Musical Cribs

What is it about bed time that turns a peaceful, quiet, somewhat catatonic toddler into a crazy, just drank a gallon of coffee, no-way-in-heck I'm sleeping now toddler?!?! Recently we have had a few bed times that have been more energetic than the last 2 hours of play time! Of course, it doesn't help that the boys have learned a new skill...

NickAlex & Logan
Logan & Alex
A & L - Notice the "head first" approach

These are pictures I captured from our web cam. Usually the web cam is in the basement so grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles can watch the boys play (Nick is very good at remembering to say bye-bye to the camera each night before heading upstairs). Once the crib climbing started, I moved the camera into their room. Made for very interesting monitoring as they were constantly climbing from one bed to the other!

It all started one morning when we woke up and heard the bedroom door closing. If in their cribs, no one can reach the door to close it. Logan had learned how to climb out of his crib and was free in the room. He quickly modified this skill and got over into Nick's crib. Alex wasn't far behind and they were soon jumping into another crib faster than I could put the second kid down! Nick was the last to join the climbing crew but has now mastered it too. I think the main reason he had to learn was to avoid brothers falling onto him all the time. His crib is in the corner, between the other two, so they were constantly getting into his crib to get to the other.
Sometimes, we're lucky and they'll all sit and read quietly...
But usually... that's not the case! I finally baby-proofed the room except for the box fan on the floor (any suggestions on how to make this baby safe?). Of course, once that was done, no one has crawled out of bed since (knock on wood). Tonight they were so energized and crazy, I decided as long as they all end up in a crib and asleep, I don't care who is where. One baby per bed is nice, but not a necessity!

So, here's the question... what do I do next? Although it drives me crazy when I want them to sleep and they want to play/climb, part of me loves watching them have so much fun (cause they're having a blast!). I can separate the beds - with some major room reorganization. They don't seem to climb if the beds aren't next to each other (as was evident one nap time when I finally just pulled the beds into the middle of the room with a couple of feet in between). Or, I guess we could move to toddler beds... but if they aren't in cribs, will they just always roam the room and never sleep? Any suggestions?????

Speaking of caging kids... they broke the gate again. And this time, it's really broke. They didn't just pull it out of the wall, they broke the plastic bar that attaches to the hinges - ON BOTH ENDS! As frustrating as they have been lately, it is so awesome to see them do this stuff too. Another post with all that stuff is coming soon. Wouldn't trade this for anything!

Lovin' the Choo-Choo

After going for a walk the other night, I pulled the wagon into the back yard to let the boys play. They had so much fun climbing in and out of the wagon - over and over.
Alex LOVES to help pull or push things around. Here is a short video of him pulling Nick in the choo-choo wagon the other night. The kid has muscles!

Great Weekend ... & a Doctor Visit

This weekend we had a pretty great weekend with the boys. On Saturday we just hung out around the house. Adam and I were able to be productive as well as get in some great family time - just playing or going for a walk and even nap time was had by everyone! The boys had been feeling kinda out of sorts with runny noses and coughs earlier in the week. But by Saturday they were feeling better, the weather was beautiful - we even put up a new mailbox (small thing, yeah, but I like it so much better)! We also played with bubbles...

Saturday night though, the boys were very, very tired and very, very warm. Seems they weren't as better as they seemed. They all had fevers, got meds before bed, and were in bed early to boot! No one slept well that night and we all got up early on Sunday. By lunch time, Nick had a fever again, but Tylenol kicked its butt and the boys were back outside playing before nap time. Adam's family was over that afternoon and since it was so nice out, we all ate out on the back porch.

Once we were back in for the day, we noticed everyone had fevers this time. After a quick call to Grandma (nurse) Carol, we called the doctor's off hours pager. Seems temperatures of 103 and 104 are not "ideal"... oops! The doctor suggested Tylenol and if it didn't get better bring them in. It was hilarious over night trying to give them their meds. Alex was awake just enough to say "mmmm" when he drank the yummy stuff.

Monday we took them to the doctor. This was our first sickness that required medical intervention outside of the Tylenol bottle. That's 18 months before we had to go to the doctor for this next part!

Anyway, after a long wait at the doctors office (where the boys did surprisingly well with since we interrupted their naps), we got back into the room. The nurse took vitals and then tried to get throat cultures from each of them to eliminate strep. Alex went first and did NOT like it! It made him gag and start to throw up, but my guy sucked it up - literally - and swallowed it back down. Kinda gross (okay so really gross) but kinda cool too. Bad thing was, his gagging freaked her out so much she had to get another swab and do it again. Did not help Alex's mood! When the doctor came in, she was checking out one of the boys on the table and Nick, sitting in my lap, kept looking back at me like "you're going to let her do THAT to ME?!" Long story short (too late), lots of red throats and ears, but no strep or flu! Antibiotics for each and lots of fluids.

Since then, the boys have been improving each day... until this morning. (I know, you thought this post was almost over and now... there's more!? I'll make it quick.) The nanny texted me at work worried about Nick. Seems he developed a rash on his arms and legs and his eye was slightly puffy and red. (Can I just say I love the technology we have at our disposal... she texted me a picture of the rash.) I called the doctor and, figuring he's probably allergic to the antibiotics, suggested some Benadryl. The little man needs to quit this allergic thing - sheesh! Good news is, I think we're finally over all the ickies in our house for a while. Adam (who has also been sick along with the boys) is also finally starting to feel a little better. Let's hope the sick season is behind us and we can move on! Hope you are all doing well! If not, get well soon!