Much Accomplished

In 2 days the twins will be 7 months old. I feel that they have accomplished so much this month. They are both sitting up on their own. I can put toys around them and they can pick them up and entertain themselves for a little while. They still fall down, but have really come a long way.

As they play in the middle of the den, I have begun having to referee. Shepherd wants to have any toy Spencer has. He stares at the toy, begins to stretch out his long arms to finally get a grasp on it and take it from Spencer. This morning Shepherd fell to his stomach from sitting up, rolled over to Spencer and grabbed the toy in Spencer's hand. Spencer is laid back and has not complained yet about it. He is more concerned about where I am located in the room.

Spencer is saying "Mamamama". He really only says it when he is upset, but I think he knows he is calling to me. :) The exersaucer has become one of their favorite toys. They can pull themseleves to a standing position to better reach the toys.

They got puffs for the first time this month. They are not really crazy about them. Shepherd will eat one if he can put it in his mouth. If I just stick it in there, he gags. He is our independent one. Spencer has more trouble putting them in his mouth, but will eat it if I stick it in there. We try and have puff practice to work on those fine motor skills

It has been so hot lately, but there were a couple of cloudy afternoons and we were able to get some shots of us playing in the backyard.

They love riding in their wagon!

Best Buds!

Spence is always smiling!!

How can I get out of here??

Pick me up out of the grass please!

Lets go for a ride!

So I can remember...

I know 6 months from now or even 3 months, I will not be able to remember what all we did every day. In getting ready to leave the boys with my parents for 2 nights, I was typing up their schedule. I thought...I have got to put this on my blog so I will be able to look back and see what our days consisted of.

Now I try to be flexible with our schedule, but we all do better when we can stick to it. I know what to expect and so do the boys. I was very routine oriented when I was a teacher, why would I not be with my own children!?!? :)

The boys get up at different times each day so here is modified "typical" schedule...

Anywhere between 6:45 and 7:45- the boys wake up (Whenever they wake up I base the rest of our day on)

7:00- first bottle

7:00-9:15ish- playtime- usually we go from the floor, to excersauser, to bumpos, etc

9:15- cereal and fruit (their favorite meal of the day)

9:30ish- get ready and play time in the bed (see earlier post for video)

10:00 naptime

10:45 (if I'm lucky they sleep 45 mins which they usually don't) - bottle

10:45-12:30 Playtime

12:30- lunch 1/2 a veggie 1/2 fruit

12:45- storytime

1:00-1:45 or 2 (depending on their mood)- playtime

1:30- small bottle

1:45- naptime - I let them really decide when they should go down. Sometimes it is even earlier.

We have been on a good nap schedule and it has gotten even better. Sometimes I get 1 1/2 hour or even one day I got 3 hours!! It is different with each of them and they wake up at different times.

Whenever they wake up-4:30 playtime

4:30- bottle

4:45- 6:30 PLAYTIME with mommy AND daddy :)- Matt gets home around 4:30 and we love this time. We sometimes (a lot of times) go to a grocery store or go walking just to bum around. The boys love to get out!

6:30 dinner -veggies/ maybe a fruit, depending on what they had for lunch

6:45-7:30ish- playing in bed, bath, story time

7:30 bottle and then bed

We are trying to bump the boys back to 7:45 or 8, but they are always ready to go to bed! This would allow us to go out with our friends more at night, but they are doing so well we ARE NOT complaining! :) I was so worried at the beginning about getting on a schedule, and it finally just fell into place!

What a lucky mommy I am!!! Look at my handsome boys!

Favorite time

One of my favorite times of the day is when we put the boys together in one of the beds to change their clothes. I know I have posted pictures of this before, but it is such a fun time. They laugh and play together. They roll around without clothes on, which they LOVE! Matt and I love this time with them. We usually spend 15-30 mins changing them into their pajamas and just enjoying this time. The wont be able to fit in the bed together like this for long, so I am trying to enjoy every moment. Since they have gotten more mobile in rolling around it is funny to see how they end up. Last night, Shep somehow got his head in between Spence's legs. It was hilarious! Here is a picture of what it looked like. It is from my phone, so it isn't great quality.

We have this time at least twice a day. Here is a short video of them just playing together. Sometimes I just step back and let them interact. I love to watch them together. My sweeties...

Firsts.....

Have I mentioned that I feel my boys are growing up too fast???? Mom came down and spent the day with us. We took the boys to Momma Goldbergs and put them in high chairs for the first time. I just can't believe they can do this. Here they are laughing at Nana. Such sweet boys!!!

Happy 1/2 Birthday!!

I cannot believe I am posting that my sweet ones are 6 months old!! In a way it seems like just yesterday I was bringing them home from the hospital! I can still remember them being able to sleep in their bassinets together...now they can barely fit under their play mat!

If I am this sad on their 1/2 birthday, I am not looking forward to their 1st birthday! We have come so far in the past 6 months. I feel like we are doing great and are having so much fun! My boys are such a joy! God has truly blessed me!

Here are a few fun things about each...

Shepherd

-loves to read books. He concentrates and looks at every page while you read

-kicks his feet and shakes in arms in delight; loves to feel the bed shake as he kicks

- shakes his leg while he eats....thanks Daddy! ;)

-has a sweet shy smile; leans his head into you when he smiles

-knows exactly what he wants!

-talks and coos when he wakes up

-squeals when you walk in the room to get him out of the bed

- loves to eat!! Loves sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, apples, bananas, and is liking sweet peas a little more

- loves his ExcerSaucer and Baby Einstein

-can sit up for a minute

Trying to hold his own bottle (look at those eyelashes!!)

I'm a cutie!

Spencer

-smiles all the time; has a contagious smile

- laughs easily and is easy going

-only cries when he is sleepy

-is a little bit of a momma's boy-(that's ok with me!)

- loves to eat! Loves sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, apples, bananas, and sweet peas (sometimes)

- will gag on food he doesn't like

- has waved bye bye three times!

- started sitting up at 5 1/2 months

-is beginning to try and figure out how to scoot

Trying to hold his bottle too. Sweet lips!!

I'm trying to figure out how to get you!

Sweet brothers

Spencer is trying to put his arm around Shepherd.

On Saturday, we had my parents, Julie and Blake and their kids down to celebrate Shepherd and Spencer's 1/2 birthday. The past 6 months have been so great and I want to make Shep and Spence feel special as much as I can!

I made a Coca Cola cake. Each boy had a HALF...(they didn't get to try it though. We will save that for January). I used the cake topper from my baby shower.

Our attempt of a family picture

Spence-wants the cake

Shep- more concern about the apples I am feeding him

The boys were watching Papa and Daddy put up the tent.

Sweet Jackson and Spencer

Nana reading to Shep and Caroline

Loving on Spencer. Look at Caroline and Jackson's face...precious!

Fun at Nana and Papa's

The boys and I went to my parents house last weekend for a few days. It was so much fun! It was nice to get out of the house for a little while.

Spencer having some Papa time

We love to roll around on Nana and Papa's rug

Nana has some fun toys!

Nana rocking Shepherd to sleep

My parents have a pool and this past weekend was the boys' first time in the pool. They loved it! We waited until the sun went down, so we didn't have to worry about sunscreen. The only problem with that is the boys go to bed at 7:30. So both of them were very tired!

Hanging out in the boat.

Spencer really enjoyed it, but was more reserved because he was so tired.

Can I just sleep here?

Shep is my little observer and he LOVED it! Always loves something new!

This is fun!

Spence is looking on..."When is it my turn?"

WWWEEEEEEE!

Spence loved swimming around. Look at those cute feet!

Floating with Papa...this is the life!

Swimming was so much fun...we are ready for bed!

We were so tired after swimming..

Shep fell asleep sitting up...

Ready to go home....Do we have to? We love Nana and Papa's house!

First Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

This past Sunday was Father's Day. We had a great time celebrating Matt! I knew what a special guy I had married 6 years ago, but I have really seen how amazing he is since Shepherd and Spencer have been born. Matt has really stepped up in helping with our boys. While most parents can get a break and trade off tending to the baby, that isn't the case with twins. We each always have our hands full. Matt always got up to help me in the middle of the night in the beginning! I couldn't have done those first few months without him! Shepherd and Spencer are going to have a wonderful man to look up too and try to imitate! I am so lucky to have such a great husband to be an amazing father to our children!

Each boy wakes up at different times, then gets in the bed with us and sleeps about an extra hour or so. Spencer is sleeping with his arms up like Daddy! I was making Father's Day breakfast.

"Happy Father's day!"

Spencer waking up with a big smile!

Waking up in a good mood!

Giving Daddy his card

We picked out a special present for Daddy.

We love our Daddy!

Ready to go to church! We were on our best behavior for Daddy today!