Charlotte and Ruby - 6 months

Charlotte (top) and Ruby (bottom)

Charlotte and Ruby are six months old!  (Well, actually they have been six months old for over a week but lately I am failing to post in a timely fashion.)

The girls are both doing everything about the same time and in the same way as each other.  It really is hard to list their differences because they are so much alike.  We see some differences in their demeanor at times and I suspect over the next several months their personality differences will emerge even more.

This past month has been so fun with the girls!  They are still so tiny.  They are like little dolls and just so sweet and adorable.  Here are the stats from their six month doctor's appointment:

Ruby:  Height 25" (27.57%) Weight 10 lbs 15 oz (.18%)  Head Circumference 16.5" (37.22%)
Charlotte:  Height 25.5" (46.29%) Weight 10 lbs 9 oz (.08%) Head Circumference 16.5" (37.22%)
The girls have been continually shooting up in the head circumference percentiles and so we had to take them in to have ultrasounds done on their heads last week to rule out any problems.  Thankfully they got a clean bill of health and their heads are just growing at a quick pace.  Charlotte now is taller than Ruby by a half inch!  Ruby's height percentage dropped a lot but our doctor thinks we might have just caught her before a growth spurt and that Charlotte probably just had hers.  Their weight is still barely on the charts percentile-wise.  These tiny things are happy, healthy, and on track developmentally so our doctor still isn't concerned that they are gaining weight slowly.

They are still nursing and sleeping great.  We are down to 5 or 6 feedings a day.  A few weeks ago we were able to drop the 10pm-ish feeding so they usually go all night without feeding.  If they wake up after 4am and don't go back to sleep, I will usually quickly feed which ever one wakes up so we can get back to bed and the other kids don't wake up.  Since every few days they are waking up between 4am-6am we aren't totally sleeping through the night yet (for us that means at least until 6am).  Most days the girls will sleep until 7am.  They usually nap three times a day if we are able to be home for nap times.  If we are on the go then they will usually miss a nap, but they are really great at making up for it with a nice long nap later in the day.

They are trying to crawl.  Both girls can get up on their elbows and knees and hang out for a second or two.  They have mastered scooting on their tummies to get to toys or their pacis, although they do not go long distances, only about a foot.  I need to get this on video.  It's not going to be long before they start scooting and crawling all over the place.

They are really sturdy and we have been helping them practice to sit up on their own.  They are not ready to do it all by themselves but they are learning.  We love that they can sit in our laps upright with ease now and they can hang out with us like that so much more often.  It certainly helps us get through meal times when we want to all sit at the table together.

We started feeding them solid foods last week (more on that soon).  They are showing so much interest in the food we eat.  Ruby kind of freaks out when she sees me eat something and I am holding her in my lap.  She always reaches for it and wants to eat it.  She will grab my hand or fork and not let go.  It's so funny.  Both she and Char will turn their heads and follow my fork to see where it is going.  Hank has tried to feed them things and also likes to put his sippy cup in their mouths.  I have seen both girls try to grab the sippy from him.  We try to tell Hank that they can't do that yet but he still thinks he is being helpful.

When Brett and I hold them they love to grab our hair, lips, cheeks, noses and anything else they can get their little fingers on.  When we hold them against us they love to cling to us and will rest their head on our shoulders in such a way that it makes me feel like they are just so in love with us.  I love the bond we have with them.  Even though it seems like our time is divided among our kids it is so sweet to know they all still feel very loved and nurtured.

They are interacting with each other more and more every day.  If I put them on the floor together they will often times be on top of each other almost immediately.  They love to reach out and touch each others' face when they are facing each other in chairs or on the floor.  Sometimes one sister doesn't always like how the other sister is grabbing her and they yell at each other and even look at me with pleading eyes and I have to pull them apart.

They are really so sweet and loveable.  Tonight when we put them to bed they were so quiet and peaceful and just genuinely happy!  Brett and I both smothered them with kisses and they just loved it.  We love these girls so much.  It sounds so cliche but we really don't know how they are already six months old.  It's gone by way too fast! 

-a