Park Fun and Boys are 2 1/2!

I brought my camera on one of our first Holliday Park trips this year. It's crazy to see how much they've matured over the winter. They are much more daring on the playground now. They're both still hesitant on the slides, but they were running through the levels of the playgrounds and trying out lots of new skills. I still worry a little about them falling, but they seem to be pretty aware of what they can do and what's still out of reach. This should be a fun summer of trying new parks and equipment!

 

I also snapped a picture on the boys' half birthday, with their friend Hazel, born the same day as them! I will try to do a post more about them at 2 1/2 when I can find the time to type. (But let's just say you can really tell they are TWO and a HALF! Let's hope three will be easy...) For now, enjoy the pictures. :) 

We're 2 and a half today!

21 Month Update

I really need to do this type of post more often because they are changing and growing so fast! (I know it's cliche but it's true.) I know I will be disappointed with myself that I didn't keep better track of all the cute things they do at this stage.

They are learning so many words! My mom was away from them for a week while we were at the beach, and even she said she could tell a difference in their language skills. They love to repeat any words you say, and they are enjoying labeling things they come across, especially Henry. He loves to point out "glasses, keys, purse, shoes," etc. They can label all their body parts, and lots of their toys. Sometimes they surprise me with one, like helicopter, or Henry said "camel" the other day when we were playing with their zoo animals! Their new favorite is "burgers" since they watched Papa cook burgers on the grill. They have a toy burger in their kitchen and they enjoyed feeding it to me last night! I think their speech is pretty clear, for the most part. They say please and thank you pretty well, and it's the sweetest thing you ever heard when they say "bess you, dada" after a sneeze or cough. They even say bless you to the dog! :)

They are able to ask for more foods now, too. They will ask for crackers or juice or (unfortunately) candy. (And now chocolate milk. They make sure to watch me stir in the chocolate!) They shared their first elephant ear with me on the 4th of July, so I am creating some bad habits, I know! They are loving cooking in their play kitchen and are fascinated by knives and cutting. Since we still cut up lots of bites for them they always say "cut, cut" while we do it. Both boys love to make coffee with me. They know how to put the K cup in the Keurig and push the buttons. Then they help me get the cream from the fridge, pour in the sugar, and the most important step of all...stirring! Lord help me if they don't both get a chance to stir. :) They have an ice obsession now, too. They like to eat pieces of ice (which hopefully isn't too bad for their teeth?) and they love to point out ice in any of our cups.

People always ask me if they play well together. This question makes me want to say: Imagine you had someone exactly like you, who wants and is competing for all of the same things as you, your mom, your cookie, your toy, your book....so, no they don't always play well together. I think they do great most of the time, but sometimes I do wish they could get a break from each other. They do have a really hard time sharing toys and books right now, which is pretty normal for this age. But as soon as one of them has discovered anything "interesting", then the other immediately wants it and is trying to pull it from him. Not sure when that will get any easier! It's about the same when playing with other kids their age. They do ok, but sharing isn't easy for any toddler, and it seems to be a little worse when it's here and with their own toys they have to share.

Henry is the helper. He likes to help us clean up and put toys and books back away. I think he likes to organize things a little more than Holden does, as in make piles or put things in and out of a container. We are trying to get into the habit of cleaning up before bed, at least putting toys into the bins, books on the shelf, and shoes away. Henry gets the high fives for helping us clean up! :) Holden wants to get into everything he can't have. He's the one reaching up onto the counter or climbing onto a chair to get stuff off the table. They are both still pretty rough with Lanore, although occasionally I see them give her a sweet and gentle hug.

They like to play outside, and love to push their lawn mowers to be like daddy. We haven't gotten to go swimming or to parks as much as I'd hoped yet this summer, but there's still time! They are pretty adventurous outside and love to swing and climb and explore. They love their kitchen and all their cars and balls inside. I'd like to get them some kind of doll that they could feed, etc. They love to push the baby strollers at our friends' houses! They also like to read books a lot more now, too. They have the patience/attention span to sit through a slightly longer book now, but their favorites are still mostly shorter board books. All of the ones with animal sounds are the best! The Sandra Boynton books are always a hit since they like the rhythm of them and they all have awesome animals.

Both boys are also going through a pretty clingy mommy phase. Alex says they play fine when I'm not here, but as soon as I get home they whine and cry until I'm holding them. He thinks I spoil them, but I'm not really sure what I do to make them like that! I'm just glad they seem to be fine as long as they can't see me. :)

Bedtime routines are still in place. They have to have their animals (panda for Holden and bulldog for Henry) and their blankets in their crib, and their sound machine on. They did pretty well sleeping in the pack and plays for a week at the beach, so that was awesome. They take one nap a day, from 12:30 or 1:00 to 3:00 or 3:30 most days. They always want me to rock them with their blankets before they lay down, but then after that, most times we don't hear a peep! Sometimes they will get their blankets and lovies and put themselves to bed...if they are really tired! :)

I think they are both teething with their back two-year molars. They both have been extra cranky at times and chewing on things or their fingers in the back of their mouths. I hope they break through soon, but my guess is it's going to take a while. But then we'll be done with teeth, I think. Yay! We will schedule a two year doctor visit soon, and probably a dentist visit around that time.

I can't believe how close we are to two! I have started planning their party, since I enjoy doing that stuff. Hopefully it will be a fun day for everyone, and I will take lots of pictures! I will try to do another update then, since I'm sure things will have changed with them again. I love my amazing little boys! :) I'm a lucky mama.

Taking Twin Toddlers to the Doctor...

...Is difficult! My friend Ashlyn came with me, but it's hard to have down time in those rooms. As you can see they wanted to play with the roll of paper and pull open every drawer. Plus after you weigh them they have no clothes on! Sigh. I brought some toys that kept them occupied for a while. I already forget their weights, I think 22 1/2 pounds or close for both of them (and this was back close to 16 months). The nurse always talks about how close in weight/height/head size they are...Yup, they're identical! :) And our pediatrician still can't tell them apart, either. The trip was uneventful, they were mostly healthy but we found Henry had an ear infection. We don't go back until their two year appointment...which at this point seems to be approaching rapidly! Whew! :)

Wish I could keep better track of all their milestones, but it's hard to keep up with them! They really do seem to know a lot of words, and they repeat a lot of what we say. They don't really form any sentences yet, but I bet they'll start to put a few words together soon. They're pretty great kids! They still do well in the stroller and in carts when we go to the store and are pretty friendly and social with everyone. (They prefer me and whine the most when I'm around, but play fine once I'm gone! Sometimes Alex actually encourages me to go somewhere since they will play by themselves if I'm not there.) Naps and sleeping are both pretty much the same; they take one nap for usually close to two hours in the afternoon. They have been waking more at night, which I think happens around this age, and they go back to sleep pretty well. I think it's a little harder with it being light so early and for so long in the evening. I will add more if I think of it later but they're healthy, happy boys!
  

 

 

 

 

17/18 Months

Another combined post because I'm so far behind. And I can hardly remember all the cool stuff they can do so this might be mostly pictures! :) They've got several new words, the nicest of which is "please." They can both sign it and Henry can say it. There is very little you can deny your child when he says "peese" and signs it at the same time!! Cutest thing ever. I think we are starting to see the language development that hits around 18 months. Both boys will repeat words we say now, sometimes pretty clearly. But then they won't keep saying the word, so it's like they were just trying it out. 

They are very much toddlers now...nothing is safe anymore. They climb up on the couch and are working on climbing the kitchen chairs. They love to get the remotes (they know which are the 'real' ones) and climb wherever necessary to get them. They also aggravate each other now quite a bit. If one is playing with a toy, and the other wants it or takes it, the twin without the toys is seriously pissed off. We are seeing lots of biting already. Alex says Henry started it, but it's mostly Holden we catch biting Henry at this point. And these bites leave some serious teeth marks...sigh. We get the classic temper tantrums when they can't have what they want, with lots of crying and stomping feet. They can't even share books anymore; the one further away will shove the closer one out of the way so he has the "best" spot near the pictures. Luckily, all of this is only with each other and they still seem pretty easy-going around all the other friends we play with. Part of the grumpiness might be all the teething, too. I think they should be done for a while now...but they have all of their front 12 teeth (the canine teeth were pretty miserable) and the molars behind them.

We're definitely ready for spring around here! The weather has been so back and forth...a few nice days to get outside and then days of cold or snow or rain. They really enjoy the backyard, with their climber, playhouse and all of the sticks and rocks! They both love to hold rocks, and Holden especially loves to put them in his mouth. Again, sigh. We've been trying to get out for more walks and have even ventured to a few parks. It's going to be a great summer once it decides to stay warm!

And clearly they were not very happy about me taking the 18 month pictures...still so hard to get a good one of them right now. I need to try and keep my camera out and at the ready...they don't hold still for long! 

 

 

 

 

15/16 Months Dr. Visit

The boys' 15 month doctor visit was really closer to 16 months, so I'm combining them. I need to be better at writing down/remembering all the stuff they're doing these days, because they are truly learning and changing every day. At this visit, they enjoyed the fish tank and pointing out the fishies. I made sure to pack a lot of toys this time for while we were waiting for the doctor. They were not this mobile at the one year visit! I thought they did ok, but probably it was only because my mom was there, too. Not sure how I could keep them both contained/entertained by myself.

Some cute things they are doing: They love to throw away trash. If we have a diaper after changing them, they will run from their room and throw it away in the trash! It's helpful! Sometimes the diaper makes it into the bread drawer instead...but oh well. They are saying a few more words, and can sign "more" and "all done". They love to be chased, and still love hiding behind the curtains. They still love turning light switches on and off and really love fans. The one at my parents' house has to be on each time they visit! They are much rougher on poor Lanore, and we remind them to be gentle and just "pat, pat" instead of pulling her hair and poking her eyes! They are starting to identify parts of the body, including eyes, nose, and mouth, so they love to poke Lanore's eyes. Poor dog.

Sleeping and napping are about the same, and eating seems to change often. They will love something for a week and then be sick of it. They are much less willing to try new things at this point. But like I said, it seems to change all the time! They are always interested in what I'm eating, so they'll often take little bites from my food. I hope they're gaining and growing somewhat...they still fit in 12 month pants! :) That's all I can think of for now, I'll have to try and add more later if I think of it.

 

 

 

14/15 Months

I will have to combine 14 and 15 months, since I've gotten behind! The 14 month pictures were kind of a fail, as you can see. I think we were in a rush to get somewhere, so I gave up pretty quick! :) 15 month pictures were better, since Uncle Evan was behind me trying to get them to smile. Trying to think of some stats and tidbits to share about the boys the last few months...

Holden started walking a week before Thanksgiving, so that's a big one!! Henry was able to take some steps around the same time, but didn't really start walking until 2 or 3 weeks later. I think he just knew he was fast at crawling! He had the cutest crawls, the one leg straight and one bent and the both legs straight crawl. Henry also does the sit 'n spin when he's sitting down and will spin himself in a circle. Would love to get some of those on video!

These boys get into EVERYTHING. I swear, every time we go to a friends' house, they get into cords and plugs, eat cat food, break a glass vase, wander upstairs alone, or spill/try to drink the dog's water bowl. (Yes, ALL of these have happened at different peoples' houses, sigh.) They can really reach up onto the table now and seem to be able to get anything we're trying to keep away. We're trying to get more organized and really have a place to put things away. We used the command strips (Velcro type things) to keep some of the cabinets closed and that works pretty well. They love to crawl up on the fireplace hearth, which we don't approve of. Not sure how to stop them getting up there; Henry's already fallen off once. They're still fascinated by cords and plugs, they love to turn light switches on and off, and they're starting to like to put the lids back on things, like with their lotions and creams. It's pretty cute!

They play together well most of the time. It's getting harder for them to share. If one of them is doing something fun, the other immediately wants to steal that toy or join in. So I feel bad for them, that they can't really just explore whatever they're interested in without someone interrupting. But, that's life I guess, they'll be great about sharing by the time they get to preschool. They love to hide behind the curtains to peek at us, play with their cars and trucks and make the car sounds, and push their lawnmower/shopping cart/vacuum. They like books, too, but they're pretty rough on them. They'll bring us a book to read, but we don't usually make it through the whole thing.

Eating is a little more difficult, since they're a bit pickier. They still love carbs, so we can always count on animal crackers or toast, etc. They love to eat what I'm eating, so I rarely get to finish a piece of toast in the morning. I know I shouldn't feed them while they're walking around, but they're pretty demanding! :) They love fruit, and Alex can get them to eat some veggies. They LOVE the baby food packets, and we give them lots of applesauce since that's the cheapest/easiest. They start kicking and waving their arms around in delight when they see the applesauce...sigh. They like to "dip" their food now, too. When they have chicken nuggets and veggie/sweet potato fries, we let them dip in ketchup. It's not too messy most of the time. They're getting better with a sippy cup, but still drink their milk from a bottle. (A habit we need to probably break soon, but oh well.)

They love taking baths, so you can't say the word around them or they'll head for the bathroom door! They hate getting dressed or getting lotion put on them, so it's a sad end to the bath, unfortunately. We're trying to brush their teeth more often, but still not doing great on it. The cutest thing is that when they have a toothbrush, they try to brush their hair with it. I had Holden and was brushing his teeth, and when he started to brush his hair with it, I gave him the hairbrush. So then he tried to put that in his mouth! I guess this brushing thing is really pretty confusing. :) I don't think they have any new teeth yet, but I think it'll be soon. Henry has been chewing on his stuffed dog a lot and his gums feel bumpy. Hope he gets a molar through soon! Sleep is still fine; they're taking two naps still but probably need to transition down to one. Holden especially is waking up really early in the morning, so I think he's ready for just one nap. We'll see how this goes in the next month or so.

Clothes are still in the 12-18 month range. They can still wear most of the 12 month pants, so I guess they're kinda short! I don't know weight yet, since our appointment isn't for another week or so. They have some cute little Striderite shoes, and they wear a size 4 wide. (Sorry for the wide feet, boys.) 

Cute little twin story: Henry hit his head when he fell this morning, and I was holding him while he was crying. Holden went and got Henry's lovey/bulldog that was on the living room floor and handed it to me for Henry. I gave it to Henry and he stopped crying. !!! I mean, come on!! How cute is that?! :) I thought it was pretty amazing, anyway.

They are still sweet, happy little boys! They went through a bit of clinginess, especially Holden. He can act shy and not want to go to people right away, but he usually warms up pretty fast. He cries when I leave for work in the afternoon. But that's all normal! They're also babbling up a storm. Not many real words, but I think they understand a lot of words we say. Still waiting to hear a real "mama" from them. Not fair that they say dada!! :) That's all I can think of for now, I'll add more later if I forgot anything. 

13 Months and a few Randoms

I decided to keep going with the month pictures but be a little less formal with it. So we took a few 13 month  pictures in our pajamas. I'm trying to remember if anything new happened this month. They both like to say "shoes" and are fascinated by putting on shoes and socks. (We pretty much have to use shoes to keep socks on, otherwise they just pull them off.) Still no walking, although they can both stand well and cruise around the furniture. They've gotten a little pickier with eating and don't like all the foods they used to. And they've sort of reverted back to liking the food packets more. I'm ok with this since I hate feeding them with a spoon (they want to do it themselves so it gets everywhere!!) and they can do the pouches themselves. And at least I know they got a little something to eat. 

October was a busy month, but very fun! Aunt Erica was in town for a weekend, so we got to see family and catch up a bit. Can't wait to see her again for her wedding!!! Alex and I also celebrated our 5th anniversary. Aunt Lauren and Uncle Evan babysat so we could go out to dinner. We tried to spend lots of time outside, and got in a few last walks and play times in the yard. I'm pretty sure by spring they'll want to be outside ALL the time. We also have a few box pictures...We had a box laying around for some reason and it became a favorite toy. It is really cute when they both climb in there together! They like to push it, climb on it, climb in it, and be pushed or pulled around in it. So don't be surprised when you see the battered looking box in our living room. :)  

 

 

 

 

Happy Fifth Anniversary!

 

Birthday Boys: Henry and Holden are One!

The boys had a good and low-key birthday. We got a few pictures of them, and a decent family shot. They were not in a smiling mood! :) They enjoyed the frosting on their cake, mostly sucking it off the candles. I took a video, but it's kind of long. Some day I'll get our videos organized and post it on Youtube! They got to open their wooden train set, which they liked. But they mostly want to chew on the animals. I wanted to get a shot with their names spelled in blocks (since we did a maternity picture that way) but every time I'd spell the name, they'd grab a letter and eat it! So we'll have to try that again sometime.

 We did some pictures at an apple orchard, so we got ourselves some apples on the way out. They enjoyed their new wagon, which was another one of their presents! :) After we got home and they took a nap, we sat outside for awhile. Grandma Suttner and Uncle Evan joined us for the evening and the boys got to open some presents! Grandma got them some new blankets she made them and some cars and trucks. So they were definitely spoiled in the present department that day! They got some of their favorite foods, bananas and muffins for breakfast, and sweet potato fries for dinner! I think they had a good first birthday.