22 months

Henry and Norah are becoming more and more fun every day. I am loving this age so much and seeing what they'll learn to do next. Here's what they were up to at 22 months.

Henry:

• Weighs 28 pounds and continues to get taller (now tall enough to look out our front window without tiptoeing)
• Loves to say "EIEIO" (the chorus of "Old McDonald") over and over
• Has been talking and listening so much better since getting his ear tubes and says "chee" (for cheese), "sna" (for snack), "bobble" (bottle), hi and bye, "Jay" (for Jake and the Neverland Pirates) and "Ba-dah" (for grandpa)
• Is very snuggly currently and cries when I leave the daycare after visiting him and Norah
• Absolutely loves cutie oranges and snarfed down three by himself the other day
• Has begun to fold his arms, close his eyes and bow his head during prayers
• Loves to carry his blanket around and wrap it around his shoulders after he wakes up
• Hates to wear socks and pulls them off every chance he gets
• Got his first haircut the Sunday before Easter and now looks much older
• Wears 24-month and 2T shirts and pajamas but still drowns in 18-month pants
• Loves to go outside and wander around the neighborhood with us
• Is still terrified of dogs and, we discovered at their Easter pictures, now bunnies
• Has to push the button on the stereo to turn on music before he goes to sleep
• Is still obsessed with shutting doors but now likes to play in the pantry and try to shut himself in there
• Says "bye" along with Norah whenever I'm talking on the phone and about to hang up
• Likes to unzip things, especially his jacket when we're going outside
• Has learned to climb up the changing table and will soon be climbing out of his crib
• Loves watching Little Baby Bum singalong videos with Norah and dancing to them
• Holds his toy cell phone up to his ear all the time so he can hear the music and dance to it
• Likes to play with our old keyboard and mouse and gets mad whenever Norah has it
  

Norah:

• Weighs 23 pounds and is nearly as tall as Henry
• Wears 18- and 24-month clothes, but some 24-month clothes are way too big
• Loves to stomp around the house in her shoes when we're getting ready to go in the morning
• Anxiously waits for Andrew to get home so she can run in and say "Hi!" when he opens the door (and "It's dada!")
• Loves stuffed animals, dolls and her gloworm, all of which she calls "babies"
• Has learned to say "no" to everything, including wearing headbands or bows, eating more food, having her diaper changed and putting on pajamas
• Comes to us and says "poop" when she poops in her diaper (and also likes to say it when she isn't poopy)
• Puts her sunglasses on immediately when we get in the car and then pulls them down on her nose when we talk to her
• Loves bananas and asks for a "nana" whenever she sees one on the counter
• Has very fine, straight hair and unfortunately pulls her little pigtails out because she doesn't like them (which means it's usually messy)
• Loves to shut doors like Henry does and play with the closet doors
• Is completely obsessed with buckles and has to snap the buckle together on her booster seat and Henry's multiple times whenever they're done eating (and then says "Mama!" until I unbuckle it for her to do it again)
• Has been chatting nonstop, saying "guy" (referring to her favorite Little People figures), "ball," "chee" (for cheese), "peas" (for please) and "cow" in addition to telling everyone hi and bye
• Likes to call Andrew "daddo" and has gotten Henry to say it, too
• Is a daredevil and loves climbing up steps and going down the slide
• Picks up hairs, threads and crumbs all the time from the floor and hands them to me
• Also likes to take her socks off and stuff them in the phone holder of their little play kitchen
• Still loves necklaces and puts them on whenever she finds them
• Really likes going swimming and even went down the water slide all by herself, then twice with me holding her
• Says "wa?" every time we open the car door so she can get down and walk into a store or into daycare

We're already planning a party for Henry and Norah next month. It's hard to believe they've been ours for nearly two years now -- and at the same time, it's hard to believe they weren't always with us.

21 months

Late to the game, since Henry and Norah turned 22 months old on March 6, but I'm trying to squeeze in what they were up to last month. Here's a look back at 21 months:

Henry:

• Weighs 28 pounds and has gotten quite a bit taller since his 18-month checkup, judging by how his pants fit
• Is back to his happy old self since getting his ear tubes on February 16 and smiles and giggles much more now
• Loves to be chased around the house by Norah, Andrew or me
• Hates to wear socks now and constantly pulls them off and carries them around the house (or hides them downstairs)
• Has learned to climb up his changing table to grab things, which means climbing out of the crib will be next
• Is obsessed with bananas and says NANA! whenever he sees one
• Loves to open and close doors and gets mad if he doesn't get to close the basement door when we go upstairs
• Is babbling up a storm now and saying "bobble" (bottle), "chee" (cheese), "please," "bye-bye, dada," "gaga" (cracker) and "sna" (snack)
• Likes dancing to music in his crib and listening to the songs on Jake and the Never Land Pirates
• Still loves books and has crumpled several Dr. Seuss books he's flipped through
• Likes to play outside on his new slide or with the Cozy Coupe and becomes furious when he has to come back inside
• Wears mainly 24-month clothes but still fits into 18-month pants and some 18-month shirts
• Has strawberry-blonde curly hair that needs a trim (but I can't bring myself to cut it yet)
  

Norah:

• Weighs 23 pounds and is almost as tall as Henry
• Wears mostly 18-month clothes but still wears some 12-month hoodies and pants
• Loves to grab shoes and jackets when she knows we're going to go outside
• Has unfortunately started to hit and shove us and Henry, so we're working on that
• Loves all things girly, especially my necklaces, and really likes to play dress-up
• Has become a really picky eater and is basically existing on PB&J sandwiches, bananas and cheese
• Gets excited to go to nursery at church and play with the slide and doll strollers
• Has really bad eczema on her face now, but we're working on it with a steroid cream
• Loves to be chased around the house with Henry and sit on the ledge of the shower with him
• Is talking a lot and trying to say "sorry," "amen," "cow" and "book" (among other words like "mama" and "dada")
• Likes watching Jake with Henry and dancing to the music and says "Uh-oh!" immediately when the show ends and she doesn't hear music anymore
• Is finally starting to get thick enough hair to wear a barrette in it but loves wearing headbands, too
• Loves to "read" books to herself and flip through the pages and babble about what's happening

I just adore these two and feel so blessed to be their mom and watch them grow up together. Life is good.

20 months

Henry and Norah actually just turned 21 months on Saturday, but I'm trying to squeeze in a blog post about what they're up to currently. They are so fun, and we are blessed to have them in our family.

Henry:

• Weighs 28 pounds and has grown a bit taller (judging by the pants he's outgrown)
• Wears 24-month onesies and some 18-month shirts but still wears 12-18 month pants
• Has thick, pretty blonde hair that gets really curly when he's out of the bath
• Loves toys that make noise (though we don't have many, since I don't like them much), especially his Little People airplane and Sesame Street tablet
• Still shoves all of his food in his mouth at one time, much to our chagrin
• Carries stacks of yellow lock blocks around with him everywhere, sometimes even to bed, and doesn't seem to touch the other colors
• Loves to be chased around the house by us or Norah and starts giggling uncontrollably
• Is terrified of dogs and starts crying and has to be picked up whenever one comes near him
• Has begun to talk more and say "uh oh" whenever he drops something, "bubble" and "mine" in addition to "bye-bye," "mama" and "dada"
• Is much more cuddly lately and wants to be held, probably because his ears are hurting and he doesn't feel well
• Has temporary hearing loss as a result of fluid behind his ears (like Norah had) and has to get tubes next week, which should help a lot
• Loves bananas, macaroni and cheese, rotini noodles, hot dogs, PB&J sandwiches, applesauce and raisins and still eats pretty well (but has slowed down because of his ear problems)
• Still loves books and carries them around everywhere (a current favorite being a textured heart book from Grandma)
• Likes to dance to music from Jake and the Never Land Pirates and other songs he hears on TV
• Squints his eyes and looks the other way when someone he doesn't know very well is trying to talk to him
• Loves "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" and other fun songs where we move and get to clap at the end (like "If You're Happy and You Know It" and "My Hands")
  

Norah:

• Weighs 23 pounds and is pretty close to Henry in height
• Wears mostly 18-month clothes but still wears 12-18 month pants
• Loves to dress up and put on hats and necklaces
• Has begun imitating us more and really talking, saying "mine, "bottle," "bubble," "what's that" and "baby"
• Gets really excited when Andrew comes home from work on days I work from home and says "Dada! Dada!" when she hears him walk in or drive up.
• Loves her dolls and stuffed animals (which are all called her "babies") and immediately goes to find her doll when we ask where it is
• Has very straight, fine brown hair that's finally starting to grow
• Loves books just like Henry does and often brings them over to us so we can read them to her
• Is picking up songs from nursery (and us singing them at bedtime) and now knows where her nose, eyes, mouth, toes and head are and will point to them when we ask her to
• Doesn't eat as well as Henry but loves to stab things with a fork and feed herself, especially hot dogs, chicken nuggets, bread, noodles, macaroni and cheese and (occasionally) ice cream
• Also loves to be chased around the house and have us jump out to scare her
• Has started liking headbands again but only wants to wear them on her head for a short time and then wear them as necklaces or bracelets after that
• Gets excited to come find me after nursery and runs into the primary room yelling "Mama!" (which makes my heart burst)
• Also likes to carry around stacks of yellow lock blocks everywhere (not sure what it is about yellow)
• Loves the sound of the TV but doesn't really watch it; however, she instantly notices when we turn it off or a Netflix episode ends and chimes in with "Uh oh!"
• Has learned to take off shoes with Velcro straps, which I don't love

I am already planning a birthday party for Henry and Norah and can't believe that they're only three months away from turning two! Time is flying by, but I love watching them grow each day.

19 months

Happy New Year! Henry and Norah are 19 months for five more days, so it's time to squeeze in another blog post about what they've been up to over the past few weeks. We had a lot of fun with them at Christmas (yanking the ornaments off the tree and throwing them, turning the lights on and off, and putting jingle bells in their mouths), and it's so great to watch them grow and learn new words and new skills.

Here's what Henry and Norah are doing at 19 months.

Henry:

• Weighs about 27.5 pounds and hasn't gotten much taller (he's in the 50th percentile for height)
• Has quite a few teeth and got a couple molars over the past month
• Loves the new alphabet magnets he and Norah got for Christmas and likes to hide them under the fridge or run off with them
• Does not like showers with Dad but loves bubble baths and gets excited when he hears the faucet turn on
• Still eats really well and especially loves bread, soup, pasta, green beans, pizza and cheese
• Loves to open and shut all of the doors and tries to go into the laundry room and office (where he isn't supposed to go) whenever we're not looking
• Has become quite the climber and recently learned to push a chair over to the light switch in the basement, stand on it and turn the lights on and off
• Still loves to look at books and has ruined the binding on several of them this month by bending them backwards
• Has started lining all his cars up on top of the cedar chest downstairs, even after I put them away
• Loves playing with the pretend dishes and food, new "smartphones," shopping cart and Norah's new baby stroller
• Mainly wears 18-24 month clothes but still fits into 12-month pants because his legs are kind of short
• Likes to help me clean up and put toys in their bins
• Is really sweet with Norah and brings her her new doll or sippy cup when she wants them
• Loves playing with our cell phones, computers and remotes (when he can get a hold of them) 
• Pulls all of the pillows off the couches whenever he can so he can climb on them and play
• Likes to dance to Jake and the Never Land Pirates with Norah
• Still loves music and got so excited to play the piano when we pulled it out of the office to practice
• Says "buh-bye Joe" (we think he's trying to say "Dad"), "hi," "mama," "dada," "uh oh" and "ball"

Norah:

• Weighs 22 pounds and is slightly shorter than Henry (in the 50th percentile for weight and height)
• Still wears a lot of 12-18 month clothes but now has to wear 18-month shirts because she has a long torso (and her pants fall off because she has a skinny waist)
• Loves her new baby doll and stroller and will call for her "bebe" until she finds it
• Has decided she loves to wear headbands again (yay!) and will get mad at me if I take them off her head
• Likes to carry her shoes around and grab my shoes out of the closet for me
• Helps me clean up (like Henry) by putting toys into the bins
• Has a really good arm and loves to throw balls, her sippy cup and other toys (and, to my chagrin, books)
• Says "mama," "dada" "bye-bye," "no," "hi," "uh-oh" and "baby" and is learning to say "amen" when we finish our prayers
• Has started to fold her arms when we say prayers, which melts my heart
• Still loves necklaces and hats and likes to play dress-up
• Likes playing with the alphabet magnets with Henry and packing them around
• Is obsessed with my old doctor kit my mom brought them for Christmas and loves to suck on the play syringe
• Likes to play with the dollhouse with Henry and chase him around but gets mad and says "no-no-no-no" when Henry takes something she wants
• Is learning to like baths more and no longer screams when we wash her hair
• Loves to carry her blanket around (as does Henry) and will grab it out of her crib and drag it downstairs
• Has become a much better eater and loves cheese, bread, hot dogs, bananas, pizza. pasta and applesauce (but will not eat many vegetables or fruits)
• Loves books like Henry does and especially loves the new ones my mom got them for Christmas
• Claps her hands and loves to sing our bedtime songs (especially "My Hands" and "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam")

These two are such a blessing and bring us so much joy. We hope you and your family have a wonderful 2016!

18 months

I'm squeezing these posts in RIGHT before Henry and Norah get one month older, but at least I'm cranking them out. Eighteen months has been such a fun age. Here's what they're doing now:

Henry:

• Weighed 27 pounds at his 18-month checkup (the 84th percentile) and was in the 48th percentile for height, which surprised me
• Loves to play on the stairs and try to walk down them using the handrail, scaring his parents to death
• Has started grabbing his blanket when he wakes up and dragging it all over the house
• Says "bye-bye," "uh oh," "hi," "mama" and "dada" all the time now, but his favorite is "bye-bye" (said while waving wildly)
• Wears 18-month clothes and some 24-month onesies and pants (though some 12-month jeans still fit)
• Likes to pat Norah's back or rub her head and loves grabbing her a sippy cup when she isn't feeling well
• Is obsessed with opening and closing doors and likes to shut himself into bedrooms by himself to play
• Loves playing with his new kitchen with Norah and carrying around play food and utensils
• Unfortunately still has really bad eczema that has taken a turn for the worse and turned into dyshidrosis
• Picks up remotes, thermometers, play phones and our cell phones, holds them to his ear and says "Hi!" over and over
• Loves bath time, except when Dad pours water over his head to wash out the shampoo
• Sleeps through the night most of the time and has learned to sleep through Norah's cries most of the time
• Still eats really well but no longer likes bananas and string cheese (probably because he's had them too often)
• Loves pushing a plastic bin around the house and starts screaming if we take it away
• Has thick, wavy strawberry blond hair that's starting to curl around his ears
• Is getting more and more teeth and doesn't seem to be teething and chewing on things as much
• Loves opening the door to the laundry/storage room (which unfortunately doesn't lock) and sneaking in before I can stop him

Norah:

• Weighed 22 pounds at her 18-month check-up and was in the 48th percentile for weight and 52nd for height
• Loves pizza, macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and bread but eats most everything else sporadically
• Wears mostly 18-month clothes, but 18-month pants are usually too big around the waist
• Says "no, no no" all the time (especially when Henry has a toy she wants), "hi," "bye," "mama" and "dada" and is finally starting to open up and talk more
• Loves to carry her shoes around the house but hates having them put on (especially her Sunday shoes)
• Has crazy straight hair that sticks straight up no matter how much I try to flatten it
• Does not like bedtime and has begun screaming in her crib again until she can snuggle with me or play with toys (so we're trying to break that habit)
• Starts crying in the bathtub once she knows it's time for a scrub
• Is obsessed with a green barrel of monkeys, which means I find little monkeys throughout the house
• Has begun to be more attentive to Henry and hand him his sippy cup or toys
• Loves playing with balls and throwing them or kicking them around the house -- and she's got a pretty good arm
• Likes toy (and real) phones just like Henry does and says "Hi!" while holding them to her ear
• Has quite a few teeth and likes to give us toothy grins
• Carries play food and dishes throughout the house and loves playing with the toy kitchen with Henry
• Loves to look at books and is loving the pile of Christmas books we're reading throughout December
• Still likes to wear her necklaces everywhere and gets mad when she sees Henry wearing one
• Likes to dance to music still but has stopped shaking her booty and just bobs her head instead

I can hardly wait until Christmas comes so I can see Henry and Norah's reaction to the gifts (since they're already enamored with the tree, lights and nativity). They make life much more fun.

17 months

In just a week, Henry and Norah will be 18 months old. People always told me that time flew by when you had kids, but I'm beginning to understand. It's hard to believe they are running around and jabbering away now when they were once so tiny.

Here's what's new now that they're 17 months old:

Henry:

• Probably weighs about 26 pounds and has gotten a little taller (we'll find out at his 18-month appointment)
• Loves green beans, macaroni and cheese, string cheese and bread but has gotten tired of bananas and yogurt
• Mainly wears 18-month clothes now but still fits into 12-month pants
• Adores the red Cozy Coupe and loves being pushed down the driveway in it
• Likes to try to hide in his closet or climb under the table
• Loves pushing chairs around the kitchen or the rocking chair around the basement
• Generally sleeps really well at night and doesn't usually wake up unless Norah screams
• Likes Dad to lift him up so his head bumps the ceiling
• Says "hi," "bye-bye" (to everyone when we're leaving) and "nana" for "banana" now
• Waves wildly at his teachers and grandparents when we're going home
• Has strawberry blonde (it looks slightly red in the sunlight) hair that's curling in little wings above his ears now, which I love
• Loves climbing on the couch and playing with the remote, phone or computer
• Is a very messy eater and has to put his hands in his mouth to feel foods while he chews them
• Likes opening and closing doors and pounding on the toilet in the bathroom when he somehow gets in there
• Hates getting water in his eyes in the bathtub but loves to splash as hard as he can and play with his sailboats
• Likes to play with his pretend phone or the remote and say, "Hi! Hi!" into it
• Has a few more teeth, including another one in the bottom front and a molar
• Looks forward to pushing the button to close the garage door and watches it with wide eyes the whole way down the track
• Is obsessed with the stairs and loves the climb up and down them
• Loves holding water from his sippy cup in his mouth and letting it drip down him
• Likes pulling books off the shelf with Norah and looking at them

Norah:

• Weighs about 22 pounds and has definitely been getting taller (but I just wait until their checkups to see how they've grown)
• Wears 12-18 month clothes and a few 18-month shirts, but she drowns in most pairs of jeans (even the 12-18 month ones)
• Loves shoes, necklaces and hats and tries to grab my necklaces in the morning if she sees me putting them on
• No longer likes bath time and will start screaming after a few minutes in the tub when she knows it's time to be scrubbed
• Loves to dance and bob up and down or stomp her feet whenever she hears music
• Has been getting more teeth, including another on the bottom
• Likes stealing toys away from Henry, but we're working on learning to share
• Says "hi" a lot,
• Loves to pick up her play phone or the remote, hold it like a telephone and say, "Hi! Hi!"
• Is very independent and insists on walking and eating by herself (unless she's being fed yogurt or applesauce)
• Likes pulling all the books off the shelf in her room and pawing through them and babbling
• Refuses to eat green beans and yogurt most of the time, but loves PB&J sandwiches, bananas, melons, pizza, string cheese and soup
• Loves to play on the stairs with Henry
• Learned how to blow bubbles with her sippy cup from Henry and likes to let water run down her chin
• Has light brown hair that's finally starting to grow, but she likes to pull on it when she's nervous (and yanked out a few hairs last week)
• Loves to carry both Henry and her sippy cups around and drink out of both of them
• Usually sleeps pretty well but has been waking up in the middle of the night lately or screaming in her crib until we grab her and then playing with toys until 10 p.m.
• Likes to run with her arms straight back behind her and cackle as we chase her
• Loves to climb on my legs and have me lift her up or throw herself on my stomach when I lay on my back on the floor
• Gets so excited when she sees Andrew walk in the door after work and comes running to him
• Has become a little Linus and loves grabbing her blanket out of her crib and dragging it around the house

I love these babies so much and feel so blessed that they are ours.

16 months

Ack! I'm so far behind! Henry and Norah will be 17 months on Tuesday, and I meant to blog in September. Obviously that didn't happen.

BUT! We bought a new home and moved in Sept. 3, so unpacking, figuring out where things are and trying to decorate a bunch of different rooms while still working full time has taken most of my energy. Henry and Norah were also sick this week (Norah spent Saturday night puking and slept almost the entire day Sunday), but they seem to be on the mend.

Pictures of our house will be coming soon (when we have pictures on the wall and no boxes left), but for now, I'm trying to capture the details of what Henry and Norah have been up to at 16 months.

Henry:

• Still has four teeth on the bottom and two on the top
• Is wearing 12-18 month clothes and a few 18-month onesies
• Probably weighs about 26 pounds and has grown a bit taller since his 15-month checkup
• Loves babbling and yelling at the top of his lungs (especially in the car)
• Says "bye-bye," "ba" (for ball) and "hi" now in addition to "mama" and "dada"
• Is fascinated by the garage door and loves to push the button to close it and watch it shut
• Loves going up and down the stairs and starts scooting backwards on his tummy way before he even reaches the steps (and still loves being chased on them at Grandma's house)
• Is currently obsessed with the blue bulb syringe we used to clean out his nose with and loves to suck on it
• Loves shutting doors and playing in our bedroom and the bathrooms
• Eats really well and especially loves green beans, yogurt and PB&J sandwiches
• Still likes hiding in corners (including his closet) and being completely silent
• Loves waving both arms wildly at people with a huge grin on his face when saying goodbye
• Absolutely hates having his diaper changed and has to hold a phone or the diaper cream (?) to hold still long enough for us to change it
• Loves to play in the windows of our house and gets so excited when he sees Dad come home
• Really likes his new Fisher Price popper toy, sitting in the red Cozy Coupe (but not driving it), playing with Dad's phone and pushing the horn button on his plastic keys
• Has quite a bit of red in his hair now, and it looks strawberry blonde in the sun
• Still loves to look at books and often climbs up on the chair with whichever one he can find
• Is practically running now, even though he's only been walking for a short time
• Loves playing on the front steps with Norah and running down the driveway
  

Norah:

• Has four teeth on the top and just got a third tooth on the bottom
• Is obsessed with shoes and loves to carry them around and put them in her toy shopping cart
• Still loves necklaces and gets mad when Henry tries to wear one and yanks it away
• Is eating much better and loves bananas, honeydew, cheese, PB&J sandwiches and yogurt
• Hasn't gained much weight and probably still weighs about 21 pounds (but seems to be getting taller)
• Loves to bob her head, bounce up and down, and shake her bottom whenever she hears music playing (even in church)
• Waves to everyone now in kind of a Miss America wave, especially when we're in my work parking lot
• Says "uh oh" and "whoa" all the time still, "ba" for ball, "hi" and "bye-bye" in addition to "mama" and "dada" and is trying to say "thank you"
• Still wears some nine-month onesies but mainly wears 12-18 month clothes
• Is finally growing more hair, and it usually sticks straight up in the front
• Loves pushing her shopping cart or popper around, playing in the Cozy Coupe and climbing up on the chair in the basement to look at books
• Likes going up the stairs like Henry does but goes much slower and usually just stops on one of the steps
• Loves playing on the front steps and running down the driveway and trying to go into the road (so we're teaching her to stay on the sidewalk)
• Has to drink out of Henry's sippy cup and carry it around with hers (especially at church)
• Loves peek-a-boo and covers her face with her hands while we're changing her diaper
• Has a lot of fun at bath time but always has to drink the bath water
• Gets really excited to see the TV now and points at it since we didn't have it up for three weeks when we moved (not because she watches it, but because she likes the bright colors)
• Likes to kick balls around the house, which makes us think maybe'll she'll play soccer
• Loves shutting doors but gets mad when they're shut because she can't open and close them again

These two are completely different but still play together pretty well -- and they get sad when one is sleeping or isn't feeling well and can't play. I love watching their relationship grow.

15 months

Henry and Norah are 15 months old and definitely developing their own personalities. Here's what they're up to this month:

Henry:

• Weighs 25 pounds and is 32.25 inches tall (in the 80th percentile for weight and 84th for height)
• Loves to grab laundry and wrap it around his head, especially his or Norah's pajamas when we get him dressed in the morning
• Bangs his head against everything, including the piano, walls and doors
• Eats basically everything and loves hot dogs, bananas, cheese and yogurt but refuses to touch peaches and chicken nuggets (which is so weird)
• Still doesn't walk but will take leaps between one couch to the other and walk along the walls using his hands
• Loves to climb on the couch and play with the blinds or bang the remote against the window
• Is outgrowing his asthma and hasn't had to use his nebulizer in months (yay!)
• Still wears 12-18 month clothes but wears some 18-month onesies and pajamas
• Loves bath time and is obsessed with trying to cram his tiny toy boats into cups
• Calls for Norah all the time (though it sounds more like "Noah") and says "baba," "mama," "dada" and "bye-bye"
• Always tries to get into the cupboards and, when he can't, bangs the doors as loudly as he can
• Sometimes throws fits when he's hungry or doesn't want his diaper changed but is generally a pretty chill kid
• Loves to make noise and yell loudly in the car (and get in yelling matches with Norah)
• Sleeps really well at night but takes short naps
• Loves to push chairs around the kitchen and use other toys to propel himself while crawling
• Has four teeth on the bottom and two on the top
• Is obsessed with stairs and loves to race up them at Grandma's house
  

Norah:

• Weighs nearly 21 pounds and is 31.5 inches tall (42nd percentile for weight and 79th percentile for height)
• Loves to play in the laundry like Henry does and frequently sticks blankets and burp cloths on her head
• Still likes to pull fibers out of the couch and eat them
• Finally has more hair, and it looks like it will be straight, not curly like Henry's
• Eats almost everything as long as she can feed herself, but loves peaches, cheese, watermelon, honeydew and bananas
• Has four teeth on the top and two on the bottom and loves to give us cheesy grins
• Is obsessed with wearing her beads and a little straw hat with red trim
• Hates having her diaper changed and has to be distracted with the rash cream or a cell phone
• Loves to turn the light on and off when she's on the changing table
• Walks all over the house and is starting to run
• Is obsessed with the stairs at Grandma's house like Henry is, but goes up them much more slowly
• Loves to babble but usually only says "mama," "dada," "baba" or "uh-oh"
• Is already a drama queen and throws herself on the floor and cries when Henry takes her toys or she doesn't get to climb on the couch
• Sleeps well at night and usually takes great naps during the day
• Has outgrown her breathing issues like Henry and doesn't need the nebulizer
• Loves pushing things around, especially strollers and little shopping carts
• Still loves to swing and gets the giggles when we push her really high

I love my sweet twins so much, even though they're getting into everything and learning to throw tantrums. It's fun to watch them grow and think about the people they're becoming. :)

13 and 14 months

It's probably pretty obvious that I'm not really into blogging anymore and much prefer snapping photos and sharing memories through Instagram, but I do feel bad that I haven't been writing down everything Henry and Norah are doing over the past few months. Here's a quick catch-up (really just for them to read later):

Henry:

• Has four teeth on the bottom and two on the top now, which gives him the cutest grin
• Probably weighs about 25 pounds (we'll find out next month for sure) and is about 31 inches tall
• Can stand on his own for a few seconds but much prefers crawling still
• Is growing more hair, and it's starting to look blonde (and is curling more in the back)
• Loves to babble now and is saying dada, mama, bye-bye, baba and uh-huh
• Still loves to crawl under everything, especially the piano and the table
• Is a great eater until he's full, and then he flings food onto the floor (and for some reason does not like peaches)
• Loves his new sippy cup and gets mad when we take it away
• Remembers routines really well and has to slap the post when we get him out of the car and play with the chain on the door as we're leaving
• Has the funniest giggle that bubbles from his chest and likes to shout "BABA" at us to get our attention
• Is finally sleeping through the night (from 8 or 9 p.m. to 7 or 8 a.m.)
• Loves to play with doors (and just shut one in Norah's face the other day)
• Is wearing 12-month and 12-18 month clothes (and a few 18-month pieces)
• Just hit a growth spurt and grew out of my favorite moccasins, so he's in 12-18 month now
• Still loves bath time and gets excited when he hears the water running
• Finally drinks out of a normal bottle nipple again instead of one we cut open

Norah

• Has three teeth on top and two on the bottom
• Likes to make hissy sounds while she's crawling around (or pushing her favorite toy phone around)
• Started walking on July 23 and has been hesitantly taking steps before crawling again
• Weighs about 20 pounds and is probably 30 inches tall
• Is a daredevil and loves to use her walker as a ladder and throw pillows on the floor to stand on so she can climb onto the couch
• Loves to feed herself cheese, hot dogs, fruit and crackers but doesn't like it when we try to feed her baby food pouches and tries to squeeze them
• Is obsessed with teething necklaces and immediately puts them over her head when she finds them
• Enjoys teasing Henry by holding his toys just out of reach or putting her hands on his tummy while he's lying down
• Is wearing 9-month and 12-18 month clothes but still has tiny feet and wears 6-12 month moccasins
• Loves drinking out of her sippy cup and refuses to let us hold bottles to feed her now
• Says mama, dada, uh-oh and baba and babbles a lot
• Is finally growing more hair, but it's very straight and still dark, unlike Henry's
• Loves to shut and pound on doors with Henry
• Still enjoys putting fibers in her mouth, especially the green ones from her old play mat
• Is sleeping through the night and taking pretty good naps after crying for a few minutes in her crib
• Refuses to keep headbands on, so she looks bald in every photo :)

They are growing so quickly and really defining their personalities, and it's fun to see how different they are, even as twins.

12 months

On May 6, Henry and Norah turned one. I found myself very emotional all day, thinking about how tiny they were, how they arrived so early and we weren't prepared to have two babies that night, how they spent so long in the hospital. I get a little sad when I see pictures of moms holding their brand-new babies in the hospital because I didn't get to see mine in person for hours after their birth -- and I couldn't hold them until they were nearly two days old.

But then I think about how blessed we've been over the past year. You'd never know these two weighed only 3.5 pounds at birth. They struggle with allergies and eczema, but for the most part they're healthy. We love our beautiful twins so much!

Here's what they're up to at 12 months:

Henry:

• Weighs 22.5 pounds and is 30.5 inches tall (about the 80th percentile for height and 70th for weight)
• Has unfortunately started biting his sister, Andrew and me, so we're trying to teach him not to do that (and for the most part are failing)
• Says "mama" and "baba" and is starting to realize that I'm mama and will come when he yells for me
• Wears mainly 12-18 month clothes but still fits into some 9-month onesies
• Eats EVERYTHING and always seems to be hungry, though he does not like pureed green beans and refuses to eat them. He loves baby food pouches and will slurp them down in a minute or two.
• Still likes making his "Wookie" noise, which is also similar to the sound the planes make in The Jetsons (and I have no idea how he makes that sound)
• Has really bad eczema on his tummy and face, but it seems to be a bit better when we don't give him dairy. He also suffers from seasonal allergies (which is why his eyes were so red in this picture).
• Is lactose-intolerant like Norah, so he can only have lactose-free milk or formula to drink
• Still has just four teeth but drools all the time, so he's probably working on a few more
• Loves climbing on things and standing to rattle the baby gate
• Has decided sleep is overrated and screams every night when we try to get him to bed
• Is obsessed with laptops and phones and has a sixth sense about when they're going to appear
• Has begun standing for a few seconds on his own and loves to stand and play with chairs in the kitchen
• Absolutely LOVES bath time and splashes all the water out of the tub (and all over Norah)
• Is generally happy and has the best giggle when we tickle his tummy
• Loves to swing at Grandma's house and gets sad when we take him out of the swing
• Is not a big fan of sugar and refused to take more than a bite of cake on his birthday
• Has the sweetest little curls on the back of his head and has pretty thick hair

Norah:

• Weighs 19 pounds and is 29.5 inches long
• Finally has three teeth (we noticed the first one on her birthday), two on the bottom and one on the top
• Has been much happier since getting tubes in her ears at the end of April and can hear much better now, too
• Mainly wears 9-month clothes but is starting to fit into 12-month clothes
• Still has teeny feet and fits into her 0-6 month moccasins
• Has the gross habit of pulling fibers out of the couch and eating them (which is so weird!)
• Loves bath time like Henry does, though she prefers to be in the bathtub alone because Henry steals toys and tries to play with her
• Has stood by herself a few times but prefers to scoot along the baby gate or push a walker around (and she's really fast at it)
• Can steer her walker around and make it out of the kitchen and living room, even when she has to squeeze around furniture
• Has learned to say "uh oh" (most likely from me) and "mmm-mmm" (the non-word form of uh oh) as well as "baba" and "mama"
• Is still pretty bald, but her hair is starting to grow in the back
• Has discovered she can pull off her headbands, so we're getting more "Oh, you have two boys?" comments since she won't keep them on
• Loves the swing at Grandma's house like Henry does and giggles nonstop when we push her
• Has refused to eat more than a few bites of solid food besides puffs up until the last few days and is now finally eating baby food pouches with carrots, applesauce and sweet potatoes
• Is lactose-intolerant like Henry and gets a bad rash on her face when she eats dairy
• Takes great naps during the day but usually wakes up once at night
• Loves to have other kids around and got really excited with all the cousins at her party
• Has an adorable giggle when we tickle her or throw her in the air

I'm hoping to get some photos of their party up soon! These two get more and more fun every day.

Eleven months

They're 11 months and just a couple weeks from their first birthday! April has been a crazy month (as you can see from Norah's expressions), with ear infections, allergic reactions and asthma , but Henry and Norah are still growing and learning new tricks all the time. Here's what they're doing now:

Henry:

• Weighs 22 pounds and is probably 30 inches tall
• Wears some 9-month clothes but is mainly in 12-month clothes now
• Loves to make noises by drumming his fingers over his lips
• Babbles a lot and still says "baba" and "mama" (though he doesn't know what they mean)
• Can spend hours lying under his walker and gets mad if Norah comes into his fortress (or is sitting in it and kicks him while he's underneath)
• Eats everything in sight but loves yogurt puffs, squash, applesauce and sweet potatoes
• Loves to be pulled up to standing from his changing table and tossed in the air
• Pulls himself up to standing at his walker and is starting to stand at his baby gate and slowly slide around the room
• Still has four teeth but is working on pushing another one through
• Is super happy most of the time and makes himself giggle, especially when he's lying on the floor or playing with a book in his car seat
• Has begun crawling on all fours instead of just scooting and is getting really fast
• Unfortunately has really bad eczema on his legs, tummy and arms, but steroid cream is slowly helping it to go away
• Is allergic to Tylenol, as we found out last week, but should be fine with infant ibuprofen
• Loves to clap and kick his legs
• Fights bedtime and naptime but has been great at sleeping through the night the past week (and we're hoping it continues)

Norah:

• Weighs 19 pounds and is 28 inches long
• Wears 9-month clothes and a few 6-9 month pairs of pants
• Has learned how to climb up stairs at Grandma's house and church and climbs pretty far before getting tired of it
• Still has no teeth, but we see one popping up every few weeks and then going back down, which is frustrating
• Loves to pull herself up to standing against the couch and shut or play with my laptop and spends forever clanging toys against her baby gate
• Has been really cranky this month because of a double ear infection, antibiotics that weren't working and an allergic reaction to cefdinir, but seems a bit happier now that she's on a different medicine
• Loves peek-a-boo, especially when I bend down by the changing table and surprise her or Andrew pops out from behind a door
• Refuses to eat solid food (most likely because it's so hard to swallow) but will take a few bites of sweet potato or applesauce
• Is getting really good at grabbing yogurt puffs and putting them in her mouth
• Cracks up when she watches Jake and the Neverland Pirates on Netflix while I'm in the shower and loves the bright colors, as does Henry
• Is finally growing more hair, and it's getting longer in the back
• Has begun clapping when she's happy
• Loves snuggling up to her dad and me lately and falling asleep
• Crawls on her hands and knees now instead of scooting
• Is close to walking and tries standing on her own for a couple seconds before grabbing something to hold onto

I love seeing how much Henry and Norah grow each month and can't believe how well they're doing for being born so early. Unfortunately, Norah most likely has to have tubes in her ears because of all the ear infections, but we're hoping it will help her feel much better and start to eat solid food again.

These babies have my whole heart! Their smiles and giggles more than make up for sleepless nights and days spent changing diapers and cleaning spit-up from the carpet. I love seeing their personalities shining through and knowing they'll continue to change and grow and become their own people. 

10 months

Ten months! As I put it on Instagram, my babies are in double digits now. This month has been full of milestones for Henry and Norah, and I can definitely see their distinct personalities forming. Here's what they're doing at 10 months.

Henry:

• Weighs about 21.5 pounds and is probably 29.5 inches long
• Still wears mostly nine-month clothes but fits into some 12-month pants
• Army crawls everywhere but doesn't pull himself up yet
• Currently HATES it when we try to make him sit, arching his back and standing so that we have to bend his legs. Once he's sitting, though, he's happy.
• Has four teeth still, and the bottom two are adorably crooked
• Eats practically all baby food but isn't a fan of ham or green beans
• Usually takes 20-minute naps but has taken two- to three-hour naps lately when he's really tired
• Loves to follow Norah around and steal her toys (which is payback for her stealing his for months)
• Is still an incredibly happy baby and loves to smile at everyone and make himself and Norah laugh
• Gets really excited when his dad comes home from work and scoots over to greet him with a big grin on his face
• Has started rolling to his tummy immediately when we put him down to sleep at night
• Screams bloody murder when he's hungry or doesn't want to take a nap
• Calms down when I sing to him or turn his mobile on
• Babbles all the time and can say "baba" and "mama" (although he doesn't realize that I'm mama yet)
• Is quick at rolling over when I'm trying to change his diaper

Norah:

• Weighs 18.5 pounds and is probably close to 28 inches long
• Still wears mainly six-month clothes but has started to wear nine-month onesies
• Pulls herself up to standing next to the couch, walker and baby gate and will be standing on her own soon
• Knows how to open the baby gate by pulling the latch up and has let herself and Henry out to play in the kitchen
• Does not like baby food at all and will only take a few bites of sweet potatoes, apple sauce or yogurt before clamping her mouth shut
• Loves to shake her head "no" and has taught Henry to do it, too
• Giggles at Henry and likes to watch him crawling under the walker while she's standing next to it
• Doesn't say any words yet but says "Mmmmmmmm" urgently when she wants me to pick her up
• Takes great naps throughout the day (usually at least an hour long) but has decided bedtime doesn't happen until 10 p.m. or later
• Still prefers to be fed with a bottle but pushes it away immediately when she's done
• Likes to be tickled on her legs and gives us great throaty laughs when we find the right spot
• Doesn't have any teeth yet but continues to chew on everything, so they must be coming soon
• Pulls herself up to standing in her crib so she can watch us when we come grab her
• Still loves to be snuggled when she's tired and falls asleep quickly when I sing to her and hold her
• Only takes her pacifier when she's about to go to sleep but loves to play with it and the pacifier cord

I'm already planning their first birthday and having a hard time believing it's almost here. Time flies when your twins are growing up.

Nine months

February was a pretty crazy month, and I'm just now getting to their nine-month update! These babies make life fun, and they've grown a lot in the past month. Here's what they're up to now:

Henry:

• Weighs 20.6 pounds and is 28.25 inches long. He actually hasn't gained weight since his six-month checkup but is much taller -- two inches taller than his sister.
• Has four teeth (two on the bottom and two on the top) and loves to gnaw on things and grind them (to my chagrin). The bottom two poked through at eight months (around Jan. 23, when I was in Florida on a business trip), and the other two came through about a week ago.
• Wears some 6-9 month clothes but mostly 9-month clothes (and a few 12-month pieces that run small)
• Scoots around on his tummy and rolls and pulls himself around quickly, but still isn't quite crawling yet
• Loves texture and is satisfied with a soft blanket and a Beanie Baby shark (to chew on) he got from a friend's birthday party a few weeks ago
• Has stopped sucking from bottles for some reason, so we've had to cut holes in all of his nipples so he'll still drink his formula
• Devours baby food, especially green beans, yogurt, carrots and apples and prunes
• Takes 20-minute cat naps unless he's being held
• Has started slapping his cheeks for no reason and nodding his head at everything
• Is very ticklish under his ribs and in his armpits
• Has quite a bit of brownish-blonde hair that's golden in the sun
• Still smiles at everyone and giggles at Norah when she crawls toward him (or on top of him)
• Loves to be snuggled and will sleep for hours in our arms
• Sits up on his own now but still likes to topple over sometimes
• Continues to love music and fall asleep quickly when I sing to him
• Is obsessed with his socks and will pull them off and suck on them right after I put them on (and try to grab Norah's to chew on them, too)

Norah:

• Weighs 17.8 pounds and is 27.5 inches long
• Still doesn't have any teeth but chews on everything, so they must be coming soon
• Fits into some 3-6 month clothes but is mainly wearing 6-month clothes
• Is very curious and loves to climb around the piano, walker and bouncer
• Just began pulling herself up and standing next to her walker and is SO proud of herself
• Loves to crawl all over Henry and put her hands on his face and in his mouth and eyes (no matter how many times we pull her off of him)
• Will only eat sweet potatoes and occasionally applesauce, so she still has formula most of the time
• Giggles at Henry when she's playing with him on the floor and loves to have Dad blow raspberries on her tummy
• Only takes her pacifier when she's really tired (and then spits it out when she falls asleep) but loves to play with and chew on it
• Loves rings, keys, her Sophie the giraffe and a plastic monkey toy (that she steals away from Henry whenever she can)
• Splashes as much as she can in the bathtub and is fascinated by the faucet
• Still takes long naps and curls up in the corner of her crib on her tummy
• Sits up well on her own and likes to play with her feet
• Has soft brown hair that's finally beginning to grow and long eyelashes
• Still has teeny feet that don't fit into any of her 6-12 month moccasins
• Loves to be snuggled and rocked to sleep

Henry and Norah already entertain each other and share this incredible bond, and it's been fun to watch them grow. They make life crazy and satisfying.

Eight months

My babies are eight months old and growing so fast! I hold them and wonder how my tiny twins have grown into such tall, healthy little kids. Here's what they're doing this month.

Henry:

• Weighs about 20 pounds and is probably 28 inches long
• Has a ticklish tummy and giggles hysterically when his dad tickles him
• Still loves music and listens intently when I sing to him or when his favorite Frozen music comes on
• Is out of his six-month clothes and wearing 6-9 month and nine-month clothes now
• Has begun scooting and half-crawling around but is still very content to just lie on his back and chew on and play with his blanket
• Loves his mobile and could watch it spinning for hours (though it's most likely the music he loves)
• Still isn't sitting on his own yet, but he's getting close
• No longer takes long naps but takes 30-minute cat naps throughout the day
• Generally sleeps through the night but lately has been waking up starving around 3 a.m.
• Has long, spiky hair on the top of his head but still has a bald spot in the back
• Is generally happy and coos and smiles at almost everyone who smiles at him
• Really likes bath time and has started kicking his legs and playing in his bathtub
• Gets very mad when he's tired and has to be rocked to sleep if he doesn't roll to his tummy and fall asleep on the floor
• Loves to grab Norah's hand and try to suck on it (much to her annoyance)
• Likes to pull his feet up to his face and play with them

Norah:

• Weighs about 18 pounds and is about 27.5 inches long
• Still wears some 3-6 month clothes but is wearing six-month clothes now
• Is scooting/crawling all over now and getting into everything
• Loves texture, including sucking on tags, scratching her fingers on pillows and the mesh walls of the pack 'n play, and running her hands over the vent on the floor
• Gives big, gummy smiles, but she's more hesitant to laugh than Henry is
• Is growing brown fuzzy hair on the top of her head
• Loves to make gargling sounds and loud, happy noises
• Doesn't really like bath time but is getting used to the bathtub and starting to kick her legs
• Sometimes sleeps through the night but usually rolls around so much that she wakes herself up a few times
• Still loves her pacifier when she's sleepy, and it generally puts her right to sleep
• Steals toys from Henry and quickly grabs whatever she wants, even when it's across the room
• Loves to pull her feet up and suck on them after pulling her socks off
• Had bad eczema on her face and arms, so we switched both Henry and her to a soy formula that seems to be helping (though it smells awful)
• Smiles at Henry and sometimes giggles at him for no reason
• Loves to be snuggled and sleeps for hours when someone is holding her or lying next to her

I watch these babies grow every day and feel so blessed that they're happy and healthy. They make me so happy, and I love watching them discover new things and understand the world around them.

Seven months

Ack! My babies are seven (almost eight, actually) months old, and I can hardly believe it! Here's what they're up to this month.

Henry:

• Makes himself giggle now, which is the funniest thing in the world
• Still loves to smile at everyone, especially strangers in the grocery store
• Thumps his legs really loudly in his crib or on his playmat when he's happy
• Still likes to be sung to and snuggled to sleep
• Weighs 19.5 pounds and is about 27 inches long
• Absolutely loves his sister and will stare adoringly at her and coo at her
• Still likes to stick his tongue out all the time
• Rolls over and scoots around, but still isn't crawling or sitting on his own
• Is growing fast and has outgrown his six-month clothes
• Likes to babble and suck on his hands
• Loves sleeping on his tummy and has started lying face-down in his crib after rolling from his back to his side and his tummy (which scares us)
• Is a really happy, chill baby and is generally content unless he's hungry or very tired
• Has started grabbing his toes
• Is getting soft, spiky hair on the top of his head, but still has a big bald spot in the back
• Really likes having baths and, lately, showers with Dad to clear out his sinuses

Norah:

• Immediately rolls to her tummy when you put her on the floor and is scooting across the room to grab what she wants
• Rolls in her sleep to the uppermost corner of her crib and sleeps contentedly (for a few minutes) on her tummy
• Is obsessed with the silk tags on toys, blankets and pillows and makes a beeline for them so she can suck on them
• Weighs almost 18 pounds and is about 26.5 inches long
• Babbles to Henry and occasionally starts laughing hysterically when he looks at her
• Still loves her pacifier and will go to sleep (or back to sleep) when she has it in her mouth
• Gets stuck under the couch and the pack 'n play because she hasn't learned how to scoot forward yet (only backward)
• Unfortunately still has a red rash on her neck we can't get rid of and sees an allergist with Henry at the end of the month
• Gives us enormous gummy smiles when she's proud of herself (like when she's scooting around on her tummy)
• Is easily distracted and difficult to feed when lots of things are going on around her
• Still likes to take frequent naps during the day but not nearly as long as she used to
• Loves to lie on her back and grab her toes and babble
• Has soft, spiky hair on the top of her head and long eyelashes
• Still wears 3-6 month clothes but is starting to fit into six-month clothes
• Loves to snuggle against us with her pacifier and can sleep for hours that way

We love our little twins and still can't believe they're growing so fast!

Six months

It's hard to believe my babies are already six months old — and growing like weeds. Here's what they're up to now.

Henry:

• Weighed 16 pounds 12 ounces and was 26.5 inches long at his six-month checkup
• Has hit a major growth spurt (obviously) and wants to eat every two hours now
• Is still a very happy baby, especially in the morning
• Loves to suck on his thumbs and try to stuff both fists in his mouth
• Still refuses a pacifier (not necessarily good, since it'll be harder to break the thumb-sucking)
• Loves to be sung to and coos along when I sing
• Is REALLY close to giggling and actually laughed at a grandma in the store on Saturday
• Fits into six-month clothes but is still mainly wearing three-month clothes
• Has become a serial roller and constantly rolls to his tummy when he's lying on his playmat
• Loves to sleep on his tummy now and has started rolling in his crib (which scares me)
• Grabs toys, especially rings, and plays with them
• Is finally starting to grow some hair, and it looks like it will be brown
• Has pretty greenish-brown eyes that also look blue when he wears blue
• Likes to babble, especially when he's laying by Norah
• Still can't sit up on his own but is already trying to army crawl

Norah:

• Weighed 14 pounds 6 ounces and was 26 inches long at her six-month checkup
• Is a chatterbox and babbles all the time, especially when we change her diaper or when she's lying on her playmat grabbing toys
• Gives us huge gummy smiles when she wakes up (five minutes after we put her in her crib) and wants to be held
• Loves to lay on her side now when she sleeps, which is adorable
• Currently has no interest in rolling to her tummy and will roll to her back when I try to get her to support her weight on her stomach
• Still wears three-month clothes and a few 0-3 month pants and has a skinny waist
• Has tiny feet, and all her socks fall off because of it
• Likes to be snuggled and lay on her dad's chest
• Unfortunately has had a red rash on her face and neck for the past few weeks because of her drooling, but it's getting better
• Has gorgeous green-brown eyes and really long eyelashes
• Still loves her pacifier and will usually go back to sleep in the middle of the night if we give it to her
• Sits really well in the Bumbo, but can't sit on her own
• Is getting long, fuzzy brown hair
• Likes to grab at faces, including mine, Henry's and Andrew's
• Doesn't like to roll over, but she scoots around constantly (often ending up at the foot of her crib)

If you can't tell, this blog has morphed into my online scrapbook for Henry and Norah, because I simply don't have the time or energy to blog anymore. I have so many posts I want to write, and I'm hoping to have one day soon where I don't choose sleep over blogging. I update my Instagram much more frequently, so you can follow me there to see what's happening.

Just know that I haven't forgotten you, and I want to visit your blogs! I hope to get there soon. :)

Five months

It's been a busy few weeks, so I'm just getting to their five-month update. These babies have my whole heart and just keep getting more and more fun. I am so blessed to be their mom. Here's what they're doing now that they're five months old.

Henry:

• Weighed 13.5 pounds and was 25 inches long at his appointment three weeks ago
• Is smiling and babbling all the time now
• Still loves music and will try to talk to me as I sing to him
• Is SO close to rolling over but seems to get his arms stuck under him before he can roll to his tummy
• Has what I call "baby narcolepsy" and falls asleep almost instantly when he's been playing or even sometimes just babbling
• Loves to be snuggled and have his bottom patted (so funny)
• Fits into three-month clothes, but they're getting tight
• Still wakes up happy and just talks to himself in his crib until we pick him up
• Has to have short cat naps after every feeding but will sometimes sleep for hours in the afternoon
• Loves to sit up and see what's going on, whether in a bouncer or on someone's lap
• Usually eats five ounces at every feeding now (though he's seemed less hungry this week)
• Loves to suck on his fingers and has actually caused the skin to peel from the moisture
• Tries to talk to Norah and likes to lay by her on their play mat
• Has begun grabbing toys and loves to play with his blanket
• Likes to sing himself to sleep (and keep singing when he's asleep)

Norah:

• Weighed 12.5 pounds and was 24.5 inches long at her appointment three weeks ago
• Still LOVES her pacifier and will open her mouth and reach for it when she spits it out
• Has discovered her tongue and is always sticking it out
• Loves to lie on the play mat and grab toys or just play with her hands
• Rolled over Oct. 12 when we were at Andrew's family's cabin — and I was so excited that Andrew and I were both there to see her hit this milestone
• Smiles at us all the time and babbles occasionally
• Is trying really hard to start giggling but hasn't really done it yet
• Fits into three-month clothes, but most are still a little big
• Has teeny tiny feet and just barely grew out of the newborn shoes I bought to announce her arrival
• Drools a lot and soaks through her onesies often
• Grabs toys on the play mat and likes to pull her blanket over her head and play with it
• Sleeps with her arms extended up above her head
• Loves to snuggle by her dad and can sleep for hours like that
• Takes long naps in the morning and afternoon, sleeping through wiggly Henry next to her on the play mat
• Still isn't a big fan of her car seat but is staying awake longer in the car

We had such a fun weekend with my mom, my brother, sister-in-law and niece in town, and Henry and Norah loved having Grandma sing to them and make them smile and giggle. We feel so blessed to have these lively, beautiful babies in our lives.