Applesauce! Yum!

Five months is such a fun age. The Twinks are full of  "coos" and smiles and each week brings new "discoveries."

For the past five weeks, we have been attending music classes on Sunday mornings. They are both alert and enjoy the stimulation (plus they always take a LONG nap afterwards). This week, we turned them toward the mirror to dance and F was smiling at himself. He was so delighted and proud of himself!

Lots of people ask me if they are aware of one-another another. Up until a couple days ago, I would  say no...I don't think they do. Now, that's beginning to change.

The other night, had G sitting on my lap and F was on Dad's lap on the living room couch. For the first time that we've noticed, they both stared at one-another for over a minute with a "What's that thing on Mom's/Dad's lap?" look on their faces.

This morning, I went to feed the dogs and had the Twinks feeding chairs next to each other. When I emerged from the pantry, I saw them holding hands. By the time I got my camera, it was too late, but I am sure I'll have another opportunity to snap a photo soon.

Feeding times have changed too...

Within the last two weeks, both babies have started to grasp their bottles and pull the nipple toward their mouths. They still are a far way from being strong enough to hold it or understanding that they have to tip it up to get the milk (and they even sometimes hold one hand on top and one on the bottom, or try to hold it with only one hand), but we are making substantial progress from where were were just a couple short weeks ago.

The other day, G was upset, so I gave her a piece of banana in a mesh feeder. It was as if she was transported to a tropical beach with the sun shining on only her. She was in heaven! She licked and drooled and sucked and smooshed it beteween her fingers until it existed no more.

Upon seeing her delight, I decided it was time to try their first "solid" food (beyond rice cereal), so the next day I grabbed a cup of cinnamon applesauce and spoon-fed it to them before their mid-morning bottle.

G couldn't quite figure out the fine art of eating. She is still trying to gain control of her tongue and took her queues from our lab - lapping it up like an eager puppy. She ended up wearing more of it than she swallowed. By the end, she needed a bath:

When the first spoonful entered F's mouth, he stopped for a minute with a "Hey, what is this?!" look on his face. He rolled it around his tounge a couple of times and then decided "Gee, I really like this!" In a short while, he was grabbing at the spoon all ready to feed himself:

I LOOOOVVVEEE applesauce! Yummy!

If I can get to the supermarket, maybe this week, we'll try more new mushy foods. Yay!

Five Months - Written By F

Happy five months to us! Happy five months to us! Happy five months to uuuuusssss. Happy five months to us!

OK, now that I've gotten that out of my system...

Can't believe that five months ago today we were torn from our cushy and warm home and thrust into this wild, wonderful world! On one hand, it seems like just yesterday. Yet, on the other, I can't imagine life without Mom and Dad.

Here's me at three weeks...practicing my serious look for one of my many photo spreads.

I've been away for awhile because we've been busy planning for and taking our first trip to Grandma's.

Months that fall on a quarter-end are Dad's busy times, so Mom bought a ticket for a friend so she could have an extra set of hands. Unfortunately, her friend's back blew out, so Mom had to put on her big-girl pants and take us on the plane alone. We felt sorry for her, so we decided to be on our very best behavior. We put on the most adorable faces we knew how and batted our long eyelashes over our deep-blue eyes so that lots of people would offer help and the flight attendants would ogle over us (and they did, and they did).

On the way out, my sister slept the entire flight (not even a peep on the way up or down) and I was wide awake, but looked around the airplane. It was very cool to feel like I was in the car and having Mom feed me at the same time. I sure liked that!

Once we got to Grandma's house, we went to a restaurant because Mom had been so busy packing and getting us ready, that she hadn't eaten all day. I tried to remain calm, but reached a point toward the end of the meal where I decided it was a good time to throw a fit...after all, I was pretty tired. My sister decided to wait until the middle of the night to show Mom that she wasn't happy not being in her own bed. It only lasted four hours...and I slept soundly right through it.

Friday, Mom and Grandma took us to the mall to get our pictures taken. I like the mall...lots to look at. The picture turned out pretty good. Darn, am I handsome!

Later that night, we went to Grandma's friend's house for a first-night Passover Seder. I didn't feel like sitting through the service, so I decided to scream instead. Mom took me into a back bedroom, but I didn't care. I wanted outta there. I even got my sister in on the act (she's such a pushover).

Saturday was spent cooking and running around to the stores to get ready for a big day on Sunday - a party with all of Grandma's friends and meeting my second cousins. I decided I like to be outside watching people play golf. It's also fun to spy the golf carts from the backyard as they go by.

The party on Sunday was ok...I could only take so much cheek-pinching from a room full of "grandmothers," so crying seemed like a good idea again. Maybe I should have followed my sister's lead and slept through the whole thing.

I liked meeting my cousins (and adored the "dings", "bells" and "whistles" of the casino and the view of the cocktail waitresses too)! I heard that my fourteen-year-old cousin was born at 27 weeks. Ah, imagine that! What a fool to leave her hot tub when she could have been snuggled in for ten or more weeks!

On the way back, Mom sat on the airplane next to a very nice lady who listened to me sing the whole way home. Gotta practice if I'm going to be on American Idol one day.

So, besides crooning, what am I doing as a five month old? Well, let's see...

I LOVE my jumperoo. Between the last three weeks and now, my feet both touch the floor and I am more proficient at moving the toys around. Sometimes, I will scrunch up both my feet just so I can hang in the seat. On this particular occasion, I jumped so much, I tired myself out.

I have also figured out that when Mom puts me on my play mat with the bluebird hanging down, I don't have to kick all the toys to make the bluebird sing. I can simply kick the bluebird and he'll do his song-and-dance. Much more efficient.

I am trying my best to hold my bottle with both hands and put it into my mouth. I succeed sometimes, but I can't hold it very long...it's heavy and I get bored easily. I am also trying to roll over, but haven't got it down yet. Soon...
My sister often throws a burp cloth or a bib over her eyes thinking that if she can't see us, we can't see her. Silly girl.

G has Mom duped into thinking she's an angel, but I know the truth....just wait until Mom figures it out too:

Right now, I am ready to be three years old. I crave mental stimulation and want to crawl and run around, eat "real" food, and talk, but my little body just won't let me do it.

All this writing is making me tired...time for a nap.

Until next time, peace out.

F