Twelve Months!

This is a few days late, because we've been busy with various things to get ready for the move, but I don't think the boys will notice the difference. ;) Anyway, our little 36 weekers are now twelve monthers!

The boys do not like sitting still for very long, so it was nearly impossible to take their monthly photo this last time. They are both crawling fast, cruising, and practicing their standing without holding onto anything. In the past week, they've each taken their first unassisted steps! It's a very exciting time for their development right now, and we are letting them roam free around the house more and more. Sometimes we have them in the "safe zone" in the living room, and after a while they start whining because it's boring in the safe zone. They'd much rather be trying to get into the fridge,  smacking their hands on the oven or dishwasher, and crawling to wherever it is that mommy or daddy is going (like the off-limits bathroom). I think in not too long, we are going to have two walkers on our hands, keeping us on our toes all day long. :)

 

Some updates: The boys are nursing in the morning and at bedtime, and taking two bottles during the day. They are drinking less and less milk, and we are transitioning them to sippy cups (just ordered some straw cups!) and introducing them to whole cow's milk. They usually have good appetites, but last week, they seemed to be bothered by a small stomach bug or something (Micah especially) and were a little picky about their food. Favorite foods still include cheese, spinach frittatas, bread, cheerios, Greek yogurt with fruit puree, raspberries (Micah's fav), and whatever mama and dada are eating. Lately, they've been wanting to eat right off of our forks or spoons, and we let them try to feed themselves a little with utensils instead of their hands. Norma got them some toddler utensils and snack cups for their birthday, which we took as a sign as being the next phase of feeding. She also got them some soft leather shoes, because they love walking around but aren't quite into real toddler/baby shoes yet. Norma's the best (and we're going to miss her so much!).

 

The boys are still on a two nap schedule, going down for a morning nap around 10 am and down for an afternoon nap around 3 pm. We start bedtime around 7:40, place them down in their cribs awake by 8, and then let them babble to sleep for however long it takes (usually they're out by 8:15). They wake up sometime between 6:15-7, and we get them out of their cribs around 7 to get the day started. First comes milkies, then breakfast at 8:30. Their post-nap bottle (soon to be cup) is at 11:30ish, and they may or may not be hungry/thirsty for it these days. Lunch is around 12:30 or 1, and their afternoon bottle (soon to be cup) is around 4:30. After an evening stroll, the family eats dinner together at 6:30, before getting in some final play time before bed. We're figuring out how to handle all these changes to their routine, and so I'm not sure how long it'll take to fully wean them from nursing. 



and this concludes the monthly photo sessions FOREVER

 

Noah updates: Noah is establishing himself as a quiet, calm, cheerful little guy. For whatever reason, he LOVES to find a nice corner to sit in and play quietly. He also loves to just sit back and relax on whatever is behind him: the sofa, a cushion, even the mesh baby gate. It's so funny. I guess he is, for now, fitting the meaning of his name, "peaceful." Even though he started crawling after Micah, he quickly has caught up and is maybe going to start walking first. He recently cut his 5th tooth on the bottom, but you would never has guessed because he never fussed or gave any indication of teething. At our twelve month check-up, Noah weighed 24 lbs 6 oz and was 31 inches long. I don't remember the exact percentiles, but that was something like 85th for weight and 89th for height, with a head circumference maybe about 60th?

 

Micah Updates: Micah is becoming more and more outgoing, and loves to explore. He loves to "walk" around and examine things that are new. He was sick recently and wasn't eating much...there may also be some teething going on. He seems to be a little more sensitive about that kind of thing, which is fine. This has meant a little bit more holding and letting him lay on our laps and shoulders. Since he wasn't eating much, for the first time, at the twelve month check-up, he weighed less than Noah! That morning he was only 23 pounds and 8 oz, where the week before we weighed him at home at over 24 pounds! He's feeling better now and eating better, and looking a little chubbier again to mama. Anyway, his weight at the doctor's office still put him at 80th percentile or so for weight, and his height was measured at 31 3/8 inches, which put this tall guy at 95 percentile. I can't recall his head circumference but it was similar to Noah's at 60th or so.