February Fun!

February is a time for birthday parties in our family! This weekend Grandma and Grandpa came to visit so that we could go to a friend's party on Saturday night. The weekend started with a night out to eat-- a rarity for us. It's Lent and Grandpa needs to eat healthy, so we took you out to Deadwood for some healthy grilled fish. When we go out to eat, we feed you on our laps or in your car seats while we wait for our food. While we wait, you play with toys. (The trick is to ask for the check WHILE we eat, because you get really tired of sitting by the time we get done eating.)

We went to the mall on Saturday-- Grandpa strolled you around as you gazed starstruck at all around you! You literally don't move when you have so much to soak in. (Mommy spent time shopping for herself for the first time since she lost all 65 lbs of her pregnancy weight.) After the craziness of the mall, you spent the entire evening with your grandparents-- a first for your parents. We had left you with sitters before, but not for the entirety of your evening and bedtime routine. You were angels again, and your parents had a very nice evening out! Thank you dear daughters! 

To round out the weekend, we went to Vinny's for his 8th birthday party! This turned out to be a little bit of a disaster, as you fell asleep in the last 10 minutes of a 40 minute drive and didn't sleep the rest of the day. But we got to see Aunt Gina, Uncle Matt, your cousins & Uncle Michael. It was the first you slept in the car seats not in the car-- so tired! 

Such a great weekend! 

Half a YEAR!

You're 6 months old today!!! Half a year... wow.

Charlotte & Olivia

Charlotte & Olivia

It's as if you know you're older, because you're suddenly different children altogether. You just seem 'older' as you look around for anything and everything to pick up and chew on. Charlotte: You are laughing and squealing all the time, and even lean to get things from my hands to your mouth. Olivia: you watch everything. Everything. You're just so studious and inquisitive. I can carry you both around on my hip now like such big girls! You're growing every single day, and it just amazes me how quickly it's happening.

Happy Valentine's Day!

       

My little Valentines

6 Month Well Visit

Back to Dr. Howard we went:

Charlotte: 19 lbs. 10 oz., 28.5 inches long, head circumference of 44 cm.
Olivia: 16 lbs. 9 oz., 28.5 inches long, head circumference of 45.5 cm.

Needless to say, Miss Charlotte, you're a bigger baby, even though we feed you the same amount! Dr. Howard says you're perfect though, at 95th percentile for your weight and 99th for your height, you are very proportional!

And Miss Olivia, you're a bobblehead! And a perfect one too, coming in at 50th percentile for your weight, but 100th on height and head size.

You lucked out and missed out on vaccinations today. Doc wouldn't give you a flu shot until Friday, and Mommy and Daddy gave you Advil before he came in the room. When he heard that, he said the absorption rate is lower with pain meds administered prior to shots, so we have to go back. Ugh. Mommy hates that. Oh well... you seem to like to get out of the house, so on another adventure we will go...

However.... this may mean sleep training?!?!? by daddy tonight when Mommy leaves to go out with her girlfriends. There's no excuse now! :(

A Whole New Ballgame.. Mobility.

Charlotte suddenly and finally mastered rolling over from her belly to her back. You llleeeaaaan your head over, and then flip! :) Now we can't keep you on your belly! 

And sweet Olivia: You kick so hard and fast and push up so tall, but you haven't rolled over since your 5 month birthday. However, you're getting places by pushing with those strong legs of yours. :) 

Someone once told me that the first year was easy.  I looked at her in disbelief, wondering how anything could be harder than learning how to care for 2 tiny little babies that ate and ate and ate. Today, I get it. You're too heavy to carry together now (though I still do it some days), so I have to take one of you upstairs, then the other. But that requires leaving each of you alone for a few moments. If you're mobile..... and I leave you.... oh wow. That's a whole new ballgame. I suddenly get it. And I have a renewed and fevered interest in house hunting.

Her Smile Makes the World Go Round

Charlotte's smile is infectious! She is our happy baby, for sure. She smiles even when she's sick, when she's tired, and almost every time you look at her. She smiles for Mickey Mouse, she smiles for Olivia, she smiles for her Mommy and Daddy especially. She smiles from the inside out. She smiles with her eyes and her nose and her shoulders and her hands and her beautiful mouth. I seriously think that smile could make the world go round.

(Her first smile at Mommy was in October 5th, 2012 and accidentally captured on her phone.)

Jump! Jump! Jump!

We've learned to Jump! Jump! Jump! Mommy is so excited that she has something new for you to do! I have to be careful though- it's all you guys want to do. I guess this starts learning how to take turns!

Olivia started on 1/22 at Aunt Rachel's, Charlotte started today! I think she took longer because Olivia was always the one hanging in it. Charlotte always sat in the ExerSaucer (because she fit in it).