Lucy and Ellory- Six months.

Sometimes it feels like Lucy and Ellory just arrived, and other times it feels like they've been here forever. It's hard to remember life without them! Baby coos and smiles are the best. Overall, it's going pretty well. There are hard moments, but it's so good to feel mostly normal again. Babies change so quickly, so normal is changing, but we are thankful to be where we are now. The first months are special in a unique way, but so challenging too. Lucy and Ellory, you sure bring a lot of joy. Ellory is calm, content, and easy going. Lucy is a moving wiggle worm and is happiest being held. He has been so faithful over their little lives already! It was so special to dedicate them to the Lord on Sunday, July 30 with lots of loving family, including all eight great grandparents! Our biggest prayer is that our girls would love Jesus!

Stats: I took them to get weighed on 7/26 at 21 weeks, because Lucy wasn't taking her bottle that well and wanted to make sure she was gaining weight. They are both doing great, thankfully! Ellory weighed 14 lbs 13 oz and Lucy weighed 12 lbs 11 oz, so Ellory was still about 2 lbs bigger, but both had gained 1 lb 5 oz in a month.

At their six month check, Ellory was 26.25” (66%), 16 lbs 7 oz (57%), and head circumference 17” (77%). Since being weighed at 5 months, she had gained 1 lb 10 oz! Lucy was 25” (16%), 13 lbs 15 oz (12%), and head circumference 16.5” (41%). Lucy had gained l lb 4 oz in a month.

Teeth: Ellory's bottom right tooth broke through on 8/19 and bottom left tooth on 8/20 at 25 weeks. Lucy's bottom right tooth broke through on 8/21 and bottom left tooth on 8/22 at 25 weeks. So we had 4 teeth 4 days in a row! We could feel them coming for awhile before that!

Feeding: Feedings are going well. They still eat about every 3 hours, so it's more demanding than Norah at that age and more of a circus to feed two at once, but I'm thankful to be able to do it and that it's going well. They still get at least one bottle per day, and they switched to regular formula (instead of preemie formula) at 24 weeks, so it's not so much about making my milk higher calories as it used to be, but more as a supplementation to give them a little extra since they drink more in their bottles than I pump. Their bottles are half formula and half my milk, and they get an extra two ounces of formula before bed too, after they nurse, because want more before going to sleep.

They started cereal on 8/13 at 24 weeks. It's gone pretty well! We had a few weird faces, but they've mostly eaten it all and liked it. It took Lucy a bit longer to swallow it instead of letting it dribble out, but both seemed eager to try it and have continued to eat it! Overall, Lucy likes/eats it better. So, here is their approximate eating schedule: Nurse at 8, 11, 1:45, 5, cereal at 6:30, bottle at 7:45, nurse at 10:30 and bottle after. Sometimes it feels like I'm feeding them all day long, but I keep telling myself that they probably just get hungrier faster because they don't get both sides like Norah did!

Diapers/Clothes: Still wearing size 2 diapers and 3-6 month and 6 month clothes.

Sleeping: They have been sleeping through the night every night this month except once and it's incredible! So thankful for good, long sleep! They sleep from about 11-8, then go back to sleep until about 10-10:30, catnap about 12:45, a good afternoon nap from about 2-4:30, catnap around 7, and another pre-bed catnap about 9:30. They are sleeping really good at night and I'm very thankful for a good afternoon nap, so I will gladly take short, somewhat irregular catnaps during the rest of the day.

Developments: Eating cereal and getting teeth were the biggest events of the month. Both girls are quite good at rolling over in all directions and love to do it often. We are getting some big laughs out of them sometimes, which is the cutest. We love to try to get them to talk and both love to coo often. We have been practicing sitting up/standing, but have a ways to go. We put away their newborn loungers and now just have the regular Boppy pillows out. They love to grab whatever is in front of them and are much better at holding onto toys. They are starting to move around a lot more. We always have to strap them into their seats or whatever they are in now because they can wiggle out.

Favorites: Ellory likes to face outward when being held, and Lucy likes to cuddle onto your chest. They take most naps in their crib now, but Lucy will sleep in peoples' arms much easier than Ellory. Lucy loves to sleep on her tummy, and once she learned how to roll over, she immediately hated the swing because she couldn't turn, but Ellory still likes it. Ellory will sometimes sleep on her tummy now, but most often likes her back. They both like their sit-me-up floor seats and they are perfect for this stage because they can sit up and see what's going on while still being supported. They like to go outside and look around. They sometimes don't like going in their car seats while being strapped in, but once they're in they like them. Both enjoy bath time and splashing.

We love you so much, Lucy and Ellory! So grateful to be your parents!