6 Months Old???

Yup, the babies are 6 months old...these have been the most rewarding, joyous, challenging, sleep-deprived, wonderful six months of my life. I wouldn't trade them for anything in this world. While I wish they would slow down in their growing just a bit, it's also so exciting to see the new things they discover each and every day. It seems everyday that Matt gets home from work, I excitedly tell him about the "new" and "amazing" thing that one of the twins is doing. It's too fun. My camera has never gotten so much use as it has in the past six months. I also don't think I've laughed this much in my life. There's just so much joy.

So below, here is what R&Q are up to at 6 Months!!!

Ryan: What You Are Up To @ 6 Months Old!

- You now weigh 15lbs 9oz (25th percentile!), you are 25.75 inches long (16th percentile) and your head is 44.5 cm (whoa, 75th percentile!). You are fully in 3-6 month clothes from most places and wear 6 month sleepers. I think we are going to have to move you soon into larger sleepers because you like to be able to move around at night, and some of those are getting a little skin tight! You will probably be in 6-9 month clothing very soon --- too soon for Momma, who still has way more outfits for you to wear that are 6 month size. But some of them get stuck in your big noggin' and you don't like that very much :)

- You grow new hair every day it seems! It's so soft and I love to run my fingers through it. It's definitely brown and you have the most gorgeous blue eyes. Now that you are 6 months, I believe they are hear to stay. You can thank your grandfathers for that one!

- You are still just about the happiest and easiest going baby I've ever seen. You pretty much just go with the flow and you only cry if you are super tired  or super hungry. When you are done eating, you will just give me this precious grin and just toy with the bottle. You never seem to get mad about anything! Except when I pull those too tight collars over your head.

- You are MOVING. A lot. You just roll and roll and roll. I can't leave you alone on your play mat for a second because before I know it, you have rolled yourself almost under the coffee table. You like toys, and you love your "lovey" but you are pretty much just into trying to move your body these days. You have also taken up what we call your "yoga pose" --- where you lift both your arms and your legs off the ground while you are on your tummy and just leave them hanging in the air. When I look at you when you are doing that, you just give me the biggest smile and look heartbreakingly grown up!

- Speaking of smile, you officially have 2 bottom teeth that have come in! They are not all the way through but most of the way. You started getting them at Thanksgiving and now you just have these two perfectly formed SHARP teeth. Amazing. You grabbed my hand the other day and start sucking on it and for a second I forgot about your teeth until you sunk them into my flesh. Yeah, that didn't hurt at all :)

- You are sleeping through the night and would probably sleep more if I would let you. You are still taking 3 good naps a day, and I am so grateful for that. Your morning nap and afternoon nap are probably your best ones and I can count on you to go for at least and hour and a half to two hours. LOVE that.

- You are still my snuggle bunny, no matter how big you get. I can always count on you to be my "cuddle monkey" and I love it.

- You still eat 5 times a day and typically have between 6-7 ounces per bottle. We just started rice cereal by spoon and so far, you are not the biggest fan. But we're working on it. You don't exactly hate it, I just think you are confused why you suddenly have this metal/plastic thing in your mouth and not a soft nipple. But you'll catch on soon!

- You giggle and laugh all the time and make tons of sounds. I need to pay closer attention but I think you are starting to babble in 2 syllables now. You also in the last couple of days have been saying the "mmmmm" sound which I take as a positive sign that maybe, just maybe, you will say "Mama" first! (crossing fingers, ha)

- I love you, sweet boy. I love the way you interact with your sister and are so interested in what's going on around you. I love your calm nature and your drooly smiles. And your daddy and I can't wait to see the boy you will become in the next few months ---aghhhh!

Quinn: What You Are Up To @ 6 Months Old:

- You now weigh 13lbs 6oz (10th percentile), you are 23.75 inches long (6 or 7th percentile) and your head is 41.3 cm (25th percentile). You are wearing all 3-6 month clothes now except your 3 month onesies from Carter's still fit pretty well. I get very excited everytime I pull something new out of your closet that I have been waiting for you to wear and it actually fits!!

- You also have quite the extensive bow collection. We have expanded into the realm of these thin, stretchy headband bows because they look much more proportionate on your little head. Which by the way, you have the most perfect little round head - it's like a baby dolls! You still don't have much in the way of hair but lately, I've noticed a few little new sprouts. Hard to tell what color it's going to be, but I am leaning towards just brown with maybe a little blonde thrown in. Natural highlights, perhaps? Your eyes are also fully hazel now and change colors depending upon what you are wearing. Mommy & Daddy both have hazel eyes and think it's very special that you do, too!

- Your personality has become so developed over the last month or so. You are such a joy. You are most happy when you have not one, not two, but at least 3 toys in your hands or between your feet. You are easily bored and like to be amused and entertained at all times. You will entertain  yourself for at least 30 minutes on the playmat as your lift your legs up and grab all sorts of things. You will grab 2 of the hanging toys with each of your hands then lift your legs and somehow grasp onto another. It's amazing. Your grandmother Barbara calls you "Nadia" because you have all the litheness and flexibility of a gymnast. I will be crazy if I don't put you in tumbling classes very early on :)

- Your Daddy calls you "Thunder Kick" because you will just bring your legs almost up to your ears and then slam them down with all of your might --- with not a care in the world with what may be below. We have to keep a close eye on you because you have almost smashed your brother in the face a couple of times. I don't think he would have liked that too much. You are fearless - yikes! So was I as a baby and I would just run full force into coffee tables, doors, people, etc. Something tells me you will be the same way.

- Your fine motor skills are so developed - you must be into everything, touching everything, moving all the time. And you are working so hard on your gross motor skills. You will now roll front to back and back to front again and again until you get tired and start screaming for us. You are starting to sleep on your tummy more and more and I think you like it there --- until you wake up and get confused why you don't see the ceiling anymore. You are also freakishly strong and can hold yourself in a sitting position for a long time with my hand propped behind you. I know you will sit on your own very soon! You also can hold yourself up really well on your legs with assistance. I think that's where your petiteness really pays off. But sweetheart, the way you move around, no one would ever guess that you have a "different' heart! It's amazing.

- You are still fiesty, spunky, and lovable, and you pretty much have the most precious giggle in the world. It goes from a giggle into a full blown chuckle in a matter of seconds. I love that you are so happy now because for a little while when you first came home, I wondered if you liked us :) But obviously you were just adjusting to being in new surroundings, and I guess you figure you like us now!

- You are also making all sorts of babbling sounds. I have caught "bbbs" and "uhhhhhhs" and a few others. I think I've caught a couple of doubles from you as well - wow, I really need to pay closer attention to those from you guys!

- You still take 5 bottles a day. You vary tremendously in the amount of the bottles but we are starting to figure out a pattern. As long as you are growing, your dietician and doctor are ok with that. So, you aren't the most consistent child :) You will eat a big ole bottle for breakfast (almost 6 ounces sometimes) but then, even if we wait 4 hours, you may still only take 2 ounces the next bottle. And then the 3rd bottle you are back up to maybe 4 - 5 ounces, then 4th feeding is about 3oz and 5th before bed is usually another good one of 5 ounces. Whew, you can wear me out sometimes thinking about all of that! But like I said, you continue to grow and gain weight, so that works for you! Plus, since you are still taking high-cal formula with the rice cereal, you just stay a little more full longer. And you really, really liked the rice cereal spoon fed to you! You had a total advantage having had the taste of in your bottle before, so really you just need to learn the whole spoon & swallow thing. By the second night, you had it down, and we could see how proud of yourself you were. Precious!!

- We love you so much, baby girl. Your chubby cheeks make me melt. And to see you thrive and continue to grow as well as you have --- well, it just shows me that God is still in the miracle business for sure. My heart is full and my cup overfloweth.

Love you, precious angels - and can't wait to celebrate your 1st Christmas with you in just 2 weeks! Man, I have a lot of outfits to put you in between now & then!