20 Weeks - Update on the Babes

20 Weeks Old!

Lots going on this week! Based on my goals from my last update, we are doing "ok", not perfect by any means, but ok! Since I read ALL THE TIME about babies, I know know we are going through what is called a "Wonder Week". Wonder Weeks are "eight major, predictable, age-linked changes during the first year". We have just gone through the Week 19 of Wonder Weeks. It is really crazy how spot on this research is. Their appetite is off, they are more clingy, more fussy, sleeping/napping may be off, etc. AFTER this leap, though they calm back down. And seriously, its like all of a sudden they are so much smarter babies.

Feedings: Still trying to keep up with them. Fenugreek is helping a little, but not much. I can tell the biggest difference in my morning pumps (7-8 hour stretch). Even though it takes forever, I am getting close to 24 ounces, which is nuts! They are still taking 6-6.5 ounces/bottle. They have started on cereal at night though, which has helped. They love it. Jules is eating rice cereal, while Josh is on oatmeal. (Rice makes his tummy hurt). We are close to introducing more foods shortly. I HATE depleting my frozen milk though. I am like a squirrel storing my nuts with those things.

Waketime/Napping: Ugggg, we have gone backwards here, and slowly progressing forward. I have adjusted their schedule so they are eating every 3.5 hours (moving towards a 4) and so their naps have suffered as we are adjusting their eating and wake times. Plus, we have dropped the fourth nap, which has created some difficulty as well. The first nap is about 1.5 hours, the second is probably 45 minutes, and the third is 30! Yikes!!

Nightime: We are still doing good here. I must say that its harder with two babies. I am DYING to let them CIO during their "middle-of-the-night" stirrings, or their early waking stirrings, but I am so terrified of the waking the other one up, so we are still going in and putting their paci. I really wish I didn't have to do it, but I have no other ideas. So, we are still sleeping 7:30-7:30, with a dreamfeed and a couple of paci moments. Still not too shabby. I think back to those early days and I shudder. I am working on dropping the dreamfeed. I read to move it back every few days as well as decresing the amount. So, we are doing 5 oz at 9:30 (instead of 10) now.

Our Schedule: New schedule! Its been a little hard to get used to.

7:30 (sometimes 7) - feed/wake
9:00 - nap (hopefully 1.5-2 hours, but that never happens)
10:30 - feed (this one is 3 hours still)
12:00 - nap (again, hoping for the best here)
2:00 - feed
3:30 - nap (this one is just horrible)
5:30 - feed
6:30 - baths
7:00 - cereal and "some" bottle
7:30 - bedtime
9:30 - dreamfeed

Outing/Events: We went again to Knoxville for my sister's 30th birthday party. We all went to the zoo for a few hours, then had a big pool party. The babes did great at the zoo. I was afraid of them being too hot, and they were, but were also fine. Jules made it almost to the end and demanded to be held (of course). Josh did great though. They napped some too. I took the MacLaren stroller, not the stupid snap-n-go. They also were in the pool for the first time! They hated it, so literally were only in there for 2 minutes. Not sure that was worth the 30 minutes of "changing into swimsuit, putting on little swimmers diapers, getting pool accessories, in water, out of water, take of little swimmers, dry off, dry swim suit, change diaper, put clothes back on". Better get used to this right?

Diet: Haven't checked in a while. Now that school is out (woohoo) I will be going to the gym more!

Milestones: So many! Josh is officially swaddle-free! Woohoo! However, he now likes to sleep face-down, which terrifies me. We took out his sleep positioner wedge out, because he was scooting down anyway. We also took the bumper out of his crib, but still...As soon as you put him down, he flips right over, which is bizarre to me. He has literally spent the first 19 weeks of his life knowing only to sleep on his back, then-bam - on his tummy. We are now on foods, which is exciting. Just cereal, but I will probably add something more in the next few weeks. Jules all of a sudden is just dying to crawl. She flips back and forth from her tummy to back all the time. She'll be on her tummy and just gets so mad when she doesn't go anywhere. They both push up great on their arms and kick their legs, there is just no movement yet (which I should be thankful for now, LOL) They are really good at sitting up with a little help, so it won't be long before they are doing that too. They are both using the Jumperoo and Exersaucer, even though Jules still can't touch the floor very well. They both just smile and smile and smile, and are truly happy babies.