Blowing Raspberries and Giggling!

So, I haven't really written about the really cool things that have been happening with the boyz.  Instead, it's been more of my ranting but I really wanted to share a few things.

1.  LBM has been blowing raspberries for a little over a week now.  It started with the clicking of the tongue a few weeks back, which was constant and then completely stopped.  It morphed into a whole bunch of salivating and goober all over his chin and neck and then changed again to this blubbering with his lips and tongue.  It is hilarious.  I'll often hear him playing in his crib or wherever I've put him, blowing raspberries and giggling at himself doing it.  I love it. Oh, and he also does this thing with his tongue where he can totally turn it upside down!  He just plays with it constantly!

2.  LM just started giggles earlier this week.  His dad put his face really close to LM's neck and he just started to giggle away!  He also just recently discovered his tongue and is starting to stick it out and play with it more often.  Also, from the beginning, it almost seems, if we put his blanket or something soft right by his face, he will pull it right over himself and start either sucking it or rubbing his face on it and somehow soothe himself to sleep.  Sometimes I'll go into their room and find him with the blanket right over his entire body.  At first, it was very concerning but now, I just pull it down if I see it because I know that he's most likely sleeping.  On the other hand, LBM will put his entire fist in his mouth and still does not know how to self soothe (or that his hand could help to soothe him).  I am (little secret) concerned about that.  I want him to be able to soothe himself because I think it's an important life skill.  I'm training him, and it's slow but he's so cute, I will continue to help him get there!

3.  I bought a little soother/teether holder and am also going to train the boyz to start using the soother a little more often.  They seemed to take to it a little easier yesterday. 

4.  Friends came over yesterday with their 4 month old son.  He is adorable.  Anyway, they had this contraption called the hipseat.  I tried it out.  What a lifesaver!  It is different from the Bjorn in that all of the weight is on your hips/back/legs as opposed to on your shoulders and back.  It would be great for me because I would be able to carry one baby with one arm over my shoulder and the other on the hipseat on the other side with the other arm, especially when they are flipping out.  It's also great because you can use it up to the age of 3 and the carrier is so tiny and easily portable.  I'm picking one up today for $50.  I think it'll be great for my husband too, because he's been finding it difficult to carry the boyz, with his long arms, it makes for a very uncomfortable daddy and baby.

5.  I've been nap training all week.  It definitely is not easier but it is for sure revealed some patterns:

• the longest nap of the day is the very first morning nap, usually between 7 and 9:30am
• as the day passes, the naps get shorter and the boyz get crankier and needier (as in, they need to be held)
• LBM usually does NOT sleep in the late afternoon, before the final feed of the day and LM will sleep for a very short while, probably 15 minutes?

6.  The last 3-4 days, during the final feeding time, I have nursed the boyz and they have fallen asleep at the breast.  I then put them straight to bed.  I am now starting to wonder whether that's a good thing or not.  But because LBM hasn't slept at all from about 2:30pm or 3pm, by the time 6:30pm rolls around, I'm not even sure he wants to eat, I just feed him and he is asleep by the end of the session.  LM, although he has had some sleep, he too, will often fall asleep at the breast or at least be extremely sleepy and willingly go straight down.  I don't even change their diapers until the next morning, because I don't want to disturb them and they rarely soil their diapers after every feeding anymore (they poop maybe 2 times a day now?).  I wonder if nursing them to sleep is a good idea...