kind of frightened him I think.. maybe because he wasn't sure what was going on.  So we spent the rest of the night and early morning in the chair.
The following week, I got strep throat.  Once again we were very blessed and the boys didn't get it.  Neither did Milo!  Milo had to take 2 days off work to take care of the boys because the strep completely wiped me out (I slept for two and a half days!).  Luckily he had the time to take off.  We have since known lots of people that have been sick and other than the short flu for Liam and the 2 week cold, the boys have been illness free!  It could be that we don't get them out too often, but when it comes to freezing weather and sick people, my view is, why take the chance?  Taking care of a sick adult is not fun.. throw in a toddler or two... no thanks!  I am just very happy that we've been able to escape a lot of the illness going around.

A few oldies but goodies:
Some things the boys used to do as babies and have either resurfaced or they've held onto.  When Liam is tired and you're rocking him to put him to bed, he will rub the tip of his nose back and forth.  He used to do it all the time as a baby and here recently he's started it back up.  I find it so cute.
When Coen was learning how to sit he would cross his legs.  I remember some friends saying that it was so adorable... well guess what?  He still does it.  That's something that never left.  He doesn't do it near as often.. maybe because he is constantly on the go, but occasionally you'll find him reading a book, sitting with his legs crossed.


They also like to help when getting dressed.  For a while now, they'll actually straighten their arms or legs to make it easier when putting on their clothing, but they'll also pick up their shoes, socks, gloves, hats or other clothing items and try to put them on.  Which means they also like taking these items off.  Usually they'll only take off socks, and hats.  They haven't quite figured out how to remove the other clothing items.  :)

What else, what else... talking, nope not yet.  I think they're definitely getting closer though.  They will mock our sounds (and facial expressions), but they're not really into mocking words yet.
They have learned how to point to the following body parts:  hair, eyes, ears, nose, mouth (still have trouble with this one sometimes), arm, hands (sometimes they'll clap for hands), belly and feet.  We're working on legs right now.. that seems to be a toughy. 


Coen and Liam continue to amaze me daily and I am so proud and happy to be their mother.