I couldn't imagine that any year would top 2012, but honestly spending this year as a mama to my two little cubs has been the best! I have neglected this blog horribly...and all I can say is that I do regret it, as it has meant a lot to me to document this journey! I've been keeping some notes on all the changes and developments with the little ones but any actual text stops abruptly halfway through the 9 month post. How awful of me! Anyway...here is how things have been between months 7 and 13! 7 months Colds Holiday Swimming Interactive/communicative Food - meat/fish/meals (3 meals) Sleep Own room Z Talking (dadadadada) Banging his legs on command Giggly Weight gain Height increase Bigger dummies A Baby walker Sitting comfortably Humming Mobile BF for shorter periods Dummy obsession Tantrums When her Dad came to Lagos Baths Wow...this is soooo overdue!! Life with twins is FULL and super busy...and I'm loving it! It's tough, don't get me wrong but they are just so much fun! There are days when I genuinely want to pull my hair out and am shattered by the time DH gets home, however all I need is one cute smile or a glimpse of an innocent sleeping face and it's all forgotten! So the main event this month has been the 16day holiday to Portugal with my mum (with my Dad joining later and my DH coming out for the middle weekend)! It was a little tricky for me (my Mum and I had a bit of friction over her over protectiveness and worry about the babes) but the kiddos loved it...gorgeous weather, tons of attention from grandparents, loads of space and an outdoor lifestyle! What's not to love?! It was really lovely! Unfortunately we all ended up with hideous colds while we were out there and that meant less sleep, lots of snot and spluttering! Neither of the babes slept through the night for the majority of the time we were out there... This month has been another big leap for A...she's just so hyper now...so her sitting up is great...she's so comfortable and she can move...albeit by rolling, but she can get around! In Portugal my mum bought them a baby walker and A became a full on expert!!! She loved being able to get around and have more freedom! She was a little star! A has also become even more obsessed with my iPhone...seriously, she's constantly scanning for it! Means I have to leave all my phone use until she's asleep or distracted! Lol! Not a bad thing I suppose! She's also insanely obsessed with her brother's dummy (pacifier)...when she sees him, all she actually sees is a dummy and she will do whatever it takes to steal it from him! He's so passive and just let's her yank it from his bib or his mouth so she can chew it! Lol! Funny and sad that she's so desperate! The tantrums are still pretty hideous...I need to work on a way to deal with these better! I hate seeing her flip out...she goes out of control and it takes a long time to calm her...some days it makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong...why's a baby capable of being stressy?! It's still commonly when she's tired so I guess reading her cues better! Other cute little things she's doing...it sounds like she hums...it's not a tune (obviously) but she does it when she's concentrating...so cute! Also she is still totally in love with her Dad...when he came out to Portugal, he arrived late at night...both babes were asleep but when he came into the bedroom, she woke up and saw him and then rolled over to the bars near him and reached out to touch his face! Cutest moment ever...I think she totally melted his heart! Oh and also she's enjoying her baths more...she never disliked them but was apprehensive...while on holiday I bathed them daily as we were using sunblock and I found she likes to sit up in the bath now...much happier time! My little Z is just getting bigger and bigger!!! He's taller, he's heavier and he's chunkier! He's even using the next size up in dummies...he just looks toooooooooo adorable! It feels so good to see him grow after our tricky start! He's also becoming much less whiny than when he was younger! He's still set on remaining on his back...no solo sitting for more than a few seconds and refusal to roll! I just think he'll so it in his own time...he is as his dad refers to him, "The Original Mr Chill" - DH even bought him an outfit for his holiday that says "Just Chillin'" - its made for him!! But as much as he's Mr Chill, he also loves to giggle...it's the cutest sound ever...and he's ticklish - super cute!!!! He is quite a playful boy and likes toys...he still loves his jungle gym and I bought them like an activity centre in Portugal which kept him busy. One of the other things that have actually been quite incredible this month...he bangs his legs on command when lying down! My mum taught him and it's unbelievable to see him respond!!! He lifts both his legs right up and then slams them down! Really makes us laugh! And then there's his "talking" - he's well ahead of both his sister and his cousin when it comes to his chitter chatter...this month he has really mastered the "da-da-da-da"!! And he says it in all different tones...including one that sounds like he's getting quite pissed off! Lol! Love it!! In general both babes have become so much more interactive and communicative...they look at you...they respond to speech and emotions...they just seem to have grown up a lot! Their food intake has also increased...we started three meals in Portugal and its going really well...they've had all kinds of fruit and veg but more excitingly they've ow had chicken, fish and lentils! They have pretty much loved everything! Z is still super enthusiastic and A is just very well behaved most of the time there is food on offer...though there is the occasional bubble blowing session which leads to food being sprayed everywhere. They started their swimming class...it's called Water Babies and sounds really amazing! We only managed to go to 2 of the first 4 classes as we went on holiday but they've been really good and we've already dunked then under...I think Z is a natural!! A is a little more cautious but that's the whole reason I want them to go to classes...I want them to be comfortable and safe in the water! We'll see how it goes! As I mentioned earlier the sleep has been a little disrupted with the colds but I'm confident it'll improve again...the strangest is having A wake up...she's the one that has slept through the night since she was about 8 or 10 weeks old! The biggest news this month really is the fact the after coming back from Portugal, they moved into their own room. It was tough on both me and DH...I didn't think we'd be the type of parents to find it hard but we've loved the security of having them right next to us and its kind of felt like a big old camping trip! Anyway...we survived our first night and now it's lovely to go into their room in the morning...their little faces in their big cots!! Our babies really are growing fast!!! We're in the second half of their first year...how did that happen?! 8 months Swimming under water Food...dairy, red meat Good routine established Easier in lots of ways Wimbledon Playing – run away from Sido and then each other (one outside cot, one in) Z Rolling Sleeping on front Talking First tooth - bottom front right (looking at him) (7th July) Clapping Banging First high temp Up to 25th centile for weight Sitting up Clapping in front of the mirror A Wanting to walk assisted Clapping Starting to crawl (zombie drag) Had first bottle holding by herself when I was at gig Bay-watch pose Pulling herself forward in buggy Stood up in cot first time on 20th July Ipad obsession Once again I'm way behind at posting this...I keep meaning to sit down and write it but it's always done I'm small bursts when I can and its so hard to finish!! Anyway...they are now over 8 months but luckily I've been keeping a list of things as they've been happening! So I really hope I get most of it down! So let's start with Z this month...he's becoming a big boy!!!! Literally, he's grown so much...a 1kg weight gain in a month! He is doing what everyone said...he's catching up with his sis! We also did some intensive sitting practice when I decided baby Z needed to hit a few milestones (I'm all about the babes taking their time but he was starting to be a little too laid back) and he's now a little expert at sitting up and playing on his own! I feel so lucky to be able to say that Z is a happy little boy! The needy newborn he once was is no more...he makes my heart melt with one flash of his dimples...literally kills me! I don't know how we made such cute babies. The other big thing this month is that I decided to do some intensive training with Mr Chill...we got to midway through month 7 and I decided it was time to get this boy sitting up on his own. It took a couple of days of really focusing on him but then suddenly he got it! I was never in any massive rush for him to hit milestones but then realised that maybe his personality is such that he needs a bit more encouragement. What's interesting is that he was already starting to roll around a lot more and also started rolling over at night to sleep on his front! So so cute! Z has also continued his beautiful morning routine of chattering away when he wakes up - we can hear him on the monitor - I just love it! This month Z is all about noise - he loves to clap and bang his hands on any surface - and he looks at you for a reaction, really pleased with himself! So funny! I love the clapping - it's uber cute...it's so funny how babies just suddenly learn things after observing for so long…it's like one minute they can't do something and the next they're experts! The human brain is a crazy thing! A is still growing FAST! 9 months Better at finger foods (rice cakes) Beakers Swimming - finished level 1 A Cut first tooth (bottom left when looking at her) (22nd July) Standing up in cot Crawling (pulls along on her belly) 7th July "Ta-ta-ta" Much chattier - babbles constantly Clapping Waving properly (28th July) Cut second tooth Zombie crawl (then refused) On all fours Said "bye bye" Aug 5th Dancing Clingy Pouty mouth when she doesn't want more food Up and down moods Proper crawling by end of 8th month Pulling self forward in the buggy Just below 91st for actual and 91st for adjusted age Cruises around furniture - pulls self up Quite mobile Z Jumping in door bouncer Waking up at night again randomly Cut second tooth Clapping Waving properly 29th Very comfortable sitting and playing for long periods Dancing Dabke "Duck" 9th Aug Moving...bum shuffle backwards Mirror Walking in walker Crazy in door bouncer Up to 50th centile Very happy moves from sitting to lying my throwing himself on the floor Flapping arms - the thing he does when he wants something 10months First swim in the sea (6/9) Watermelon More finger foods First poo in the bath (6/9) Babooshka First anniversary as parents High five Lagos baths Beach Sea swim Playing with sido (hiding) Saying “ta3ee” – come here in Arabic and doing hand gesture Cat love...totally in love with our kitten A Went up first step on stairs (21st) All the way up the stairs (22nd) Says "Ca" for "Cat" Very mobile Food issues - refusing Milk reduction then back to normal More finger food Stubbornness Clicky sound with tongue – to ha seesaan Very communicative Z Bought him instruments - loves music Pulling self forward in the buggy Baby walker mad in Portugal Sand crazy Pulling self up in cot Bum shuffle Crawl position Slides backwards and at times forward Much more assertive Biting when feeding Swimming mad...loved sea, pool, bath 11months Tumble tots Back to work - BF babes in lunch break Eating paper Holiday to Lagos - best holiday ever Eating sand Cat love continues Z Proper crawling Climbing Top two teeth (right facing him first out) bottom next along Very confident moving around Took first steps 14/10 Standing without holding on Giggles Instigates laughing Reading books – making sounds like he’s reading aloud A Climbing Clingy Superstar and adorable from midway through third week Horrible tantrums and unsettled behaviour for first half of month Standing without holding on (on beach) Appetite has returned Took first steps 15/10 Understanding much more Waving (royalty) Playing with strangers Pointing 12 months Pushing each other in the car at grandparents Forward facing car seats Photoshoot Halloween Z gave me a fat lip Expressing 4 times a day again A Walking more confidently "Where's my nose" and she points Understands a lot more Climbs up everything Self weaned – having expressed BM Z First shoes Standing and taking steps Gives kisses Making new sounds "th" Hair getting thicker Lying down and reading books Speaking a lot more 13 months Playing pretent – tea parties, pretending to feed teddies etc Obsessed with the park and swings Love facetime Pretend talk on the phone First Harrods trip – central London Birthday party First xmas tree 12 month review Z Says "daow" light in Arabic - obsession with lights continues “oh-la” – for swings Z at 75th centriole for both weight and height! Walking much more than crawling...a little wobbly still Cut down to BF in morning only...he's struggling with it A Clap your feet - she claps her feet if you tell her to A weaned completely from BM 75th centriole for weight and height HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL...wishing wonderful things for you all in 2014...and most of all hoping for many more beautiful miracle babies...and by miracle I mean, scientifically aided ;) x
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