Friday, November 21, 2014

Madeline and Molly: Nine Months


Madeline and Molly,
You are NINE MONTHS old today! The time is going by so quickly but we are having so much fun watching y'all grow up.  Everyday just keeps getting better as y'all are doing more developmentally and as your personalities really start to shine.  Life with three kids is so enjoyable and the very best part is watching the relationship form between y'all and Carter.  

We are officially following a 4-hour schedule now that includes 3 meals and 2-3 naps each day.  Typically y'all wake up at 7:00 and drink an 8-ounce bottle while I pump, followed by breakfast at 8:00.  With the exception of days when we take Carter to preschool y'all will go down for a nap around 8:45-9:00 and nap until 10:30-11:00.  Then the schedule repeats with y'all nursing at 11:00, lunch at noon, and another nap from about 1:30-4:00.  Nurse again at 4:00, followed by dinner at 5:30 and sometimes a cat nap around 6:15.  Y'all nurse for the last time around 7:00 before going to sleep for the night.


My life officially feels like we revolve around mealtime; I'm always preparing a meal, serving a meal or cleaning up a meal.  Y'all are now eating three full meals a day, y'all love to eat and have great appetites! We have yet to find a food that y'all don't like, although you still haven't mastered eating bananas.  This month we tried and liked yogurt, carrots, waffles, toast, mangos, broccoli, mac-n-cheese, zucchini, butternut squash, apples, red bell peppers, raspberries, eggs, clementines, potatoes, chicken, blueberries, green beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, oatmeal, cheerios, squash, scones, strawberries, blackberries, pepperoni, and grapes.  I think y'all might like your veggies a like more than your fruits.  Favorites are definitely sweet potatoes and roasted apples.  We also give y'all a little bit of water everyday and will probably start using a sippy cup soon.


Madeline Kate,
Maddy Kate, Maddy Girl, Mads Pads, Sister Bear, Sister, Girl...you are one sweet, sweet baby.  You are still our more laid-back, "go with the flow" sister and love to people watch (your favorite people being sister bear and brother bear.)  You have yet to meet a stranger and give huge smiles to anyone who will pay you any attention.  You are very interested in what Molly is doing, where she is going and what toy she is playing with.  You have your eye out and let me know if I walk by you without picking you up or reminding me not to leave you on the floor if I pick sister bear up.  You do NOT want to be left out of anything! You are sensitive and can get your feelings hurt easily if we ignore you too long, but are pleased as punch as long as we hug and kiss you every few minutes.  Your laughs are probably the best thing I've ever heard, and now that you are laughing at everything sister and brother do I stay one happy mama.

Baby girl you are crawling! Well, you are army crawling and scooting anywhere and everywhere.  I can't leave you down for a second without you finding a cord plugged into a wall across the room and you are OFF! Zoom! I was actually a little shocked that you started crawling so soon since you are still not sitting up unassisted; I kept thinking that milestone would come first.  And now that you are crawling everywhere you have no time or patience to be still and practice sitting.  For the love! I need you to learn how to sit so we can do a normal bath, sit in a high chair, and sit in the grocery cart.  The day I can take all three of you to the grocery store and only use one shopping cart (instead of pushing one and pulling one behind me) I will be a very happy mama!

We started OT this month with your therapist, Tina, who sees you and Carter.  You have some weird things you do with your tongue/mouth so we are working on those as well as sitting up and fine motor movements with your hands.  One of my favorite things you do is to self-soothe by sucking on your tongue.  It sounds weird to say but that's the best way Daddy and I can describe it.  I'm worried that all the OT work we are doing with your mouth will "cure" your tongue sucking, but that's probably the point.  You don't take a paci anymore but have started sleeping with a small blanket, so maybe that will help you continue to self-soothe.

You have lost a few ounces since our last appointment, probably from all of that crawling, so we are sure to fill your belly all day and will be back for a weight check in a few weeks.  If you had told me nine months ago that my big "Baby A" would one day be my smaller twin I probably wouldn't have believed you.  But you are almost an entire pound less than your sister, exact same in length, and a much larger head.  A long string bean!

Madeline 9 month Stats
Weight: 15 pounds 1 ounce (2%ile)
Length: 27.1 inches (33%ile) 
Eating: nursing 3 times a day with one breastmilk bottle in the morning.  Typically 11am, 4pm, 7pm, and 7am.
Bedtime: around 7:30pm
Awake: 7:00am
Naps: 9:00-11:00am, 1:30-4:00pm, and a cat nap in the car occasionally 
Diapers: size 2 Huggies
Clothes: 3-6 months
Teeth: lower central incisors, upper central incisors 
Food: bananas, carrots, cucumbers, avocado, sweet potatoes (mashed and roasted), peaches, pears, shredded cheeses, yogurt, waffles, toast, mangos, broccoli, macaroni and cheese, zucchini, butternut squash, apples, bell peppers, raspberries, eggs, clementines, chicken, blueberries, green beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, oatmeal, cheerios, squash, strawberries, blackberries, scones, pepperoni and grapes
Favorites: sleeping, Daddy, Carter, Molly, riding in the Ergo, your bouncer, eating blankets, Sophie the Giraffe, chewing on cords, all food, being outside, being "thrown" up and down, 
Development: scares easily, crawling, holding her own bottle for short periods, 
Milestones:
11/10- upper central incisors




Molly Ann,
Molly Girl, Molls Balls, Sister Bear, Sister Girl...you are the life of the party! Always showing off for your siblings, and always doing something for them to pay attention to.  Baby girl, I think you might have a career in acting in your future.  You have mastered the art of the fake cry and use it anytime you want something.  Come get me out of my highchair! Give me that toy! Pick me up! Give me words of affirmation! And on, and on, and on.  I'm confident in saying that you know what you want when you want it and how to get it.  Your poor husband, he is never going to be able to ever tell you "no."

You are our little princess, not wanting to get your hands or face dirty.  You love to eat but want us to hand feed you your food and let us know if we ever get a drop on your face.  You hate to have your hands and face wiped and God forbid we wipe your nose.  You are so good with your paci now and I watch you on the monitor or in the car just take it out of your mouth and put it back in at your own will.  That is so nice! You hold your own bottle like a champ and can down 8 ounces in less than 10 minutes.  Piggy! 

You are crawling just like Sister Bear.  You have no interest in going anywhere quickly, but will fly as soon as you see a shoe or one of Carter's toys.  Your favorite thing to do is this cute little side-sit, like a model pose.  You crawl for a bit and then side-sit.  Play with a toy and then side-sit.  Roll over and then land on your side.  I need to get a good picture of you like that to save in case you model in your future.  The best part of your day is when Carter comes to "talk" to you, especially in the morning when you are drinking your bottle.  You love, love, LOVE Carter and follow him everywhere.  The three of you are going to be the very best of friends.  

We finally got your eczema under control with some hydrocortisone cream. Your lower two teeth finally popped through and you are USING them! I thought at the beginning of the month you would have to stop nursing because you couldn't nurse without biting, but thankfully it was a phase and we are back in our nursing routine.  Your hair on the top of your head is coming in quickly, but the rest seems to be in a stagnant state so you may be rocking a mohawk soon. You hold your own bottle now which is a game changer. You have the sweetest little laugh and go on and on and on when we tickle you at night.  We love you! 

Molly 9 month Stats
Weight: 16 pounds 0 ounces (7%ile)
Length: 27.1 inches (33%ile) 
Eating: nursing 3 times a day with one breastmilk bottle in the morning.  Typically 11am, 4pm, 7pm, and 7am.
Bedtime: around 7:30pm
Awake: 7:00am
Naps: 9:00-11:00am, 1:30-4:00pm, and a cat nap in the car occasionally 
Diapers: size 2 Huggies
Clothes: 3-6 months
Teeth: lower central incisors
Food: bananas, carrots, cucumbers, avocado, sweet potatoes (mashed and roasted), peaches, pears, shredded cheeses, yogurt, waffles, toast, mangos, broccoli, macaroni and cheese, zucchini, butternut squash, apples, bell peppers, raspberries, eggs, clementines, chicken, blueberries, green beans, corn, cherry tomatoes, oatmeal, cheerios, squash, strawberries, blackberries, scones, pepperoni and grapes
Favorites: sleeping, Carter, your paci, jumping in the jumper or exersaucer, riding in the car, being paid any amount of attention, food being fed to you, bath time  
Development: crawling, holding her own bottle 
Milestones:
10/28- lower central incisors 


Our sweet babies at nine months