Hanging out with Dad!

So, this is how Scott entertains himself and the babies while I'm at work!!  Haha!

Seven months!

This weekend Luke and Amelia will be seven months old.  This last week has been a fun and full week.  Both my sister and brother have been in town with their families so we've enjoyed some good time together.  It's been a joy to see all four cousins together.  I think we officially wore the babies out!  Today they both took three long naps and were still asleep for the night at 8pm ... mission accomplished!  This week has also held several big transitions for the babes.  Amelia now has two teeth.  She's done so well with them.   I don't think Luke is far behind given the amount of drool he's got going on!  Both babies roll all over the place now -- back to front and front to back.  I think we need to start baby-proofing the house sooner rather than later.  They're also both eating solid foods now which is fun to see.  So far their diet consists of rice cereal, bananas and avocados, all of which they seem to like.  This is such a fun age, maybe my favorite so far!  They are so smiley and entertain us constantly with their laughing and giggling.  They're getting really interested in the people and things around them which is really neat to see.  And they're not quite mobile yet, which I'm enjoying while it lasts!  It'll be fun to see them on the move, but I'm exhausted just thinking about chasing them in two different directions.  Thankfully the sleep situation is improving.  I've heard other parents of twins describe the first year as "a blur" due to the sleep deprivation and now I understand!  The babes are now only getting up once or twice a night which makes a huge difference.  They're sleeping in their cribs now instead of their bassinets and I think that transition was harder on Scott and I than on the babies.  I got used to having them sleep next to us and being able to check on them throughout the night.  But it's good to have them in their own room and to be establishing a routine.  Now for the pictures ...

Why bother with clothes?  Just adds to the laundry, right? 

Love this little man!

First trip to the zoo!  I think they'll all judge us later for those hats ...  sorry guys!

The closest I got to a group shot

Cousins!  Amelia is easily distracted by the leaves!

We had to do it!

New video!

These two bring us so much joy!  They are really happy babies and their giggles and smiles are so precious!

July in pictures ...

The babies went today for their six month check-ups.  Luke weighed in at 18 lbs, 10 oz (63%) and was 27 inches long (61%).  Amelia was 15lbs, 7oz (30%) and 25 inches long (31%).  Those numbers aren't adjusted for the fact that they were two months premature ... they are growing just wonderfully!  Both of their head circumferences were in the 99th percentile ... Considering that Scott had a huge head as a child and we all know that the Hayford family has large foreheads ... can't say I'm surprised by that :)  Luke and Amelia will fit right in!  I'm feeling so thankful today for two healthy babies.  Being back at work is a constant reminder to me that good health is not a guarantee and every time I come home from work I give my babies extra kisses.  It's been a good summer so far ... I saw an ad today for back to school supplies which made me sad because I seriously can't believe it's almost August.  Yikes.  But we've had fun taking the babies on lots of walks, to the pool, farmers markets and BBQs.  My niece Kylee has been here for a few weeks which has been a lot of fun.  Life feels very full and sometimes a bit on the chaotic side with two babies and two jobs ... I'm very very thankful to only be working the small amount that I am (10-15 hrs/week) because it feels like a good balance.  Here are a few recent pictures ...

Dad and Luke at the downtown farmers market

Cousin Kylee!!

My dear childhood friend Nina and her daughter ... Only in Portland is it too cold to add water to the pool in July!

BBQ at Auntie Michelle's in Eugene (plus Sam, of course!)

Take two!

I think I uploaded the bath video wrong last night ... oops!  Let's try again ...

6 months?!

I can't believe that Luke and Amelia turn SIX months old this week.  Holy cow!  Now I get why parents are always saying it goes by too quickly.  I'll post some recent pictures and also a video of Luke laughing ... so sweet!  I'm not the best with technology and I can't figure out how to edit the video either in iphoto or on youtube so ignore the fact that it's turned the wrong way ... sorry about that!  I'll figure it out one of these days (maybe when I'm not so tired :) )   Since I haven't had a chance to start their baby books I'll try to write down some of my favorite things about them right now.
Amelia:  Oh Amelia!  What a fun little girl you are!  In the mornings Amelia is all smiles.  She doesn't wake up often at night anymore (only once or twice to feed) so she wakes up happy and refreshed.  She is extremely social.  She loves when we have visitors or go to parties or out for adventures.  She just soaks it all in.  She can totally hold her head up now so she's loving being in the Jolly Jumper and bumbo chair.  She tracks Molly everywhere she goes and just giggles and laughs at the dog.  She tends to get over tired easily so I have to be careful to get her down for naps in time or she has a complete meltdown.  We try to avoid those!
Luke:  My sister calls Luke "the little professor" ... he does have a very wise look to him.  We joke that he always looks like he's contemplating serious world issues.  But when he laughs, boy does he laugh!  Luke has amazing eyes, they look right into your soul ... and the most beautiful eyelashes (his sister will be jealous one day).  He isn't totally able to hold his head up yet (maybe because it's on the big side?!) so he's a bit less independent.  I think he's working on his first tooth and he's definitely entered the phase where everything goes into his mouth.  He's quite a bit bigger than his little sister.  Someone at church today was like, "Oh, they're twins?!  But he's so much bigger!"  I think he might take after his dad.  Good thing we shop at Costco!  We haven't taken them for their six month appointment but I think he's about 18 pounds.
Now that the babes are six months old I've decided to stop pumping.  What a relief!  Since Luke never learned to breastfeed after his weeks in NICU I've been pumping 7-8times/day for the last six months.  Each time takes about 20 minutes so I don't even want to know how many hours that equals!  On the days I was alone with them it was so challenging to feed both babies and then pump.  But I really wanted them to get the benefits of breast milk for the first six months.  Now that I'm back at work and they're not sleeping through the night it just doesn't feel possible to keep pumping.  I need those nighttime hours to sleep!  While I feel a bit guilty about stopping, I mostly feel relieved and like I'll have a bit more time ... although since they're almost mobile that time will be used for running after two babies!
And now for the pics and video :)

The cousins!

Cousin Caroline was here this week for a visit!  My first attempt at doing a video :)