Our house is currently a non-stop train to toddler-dom. What the heck.How is all this happening so quickly and why are my days running together.. days turning to weeks and then a month has gone by?We are well into Parker and Jolie’s 8th month and here I am looking back at all that has changed over the past couple months.From month six to seven there wasn’t a whole lot of change in the ‘favorites’ category- just improvement and advancement in better use of the items we favored to choose most of the time.Since then, the biggest change I’ve seen in my girls is their appetites- which is why much of this month’s favorites is devoted to feeding baby.
1. Baby Brezza Food Processor. I don’t know what I would do without this small appliance.I cannot get enough of its perfection.It is important to set yourself up for success if you are making the decision to prepare homemade baby food and I believe that your machine of choice is really important.I confess that this is the only appliance I’ve used for steaming and pureeing fruits and vegetables for my girls to enjoy. I have other mom friends that use the Baby Bullet or the simple steam and blend in a blender routine.I do love that the Brezza has the capability to steam and puree all with the same push of a button.
2. Fisher Price EZ Clean Teether. Total life saver this last month!We stick everything from crushed ice cubes to frozen fruit and recently I’ve been freezing baby yogurt in the top and popping the green bottom on before serving it to the littles.They love it!!Set them up in their high chairs with a bib and they are good to go for at least 30 minutes.My girls love the soft rubber on their gums-even if there is nothing in it.
3. Neutrogena Pure and Free Baby Sunscreen.Helllooo summer sun!My babies and their super soft skin need protection for the days of afternoon walks and trips to the pool!Parker has really fair and sensitive skin and the 60+ SPF provides great protection and doesn’t break her out like a couple other products have in the past.
4. Baby Einstein Discovering Music Activity Table.My girls love this activity table!Since around 5 months old Jolie has been pulling up on everything that she could to reach a standing position. Last month, Parker joined in on this fun and so we decided that, even though we love the sit to stand walker I mentioned in their 6 months favorites post, it would be beneficial to have one toy that they could both stand at.We totally thrifted this one at Once Upon a Child for a quarter of what it goes for retail.If ever we have an idea of something we want to get the girls, we almost always check out OUC or Kid to Kid first.Jordan really wanted to get more than one, but after swimming through the racks upon racks of clothes to find matching outfits, I put him off on the second toy and purchased the clothes instead.
5. Sleeveless Onesies. It’s August.We live in Texas. It is {freakin’} hot as all get out.My girls live in these for the repeated 100+ degree days.
6. Cooking for Baby.Even though baby purees have nothing much of anything in them, I’ve found great inspiration for blended purees in this cookbook.The recipes are organized by age, showing how to introduce cereal grains (as well as how to make your own homemade cereals and grains!) simple vegetable and fruit purees to your infant at 6 months, how to move on to chunkier foods by 8 or 9 months, and how to graduate to real meals for young toddlers of 12 to 18 months. What I like the most about this book is that it starts simple with one-ingredient purees, and gradually introduces recipes that have more texture and use the same ingredients that the baby has already had. The book is broken down into sections by age (e.g., 6 months, 7-8 months, 9-11 months, etc), and offers great information about appropriate food choices, textures, and quantities for baby.
7. Gerber Yogurt Blends.After daddy gave the girls a little taste of his yogurt one afternoon, I cannot even come close to them with a snack cup in my hand without them practically breaking my arm to get a taste.I scouted out the grocery aisle of all things baby and found these to try out.SUCCESS.They love em!We offer it to them for their mid-morning solid meal as well as with dinner and they eat it right up.After reading and talking with our pediatrician about whether or not it is safe for babies this age to have whole cow’s milk yogurt, I found out that it would be perfectly acceptable to offer them plain yogurt, not specifically for baby.At about $3-$4 for a box of 4 cups we are going through them quickly.If I let them the girls would eat an entire pudding cup by themselves!I think this week instead of getting this brand, I'm going to experiment with some plain yogurt and I’ll mix in my own fruit purees.
8. Beaba Multiportions Freezing Tray.Another must-have feeding accessory!I’ve used regular ice trays for my baby food purees- but found it difficult to pop out the cubed purees from the tray once they were frozen.I almost always took a butter knife to it to loosen up around the edges.The material and shape of these silicone trays makes removing frozen baby food a breeze. Its super easy to clean between uses- either hand washed or tossed in the dishwasher (I’m an avid user of the dishwasher).The portions are 2 ounces rather than just one ounce, which is nice since my girls are eating much more than they were before.If you are like me and make baby food in bulk all at once, highly suggest purchasing more than just one.
Of course this list isn’t exclusive of all the past favorite items we continue to use on the regular- diapers.. (duh), sleep sacs, light up toys, board books, Sophie.. and the list goes on.
Anything on this list I’m missing out on for my girls at 8 months??Let me know!
If you are at all a regular reader of this little web space of mine.. or follow me on instagram (@masseya) you know I am an avid believer that every baby {girl} head should be adorned with a bow.
a big bow.
huge.
The hubby gets slightly nervous if he leaves the house without a bow on their head and I'm not around to supervise. I mean serious business.
Which is why I was so elated to receive a sweet little package in the mail this week from Tessa. Tessa has an etsy shop {Sweet T Baby Boutique} that sells some super precious baby head bows.
This one is so cute. Literally fresh right out of the package.. Parker still playing with the tissue paper the bows were perfectly wrapped with.
These head bows are high quality- each one is hand sewn, one-of-a-kind headbands. I'm totally diggin' em', which is why I want to give you the opportunity to win a credit to Tessa's shop!
Also!! Tessa is offering 3 Ladies and Their Gent readers a 15% discount code TWINS15!! Offer expire on September 30, 2013. Go now.. check it! a Rafflecopter giveaway
How FUN has this month been?I’m beside myself with excitement for all the new developments these babies have made.By far my favorite month to date (also said the last 7 months before this one).
We bought our last {case} of size 1 diapers at the beginning of last month with the statement “I bet this will be our last box of size 1’s..”.As we anticipated, we got through that box and decided that we needed to get the larger size.Both babies have now advanced to size 2 diapers- and they fill them out okay.Still a tad big (the straps wrap from one side of their waist to the other!), but the 1’s are too snug and we’ve had one too many accidents.These little bits have finally advanced up from size 3 months clothes- it’s hard to believe that at 8 months this is just now happening.The 3 month rompers, onesies, and shorts fit them pretty well, still.We made a haul of a purchase of 6 month clothing last week.After seeing how the 6 month clothes fit them, I’d say it was time to get them into a bigger size.I’ve noticed that Parker has grown like a weed and probably has a good two inches on her sister.Long and skinny- even though you wouldn’t know it from the looks of her chipmunk cheeks (love them!).Miss Jolie is quiet the chunk and is rounding out in the belly department.After she eats it is unreal how round her little tummy appears.
What’s New
Parker has now figured out how to stay right alongside with Jolie- she is now crawling and moving all over the place like she’s done it for months.One day (July 24th) while Jordan was at home with them, he got up to go to the kitchen leaving her and Jolie to play- but still within eye’s view and Parker got upset that he left the room (full separation anxiety mode in our house).He turned around to see her crawling after him.No rocking, no scooting, no arm crawling.. a little rolling to move from place to place, but that’s it!This girl.. must have been fooling us because she was full out crawling to reach her daddy.Since then she has been crawling all over the place.And her separation anxiety has all but disappeared, too! She is precious the way she ‘stomps’ her hands down over and over to move forward.Love it!She can also go from crawling position to sitting- and thank goodness for that because the arms-flailing-air-plane bit combined with a whining scream to ‘pick me up’ was on repeat a million times a day.
Miss Busy, Jolie, is crawling, moving, climbing, and is completely fearless.
This past month she has had a permanent bruise on her forehead- just when one of finally fading away, another opportunity presents itself to cause yet another goose egg.Frequent phrases in our house include (but aren’t limited to..)
·‘Jolie get down..’
·‘No, Jolie..’
·‘Get that out of your mouth, Jolie..’
·‘Jolie, you’re going to hurt yourself..‘
·‘Where are you going, girl?’
·Get out of the television cabinet, Jolie Grace!’
I can probably copy, cut the part I wrote last month about ‘teething’ and paste it here for their 8th month post.UGH.Nothing, still.. Where are those teeth??!But what you can count on:
·Tears
·Sore gums
·Clingy babies
It isn’t like this 24/7- thank goodness.But, at least once a day we have a meltdown of tears and jamming of toys in their mouth to be ripped from their gums to seek relief.I’ve found remedy in the plastic teether filled with something (anything) cold. Ice, frozen mangos, frozen baby yogurt, frozen applesauce, or all of the above.I chop up the frozen cubes and they suck away happily in their high chairs. That's another new thing this month- high chairs! We advanced from the bumbos and have been totally loving our high chairs this last month.
You can still see where Jolie is working on those two teeth, but for as long as we have been able to see those ‘indentions’ of teeth, you would think that one would bust through quick.Apparently not.
Their interaction this month is off the charts precious!
They continue to entertain each other- and as we are approaching this 8th month (still.in.shock.) it is all day long.At home, dad and I can be in mid-conversation and we will stop dead in our tracks to listen to the two of them babble away at one another.Ahhh..I totally love it- One of my absolute favorite parts about having two at this age.It’s not just me and Jordan that find it fascinating.Perfect example is at the grocery store.Jordan and I put the girls in separate shopping carts (P&J howl at the very thought of staying strapped in a car seat) and while we check out we but the front of the carts together and let these girls chat it out and keep busy.This warrants many ‘awes’ and ‘how sweet!’ from the people in front and behind us, not to mention the two or three store employees that want to see, too.I love it.
Play time has become much more interactive, not only with each other, but with various learning toys.They have started to figure out that flipping/turning handles on certain toys make a new music noise, or how to turn the pages of a book to see something new. They’ve also learned what buttons to push for lights and sounds.They screech with excitement- cutest thing ever.We have officially outgrown their activity mats.The mats had made their permanent place in the middle of the living room- complete with toys sprawled about, but we put those away last week and transferred their toys from the mat to a basket in the corner.Can we talk about how huge our living room is now?Also, let’s tally up how many times I’ve had to pull Jolie out of said toy basket after she climbs in head first and then cannot figure out how to get herself out of that pickle.Toy envy started last month, but I've recently noticed they get frustrated and will often cry when one takes a toy from the other. Ok, we can be honest here and say- Parker cries, or really does this frustrated roar, when Jolie takes something from her.Anyone have any ideas on how to teach infants (Jolie) to share?
They are both babbling all of the time and mimic each other and us quite a bit. When Jolie feels as if she has lost your attention, she will yell at the top of her lungs (along with crazy eyes and a tremble) to get your attention.We play this ‘game’ in the car.. a lot.Parker babbles aimlessly- chatting my ear off most of the day.She will wave her little arm aroundor flip her wrist over and over while saying “Daddadada bligmmm, bligmm, dadada.”I love a Chatty Kathy Parks.So sweet!
EAT
Eating has been so much fun this month!If you remember, last month was almost a disappointment in this department- everything I offered the girls they refused and spit out.On top of that, they had both completely lost their appetites and were barely eating anything at all at meal times.Finally, this month we have seen so much interest in food and an actual love for veggies!I made a big batch of baby food a couple weeks ago- experimenting with combinations of various fruits and vegetables.So far everything I’ve given them to try they have enjoyed, including bananas!They really love the sweet potato-banana combo.Mix that with a little oatmeal and cinnamon and my little birdies are ‘hmmmmm mmhh’ through the entire meal.So precious.
New Foods this month: Mangos (LOVE), sweet potato/banana (love!), apples (hated/gag/cry), avocado (Jolie tolerated it, Parker not so much), carrots/apples (love), squash/apple (love), infant yogurt (LOVE)
Because we have no teeth just yet we haven’t ventured to the world of puffs or baby crackers, but we did get some of those fruit yogurt bites (supervised of course).Jolie will put it in her mouth, spit it out, put it back in her mouth, and then hold it until it dissolves into sticky mush all over her hands. Parker, with her judgey eyes, looks at me as if I’ve lost my mind for offering her such a thing.We did introduce them to yogurt this week.. after being mauled (literally- I had more yogurt on my clothes than I actually ate.) by two little girls for a bite of my afternoon snack, we decided to see if there was such a thing offered for this age.With luck we found some and the girls really, really love it.
We are slowly adding back in a fruit and or yogurt around mid-morning, mainly giving them something else to do and keep busy with.We put frozen mangoes or baby yogurt into their plastic teethers and they go to town for about 20-30 minutes.
About 2 weeks ago we dropped the 4 am feeding and now stretch the girls about 3 ½ to 4 hours between feedings.They now get 4-5 liquid feedings and 2 solid meals each day.Dropping the 4 am feeding was tough and we had several VERY early mornings with two babies expecting to eat.But, it only took about a week for them to start sleeping through it.Our daily routine goes a little something like this:
6-6:30am: 6 ounce bottle (or breastfeed when I’m home)
7:30-8am: nap
10:00-10:30am: 6 ounce bottle (or breastfeed when I’m home)
11am: fruit/vegetable and/or baby yogurt
1:30pm-2pm: 6 ounce bottle (or breastfeed when I’m home)
2-2:30pm: nap
5pm: breastfeed
6:30pm: (eaten between the two of them) 1 cup of oats mixed with 3-5 ounces breast milk and 4 ounces of veggies
10:30pm: dream feed (occasional)
After about a week of finishing their 5 ounce bottles on the regular, I decided it was time to up their bottles to 6 ounces at a feeding.These girls rocked it.They are super picky and want their bottles extra warm, so occasionally we are warming the last ounce or so again before they finish.
Sleep
I am happy to report that there has been improvement in this department.Jolie finally started sleeping through the night again- one baby down.. just one more to go!Since becoming mobile, Parker has had a really hard time transitioning.The fact that she can move around her crib has completely thrown her for a loop.Naps have gotten shorter and the nights- well, that girl wants to be held all night long.A couple times I have gotten up with her and fallen back asleep for the majority of the night with her in my arms (oops).When trying to lay her back down, she wakes up and refuses to go back to sleep until the moment I pick her up.It’s almost instantaneous.This was exactly what Jolie went through when she became mobile.At the beginning of last week we moved Jolie into the pack and play in our room because Parker’s restless sleeping was hindering her sleep and left Parker in the nursery.We decided that this night we would not be holding her all night long.She went down without a fight at 7pm and around 9pm she woke up.So I fed her, changed her diaper and rocked her back to sleep.The moment I laid her down she was awake and fussing to be held again.I would go in and pat her back every 15-20 minutes; she would fall asleep for a half hour to an hour and then wake up again.Back into the nursery I went to pop the paci back in her mouth along with a couple pats and a rub on her head and back to sleep she went.This carried on until about 12:30am when she finally rested her eyes longer than 30-60 minutes.. and it wasn’t on my chest.Since then my sweet Parker has been sleeping through the night like a champ.She has even started playing quietly in her crib to prepare herself for sleep if she isn’t quite ready to lay down yet. She has totally mastered sleeping while sitting up! She will literally stay awake, sitting up, until she no longer can hold her eyes open and topple over in her crib- not even missing a beat. It's become quite amusing to watch on the monitor.
Naptime is consistent: We dropped the third cat nap midday and focus on allowing two solid naps during the day.This has proven successful for stretching those naps closer to the 2 hours mark.Since they eat at 6-6:30am, they go back down by 8:30a-9a (they are usually ready to go back down in the morning just about an hour after they wake up) and then again at 2pm-2:30pm (ish).Those naps are somewhere around 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours and the most important one being that first morning nap.We usually don’t go anywhere before 10:30am so they can get their nap in or else they are toast.Sometimes they will cat nap another time mid-day, usually if we are out and about they’ll fall asleep in their car seats, or if they are just really seeming like they want to go down, they will nap for about 45 minutes to an hour or so.Parker is a routine ‘eye rubber’ and Jolie will resort to sucking her thumb when she’s sleepy and only when she is sleepy.
Jolie Grace-
Your Favorites: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, reading books, pink stuffed giraffe rattle (this is new), frozen teether rings, anything that lights up and sings, smiling and laughing, conversations with momma and daddy (and now your sister, too!), crawling, climbing, and exploring, rough housing (Your FAVORITE to play rough with daddy), bath time and splashing the water, physical therapy with Suzan, playing in the mirror, naptime, the remote control.
Food: Oatmeal, yogurt, sweet potatoes, banana, carrots, and butternut squash.
Your Not-So-Favorites: Neck stretches, fighting sleep, being in your car seat for too long, finding a comfortable position to sleep in, your paci (youwould rather suck your thumb!), getting dressed (always a fight these days)
Food: avocado- we are getting there with this one.
Little girl.My tiny little thing- you are so precious to me.Your laughter brings such joy to my heart and I cannot express how much your smile brightens even the gloomiest of days.You are very busy (as you have been these last several months to date) and we can hardly contain you.You don’t want to be held longer than 5 minutes at a time, but recently you’ve taken to me quite a bit- making me feel so special.The moment your daddy or I sit down on the floor with you and your sister, you come high-tailin’ it as quick as you can to crawl all over us, playing, giggling, and looking for any kind of attention you can get.Kisses are new this month- and your ‘sugars’ are the best, complete with buckets of slobber and tongue thrashing.You almost always offer them freely and will occasionally wrap your little hands around our neck or squeeze our cheeks to really get in a good smooch.Love it!
You and your sister have really hit it off to be great friends this month, and even though you are much smaller than Parker, you are not afraid to pick on her one bit.Stealing of toys and pacifiers, catching a ride on her back while she is crawling past you, or attempting to pull up with the unwilling help of Parker- you can practically drive that girl bonkers.You never cease to crack a smile, and have a smirk on your face 100% of the time.That smirk is beyond cute right now, but I have a feeling I will have my hands full in your pre-teen years.Playing by yourself is perfectly fine for you, but playing you’re your momma or dad and especially your sister gets you extra excited and warrants frequent squeals and cackles of delight.You are growing by the day and I still cannot believe how far you’ve come from just 8 short months ago.My once preemie baby girl that needed much attention and care is now practically fearless and always looking to get into something.Even when you aren’t feeling 100%, it makes me so happy to see your beaming little grin.You look more and more like your daddy every day.Each morning when you wake up, daddy brings you into the bathroom while I’m getting ready for work and I can’t help but voice the fact that you are spitting image of the amazing man holding you so sweetly in his arms.Each new day with you brings something to remember and I’m so thankful for your happy spirit.
My heart is so full with your constant hilarities- you complete me and I simply adore you pieces, precious baby girl of mine.
Parker Jane-
Your Favorites: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, your monkey Wubanub, your paci (can't sleep without it!), chatting it up with momma, babbling and smiling, any toy that lights up or plays music, sitting up, morning walks, crinkle paper, the tags on anything, looking/touching the iPhone, bath time, music and singing, playing in the mirror.
Food: Oatmeal, yogurt, sweet potatoes, banana, carrots, and butternut squash.
Your Not-So-Favorites:Sitting and playing alone, being in your car seat for too long, tummy time, loud noises, fighting sleep, the dark, being left out, getting dressed
Food: apples, avocado
My sweetest girl.You are growing up too quick for me.Can we just talk about how very much you remind me of myself?Your facial expressions, personality, and a smile that practically consumes your face- all things that make up this proud momma.You are still pretty serious in new situations- assessing every single person that is in eye’s view, but around your dad and I, and others that you see regularly (BB, Ashley, Jarrett, Poppa, Aunt Jenna), you are quick to let out your baby chatter and share a sweet smile.
I cannot get enough of your fun disposition when you are in the mood to be silly.Sister girl continues to take over the rough housing scene for the both of you, and even though you are not really into that (another momma trait), you sit back and shriek with joy watching them play.
We are still dealing with some separation anxiety- again a momma characteristic- and you are most content in sitting in our laps or being carried on my hip.Even though we’ve never really used a baby carrier, you’ll even be content in that while I cook or dad is outside playing with Daphnee or watering the trees.It absolutely melts my heart to see you reach for me to pick you up- and for sure give my Parker a little squeeze of love.
I am so proud of you this month, Parks.You have been sleeping well through the night and at nap time, and playing quietly in your crib until it is time to go to sleep or time to wake up.Such a big girl.Looking back through old pictures I cannot believe how much you’ve grown and how beautiful you are.
I am so very thankful for you, Mini.I am constantly overwhelmed to think that you are mine.
Disclaimer to these '8th month' pictures..
Attempting to capture 2 very active, very busy, very curious 8 month old little girls on camera is next to impossible.
We took pictures with the girls around mid June, just after their 6 month birthday, and Brittany dropped off the flash drive of edited pictures this week. Last night after the girls went down I made myself a hearty dinner (bowl of Cherrios) and finally spent some time looking through them.
To be honest I was nervous how these were going to come out because my normally bubbly, happy-go-lucky little girls were major grouches. Possibly a mom-fail for scheduling the shoot right in the middle of their morning naps.. whoops.
BUT- Brittany worked her magic with that camera and got some really good one. She's so good to me:)
