7 months

Age: The boys are 7 months old!

Weight / Length: No idea.  We better not go back to the pediatrician until 9 months (outside of their booster flu shot next week).  Fingers crossed for healthy winter months.

Clothes:  We are still rocking 6 months in Carters, 3-6 months in Old Navy, and 4-6 months in H&M.  But things are definitely starting to get a bit tight!  We got some good deals on 9 month clothes after Thanksgiving so at least we have some outfits to put the boys in when the day comes that we can't button any of the 6 month clothes.

What are we eating?:  The boys are on a somewhat consistent schedule.  The day is some variation of the below ...

7:30 am - 5 oz of breast milk
8:00 am - 1 oz - 2 oz fruit or vegetable
10:30 am - 2 oz formula / 4 oz breast milk
Noon - 1 oz - 2 oz fruit or vegetable
1:30 pm - 5 oz breast milk
4:30 pm - 2 oz formula / 3 oz breast milk
5:00 pm - 1 oz - 2 oz fruit or vegetable
7:00 pm - 6 oz of breast milk
3:30 am - 6 oz of breast milk

They eat about 4 oz of formula per day and 28 oz of breast milk per day.  We are still on Stage 1 foods.  They have tried sweet potatoes, squash, peas, green beans, apples, peaches, and bananas.  They are definitely fans of the fruit.  Both boys are really getting good at eating solids.  Alex has even tried on occasion to grab the spoon.  We have also given the boys Baby Mum-Mum's.  They love these little biscuits.

I am down to pumping 4x per day.  I pump at 2:30 am, 8:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 8:30 pm.  I also have stopped recording how much breast milk I am getting at each session.  And it has reduced my stress level tremendously.  I am no longer putting a time frame on how long I will continue to pump.  I'm just going to keep doing it until I feel the time is right.  At this moment the boys are still getting mostly breast milk and for that I am grateful.  But I won't lie ... I am tired.  

How are we sleeping?  We did it.  We moved the boys to the nursery.  It was a rough transition ... for me!!  I was lost the first night.  I really just wanted to go rock myself in the corner.  But the boys are definitely sleeping much better without the distractions during the night.  We have not transitioned them to the crib.  The boys spend time in their crib each day.  And we have noticed that because they are rolling all over the place they often get limbs stuck in the slats of the crib.  This results in an immediate cry fest.  So we decided to invest in breathable bumpers.  They have been ordered and once they arrive we will begin the transition to the cribs.  I think the hardest part for me during this transition is that I get to "see" the boys even less now.  I get home from work at 4:30 pm and the boys go to bed at 7:00 pm.  And now because the boys are in the nursery I don't get to say "good-bye" before I leave for work in the morning.  That means I only see the boys about 3.5 hours each day (includes coming home for lunch).  This can be rough.  The boys are still getting up to eat once during the night.  Let me rephrase that ... Jakob is still getting up to eat once during the night!  But by default Alex must wake-up too.  All the books say that a baby should be able to go 12 hours without eating by the age of 6 months.  But to be honest I'm just not ready to transition Jakob off the middle of the night feeding.  Again.  I think we will know when the time is right.

Naps - The boys are taking anywhere between 3 - 4 naps per day for a total of 1.5 - 2 hours total.  We do not have big nappers.  But at the same time they are sleeping for 12 hours at night so it would explain why they only sleep for 1.5 - 2 hours during the day.

What are we doing?

Alex - The turtle has come out of his shell!!  We have gotten lots of smiles and (silent) laughs from Alex in recent days.  Alex is a rolling machine.  But he still prefers to spend time on his back.  Alex still whimpers for attention. It's not typically a full on cry.  Just a whimper to let you know that he is around.  He has also started to reach out his arms to us to let us know that he wants to be held.  Alex is working really hard to sit all by himself.  It kind of came out of nowhere.  And today Alex actually sat unassisted for about 2 minutes!  Go little man!!!  Alex still LOVES the jumperoo.  He would spend all day bouncing up and down if we let him.  Alex does a great job sleeping at night but he tends to fight naps during the day.  It is the only time he breaks out in a full on cry.  And a cry it is.  It is a slobbering, drooling, I can't catch my breath cry.  And just when we think he is going to choke to death and we bust in the nursery to save him you get ... a big smile.  Silly little man.  Alex also really loves Sophie the Giraffe.  Alex loves to chew on his toes.  I wish I could get my toes in my mouth.  Oh to be that flexible.  But let me just say .. our boys have some super stinky feet.  Kara has started to keep socks off of them during the day because their feet stink so bad.  I can't wait for the teenage years!!!

Jakob - Jakob is still a giggle monster.  He also still feels everything much more intensely than his brother Alex.  But at the same time Jakob has started to relax just a bit.  He is getting better and better at entertaining himself.  He is a world professional napper and only on rare occasion does Jakob fight a nap.  He is obsessed with his Scout dog.  He will get the most excited look on his face when you pull Scout out from hiding.  Jakob also loves the jumperoo.  There is always competition in the house for time in the jumperoo.  Jakob loves to interact with Alex.  But his interactions include climbing and/or kicking Alex.  And our sensitive little boy often gets annoyed very fast with his brother Jakob.  So there are times we have to keep them apart.  Jakob is doing a great job putting weigh on his legs.  It is amazing.  He is also working on sitting unassisted but hasn't quite mastered it as fast as Alex.  I think it's cause Jakob has my big head.  It's a lot of weight to carry around.  Both boys have started to become fascinated with our cat Ohana.  Any time Ohana walks by both boys reach out to pet grab Ohana.  Jakob also loves to grab Ohana's ears and tail.  We are working on teaching the boys to be nice to the animals.  We will see how long that takes.  We keep the dogs in the kitchen during the day and often times our mealtimes get a bit chaotic as the boys are more interested in the dogs than they are the food.  Jakob has found his voice.  Actually he has found his screaming voice.  Both boys have also mastered the "fake cough" and being stellar parents we do our fair share of encouraging the behavior.  Jakob is also becoming quite the wiggle worm and diaper changes are getting a bit challenging.  It is difficult to put a diaper on a wiggling kid.      

I am sure I am forgetting some important facts.  But I do know one thing ... I have never loved anyone quite like I love Jakob and Alex.  They are my world.  I simply cannot imagine a life without my little men.  I never knew it was possible to feel this type of love.  It's a love so deep that it hurts.  I feel so very blessed to have them with me each and every day.  You are amazing my sweet little boys.  We love you to the moon and back.  

Mary