Seven Months Old!

Where has the time gone? Will and Erin are already SEVEN MONTHS OLD! The time has flown by and I can't remember life without them.  They are both getting so big and doing awesome! We went to the pediatrician on Wednesday and both babies are finally on the growth chart! We are now on the 'normal' baby doctor schedule. We don't have to go back until they are 9 months old. The doctor is VERY impressed with their weight gain and growth. I am proud of how well Will and Erin are doing.  Here are their monthly pictures with the bears Blueberry and Strawberry. I am so thankful that Kylie, Ashley and Aunt Kathy bought these bears for W & E for Christmas.

This month Will is picking up his head when on his tummy. YEAH! He looks around and checks everything out.  He is putting toys into his mouth too.  Mostly the toys that are hanging on the toy bar on the bouncy seat or the play mat.  He is sitting in his high chair seat while we eat dinner.  Will continues to interact with people and has starting cooing and 'talking' with them.  He smiles ALL of the time.  He loves to chew on his fists and fingers. Maybe there are some teeth that are going to be coming through soon.  He is a good eater and is up to about 140 ml (4 1/2 ounces) every 3 hours.  He was sick last weekend and we've been doing the breathing treatments as needed.  His reflux is finally under control! YEAH! He can wear a whole outfit all day without spitting up on it.  That is a huge accomplishment.  Will continues to be easy going and a happy, contented boy.

This month Erin is rolling over and from her back to her tummy. She is happy to be on her tummy and loves to play on the play mat. She is very independent and will play for over an hour by herself (which has been helpful with Will not feeling well this past week.) Her bottle feedings haven't been going well so with the advice from the developmental doctor we have stopped oral feedings for two weeks.  During this time, Erin is being fed by her g-tube (button).  Whenever we would put a bottle into her mouth she would scream, cry, push the bottle out of our hand, arch and was just miserable (and so were we).  She's been bottle free for a week now and we have noticed a difference. She has her fingers in her mouth all of the time.  She is putting toys to her mouth too.  Per the doctor's suggestion, we have started some spoon feeding (pears and bananas) once a day.  We are trying to give her positive spooning experiences.  Erin prefers pears to bananas and makes the funnest faces when we feed her.  She sits in her high chair seat to eat (and when we are eating).  We give her spoons to play with and she is starting to put them to her mouth.  We will start bottles again on August 30 and add Simply Thick to the milk/formula to see if that will help her.  Erin eats 145 ml every 3-4 hours.  Please pray for her to bottle feedings to go better and for us to have the skills needed to help her be successful. The doctor did say that some babies with g-tubes never master a bottle. I am okay with that.  I fear that she will be totally orally averted and refuse to put anything in her mouth as she gets older.  It is more important for her to master spooning and using a sippy cup.  I know that we will get there, but I am still nervous about the whole thing.  It is a skill that we take for granite and just assume babies are able to do.  For Erin, it isn't so simple.  She works with an occupational therapist to help with the oral feeds. (We have taken a break from this for two weeks also).  Please pray for her to make progress with her oral feedings. Thanks!

The progression of these pictures cracks me up. I guess we aren't ready to sit up without support for a long time.  Maybe next month. :-)