Rapid Change

It always seems to me that I'm waiting forever for a milestone to be reached, and then all of the sudden they reach a dozen at once and I am overwhelmed by the rapid change. That has been the case since the wedding.

"No! It's Mine! Gimme, gimme!"

It's amazing how young they learn the concept of "mine." Already the twins are very possessive of their toys...and desperate to take those of the other. The other day daddy was watching the babies and I was in another room. They had just finished eating and were playing in their booster seats with toys that we had attached to their buckle (after picking them up 50 million times, we finally got smart enough to use the links to attach them...). Lucas let me know that he needed to use the bathroom, but knowing that they are usually fine for short times, I didn't rush in. That is until I hear Ryan let out a piercing scream. I went skidding into the room - expecting (based on his scream) to see him hanging halfway out of the seat, or blood everywhere. Instead I saw him in a death-grip battle with Allie to keep the toy his sister was trying to take away from him. I pulled their chairs far enough apart so they couldn't reach each other, but every mealtime since Allie strains at her seat to try to grab Ryan's toys...

Finger Licking Good

I was holding off trying finger foods with the babies. While other moms reassured me that they were probably ready for cheerios or small bits of soft foods, I just couldn't believe that it was possible that my babies were old enough. Then I was feeding the babies sweet potatoes and Allie spit a small chunk onto her tray. I watched as she reached out, picked it up, and popped it back into her mouth. I was astonished. She was amused by my surprise. So, I got some Gerber puffs (recommended to me by an OT who works with feeding issues in preemie babies), and they have become a regular part of our daily meals. Although they don't get all of them in their mouth every time, they usually at least get them close!

Baby Music Time

The babies had been on a 3 nap a day schedule for a while. I know it sounds crazy, but I couldn't get them to stay awake long enough between naps to lengthen the day to a reasonable bedtime without a third nap. While we were in MI for the wedding, they started to show that they could go longer, and so we started a 2 nap schedule once we returned home. They've done very well, but there was one day that they weren't feeling well, and had woke up early from their morning nap. They started to get fussy and so, thinking it would be a 3 nap day, I laid them down. Amazingly, both of them played quietly (and happily) in their cribs. When I went in to get them (after it was apparent they were NOT falling asleep) they were refreshed and happily stayed up until their normal naptime (1 1/2 hrs. later!). Now, my dear friend Kim does what they call "Baby Music Time" with her 2 kids. Every day, for 15 minutes or so, they go to a quiet place (for our babies it is in pack n plays in separate rooms), they get a few quiet toys and books, you turn on soothing music (we use praise baby cds), and you leave them alone to play. I have watched it have amazing results with her kids throughout the years, and knew I would do it with Ryan & Allie at some point, but hadn't decided when. This seemed like an obvious sign that perhaps it was time. The babies love it and an added bonus is that they get all of the toys to themselves! They absolutely LOVE any time where they can play without the stress of guarding/hoarding the toys around them.

They are growing up so fast. As we approach the holidays I am very aware of how quickly the next few months always fly...and once we've entered into the new year there is not much time before the twins turn 1 - something that I cannot fathom being so close. While I love each new phase, I can't help but mourn the one they've outgrown...Based on how much I cried when we put their bouncy seats in storage, Lucas is starting to stock up on tissues now for their first day of school!!