The 8 month birthday is here! Braxton and Carter have
brightened our lives for 8 whole months and continue to make every day a
happier place in the Feuling Household. This month has been a fun one.
We now have two very interactive little dudes who like to
mimic noises you make, laugh like there is no tomorrow, and can’t get enough of
playing peek-a-boo. They get excited when someone walks in the room, and reach
for you when they want to be picked up. Both continue to be 100% boy and like
last month anything they can bang on to make loud noises, they do. Right now
our favorite toys include hard plastic bowls, plastic rings, plastic hammers,
and light up music toys. All of which can be banged together, banged on, or
make lots of noise on their own. We are accumulating lots of things to play with thanks to their grandparents, and even had to move a huge shelving unit
downstairs so we could store them and not have it look like a crazy baby house
all the time. Between their jibber jabber and the toys there aren't too many
quiet moments these days - unless they are snoozing. No complaints here though, I
love the sound of happy babies.
This month we are on the move. Neither of them is physically
crawling yet, but both are army crawling backwards (which is so funny to
watch), scooting, rolling, and squirming all over the place. When they are
determined, there isn’t anything they cannot get to, and they get there fast! I
said before I thought Carter would crawl first, and Braxton would walk first.
Now with both of them on their hands and knees rocking back and forth pretty
hard, it’s hard to tell which one it will be. All I know is once they actually
take off, things are going to get real crazy, real quick. I have started to
baby proof and we brought out the baby gates. It won’t be long and we’ll really
need them.
Our 8th month proved to be a month full of family,
which we loved. We spent a weekend at home with my parents Grandma Shelly and
Grandpa Jay and the boys got to see their Great Grams Sandy again who was
visiting in Auburn. We spent a weekend with the Sneden’s who came down to visit
us for Homecoming weekend, and lets face it, they are family too. (The boys and
Ellie had so much fun playing together!) And we spent a weekend with Grandma
Danette, Poppa Sir and Grandpa Feuling who came all the way up from Arizona to
meet the boys. Braxton and Carter have now met every one of their Great
Grandparents (except Grandpa Feuling’s wife Pat who couldn't make the trip) and
that makes me so happy. Combined they have 7 sets of Great Grandparents and 2
sets of Grandparents. As you can imagine, they are loved little boys. I’m so
glad they are getting to grow up with so many wonderful people around them and
to look up to. And I feel even more blessed that even though none of them live
in the same state as we do, they are still getting to see the boys fairly
often. Family is and has always been Michael and my rock, and it is so
important to us that we teach the boys those values. 
October was also a month full of October stuff. We had a
whole lot of football, and a whole lot of pumpkins and Halloween prep. We went
to several WOU games through the month, and every Sunday there was sure to be
NFL on the TV. The boys remain to be “babies divided” with parents who like
opposing teams, but we have worked out a pretty good system and there is likely
to be at least one shirt change every Sunday.
We also took the kids to the pumpkin patch twice this month. Once to
Roloff Farms to meet Chan and Ash for the day, and once to a local farm in
Monmouth as a family. I am such a holiday fanatic that I couldn't have been more
excited to take my babies to see the “punkins”. We all had a great time at both
places. The boys even sat on the pumpkins and in the wheelbarrows for pictures.
I swear those two will do anything when you get the camera out. What little
hams! When we did (well really I, bah humbug Michael doesn’t like doing pumpkins)
the jack-o-lanterns we let the boys play with the pumpkins and touch the guts.
Carter loved playing with the mush, and kept trying to eat it. Braxton touched it a few time and made ridiculous faces as if to to say, “Mom
this stuff is gross” but I’m sure as they get older they will be in it up to
their elbows. Next year should be fun too when they can actually enjoy the
pumpkin patch fall festivities, but I’m in no rush for them to hurry up and
grow up.
My carved pumpkins turned out pretty great, but nothing
could top their Halloween costumes. We toyed with many ideas of what they
should be for Halloween, but I knew for sure that I wanted them to be
coordinating. I had decided I wanted them to go as Mario and Luigi, but I could
only get them in size 2T. I wasn’t sure if that would work so I bought them.
And I also bought Captian America and the Hulk. And I also bought a Cop and
Jailbird. That’s right, I put 6 costumes in my van and headed home to a husband
who rolled his eyes. All it took was to put the Cop and Jailbird on to realize
they were perfect. I didn’t even put the other 4 on them. Everyone has asked me
if I was setting them up for their roles for the rest of their lives with who
got to wear what, but it just made sense. Carter is always lunging for,
grabbing, and “arresting” Braxton. And Brax is a little crazy all the time, so
Cop and Robber fit perfect! J
They boys were a hit, their photo session turned out more than adorable, and they
were the talk of the evening when we took them to the WOU Volleyball game in
their costumes on Halloween and they entered the costume contest. It will be so
fun trick-or-treating with them next year. But it will be hard to top these
costumes for sure.
My little Braxton continues to be a spitfire. There is never
a guess about how he is feeling, but luckily unless you are trying to get him
dressed, which he loathes, he is usually a happy chatty little man. His new
thing this month is this crazy excited little scream that he does with his
mouth closed. Its almost like he is saying “Haaaay-EEEEE” over and over again.
He does it when he sees me coming to pick him up, when he knows a bottle is on
the way, when he sees you opening a banana baby cookie, really any time he is
excited about something. It is hilarious to watch him get all worked up and
look at Carter like “Dude don’t you see what is about to happen here???”. He is pro at holding his own bottle, and
pretty dang proud of himself for doing it. He’ll even push your hands away to
make sure he can do it on his own. He finally joined his brother in the tooth
club on October 3rd but the poor little guy had a much harder time
than Carter did with it. I will definitely miss BBoy’s big toothless grin, but let’s hope the next teeth come in with a
little more ease.
Braxton is finally getting some hair on that big old noggin,
but I can’t tell how dark it is going to be. I know it will be darker than
Carters, but on top it looks like a light brown, and down below it is a lot
darker like mine. He definitely has a bit of Martello in him so we’ll see. He
has completely mastered sitting up, and can also easily get from his behind to
his belly without a major crash. However, any time he is sitting he always has
his chubby little feet crossed. We can walk over and uncross them, and
immediately he crosses them right back. Apparently Michael did that when he was
a baby too, but it looks pretty cute. Even though criss cross is comfy for him,
if given the chance Braxton would rather be standing than sitting anyway, or
jumping around like a maniac. This kid has crazy energy, and then all of a
sudden will crash out and go to sleep. It’s almost like he has an on/off switch
and some days he even falls asleep in his high chair. What a goof! And finally,
if he wasn’t already, BBoy has become quite a Mama’s Boy. He always wants me to
snuggle him when he’s sleepy, or grouchy, or just wakes up, or really just
because. In the middle of the night when he gets up and I have to hand him to Michael
so I can run to go to the bathroom before I rock him, he has a conniption fit.
He loves his Daddy SO SO SO much, but a Mama’s boy he is. I can’t say I mind
though, I’m just making sure to balance time with my mama’s boy and my sweet
other little guy.
Mr. Carter is such a little lover. He wants to kiss
EVERYTHING. At least we’re hoping he is trying to give kisses and not bites.
That little many will throw himself at you, or his brother, or his toys and lay
a big wet one on ya for no good reason. Half the time he looks like he is form
tackling Braxton, which B does not enjoy, and Carter is just ready with some
sweet smooches. It is hilarious to see him sucking on his brothers head, or
leg, or my cheek. What a goober!
However, when he isn’t kissing his brother, he is stealing his toys. The
little stink is fast and can snatch something out of Braxton’s hand in a moment’s
notice. Sometimes he doesn’t mind and other time B screams. Carter is
specifically skilled at stealing binkies, which he’s done for a while, but that
now comes with a purpose. C-Man is now a binkie baby. He definitely wants it
when he is falling asleep, when he wants to snuggle, and if he is teething. Its
sometimes funny to see him with it hanging out of his mouth because for so long
he wanted nothing to do with it. Besides binkies, Carter also loves anything
resembling a string. He will roll and scoot and try all his might to get to any
computer or electric chord (I know I know), rope , pump hose, or anything
string like to play with it. I’ve always got to keep my eye on this little guy
and make sure everything is Carter proof.
Of the two of them Carter LOVES his baths the most and would
happily stay in there forever if we let him. He splashes and plays and hordes
his toys. He also loves to hide under blankets and peek out of the side of
them. As soon as your eyes meet he immediately giggles and throws his head back
down “hiding” himself. He often still tries to play shy, but he really isn’t.
This month his voice has continued to grow and fairly often lets out a happy
little squeal accompanied by a huge grin. When he gets excited he kicks his
legs and flaps his arms like he is flying, and any time he can get a hold of a
diaper, or a shirt, or some sort of a flat toy he waves it as fast as he can
like it’s on fire. Carter also LOVES Dudley. Any time Dudley gets close he gets
all excited and does that little arm flapping, or he smiles and reaches out for
Dud. Braxton could really care less about the big furry animal that always
licks his face, but Carter is enamored. He even has already started to give
Dudley bites of his food. I can only imagine the relationship these two will
establish as Carter gets older.
I have really noticed some age differences in the twins this
month. They are playing more independently (without me I mean, because lord
knows they never lose track of each other) as long as there are toys scattered
around the floor. They can hold their
attention watching cartoons for sometimes up to 10 minutes. And they are completely
capable of feeding themselves Baby MumMums. They both love to drink out of my
water bottle, and are now sitting in high chairs at restaurants on their own.
They cuddle up with blankets during nap time, and are recognizing toys that
they love. They continue to be super close to each other, not wanting to be
apart, but everyday get more and more different.
On the 24th the at home nurse came over to check
the boys progress. Braxton was 22.6 lbs and 27 inches long. Carter was 21.7 lbs
and 28 inches long. They are both rocking 12 month clothes like it is their
job, and growing every single day. I finally found socks that fit over their
fat little feet, but they are for 12-24month olds so now the problem is they
fall off all the time. Braxton donated a sock to Roloff Farms, which stinks
because now I have 3 socks and 2 babies, but at least that was easier than
Carter donating his Raffee to the grocery store. Of course we retraced our
steps in both places, (3 times at Waremart for that spendy little giraffe) and
no luck. I’m all about them learning to give to the less fortunate and be
grateful for what we have, but this random donation of things we need isn’t
what I had in mind.
So that is our update for now. As we head into the holiday
season I am so looking forward to sharing my favorite time of the year with my
boys. Before we know it Christmas will have come and gone and the boys will be
almost a year old. I will be soaking it all in in the next few months for sure.
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