Six Months

Dear Madison and Jackson,



Another month is gone and one more month closer to your first birthday. I can’t believe in six months you will be a year old. And I know it will go even faster than the last six months.

We had lots of fun this month but also had a very sad time with great-nana going to heaven. We are very lucky to have lots of pictures and video of her with you both. It goes without saying that she loved you so much. As her only great-grandchildren she was so proud to have you both in her life. She thought you had wonderful personalities and that you were both so beautiful...really. Daddy and I brought you to her wake and funeral so we could say goodbye to her as a family. I think everyone else loved having you there as you brought smiles to everyone’s faces during such a sad time.

A couple of days ago you both had your first food! I made sweet potatoes for you but neither of you were very appreciative. You both made some pretty awful faces. I don't think it was because you don't like the flavor of sweet potatoes though, I think it was just because it was something other than formula...in flavor and texture. We'll keep trying until you get the hang of it.

With the hot summer days we didn’t do too much outside. We mostly stayed in the air conditioning. You spent a lot of your time in the exersaucers. You love them so much and are very content in them. The play mat is a thing of the past except to be used as a blanket on which you immediately roll off of.

You are both grabbing things like a pro now. It so hard to imagine that just a month or so ago it was quite a challenge for you and that there was a time where it didn’t even cross your mind to grab things. Now you will grab (and put directly in your mouth) whatever I put in front of you. You love to play with the plastic interlocking rings and plastic keys and even your binkies. When we have gone for walks I will string the rings across the stroller in front of both of you and it keeps you entertained while we’re out.

You are still sleeping well at night. Daddy still wakes you up at 11pm to give you one last bottle and you’ll sleep until 8 or 9 and sometimes 10am. You both lay in your crib and play and talk for a LONG time before someone starts to fuss in the morning and I have to get out of bed. And even after that I will put you in your exersaucers and try to wait until 10 to give you your first bottle. We play after that and you both will cat nap here and there but nothing solid. At noon daddy comes home for lunch and plays with you. I feed you again at 2 and then will put you down for a nap in your crib after that. You CAN sleep for up to 3 hours although right now, Madison is up and is grumpy and fighting sleep. Daddy comes home around 5:30 so I can go to work. He feeds you at 6 and you all play and cat nap until 11 when he gives you your last bottle. We don’t hear a peep from either of you through the night. We are so blessed.

Daddy discovered on your 6 month birthday that you both can sit up! I guess I’ve never really tried it so I didn’t know you could do it! You easily fall over but you can both sit and play with a toy in front of you until you lose your balance.

No teeth yet but still lots of drooling and chewing on things.

You both roll over very easily and can move around in a circle. No one has figured out how to move forward though although you both will kick your feet like crazy like you think it will get you somewhere.

One thing I haven't talked about much is the attention that we get when we go places. It is absolutely impossible to go anywhere without someone stopping me and asking about you both. "Are they twins?" "A boy and a girl?" Then there are the typical comments "You've got your hands full." (to which I answer "better than empty") "Double trouble" "Instant family" "boy and girl...now you're done" (what if I wanted 10 kids??). People are funny but it makes it impossible to get anything done quickly. The attention drives daddy crazy. Most of the time he just breezes by people saying "yup, they're twins". I on the other hand welcome the attention. I am so proud that you are my children and I know how blessed I am to have you that I think I am very lucky to have to deal with such wonderful attention.

You both eat 7-8oz of formula 4 times a day. Gone are the days of propping up a bottle and feeding you both at the same time. And there is no way I can feed one of you without the other seeing the bottle and getting all upset. So bottle time has become tricky.

Your eyes are still that strange non-color I talked about last month.

It still amazes me how much I love you both. I love you so much that I swear no human being has ever loved anyone the way I love you. I am so overwhelmed by the emotion sometimes and I often bring myself to tears. You are the two most amazing creatures in the entire universe.

Dear Jackson (LOOK AT THAT FACE!!! I COULD EAT YOU UP!!),



You get more and more handsome by the day. Your smile is contagious and thrilling to anyone that you deem is worthy of seeing the site. Most people comment that you are a little flirt with your coy looks and one raised eyebrow. You make people smile and laugh everywhere we go. Your eyes get all squinty when you smile. Like you're just so excited you can't stand it. Daddy says I smile the same way and I love that you get that from me since you look just like Daddy in every other way!

I swear, every time you wake up, you are bigger. You are just growing like a weed. Your 2-3 swaddlers are already getting small on you and we just moved you into them a couple weeks ago. That is the biggest size swaddlers too. I'm just not ready for you to be in cruisers!! Even though I think you're very big you do still fit into some size 3 month onesies. Most of your current fitting clothes are 3-6 months. I'm not sure what you weigh at this point. We'll find out at your checkup on Monday. I'm curious to see what percentile you are compared to Madison.

You're not as into your binky as you used to be. You'll still take it every now and again but if you're really upset the only thing that will make you happy is to have a bottle in your mouth or to fall asleep.

Your head is still bald and so velvety soft although you do have a slightly fuller strip of hair in the middle of the top of your head. It looks like a mohawk.

Names I call you: Buddy, Tank as a joke but I don't actually refer to you as that, hmmm, I guess that's it. I call you Buddy oh and Guy and Big Guy. Why, I have no idea.

No injuries this month!


Dear Madison,



You also get more beautiful by the day. You're such a pretty baby and your smile is captivating. You smile the most enthusiastically when you first see someone after not seeing them for a period of time. It is so rewarding to be the recipient of one of those smiles. It makes me feel so loved by you. Your eyes get all big and wide when you smile like you're so excited to look at who you're smiling at.

You are still tiny. I wonder what Dr. C will say when she sees you. Grandma says I was always really low weight percentile wise so maybe you just get that from me and you're doing just fine. We have you in the size 2-3 swaddlers like your brother but they're a little big on you. You actually still fit in newborn size clothes!! But mostly we have you in 3-6 month size.

You are all about the binky now. You used to not care about it or need it, but now you need it and it will ALWAYS stop you from crying. It's like magic.

Your hair is really growing in now in the back and sides and the front is getting fuller and longer.

Names I call you: Baby Peanut, Peanut, Baby Girl.

No injuries this month!