Six months. OH. MY. GOD. How did that happen?!

So, here’s my monthly roundup:

1. Weaning. Still problematic, but they are on two meals a day at nursery now (breakfast and lunch) so that makes up a little bit for the fact that they still aren’t hugely interested at home. I think we’re getting there though, albeit slowly.

2. Teething. Still no sign of teeth, although the gums feel bumpy. The dribbling, red cheeks and cries of pain continue. G has been quite wakeful at night over the last week or so but as soon as we slap some bonjela on her gums and give her a little bit of reassurance she settles down. G has realised that we are extremely handy to chew on and she does this thing where it looks like she’s reaching in for a kiss bit at the last minute she grabs my face and gnaws on my chin – it’s actually quite painful!

3. Weight. As of Monday, G weighed 15lb 2oz and R weighed 14lb 8oz. R had been off her food for the last couple of weeks so I wasn’t too surprised but she is back to downing 9oz bottles now so hopefully the gap won’t get any wider.

4. Developmental milestones: they both roll over now, but not very often and it still takes them by surprise when they manage it. R has discovered her feet and spends ages playing with them. They can both sit up with support and G can manage a couple of seconds without support but slumps to the side and gets frustrated. They continue to be incredibly smiley, giggly and chatty. They can hold a toy in each hand and pass a single item from hand to hand. They have learnt that it is fun to drop things because Mummy or Daddy will pick them up and they can drop them again! I have showed them how to bang two plastic stacking cups together so that they make a banging noise and R is starting to get the idea.

5. Nursery. Thanks to the wonderful staff, the girls are having two meals a day there (see no.1) and their daily reports are usually glowing with praise. R loves playing with the toys and watches the other children intently. G loves all of the attention and cuddles she gets and rewards her carers with big smiles and lots of chat. The other children are fascinated by them and G loves playing to an audience. One of the little boys leaned into G’s car seat and kissed her last week – think we’re going to have to watch her…!

6. Working mum. It’s hard. It’s so hard but I feel much happier doing this than when I was on maternity leave. I feel that the girls get so much from nursery that we can’t give them at home in terms of social interaction, toys and attention. I like having my ‘grown up’ time at work and I really enjoy spending time with the girls at home and try to make every day I have with them special. Dh and I are permanently on the go and my bedtime is getting earlier and earlier. Tonight I aim to be in bed by 9.30 because G has been unsettled in the night and I worry I won’t get enough sleep otherwise. I honestly can’t work out what I did with my time before I had the girls. I must have either wasted lots of time or been so bored.

7. Toys. We have packed up the travel cot that lived in the dining room as the girls now have all their naps upstairs and it was just taking up space. We have ordered a large (by large I mean ginormous) playpen, which we are going to set up in its place (actually it is going to fill most of the room) and fill with tumble mats and toys. As the girls like the door bouncer so much I have ordered a walker, which they can also use sitting down and a sort-of upright walker toy that they can sit in.

We’re celebrating (surviving) the first six months with R and G by having a party with family and friends on Saturday afternoon. In lieu of a christening we’re having a birth celebration party at our house. I’m not sure what the weather will be like but we’ve bought a barbeque and lots of food and drink and hopefully it will be a really nice day. R and G will be wearing special little outfits and I might even do a little speech or something.

I wonder if we’ll have any teeth by the time I write the next round up? Will they be sitting up by then?

I hope that they will be on three meals a day and eating as well at home as they do at nursery. I hope that they like their new toys and playpen. They start doing three days at nursery from 7th July (Monday, Tuesday and Thursday) so I hope they adjust to this change as well as they have to everything else.

Hopefully dh and I will be able to have five minutes to ourselves over the weekend to reflect on everything that has happened over the last six months and to congratulate each other on getting this far. The champagne he bought back from Barcelona is unopened and I can’t think of a better excuse for popping the cork than surviving the first six months with our girls. Cheers!