10 months!

The few days we were home in July, I took the twins in for their 9 month checkups.

Leah:

Weight: 17 lbs, 5 oz (25%)

Height: 27 3/4 inches (50-75%)

Head: 43 cm (25%)

Alexis:

Weight: 17 lbs, 5 0z (25%)

Height: 26.5 in (10-25%)

Head: 44.5 cm (50-75%)

They are the exact same weight! Lexi looks so much chunkier because, well, she is, and because Leah is a whole inch and 1/4 longer. And Lexi's head is a whole 1.5 cm bigger than Leah's.... Leah's head is tiny compared to all my other kids' heads. She is my petite little girl, which is not Andros style.

Today is their 10 month birthday's and boy have my little girls changed in the last few months.

Before they got mobile and active, they used to sit in cute poses like this. Now I can't keep either of them in one place for more than a minute or two.

Leah started crawling the middle of July and gets faster and faster each day. She goes by so quickly that she's almost a blur. She has always been our fussier one, but crawling and being mobile has made her so much happier.

She has 4 teeth- 2 on top and 2 on bottom. And boy do those top front teeth look BIG!

She is still super emotional- when she's sad, she is a basket case, when she's mad she's furious, but when she's happy she is on cloud nine and so much fun. The big kids love to make her smile and laugh. She is so much fun to be silly with because she is so animated. A young boy in church last week sitting behind us had Leah giggling so hard and so loud that I almost had to take her out of the chapel. It was very disruptive, but very cute.

Is a fantastic sleeper and a great napper and now wakes up from naps much happier. Instead of crying and screaming until someone comes for her, she now will often lay in bed and talk to herself happily.

She is the first one up 90% of the time in the mornings and at nap time.

Has given up the binky, again. This little girl has me back and forth with that binky. It's probably for the best that she refuses to take a binky, being this close to a year old, as I will only have one baby to break of that habit. But it sure is nice to be able to pop a binky in at will to quiet a fussy baby. Oh well- she still takes a bottle like a pro, which came in handy on all of our travels in the past month.

She won't take a binky, but she loves to steal Lexi's binky! She grabs it out of her mouth and crawls away with it, using it as a toy. She will even briefly suck on it or chew it- I'm sure just to get my goat.

Still "rides her motorcycle" with all of her hand and feet twitchings and has even taken up full body twitching and rhythmic head banging occasionally.

She isn't walking yet, but when she does, I think she will just run instead of walk. She is looking to be a busy little girl, but the busier and more mobile she gets, the more satisfied and happy she seems to be.

Is a great eater and not picky per se, but she doesn't like to have foreign food shoved in her mouth without warning. She will often spit food out until she can have time to adjust to the texture and taste and then she is fine and will eat almost anything. She doesn't fight being spoon fed, but loves to be able to finger her food and put it in her mouth herself. I hope this means she will learn to spoon feed herself soon! She can feed herself solid, chunky foods very well and we are loving this!

She loves to throw food, but loves even more to crawl under the table after a meal and eat the "leftovers" off the ground.

Has a lot of "Blakeslee" in her- longer legs (compared to Lexi) and a small head, and so far thinner than any baby we've had. She has definitely broken our mold for Team Andros babies, but we don't hold that against her.

She is LOUD! She fits right in at our house, The Andros Zoo, but she has a high pitched squeal and yell, which she does when she's happy or pleased, but boy is it loud. The big kids think it's hilarious and imitate it any chance they get, and then we really are the loudest house in the neighborhood. When the big kids want a baby who will be silly and and do tricks with them and do funny things, they choose Leah.

Hates to see her mama leave a room. Now that she can crawl, she will crawl after me to try and see where I'm going.

Does the funniest "tricks." She loves to crawl and will get up on all four's. She's our little circus monkey, especially with the expressions she adds.

She is our spirited little fire ball and we love being around Leah. She is the life of the party and a sweetheart.

Our Lexi- boy do we love this girl. She started army crawling a week or two ago, and has always been a big roller, but just started hands-and-knees crawling today. Leah can still crawl circles around her, but Lexi is just glad to be able to quietly get where she needs to go, no matter what the pace.

We really, really should have named this girl Patience. Everyone that meets her can tell immediately how sweet and patient and laid back she is. Even if she gets knocked over, scared or hurt, she takes it all in stride and rarely cries. She is our little love muffin and whenever one of the big kids wants someone to snuggle with on the couch or a baby to sit quietly on their lap, they choose Lexi.

She doesn't cry often, but when she does she can really CRY- loud and hard. And since it is a rare occurrence, it can be heartbreaking and she gets lots of attention.

She has only 2 teeth- both on the bottom in front. Just like crawling and moving, she is no hurry to get teeth and happily makes due with what she has.

Has a gorgeous head of hair. We just love it. Compared to our other kids, Leah included, she has gobs (to us) and it is a blondish, strawberry-reddish color and it's gorgeous.

Is kind of short and squatty and has rolly-polly legs and loves to have the chub tickled on her thighs. She is an Andros for sure with short legs, but if she is anything like her dad she'll be fine- a good swimmer and athletic.

A great eater- she will eat anything and everything and will sometimes keep eating until you decide to quit offering food. She can feed herself solid food chunks as well and is a fast eater. I can't always keep up with her pace.

Loves to say "Da da" all day long and the more I say "Ma ma" the more she says "Da da" with a twinkle in her eye. She's a little tease, that Lexi girl.

She will go to anyone and has no stranger anxiety yet, or ever has. She loves her mama and daddy, but is very content and happy to be with anyone.

Still loves her binky and is a pro at taking it out when she wants and putting it in when she needs it. She is especially good at spitting it out of her mouth (shooting it out) when she sees food she wants or a toy that she wants to put in her mouth. She is using it less and less during the day, by choice, but pretty much keeps it in all night long. I could see her weaning herself off the binky...

Still takes a bottle, as well, and both girls can hold it themselves now which is a life saver, especially on long trips in the car.

She makes sweet, happy noises that are quiet and peaceful. Her smiles aren't as animated as Leah's, but they are melt-your-heart little smiles and has a hearty little chuckle to give when teased, tickled or shown a funny face.

Is the best sleeper- neither girl wakes up during the night, except for rare occasions (sickness, etc) but if Leah wakes up and cries, Lexi will sleep through it 95% of the time and sleeps longer in the morning than Leah (mean mom only lets her sleep 20 minutes longer than Leah if she sleeps in to keep them on the same schedule).

Makes the cutest, funniest little growling noise that sounds just like she is trying to imitate an animal growl, which she is not. We don't know why she does it, but she is happy when she does it and will even do a growl "talk." She may have a future in animal voice-over or Disney movies.

And just today, to celebrate 10 months of life, Lexi pulled herself up to standing on the stairs.

Whoa baby! I guessed correctly that Leah would be my first crawler. During tummy time as a tiny baby she would always lift her head and chest up off the ground. She would rarely let her head touch the floor and as she got older she was always in a "ready, set, go!" position when on her stomach. I have always guessed that Lexi would be our first walker, because she has always been more willing and able to put weight on her legs and can balance better on her legs. After seeing her do this today, I am definitely still putting my money on Lexi to walk first.

We love our little Gracie girl and love the calming influence and presence that she is in our home.

A good depiction of the twins: Leah, Ms. Emotional. Lexi, Ms. Mellow.

Our two water babies- they both love the tub and any sort of water. Leah was crying in the above picture because she had to get out.

Slow down, summer! We may have an anxious kindergartner, but not a mommy who is anxious for these babies to be one. Not quite yet...