A Year Ago + McKenzie and McKayla 8 Months Old

Wow, what a year we’ve had. A year ago today we found out our unborn twins had twin-twin transfusion syndrome. This was one of the most difficult days of our lives. I will never forgot how I felt when our doctor told us this news. I spent the entire day crying and praying that our girls would be okay. This was also the day we found out we were having two more girls, but at that moment their sex did not matter to us we simply wanted two healthy babies. On this day a year ago we made plans to travel to Philadelphia to figure out the best thing to do for our babies. Thank you for all your wonderful support. I don’t know how I would have gotten through this year without all of you. In case you are just finding this blog you can read more about our day here.

A year later and McKenzie and McKayla are 8 months old. Seriously, where did these last 8 months go. I can’t believe how big they are getting.

McKayla Grace

14 Pounds 2 Ounces

McKayla is such a sweet little girl. She is very content and love life. If McKayla is upset there is usually a reason. McKayla is a chiller; she love to relax.

McKayla is wearing size 3 month in clothing and a size 2 diaper. Actually, I have simply started her in size 3 diapers simply because it is easier to have both girls in the same size.

Sleeping: This past month has been great in the napping department. McKayla has started to progress to two naps about 1.5 hours each. Obviously, we have the occasional 45 minute nap(especially while they have not been feeling well), but we are definitely heading in the right direction. Night time sleep is still pretty much the same. We have some nights where McKayla only wakes up once, but for the most part she is still waking up two times. McKayla goes to bed at about 7pm, wakes to nurse at 10pm and 4am, she then wakes up for the day at about 7am. All in all I would say we are doing very well. I just keep remembering our colicky months and these days seem amazing. Now I do have to say this past week has not been so great in the sleeping departments because of teething and ear infections, but that is expected.

Eating: I am still breastfeeding both girls. I just started adding in a third meal. We have just added in scrambled eggs and pumpkin protein pancakes. They are loving the pancakes. McKayla is getting really good at picking food up with her fingers an getting them in her mouth. She actually grabs them and puts her entire fist in her month, but hey whatever works. A sample day would be:

Wake at 7 am – nurse

8 am Breakfast – scrambled egg or yogurt

10 am nurse and nap

12 pm Lunch – sweet potato and banana

1 pm nurse and nap

5 pm Dinner – Green beans and applesauce

7 pm nurse and bedtime

Milestones: McKayla is seriously going to crawl any day now. She is rocking on her hands and knees. Even though she is not crawling yet, she sure can get around the room. Right now she basically moves like a caterpillar. It is adorable. McKayla has just started sitting all by herself. It is so sweet. I love it!! Even though she is tiny she sure is mighty. She is not far behind her sister.

You can see poor little McKayla’s sick eyes. She is not feeling very well in these pictures, but McKayla always seems to smile. She is such a happy little girl.

Teeth: Both of McKayla’s bottom teeth has pushed through; practically at the same time. It sure is crazy how her sleep instantly changes when a tooth is coming in and once it’s through she snaps right back to her wonderful sleep habits. I hope that happens this time around; we could really use some sleep.

McKenzie Madison

17 Pounds

McKenzie is such a fun loving little girl. She has so much personality and makes sure you know she is there. McKenzie loves to “talk”, she is quite loud. McKenzie makes sure you know how she is feeling at each moment. She lets you know if she is not happy and won’t stop until you do something about it. She loves to play with all her sisters and loves the attention. McKenzie loves to laugh.

McKenzie is wearing a size 6 month in clothing and a size 3 diaper.

Sleeping: McKenzie has really become an expert napper. She pretty much always takes two good naps a day. Like McKayla there will be the occasional rough day, but for the most part we have great days around here. For the most part she always has at least one great nap a day, if not  two. She is starting to not need her wubbanub as much as she used to; which I am loving. I am really hoping by a year to ditch the pacifiers.

Eating: McKenzie loves her food. She loves to eat. If I am holding her and eating she will practically take my food right out of my hands. I actually feel bad eating in front of her. She loves her yogurt; I really haven’t found too much she doesn’t like. She really liked the pancakes I gave her yesterday; that might be her favorite right now. McKenzie is getting very good at pinching little pieces between her fingers and getting them to her mouth. Her day pretty much looks like McKayla’s give or take a few minutes.

Milestones: McKenzie started sitting up all by herself over the weekend. She can actually get herself into a sitting position from her hands and knees. It is really cute. She definitely loves life now that she is becoming mobile and able to play more easily. She is not yet crawling, but boy can she get around the room. She mostly scoots backwards on her belly, but sometimes she will roll her way around.

Teething: McKenzie has three teeth right now and the fourth tooth is working its way through. Last month she got her bottom two teeth in and this month she got one of her top teeth and the other one is about to poke through. She has the cutest little smile. McKenzie is “talking” a lot. She says mama all the time I think she is slowly learning that is me. Just yesterday I started to walk away from her and she started screaming mama mama. So, we will see.