The Cute Factor...

They are stinking cute right?  Okay bragging (just a little).  Is it still considered bragging when I probably had nothing to do with how cute they are?  It probably is haha  Love these two.  I've been working on my little Etsy shop and took some pictures tonight for a new listing of child aprons that I made for a boutique with my friend.  Kendall and Seren hammed it up for the camera.  They loved the aprons (Christmas present?? I think a definite yes).  Anyway just admiring the cuteness and thought I would share.

9 months

Height/Weight:  Kendall:  28.62 inches (84%) and 16 lb 14 oz (17%)  Seren:  27.95" (64%) and 17 lb 4.5 oz (22%) so they are long and skinny;  and yes I heard about it from my friend that her daughter (who is two months younger) is now officially heavier and longer than my girls.  What is up with parents comparing and competing with this? (soooooo annoying)

Eating:  6-7 oz of formula typically and then 3-4 oz of solids.

Foods They Like:  Anything they can feed themselves (toast, cereal, bananas, etc; cheese was ok).  Beans, ham, yams, fruit and squash.

Foods They Don't:  Kendall doesn't like tart (peaches, apricots, etc). Seren eats anything I throw at her. 

Favorite Things:  They still love each other (more and more).  They crawl right up to each other and gab or sometimes just stare at the other.  Kendall loves to "chase" Thor (our little dog) around the front room and giggles every time she catches him.  Seren loves to be held but is enjoying her new found freedom in crawling now also.  They both like being held upside down by the thighs while being swung and tickled on the stomach.  They laugh so hard.  Seren loves it when dad comes home (for lunch and at the end of the day)...she gets a big smile on her face and wiggles around like crazy.

Dislikes:  Being hungry and tired.  Poor constipation issues still (going back to prunes instead of prune juice).

Their Accomplishments:  They sit very well on their own.  They can eat finger food with precision now.  They are both able to fully crawl and are gaining speed...oh boy.  They both babble a fair amount (Seren more so).  Still no teeth quite yet but I can feel some under the surface in Kendall's mouth and see an outline in Seren's.  I love their toothless grins and I'm afraid I'm really going to miss them.

Our Accomplishments:  We have them on a good schedule for eating, napping and sleeping.  We take them out when we want to (their being able to sit in high chairs makes this so much easier).  Jeff works full-time days, I work part-time swing shift now and we balance out the girls between us still.  Very blessed to have the ability to work with/around the girls instead of the girls around our work.  

Sleep: Still sticking to our routine and loving it.  They sleep 11-12 hour nights.  Lately they have been waking up around 12 am or 1 am to cry and we typically feed them and they go right back down (growth spurt maybe?).

Looking forward to:  Looking forward to more mobility but also scared of two toddlers running around.  Still looking forward to more freedom with food.  I suppose that means them getting teeth which I don't actually look forward to.  Planning their 1st birthday...with their birthday 3 days after Christmas it's now or never.

DE Mom musings:  Besides the inferiority questioning post I haven't really thought about it.  I rarely remember how much work and intervention was required for us to have them now (if that makes sense...I know how can you possibly forget that right?)

 9 months old

 Kendall

Seren (too much edit but it was washed out before)

8 Months Old

Weight:  I'm not sure on height.  We weighed them at the airport during our 4 hour delay coming home (the things we entertain ourselves with).  Kendall was 17 lbs and Seren was 18 lbs.

Eating:  8 oz of formula every 3 1/2 to 4 hours and baby food that I make myself. 

Foods They Like:  Cheerios and cereal puffs (they love them), apples, pears, sweet potatoes, squash, beans, carrots, parsnips, etc.

Foods They Don't:  They still don't love tart food but they are starting to like them.  Peas and green beans (I think we need more exposure to the basics).

Favorite Things:  They still love each other (more and more).  They liked the airport and all the people.  They both usually love people...no stranger anxiety here yet.  They love my parents and really enjoyed playing and being with them.  They like trying new foods now and pretty much want to taste anything we have. 

Dislikes:  Being hungry and tired.  Not being able to mobilize better.  The ocean (sad).  We took the to the surf's edge and tried that first.  They freaked out and cried.  So then we held them and brought them in the water with us.  They cried and screamed.  This was the first attempt.  The second attempt was better and they didn't cry or scream but also didn't enjoy it. 

Their Accomplishments:  Both girls are sitting on their own pretty well.  Kendall started army crawling in Florida and has become pretty good at it already.  Seren scoots backwards but is also up on her knees and rocking.  Kendall moves her knees but hasn't figured out the hands to "real" crawling.  They are great eaters.  Seren is a babbler and says "ba ba" "ma ma" "da da" and other syllables.  Both girls are blowing raspberries.  Still no teeth but I love their toothless smiles.

Our Accomplishments:  We have them on a good schedule for eating, napping and sleeping.  We take them out when we want to (their being able to sit in high chairs makes this so much easier).  We took our first flight with them from Utah to Florida to see my parents and they did wonderful!  

Sleep: Still sticking to our routine of bedtime bottle, bath time (sometimes a wash down and others just getting wet), change into PJs and then a story and to bed.  LOVE IT!!  

Looking forward to:  Kind of excited (and nervous) for them to start crawling and be more mobile.  Looking forward to moving beyond purees and having more fun with their food eventually.  

DE Mom musings:  I haven't thought a lot about it this month.  We had some more in depth talks with my parents about the donor egg process and how we chose a donor but nothing major.  I didn't feel insecure or bad about it.  For the most part the donor egg aspect is such a small piece in the back of my mind usually.  I honestly forget they aren't genetically my kids.

7 Months Old

Weight:  As of their last appointment on the 22nd... Seren was a little over 27" (82%) and 15 lb 3 oz (21%).  She grew the most this time.  Kendall was almost 27 1/2" (87%) and 14 lb 13.5 oz (9%).  So they are both long and skinny.  I promise I feed them.  

Eating:   They eat about 6 oz  every 3 to 4 hours.  I'm trying to bump this up during non-solid meals.  I'm still making baby food for them and this is going well.  

Foods They Like:  Carrots, Peas, Green Beans, Apples with cinnamon (not so much plain), Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, Pears, Bananas, Prunes and any kind of squash

Foods They Don't:  Seren is starting to like tart (peaches, apricots, etc) but Kendall still doesn't like these.

Favorite Things:  They still love each other.  Kendall loves the dog.  She will reach both hands out and lunge for him when he's around.  Thor (the dog) is super patient with both of them, licking their hands and feet even when they non-purposefully kick him or grab him.  I think they might actually like nap time and bedtime now.  They love baths.  They are starting to love the "superman game" and smile when we hum the music.

Dislikes:  Being hungry and tired.  Kendall also still has constipation issues...sad...luckily she loves prunes.  I still think Kendall might be starting to teeth but no teeth present yet. 

Their Accomplishments:  Seren is rolling both ways very well now.  Kendall is up on her hands and knees and rocking.  She also likes to get on the linoleum and scoot backwards on her tummy.  Seren is catching up quickly in this department.  They are both getting more social and are excited to see us when nap time or bedtime are over (I love that feeling).  They like playing "getcha" now and being tickled.  Kendall is mostly able to sit on her own but still topples and Seren is also mostly able to sit on her own except when she gets excited she throws herself backwards.

Our Accomplishments:  I have settled into a set schedule for naps and meal times.  I am trying to extend meal times out beyond 3 hours again though.  The schedule works great for them though.  Naps at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm and then bedtime starts at 7 pm.  I have also been taking on the girls by myself the last two weeks as DH has been out of town for a new job training.  My sister keeps me company after she gets off work and then leaves around 10:30pm.

Sleep:  I have rededicated myself to a set bedtime routine, after some meltdowns.  It has done wonders and they now typically go to sleep without a complaint or cry.  Bedtime bottle, bath time (sometimes a wash down and others just getting wet), change into PJs and then a story and to bed.  LOVE IT!!

Looking forward to:  We are going to Florida next month to visit my parents and I'm so excited for them to spend time with their other grandparents.  Excited to show them the ocean and other little things like that...although I'm sure they won't care really haha.  Also kind of excited (and nervous) for them to start crawling and be more mobile.  Looking forward to moving beyond purees a little more eventually. 

DE Mom musings:  I have been thinking more of the long term lately and how to introduce donor egg topics and making it age appropriate.  I know it will mean more to me then it will to them initially so just keeping it casual and not forced or too repetitive.  I think things will go smoothly but I worry a little about how it might be taken as they get older and if they say things to others about it.  Just the beginnings of feeling protective of them over it.  

 Kendall didn't want to sit still...so interested in the bear this time around

 Not the "cutest" picture of  Seren but it always makes me giggle and smile to see it

They pay more attention to each other too now

*note the adorable shirt/dresses from the $1 store.  Who says you can't find good stuff there :)