Sleep & Solids

Thanks so much everyone for your support and kind comments on my last post. Exhaustion was really beginning to take its toll. The CIO sleep training is going well! The girls never cried more than 30 minutes, and the past two nights they have gone to bed with NO crying at all. They have each had 5, 6, and even 7 hour stretches of sleep! Unfortunately, my longest stretch is only 4 hours because they, of course, do not sleep for the same long stretches, but four hours is still better than two! They also are no longer staying up for hours in the middle of the night, thank god! I have not eliminated all night feedings, but I have begun spacing them out at least 3-4 hours, so they are only waking 2-3 times each. They really do seem to be eating at these wakings, so I am hesitant to push them to go without. When we get back from our Arizona trip I will probably start dropping the night feedings.

The girls have been eating solid foods for two weeks now. The first week they weren't too sure about it, but this week they have gotten the hang of it. Candace eagerly opens her mouth and tries to guide the spoon to her mouth and Cassidy will eat between distractions with only the occasional spitting episode. They are eating two meals a day now, rice cereal with a veggie mixed in for dinner and oatmeal with a fruit mixed in for breakfast. They have tried carrots, peas, and bananas and their favorite surprisingly is the peas!

Their different personalities really come out during meal times! Cassidy has a shorter attention span, is very messy, makes funny faces, bangs her hands on the tray, and makes lots of silly noises. Candace is focused on the food, rarely makes a mess, wants to be in control of the spoon, and "shouts" at me if I take too long between bites. Meal times are quite fun and amusing!

Notice how clean Candace's bib and tray are in the first picture compared to Cassidy in the second pic? LOL!




Aidan wanted to help feed the girls!




Daddy playing with his girls.