Jensen & Everett's 11 Month Update

The 'good' picture

It's getting harder to keep them still for pictures...

Here we are at 11 months and we're all still alive!  The babies are now 8.5 months adjusted.  They are learning all kinds of new stuff.  They are becoming quite good at moving around with a combination of rolling, army crawling, and wiggling around the floor.  Everett has learned how to sit himself back up from the floor.  They're not real crawling yet but I'm sure that will come very soon.  They can get pretty much anywhere they want to go anyways.  A downside to all that moving is that Jensen has scraped his head twice.  Poor little guy.

The babies had their first Christmas this past month!  They got to meet lots of extended family that they hadn't met yet at Christmas parties.  Obviously they're too young to understand the concept of Christmas and present-opening, but we all had fun anyways.  They mostly got clothes, and just a few toys and books.  Plus they (I) got a new stroller that they love because they can face forward and look at everything while we stroll.

They are becoming quite skilled with their hands.  They are learning how to feed themselves which is awesome.  I can throw a bunch of peas on their highchair trays and they will be entertained for a long time if I keep the peas coming.  It's awesome.  Everett has figured out that if you want to put something in your mouth, you have to take your binky out first.  His new favorite game is 'put your hands in mommy's mouth and try to rip her gums with your tiny razor nails.'  Jensen has learned how to wave, although he's only done it like four times so far.  It's so freaking adorable.

We have been making progress with sleep, although this past week when they seem to have hit the 8/9 month sleep regression.  We also happen to have just finished (I think) the 3-2 nap transition so that makes it even more complicated.  It hit Everett the hardest.  Sleep regressions suck and I hope that the fact that they actually had a good night last night means that it's over.  In fact, it was their best night ever.  They didn't wake to eat until 4:30.  That means I got about 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep, which is the longest I've slept in at least 11 months, probably longer.  More good news is that their naps are getting longer.  Jensen used to take 20 minute naps, and now they both take a 1-2 hr nap in the morning and a 1-1.5 hr nap in the afternoon.  It's glorious.  And they even do it at the same time!

Jensen has his first tooth!  I didn't even notice that he was teething until I saw the tooth.  Then I was like, so that's why he's been biting me while nursing the past couple days.  Having a tooth makes him seem so grown up.  He has also finally learned how to click his tongue and does it all the time.  He's been wanting to do that for months, it's so cute that he figured it out.

I love their little personalities.  Jensen is still super giggly and thinks everything's funny.  Everett is kind of a goofball and does silly stuff all the time.  They make a good pair.  They love to steal whatever the other baby has, and Jensen will laugh at Everett sometimes, but other than that they don't interact too much.

They just get cuter and cuter every day.  Here's some examples of their cuteness:

Cute boys in dad's hats

Jensen thought the manger at the Christmas Eve party was pretty comfy

Fun times

Everett was having fun too

Christmas morning!

New books

This is mostly what they did on Christmas- roll around in their new stuff

Meeting auntie Colette and uncle Rick (not pictured)

Overalls!

Ev loves bunny

Jensen is a rich man.  Dolla dolla bills y'all

Stripey boys

Cheesecake Factory for auntie April's birthday!

They were both glaring at me

Jensen got a boo boo :(

This is what happens when you leave a bag of chips by the couch and have a newly mobile baby.  I love his 'oh no you caught me' face.

He's not such a fan of spinach

Jensen is sad that I made him eat that too

He's a thumb sucker!

Jensen was slightly confused

That boy's tongue...

Ev actually has enough hair now to do the obligatory baby hairdo

'I've got a tooth mom!'

I am a very smart baby

Now I'm off to work on planning their birthday party.  It can't be that time already can it? :'(

They're 10 Months Old!

Are you guys sick of these monthly updates yet?  Well, there's only two more left so you better enjoy it while it lasts.  The closer we get to one year the faster it seems like it has gone.  I am so proud of everything they have accomplished in such a short amount of time.  Here's what they're up to at 10 months (7.5 adjusted.)

They are both pretty much experts at sitting now.  They only occasionally topple themselves over when they reach too far.  They are enjoying toys more, which has been really nice.  They finally learned how to roll from their backs to tummies, which has made diaper changes fun...  They can now get pretty much anywhere they want to go by rolling and wiggling around the floor.  Their favorite place to get to is the Christmas tree.  They love reaching for the branches, pulling lights/ornaments off the tree, and terrorizing the presents.  Jensen has learned how to get up onto his hands and knees and rock forward and back.  I hear that's a sign he'll start crawling very soon.  He is also starting to try pulling himself up on tables and etc.  He is bound and determined to get into everything.  He's already eaten a few bits of paper and a small sticker (and who knows what else.)  I'm going to be in big trouble when he can actually crawl.  Everett is not interested in getting mobile yet and is happy to just sit and roll around.  They love chewing on anything and everything they can find.  They learned how to splash the water in the bathtub, and might finally be starting to enjoy bath time.

Jensen has become quite the silly boy.  He laughs and giggles at so many things.  He thinks it's hilarious when Everett touches him or tries to eat him or takes his toy.  He thinks it's funny when you throw (light and soft) things at him.  He thinks it's funny when you tickle him or tease him.  Everett's a little harder to get a laugh out of, but he giggles too.  Everett is still the more social one, always flirting with all the women sitting near us at church.  He seems to have gotten over his stranger anxiety too for the most part.  They have picked up a new habit that's not so great, which is 'cry whenever you see mommy so she'll feed/hold us, even though we were fine with daddy/alone before.' 

My biggest accomplishment this month is that I finally got them on a (somewhat flexible) schedule.  It's the first piece of advice all twin moms give and there is a good reason for it.  I actually have like an hour total (somedays more!) of free time every day to do whatever I want while they're both napping.  It's amazing.  I usually use it to shower, eat, and do housework of course.  I feel so much less helpless because I know approximately when they will wake, sleep, eat, etc.  It makes it easier to plan our rare outings and makes me feel more balanced and less stressed.  So basically, I give scheduling your twins' day a big thumbs up.

I'm doing my best to soak up their cuteness and not let their (frequent) fussy/crying times get to me.  They will not be babies anymore before I know it.  The thought of that makes me want to cry.  Pretty much all I do all day is tell them how cute they are.  I'm in love with the way Jensen open and closes his little hands, and the way Everett decided to start sucking his thumb and pokes things with his pointer finger.  I love how Jensen tilts his head and lays it down sometimes when he's getting tired.  I love how Everett puts his head back and makes cute raspy squeaks.  I love it when Jensen gets a look on his face like he's about to do something naughty.  I love it when I lay Everett down on something soft and he just lays there all splayed out.  I love the fast, frantic breathing they do when they know I'm going to nurse them but I'm not getting them on fast enough.  I love it when they cuddle up with me for snuggles.  I love their beautiful smiles.  They're so wonderful.

Ev helping me decorate a little tree

Ahhh, so soft and cozy

Mmmm, Jensen loves his beans

'We're helping!'

Jensen especially likes this small present

Snake tongue

Jensen's ready to crawl

Jensen with santa

Everett was trying to grab santa's bear

Hi Jensen!

Jensen's fun box

Jensen says he's getting tired

Attack!  Attack!

Ev snuggling with daddy

Snug as a bug and ready to go!

Ev snuggling with mommy.  He needs lots of snuggles, poor guy.

9 months!

It's pretty much unbelievable to me how fast these little guys are growing up.  I'm writing this post a day late because I really wanted to know how much they weigh now and their pediatrician appointment was today.  At 9 months old (6.5 months adjusted) Jensen is 15lbs 2oz and 26.8" and Everett is 14lbs 4oz and 27.7".  So basically they are both extremely tall and skinny.  Go figure.  They have actually caught up to the non-adjusted 9 month growth curve for height (5th percentile for Jensen and 25th percentile for Everett) but are still below the curve for weight.  Jensen's head is on the 9 month growth curve too.  That boy has a big head.

They can both sit unassisted now for a short amount of time.  They love it!  Playing with toys is more fun when you're sitting up apparently.  They have developed object permanence and separation anxiety, and that has been fun... or not.  Everett especially has been pretty hard hit by the separation anxiety and wants to be held by mama all the time and doesn't want to see any strangers.  I'm happy to see them developing right on time for their adjusted age though.  Everett has become quite talkative.  It really seems like he says 'hi' or 'hey' when he sees people.  He has also said 'dadadadadadadada' and makes crazy dinosaur noises.  Jensen has always been the more silent type, though he does do some sweet little babbles and coos himself.  He has expressive facial movements that are even more communicative.  Jensen legitimately winked at me the other day.  They are getting really good at using their hands.  They can even get their binkies in their mouths the right way.

Jensen and Everett had their first Halloween!  They were unbelievably cute in their costumes.  We didn't get many trick or treaters, but the babies were happy about that because they got to play with the bowl of candy.  They're still enjoying playing with the Laffy Taffies.

Blake left us for four days and four nights for a job.  I was pretty sure I would die.  But I have the most amazing mother in the world and she stayed with me pretty much the whole time Blake was gone INCLUDING nights!  She made it so much easier on me.  I don't think I could have made it without her.  Blake was happy to get a few nights of uninterrupted sleep and a few days without hearing crying all day long.

Everett is really into solid foods.  Jensen usually only wants a few bites.  They have tried lots of new foods and are taking to new ones pretty well so far.  They've had all kinds of fruits, veggies, meats, and they still like their beans.  Their pediatrician encouraged us to increase the amount of food we're giving them every day so we're aiming for three square meals a day to compliment the 1,000 times I breastfeed them every day (approximately.)  But really, Jensen nursed 13 times yesterday.  That kid likes his liquid diet.

It's a good thing these kids are the cutest babies ever because they are seriously wearing us out!  Here's some proof of their cuteness.

Jensen wants all the binks

Ev caught red-handed

Ev

Awww cuddles

Our Halloween costumes!  Cutest crab and fish ever :)

The back of Jensen's costume is so cute

Halloween spoils

J chillin with auntie

Ev in his fat little crab suit :)

They love grandma's teepee

Foxy babies.  Look at that red hair!

Boys with hats :)

Oh hi there Jensen

Jensen likes his fuzzy hat

Bonus video of Everett being silly :P