1 'till One.

Welp, we are one more month away from the boys being a year old. How is it even possible that they are 11 months? Where has the last year gone? It is crazy! What happened to the summer, the fall, and the winter? Life with twins makes the already fast clock fly by even faster. The 11^th month has been a super fun one and I couldn’t love these little guys any more than I do.

The TV is in jail...

We are all but toddlers in the Feuling house these days and boy are they are ON THE MOVE. My house has been overtaken by “baby jail”, and because we are dealing with 4 little hands and 2 little curious and mischievous minds, we have taken baby proofing to the next level. The living room is completely gated off, the TV surrounded, and the giant shelving unit is attached to the studs in the wall with safety straps. They get all their own toys out from the toy shelves all by themselves, are communicating things that they want more and more, and one hand their bottles like they are just chilaxing and drinking their milk at the same time. They are getting big, and they know it. Rarely are either one of them still, and while baby jail helps some, things are pretty crazy around here.  I thought I was busy before, but I had no idea.

Unfortunately in the beginning of the month our household was blasted by an awful flu bug. Both boys had it coming out both ends and then were gracious enough to share it with me. At one point I was standing in the kitchen holding B while I was barfing in the sink.  It was a CRAZY week. Thank goodness for Woolite Oxyclean carpet cleaner to help get the bright red projectile vomit spots out of the guest room floor, down the hallway, and everywhere else it landed. I swear I cleaned up more barf than someone would after a frat party. Fortunately Michael didn’t catch the plague, but the 3 of us were sick enough that he didn’t have to catch it to feel bad. Flu is gross.

But on a more positive and less pukey note, Braxton started out this month (12/30) by actually getting up on his hands and knees and crawling for real. I think he just got fed up chasing Carter around and not being able to keep up with him. We were all so excited for B’s new achievement, but that only lasted a few days before he decided he would much rather stand up and cruise around anything he could get a hold on in the living room. He can side step, step over, and go from the couch to the chair to the bouncer to the TV jail without much effort. I know it won’t be long before he lets go and takes off. That scares me to death. Carter isn’t too far behind and pulls up on everything and cruises a bit too, but he is such a speedy crawler that he finds it much more efficient to just huff it on his hands and knees. He’s right in most cases because once he’s on the move, he’s hard to catch. It blows my mind that a month ago we had them at my parent’s house for Christmas without a single gate in sight and just a box or stuffed animal chair was enough to detour them. Now they are getting into everything, going where they want, and we are making GREAT use out of all those play yards we bought for Dudley all those years ago. Ha.

Baby food is all but a thing of the past in our house and the boys are eating almost exclusively table food these days. When we go out to eat they can order off of the kids menu, they want bites of everything I am eating, and they have an ever expanding pallet. This month they discovered quinoa, which quickly moved up to the list as one of the favorites. They also love pickles, pizza, teriyaki, and Mexican. There is no doubt that they are my children. If it has flavor, spices, and seasoning, they are in, but anything bland or plain, they could do without. Thai food is next on the list for them to try. What makes me the most happy is that they love steamed broccoli and cauliflower. All I have to do is give is a quick steam and toss it with a little sea salt, or garlic and they self feed like champs. I swore I was going to raise healthy eating not picky kiddos (their dad doesn’t eat vegetables and is SUPER picky) and we are headed in the right direction. The only baby food like thing we really have left are the organic food pouches I have come to love. Seriously, I owe whoever came up with those things a thank you letter. The fact that I can take the lid of one of those things, hand a pouch to each kid, and they suck it out like a straw all on their own makes life easier on all of us. With as much as we are on the road, these are a lifesaver. Plus it’s a quick way to make sure they get extra servings of fruit or veggies when we are out and about. Their favorite flavor is Spinach peas and pear, or banana beet and blueberry. Yum.

All you need is your brother. 

As I have said multiple times before, both boys are incredible eaters, but it is so funny how different they are. When you look at B you expect him to wolf down his food. He eats plenty for sure, but he is a dainty eater. He uses his little fingers to pinch each piece of food and nicely place it in his mouth. Carter on the other hand grabs a whole handful and shoves in as much as humanly possible. The funny party is Braxton still outweighs Carter. I guess maybe its just that old story of “slow and steady wins the race.” This month I had to give up nursing and go back on my MS medications. This was one of the hardest things I have had to deal with. I wanted so badly to get them to a year of nursing, but I guess 10 1/2 months was a good go at it. Plus they still have some stored in the freezer so they are getting little bits of it here and there. I cried the last time I pumped, mostly because I knew that breast milk was the best thing for them. But my MS was a little more active at my last appointment than we were hoping and I needed to get it calmed back down. Most importantly I need to be mobile and healthy for my boys, so that takes priority. At least I know they are good eaters and get so much of the good nutrition that they need and 10 1/2 months is a pretty good start. 

This month the boys and I were back on the road again (I know what’s new) and we took a trip home to Seattle and then east across I-90 to Coeur d’Alene where I hosted a bridal shower for my cousin Tiffany. The twins were rockstars on all legs of the trip. I couldn’t believe how content they were hanging out with their DVD players, stuffed Mickeys, and the said occasional food pouches.  I shouldn’t expect much different I guess, after all they have been traveling since they were 9 weeks old, but I wasn’t’ sure well they would in their car seats for an extended period of time now that they are so mobile. With a few built in breaks like a stop at IHOP in Ellensburg where they were chowing down on all you can eat pancakes, they did awesome and it was no problem for all of us. Next month we will brave a much harder travel endeavor when we FLY back to Idaho for the wedding that went with the shower. Wish me luck as I attempt in taking 2 almost 1 year olds on the plane for the first time.

Those faces make my heart smile.

I am happy to report that signing is kicking in a whole lot more now. Carter is deliberately and completely understanding the sign for “MILK” and when I am not making bottles quick enough he furiously signs milk at me with a few grunts to make sure I understand. It’s pretty freaking cute. Braxton is starting to get the hang of “MORE” although it looks a lot more like a D:1 bouncing on a ND:5 (Sorry, interpreters will know what I mean). As long as he has meaning behind it, I know the dexterity and correct hand shapes will come with time. What BBoy is a pro at is signing #1. The kid throws up the #1 what seems like a billion times a day, sometimes on his own, and sometimes when you ask him to. With the Seahawks heading into the Superbowl this was pretty handy for me anyway. What a goofball.  I try to encourage signing at every opportunity and I’m hoping it will just click with them soon.

We hired a new Nanny this month. Our wonderful Danielle got a once in a lifetime opportunity to take an internship in Rochester, New York starting in January instead of the end of March. We of course had bittersweet feelings about her leaving because she really had become part of our family. However, somehow we lucked out and she had a friend who was interested in taking on the craziness that is our family. Amanda is our new Nanny and she is doing awesome. The boys love her and so do we. I am not sure how I got so lucky to have the child care thing work out so well, but it has for sure been a blessing.

Carter-man decided this month that he was He-Man and I randomly went up to the nursery to get them up after their nap and he had completely pulled down and broken his crib mobile. They are both so big that when they stand up they can reach so many things and Carter apparently didn’t think the mobile was necessary any more. So down it came even though it broke my heart to put away one more “Baby Thing”. Baby things are vanishing quicker and quicker these days, and I’m not sure this Mama is ready. I don’t think they care. J Now that the mobiles are down they are totally enjoying being able to stand in the cribs and reach for each other. Nap time has become so much harder since they have been able to stand up. I am NOT a fan of the "cry-it-out" method so this means I have to go back in there several times and lay the standers back down, but the end of the month was much better than the start of the month so we are making progress. They are also getting to sleep with their stuffed animals now and like to snuggle more. It will be interesting to see which one picks what animal to be their ongoing lovey as they get older. 

The Ham at his finest with his favorite
measuring spoon. 

If nothing else, Braxton is my little ham, and this month it has gotten even more silly. The kid spends 90% of this days with a big goofy grin on his face and makes everyone around him giggle too. He’s always been a pretty happy guy, but the older he gets the more intentional it becomes. He loves it when you chase him around the living room and he looks over his shoulder and giggles and giggles knowing you are getting closer. Any time the camera is out he also gets that same cheesy smile on his face, which has made for some pretty priceless pictures. This month he discovered that he can shove little people in his mouth and continue playing. Many times a day I can look over at him and see ¾ of a famer, airplane traffic controller, or random little person hanging out of his mouth like a cigar. He also does this with the corn and fake mustard that goes with his baby bbq. What a nut.  BBoy is also my media kid and LOVES to watch TV or talk on FaceTime. Both boys know what Facetime is, but if you have the camera turned around and Braxton cannot see who is talking to him he has a fit. He also is completely dissatisfied by speakerphone because he thinks anytime he hears someone’s voice he should be able to see them too. Both boys can work my iphone like they have one of their own. They are definite children of the technology era and that’s scary.

If he could be naked all
the time, he would. 

The older he gets the more Carter loves Dudley. However this month he has moved from just feeding him to full on tackling him. We have actually had to separate the two because they won’t stop roughhousing. I expected that I’d be doing that with the Twins, not with the dog. Jeeze. However Carter is turning into my little bruiser. He is rough, tough, and we are trying so hard to teach him he can’t bite. Michael actually put Carter in timeout (which was just being forced to stay on Michael’ s lap and not be allowed to crawl around and play) where he “owed his dad a minute”  for biting his brother. Timeout for and 11 month old isn’t so effective, but I had to give Michael credit for trying to do something since I was at work. Carter also continues to be my little lefty, and this moth has discovered how much fun it is to throw things. We are working on playing catch and he’s starting to figure it out. Hopefully we’ll have a south paw in the family.

Our favorite toys this month include a little person farm that Danielle bought them for Christmas, their dino popper, and any of the ride on toys they have accumulated. Both kids like to put shapes and balls into things and love to pass things back and forth with you. They also are quite content in their high chairs with some of my plastic serving utensils and wisks that they can bang on their trays. Of course we could buy them the most expensive things, and they love wisks the most. Go figure.

And finally I can wrap up this month’s update with the most fun thing both boys are doing these days. Dancing. They move, grove, and rock back and forth any time music starts. It is so funny to turn around and see them sitting on the floor rocking and bouncing along with the songs on TV or out of their toys. Thank god they are getting their Dad’s rhythm because lord knows I am not the dancer in the family.

So that’s all from my soon to be 1 year olds. We’ll be back next month with I’m sure more crazy shenanigans. When I became a Mom I knew I was going to love it, but I had no idea it would be this awesome.  

Go Seahawks! #1

10 Truckloads of Toys

Merry Late Christmas and Happy New Year from my sweet growing 10 month olds! The last month for us has been wonderful and the excitement surrounding their first Christmas was so much fun. I waited and waited for years to share this special time with my little ones, and we were all blessed to have a wonderful December and holiday season.

Christmas Morning opening their
stockings from Santa. 

Christmas was just downright fun with almost 10 month old babies. Both Santa and Grandparents were so good to the boys, though they likely would have been happy with just the wrapping paper. It is the little things that make them happy these days and it makes me smile. Don’t we all wish we had that naive innocence back where just a simple piece of paper could make our day? However, I swear somehow Michael did magic work cramming 10 truckloads of toys into the back of the Van and CRV. My mom says they can't be spoiled, they are just extra loved. I think they are just spoiled. Ha. 

9 month Photo Shoot. Dec 8th

I put my tree up the weekend before Thanksgiving and the boys loved it.  They couldn’t get enough of the lights or the “pretties” hung on the branches. Braxton especially could always be found camped out in front of or pulling up on the Christmas tree gate we had to set up to keep the curious fingers from pulling the tree on top of them. And if any of you know me, you know I go all out with my home decorations too. I expected the boys would immediately love all the singing and dancing animals and decorations I have, but it took them a significant amount of time to warm up to the music, moving mouths, and obnoxious “Ho, Ho Ho” that came from the Santas. However, by the time we got up to my parents house the week before Christmas they were pro’s and their favorite animal was a little stuffed beaver dressed as Santa that sang “Under the Mistletoe”. We heard that song so many times my mom had to replace the batteries. I think we were all happy when the little beaver found his way back to the Christmas box in the garage.

My guys are independent, spirited, and curious. They, like so many kiddos, were not a fan of Santa, and we joined the screaming Santa picture club when we took them to meet the guy in the big red suit. It took them no time at all to figure out how to open Christmas presents, which started while they were breaking into a present a day early while Papa Sir and I tried to take pictures of them wrapped in Christmas lights. Of course he let them continue to open the package because Papa Sir lets them do whatever they want, and once they opened their kid sized BBQ, they were present opening specialists. Along with the BBQ a few other favorite gifts were their Dino Popper from Santa, ride on trucks from Grandpa Jay and Grandma Shelly, and a LOUD kid version guitar from Uncle Chan and Auntie Ashley. Everything that is a favorite sings and makes lots of noise. Of course.

Some other holiday highlights included family, fun, and Santa hats, salt dough ornaments with the play date group,  basically what every Christmas should be. We took them to zoo lights, out in the crowds to do last minute shopping, on a trip to Seattle to see my MS doctor, and even to their very first Christmas Eve mass at St. Vincent where Michael and I got married. One day the boys and I even got to go to lunch with their Uncle Chan where they ordered off of the kids menu for the first time. Neither of them could get enough of the cheese quesadilla, rice or beans at the Mexican restaurant. I couldn’t believe how big they looked sitting all by themselves in the high chairs and self feeding. 

If they weren’t eating everything before, after the Christmas trip there was nothing they didn’t try. They were definite fans of the whole turkey and traditional holiday dinner, LOVED bites of my prime rib on Christmas, tried and liked eggplant parmesan and spaghetti at the Olive Garden, and couldn’t get enough of Papa Sir’s cinnamon pears. The holidays were hard on all of our waistlines.

We got a little snow in Oregon this
month. They weren't too sure about it. 

Beyond Christmas, this was a great month for other milestones. Both boys gained 2 more teeth on the top (Carter 12/8 and 12/25 and Braxton 12/14 and 12/26) which will for sure come in handy with their expanding diet. Both are extremely mobile, even though Braxton still does his crazy leg propelling army crawl. And both decided this month that sleeping through the night wasn’t something they wanted to do much of. I swear Michael and I have spent more nights in different beds this month than we have in the same. Fingers crossed this is just a phase.

If we moved to a deserted island there would be only a few things the boys would need to be happy. Lots of food and banana cookies, Disney junior, toys that make noise, and mom or dads keys, iPhone, or TV remote. Seriously, if you ever need Braxton or Carter to come to you, just drop your keys, iPhone, or TV remote on the ground. I swear these are all baby magnets and within seconds of them hitting the floor a child will appear. The boys aren’t getting into things too much yet, but if you leave these precious gems anywhere within their reach, you better expect them to be taken. I am excited that they are getting around a lot better, but I am not looking forward to all the extra baby proofing that is in our future.

Braxton

Braxton has started pulling himself up on things and continues to love standing more than sitting. He is pretty proud of himself when he can do it all on his own. I just about melted when our nanny sent me the picture of him standing while holding onto the Christmas tree gate. He looked so grown up. This month he has really grown a lot more hair and is finally loosing his Terry Bradshaw haircut, thank goodness, but has silly wispy hair that has grown over his ears and into a “rat tail”. The poor kid can’t catch a hair break. He still jabbers like crazy and laughs even more and has decided he loves to put things on his head. If you balance a toy up there he will hold really still for 5-6 seconds until he can’t contain his laughter and collapses in a giggling heap. Carter likes to sit back and watch this go on and usually ends up in a laughing fit too. 

BBoy does everything the way he wants to, including randomly deciding he will spit out his mandarin oranges that he once loved just because he can, or throwing the biggest fit because he needs his clothes changed this time and having no problem with it the next. This kid has more of his Mama in him that just his looks.  He is figuring out what he wants, and how to express it. He gets his stubbornness from me, but we both laugh together more than anything. If you get a camera out he turns into a super ham, and his big smile is hard to resist. Like his mama had, he also has a HUGE gap between is top front teeth. One can only hope the other teeth that grow in will make that gap close up, or we’ll have some serious orthodontist bills in our future.

Carter

Carter is still my little bird. He too is pulling up on things, but he sticks his little butt out like a bird and doesn’t stand straight. He has mastered his crawl and is super fast about it. Braxton tries hard to keep up, but Carter can lap him easily. He is still a better sleeper than B for sure, but if he misses a nap then all hell breaks loose. Carter has always been thinner than Braxton, but his month he is growing taller and looks more and more like a little boy. (I am not a fan of this by the way) His hair still is super heavy down the center, almost like a reverse skunk, and we can’t spike it anymore because it is so long. We had pictures done outside at the beginning of the month and Carter’s blue eyes looked so pretty. I am so glad both boys kept their blue eyes.

No matter what I do I can’t keep socks on this kid. Carter pulls them off within minutes of me putting them on, and when he is sitting in his carseat its even faster then that. My mother is always on my case about his feet needing to be covered and them being cold, but unless I duct tape them on, I’m out of luck. Silly boy. Regardless of any struggles I have with either boys, I laugh way more than I do anything. They seriously can brighten any day and I LOVE being a mom of boys.

2013 was really good to us. Our boys came into this world and changed our lives so much. I couldn't feel any more blessed to have these sweet 10 month olds in my life.

Oh 9... You're so fine...

It’s December. The Christmas tree is up. Thanksgiving and is long gone. And Braxton and Carter are 9 Months Old. How did that happen? My life feels a little like it’s on fast forward these days. But it’s a good fast forward. The boys couldn’t be doing any better. However, I sort of feel like there should be another category for babies that falls between infant and toddler. They have changed so much in the last month it is crazy. We went from partially mobile babies who were babbling here and there and starting to interact, to babies who are completely mobile, super chatty, expressing every emotion possible, playing as hard as they sleep, and are super curious about everything around them.  Goodness they have grown!

This month both boys got their second tooth (Carter on 10/30 and Braxton on 11/2) which caused a few sleepless nights, but was fairly manageable. They both have decided bath nights are their favorite nights of the week and they splash and play like crazy. They both had to be moved to a bigger car seat and we had to retire our trusty 747 Stroller. It has now been replaced by a super cool Contours brand stroller that the boys face each other in and love.  And both kiddos had to be moved up a level in the jumper because they have grown so much they could slam themselves down and it sounded like a herd of elephants on the way.

Braxton and Carter have completely mastered the army crawl and can easily go from their bellies to their butts without much effort. Braxton is also pulling himself up to standing all the time, and Carter isn’t far behind. BBoy LOVES to army crawl over to me when I am sitting on the floor and use my shirt like a rope to crawl up to standing. Once he gets there he laughs and laughs and jumps and bounces, but isn’t very happy if you have to make him sit down again. Both kiddos totally love cartoons and I think I can say Mickey Mouse Clubhouse is their favorite show. As soon as they hear Mickey’s voice or the silly “Hot Dog Song” they immediately turn to the TV. I am grateful for appropriate channels like Disney Junior, which is a go to channel in the house, and I can’t wait to get to take them to Disney Land when they are older.

I knew that at some point I was going to wake up to super independent babies, but I didn’t think it would happen at 9 months. However, both boys certainly have a mind of their own. BBoy still wears his emotions on his sleeve more than his brother, but Carter Man explodes with emotion when something is going on. Both still are clearly good eaters, but now seem to have an opinion about what they eat. Braxton will spit out things he doesn’t like and turn his head to the side to you can’t put the food in. Carter makes the worst faces when he doesn’t like something, and acts like he is gagging. I am currently hiding broccoli in pears, and have all but given up on avocado (once their favorite food) and pureed chicken (which I don’t blame them). Both boys randomly decide they do NOT want their diaper changed and make sure you know it. You wouldn’t believe the tactics we have come up with to keep they busy during these times. Braxton is completely independent in holding his bottle, and sometimes even multitasks holding the bottle with one hand and a toy in the other. Carter could be independent, but half the time he is just lazy and the other he gets too distracted to lay there with his bottle. We usually end up coaxing Carter to finish his food, and BBoy pounds his like he’s in a beer shotgunning match and doesn’t miss a drop. And finally both kiddos want to play on their own and pick out their toys. They specifically love playing “Soup” with their dad which means they put a plastic ball into one of the bowl toys and swirl it around like they are making soup. So much more of what they are doing now is intentional and it is fun to see them make choices and learn.

As my little men get bigger and bigger one thing I absolutely love is their little hands. I love it when we get to snuggle and I can feel those little fingers holding onto me. Or I love it when they reach out and want to be picked up or reach out to hold my hand. There is something about those little hands that just melts my heart. It must be a Mama thing, or maybe just the face that I know they won’t stay little for very long, but I love it.

Carter has really shown his personality this month. He is so much more vocal than ever before and so much louder. He loves it when you have a “conversation” with him and mimic the sounds he is making.  When he gets super into it he will even exhale really loudly as if to say, “Jeeze, why didn’t I tell you this before?!?!”. He also learned how to click his tongue this month and loves it when you copy him. Carter has the absolute best laugh, and randomly he will just burst out laughing for no reason. He even cackles a little bit with a slight growl when he really gets going. For some reason he has decided this month that my feet are the funniest things ever when I wear socks, and if I tickle him with my toes he will laugh so hard he falls over. The little Carter growl that goes along with his laugh makes me laugh just as hard and together we are a heaping pile of giggles.

C-Man is a very sweet boy, but we have to keep a close eye on him. This month he has started tackling his brother for no reason at all. Out of nowhere Braxton is thrown down and Carter lays a great big kiss on him. The problem is Carter doesn’t realize that his kisses aren’t so welcomed when they are accompanied by his little chompers. He doesn’t actually bite, but his teeth graze just about everything he kisses. Braxton is not a fan. Sometimes Braxton plays along with the wrestling, or even initiates it, but about 80% of the time it is Carter just going after his brother with a huge grin and open mouth. I can’t leave them in the crib anymore because they are crazy.

Carter is definitely my sleeper of the two. This month has been a super hard one for Braxton and he is waking up in the middle of the night several times a week. Carter on the other hand usually sleeps, and sleeps hard all the way through. He can fall asleep anywhere. He will fall asleep at the drop of a hat in his car seat, in your arms, on the floor, and even in his jumper. More than once I have turned to see him flopped over on his arms passed out and the jumperoo still slightly bouncing. Don’t we all wish we could just pass out when we want? Snuggling with either of my little guys when they fall asleep is one of my favorite things to do. However, I have learned that when you have a sleeping baby in your arms, it is nearly impossible to not fall asleep yourself. They are just too sweet and too cuddly.

Braxton becomes more silly every day. He loves to wiggle, jump when you hold him, make a cackling like sound when he laughs, and holler to just because he can. He still isn’t a fan of getting dressed or getting his diaper changed, but he is tolerating it better these days. His chubby little legs propel him forward in his army crawl, and his round little tummy sticks out in just about every pair of pants he wears.  I think BBoys chubby cheeks and legs are the most adorable things ever. He’ll probably hate me for saying that someday, but that’s ok. I can’t go anywhere without people being shocked that the boys are only 9 months old because they are so big. At their 9 month well baby check Braxton was 23lbs 3oz and Carter was 22lbs 4oz. Carter was 29inches long and Braxton was 28 and ¼ inches. We have some seriously healthy boys.

Braxton is my jammer. This month he has really gotten good at it. If you ask him to jam, the little dude shakes his whole body and moves his head like a bobble head. Not only is it hilarious, but he LOVES to do it. If you laugh, he will continue to dance or “jam” until he can’t do it anymore. Talk about cute kid tricks. He is also my snuggler. As I said before, Braxton is up several times a week and he loves nothing more than to get up in the early early morning and come snuggle with me and go back to sleep. While it means we are both catching zzz’s I wish he would sleep through the night. He remains a definite binkie boy and while he might not always have in it his mouth, it is never far away. He loves to take it in and out and has gotten really good at replacing it himself when he needs a little binkie time.

If we were to sum BBoy up in just a few words this month it would be that he is a talker. This kid talks all the time. He talks to himself. He talks to his toys. He talks to us. He talks while he looks out the window in the car. And he talks to his brother in the crib next to him to wake him up. If we were to translate his babbling it most certainly would be in all CAPS and end with many !!!!’s.  Michael says he gets that from me. Maybe he’s right but I cannot wait for the all baby sounds to become words and to know what the little guys are actually thinking. I am hoping they will start expressively signing too. Right now they are still just signing MILK, and they use that for any sort of food. At least they are close.

With the holidays right around the corner I couldn’t be any happier. I am really the most blessed Mama around. I have been waiting for so long to share this special time with my kids and now that it is here I am so excited. We are starting our own traditions and making or own memories. I want them to know and love the reason for this season and let Christmas in their hearts. While they might not totally understand this year, we’re still going to love every second.

Happy Holidays everyone!

Crazy 8

So I am outing myself. I have pretty much stunk at keeping this blog up to date. Busy doesn't describe begin the craziness that is our life these days. HOWEVER, I have been blogging. My work has just found itself in my documents file waiting to be posted on here. At least I have been up to date with what has been going on with my little men. So here goes a super flood of blogs, 4 months to be exact, and me catching up just before they turn a year old.

The 8 month birthday is here! Braxton and Carter have brightened our lives for 8 whole months and continue to make every day a happier place in the Feuling Household. This month has been a fun one.

We now have two very interactive little dudes who like to mimic noises you make, laugh like there is no tomorrow, and can’t get enough of playing peek-a-boo. They get excited when someone walks in the room, and reach for you when they want to be picked up. Both continue to be 100% boy and like last month anything they can bang on to make loud noises, they do. Right now our favorite toys include hard plastic bowls, plastic rings, plastic hammers, and light up music toys. All of which can be banged together, banged on, or make lots of noise on their own. We are accumulating lots of things to play with thanks to their grandparents, and even had to move a huge shelving unit downstairs so we could store them and not have it look like a crazy baby house all the time. Between their jibber jabber and the toys there aren't too many quiet moments these days - unless they are snoozing. No complaints here though, I love the sound of happy babies.

This month we are on the move. Neither of them is physically crawling yet, but both are army crawling backwards (which is so funny to watch), scooting, rolling, and squirming all over the place. When they are determined, there isn’t anything they cannot get to, and they get there fast! I said before I thought Carter would crawl first, and Braxton would walk first. Now with both of them on their hands and knees rocking back and forth pretty hard, it’s hard to tell which one it will be. All I know is once they actually take off, things are going to get real crazy, real quick. I have started to baby proof and we brought out the baby gates. It won’t be long and we’ll really need them.

Our 8^th month proved to be a month full of family, which we loved. We spent a weekend at home with my parents Grandma Shelly and Grandpa Jay and the boys got to see their Great Grams Sandy again who was visiting in Auburn. We spent a weekend with the Sneden’s who came down to visit us for Homecoming weekend, and lets face it, they are family too. (The boys and Ellie had so much fun playing together!) And we spent a weekend with Grandma Danette, Poppa Sir and Grandpa Feuling who came all the way up from Arizona to meet the boys. Braxton and Carter have now met every one of their Great Grandparents (except Grandpa Feuling’s wife Pat who couldn't make the trip) and that makes me so happy. Combined they have 7 sets of Great Grandparents and 2 sets of Grandparents. As you can imagine, they are loved little boys. I’m so glad they are getting to grow up with so many wonderful people around them and to look up to. And I feel even more blessed that even though none of them live in the same state as we do, they are still getting to see the boys fairly often. Family is and has always been Michael and my rock, and it is so important to us that we teach the boys those values.

October was also a month full of October stuff. We had a whole lot of football, and a whole lot of pumpkins and Halloween prep. We went to several WOU games through the month, and every Sunday there was sure to be NFL on the TV. The boys remain to be “babies divided” with parents who like opposing teams, but we have worked out a pretty good system and there is likely to be at least one shirt change every Sunday.  We also took the kids to the pumpkin patch twice this month. Once to Roloff Farms to meet Chan and Ash for the day, and once to a local farm in Monmouth as a family. I am such a holiday fanatic that I couldn't have been more excited to take my babies to see the “punkins”. We all had a great time at both places. The boys even sat on the pumpkins and in the wheelbarrows for pictures. I swear those two will do anything when you get the camera out. What little hams! When we did (well really I, bah humbug Michael doesn’t like doing pumpkins) the jack-o-lanterns we let the boys play with the pumpkins and touch the guts. Carter loved playing with the mush, and kept trying to eat it. Braxton touched it a few time and made ridiculous faces as if to to say, “Mom this stuff is gross” but I’m sure as they get older they will be in it up to their elbows. Next year should be fun too when they can actually enjoy the pumpkin patch fall festivities, but I’m in no rush for them to hurry up and grow up.

My carved pumpkins turned out pretty great, but nothing could top their Halloween costumes. We toyed with many ideas of what they should be for Halloween, but I knew for sure that I wanted them to be coordinating. I had decided I wanted them to go as Mario and Luigi, but I could only get them in size 2T. I wasn’t sure if that would work so I bought them. And I also bought Captian America and the Hulk. And I also bought a Cop and Jailbird. That’s right, I put 6 costumes in my van and headed home to a husband who rolled his eyes. All it took was to put the Cop and Jailbird on to realize they were perfect. I didn’t even put the other 4 on them. Everyone has asked me if I was setting them up for their roles for the rest of their lives with who got to wear what, but it just made sense. Carter is always lunging for, grabbing, and “arresting” Braxton. And Brax is a little crazy all the time, so Cop and Robber fit perfect! J They boys were a hit, their photo session turned out more than adorable, and they were the talk of the evening when we took them to the WOU Volleyball game in their costumes on Halloween and they entered the costume contest. It will be so fun trick-or-treating with them next year. But it will be hard to top these costumes for sure.

My little Braxton continues to be a spitfire. There is never a guess about how he is feeling, but luckily unless you are trying to get him dressed, which he loathes, he is usually a happy chatty little man. His new thing this month is this crazy excited little scream that he does with his mouth closed. Its almost like he is saying “Haaaay-EEEEE” over and over again. He does it when he sees me coming to pick him up, when he knows a bottle is on the way, when he sees you opening a banana baby cookie, really any time he is excited about something. It is hilarious to watch him get all worked up and look at Carter like “Dude don’t you see what is about to happen here???”.  He is pro at holding his own bottle, and pretty dang proud of himself for doing it. He’ll even push your hands away to make sure he can do it on his own. He finally joined his brother in the tooth club on October 3^rd but the poor little guy had a much harder time than Carter did with it. I will definitely miss BBoy’s big toothless grin, but  let’s hope the next teeth come in with a little more ease.

Braxton is finally getting some hair on that big old noggin, but I can’t tell how dark it is going to be. I know it will be darker than Carters, but on top it looks like a light brown, and down below it is a lot darker like mine. He definitely has a bit of Martello in him so we’ll see. He has completely mastered sitting up, and can also easily get from his behind to his belly without a major crash. However, any time he is sitting he always has his chubby little feet crossed. We can walk over and uncross them, and immediately he crosses them right back. Apparently Michael did that when he was a baby too, but it looks pretty cute. Even though criss cross is comfy for him, if given the chance Braxton would rather be standing than sitting anyway, or jumping around like a maniac. This kid has crazy energy, and then all of a sudden will crash out and go to sleep. It’s almost like he has an on/off switch and some days he even falls asleep in his high chair. What a goof! And finally, if he wasn’t already, BBoy has become quite a Mama’s Boy. He always wants me to snuggle him when he’s sleepy, or grouchy, or just wakes up, or really just because. In the middle of the night when he gets up and I have to hand him to Michael so I can run to go to the bathroom before I rock him, he has a conniption fit. He loves his Daddy SO SO SO much, but a Mama’s boy he is. I can’t say I mind though, I’m just making sure to balance time with my mama’s boy and my sweet other little guy.

Mr. Carter is such a little lover. He wants to kiss EVERYTHING. At least we’re hoping he is trying to give kisses and not bites. That little many will throw himself at you, or his brother, or his toys and lay a big wet one on ya for no good reason. Half the time he looks like he is form tackling Braxton, which B does not enjoy, and Carter is just ready with some sweet smooches. It is hilarious to see him sucking on his brothers head, or leg, or my cheek. What a goober!  However, when he isn’t kissing his brother, he is stealing his toys. The little stink is fast and can snatch something out of Braxton’s hand in a moment’s notice. Sometimes he doesn’t mind and other time B screams. Carter is specifically skilled at stealing binkies, which he’s done for a while, but that now comes with a purpose. C-Man is now a binkie baby. He definitely wants it when he is falling asleep, when he wants to snuggle, and if he is teething. Its sometimes funny to see him with it hanging out of his mouth because for so long he wanted nothing to do with it. Besides binkies, Carter also loves anything resembling a string. He will roll and scoot and try all his might to get to any computer or electric chord (I know I know), rope , pump hose, or anything string like to play with it. I’ve always got to keep my eye on this little guy and make sure everything is Carter proof.

Of the two of them Carter LOVES his baths the most and would happily stay in there forever if we let him. He splashes and plays and hordes his toys. He also loves to hide under blankets and peek out of the side of them. As soon as your eyes meet he immediately giggles and throws his head back down “hiding” himself. He often still tries to play shy, but he really isn’t. This month his voice has continued to grow and fairly often lets out a happy little squeal accompanied by a huge grin. When he gets excited he kicks his legs and flaps his arms like he is flying, and any time he can get a hold of a diaper, or a shirt, or some sort of a flat toy he waves it as fast as he can like it’s on fire. Carter also LOVES Dudley. Any time Dudley gets close he gets all excited and does that little arm flapping, or he smiles and reaches out for Dud. Braxton could really care less about the big furry animal that always licks his face, but Carter is enamored. He even has already started to give Dudley bites of his food. I can only imagine the relationship these two will establish as Carter gets older.

I have really noticed some age differences in the twins this month. They are playing more independently (without me I mean, because lord knows they never lose track of each other) as long as there are toys scattered around the floor.  They can hold their attention watching cartoons for sometimes up to 10 minutes. And they are completely capable of feeding themselves Baby MumMums. They both love to drink out of my water bottle, and are now sitting in high chairs at restaurants on their own. They cuddle up with blankets during nap time, and are recognizing toys that they love. They continue to be super close to each other, not wanting to be apart, but everyday get more and more different.

On the 24^th the at home nurse came over to check the boys progress. Braxton was 22.6 lbs and 27 inches long. Carter was 21.7 lbs and 28 inches long. They are both rocking 12 month clothes like it is their job, and growing every single day. I finally found socks that fit over their fat little feet, but they are for 12-24month olds so now the problem is they fall off all the time. Braxton donated a sock to Roloff Farms, which stinks because now I have 3 socks and 2 babies, but at least that was easier than Carter donating his Raffee to the grocery store. Of course we retraced our steps in both places, (3 times at Waremart for that spendy little giraffe) and no luck. I’m all about them learning to give to the less fortunate and be grateful for what we have, but this random donation of things we need isn’t what I had in mind.

So that is our update for now. As we head into the holiday season I am so looking forward to sharing my favorite time of the year with my boys. Before we know it Christmas will have come and gone and the boys will be almost a year old. I will be soaking it all in in the next few months for sure.