Monthly Update

Update on the boys:

Eli:
- 7 1/2 months old

- great sitter but no crawling or pulling up yet. I looked back to Jay at this age and he was rocking on all fours and pulling up by now. I think Eli is not there yet for 2 reasons. One, He is shorter so I think it may not be physically as easy. Two, he is completely satisfied watching Jay jump and dance around him all day so he hasn't found himself bored enough to practice. I think he is regretting his laziness this week because he has been very irritable as he plops to his belly and goes nowhere. I told him, "this is your own fault...you should have been practicing and maybe you'd at least be scooting by now."  He can't stand to see kids crawling, running, and playing all around him without being able to jump in too. And if we dare leave him in a room alone we will get an instant earful. I am so ready for him to crawl just so he has a new activity to focus on!

First time in the grass...he's not quite sure about it.

- He uses the phrase, "ah! ahhh! ahh!" as his response to anything. He loves to "talk" to Jay and will get his attention this way every morning. And, believe me, that persistent boy WILL get Jay's attention. When we are in a crowd or in a store he does this to people around us until they include him. He used to say "mamama.." but hasn't said it in weeks....I guess "dada" isn't far behind and that will probably be his favorite word, like it was with jay...I will be dissed again, I imagine.

- His other method of communication is spitting. He loves to do this right after I give him a spoonful of food...causing multiple wardrobe changes for the both of us throughout the day.
- He laughs just for the sake of laughing....especially when he is giddy tired. I see that look in his eyes, barely chuckle, then he goes into full belly laughs for as long as I laugh back. It is very sweet. And even sweeter when the game is between him and Jay. It makes any day better.

- When he gets really excited he gives a loud, high-pitched squeal. Sometimes we have to stop and make sure it's delight because he is so dramatic, but it is pure excitement, every time. Usually this happens when we are tickling him, biting at his neck, or holding him upside down. I know, it sounds bad but he loves it!

- As for food- he loves baby food, would eat it all day...just like Jay did. We have tried almost all fruits and veggies except for green beans and peas. He will not eat peaches from the jar but will gnaw on a fresh one in a second. He loves sweet potatoes and carrots. Bananas are is favorite fruit...but loves all of them really.

- He still prefers to go to sleep by himself, with his lovey and paci. I do try to rock him for a minute or two but it's not long before he's stretching away and grunting (my cue to lay him down)....still blows my mind how different they are in this respect!

- He is better at saying up without too much fuss when we aren't at home by bedtime. He refuses to take his last bottle if it's not warmed though. He doesn't fuss about it but just turns his face and waits until we get home, warm it, and then drinks it straight down.

- I am starting to see a temper. It only took 7 months but I have found a "bad" side to him!  It's not a quick temper like Jay but slow-brewing, with plenty of warnings, and then explodes. He can scream so loud, and with so much passion behind it. The neighbors probably think I am beating him. The worst part, he will keep on, even after we give him whatever it is he wants, just out of principle.

- Schedule: Wakes around 7am. Eats (I'm guessing around 5-6 oz) and plays on the floor. Eats fruit or oatmeal about 8am (3 oz). Nap at 9am (1 1/2 hours). Around 11 drinks 6oz, then eats about 4oz of fruit/veg. Naps again at 1230 or 1 for 1-2 hours. Drinks 5-6oz around 3pm. Eats supper around 5pm (4 oz rice cereal and a veggie). This boy can eat, uh!?  Catnaps, fusses, plays, and screams until around 7 when we bathe him, give him 6-7oz milk, and put him to bed. And thanks to his massive food intake all day, he sleeps the full 12 hours without a peep!

Well that was longer than I'd planned so I'll update on Jay tomorrow. There is a list full for him and all his wild antics as well.

Here are two videos of the boys laughing at lunch. They were cracking up before I got the camera so they are starting to wind down but it shows how much fun they have together! I seriously don't know what to do with Eli when Jay isn't around.