Eat. Three meals a day (7:30 am, 1:00ish pm, 5 pm) and 2 snacks (9:30/10 am and 3 pm). Caden has gotten a bit pickier this month, and Brooklyn actually seems less picky. They are at least more similar now in things they will or won't eat. (Though, really, it depends on the day.) I don't think I've mentioned this before, but they seem to really enjoy going out to eat. They almost never squirm and fidget in their high chairs, and they like watching other people in the restaurant, too. They are much more content sitting in a restaurant and eating-and for a longer period of time-than they ever are at home!
Sleep. Bedtime at 7 pm, sleep for 11-12 hours. Nap at 11 am for 1 1/2-2 1/2 hours. Brooklyn remains a champion sleeper, while Caden had a few rough patches this month. He will wake up inconsolable, just absolutely crying his poor little heart out, and the only thing that calms him down is sleeping in our bed. He did this a few months ago and eventually got over it, so I'm hopeful this is just a phase again. Nothing seems to be wrong with him...it's like he just misses Tyson and me!
Play. This past month they have definitely been talking! They both say "Dada", "duck" ("duh!"), and "no no". Brooklyn also says "hi", "ball", and "uh-oh" ("uh uh uh uh oh oh oh"). They also do several animal sounds: cow ("mmmmm"), horse ("nay-nay"), sheep ("ba ba ba"), fish (*smacking lips*), butterfly (not really a sound, but they flap their arms like wings), and rooster ("doo-doo" for cock-a-doodle-doo). They are both copying words a lot more (Brooklyn more than Caden), and have said things like "cheese", "bus", and "giraffe" (yes really!), though they wouldn't say these without being prompted.
Caden continues to push forward physically. There is nothing he won't attempt. He is an expert climber, (ridiculously fast up the stairs, climbs on top of the ottoman, and is thisclose to getting up on the couch by himself), and has also gotten really good at going down stairs sideways, using the railing for support. He has his fair share of tumbles and their associated bumps, bruises, and scrapes, simply because he can't slow down or bother to watch where he is going. Luckily, falls rarely bother him, and usually he's up and going again in no time.
Brooklyn is very social (y'know, unless I ask her to be), and loves to wave at everyone at the store or on the playground. She also waves bye-bye to airplanes in the sky, and dogs as we see them out for a walk. She's just so generally happy and smile-y, and loves to be around other people. Generally Caden is the ringleader for getting into trouble (though not always!) and she picks up right away on whatever he is doing and joins in, giggling the entire time. She gets frustrated when Caden does things that she can't yet, (i.e. climb on top of the ottoman), and while I think she's actually physically capable of pretty much anything Caden can do, she's just so darn cautious and careful that she won't do it right away!
They are both very cuddly, Caden more so, and he in particular will run over to give an unexpected hug. Brooklyn is more affectionate with Caden than he is with her, and will often give him spontaneous hugs and kisses. They also interact with each other more; Booklyn chases Caden around the room, arms outstretched, with a big grin saying "ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka-ticka" (tickle tickle tickle). They both convulse in laughter when she does end up "tickling" him, though it seems the chase is half the fun. They also like what I'll call obstacle courses, and can be found several times a day crawling under a combination of tables and chairs, in the same looped pattern, over and over and over again.
