8 Month Update

I believe eight months old may be the limit on co-bathing...at least until they are able to sit in the big tub. They are getting so big!This past month I have noticed so many changes in the babies. They really are turning into little people now, its really amazing to watch. So here's what's been going on around here this past month.

FOOD: Solids are still going well. I have yet to find something that they don't like. This month I have introduced Pears, Peaches, Butternut Squash, Green Peas, Green Beans, and Cauliflower in the form of purees. They have also eaten kiwi, watermelon, peaches and bananas in pieces. I can't believe my babies are old enough to share a banana with me, which may I add they expect me to do every time i eat one...no food of mine is safe anymore! When we are out I restaurants i give them tastes of whatever i am eating...so far refried beans, mexican rice, coconut rice and yellow curry have been a hit with the babies. We have also started eating flavored rice puffs....Nora thinks these are the best--its hard to get her to stop! This past month they have been nursing abotut 5 times a day and then eating at dinner. Just last week though the babies seem to be extra hungry in the mornings wanting to nurse about every 2 hours, so i've started to feed them solids at breakfast time too--oatmeal and bananas--and they seem to love it so far. Maybe this will help me eat a healthy breakfast too? Ha, doubtful.

SLEEP: Nothing new here...both sleep about 12 hours straight, eat and then sleep about another 2 hours before getting up. They still have 2 more naps a day if we are having an uneventful day, but they can also function on 1 long nap if we are out and about. For the time being they still sleep swaddled...i'm debating trying to break this habit, i had hoped they'd grow out of wanting it--now i'm beginning to wonder.

TEETHING: Both have their bottom front 2 teeth all the way in...those teeth are just so cute too! Holden has been working on and off on his bottom left lateral and i have noticed some inflammation on his top right eye tooth...that's a bit out of the ordinary though...so we'll see if its really coming in. Nora has been the big teether lately...for over a week now she has been working on what it seems to be her top 4 front teeth. Her poor gums were so swollen and red and she does get rather fussy when i don't keep her medicated. Thankfully the 2 left ones have broken through, but i'm still waiting and watching the other side.

MOVING: Finally...and i was beginning to wonder if it would eve happen, they have learned to do something OTHER THAN lay on their backs. It started with sitting up. When friend Jack came to visit, he sits up all the time so naturally the twins had to do it too. We're pretty much at the point where i can leave them sitting without them falling over, but since we have hardwood floors i usually don't, just in case! they can both go from sittign to laying on their tummies. Nora is a bit more mobile on the floor, she is always rolling and reaching now..trying to figure out crawling but can't seem to get those knees underneath her. Holden doesn't try as much to move around, but yesterday he did get up on his knees for a minute. Maybe I'll have some crawlers soon!

~Nora Grayce Burns~

Nora is her same spunky, moody, curious self. All in all she has pretty good days. The meltdowns are few and far between, but when we do have one it's a big one. Really, whatever she is feeling it's BIG. She has super happy moments followed by moments where it's clear her world is falling apart. My little drama queen.

Sometime in the past month I have really noticed her to start connecting with me. She will actually snuggle from time to time--which i love so much. It feels like it has taken her so long to really trust me enough to do it. When we are playing and she laughs she puts her head on my shoulder or buries her face in my neck. She has also started reaching out for me to pick her up. When you think about babies, most of the time you imagine a cuddly, loveable baby...and that was never really Nora. I really have wondered if she would ever be comfortable letting someone love on her. It's so rewarding to me now to have her show signs of love and trust back.

I've been working with her on talking...we aren't really getting anywhere with it, although i do see signs that she understands what i am saying. Nora gets very excited every time a cat walks in the room, she starts babbling and bouncing and reaching out. So, i've been working on "CAT" with her a lot. Now when i ask her "where is the cat?" she looks around to find it. I've also been trying to get her to say "MAMA". No such luck. BUT a good amount of the time when i ask her to say it, she will smile really big, giggle and open mouth kiss me. Maybe to her "MAMA" and "KISS" are synonomous...but that's okay, i love it.

We don't have another well baby check until next month, but she seems to be getting longer. Really she's still wearing the same clothes she's been wearing for months. I have been introducing her 6 month sized clothes into her wardrobe--some are still way too wide, but the length is much better. Her feet have actually grown some, enough that she can wear a size 1 now...as long as its not too wide. Also, her hair is growing back, but this time it's much lighter than her newborn hair was. I'm interested to see if there is some noticable weight gain this month. Nora seems to be a bottomless pit...whereas Holden will stop after awhile, i have yet to find an amount to fill Nora. I'm amazed at how much she can eat!

Nora's Likes Include:

Jumparoo

Pacifier

anything that lights up or makes noise

animals...especially her cats

Mommy singing to her

Eating

WATER---pool, bath, ocean...it's her favorite

Nora's Dislike Include:

laying on her belly for too long

being in the room alone

Mommy singing in opera voices to her

people taking her pacifier

being fed too slow

being thrown in the air

~Holden Reece Burns~

Holden is my biggest fan. He loves to cuddle with me, smiles everytime i walk in the room and truly lights up when i go to get him from his crib in the mornings. There really is something about Momma's and their boys!

His laugh is infectious and he has the sweetest smile i've ever seen. We often get stopped when out and about so people can comment on his sweet face. Then there's those eyes that stare straight into you. He's a heartbreaker already.

Holden is really a happy boy. He's fairly easygoing and chill most of the time. He does occasionally have fussy days where he just wants to be held. When he does get upset its very hard to calm him down--i mean EXTREMELY hard. Apparently he doesn't easily forget things, because he can still be whimpering about something that happened 20 minutes ago. As much as i love him that can seriously drive me nuts.

As far as talking is concered, its pretty non-exsistent for Holden. He may occasionally have a day where he babbles some, but he's mostly pretty quiet. I have a feeling he's going to let Nora talk for the both of them for a while...until he just pops out with something ultra porfound to say...and then will stun his mother with his awesome verbal skills....but that's just a guess ;)

Holden is constantly re-finding his body parts. He just loves his hands and feet. He will stare at them so intently sometimes. He also will find his ears and hair on occassion which i really get a kick out of. Likewise, he will also take notice of any shoes that i put him in or any bright-colored clothes. He's very observant for a little guy!

My favorite new Holden trick is that he reaches out for me. In the nursery last Sunday at church he reached out for me and had the biggest smile on his face when i walked in the door. Talk about making a Mommy's heart melt! I do have to be careful though, because he will occassionally reach out for me as i walk by and if i do not take notice it really hurts his feelings or worse, he latches on to my pants leg and then nose dives to the floor as i keep walking...yeah i know, way to go, Mom.

Holden's Likes Include

Jumparoo

Eating

Mommy

being held

being startled...he laughs every time

Bathtime

Baby Einstein DVDs

Holden's Dislikes Include

being left alone

cold water

ocean waves

sister grabbing his face