Snyder Stories: The Duo- 5 Month Update

This month FLEW by again. I am having a hard time with the fact that February is half way over. My littles have grown so much. They have nearly tripled their birth weight and are smiling, laughing, cooing and have even started picking on each other! So funny. They are honestly so much fun- yes, lots of work but I am not sure I would know how to behave with only one. We have gotten so use to our little routine and life is doable. We are trying to be mindful and thankful each day for all of our blessings.

Without further ado, here are their 5 month stats:

Weights:
Shepard- about 14lbs. (5.1 at birth)
Sara Kate- about 14lbs. (5.11 at birth)

Lengths: (as of 1/19/12)
Shepard: 24.5 inches (up from 17 at birth)
Sara Kate: 24.5 inches (up from 18 at birth)

Diaper Size:
Shepard: Size 2 (barely- as soon as we are out of 2s we are moving up to 3s)
Sara Kate: Size 2 (barely- as soon as we are out of 2s we are moving up to 3s)

Clothing Size:
Shepard: 3-6 month and 6 months.
Sara Kate: mostly 6 months and some 3-6

Sleep: (no change since last month)
They are great little sleepers. (knock on wood) They have learned to sleep longer stretches at night and take good naps during the day. We are still swaddling them and they are still sleeping in their Rock and Play Sleepers beside our bed. We have not made the transition to the cribs yet mostly because their cribs are upstairs and we are lazy. ha! We enjoy being able to feed, change and put them back in bed without getting out of ours. Also Shepard is such a little paci lover. If his paci falls out at night he loses his mind. I have slept many nights lately with my hand on his paci keeping it in his mouth. We usually feed them between 8:30-9:30 at night and Sara Kate will sleep until we wake her at 5:30 to eat before I get ready for work. Shepard on the other hand usually eats one extra time in between there at least 3 times a week. Sara Kate LOVES to nap in the swing and Shepard prefers to nap in his Rock and Play or anytime anyone holds him.

Eating: (no real change since last month)
They have still not had any formula. They are doing wonderfully nursing- much better than I ever thought we would do. I have been pumping two times during the day at work and feeding them as soon as I get home. Still eating on schedule every three hours. I am thinking they eat about 5 ounces each time, because that is what satisfies them when I pump and give them bottles. Everyday that we make it nursing I feel like it is a small victory and we made it another month!!!

If I'm keeping it real, I do feel like my life revolves around when someone else has to eat. My brain is always checking the clock to make sure it is not time to feed someone. I am either nursing, pumping or thinking about when it is time to do one or the other. I also know that this stage will be over before I know it and I am going to keep it up for as long as I can. I know my friends are tired of hearing me talk about it, but it does consume my life right now and if I talk about it too much I am so sorry. My biggest concern right now is that I am going on a class trip to DC in 6 weeks and I need 250 oz. pumped to satisfy them while I am gone and I only have 20 so far...hummmmm I hope I get serious about the whole setting my alarm in the middle of the night to wake up and pump before it is too late.

Shepard:
Shep Star is quite the little ham. He loves to smile. He is such a happy guy except for first thing in the morning. He wants nothing more than to eat as soon as his eyes are open. Not much will calm him down until he has a full belly. He also does not appreciate it when his sister steals his paci. Yes, she snatches it right out of his mouth and smiles about it. I'm hoping he learns to block her soon. Poor guy. We have learned this month that he LOVES the infant carrier. He especially loves it when his daddy wears him. He loves to face outward and check out everything. Stuart loves wearing him too. Anytime I come home from anywhere he is wearing Shep and SK is in the Bumbo or swing. So cute.

Sara Kate:
Sweet SK so funny. She LOVES to hear herself laugh. I swear the child wakes up smiling and laughing. She must have a great sense of humor like her momma! ha! She loves to swing, Bumbo and is learning to love to play in her exersaucer. She HATES tummy time and when bows fall down over her eyes. Not mush else upsets her. She is such a sweetie but yet has become such a bully to her little brother. She is a paci stealer. She tries to hold his hand to make up for it, but I think she likes to watch him squirm when she steals it! :)

They are doing great! We go to the doctor next month for well visits and we will see what he says about starting solids then. I am hoping to make most of my own baby food so if you have any tips on that let me know! I have been pinning all kinds of things related to it. I am kind of excited to try.