12 Months....ONE year.....Holy crap!

I know I say it every time but seriously how are they this big already. This year has flown by so incredibly quick. We've been so busy lately with trips to Illinois, baby showers, birthday parties. Needless to say that's why I'm just now getting this post up....and hopefully will be following this with a few other posts including their first birthday fun!! Every day these two amaze me. They seem to learn something every day. They are FULL of smiles and hugs. They make Ed and I laugh every day...and sometimes want to rip our hair out to (Hey they're babies.....what do you expect!) Before I get to the typical 12 month post a peak back at how much they've grown in a year.....cue mama tears!:

Ok now on to the post. 

Firsts:

Time wearing shoes to school - 12/31

Alex's first incident report at school (Kylie pushed him down and he split his lip open....such a sweet sister!) - 12/31

ENT consult - 1/2 - ear tubes here we come!

Transitioned to big kid room at daycare (aka 1-2 year olds) - 1/5

Steps: Alex (1/5), Kylie (1/28)

First full day in big kid room at daycare - 1/19

First poop in the bathtub...Alex....(How did we make it almost a year on this one?!) 1/20

First surprise trip home - 1/23

(Right before leaving for airport)

First sleepover with their cousin - 1/23

First surprise party - 1/24

Mmmm cake

First time eating out and actually eating the restaurant food - 1/24

First time to Aquarium - 1/29

First time to Build a Bear - 1/29

Alexander:

Nicknames: Alex, Little Dude, Little Man, Pumpkin, Boo-boo, Bubba, Tank

Weight:  21 pounds 8 ounces (54%)

Height:   29 inches (19%)

Head circumference:   18 1/4 inches (59 %)

Teeth: 5

Diaper size: 3

Clothing size: 12 month

Feeds: Byebye bottles! Byebye formula! We are on whole milk now. The kids get 8 oz of milk when they wake up. Then have breakfast at 8:30 to 9 with milk in a sippy cup. Lunch around 11:30 or 12 with milk in a sippy cup. Snack around 3 with water. Dinner around 6 with a sippy cup of milk. Then water right before bed. Transitioned very nicely away from the bottle, I couldn't believe how easy Alex went down without it. His favorite foods are mangoes, peaches, spaghetti, tacos, waffles, meat, and vanilla wafers. Alex loves to "clink" his sippy cup with your glass. Alex also loves to see how many times you'll pick his sippy cup off the floor during a meal. I still don't think he has a full button as he will eat...and eat....and eat. He will eat us out of house and home when hes a teenager for sure!!

Sleep: Bedtime has been moved back to 7:30 and that is going well. At 730 we do water in a sippy cup and read stories. Then we go upstairs to brush our teeth and be rocked for a little bit. Alex must have his fuzzy blankie when rocking. Alex would prefer to have a pacifier too but we are trying to break that habit. He usually wakes a few hours into the night screaming for a pacifier (yay!) and mom and dad give in as it is the only way he'll go back to bed (Bad Mom and Dad!). This results in a few times up each night to replace pacifier when he loses it. Luckily he goes down right away after, but still annoying (needless to say we will be cold turkey stopping the paci soon!!). He wakes up around 7 in the morning, unless its a week day then Daddy wakes at 5:30 for his milk then he goes back to sleep until 7:30. During the day he takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap. Morning nap is about 45 minutes to an hour and afternoon is about 1.5 hours. Both naps are in his crib. 

Health: Saw ENT who recommended ear tubes. Had influenza B

Behavior: He is just so fun! Alex loves to smile and giggle. He cracks himself up. He loves to walk and is getting pretty steady. When he finds something funny (which is often) he will crack himself up over and over. He thinks the word "no" is hilarious and means to carry on with what he is doing. He is such a snuggler and wants to give anyone hugs. If hes mad he'll scream and let you know. A pacifier and hug is an easy way to calm him down.

Play : Alex loves balloons and balls! He likes to bounce on them and throw them back to you. He is learning to play catch and thinks that is fun. He loves to chase after Maverick (who is not sure if he likes this game). Alex loves to put an object in another object. He loves to bang blocks together...and knock block towers down. He loves his rocking horse. Loves slides. Loves any toy that makes music. He still loves to sit down with you and read a touch and feel book. Also loves to jump on the couch and roll around on fuzzy blankets in just a diaper. Thinks animals that sing are hilarious. 

Development: 

Walking!!!!  Still putting sounds together (Da-da, Ma-ma, Ba-ba, Ga-ga). Da - da is the sound he says most. He will get going though and just talk for a good 20 seconds and then laugh at himself.

12 month photo:

(Sorry I'm boring you Alex with these photos!)

Kylie:

Nicknames: Kylie Bear, Lil Diva, Princess, Lovebug, Pumpkin, Peanut

Weight: 17 pounds 9 ounces (17%)

Height:   28 inches (13%)

Head circumference:   18 inches (73%)

Teeth: 0

Diaper size: 3

Clothing size: 9 month

Feeds: Byebye bottles! Byebye formula! We are on whole milk now. The kids get 8 oz of milk when they wake up. Then have breakfast at 8:30 to 9 with milk in a sippy cup. Lunch around 11:30 or 12 with milk in a sippy cup. Snack around 3 with water. Dinner around 6 with a sippy cup of milk. Then water right before bed. Transitioned very nicely away from the bottle, I couldn't believe how easy Kylie went down without it. Her favorite foods are bananas, mangos, green beans, spaghetti, waffles, vanilla wafers, and anything covered in bbq sauce (The girl wouldn't even eat her taco meat until I put bbq sauce on it....weirdo....and definitely mama's girl! Just wait til you try Ranch sweetie!) Still a messy eater, you can tell when she's done as she starts to throw food on the floor. Is a much slower eater then her brother and likes to babble during dinner and wave and point across the table to daddy....all of which slow her down even more. 

Sleep:  Bedtime has been moved back to 7:30 and that is going well. At 730 we do water in a sippy cup and read stories. Then we go upstairs to brush our teeth and be rocked for a little bit. Kylie sometimes lets you rock her to sleep and other times needs to cry herself to sleep. Shee wakes up around 630 in the morning, and is usually ready to go for the day. During the day she takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap. Morning nap is about 45 minutes to an hour and afternoon is about 1.5 hours. Both naps are in her crib. 

Health: Saw ENT who recommended ear tubes. More ear infections 

Behavior: Kylie is such a smiley girl but very sassy. She loves to wave to everyone, to the dog, to the wall, to herself in the mirror (waving is fun stuff!). She sure has a good smirk she gives you when she knows she is being naughty. She does not like to be told no and generally will cry if you tell her no. When she wants something, she wants it right then. She is very good at self soothing. Loves to crawl over and plant her head in your lap (her way to snuggle). She gets so excited when she is picked up from daycare, but if you aren't holding her the second she sees you she will cry until you pick her up. She gets SO excited in the mornings when you get her out of her crib and gets giggly if you put her in Alexs crib to wake him up.

Play: Kylie loves playing "peek a boo barn" on the i-phone, "chicken" is her favorite animal on it. She also loves touch and feel books.....or maybe its just pulling all the touch and feel books off the shelf. She loves to play peek a boo in her play house. Loves the slide. She loves stuffed animals. Thinks animals that sing are hilarious. Thinks bubbles are so much fun. Loves to play catch, still working on the catch part but is very good at giving the ball back. Loves jumping and rolling on the couch. Loves to roll on blankets in just her diaper. Still loves anything that makes music or lights up. And as always LOVES Maverick!

Development: Walking if you hold her hands! (Stop growing so fast). Takes a few steps on her own. Still putting sounds together (Da-da, Ma-ma, Ba-ba, Ga-ga). Has said "Mama" intentionally at Mommy! (WOOHOO I GOT THE FIRST WORD!))) Takes in her entire environment. Has nailed using the sippy cup. Feeds self well with hands, enjoys playing with spoon.

12 month photo:

Together:

(The moral of the together photos is they forgot how to take a nice photo together!!!)

Some of our highlights of the past month:

Alex got more teeth, 3 upper teeth 1/26....it was a rough few days leading to this!!

Time with grandma and grandpa 

Getting efficient at doing stairs 

Another plane ride 1/25....they did great!

Celebrating first birthday!!!

Playing in the snow....they love sledding!

Taking selfies 

Time with cousin!

Becoming the two best friends 

With how fast this year went...I can't even imagine how fast the next will go!!! Its been  the best year ever and I can't wait to see what these two bring this year!! XOXO babies! We love you!