14 Months: A Whole Lot to be Thankful For

14 months have come and gone since these little ladies have entered our world.  I know I say it every month, but it truly is hard to believe.

We have a lot to be thankful for these days.  After a terrible cold bug whipped through our house, knocking out both of our girls for a week a piece.  Poor Reese was so sick, but she managed to have fun with all of her cousins at the mini family reunion at G'Ma and G'Pops house. Thankfully, both girls had turned the corner by Thanksgiving and came ready to party.  Good thing too because Grandma and Grandpa bought three turkey breasts for eight people.

The day after Thanksgiving, we were blessed to have a Christening for the girls and our nephew, Connor, our home. My Uncle Dale (also my God Father) performed a sweet ceremony.  It was simple and perfect.

The girls have definitely transformed from babies to toddlers.  Michaela started taking steps under extreme protest earlier in the month, and has now mastered her strut all over the house. She seems like such a big girl now.

Reese hasn't started walking, but has started standing up without pulling herself up.  It's only a matter of time before she too takes off.

The girls dropped their morning nap.  I was so pumped because I have heard so much about the great long "one" nap.  Yeah, not these two.  We're lucky to get them to sleep for an hour.  But they still sleep so well at night, I guess we can't complain.

My little business is starting to grow legs, which is wonderful!  I love being able to contribute financially while still being home with the girls.  Even if that does mean that I play peekaboo during conference calls.

Blair has been busy with work, but he is doing very well otherwise. Our home is busy, but busy is always a good thing!

13 Months

They say that "one is fun," and I have to agree, but phew…is it tiring!  The baby monkeys seem to have morphed from babies to toddlers this month.  I know it really didn't happen that fast, but it sure seems that way.  

We gave up formula and went to solid foods.  I was warned about almost everything with twins, but no one warned me about the transition to solid foods.  With 3 meals, 3-4 bottles of milk, and 1-2 snacks a day all times two, I am beginning to feel like a short order cook, and a crappy one at that.  My sweet little girls are food snobs.  What kid won't eat bread??  Put a grilled cheese in front of these two and prepare yourself for the blank stare of death and then the food toss. They also refuse to be fed from a spoon.  Translation: our floors are lined with plastic, there is oatmeal on the window blinds, the girls smell like the buffet at the Golden Corral, and I have their spinach and cheddar omelet in my hair. It ain't pretty. 

Spoon feed me?  Yeah, right!  I got this! 

Really Mom, oatmeal?  What is this, amateur hour?

On the flip side, the girls are very interactive!  It is so much fun playing with them and seeing them giggle at my funny faces and squeal during their favorite games.  They love having dance parties to music on the iPad. They are always playing together, which melts my heart.  

The toddler phase certainly is a whole new ballgame, but it is wonderful, and we are so thankful we get the chance to play.  

 

Happy Halloween!

Our little mice didn't quite make it to the Trick or Treat part of the holiday, but we managed to get a few pictures of the cutest mice in all the land.  Happy Halloween!

My attempt at a mouse trap costume. As you can tell,  Reese is not impressed. 

He once thought these costumes were a silly use of money.  And then he saw the girls in them.  Sold!

Let Them Eat Cake!

I don't know how it happened, but it did.  A whole year has passed since these baby girls joined our lives.  It's hard to believe the chubby, giggly, spunky little girls are the same teeny, helpless little things that we first met last year.

The birthday weekend (yes, I said weekend) started with a balloon crib party.  The girls loved it!

The girls were then dragged to a birthday photo shoot with mediocre (and sadly nondigital) results.  Then we went out to lunch.  They were far more interested in lunch. They are my kids. 

Friday came a visit to Dr. Molly for their one year checkup.  They loved visiting with her and showing off all of their tricks.  They didn't think so much of the shots from the nurse, but a few animal crackers and lollypops later and the world had resumed rotation.  At 20lbs they are still on the smaller side, but they are now more than 5 times their birth weight! 

Saturday brought a bbq with friends including Liam, Jack and twins, Jade and Jackson!  It was so much fun seeing all the kiddos together.  The girls were fascinated with Liam and Jack and were very happy to take Jade and Jackson's toys.  Sort of a one-way sharing game. 

Finally came the grand finale, their first birthday party!  I realize this was truly for my benefit, not theirs, but it only seemed fitting to celebrate the end of such a big year in their lives.  We were thrilled with just how many of our family members came to show their love. 

Reese

Michaela

Pink!

Wine wall turned photo backdrop

Banner of the each month birthday

Pinterest Mom in action

Then and now

11 Months

Phew!  It has been quite a month!  The babies are both crawling machines, which has made life around here a lot more interesting.  They are getting into everything!

Reese is still quite the rascal, and a quick little one at that.  She has her two eye teeth on the top, and nothing in between.  If she wasn't so sweet, you would think they were fangs.  She loves to waive hello and bye bye and showing us that she is "So Big!" She gives herself a big round of applause after each trick.

So Big!  Such focus. 

Michaela didn't lag behind Reese in the mobility department for long.  She is a maniac and is now crawling, pulling herself up, and cruising on furniture.  She loves to stand up in her crib and jump while holding the railing.  Monkey baby!

It blows my mind that they will be a year old next month.  They are growing more independent by the day, and I am trying to savor the last of these baby days.  It's hard to believe that my days of snuggling them while they drink their bottles are limited.  Soon they will be walking and we will officially have a pair of toddlers, not a pair of babies.  I'm not sure I will ever be ready.

We love you sweet girls!  Try not to grow up too fast.

First Shoes

My very dear and very pregnant friend, Melody, came over today for lunch and a visit with the monkeys.  After lunch, I asked if she wanted to come with me to pick out the girls' very first pair of shoes.  She was happy to come along on the adventure, and I was grateful for the extra pair of hands.  It seemed like a simple enough errand for the 4.8 of us to tackle and we assumed we would be back well before nap time.  You know what they say about assuming...

A full hour into this little escapade, our girls have been measured by four different employees and are now prepared to take their first steps and concur the Boston Marathon.  I look over at poor Mel to see her juggling Reese and her baby bump awkwardly talking to a woman who is juggling her own breasts and running down the long lists of body parts that never returned to normal after the birth of her only child 38 years ago.  Time to leave. 

So, we pack up the babes and their fancy new shoes and we set off for home. 

In the parking lot is a panicked mother, a screaming toddler and a screaming older child.  The poor lady lost her balance getting the tot out of his car seat and they all took a tumble.  The mother is frantically asking about a doctor's office and I offer to walk them across the street to the pediatricians office to get the boy's noggin checked.  The older child is in full blown hysterics because she has somehow translated this collaboration as an attempt to put her little brother up for adoption(??).  

And then the clouds parted, and the angels sang, and I got a tap on the shoulder from...Dr. Molly!  She saw me tangled in the chaos from across the parking lot and offered to help.  Needless to say the stellar combination of lollypops from the shoe store, and the expertise of Dr. Molly saved the day.   

We leave the crazy situation and I offer to by poor Mel a round of Frozen Yogurt.  She accepts and says "You know, I'm just glad I was hear to witness all that.  I don't think I would have believed you if you had told me the story."  

And that is how the girls got their first pair of shoes. 

10 Months: Double Digit Midgets

10 months!  These girls have made big changes this month: including switching personalities.  We went to the beach and came back with two totally different babies.  Maybe it was something in the water.

Pardon the freakish bruise.  Casualty of parenthood. 

Reese has gone from being our baby that loves to be a baby into a baby that wants to be 25.  She pivots on her belly breakdancer style and then log rolls until she gets what she wants.  She is into everything and you can't take your eyes off of her. She has a brand new tooth on the upper deck and has mastered solid foods.  Bottles and diaper changes are a wrestling match.  She is still adorable and sweet, but she has earned herself the new nickname of "Reesie the Rascal."

Who me?

Monthly bear picture.  Sort of.  

Ok fine, I'll pose!

See ya!

This is how I keep them contained while I shower.  I knew I'd find a use for that giant soaking tub eventually.  

Michaela has turned into our shy baby girl.  She isn't quite so sure about strangers and loves be carried around all the time.  She gets quite insulted if we leave her alone for a few minutes. She hasn't quite figured out the crawling thing, but gets around by scooting on her bottom.  She is pulling herself up and may go straight to walking.  Heaven help us all.  She has a whopping four top teeth now and two bottom.  She is generally sleeping better and we are readying her brand new room.  Girl gets what she wants.

The best I could do.

Get me Mommy!

Chaela Bug!

How we love these two sweet, crazy babies!