Nine Months

Michael and Emily turned 9 months old when we were away last week. Yesterday was their well visit, and the pediatrician could not have been more pleased. They have no delays, which is amazing considering they were 6 weeks early. Here are their stats, and my personal observations for this age.

Emily-(ladies first, you know) She is such a content baby that I feel like I sometimes overlook her. She will play with a toy for 15 minutes at a time. Right now her favorite thing is pulling up, and she is very good at it. She is a fast crawler as well, and a great sleeper. Her smiles are not as readily given as her brother's, but when she does smile, she really means it. Her babble is so sweet, and her latest habit of forcefully spitting back out what she doesn't like has me cracking up. She doesn't cry or fuss, just spits it out as hard as she can, with a rather nonchalant look on her face. This is girl who knows what she wants, and it not afraid to show it. She is also the patient one. I know I can always leave her upstairs at the gate while I carry Michael down first, she plays contentedly until I return for her.
Height: 26 1/2 inches-15th percentile
Weight: 17 lbs. 4 oz.-20th percentile

Michael: The boy with the smile that will win over anyone, but I have to say, a bit more high maintenence than his twin or older sister. If he has a dirty diaper, we all know about it. And when it is time to eat, he will come and find me, protesting loudly until he is in his high chair. He does not like to be left alone, and will army crawl to wherever I am. He is into everything, whatever the most dangerous thing in the room that you may have overlooked in your baby-proofing...Michael will find it. He does not sit up yet unassisted (Emily does so with ease) but can pull up and has even started cruising around the coffee table. He is very affectionate, smiles at everyone, and is very happy just being carried around. He is a great eater, so easy to feed, and has never spit anything out at me, he needs all that food b/c he never sits still!
Height: 29 1/2 inches-80th percentile
Weight: 17 lbs, 8oz-10th percentile
Note the percentile differences between his height and weight...a true Maier, long and lean!

All my twin mom friends say that the first 6 months are the hardest. I think from a feeding standpoint that is true. It is a lot easier now, and part of that is because I am more used to the fact that someone will probably be fussing because I only have two arms, not four. The most fun now is the interaction that takes place between them, they really know each other, and have even started babbling in a give and take sort of way. The fun is just beginning!