7 Months Old!

I think I say it every month, but this is crazy. 7 months old already? CRAZY.

Matthew weighs 16lb 4 oz

Kayla weighs 17lb 1 oz

Big news for this week: Kayla learned to creep (on Sunday, Oct 16)! YAY! For the past couple of weeks or so she had figured out how to turn in circles and could move backwards (much to her frustration because she would be trying to move forwards), but she finally figured it out. I'm hoping as she gains confidence in her new ability to move around that her whining for someone to help her will come to an end. Her whining was definitely starting to drive me nuts! I can't be with her 24-7 when she has a sibling that deserves an equal portion of my attention. It's great that Matthew is so easy going, but now I really have to be conscious of splitting my one-on-one time with them as equally as I can.

I tried to get some decent (read: smiling) 7-month pictures of them today...this is the best I got:

Seriously, how hard is it to smile for the camera? I even had Jon and my Mom there trying to be funny!

As I look back over the past 7 months, I've come to the following realizations:

• By three months, I felt like the worst (not that it was bad, just the busy-ness) of it was over.
• By six months, we were starting to get a routine going.
• By seven months, we definitely have a routine going.

I don't have either of them on a strict schedule (ie. meal times vary, nap times vary, etc), but we definitely have a routine. Bed/Nap times are seldom a struggle, which is so nice! A typical day is like this (you can totally skip reading this part...it's totally boring...but just wanted to have it 'recorded' somewhere!):

7:45am Matthew and Kayla wake up. They eat rice cereal for breakfast (approx 1.5 Tbsp each), followed by their bottle (approx 3 oz).

8:15am Bath times. Typically the child that was up first or the one that is the least content to play toys is bathed first. In the baby tub in the kitchen sink. Still. I know...too lazy to keep the bathroom clean.

8:45am Play time with Mommy.

9:00am More bottle (approx 3 oz).

9:15am Nap time. During this time I: pump (if I hadn't done it before they woke up in the morning), and/or shower, and/or clean up bath stuff, and/or work.

10:15am Wake up & bottle.

The rest of the day typically follows a 2 hours up/1 hour sleep schedule.

1:00pm Lunch time & bottle. Either apples, pears, or banana, along with prunes. They definitely don't have Jon's digestive system (yet!). Prunes daily are a must. They typically eat a 1/4 baby food jar each.

2:00pm I pump and work.

3:00pm Snack & bottle. Either yogourt (25 grams each) or a Baby Mum-Mum.

6:00pm Dinner & bottle. Either squash, sweet potatoes, peas, or carrots. No carrots for Matthew though - he hates them. Although, I mixed some in his sweet potatoes today and he didn't notice :) Usually 1/4 baby food jar each.

7:00pm Off to Grandma & Grandpa's house for a cup of coffee, play time, and cuddles.

8:30pm Home. Last bottle of the evening.

9:00pm Bedtime.

9:15pm I pump, tidy the house, and make Jon's lunch.

10:15pm Bedtime for me :)

That's our typical day.

Now, for some pictures!

Playing in the play pen while Mommy pumps in the morning. They have set toys that stay in here, and they are only in the play pen during my morning pump (if I didn't get up before them). *Like Kayla's wild outfit? LOL*

They've learned how to hold their own bottles (for the most part). Definitely convenient!

I took Matthew and Kayla for a ride around the living room in the laundry basket the other morning. I think I had more fun than they did :)

My mom decided to try and teach Matthew and Kayla how to stand up in their cribs (well, just in Kayla's crib...Matthew's hasn't been lowered yet).

When Jon and I first set up the cribs we had put the plastic rail guard at the bottom of the crib because we thought it was ugly and had no idea why it was on the crib. My mom explained that it was to protect both the crib/baby for when they start chomping on the crib. Now I believe her :)

Play (?) fighting.

Playing together. It's hard to give them opportunities to stand and play together when it's just me (let alone take a picture of it!). The risk of one of them falling and hurting themselves is to high.

Playing toys. It was overalls and solid long-sleeve shirt day.

First time eating a Baby Mum-Mum. They quite enjoy them!

This is what happened once I cleaned them up after that Mum-Mum...Kayla attacked Matthew and started to suck his head.

Hanging out with Daddy.

With her new-found freedom, she's starting to get into things. At least she's choosing books wisely...we're proud of our good Christian girl.

Good morning cuddles with Mommy. She actually fell asleep on me for another 30 minutes after waking up in the morning. Like my Simpsons pj pants? LOL

Bibs are a must for Matthew if you want him to wear the same shirt for more than 5 minutes. Although Kayla is a drooler too, Matthew has her beat by far! If he's not wearing a bib his shirt gets a huge 'v' of drool.

See, Kayla's a drooler too. See the 'matching' outfits again?

Auntie Melissa was playing with Matthew and Kayla by the sliding door at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Every time Lacey barked (at our command) Matthew burst out in laughter. It was pretty cute.

Watching the hockey game with Daddy on Thanksgiving, while the girls (less Kayla) played cards.

I finally used some of my birthday money from my parents (I know, 8 months late) and bought myself a bread maker. I've been wanting one since last Christmas, but wanted to make sure I really wanted one before I went out and bought one. Wal-Mart's sale (regular $88 for $38) was too irresistible! This was my very first loaf, using my brother David's recipe. I've made two loaves of it now, and both have caved at the top so I have to do a slight modification of the ingredient amounts.

I also made buns for tonight's dinner. Those were a success! Jon's pretty proud of his pulled pork sandwiches (with homemade onion rings). It was tasty!

Before-bed cuddles with Daddy.

After having Matthew and Kayla weighed I went to Sears to buy a baby gate (which they didn't have in stock so I had to order from the catalogue), and then to Superstore for some groceries. This was the first time that I left their car seats in the car and had both Matthew and Kayla sitting in the front of the shopping cart. I think within 5 minutes Kayla had turned around and was caught sucking on the end of the celery. I took that away from her, and then a few minutes later my Mom caught her sucking on the end of the bananas. And then on the lid of the mayo jar. Crazy girl.

Matthew and Kayla enjoyed their first cookie from Superstore today (if you're under 10 you can stop by the bakery for a free cookie while you're grocery shopping). I totally took advantage of having kids. It was lunch time, and I was hungry! Matthew did quite enjoy it though. Shopping took a little longer as I had to keep stopping to give them nibbles.

Kayla's starting to pull herself up on objects. Scary thought, I know. That would mean she would be even more mobile. My house is definitely not ready for this. I'm not ready for this.

Matthew's still content to just sit on the floor. I still use a pillow behind him because I can't trust 100% that he won't fall. At least I only have one mover at a time. If Matthew's anything like I was as a child then it will be a while still before he moves :)

ANYWAYS, sorry this was a mumble-jumble of thoughts - I wanted to quickly get this post up. And hopefully there aren't too many spelling/grammar errors in this entry, although I'm sure someone in my family (read: Melissa or my Mom) will let me know so that I can correct them before anyone else notices. Good night, it's bed time for me :)

5 Months Old!

Kayla weighs 15 lb 9 oz

Matthew weighs 15 lb 1 oz

Accomplishments this month:

• Kayla found her feet (Aug 16)

• Kayla is now sitting (Aug 18) - Oh no! The bumbo chair is no longer any fun for her (time to sell already?), nor is laying under her play mat. All she wants to do is sit! It's amazing how much older she seems over a week ago when she wasn't sitting. Once she realized how to sit there was no stopping her. She got really good at it in a matter of a couple days.

• Matthew is getting close to knowing how to roll over. We've been practicing, so he should get it soon.

• Kayla has started talking...and talking...and talking. She talks as if she's having a conversation with you. She talks more than Matthew.

• Matthew has learned how to yell. He gave up talking for a little bit and would only make a screeching noise. Now he does a combination of both.

• Matthew and Kayla have started 'fighting' over toys. If you sit them facing each other with one toy they will both frantically try to grab for it.

• Matthew just adores Kayla. When he looks at her he will smile (or laugh!). Kayla just glares at Matthew.

Hmm, what else is new?

• They each only have a dirty diaper every day or two (so nice!).

• Soothers are now typically only for nap/bed time.

• They drink about 6 oz each roughly 5 or 6 times a day.

• They usually have 4 naps a day (early morning, late morning, early afternoon, late afternoon).

• I like for them to go to bed at 9pm.

• They both are in 3-6 month clothes. Matthew wears 6-9 month sleepers, and Kayla wears some 6-9 month pants. Other than that, it's all 3-6 months.

Four Months Old!

I cannot believe that Matthew and Kayla are four months old already! Ah...where is time going? What happened to my little babies?

Since we returned home from Cultus Lake Matthew and Kayla started having naps in their cribs. As much as I miss all of the cuddles, I think they sleep longer when they are on their own. They typically take 3 or 4 naps a day: late morning, early afternoon, late afternoon, and sometimes early evening. I try to discourage the early evening nap for fear that it will make their bedtime (usually around 9pm) later.

This is Kayla's position of choice when she naps. It's so cute!

They have both found their hands and enjoy playing with toys, whether it be the ones hanging from their play mat, ones held in front of them while they sit on your lap, or the one attached by links to their car seat.

They also have been using the Jolly Jumper now. They don't quite know how to jump yet, but they enjoy the slight bouncing / moving around they do.

Kayla has become quite a talker as well now. She usually starts out very quiet, no louder than a whisper, but it definitely gets louder. I got a giggle out of her on July 6th.

They had their 4-month immunizations yesterday (well, only the one as the other one is on back order so it will be done next week) and they did really well. Matthew went first and actually didn't start crying until Dr. Shah was pulling the needle out.

Their weights are:

Matthew - 12 lb 12 oz

Kayla - 13 lb 8 oz

I'm having trouble believing Matthew's because when my mom and I weighed him last month he was 12 lb 14 oz. Hmm. So either we were wrong or the receptionist who weighed him at Dr. Shah's office. We're going to take him to the health unit on Monday to weigh him again to confirm. Not that it's overly important, the Dr. was still impressed with his weight gain since he last saw Matthew at his two-month appointment.

I asked Dr. Shah about Matthew's head again (is it still looking okay?), and he was pleased with the improvement it's already made.

Dr. Shah was impressed with Kayla's strength and accomplishments and called her "advanced", so Jon and I have been joking about if we feel we are able to raise an "advanced" child lol. All in jokes though (we know that she won't actually be a superstar or anything, she's just quick). Speaking of which, the other day she manage to creep forward about an inch, and I've caught her trying to get on her knees...and she's managed to turn herself 180 degrees a few times. I really need to look into getting a baby gate for a stairs!

Encouraging Kayla to creep/crawl by placing a toy just out of reach.

And doing the same for Matthew too!

Matthew and Kayla are aware of each other now. It's neat to see them watching each other, and I think I caught them talking to each other once. I wonder when they'll start showing signs of jealousy if I'm only playing/holding one of them?

Jon only has 3.5 weeks of school left and then he's DONE! Since starting at Kwantlen in September 2005, Jon has pretty much gone to school non-stop, even taking a course or two during the summers. Can't wait to celebrate on August 12th! He's definitely learned to make good use of his breaks between classes since Matthew and Kayla have been born, because now if he has to do homework at night he usually has to keep an eye on one of them.

Helping Daddy do his homework.

Other Random Pictures:

Reading them a nursery rhyme book before bed. Don't let the picture deceive you - they weren't too interested!

Watching television with Dad. Kayla is such a tv bug!

Playing with Grandma

Best Buds. I think I post a picture of them holding hands every month! I think it's cute :)

Playing with Auntie Candice

I received the shirts they're wearing (as well as matching sleepers) from a lady off of Craigslist that I swapped coupons with. After arranging our trade we discovered that we were both parents to boy/girl twins so she included the clothes with our deal.

Matthew and Kayla both are obsessed with sucking their hands...or each other's if it's available!