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The Sandersons

The Sandersons


Sophie & Sydnie: What I love about you at 4 months...

The one thing I was to mention first is how good you babies are. Seriously, you are so happy and content and remind me so much of Sadie when she was this age. People are amazed when they meet you and say "are they always this good?" My answer is "yes!"

I went back to work full-time this month so it's been hard not getting to spend as much time with you. But I know that you're doing great when you're home with Daddy and on the days you go to daycare. The favorite part of my day is getting of work and getting to see your smiling faces. 

Here's the short list of all the things I love about you at 4 months...

  • We had a really great trip to the beach. We drove at night on the way down there and you slept the whole time! There wasn't a lot you could do but you still had a good time.
  • You are sitting when supported and that is really cool to see - you have awesome head control!
  • Everyone thinks you look exactly alike, but I don't see it. I know I'm your momma and I'm supposed to be able to tell you apart, but you look very different to me.
  • Sophie looks more like Sadie when she was little. 
  • When you are in your crib or on your activity mat, you find each other's hands to hold onto. It's absolutely precious. 
  • Since you are getting to be more awake during the day, we have to find creative ways to entertain you. You spend time in your bouncy seats (although you're starting to like them less and less), the activity mat, the swing, and your bumbo seats. And you really like being in your highchair seats too.
  • Your hair is definitley starting to come in more. Sophie's looks like it's going to be a lot like Sadie's was (stick straight out) but Sydnie's needs to swoop to the side. 
  • Your hair is still blonde and eyes still blue... you're beautiful!
  • On October 15th (3 months and 1 week) Sydnie giggled outloud. It was adorable!
  • You've started staying in the church nursery on Sunday mornings and you do really good!
  • You also started daycare on Oct. 18th and again, the ladies said you were so content, and didn't even cry! (I didn't believe them but that's what they said!)
  • When you aren't at daycare, all 3 of you are at home with daddy.... he is such a patient and loving daddy and you all have a lot of fun together. You must completely exhaust him though, based on the "thank goodness you're home" looks I get when I walk in the door.
  • We've been going to our friends' house to watch some of the Alabama night games. We put you down to sleep in a pack-n-play there and then transport you to your car seats and then home when the games get over around 10 or 11. You girls never even fuss and go right back to sleep (if you ever even woke up) as soon as we get home.
  • Around Halloween, Sophie started reaching out and touching things like rattles hanging from her car seat. Sydnie followed right behind her doing it soon after. (this little milestone completely amazed me!)
  • You are such beautiful girls... all it takes it me smiling at you for you to smile back at it and it just makes me so happy.
  • Mimi and Papaw watched you on Halloween night while we took Sadie out trick-or-treating. Before we left though we dressed you up like little kitty-cats. You were adorable next to your bumble bee sister!
  • You have about 5 (on the rare occasion 6) bottles a day, each one between 5-6 oz. You schedule is usually eating at 6, 9, 12, 3, and then 7.
  • On Nov. 4th we gave you rice cereal for the first time, before your last bottle. You actually did really well!
  • The only complaint I have is that you both spit up ALL THE TIME. Again, just like Sadie. It doesn't bother or hurt you and Doctor E said that you'll grow out of it the more solids you start eating. Thank goodness because I'm tired of having you wear bibs all the time.
  • You actually enjoy having baths. You really don't even cry until we get you on the changing table and I think that's because you get cold. 
  • You are sleeping through the night completely. We feed you your last bottle between 7-7:30 and you are down by 8 at the latest. You sleep until 5 or 6!
  • You still sleep swaddled, right next to each other in the same crib. We usually just lay you in your crib and you fall right to sleep... no fussing. You're amazing!
  • When you wake up in the morning, you actually "talk" instead of cry. It's a beautiful sound to wake up to.
  • You both have certain spots up by collar bones that I can tickle that make you giggle... I love hearing that sound!
  • On your 4 month birthday, Sophie rolled over! She waited until I got home from work and then just rolled right over. It was very emotional since I'm always afraid I'm going to miss things when I'm at work.
  • On the morning of your 4 month checkup, Sydnie rolled over too! 
  • At your 4 month checkup, Sophie weight 12lbs. 7 oz and Sydnie weighed 12lbs. 15oz. And you were both about 24 inches long. Doctor E says you're right on track and completely healthy. He is amazed (but happy) that you haven't even been sick yet!

We had a lot of changes this month, with church, daycare and me going back to work, but you've handled them all so well. Sadie always transitioned to new things pretty easily and it looks like you're going to do the same!

What I love about you at 3 months...

This is my last week of maternity leave... where has the last 3 months gone? It feels like just yesterday we were bringing you home from the hospital. I will miss our days together but know you are going to do great at home with daddy and Sadie and at daycare. Just know that I love you and will miss you everyday.

  • You've learned how to smile and do it all the time, especially when we smile at you
  • When Sadie rubs your head and tries to comfort you - "No cry baby"
  • You have also started cooing and really try and "talk" to us when we talk to you
  • I love sitting you in my lap and holding your hands to hold you steady - you like sitting up.
  • When we swaddle you, you know and put your hands down to your side. When we unswaddle you, your hands shoot up really fast and you stretch. It's so cute.
  • When we lay you down on your activity mat, you like to hit and kick each other, and sometimes you even suck on each others arms and legs.
  • You have been spitting up more and more lately - I do not love this. :)
  • You go to bed anywhere between 8 and 9 usually and sleep around 9-11 hours. You wake up to eat around 5-6 and then go back to sleep for a few more hours.
  • You love baths and lay there so content when we give you one.
  • I think I've mentioned this before, but each of you like different pacis.
  • Sophie tends to wake up once during the night wanting her paci.
  • You go to sleep pretty easily - after your last bottle, we burp, change, swaddle, lay you down and give you your pacis. We usually don't hear another peep from you - amazing just like your big sister.
  • You have gotten into a great eat, play sleep routine. You eat, then play for an hour or so, then nap (usually swaddled with a blanket)
  • Your cycles are about 3 hours, and you eat around 6 times in a 24 hour period, around 4-5 ounces at each feeding
  • You have started holding on to things that we put in your hand, like rattles and the animals on your play mat
  • You like laying on your mat focusing on the animals that hang down.
  • We took our first vacation and you were so good in the car ride down there and back
  • You still sleep right next to each other at night, and sometimes you are face to face - it's the sweetest thing!
  • This is our last week together at home before I go back to work and you start going to daycare - I'm interested to see how this all pans out!
  • I love you girls so much and wait to see how much you grow this next month.


Some differences I've noticed between the two girls:

Sophie

    * Pouty lip
    * Takes paci better
    * Naps better
    * Drools more
    * Chews and sucks on hands more
    * Holding things
    * Narrower face
    * Coos more
    * Long hairs on the top of her head


Sydnie

    * Doesn't like paci as much
    * Harder to get to sleep
    * Rounder face
    * Better skin
    * Likes swing better
    * Dimple
    * Smiles more, almost laughing
    * Squeals

Love, you Mommy

What I love about you - 2 months

It feels like just yesterday I was writing your 1 month What I love about you, and here it is a month later already. You girls have changed so much in a month and yet sometimes it still feels like we just came home from the hospital. Here's what I love about you at 2 months....

  • You have completely stolen Sadie's heart... she loves to give you kisses and has never once been jealous over you.
  • And how curious she is of you two... "wet diaper?"... "wipes"..."one diaper?"..."baby paci"..."baby blanket"..."asleep"..."awake"..."no cry baby"..."can I hold baby?"..."all done"... the list goes on and on.
  • You have started sleeping longer stretches at night, sometimes going 6 or 7 hours between feedings.
  • You're still messy eaters but I think we've just gotten used to it and but a bib on you at every feeding.
  • When I put you up on my shoulder and listening to you sigh, breathe, and coo.
  • Feedings go much faster now too. If both of us are feeding you it takes about 15-20 minutes. If one of us is feeding you back to back, it takes about 30-45 minutes.
  • You have started smiling in this last month, and I love when you're in a happy and alert state and give me little grins.
  • You have spit up more in this last month, but I'm thankful it isn't anything close to how much Sadie used to spit up.
  • You actually like when Daddy gives you baths. You usually don't start to cry until after the bath and I have to dry you off and clothe you.
  • When I walk into the living room and seeing one of you and Daddy asleep on the couch together.
  • I love that we don't have to rock you to sleep. We generally feed you and swaddle you and lay you down awake - you put yourselves to sleep which is so nice.
  • You've gotten used to being swaddled, sometimes even putting your arms down at your side as if to say "I'm ready."
  • You use pacis more and more, which I guess is ok for now. Since there is two of you, sometimes it's necessary to use the paci to quiet one of you down while we are feeding or holding the other.
  • You're drinking about 3.5 - 4.5oz at each feeding, and sometimes is varies a lot from one feeding to the next. I'd love if it was a little more consistent.
  • You're awake more during the day which is fine because most of the time you're happy and will just look around the room from your bouncy seat.
  • You're "routine" usually consists of an eat, play, sleep cycle. This really worked with Sadie and I can already see you getting into the habit of "playing" after you eat instead of going directly to sleep.
  • How fast I've gotten at feeding you, changing you, swaddling you, putting you in car seats, getting you in and out of cars, packing the diaper bag, dressing you, and preparing the formula and bottles... Daddy and I have become machines.
  • You like to make contact with people and can follow objects with your eyes when they are close enough to you.
  • You don't go back to the doctor for your 2 month checkup until next week, but I think you weigh around 9 or 10 pounds... we'll see.
  • You are still sleeping in the packnplay in our bedroom, but I have a feeling you'll move to your cribs soon since you are sleeping for longer periods of time at night.
  • You still like being next to each other, but sometimes you'll flail your arms around so much that you actually hit each other!
  • We've put you in your bumbo seats some and while you're still a bit unsteady, you've gotten so good at holding your head up.
  • You also like to be put at our shoulders and hold your head up... I can't believe how good you've gotten at it.
  • You're just starting to grow out of some of your newborn onesies and filling out your 0-3 month ones. Some of the newborn pants are definitely too short.
  • How Sophie has "charlie brown hairs" on her head like Sadie did.
  • How confident I've gotten in being able to tell you two apart.
  • The rythemic sounds you make when you're drinking a bottle at the same time... I love that sound.
  • It's still so warm outside that most of the time you just wear a tshirt or onesie and have only had to wear socks one or two times.
  • I love the new expressions that I'm starting to see on your faces... from smiling or even laughing (pretty sure it was gas) you continue to light up my life every single day.
I can't wait to see what this next month has in store for us!

Love,
Mom


What I love about you - 2 years old.

I actually had this ready in time, I just forgot to post it.
I love you Sadiebug! ~Mommy

NIGHT-NIGHT
  • You go to bed around 8:00, or a little later if you're playing and being a good girl.
  • You've gotten attached to one particular blanket. It's pink, green and white striped and so soft. Sometimes when you wake up in the morning or from your nap you even like to get it out and carry it around with you.
  • Most nights you don't pitch a fit at bedtime... you might whine a little, but you don't protest too much.
  • Here's what you usually sleep with in your crib: seahorse, Violet, Ladybug and Bumble Bee Pillow pets and two blankets, and since you turned one you've added several baby dolls, Mickey Mouse and a couple of other random things.
  • You usually wake up somewhere between 7 and 8 in the morning, and once you do wake up you start calling "Daddy... Daddy...."
  • You don't ever sleep in later than 7:30 anymore. :(
  • You've gotten used to laying down immediately, with your head on the ladybug, snuggling with a baby, and covered up with your favorite blanket.
  • You still nap somewhere between 12 and 1, for between 1 and 3 hours. At daycare you nap at noon for usually no more than 2 hours.
  • When you wake up from your nap we ask you if you had any dreams. You say "yeah" and we say "about who?" and you say "Barney"

EAT!
  • When a meal is prepared we say "Can you get in your chair?" and you walk over to your high chair, crawl up the front, turn and sit down in your booster seat and start clipping the lap belt together. 
  • Your eating schedule consists of breakfast and milk when you wake up. Your morning favorites are adult oatmeal, poptarts, fruit, applesauce, and cereal.
  • You have gotten really good at feeding yourself with a fork or a spoon.
  • If you finish your morning milk, you come to us with your cup and "All gone." We tell you to put it in the sink and you go drop it in.
  • If you find an old sippy cup sitting around you come up to use and say "Old." And again we tell you to put it in the sink and you do.
  • Lunch happens somewhere between 11 and noon. You always want "Big Bready" which is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, which we usually fix for you. You also get another sippy cup of milk.
  • You usually take your nap after lunch, but when you wake up you get some juice diluted with water and a snack... usually fruit or snack crackers.
  • You love juice, so if you finish it before dinner then you get water.
  • With the exception of when you are teething, you usually eat pretty good.  
  • Your dinner is usually whatever we eat. Sometimes you don't like whatever you put in your mouth and you'll say "I don't want that" and spit it out.
  • When you're done eating you to say "done" or "down". If you haven't eaten a lot,  we encourage you to eat "two or three more bites" but we don't force you, but you also can't get "snacks" later on.
  • You love applesauce. I think you would eat it for every meal if you could. You also love oranges, pb&j sandwiches, crackers, chips, sauce, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, string cheese, grapes, raisins, poptarts, and goldfish.
  • Daddy had to put childproof locks on the pantry because you kept trying to open it and get out snacks for yourself.

SAY WHAT?
  • You've gotten to the point where you don't ever stop talking. When you turned one, I think you're vocabulary was about 5-10 words. At 18 months it was probably around 50-100+ words at least. And now, you are constantly amazing me with the things you say and words you put together.
  • I've been working with you on putting words together, not just repeating sounds like bye bye. "Aw man" "want this" and "want to watch" are all relatively new terms for you and it took a little while to figure out what you were saying.
  • At 18 months you weren't saying your own name yet. Now you say it all the time. "Sadie going?" "Sadie did that? I did that?"
  • You still get shy when people to speak to you first, but you warm up to new people pretty quickly.
  • A lot the time I'm amazed at the actual conversations that I have with you.
  • You speak pretty clearly for a 2 year old, but there are still words and things you say that I have to get you to repeat several times to understand it. 
  • Here are some words and phrases I love hearing you say:
    Nose or I need another tissue.
    Where we going?
    I don't want that. (while shaking head and scrunching up your face)
    Help me peas.
    Mommy's turn. (Sadie's turn... etc.)
    No. No way. (unless you're defying us)
    Uh-oh.
    I lu you
    Got it.
    All gone
    Yep
    Yeah! (You say it so enthusiastically)
    Nope
    hold babies
    Who dat?
    What dat?
    Tookie (cookie)
    Kisses (then you make kissy noise)
    Toffee (coffee)
    Oh no. happened?
    Who going?

AROUND THE HOUSE
  • You are a huge help around the house. And you've gotten so independent that most of the time you don't even want our help to do them.
  • You help us empty the dishwasher by handing us bowls and utensils that are on the lower racks.
  • If something needs to be thrown away, you say "away" or "trash" and take it to put it in the trash.
  • You're also very good at taking stuff to people. If I have something for daddy, I can give it to you and say "take it to daddy" and you take it to him.
  • You like to help let Rascal in and out and get excited when he comes back in from being outside.
  • If I put dog food in Rascal's bowl and a couple of pieces spill out, you like to put them back in the bowl. You've even started helping me by filling Rascal's bowl with food on your own.
  • Yes, you are STILL slightly OCD about cleaning up. :) 
  • When it comes to manners, you still say please and thank you most of the time. You say bless you when someone sneezes or coughs. And you're learning how to say yes/no ma'am/sir.

LET'S HAVE FUN!
  • You have so many toys!!! There is an entire area in our living room where you have a train table, kitchen, horse, bookcase full of books, two beanbags, a replica firetuck, baby stroller, shopping cart... and tons of little toys to fill in the gaps like jewelry case, school house, balls, tea set, groceries and food, shape sorter, stacking rings, bowling pins, stuffed animals, dolls, coloring books, cameras, microphones, musical instruments.
  • You just had a birthday party and you got a cash register that you love. You also got some more musical instruments, a table and chair set, a minnie mouse dressup set, alphabet puzzles, singamagigs, and lots of other great toys!
  • Speaking of musical instruments you love to make noise with your kazoos, harmonica, drum sticks, and noisemakers. Me and daddy even got you a guitar for your birthday gift.
  • We have a piano and you love to sit on the stool and play it. You usually pat the seat next to you which means you want one of us to sit down and play with you.
  • For the most part, you do pretty much play with everything, sometimes bringing it all out at once to play with. :)
  • You are so good with shapes! There is an iphone app that says a shape and you have to pick the correct shape out of a group of shapes. You get it right almost every time (and then get a sticker!)
  • You also have an alphabet puzzle that you picked up really quickly. You don't know the letter by the name but if you pick up the "H" and I say "H is for House" you put it in the right spot.
  • You LOVE to be outside and will beg us to go "outside" over and over again. You mainly want to go outside so you can blow bubbles.
  • You love books. Your favorite book is "The Gingerbread Man" and you even know some of the words and say them when I read the book to you.
  • You have a kitchen and you really only make one thing in the kitchen and that is coffee for me and daddy... not tea, but coffee.
  • You have a couple of toy cameras that you link to take pictures with, but I think it's especially funny when I have my camera or phone and you automatically say "cheese!" and smile at me. Does that mean I take too many pictures of you?
  • You love to look at photos and videos of yourself on my phone.
  • You love singalong songs... especially ABCs and Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (which you interchange the words while singing since it's to the same tune)
  • Somewhere, somehow you learned how to do the Hokey Pokey... I have no idea.
  • Hands down your favorite show is Barney. We've tried to ween you off Barney with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and now you ask for Barney and Minnie Mouse equally. 
  • We get really tired of Barney so we don't always let you watch it. If you say "Barney?" and we say "no" then you say "Baby Bop?" "BJ?" "Riff?" :)
  • You love playing with your older cousins and their friends, and all the kids at school and the church nursery.
  • You love going to daycare. When I ask you who you played with you say "Olivia." I say "who else?" and you say "Grace." I say "who else?" and you say "Thomas." It's always those three in that order.
  • I can't think of the last time you were in a stroller. Most of the time you're good and hold our hands. Other times you refuse, meltdown, throw yourself of the ground and we end up having to pull or drag you.
STATS
  • Teething has still been a big hurdle for you the past couple of months. You were late cutting your upper incisors and your upper and lower canines, and then they all decided to come in at one time... 6 teeth! June was just an awesome month!
  • I haven't been real good at keeping up which teeth came in when but you now have all your teeth with the exception of the two year molars.
  • The last time you visited the doctor was for your 15 month well checkup. You were 32.75 inches tall, 25 lbs and 10.5 oz, and your head was 18.25".
  • You haven't been to the doctor since 15 months, but based on our home scale, you are around 33 pounds and 36 inches.
  • You wear a size 5 diaper and couple probably wear a bigger size... do they even make a 6?
  • You remind us every day for a "vity" (gummy vitamin) and usually get your teeth brushed everyday as long as we don't forget.
  • You get to take a bath or shower every other day. Daddy usually handles baths and showers, and it sounds like you guys have a lot of fun in there splashing around and getting "soapy." When you're done and it's time to dry off, he makes you "shake it like a Rascal" :)
  • You still only have the one mole on your back.
  • You still have your white blonde hair and blue eyes.
  • Your hair is getting so long. The bangs finally grew out and are long enough to tuck behind your ears. We took you for your first haircut on August 3rd to Spoiled Rockin Kids salon. You were sich a big girl. We only got a little amount trimmed but it made your hair look less wild. 
  • You've gotten so big the last 6 months and are wearing some 2T clothes, but 3T is a more comfortable size for you, in shirts, shorts, pants and dresses.
  • You are in between size 7 and size 8 shoe size.

OTHER RANDOM THINGS TO REMEMBER
  • Walking backwards saying "beep beep"
  • Being in the bathroom when I'm putting my makeup on and wanting to put it on too - I give you makeup sponges and brushes of your own too.
  • Helping with babies - get us diapers and wipes, throw dirty diapers away, put empty bottles in sink, help daddy give babies a bath, hold bottles when we feed them
  • Reading books (birks) and putting them back on the shelf
  • Swimming, jumping in the pool... 1, 2, 3 jump!
  • "Ride to town"
  • Turning light switches on and off
  • Painting in the bath with colored shaving cream
  • Learning to put her clothes on
  • Likes the idea of the potty, toilet paper and flushing but you haven't used the potty yet
  • Transitioning from Barney to Mickey/Minnie mouse
  • Praying at mealtimes (you remind us when we forget!) and the way you say "Amen"
  • Enunciating words and repeating what we say
  • You're starting to form sentences
  • Eating and loving salad - for a week
  • Calling me mom and Lauren
  • Learning to pretend play
  • You know names of all immediate and some extended family
  • Knows shapes - even hexagon!
  • Learning colors - pink and yellow are your favorites to say
  • Knows 1-10 (but occasionally will skip numbers like six and seven)
  • You love all things outside - chalk, bubbles, pool time, swinging, sliding, going to the park, riding in the wagon (waggy)
  • Being tickled by the tickle monster
  • You hate it and even have meltdowns when family and friends have to go "bye-bye"
  • You love putting coins in your bank - "money"
  • You call for "Daddy" when you wake up
  • Napkins (napins) - everyone has to have one
  • You call the perfume bottle in your jewelry box "viti" (vitamin)
  • You LOVE your cousins... all 6 of them!
  • "I'll do it, I'll get it, I got it"... independence and learning to do things on your own, your way
  • no real separation anxiety but you always want to know who is going or coming... Sadie going? Mommy going? Puppy going? Babies going?

What I love about you - 1 month

What I love about you at 1 month:
  • The cooing sounds you make when you're drinking your bottle
  • Sydnie - your left dimple and chubby cheeks
  • Sophie - the wrinkle on the bridge of your nose and longer face
  • The way you look like baby burritos when you're swaddled
  • How you're already trying to hold your head up when we are burping you and holding you at our shoulders
  • Seeing you snuggled up together when you're sleeping in the pack and play, and how if one of you is fussy, the other calms you down
  • How small your diapers, onesies and socks are
  • That you have the most beautiful skin for a newborn, just like Sadie did
  • That you have the same hair and eye color that Sadie did when she was born
  • You sleep a lot and pretty much only wake to eat
  • You wake up to eat at night and then go right back to sleep (thank you!)
  • You hate having your diapers changed, and sometimes you pee all over yourself and us!
  • I love that I can tell the difference between you when everyone else can't
  • I love when we lay you down together you "play" and "fight" with your hands
  • Your little legs have gone from chicken legs to filling out with some baby rolls
  • When you're alert, the way you look around at everything around you
  • When you hold on to my hair and fingers with your hands