Seeing as though we are one week into the twins' sixth month of life, I thought I ought to finally sit down and write a reflection on month five before I forget about the changes and growth that occurred during the month.
The babies' fifth month of life passed as summer drew to a close and students and teachers headed back to school. For the first time in many years, I was not amongst those teachers returning to the classroom for the start of a new school year. Though it seemed strange to not join my colleagues in readying our classrooms for the new crops of kiddos, I felt (and still feel) fortunate to be able to spend the first seven months of their lives with Maddie and Will here at home.
The twins' fifth month of life brought some big changes. Having moved into their cribs for nighttime sleep shortly before their three month birthday, the twins began to sleep in their cribs during all nap times this past month. While it was convenient for me to keep them on the main floor and not to run them up and down the stairs several times each day, the babies were simply outgrowing their bouncers. They still sit in them often during the day, but they no longer sleep in them. Sleep became a challenge this month, as we began to make the transition away from the swaddle sacks that the babies have worn since their first day of life. They still wear them for sleep, but now that they are rolling from their backs to their bellies, we can no longer (safely) swaddle their arms. We suspect that Maddie and Will slept well when swaddled because the swaddling mimicked the tight confines of the womb. Naturally, they had (and continue to have) some difficulty adjusting to sleep with their arms out.
Chances are likely that sleep may also have become difficult for the babies while they were attempting to master new skills. As mentioned above, both Maddie and Will intentionally rolled from their backs to their bellies this month. Maddie conquered the feat first, rolling over on the play mat one afternoon. Will, not to be outdone by his sister, followed his sister's lead and rolled over while at play in the nursery just a few short hours later. Maddie continued to roll from back to front off and on over the days that followed, but Will never could replicate his first roll. It wasn't for lack of trying, though. It was everything that Jim and I could do not to help him as he tried to roll over to reach a nearby toy day after day.
What Will lacked in his ability to roll over, he made up for in his talent for toe sucking! If you'll remember, Will discovered that he could put his feet (not just one FOOT, but both FEET) in his mouth on his four month birthday. That boy has not stopped putting his feet in his mouth ever since! And don't think that socks will stop him - they go in the mouth, too! He can be surrounded by any number of colorful, engaging toys, and Will is most entertained by his feet! It's quite amusing to watch...except when he pulls the stunt on the changing table. Now that's a bad kind of naked...even on a baby.
Miss Maddie truly discovered her voice this month as she began "talking" up a storm (most likely tattling on her brother, of course)! We credit the exersaucer with bringing her out of her shell. Once she grew tall enough for her feet to touch the bottom of the exersaucer, she stopped licking the seat of the saucer as she once did and began to play with the toys on the exersaucer. As she did, she suddenly opened up and began talking! Maddie showed much more of her personality this month than she had ever before. We now know her favorite toys based on her reaction to them (smiles, kicks, laughs) - her stuffed Elmo and her doll, Emily. Maddie remains more serious than her brother, but he IS the world's biggest goofball. He will laugh at anything!
We saw our first glimpses at some sibling rivalry this month, as the babies began to notice the toys that the other held. One afternoon, as the babies were sitting in the Bumbo chairs, I watched as Will leaned over to grab and take a block, identical to the one that he had on his own tray, away from Maddie. I interfered and gave the block back to Maddie and alerted Will to the IDENTICAL block on his own tray. It didn't matter. He wanted Maddie's block, and he wanted it bad.
With their world opening up to them and with more to discover and explore each day, Maddie and Will sometimes found it difficult to focus on practical matters this month. Maddie, especially, had difficulty concentrating on eating. Her head is constantly swiveling to and fro, taking in the sights around her, and she sometimes wants to stop and talk. You can imagine how frustrating breastfeeding her has become!
Month Five brought outings to the Milwaukee County Zoo (on an uncomfortably hot day) and to the twins' first Packers party (outside of the womb). We also braved our first road trip this month as we drove to Door County and back to spend the day with MeMe, Papa, and Great Grandma.
And now it's the countdown to the babies' half-birthday, which is suddenly and impossibly on the horizon!
0 comments:
Post a Comment