Whoa. 7 months. Yes, technically it's like 7 1/2 months, but life has been quite simply crazy...for a long time! It has been a tough month since I last updated about the babies, but God is good and has given us wonderful experiences and moments of relief. I'm looking at the 6 month post right now so I will just follow the updates using that order...because my brain is mush.
Look at all of that hair that C-man has grown! Jenna has the cutest big spike in the back when her hair is clean. (Yes, you caught me...its been a few days since the twins got a good bath.) We still do not have any teeth. How can this be!? Both kids, especially Caden has been drooling an ocean for months! I was hoping it was the cause of some of our irregularity and fussiness, but no teeth, no white stubs, nothing. I thought I saw red, swollen gums at one point, but I guess that is from them gumming everything in sight! The allergy problem has left us...hopefully for good! I have the kids out most everyday and we have not had any problems with any sickness. Praise the Lord! We go for a walk or run just about every day. The twins LOVE to be outside and in the jogging stroller.
You probably saw one of my posts from last week. Jenna has calmed my fears of having developmentally delayed children! (Kidding!) One day, she began convulsively trying to throw her legs over so she would flip on her stomach. It looked very violent and uncomfortable! haha The next day, off she went. Now, I lay her on a blanket and when I come back in she is a yard or two from where I left her...or she is all backward and hung up in a toy like the picture below.
She loves hanging out on her tummy and playing. Such a different child from our little side-head cocked crazy Jenna a few months ago! What is the update with Caden? It is nothing. He doesn't flip, doesn't care to and hates tummy time still. Instead of flipping (which he has the strength to do) he throws a temper tantrum and buries his head in the floor. Nobody is sitting up on their own yet. I am working with them more and more each day...I think Caden, especially, will be a happier child if he can sit up..keep that reflux down! Caden actually appears to be closer to sitting up than Jenna...it is so funny to see who does things first and how they go about learning to do all of these fun life-activities!
Jenna is still our vocal child. She loves to make noise and laugh out loud. It is pretty much the most adorable thing your ears will process. Caden has started making more noises after he eats which also is adorable.
Food: We are feeding two babies now and our grocery bill proves it! Both kids had no trouble learning to eat from the spoon and taking off trying new foods. I like to joke Ryan that his 7 month old children eat more vegetables than him...every day! They love every fruit they have tried: Prune, Apple, Peach, Blueberry, Mango, Apricot, Pear, and **Banana**. That last one gets special attention. The first 2 weeks I gave the twins Banana, after they learned to handle its consistency, they loved it! Caden would look like a little bird with his mouth open every time I went to feed Jenna. Then, one night (Mother's Day, remember?) They both threw up miserably and we chalked it up to an unripe banana. Well, about 2 weeks ago,I went to feed them banana's for breakfast. As soon as I got the spoon to J, she turned iron-lip on me and refused to eat any of it. Caden opened up wide and downed most of the bowl. I proceeded with my day as usual until I got them up for lunch after their morning nap. Then, the hour-long constant vomit session ensued with my precious little boy. He. was. pitiful! Jenna was fine all day. Caden never ran a fever or had any other symptoms. As soon as he was down emptying out all of his stomach, he was fine. So, unless any of you know something I dont, we are going to go with Caden is allergic or his stomach can't handle pure Banana. He has eaten it mixed with other fruits in a baby food jar and been just fine. Oh well....live and learn, right? It has been hard adjusting to nursing both of them, then getting them downstairs to feed them both. Thankfully, their schedule aligns with our normal eating times so its been fun having them at the table as a family. We are still nursing 4 times a day (8,12,4,8 ) and feeding solids at the 8, 12 and 4 (which ends up being close to 8:30, 1 and 5pm when we are eating). We eat cereal and fruit for breakfast, fruits and veggies for lunch and cereal, fruit and veggie for dinner. The veggies take a meal or two to get used to, then they dive right in. Jenna eats ANYTHING. Caden does his dramatic fuss then starts taking it like a champ. They love every yellow veggie: carrot, sweet potato and butternut squash. They tolerate the greens like Green Beans and Peas. I've also enjoyed making their baby food. I bought myself a used Babycook for my Birthday and have enjoyed buying organic fruits and veggies and making them healthy food. I know it wont last forever, but right now while their little bodies are absorbing everything we put into them, I wanted to put the right stuff in! I have been giving them their sippy cups with apple juice and water...right now they think it is a teething toy and just chomp and chomp on it. But they are learning to hold it correctly and everyonce in a while, they get some liquid out b/c they start coughing in surprise!
Sleeping: Well, who do you want to talk about ? If we were talking about Jenna, then get ready to catch your chin. She is awesome. We put her down at 8:30 and we dont touch her until I go in and get her in the morning...whatever time that is....anywhere from 7:30 and as late as 9 am a few mornings we all slept in! (usually b/c of a rough night from one Caden Little). I'm serious folks. I've heard her talking and cooing to herself for up to an hour sometimes in the morning. We dont touch her all night. During nap time, I put her down and she flips right over on that belly an goes to sleep. If she is not tired, she plays with a toy or her paci fora while, then rolls over and goes to sleep. Like I said, amazing esp since this was our little one that we had to sleep train for sooooo long! I have spent many days and nights thanking the Lord this past month for giving her such a sweet wake-up disposition and napping/sleeping schedule.
Caden? ugh. I love him so much, I really do. I thank the Lord for him every day. So dont let my gloom and doom description below fool you. But Caden is not my little boy Caden anymore. Something has totally snapped since the 6 month time. As soon as he went on solids, he changed big time. We have figured out that his reflux came back with a vengeance with the heavier food. He would arch his back and scream
every single meal. Do you know how stressful that is!? He stopped sleeping thru the night at the same time. My little boy who slept thru the night, undisturbed since he was 3 months old all of a sudden was waking up SCREAMING 4,5,6 times a night. Side note here: there is a difference between crying, wailing and screaming and he was
screaming. He also stopped napping his entire 1.5 - 2 hours in the morning and afternoon. He wakes up 45 minutes into every nap furious and kicking his legs, red-faced, wailing. Long story short, we have spent all month trying to adjust things and help him. In the spirit of being desperate, here is what we have done, any and all suggestions welcome :)
- changed medicine to the next level: Prilosec.
- changed to Oatmeal formula (to alleviate any constipation the Rice Cereal may have been causing?)
- Feed him prunes and pears / high fiber foods
- started giving him water / apple juice in a bottle to drink to get extra fluids in him.
- he doesn't want formula offered to him at night after we nurse...he acts full!
- put him on his stomach to sleep although he cant' flip over if he gets mad.
We have noticed a difference at meal time with the Prilosec. He eats much better. So we are in constant turmoil over what to do at night...let him cry it out? Maybe he developed bad habits when his reflux was hurting him? Or continue to help soothe him from his pain? Anyway, please pray for him. Please pray for us to have guidance on who to take him to and how to help him.
Clothing: We are in 6 month clothes! woop woop! Loving the fun summer outfits and seeing those fat arms and legs! We have also moved to size 3 diapers because I ran out of Size 2's. They are big, but we just pull them tight :)
Activities: Month 6 was the twins' publication debut. They were featured in the Campbell Times Magazine:
and also took part in a research study from Duke University. At one point, I could tell you what they were looking for, but I forgot now. What I do know is that Caden lost his chance at a Duke Scholarship...he was completely uninterested and kept looking all around the room and spitting our slobber instead of watching the video screens. hehe Jenna was much more observant and appeared fascinated with those big, beautiful eyes. Here are their Infant Scientist Awards:
We went to the beach for my sisters Bridal Portraits. The twins even got a few pics snapped of them included in her slideshow! But...I can't show you those yet..can't be a wedding dress spoiler!
We got the Johnny and Jenny Jump Ups...epic fail. They were not a fan. Oh well, not quite ready! But they looked cute though!
We took the twins to their first Relay For Life! This was so special to me...It was so wonderful to see so many of the volunteers I worked with for so long and to introduce them to the twins. We had a great time and the twins loved all of the action and noise!
All in all, another wonderful month with our little miracles. So thankful for you both, Caden and Jenna!
