Brayden and Ashley: Seven Months

Brayden and Ashley have officially been here for 7 months and every month Eric and I are loving them more and more. Their personalities are truly shining through and we can't get enough of their scrunched nose smiles. Here's a look back at what's happened this past month. 

The day after they turned 6 months we went to my Aunt and Uncle's house to celebrate a few of my second cousins' birthdays. This was the first time for Brady and Ashley meeting a lot of this side of my family, and they enjoyed some pool time and snuggles. We also stopped by the nursing home to see my Grandpa Wolf again. He is working so hard so he can come home soon!

The next day after church we all went over to Dan and Theresa's for some family time. They have big blow up pool outside and Grant got in to play. Brady seemed really interested in the water, so I threw a swim diaper on him and set him in. I could tell that he wanted to get in more, so in the pool I went! That water was c-o-l-d, but Brayden didn't seem to mind. 

On August 17th, I had to go back to work, which meant that the babies had to go to daycare. Thanks to a few test runs, we were out the door in plenty of time to make it to Amanda's by 7 and then for me to get to work by 7:45. Surprisingly, I didn't cry when I dropped them off that morning (probably because I bawled my eyes out the night before-it's all about balance.). It did also help that Amanda sent me lots of pictures throughout the day, and throughout the first weeks, to help ease my transition back. I couldn't wait to get them after work that day and just snuggle them all night long. As much as I was dreading not getting to see them all day long, it was really nice to get back into some adult interaction, and those smiles I get when I walk in to daycare to pick them up at the end of the day just melts my heart. 

That Friday we headed to Effingham to see Doug and Ashley and their kiddos. We played with some new to them toys, Brady got pushed around the deck by Auggie and Bennett, and the big kids ate some dirt cake. It was a fabulous night! 

On the 23rd we went to Erin and Chad's so Eric could help with pouring concrete for their landscaping. I'd like to say that I helped with that, but I really didn't. I mean, someone had to watch the babies, right? It was a fun morning playing with their cousins and getting some family time in.

We had the babies' 6 month well baby check up on the 25th. Brayden weighed 19.3 pounds (76%) and was 27.75 inches tall (86%), and Ashley weighed 17.7 pounds (70%) and was 26 inches long (46%). 

At that appointment, we got the official go ahead to start offering purees, so the next night we tested out carrots as their first food. Neither one were huge fans, but I didn't expect them to love it right away. I will say that by now, they are both loving real food! Brady pretty much loves all food, except for peas. The whole time we were feeding him those he had a scrunched up face of disgust. Ashley prefers fruits to vegetables. I think her favorite fruit right now is pears. She is also a big fan of sweet potatoes. We attempted yogurt, and while Ashley seemed to love it, she also had a skin reaction to it (red splotches on her face) and had pretty bad diaper rash the next day, so we are laying off on the dairy for a while for them.

To date, they have tried: carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, yellow squash, broccoli and cauliflower, applesauce, pears, bananas, peaches, and yogurt. I've made all of their baby food (aside from the applesauce) so far, and I plan to make it for as long as I can. 

The last weekend in August, Eric and I took our monthly date night- nothing like waiting until the last few days of the month! We went out to Irene's and enjoyed some pizza and wine outside. It was a wonderful evening just the two of us.

On August 30th we had Jenny Stewart take some family photos of us! The babies actually cooperated better than I was expecting, so I was pleased with how the pictures turned out. We didn't get huge smiles in pictures of just the babies, but we did get some big smiles in other pictures from the session so I was happy with that.

The 31st brought us a friend who we hadn't seen in YEARS- Nick Matson! He is currently stationed in Spain and came home for his sister's vowel renewal/wedding. We were very responsible and stayed socially distanced during his visit, but man I can't wait to give that guy a big hug the next time he is home.

Labor Day weekend brought a nice relaxing weekend at home enjoying each other's company and soaking up the cuddles and giggles from these two. I could go for some more extended weekends at home with them.

And some other things we don't want to forget:

• As of today, Brady is weighing 19.8 pounds and measuring 28 inches tall. Ashley weighs 18 pounds and is 25.5 inches tall. 

• This month we have still been following a two hour wake window schedule. The babies can go up to 2.5 hour wake windows if needed, so I know it's time to start stretching their every day wake windows to extend those out. On daycare/work days, they get up at 6, bottle/play, nap 8-10, bottle, play, eat food, nap 12-3, bottle/play, pick them up from daycare around 4:15, nap from 5-5:30/5:45, bottle/play, eat food, bed by 8. On the weekends we don't get up until 7, and in general our naps are shorter here at home for some reason. I can only get them to nap for about an hour and a half for their first nap and around 2-2 and a half for their second nap when we are at home.

• They each get four bottles a day. Brayden gets 8 ounces in each bottle (32 ounces a day), and Ashley gets 7 in her bottles (28 ounces). Brady never leaves a drop in his bottles, but sometimes Ashley will leave 2-3 ounces in one or two of her bottles in a day. I never force her to finish them, because I often find that that leads to her spitting it right back up. I do usually try to offer the rest of the bottle maybe a half hour or so later. Sometimes she takes it, sometimes she doesn't. 

• We've moved up to size three diapers after they were having leaks during nap times in their size two diapers. We still go through on average 10-12 diapers a day between the two of them. Ashley likes to poop in the car ride to daycare (sorry Amanda!), so we usually go through an extra diaper with her each day to accommodate that bowel movement. 

• Last week I officially packed away their six month clothes and busted out their nine month totes. In doing this I realized they are pretty lacking in their nine month clothes department. That or they had an overabundance of six month clothes ha!

 

• Favorite toys this month are the squish ball for Brady and the keys for Ashley.

• Now that the babies are moving and rolling so much more during the day, their sleeping preferences at night have become quite interesting. Ashley much prefers to sleep on her stomach, and you can usually find her at either the very top or very bottom of her crib. Often sideways. In the corner.

• Brady still sleeps on his back most nights, but he is known to sleep on his stomach every now and then. Brady likes to live on the edge and sleep with a foot or an arm hanging between the slats of the crib. It won't be long before he wakes us up screaming because a limb got stuck while he was trying to roll over. 

• This month, Ashley is still loving to roll everywhere. I now have to shut the bathroom door so that she doesn't roll across the floor in there. We have to keep a close eye on any cables or things that are easily accessible to her now that she's pretty mobile. 

• Ashley also enjoys being outside and petting Cassie, eating fruit, pooping on the way to daycare, and her toy keys. If you can match her intensity level, she loves tickles, funny faces, and random noises. 

• She is still a fan of being called pretty, and enjoys touchy feel-y books. 

• On her playmat, she now likes to take the parrot off the hook and chew on it and push the supports with her feet to flatten it out. 

• Ashley does not care for long car rides or siting still. This girl is a squirmy worm. She dislikes getting stuck against a piece of furniture where she can't keep rolling. 

• Brayden loves his bouncer and being held. He is in his element outside, and he has enjoyed sitting on the couch with Eric watching football and basketball. 

 

• The kid loves to eat- you should see the way his eyes light up, his mouth opens, and his tongue gets going when he sees a bottle or a spoon. He loves music, belly kisses, and funny faces and sounds.

• As far as dislikes for Brady, he is not a fan of loud, startling noises. It doesn't happen as often anymore as he can really roll now by the end of this month, but towards the beginning of the month he wasn't a fan of getting stuck on his stomach for too long. And peas. He also greatly dislikes peas.

• We have been practicing sitting up like big kids and these two are nailing it! Every day they seem more and more stable, and they don't even need their hands for total support anymore. Brady definitely sits better than Ashley, but I think that part of that is because Ashley wants to move so she doesn't focus on her balance, but instead leans to where she wants to go.

• And speaking of going, both babies will push off your hands with their legs to get something that is out of reach. They can both get into a hands and knees crawling position.

• Both babies are being more and more vocal. And while Ashley developed her pterodactyl screams last month, those have evolved into more speech like babbles with b and d sounds. She often "says" dadadadada- which totally means nothing right now but gives Eric hope that she will actually say dada before mama. We will just have to see! And Brady has started talking in the cutest little zombie growls I've ever heard. He is not really making any labial or alveolar sounds yet, but I know those won't be too long off for him either.

• We still have no teeth, so for now we are loving their gummy smiles!