sleep, violence, sharing of the peace bottle

The interesting thing lately has been sleep.  Or rather lack there of.  Again.  Ever since the extra-miserable couple of weeks complements of Zev's virus-bacteria-allergy combo (apply plurals liberally), he got used to sleeping with (preferably on top of) mom every night.  Once Zev got better and it was time to migrate him back to his bed, the nights have been according to the following formula, without fail:

The boys go to bed just fine.  Between 11 pm and 3 am Zevi wakes up screaming bloody murder, one to four times.  The break is that as soon he hears me walk into the room, he quiets down.  By the time I come over to his bed, there is rarely a need to pick him up (daddy has the 'mute' button).  I inform Zevi that it is still night, he should sleep some more, and I exit the room.  Then, 5 am strikes and no more 'mute' button.  Like clockwork, Zev wakes up and screams.  If I rush in - he is OK in my arms, but the moment I move to put him down he screams again, this time inconsolably.  Ben wakes up, lights, camera, action, day begins by 5:10 am for everyone.  The boys are sleepy and cranky,  ready for their nap by 8; I am ready to kill everyone by about 7.  Alternative option: Alla rushes in at 5, snatches Zev and takes him elsewhere, where I am not.  Zev sleeps on Alla (he wins!) some more, everyone wakes up at 6-something, with full realization that tomorrow will be precisely the same.

Somewhere along the way the lack of sleep began to reflect badly on Benjamin.  One way it showed was in an elevated frequency of unprovoked hair pulling.  On a particular day Ben went for a two-fer, at Gymboree, first getting Zev and then a nice girl.  Both acts resulted at two minutes of indignant crying at a timeout.

After two weeks straight of this both Alla and I were cooked.  And we did the smartest thing all month: we called aunt Shawna, our lifesaver.  Shawna heroically arrived at 5 this morning.  At 5:02, on cue, Zev cried.  In walked Shawna.  Zev looked up, realized he is not dealing with mom or dad, and went back to sleep without a sound.  Shawna walked out.  A minute later I handed Shawna the monitor and Alla and I fell asleep for three more hours, muttering something uncomplimentary about a manipulative baby.  Ah, the inside of my eyelids at 6:45 - that's what you look like!  I've missed you so.  Later we were told that both boys slept until after 7 am (!) and then took a three hour nap during the day.  Something uncomplimentary about not sleeping babies!

In other news: the boys have entered a sharing phase.  While they are having milk they will often swap bottles.  Or toys.  Or blankets.  As long as there is something to barter - the exchanges are easy.  If both are thirsty and only one bottle is in site, things get a little tricky, but not always.  At a recent breakfast Ben gulped his milk down first, while Zev tarried - an unusual event in itself.  Then, Ben reached over and said "дать" ('to give').  Zev handed over the bottle.  Ben took a few gulps and return the bottle at Zev's request.  This passing of the peace bottle went on for good three ounces.

Finally, of numbers.  Our friends from Boston (thank you Gayatri and Victor!) sent us a lovely puzzle - foam pictures with push-through numbers.  The boys are not great at pushing the numbers in, but love to push them out, plus they enjoy the bright colors.  Zev, for some reason, took a liking to the number three.  So, Alla started repeating "tri!  tri!".  Finally, while holding the toy Zevi started saying "tchi!".  Close enough.

a few pictures, finally

By my reckoning it has been roughly four and a half months since the latest posted pictures.  Guess I am due...

Side by side at Gymboree, 9/8/2012

Later that day my unsuspecting company picnic was subjected to Ben and Zev.  The upper management survived.  So did the ponies.

Ben was not too thrilled but he dealt with it.

Zev was even less enthusiastic

Packed away.  10/17/12

With grandma Rita

On dad's birthday.  A rare moment Zev was smiling that day.  11/5/2012

Zev getting ready for a walk with grandpa Tolya.  Mom and dad get an hour's rest.  yay!  11/10/12

Ben getting ready too.  Yes, obsessive grandmothers, the ear was tucked away before departure. 

Zev trying on a new jacket.  Thank you, Boston grandparents!  11/17/12

Ben putting the newly acquired teeth to good...errr, some use.

Benjamin showing off new threads while swigging milk.

A Very Special Post

In the past year and a half you have read me whine about hard life of a parent, sometimes trying to be funny, sometimes just being angry and bitter.

Well, here is some perspective for you.  Below is a link to a blog by Tony and Leslie Allen, new parents of fraternal twins, Kadri Claire and John Alexander "Sander".  Kadri and Sander were born on October 23rd, only 25 weeks into the pregnancy, weighing  1 lb 9. 9oz and 1 lb 11 oz, respectively.
Leslie's blog

All of us at the Kaplan house wish Kadri, Sander, Leslie, and Tony all the best.

Zev's turn at ear infection

Some days ago was my birthday, and a week before that one was Alla's.  How we celebrated those deserves a telling.  For starters, Ben gave his mom a gift of a one day stomach flu that he had (and later shared with his aunt and grandma, generous boy that Benya is).  As a result, Alla met her birthday hugging the porcelain all night. Rita, then not yet affected, took care of her and I spent the night in another room with a monitor.  This being shortly after the switch to daylight savings time, Benya went to bed like a champ according to the new time and woke up according to the old, also known as 4:50-5:20 am range.  

All this time Zevi had a progressively harder time falling asleep with what we thought was a teething-induced runny nose.  No such luck.  A virus left Zevi with a raw, sore through, a cough that hurt him, and an ear infection to boot.  Towards the middle of the week the only way Zevi could sleep, in short bursts, was on top of his mom.  Some minutes at a time, until a cough hurt him and woke him screaming.  The first night things got ... colorful, found us at 4 am in the following configuration: Ben had a hard time falling asleep for some reason, so he was in his room with Alla.  Zevi, in the mean time was snoring away in our bed.  By 4:15 or so I realized that Zevi got major snoring genes (not judging anybody here), gave up, and went to the stairs to read.  Where I was joined a few minutes later by Alla who informed me that Ben was sleeping on the couch, with no room for two, and Alla was afraid to move him to his bed and also afraid to leave him alone.  So, we switched.  Alla got a bed with a snoring Zev, I got the floor next to Ben quietly sleeping on the couch.  That, my friends, was the best night we had that week.  Two more days of not eating and another night of not sleeping landed us at the doctor's.  The first time.  

Let me spare you the details.  Zev (not) slept with Alla by night and did not eat by day.  I slept separately, as long as Ben would let me, which was usually not too late.  Following the visit to the docs we went with antibiotic one, which did not work.  Antibiotic two worked hardly at all, and antibiotic three was administered via a shot.  That one worked and also gave Zev an allergy.  Onto antibiotic four.  

Current status: things seem better.  Days Zev did not eat solid food - 4.  Nights he pretty much did not sleep - 3.  Antibiotics tried - 4, and hope to stay there.  Days left on this one - 3, and here is hoping that Benadryl can keep allergy at bay.  Zev's color and texture: somewhat red and rather bumpy, but not increasing and does not seem to bother him, so we will take it.  Number of nights Ben got me up before 6, and subsequently yelled at me because he was still sleepy and already hungry - 4.  Cracks in kitchen cabinets - 1, and it is not too obvious.  Number of days since I announced I am not dealing with Ben in the morning any more - 4, and I am enjoying every one.

Yet there are other, more fun things to report.  Both of the boys understand more.  When Zev is read to a particular poem where every stanza ends with a name of a body part, he points to the right one before Alla reads it.  Ben, when shown a picture, can identify an airplane, a tractor, a truck, a motorcycle.  That they can both identify a rocket and make the sound of one taking off - goes without saying.

Ben still periodically yanks of Zev's hair, but now he knows for sure that is not allowed.  We have identified a naughty corner.  Let the discipline begin.  

The other day we took the boys to a cafe after Gymboree, for a bite for us and a snack for them.  We got some sandwiches and decided that Zev and Ben can be introduced to 'kids' mac'n'cheese'.  Imagine our shock when the boys spat out the lowly carbs and opted for the delicate roast beef.  However, hunger took over and after some bread and meat and juice the boys went after their own food.  Zev, busily regaining his weight, grabbed at the food and just could not stuff his face fast enough.  Ben got hold of a spoon and went digging at the mac'n'cheese.  He got the movement from plate to mouth down cold; the loading of the spoon, however, eluded him.  Yet the determined baby refused the help.  Food offered by us was ignored, food placed on the spoon for him was dumped out.  After about five minutes of non-stop effort Ben got roughly two portions in his mouth, but fully unassisted.