SIX month old baby boys

I still find it hard to believe that time passes by so quickly.  It seems like yesterday I was laughing about hiding my pregnancy at work because I wanted to wait until my 13 week ultrasound to let the cat out of the bag.  I was in that weird in between phase of maternity and non maternity clothes where nothing fit.  I found myself wearing wrap dresses that obviously showed off my bump.  It was so much fun to just watch people looking at my belly wondering if I was pregnant or not.... No one at work dared to ask and I didn't want to tell!  When I told everyone at work I was pregnant with twins... again.... someone asked me if it was April Fools!  I will never forget those conversations in the teacher's lounge.  Its funny because I brought donuts that day to celebrate my news and that was one of my biggest cravings while I was pregnant with the boys.  That and decaf coffee with amaretto creamer.... Yummy!

I can't imagine my life without these boys. It is pretty chaotic having 4 under 2, but I hope that the girls and the boys will be close with one another and always have each other to lean on. I just absolutely love watching them all interact together.  The boys respond to the girls... laugh, etc. when the girls "play" with them.  Its so fun to watch!

Elliott and Oliver 6 Months!

Elliott and Oliver

Where do I even begin....   The boys have their 6 month check up so I will have to update their stats then, but Elliott is approximately 20 pounds and Oliver is approx. 17 pounds.  They are such big boys!  Elliott fits comfortably in 12 month clothes and Oliver in 9 month.  The other day I dug out an outfit that looked like it would fit and when I checked the tag, it was a 12-18 month size!  I couldn't believe it!!!

Oliver still squeezes into a size 2 diaper and Elliott has been a size 3 for a while now.  As soon as my 2s are gone, I will be putting Oliver in them too because there is no way I am buying THREE sizes of diapers for the kids!!  That would just be nutty.  

The boys don't have any teeth yet, and I am really not that anxious to start the teething process.  Its just not fun for anyone.  I'm sure it will happen sometime soon... but who needs teeth anyways!? Just kidding!

They go to sleep around 8pm and mostly sleep through the night.  Elliott usually wakes up around 7:30, but today he woke up at 6 which I was actually okay with.  Oliver has been waking up earlier (around 4-5 a.m. ) but I think its because he's going to bed closer to 8pm than 10pm.  ometimes he's up around midnight as well for a couple of ounces and then goes right back to bed.  I think his reflux medications must be working because it used to take an hour of rocking to get him to sleep at night.  Now, once he has enough to eat and his pacifier he is good to go!  I still have Elliott in the pack n play and Oliver is now sleeping in his car seat.  It all makes perfect sense now that he refused to sleep flat on his back because of his reflux problems.  He was sleeping in the swing/bouncy chair, etc but as soon as he started sitting up in bed, that was done for.  The only other "safe" place I could think of was his car seat (buckled) and that has done the trick for a few weeks now.  Its only a temporary solution and I'm not sure what I'm going to do once that isn't an option anymore..... I guess we will cross that bridge when we have to.  I've never had to "sleep train" any of the kids because they have always been great sleepers, but I may have to figure out something for Ollie... eventually.

We started solids! Finally! I held off as long as I could, but we started right around the beginning of the month.  Their first food was baby oatmeal!  They have since had avocados and sweet potatoes that I puree myself.  Solids have been a bit slow going and they don't have 1 meal every day, but I'm sure they won't go to kindergarten eating baby food so we will get there eventually.  I really don't mind making their food either. I just throw a sweet potato in the microwave for 10 minutes while I am tending to the girls, scoop it out, throw it in the Baby Breeza with some water and serve!  I have a variety of different containers to store it in also, so I can make 2 days worth in one day.  The avocado you have to use right away, so I just puree up 1/2 of one and feed the other 1/2 to the girls.  

I love how responsive the boys are and how much personality they are starting to have.  They certainly know when mama leaves the room and they don't like it!  I am with them just about 24 hours/day unless I escape to the store or something for an hour or so.  They love to imitate our sounds and facial expressions.  Elliott is blowing raspberries and Ollie is really trying hard to do the same.  

Elliott looooves to roll all over the place.  You put him on a blanket on the floor and he's off of it in no time.  Oliver couldn't care less about rolling though.  He still doesn't like his tummy time either and lets you know about it.  He's rolled a couple times, but not consistently and definitely not all over the house like Elliott does.  At this rate, he might be walking before he's rolling! Elliott is in the beginning stages of crawling.  He gets up on all fours and rocks back and forth a couple times before his legs go out underneath him.  It won't be long before he's crawling which is a little scary to think about.... more mobile kids!!  

The boys both love their jumperoo and exersaucer.  I swear those kids could jump all day long if we let them.  Sometimes they wear themselves out so much that they fall asleep in there.  They both take a 2-3 naps/day but not always at the same time.  

I love the looks the boys give me when they are falling asleep in my arms.  Oliver looks so serene and happy just before he falls asleep.  Elliott often falls asleep while nursing and I often just hold him until I need to put him down to tend to another child.  Sometimes when he's done, he just looks at me with a big grin and a satisfied look on his face.  Its priceless!  I love how the boys become limp noodles when they are done eating or nursing.  You know they are actually asleep wen you pick them up, put them on your chest and they just completely melt into your body.  It really is a satisfying feeling knowing that you are able to provide what they need.  My boys need their mama and I need them!  

Being a mom and watching my children grow is an amazing experience every single day.  No two days are alike because everything is a phase and constantly changing.  Just when you feel like you "know" how tomorrow is going to go, something throws you for a loop and you have to adapt and figure out whatever it is.  Never a dull moment!  That's for sure.  

Oliver and Elliott taking a snooze at the zoo

Oliver- sleeping in the jumperoo.  

Elliott was cranky, so I was practicing a little baby wearing while feeding the girls their breakfast

Sweet potatoes... Whaaaat?  Elliott

Oliver and his favorite pose.  I can't get enough of this cuteness!

Oliver and Elliott.  Just chilling on the blanket

 I think Oliver ended up with more food on his clothes and in his hair than in his mouth!  He is one wiggly boy.

This kid is so laid back.  After eating his dinner, he fell asleep while I was taking care of putting the girls to bed and feeding his brother.

Elliott... Just the beginning of holding his own bottle.  YEAH!

The shirt says it all.... this kid is going to be a heart breaker!

Words cannot describe how much I love my baby boys.  I am so proud to be their mom and so happy that I get to stay at home and watch them grow every single day!!