I would like to wish a very happy Half Birthday to Brady and Chloe today! It seems as if the last six months of our lives have gone by at warp speed. We have been so blessed to welcome our beautiful babies into our family and they have changed our lives in ways we couldn't have imagined.
We went to the pediatrician today for their 6 month well check appointment and shots, and both babies did very well. I want to do a "progress report" of sorts on both babies together and then on each child separately. I will also be including in this post some of the photos from their six month photo shoot.
At Six Months Old Brady and Chloe Are:
Eating: The babies now eat an average of 7 ounces at each feeding, and they eat 5 times a day at 6 AM, 9 AM, 12 PM, 3 PM, and 6 PM. They also eat solids twice a day, usually a fruit at lunch and a vegetable for dinner. In terms of solids they have tried: Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Carrots, Peas, Green Beans, Bananas, Squash, and Pears. Their favorite food is Sweet Potatoes and their least favorite food is Peas. The doctor said today they can start eating a larger quantity of solids and they can begin eating finger foods like Cheerios and Puffs.
Sleeping: The babies go to bed at 8 PM and wake up between 6 and 7 AM. Occasionally they will go back to sleep after eating and being changed at the 6 AM feeding until 8 AM. They take 3 daytime naps that last 1 hour each at 10 AM, 1 PM, and 4 PM.
Playing: The babies are usually up for about an hour and a half at a time. Their longest awake stretch is usually from 5 PM until 8 PM in the evening. During awake time we spend a lot of time on the floor rolling, practicing sitting up, on their tummies pushing up, and scooting. They enjoy playing with rattles, fabric blocks, stuffed animals, etc. Their Jumperoo is an absolute favorite and both babies can stay happily occupied jumping and playing with the toys on the Jumperoo. We just purchased a walker and it should be arriving today so we will see how they do with that.
Developing: Both babies can roll both ways. They both laugh and babble frequently. They both can hold toys and shake them. Both can support their own weight when you "stand" them up, although Chloe is much sturdier than her brother. They are both supported sitters and we are working on sitting up on their own but we aren't quite there yet. They acknowledge one another, hold hands, touch each other's faces, and when put face to face they will respond to one another by laughing and chatting back and forth. They both smile at the dog and the cat, and they both attempt to "pet" the dog and grab her fur (poor dog!). Both babies love to be read to and will listen and look at the pictures intently. Their favorite book is
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr. and Eric Carle.
Chloe Renee Ringley
Height: 26 inches (61st percentile)
Weight: 14 pounds (14th percentile)
Chloe is fun-loving and jubiliant. She is a sweet, sweet girl who loves to smile and laugh at everyone. She is very "talkative" and will chatter to herself or laugh out loud without any provocation.
Five Fun Facts about Chloe:
She will scream/squeal with delight in her Jumperoo to the extent that you can't have a normal conversation or talk on the phone when she is in there
She loves to be tossed in the air and to be "flown" around the room
She is incredibly sturdy and strong. She can hold her own weight for a very long time when "standing" and doesn't waver or wobble
She will stick her tongue out and try to lick the water in the bathtub when you pour water over her
She is very attached to her Daddy and I think her favorite time of day is when Daddy gets home
Brady Matthew Ringley
Height: 27 1/2 inches (85th percentile)
Weight: 15 pounds (10th percentile)
Brady is very active and very coordinated. He loves to cuddle and likes to be held. He can be our "high maintenance" child at times.
Five Fun Facts About Brady:
He loves the water. He will kick and flail his arms in the bathtub until nearly all the water is out.
He loves books even more so than his sister. If he is fussing, he will calm down immediately if you show him a book.
He has a blue puppy that he loves and often cuddles with during nap times.
He has excellent hand/eye coordination and motor skills. He will reach out for objects and hold them. He can pull down on his carseat toy and watch it go back up and pull back down on it. He will reach out for his bottle during feedings and can hold his bottle and feed himself for brief intervals. He can hold a small ball with both hands and bring it to his face.
He is a great eater and is very good about opening his mouth in anticipation of the spoon.
After writing this all out it is amazing to see how far the babies have come in what seems like such a short time! We are so lucky to have them in our lives and to be their parents. We can't wait to see what the next six months will bring!
