Ethan
I still need to weigh him, we don't have a doctor's appointment again until February.
Ethan is now standing up completely unsupported by anything but his own leg muscles. He likes to stand up and reach everything he can from nightstands, counters (the low ones) and chairs. He also loves to pull down this mesh gate we have and look over it. One thing he doesn't like is when we try to stand him up and let go or walk with him. His legs turn to jello and he pulls up his knees. He loves to stand on his own but not when we help him.
He is still my cuddly little guy but only likes to really cuddle when he is sad or tired. Most of the time when I pick him up and pull him in he puts his head on my shoulder for a minute or two and it just melts my heart.
Ethan has also taken a huge liking in tilting his head back and forth. He looks at Brian and I, then tilts to one side and then waits for us to do the same, then he does the opposite side. He also has this super cheesy smile that he does to be funny. He throws his head back, squints his eyes and grins with all his teeth, it's hilarious and adorable! I catch him doing it in the mirror facing his car seat.
He loves to bounce. Most every morning when I go get the babies from their cribs he is standing there jumping up and down. He is so happy!
This month sleeping has been a lot better, he finally stopped waking every two hours but for whatever reason wakes up around 11-12 crying, I have to go in and soothe him until he falls asleep. No teeth have broken through this month so I think he is having night terrors which in my opinion are much worse. I would rather have to give him Tylenol or baby orajel, I can't do anything for night terrors.
My favorite new development of Ethans this month his understanding of peek a boo. He will take his blanket and pull it over his face and wait for me to say, "Where's Ethan???" and then he will drop the blanket and I shout, "There he is!" He loves it and so do I.
We took family photos the last week in November and Ethan was beaming in all the photos, which is odd because usually he just has a blank mouth open stare and Ellie who is usually all smiles only smiled for a few and the rest she sobbed. So weird!
Ethan is still in size 3 diapers and wears size 12-18 months, he is the cutest chunk ever!
Ellie
I still need to weigh her, we don't have a doctors appointment again until February.
Ellie is crawling and pulling herself up everywhere. We hold her hands sometimes to walk with her and that little girl takes off, she is so quick! I keep telling people, she won't walk she'll run! She likes to stand (not without using something to help her up), make sad faces and chirps so we will pick her up. She has the most adorable pouting face that makes us crack up. She is learning how to manipulate us into picking her up or playing with her. She still hates being left alone or set down. Sometimes when she is pouting she will fake cry and then open her eyes slightly to make sure we are watching and then start fake crying again.
Ellie is just a little happy girl. She loves to be held, by pretty much anyone but Santa. We have tried 3 different times to get her to smile on Santa's lap but she refuses and breaks out in screams and sobs.
My little girl is starting to take a stand against headbands of any kind. Every time I put one on her she pulls it off immediately, I have to distract her right away for her to leave it for any period of time but she is not a fan. She doesn't mind hair clips but they bug me because her hair is so fine that they just slip out.
She has developed a princess wave where she sticks out her right hand and rocks it side to side. She doesn't do it all the time on queue but does do it, especially if I am holding her walking through Disneyland.
Ellie loves pillows. One night we pulled some pillows off the couch and put them on the floor with us, she went right over to them and laid her head down. Now every time she sees a pillow she puts her head down on it and we all say, "AWE." She loves it, and so do we.
Ellie is still in size 3 diapers and 9-12 month clothes. I love that she is so petite!
Both babies understand the word clap and hungry. Most times when you said clap they will drop everything they are doing and break out into a round of applause. It sometimes even works when they are crying. If you ask them if they are hungry, and it's time for them to eat, they start chirping and crying for food. Too funny.
They are great eaters and will eat any thing you give them, except for the freeze dried yogurt drops, Ethan loves them and Ellie HATES them. They LOVE pork, I made a pot roast the other day and I couldn't feed them fast enough. I have been trying to feed them whatever we eat for dinner, except for the super allergenic stuff they can't have until they are at least one like peanuts, chocolate, strawberries, honey etc.
When the babies do play they usually stick together and play with the same toys. I love watching them play together but most of the time they steal each others toys. Ellie gets so sad when Ethan takes from her because he is so much stronger resulting in her having to find a new toy.
I am still nursing both babies. It is a lot of work with both of them getting so big but I know it won't be for much longer so I am trying to enjoy it as long as possible. I have already felt my appetite lessen which scares me. I really enjoy the time I get with them when I nurse, I never dreamed I would be able to nurse this long, when the babies were first born I remembered thinking, I don't know how people do it! I think I will aim for 3 months, then 3 months came and I pushed it to 6 months, then 9 months and now (hopefully) 12.
Brian installed some gates in our house to keep the babies in one place and they are not happy about it. They crawl over to our mesh one (it is retractable because a suspension one wouldn't fit and I didn't want one permanently up) and pull on the top to try and see over.
Both babies will go to practically anyone, they are very even tempered and just happy babies. I love to watch them learn and grow each day. I feel so blessed to be their mom and can't imagine my life without them.
I am so excited for their first Christmas!!!
