8wks, 4days

Sorry for the absence, friends and family! We were away for Pessach at my parents' for the chagim and in Sde Boker for chol hamoed. That's right, we took the girls hiking in the desert! Shawn had to study for an exam the day after Pessach and I am still recovering from the c-section, but we each managed to get one good long hike in, without the girls, and I went on a couple of smaller hikes/desert walks, one with each girl (I LOVE the new wrap!!).

Both girls went through some changes. Eliana, who previously would NOT let me put her down to sleep in a crib/bassinet (she was better at letting other people put her down, but for the most part would wail if not held) is now totally happy bein put down, as long as she's been fed and burped. She can soothe herself to sleep or just lay there happily.

Bracha, meanwhile, turned into little miss Fussybutts over the holiday. She wasn't eating enough and would wail when riding in the stroller or in the car, two things that usually put her right to sleep. She would go through periods that were almost colicky though the only thing that soothed her would be to be strapped to my chest and have me walk and bounce till she fell asleep. Only after she fell asleep this way would we lay down with her, and then she'd only sleep if she were being held in our arms. Even if she was already fast asleep, if I moved my arm she would wake up and wail. It was so bad we were thinking of going to the doctor but thankfully,. now that we're back home she has calmed down a LOT. She's eating quite a bit, sleeps without being held constantly, willingly rides in the stroller, and is not crying nearly as much.

Both girls are developing nicely. Eliana's eyes will follow a rattle and both will stare at the things hanging over their crib (we have a large arch with dangly dolls and such). They're definitely becoming more aware of their surroundings. We try to stimulate them with new sounds, textures, and toys that vibrate, have mirrors, rattle, light up, and/or play music. They're still young for most of it but we see such changes day to day, better to provide them with the chance to be stimulated once their capable rather than miss out on the opportunity.

Of course we continue to sing to them a ton. I read once earlier on that if you sing the same songs over and over in a soothing manner when you are trying to calm a baby down/put it to sleep, they'll associate the song with feeling soothed and clam. It really works! Each girl has a soft, soothing song of her own, and they have a lullaby thanks to my sister, and whenever they're agitated all I need to do is cuddle them up and sing their song and it really works. We have lots of other fun songs we sing, and we read to them, too. I want certain poems and stories to be so ingrained in their memories that I want to start early with things I grew up on like Free to Be...You and Me and Christopher Robin.

Of course I have a ton of new pictures and videos I'll post next time.