tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7057086676581037802024-02-06T19:41:10.233-08:00Baby A and Baby Btwinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-43702286601121957962012-04-26T20:05:00.001-07:002012-04-26T20:30:08.150-07:00Toddler-Speak 101We are enjoying this current phase of toddler speak, where almost every word is butchered, but at least we know what they mean most of the time. It's pretty darn cute :-)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Chatty Cathy's</td></tr>
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2012 Toddler Slang Dictionary <br />
According to: Avery and Lauren<br />
<br />
A-E = Avery<br />
<br />
Why-A = Lauren (don't ask me how they got that one...but they both say it)<br />
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Tee-Tee = Taylor<br />
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Bubba = Brodie (they originally started calling him BoBo but we QUICKLY made them relearn it as Bubba...we just kept thinking of BoBo the clown!)<br />
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LoLo = Grandma Laurel ("Avery, who has chickens?" "LoLo!!")<br />
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Chee = Cheese (the most commonly requested food item in this household. Lauren requests it for literally every snack and meal.)<br />
<br />Ah-hee = "hot" anything, although usually in reference to hot dog. Again, how they got Ahi out of Hot, I do not know. <br />
WaWa = self explanatory right?<br />
<br />
Gobbee = Strawberry<br />
<br />
BooBee = Blueberry<br />
<br />Nana = Banana<br />
<br />Shoes = Shoes...yay!<br />
<br />Yeg = Leg<br />
Ahm = Arm<br />
<br />Mine = Man, also Mine <br />
<br />Yady = Lady<br />
<br />BuhBoon = Balloon<br />
<br />
Beeg = Big<br />
<br />Elmo = Elmo :-)<br />
<br />Mo = More (usually Mo Mo, just to be sure we got the request for more!)<br />
<br />Bi = Bike, also Bite<br />
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Pay = Play<br />
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Plus the usual suspects...mama, dada, hi, bye, yeah, night night, booboo, nose, eye, up, down, off, on, uh-oh, baby, yay (always with clapping), and woah!<br />
Ummmmm....off the top of my head that's all I can think of but they pop up so fast now that I'm sure I'm missing some. <br />
<br />
Oh wait...did I mention NO??? Most popular word in toddler history. Ever. <br />
<br />
And, if an ear piercing shriek could be translated as a word, trust me I would put it at the top of the list. 'Cause shrieking is a beloved pastime for my girls. Sigh. I guess living through toddlerhood will just make the silence that I will eventually get to enjoy in the oh-so distant future all the more beautiful. Until then, my doting husband keeps me fully stocked up on earplugs :-)<br />
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twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-70608888478263512842012-03-20T09:07:00.000-07:002012-03-20T09:07:15.419-07:00Caught on tape (best video EVER!)I'm not going to lie. I'm a bit of a schedule nazi. That was one of the things that was drilled into me when I was pregnant, and I <em>really </em>took that advice to heart. Routine is king around these parts, and naptime is a lovely piece of wonderfulness in the middle of my day. Let me tell you, nothing will ruin my mood faster than a naptime gone wrong. Now, ever since we did our sleep training at 10.5 months, we've had a great naptime track record, usually 10 minutes and out. Lately, however, it sounds like a comedy show is going on upstairs. I hear wild giggling and shrieking for at least the first 10 minutes of every nap. Some days, I get two or three rounds of the circus sounds before I finally hear that golden silence I soooo look forward to. Yes, I am happy that they have fun together...but really, go to sleep already!! Yesterday was one of those days. So, on my first "it's naptime lay down and go to sleep" warning of the afternoon, I stuck the camera in there. Enjoy. <div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://youtu.be/agP7xyD0Si4">http://youtu.be/agP7xyD0Si4</a></div><br />
I think my favorite part is the full on pillow fight. <br />
Or wait, no, it's when Lauren looks over her shoulder to see if I'm coming after she throws shit in Avery's bed.<br />
Or... maybe it's Avery climbing on the pile of animals and pillows, getting dangerously close to figuring out that that's her ticket to getting into Lauren's bed.<br />
<br />
This video was 13 minutes long originally. I ended up intervening again when they started round two of the pillow fight. I took all but one pillow and one stuffed animal out of their cribs on that visit. In all, it took an hour...yes, an HOUR, for them to finally knock out. As much as I'd really hate to do it, rearranging their room might be in the veeeeerrrrry near future!<br />
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</div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-91311932947768527372012-01-03T21:00:00.000-08:002012-01-03T21:00:04.312-08:00Baby OCDRob and I like to tease each other about our little "OCD issues". His primary one is comparison shopping (the man seriously cannot stop comparing...even AFTER he's pulled the trigger on something!). If you ask ME, I'd say I don't have any, but Rob might say that keeping the girls things designated to the right girl is mine. It drives me INSANE when he does things like dresses A in an outfit that someone bought for L, or puts L in A's high chair. My defense? As a twin, I know how important it is that some things are yours all the time and don't HAVE to be shared! What we're finding out is that we <em>may </em>have passed some "quirks" on to our daughters. I'm sure this is all in the realm of "normal" development, but we find ourselves joking about their baby-OCD as much as we joke about each others. <br />
Lauren is the "something that is not supposed to be open is open" alarm. Baby gates, bathroom doors, cupboards...if we left it open, she'll find it and let us know. And keep letting us know. Until we close it, and restore order to her world. <br />
Lauren and Avery are also both VERY stuck on making their stuffed animals, dolls, and barn animal set "stand up" like mommy and daddy make them. Damn our liking things to look neat and orderly at the end of the day! Our nightly tidy of their room has taught them that it is NOT ok for the teddy bears to "lay down" in the cubbies, the barn animals have to have ALL FOUR feet touching the barn floor AND the stall doors MUST be fully closed, and the baby dolls must be sitting upright like a real child (and preferably not leaning on something...). This quirk was kinda cute at first. But now I'm moving on to "it's ok if the teddy bear lays down...he's sleepy and wants to take a nap!". (This doesn't work yet, in case you're curious. But I'm trying!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The way their animals hafta look before bed time. Or else.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Also - if anyone if this household is wearing an item of clothing with a zipper, it MUST BE ZIPPED UP. God forbid daddy should want to wear his jacket open...it's a crisis until he zips that sucker back up! Unfortunately for me, they love unzipping things, but the zip-up process is beyond them most of the time. So they make the "mommy my zipper is undone and it is CRITICAL that it be zipped back up right this second" sound <em>a lot</em>. And since copying each other is a major pastime at the moment, I often have two kiddo's clamoring for a zip up. Sometimes if I don't laugh, I'll cry!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miss Avery, all zipped up :-)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>One last thing - Rob is ordered to remove his shoes immediately upon entering. We are not a no-shoes household, never have been. But for whatever reason, he's not allowed to keep his shoes on. They must be removed, and put away (one by Avery, one by Lauren....all things must be fair!) as soon as he gets home in order for there to be peace.<br />
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Ah, toddlerhood in twinland. Such magic times!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-16507310430114597072011-12-14T12:46:00.000-08:002011-12-14T12:46:45.799-08:00A seriously good findAs the days have gotten shorter and colder, I've been fighting a determined case of cabin fever. I was getting dangerously close to exhausting my let's-have-fun-inside-time skills (I can only play "find the babies in the blanket fort" so many times before I'm checking the calendar, hoping the discover that it's March, not just December!), when my mailbox delivered my salvation:<br />
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The Si View Parks and Recreation Winter Guide. <br />
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Not only was it chock full of classes and lessons for ages 1 on up, but there, on page 6, in a tiny advertisement, was my golden ticket to toddler fun land...The SnoValley Indoor Playground. Hallelujah! Running 3 days a week, for 2 hours, for ONE DOLLAR per child (yes folks, $1...that's practically free!), the SnoValley Indoor Playground is apparently where all the smart (and warm) parents have been hanging out with their children. Maybe this explains why I almost always have the "real" park to myself! <br />
<br />
Armed with the fact that the girls both walk well, hold my hands, and (sometimes) listen to my instructions, and the knowledge that one more morning inside or worse, at the freezing park, might kill me, I packed them up on Monday and went to check it out. You can imagine my disappointment when there was a sign on the door (which of course I didn't see until AFTER I had unloaded the bubba's and corralled them towards the entrance) announcing that the playground was closed that day due to lack of volunteers. SOB!!! (Mental note - must sign up for a volunteer shift!) I settled for a walk around the community center to look at the crows, which they always love, and took encouragment from the many, many other mom's I saw trying to take their little ones to the playground. It definitely wasn't closed for lack of attendance!<br />
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So today, we tried again, and this time...SUCCESS! This place was AMAZING - Due to it's existence, I'm pretty sure I don't ever have to buy bikes, little people cars, slides, or anything else of the sort....they're all there, and in abundance. Avery was like a kid in a candy store - aiming straight for the bikes. If you didn't know any better, you'd think she actually knows how to ride :) Lauren was a little slower to be adventurous, but eventually found her groove (in the form of a slide - she's addicted!). There were probably 50 + kids, from 0-5, all having a blast, and my little girls right in the thick of it. <br />
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It's mornings like this that make me so incredibly thankful for my babies. If they're this much fun already, I can't wait to see what the years to come hold for us!<br />
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A little peek at the fun we had (the last picture is Avery, Miss Independent, waaaay across the room from me!):<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFX2OPxAaBGxbXCthNPx1sFGxiqorwT_Eo1uDeTgVFd7h04r9oL8aguWyHtBwIQ0QTiq661FrDVvn4UswNBhzDL_3DmkoMxuu8rQisar4CzQrhWaM6rfrMoBOvPcH7blAPz525OlA4uPk/s1600/IMG_5226.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIFX2OPxAaBGxbXCthNPx1sFGxiqorwT_Eo1uDeTgVFd7h04r9oL8aguWyHtBwIQ0QTiq661FrDVvn4UswNBhzDL_3DmkoMxuu8rQisar4CzQrhWaM6rfrMoBOvPcH7blAPz525OlA4uPk/s200/IMG_5226.JPG" width="149" /></a>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-43563964308125766662011-12-01T11:38:00.001-08:002011-12-01T12:54:35.526-08:00The Avery and Lauren Explorer ClubSo the girls are ALL about exploration and investigation these days, especially when the weather allows a park trip. The monsoon last week created a temporary pond at our favorite park, and a family of ducks has taken up residence there, much to the bubbas delight. They're also figuring out up and down (thanks to the teeter-totter), checking out water drips (thanks to the drippy roof on the park shed), and feeling lots of fuzzy green moss (courtesy of the trees and rocks). <br />
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Even when we're faced with an inside-all-dayer, they still find plenty to keep them interested. One of their favorite rainy day activities is the blanket fort game - nothing beats crawling into a dark fort and being "found" :-)<br />
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I love seeing the world through their eyes!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waving "Hi" to the ducks (who were swimming in a half frozen pond this morning).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_fk-hUuUkwp3sSytpkNh19WB556UW0a-CyBJToaSXHT9d8Aq4vXSoPaxIi13K3RS319RMtFHvx9Yaz0k-Bl8mO9hOOCCUXpmgTBsXp7rMBdEBLFIbitVd7NUynn1rviYVnX3wY12Y-Nm/s640/blogger-image-1077714450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt_fk-hUuUkwp3sSytpkNh19WB556UW0a-CyBJToaSXHT9d8Aq4vXSoPaxIi13K3RS319RMtFHvx9Yaz0k-Bl8mO9hOOCCUXpmgTBsXp7rMBdEBLFIbitVd7NUynn1rviYVnX3wY12Y-Nm/s640/blogger-image-1077714450.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing me the moss.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOVuHX7uWN7vrJP-umtedaBXJNBkRmNbF-g9CI7tTUmb0i_yVU0H_8cnpmOEDeLjDhIbqKDAIuH1en91E2p3eQ3haDjR3D2nO0zI48sPUxYOiA9v6lVLMRXK4k6zCkYNcAdo8AvtFCZu-/s640/blogger-image-986204244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZOVuHX7uWN7vrJP-umtedaBXJNBkRmNbF-g9CI7tTUmb0i_yVU0H_8cnpmOEDeLjDhIbqKDAIuH1en91E2p3eQ3haDjR3D2nO0zI48sPUxYOiA9v6lVLMRXK4k6zCkYNcAdo8AvtFCZu-/s640/blogger-image-986204244.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring her cave.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NhorTjN5Kh9GvfxlG3fg7m1fQNiNf-3V7UYHOwxQva5zSizEdf6O98HRRxhuP5opqHSakvve0ZRcJ9xvk5kWm4zRcFOFgZjOXxQiM9TsmhxpUfTSTFqoBZEBiWSUEwz1JFUc9prQj9n2/s640/blogger-image-1555922167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1NhorTjN5Kh9GvfxlG3fg7m1fQNiNf-3V7UYHOwxQva5zSizEdf6O98HRRxhuP5opqHSakvve0ZRcJ9xvk5kWm4zRcFOFgZjOXxQiM9TsmhxpUfTSTFqoBZEBiWSUEwz1JFUc9prQj9n2/s640/blogger-image-1555922167.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loving life.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDysfUy1BOm4kTV8w8Cr0LKZBDkcQUluZRV8JduCXpB375sTkhNIpbzg_MI9zgpKSYqIvwCMFw09cktqhoZdpuKj48K7zI70rBDEKjpULKOCSHTAxg-uiJCud0d2ake5lIFTlYOgSz-G5u/s640/blogger-image-381570638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDysfUy1BOm4kTV8w8Cr0LKZBDkcQUluZRV8JduCXpB375sTkhNIpbzg_MI9zgpKSYqIvwCMFw09cktqhoZdpuKj48K7zI70rBDEKjpULKOCSHTAxg-uiJCud0d2ake5lIFTlYOgSz-G5u/s640/blogger-image-381570638.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Feeling the fuzzy moss.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D5v-499QuGM9YfmUtKZrquh4hDQG4AwAeg1Txa-rOdbK8YKuUgVzOU4l9UiDqczihnU8gVF9fYmjQG_xnntoHOb2YZ5YkH1t_BBxsqfjUGA3_hq3OJzyMadBqTGwLtberik70TVSg29W/s640/blogger-image--2055240574.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-D5v-499QuGM9YfmUtKZrquh4hDQG4AwAeg1Txa-rOdbK8YKuUgVzOU4l9UiDqczihnU8gVF9fYmjQG_xnntoHOb2YZ5YkH1t_BBxsqfjUGA3_hq3OJzyMadBqTGwLtberik70TVSg29W/s640/blogger-image--2055240574.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching the ducks.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutjUTecom7tqowF4-7sLB-fgTErKGkztpkyHVpWoRYWRnTsBWxRPDOw1OebclmBAKTYgU5Rha5qdFTIK5wEubgbAFA1POnDTWZ_LsCtLScB-8evromKPLaImCTz_Ky8yDcifO3X3n9HWh/s640/blogger-image--32131946.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgutjUTecom7tqowF4-7sLB-fgTErKGkztpkyHVpWoRYWRnTsBWxRPDOw1OebclmBAKTYgU5Rha5qdFTIK5wEubgbAFA1POnDTWZ_LsCtLScB-8evromKPLaImCTz_Ky8yDcifO3X3n9HWh/s640/blogger-image--32131946.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Practicing UP and DOWN.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-58389448819192866542011-11-17T12:40:00.000-08:002011-11-17T12:40:05.288-08:00A minute in the life...Twindom is full of highs and lows. While me and my sis have been enjoying mainly highs for the last decade, our history is not without its low points (some of the lowest involving boyfriends and jeans...)...it just comes with the territory. I never expected my toddlers to have such highs and lows of emotion though - I guess I just felt like they were too young for it. But man oh man, do these girls have the most up and down relationship! I have to say, watching the highs and lows of my two girls is kind of like watching my own life on super fast forward - the love is separated from the hate by, literally, a matter of seconds.<br />
<br />
To illustrate, here is a series of 4 photos, taken in the span of not more than 60 seconds:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqi_lcc4H6oQkfOSWo6VFjUUj6sL90PxFf4oL7ecoCGBVOVY2pzlDD6APLGNltIVx2Sfo9VCCfFoyszErLKZ3sw3l03oX_FyR48o2AKlmcSL_Fm9XPeyDfS4M2RE41a3BfQoedj-uKlSr/s1600/IMG_4591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjqi_lcc4H6oQkfOSWo6VFjUUj6sL90PxFf4oL7ecoCGBVOVY2pzlDD6APLGNltIVx2Sfo9VCCfFoyszErLKZ3sw3l03oX_FyR48o2AKlmcSL_Fm9XPeyDfS4M2RE41a3BfQoedj-uKlSr/s320/IMG_4591.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Seriously Mom? You're just going to watch her trample me to death?"</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSWKLqFRJuzrm6cYU0NAZ7WFrN7-BQCHuetumIHRqPEqy4HnpBO67OYoSsdbw_IpbnEc5nRaZB1Lv_F-OWb3RhIpDWq5uLC-iYzr1UDckbS5jaMv048uIjo-TMuzn7VRYTMCSD2Evfz-t/s1600/IMG_4594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLSWKLqFRJuzrm6cYU0NAZ7WFrN7-BQCHuetumIHRqPEqy4HnpBO67OYoSsdbw_IpbnEc5nRaZB1Lv_F-OWb3RhIpDWq5uLC-iYzr1UDckbS5jaMv048uIjo-TMuzn7VRYTMCSD2Evfz-t/s320/IMG_4594.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Oh sister, I love playing with you!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeZk9mNenJ0ihvYyML6j1TZ9mifNb894b_YB27sSy03pBTYcNkoYVZQzKfryhgw2JqRGmNdYWXApjq3IwRpVkMlJiyCrDSgiBh8lMBjSiD_VqanFpDrbUqmkGKFYf6eex7aOuYEuzlshK/s1600/IMG_4595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheeZk9mNenJ0ihvYyML6j1TZ9mifNb894b_YB27sSy03pBTYcNkoYVZQzKfryhgw2JqRGmNdYWXApjq3IwRpVkMlJiyCrDSgiBh8lMBjSiD_VqanFpDrbUqmkGKFYf6eex7aOuYEuzlshK/s320/IMG_4595.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"How dare you steal that toy!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYuJtWJnVWFzI4EvDiG5Pw6LxpggHnYHe2Uc2oBW5eaJT-ZY3QzV3jltQO4_J43zBtUmy6pFL5GU_yJRZUOmkfQsd_fNzPK50TJuRZ7QIUo4neXr8AG0GzWjDA1igxbCyotB2vJ87dsPY/s1600/IMG_4597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" hda="true" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHYuJtWJnVWFzI4EvDiG5Pw6LxpggHnYHe2Uc2oBW5eaJT-ZY3QzV3jltQO4_J43zBtUmy6pFL5GU_yJRZUOmkfQsd_fNzPK50TJuRZ7QIUo4neXr8AG0GzWjDA1igxbCyotB2vJ87dsPY/s320/IMG_4597.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Oh sister, you're my favorite!"<br />
<br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now, take that one minute, multiply by the roughly 600 minutes that they are awake each day, and that's our life. Fun, right? :-)twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-57772089701358085842011-09-29T21:09:00.000-07:002011-09-29T21:09:26.126-07:00Team Bubba: Part 2We are all settling in nicely in our new place - we've only been here a week, but it's definitely starting to feel like home. The babies are handling the change nicely, in fact they're handling it much better than the other two babies in the house, Bella and Daisy (who are still completely wigged out...I'm hoping this won't last much longer!). <br />
<br />
The babies are also settling very comfortably into their new roll as TODDLERS. It seems like it snuck up on me...one day they were babies - they looked like babies, acted like babies, sounded like babies. Then one day we woke up, and they looked like little people. And they SOUNDED like little people...albeit little people who speak their own language, one that involves as much shrieking as it does talking. <br />
<br />
I, on the other hand, am struggling a bit with this transition. I wasn't quite prepared for the new phase, and all that comes with it:<br />
<strong>Frustration</strong>: Theirs, at trying to communicate and at being told no; and mine, with trying to interpret the shrieking, pointing, teary exclamations they put forth so frequently and at having to say no. I'm starting to learn their language though. I'm noticing the subtle differences in the Baa's and Bwaa's and Waah's. It's helping that their pointing is getting more accurate (it started of VERY vague - a wandering point that would move on to something new as soon as you thought you'd discovered it's original target). <br />
<strong>Repetition</strong>: Too bad they love it, 'cause in case you weren't aware, I HATE repeating myself (just ask my husband!). Right now the repetition is in two categories: Books (there are some days where "Go Dog, Go!" is hidden under a couch cushion so that Lauren can't bring it to me for the 21st time (literally...she's addicted to that book), because dear God, I just cannot take it!), and actions (specifically, opening/closing, and on/off...as in light switches, hats on baby dolls, etc...The door opening/closing video I posted on FB recently was only 1 minute worth of what was actually at least a 15 minute session of that activity!). I prefer the repeating actions to the repeating books, except in cases of put me on the chair/take me off the chair and turn the light switch on/turn the light switch off, 'cause those 2 involve lots of assistance from mommy :-)<br />
<strong>Clinging</strong>: Luckily this symptom usually only rears its ugly head between 5:30 and bedtime, and most often only affects Avery. We're not sure when she became so mommy-dependant, but if she's in the mood for me, I'm all that will suffice. <br />
<strong>Food Sharing</strong>: Ok, let me explain this one. I have NO problem sharing whatsoever. I've been sharing my entire life. But I literally cannot eat anything without two babies clinging to my legs with wide open chomp faces, clamoring for a bite. And bites I do give, when appropriate. But God forbid I should be eating (or drinking) something on the no no list - well, then we go back to frustration, see above :-)<br />
<strong>Fighting/Tattling</strong>: There's quite a bit of sibling rivalry going on. Toy stealing, book stealing, binky stealing, all commonplace. Pushing and shoving, not as common, but definitely there. Tattling? Oh yes. In the form of shrieking. Specifically Lauren, shrieking about whatever Avery has done to her this time. Trying not to raise a tattler, but at the same time, sometimes the abuse from Avery is so blatant that I can't help but side with Lauren! <br />
<br />
I could go on and on (insisting, stomping & kicking, refusing to eat, etc...) but I'll spare you all! The development of a baby to a toddler is rapid and unforgiving. Good thing there was a healthy dose of cuteness that came along with the change! <br />
<strong>Cuddling</strong> - anything that's soft is worthy of a snuggle these days...especially the dogs!<br />
<strong>Park-playing</strong> - two walkers means two playground lovin' kiddos! We've even moved past the just-want-to-eat-the-bark phase to actually playing on the toys. Exciting!<br />
<strong>Running</strong> - even Lauren's got a little extra giddy-up in her step sometimes...Avery still runs circles around her, but she's trying!<br />
<strong>Ribbit-Bobbing - </strong>I am trying SO hard to get this one on video...I don't know how it started, but whenever we're reading a book that has a frog in it, and I say "ribbit ribbit" for the frog sound, they bob their heads in time, so freakin' cute!<br />
<strong>Animal Loving - </strong>we already knew they loved dogs, but now that we're out and about more, they're noticing animals everywhere, and they're all greeted by pointing and excited exclaiming. They love seeing birds at the park - they try to chase them, but we all know how that goes...<br />
<strong>Dancing - </strong>Avery dances to anything and everything...she's got rhythm! Lauren not as much, but a few songs will get her grooving too :)<br />
<br />
I could go on and on about the good things too, but frankly, The Office is starting, and I want to sit on the couch for the first time today :-) This is my parenthood roller coaster!<br />
<br />
Some of their new favorites:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4htSxZbx9R460SJk5uzYtlRId1k_JbRx3-tNgkUufwHSgzRpGptjfNc-aCuWyd48y1WuoSS3buNwEE-IZn4xzIAzZ5b7RgmDrd3hb2WgAO1UFqE-ZNhB8n49e8VJHWaIPw_5DCkoz5zk/s1600/IMG_3844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg4htSxZbx9R460SJk5uzYtlRId1k_JbRx3-tNgkUufwHSgzRpGptjfNc-aCuWyd48y1WuoSS3buNwEE-IZn4xzIAzZ5b7RgmDrd3hb2WgAO1UFqE-ZNhB8n49e8VJHWaIPw_5DCkoz5zk/s200/IMG_3844.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playing at our new favorite park. Equipment for little tykes, and an unbeatable view.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNT7RsUZTifEO7zZnKQYGR3Dxy3SYrDwL9m5IOw5MNIHYPY-ZRAqDUK5VHNypfNvbH_B_nC8D6gAt5ENwb0_pLiKu_2MN3ito_hP9ycNcyWDE3VbzRVyciOOuM19QA2xj_fj1FVfBnn1L/s1600/IMG_3837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNT7RsUZTifEO7zZnKQYGR3Dxy3SYrDwL9m5IOw5MNIHYPY-ZRAqDUK5VHNypfNvbH_B_nC8D6gAt5ENwb0_pLiKu_2MN3ito_hP9ycNcyWDE3VbzRVyciOOuM19QA2xj_fj1FVfBnn1L/s200/IMG_3837.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out the tunnel at the playground.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvctpr-9MpSMq9KFU6jDW7_x8B8AZX1-mIQblFweaexwTvW3jTh2Rqo2o068NhjoHZ_iXEBDgQPR3MfCaQuF7vdaEsPdrQKn0OACfkF4Ji16M_WtoplttG7sSwwzY8tX18K330aQwdXPB/s1600/IMG_3845.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvctpr-9MpSMq9KFU6jDW7_x8B8AZX1-mIQblFweaexwTvW3jTh2Rqo2o068NhjoHZ_iXEBDgQPR3MfCaQuF7vdaEsPdrQKn0OACfkF4Ji16M_WtoplttG7sSwwzY8tX18K330aQwdXPB/s200/IMG_3845.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On a bird hunt.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRIhQ7R5_jhtqtCecToWXDAysOyAKEfT7J-upM2tuoz2nUa7zwACckaxuAuj6uIFGE3h8tebCu3_XlKIddcHAf9_bc1bx673sV-9lBAxybZ8mXiJ2CUw9Z5vNpmj2k3MkiFJEBAyapQJX/s1600/IMG_3848.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVRIhQ7R5_jhtqtCecToWXDAysOyAKEfT7J-upM2tuoz2nUa7zwACckaxuAuj6uIFGE3h8tebCu3_XlKIddcHAf9_bc1bx673sV-9lBAxybZ8mXiJ2CUw9Z5vNpmj2k3MkiFJEBAyapQJX/s200/IMG_3848.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My other little bird hunter (shortly before she threw a fit because I wouldn't let her run into the parking lot to chase the birds).</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoIgDTeC4JTVij-ARAdG-MfFVEgRG_rTJQcTUOfr4QarRCp14ZoEiIKUuWubMprmyT-P15sZfSqMQ47joL39-CubJLfrHsPv6U2sYsfLbkwjHakIMEMXS8GrrDRRljSsyo3-q2BugsEgy/s1600/IMG_3853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoIgDTeC4JTVij-ARAdG-MfFVEgRG_rTJQcTUOfr4QarRCp14ZoEiIKUuWubMprmyT-P15sZfSqMQ47joL39-CubJLfrHsPv6U2sYsfLbkwjHakIMEMXS8GrrDRRljSsyo3-q2BugsEgy/s200/IMG_3853.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The chairs that they so dearly love, but can't quite get into and out of on their own :-)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4jxfk3Dc-01AW5O2445j7qfSb-6bw94AWe1HX6YxWuP6JVI7uvvk8DxpXxh0u-GfLd3YQB-WfYxHF-tvNxldKqm7tm86YuqjO7KDHH-CmDB5W-_BJljHdJlq_oCZhop7S8J-yHvqyWfZ/s1600/IMG_3743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd4jxfk3Dc-01AW5O2445j7qfSb-6bw94AWe1HX6YxWuP6JVI7uvvk8DxpXxh0u-GfLd3YQB-WfYxHF-tvNxldKqm7tm86YuqjO7KDHH-CmDB5W-_BJljHdJlq_oCZhop7S8J-yHvqyWfZ/s200/IMG_3743.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vultures.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloHoEQE_HSxaMUasuy-0Xmd50Tu2uVE6wAN9aWHAIfp3fotP0lRiU4yf_jIFauQdkUmZbp9h4kZGm4nbNMzKPvUPAtj89VkMt9JyZsJpDsMXiRAkW-0vpuCnN4RblP6ZLgso1FPoUEl6m/s1600/IMG_3768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="149" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiloHoEQE_HSxaMUasuy-0Xmd50Tu2uVE6wAN9aWHAIfp3fotP0lRiU4yf_jIFauQdkUmZbp9h4kZGm4nbNMzKPvUPAtj89VkMt9JyZsJpDsMXiRAkW-0vpuCnN4RblP6ZLgso1FPoUEl6m/s200/IMG_3768.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little pillow-snuggling time in the morning!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvLkQ37fFyabTNttJC2t2_rSjfLQ2I_UBphgZhwpTMncC_8tvmaFsLDx83S9uThySZZQEALlDzUa7LVwFKcZoUjge8nIWB1iT7J7PAXkStQxZXh7_mRyK3KhLLZI74tMR2RlHHqHvdcV9/s1600/IMG_3868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvLkQ37fFyabTNttJC2t2_rSjfLQ2I_UBphgZhwpTMncC_8tvmaFsLDx83S9uThySZZQEALlDzUa7LVwFKcZoUjge8nIWB1iT7J7PAXkStQxZXh7_mRyK3KhLLZI74tMR2RlHHqHvdcV9/s200/IMG_3868.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cause and effect in action.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeSxrJdu7xwAzp8nHq_JXYpSX8KVMs_fy4hmDsQje4f8RrktcpZQOVcgQ1XM4Ve4TyalNqFzykC3QVGf3Oz301wp5Gdq7zfCTBRima538sa3xx0Ca2qEkgWGAtpixB65GzsqrUp9xfqen/s1600/IMG_3871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTeSxrJdu7xwAzp8nHq_JXYpSX8KVMs_fy4hmDsQje4f8RrktcpZQOVcgQ1XM4Ve4TyalNqFzykC3QVGf3Oz301wp5Gdq7zfCTBRima538sa3xx0Ca2qEkgWGAtpixB65GzsqrUp9xfqen/s200/IMG_3871.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They "fight" (aka shriek at me) over this activity.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLb4MSH-_MahbgC8hcQ2aCdMRE9tzMAO1gPs5CWCKwdpvN8XX_1YLFy9XNape1fbsGKDr7jdG4A6FNLpxD6IXUUv2F7dKLmwXjBWexHty47d3dI0RMjNPxg6AiDoTGPdZYFbPRiEFXyYhk/s1600/IMG_3861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLb4MSH-_MahbgC8hcQ2aCdMRE9tzMAO1gPs5CWCKwdpvN8XX_1YLFy9XNape1fbsGKDr7jdG4A6FNLpxD6IXUUv2F7dKLmwXjBWexHty47d3dI0RMjNPxg6AiDoTGPdZYFbPRiEFXyYhk/s200/IMG_3861.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren seriously does not get bored with this activity. Ever.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKCOBC4Gw3xtMkVqx8rP2MhPXwHe49GGW6yKtNIPpUEr8SS-Q_K96Y6GKuKu9-3PUdezNRzxmXQbvNyAPEzAR7BWIl16jBv2STwHVcJ-9MH6FtttgQ3eD-KFTYPvsNxyYSkBxGc5LkMX3/s1600/IMG_3895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAKCOBC4Gw3xtMkVqx8rP2MhPXwHe49GGW6yKtNIPpUEr8SS-Q_K96Y6GKuKu9-3PUdezNRzxmXQbvNyAPEzAR7BWIl16jBv2STwHVcJ-9MH6FtttgQ3eD-KFTYPvsNxyYSkBxGc5LkMX3/s200/IMG_3895.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I make daddy read the books during the evening play session. Ha!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-16695656319121376572011-09-20T21:21:00.000-07:002011-09-20T21:25:31.720-07:00A year...seriously?!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbKHx4ruV2OyT3I87x9VykhuTSotuu47xrSGeb0-Cqw-Gj4JdZ8tnYC7EhlFoddixzJ9gUU5s2WQpdRC_a-hOSPVo7hmTjW5_O24-M1mMgDpPvuo1thOLa9Xrki2TR67JN1jyHoMp1ert/s1600/Twins+260.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwbKHx4ruV2OyT3I87x9VykhuTSotuu47xrSGeb0-Cqw-Gj4JdZ8tnYC7EhlFoddixzJ9gUU5s2WQpdRC_a-hOSPVo7hmTjW5_O24-M1mMgDpPvuo1thOLa9Xrki2TR67JN1jyHoMp1ert/s320/Twins+260.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>It is boggling my mind a bit tonight that it can possibly have been a year already. It seems like last week that we brought our beautiful girls home, and yet I watched them both walk all the way to the end of the block and back before their bath tonight. They've morphed from teeny tiny, squawking creatures to what look like bonafide real kiddos. I know it's corny, but "having a baby changes everything" really is true, and it changes everything in such a wonderful way. I cannot imagine going back to a life before my daughters. They are the most beautiful things I've ever seen and I don't want to miss a second. I can't wait to see what the next year holds for us. Avery and Lauren, I love you!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Us8fNqUyVfL6W2hIN-2ES5vsdSzU4Up2kAJrQPr44scimxONYLxB6KQyiWGKaIv0YXFotgoH2pr03NfZLLBwAbiYpgt960Pl_-KZvQS5li8bb3RmtbjyTnDI8bReuWX5YX1NNGRrH-O-/s1600/IMG_3670.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2Us8fNqUyVfL6W2hIN-2ES5vsdSzU4Up2kAJrQPr44scimxONYLxB6KQyiWGKaIv0YXFotgoH2pr03NfZLLBwAbiYpgt960Pl_-KZvQS5li8bb3RmtbjyTnDI8bReuWX5YX1NNGRrH-O-/s200/IMG_3670.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bed-headed book addict Lauren</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38IN1AojZJ12X1xTgrAXB2iv-eJ7_G1VDeVRmn3zXnMW7V9sLr5z266Kg5VUPTpjtDL5jBG_v3g_dYp4XbLSxvQ7OqvvJlTS8XjDEeYQIdygxSSRyMeKUhzFG6btlGO1tJQEZC6Gljg5c/s1600/IMG_3696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh38IN1AojZJ12X1xTgrAXB2iv-eJ7_G1VDeVRmn3zXnMW7V9sLr5z266Kg5VUPTpjtDL5jBG_v3g_dYp4XbLSxvQ7OqvvJlTS8XjDEeYQIdygxSSRyMeKUhzFG6btlGO1tJQEZC6Gljg5c/s200/IMG_3696.JPG" width="149" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My little chatty Avery</td></tr>
</tbody></table>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-91717134370166250432011-08-30T11:05:00.000-07:002011-08-30T11:05:59.114-07:00We win!I am kicking myself right now. <br />
<br />
I put off sleep training for MONTHS - out of fear. Yes, I was afraid of my children. Perhaps some of you out there can identify. Those two little darlings had me fearing every time a door closed or a floor creaked. They had me dreading every night, knowing that I would be getting at least one wake up call, if not 3 or 4. They had me declaring to my husband every morning that I was literally being driven out of my mind by his children. They had Rob and I calling "not it" on the bedtime rocking routine, that had morphed from a 5 minute easy out to a 30 minute struggle that more often that not resulted in the other parent having to give it a shot. <br />
<br />
So, one hot summer night, with two babies refusing to sleep, we declared war. As my husband so eloquently put it "They need to figure their shit out!". Agreed, dear, agreed. That was on the 22nd.<br />
<br />
War is never easy. Those dumplings fought, and they fought hard. They reminded us that first night of why we hadn't been able to follow through on this before. Avery cried as though her little heart were breaking, and in the process just about broke ours. Lauren wanted to give up, but Avery persuaded her to fight us too. Eventually though, they did sleep, and we breathed a sigh of relief. There was only one wakeup call that night, a little mini battle between Avery and I where I refused to pick her up, although I was cringing with every scream, positive that Lauren would soon join her (she didn't). On any previous night, Avery would have been whisked quickly and quietly into my bed so Lauren wouldn't be disturbed, even though the results of that were that Rob and I were disturbed. So I was proud of myself for that 1 a.m. battle (I may have even bragged a little to Rob the next morning). <br />
<br />
Naps were on my own, and they about drove me crazy. Rob received MANY texts where I vented my supreme frustration. Poor guy! But sleep training alone is not easy, and I needed to feel like someone was on my side. <br />
<br />
Days 2, 3 and 4 got progressively easier. The struggles got shorter, the naps got longer, the night wakings disappeared. <br />
<br />
Now, I was close to declaring victory on day 5, before my darling Avery made a last minute suprise attack on a solo mommy in an attempt to reassert her control over our entire family's sleep, but I did not retreat. I did text my late-working hubby to declare that, even though he was stuck working late on a Friday night, I was having the worse time, but I did not let that child win.<br />
<br />
So today, on the 30th, it is 10:20 a.m., and my lovelies are midway through what has become a RELIABLE, DEPENDABLE, EASY 90-120 minute nap. At 2 they'll go down again for another 60-90 minutes. And at 7:15, they'll squawk for about 60 seconds, and then pass out for the night, not to be heard from until 6:30 a.m. <br />
<br />
I am in heaven. My chores are done, my house is clean and quiet. It is amazing what babies who sleep well can do for your sanity.<br />
<br />
Someone tell me why I didn't do this months ago!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3SLsjGXy01FTlLaJ404UXawKUs7i8NzYpI3DIG5UhgQFHW_9_r8mLQ2-yHn6d4KSxZ8KE1IJAINH4g4UnIj__AnPXqaYfXBNaACpMnEn4ocZ_FhRRlMFsU4AJpoQ9Wtccyv-2CsjN6Mg/s1600/IMG_3311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha3SLsjGXy01FTlLaJ404UXawKUs7i8NzYpI3DIG5UhgQFHW_9_r8mLQ2-yHn6d4KSxZ8KE1IJAINH4g4UnIj__AnPXqaYfXBNaACpMnEn4ocZ_FhRRlMFsU4AJpoQ9Wtccyv-2CsjN6Mg/s320/IMG_3311.JPG" width="239" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what Avery looks like when she's actually well rested.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_lyTMy-Oyms7R6ixx8flTie8P6T5neEaQX-oR8rx56VZryDEBDZx9JNV7DBP10OEVs8vN6V42jhRtNbbwYJkBl57E_R8PiWmg_xFPsxF7uvg5HxgAjisPVHTTxQc6i5IwkavYpRhDYIkx/s1600/IMG_3312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_lyTMy-Oyms7R6ixx8flTie8P6T5neEaQX-oR8rx56VZryDEBDZx9JNV7DBP10OEVs8vN6V42jhRtNbbwYJkBl57E_R8PiWmg_xFPsxF7uvg5HxgAjisPVHTTxQc6i5IwkavYpRhDYIkx/s320/IMG_3312.JPG" width="239" xaa="true" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleepy Head Lauren </td></tr>
</tbody></table>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-63425232016167010132011-08-19T12:26:00.000-07:002011-08-19T12:26:15.030-07:00Baby Talk.You know that commercial from a few years back - the one where the husband gets home, and his frazzled wife who'd been home with the baby all day was talking in baby talk to him, so he takes her to a play to get her back into the adult world? I totally feel like that is my life sometimes...not that I don't LOVE "talking" to my girls, but the repetition can get a little old! Seriously, I have this "conversation" about 100 times a day:<br />
<br />
Baby, holding block out for me to see, proclaims "BWAA!".<br />
Mommy: "Yes, that is a BLOCK! Very good!".<br />
Baby, turning block in hand, examining it closely, holds it out again and proclaims "BWAA!".<br />
Mommy: "Block! Yes, that is a blue block."<br />
Baby: "BWAA!"<br />
Mommy: "Yep, that's a block. It says A on it."<br />
Baby: "BWAA!"<br />
Mommy: "It is a very cool block, I agree."<br />
Baby: "BWAA!"<br />
Mommy: "Block."<br />
Baby: "BWAA!"<br />
Mommy: "Mmmhmmm. Let's find a different toy!"<br />
<br />
Then it starts all over!<br />
<br />
<em>Note: I used block for this example, but feel free to substitute just about any other toy. Most them are still BWAA or BA at this point!</em><br />
<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8_AdSdM25LwJIlb4NMot5heust26g3L6XYfgrpgD9SPgMVdwCpSENJ_1-9HGWhuarYav3B1aIlOFPvoYWemvgIvArlZGcWodkMQOTvUp5OylCfIbcY8nf9ZBOfV9bo96PkDKZbCVKiV2/s1600/IMG_3060.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ8_AdSdM25LwJIlb4NMot5heust26g3L6XYfgrpgD9SPgMVdwCpSENJ_1-9HGWhuarYav3B1aIlOFPvoYWemvgIvArlZGcWodkMQOTvUp5OylCfIbcY8nf9ZBOfV9bo96PkDKZbCVKiV2/s320/IMG_3060.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lauren, mid "sentence".</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2jB_7ov-c9NCsFMlxZmoC0-2DQOlE9zx11Ha0_v2vv-Y6Vvsw6HRiqQ9MQEreVT05tK4uesziXB5NzPulzH1MX2-p6TTtce6Y410nMg5o6Wb1rWP8V9BiMvAOMh1jaoFSMnhPf0faS6V/s1600/IMG_3056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl2jB_7ov-c9NCsFMlxZmoC0-2DQOlE9zx11Ha0_v2vv-Y6Vvsw6HRiqQ9MQEreVT05tK4uesziXB5NzPulzH1MX2-p6TTtce6Y410nMg5o6Wb1rWP8V9BiMvAOMh1jaoFSMnhPf0faS6V/s320/IMG_3056.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery likes to put things on her head.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-50574369529757643772011-07-06T12:58:00.000-07:002011-07-06T12:59:05.919-07:00My non-whiny whiny post!My dear sister recently reminded me that I haven't blogged since June 16th.<br />
<br />
I informed her it's because I don't want to be a whiny blogger, and all I've got to say at the moment will sound whiny. <br />
<br />
However, the sunshine we've been graced with of late has somewhat lifted the fog of extreme sleep deprivation that my hubby and I are currently enduring at the hands of our children, and allowed me to appreciate the parade of cuteness that they display every day. <br />
<br />
Just a sampling:<br />
<br />
<strong>Clapping...it's the new toy banging:</strong><br />
Avery has learned to clap. It's adorable. It makes her happy. It makes us smile until our cheeks hurt. It makes me forget that she wakes up at 3 a.m. every night, and on the worst nights, wakes her sister up too. Lauren, like with most everything else, is just a smidge behind her sister, she's working on figuring out how to clap too, but hasn't learned to unball her fists yet.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzRyRRm2alTozu-nCiW_pVUlB37FzmhtazSWc8arK0TSatXJwRvCqXDcQKDLUrN7E3RfEnbBOETfM87TznH7g' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Video of Avery clapping (I can't figure out how to rotate it...sorry!)</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>Raised by wolves....er, I mean, dogs!</strong></div><div align="left">From snuggling in to dog bed, to growling, to picking up Bella's worst habit (chewing on rocks...yes, we had to remove 3 rocks from Avery's mouth yesterday), our dogs seem to have a mighty influence on the bubbas!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tPm8VcwJyCXTGDb9rttKRrp5LfazrWjlupsG1TslX3zWcUsrZ_Bn4b7OIjKhPILk8-eaCpAzUfFPnohyG6D_l7_uT0gqwvSdTe7rJORnT_iGdC9izpXskfXx1Too3p8pqfv5PbuifPr8/s1600/IMG_1741.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8tPm8VcwJyCXTGDb9rttKRrp5LfazrWjlupsG1TslX3zWcUsrZ_Bn4b7OIjKhPILk8-eaCpAzUfFPnohyG6D_l7_uT0gqwvSdTe7rJORnT_iGdC9izpXskfXx1Too3p8pqfv5PbuifPr8/s320/IMG_1741.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZpeflVjCYcxaqVVqriSq5K35B25AqOSwF7214J5Y9M2VuUBiSlZTDBNsKub3nHMgSxnbZmOJRy7xXrBFORuhfqI2FmOd178K9MXKyfyajhDOmjLqqIfJuK1FnfLNM_FRG_rcIIcjxege/s1600/IMG_2004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgZpeflVjCYcxaqVVqriSq5K35B25AqOSwF7214J5Y9M2VuUBiSlZTDBNsKub3nHMgSxnbZmOJRy7xXrBFORuhfqI2FmOd178K9MXKyfyajhDOmjLqqIfJuK1FnfLNM_FRG_rcIIcjxege/s320/IMG_2004.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>Snuggly girls:</strong></div><div align="left">We may finally be entering the cuddly stage...I've been dying for cuddly babies, and they're starting to give me a (teensy) little taste of it :-)</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8e7g7z-Sfkt6UGA7oZpji-yPyWv6xtrp7k3cYnNduZck3BOvQbpj7xmHgHcvtAF0HHBgF-xDEKJItVPPGyI8TeCnQwv86q8_OWHXkCEvAj_lrGzoB4gghN2hyphenhyphen7qNlDcHOGiDcfmTG8PJ/s1600/IMG_2058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis8e7g7z-Sfkt6UGA7oZpji-yPyWv6xtrp7k3cYnNduZck3BOvQbpj7xmHgHcvtAF0HHBgF-xDEKJItVPPGyI8TeCnQwv86q8_OWHXkCEvAj_lrGzoB4gghN2hyphenhyphen7qNlDcHOGiDcfmTG8PJ/s320/IMG_2058.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>Movers and shakers:</strong></div><div align="left">Avery continues to work on her walking skills, she now makes laps around the entire family room just balancing on the walls. She's taken 5 steps in a row between us. Lauren is standing independently more and more, but still refuses to put a foot forward...we must remind ourselves, Lauren isn't behind, Avery's just ahead!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfE4CtmfhViPZEEw7rorIZZpCkAvzYiqQIJ1cdE6g6AQq6QyZEJYNIdF_R1992B8oG9-pedn64Dq_HSrTETVcKd8VliiFDcKOnSU0wQUH56x0s6hvb63LYJdBCLQAqkeQsbUfvRvYbEBj/s1600/IMG_1712.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHfE4CtmfhViPZEEw7rorIZZpCkAvzYiqQIJ1cdE6g6AQq6QyZEJYNIdF_R1992B8oG9-pedn64Dq_HSrTETVcKd8VliiFDcKOnSU0wQUH56x0s6hvb63LYJdBCLQAqkeQsbUfvRvYbEBj/s320/IMG_1712.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>Lauren talks (as long as it starts with "B"!):</strong></div><div align="left">Lauren loves her blocks. If you show her a block and say "BLOCK", she'll say "BWAA" back. Sounds a mighty lot like BLOCK, dontcha think :-) And if you show her a ball and say "BALL", she'll say "BA" back. Doesn't that sound like ball? Sure does! Same with Book, Bath, Blue, Bella, etc...Yes, we know she probably is stuck on the B sound currently, but that is not going to stop us from telling ourselves that Lauren can talk at nine months, thank you very much!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZOkG5jdjpJHxuLZu_zTZJuSRyyAPXMsIgwc_YdbMXr1-1zqjz7mNxsfOM2dva5oxAHybszx51HrKggbWAHtqhEJVSsyqCm_DTUlfur-RftvW7C4t0vYPKLKuluPSPN-vIHld0SOm5UCk/s1600/IMG_1843.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ZOkG5jdjpJHxuLZu_zTZJuSRyyAPXMsIgwc_YdbMXr1-1zqjz7mNxsfOM2dva5oxAHybszx51HrKggbWAHtqhEJVSsyqCm_DTUlfur-RftvW7C4t0vYPKLKuluPSPN-vIHld0SOm5UCk/s320/IMG_1843.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>Clubhouses:</strong></div><div align="left">Any little space they can get their little bodies into, that's where they want to be. The current fave is the lower shelf of our desk. There's room for both of them, and they just think it's the coolest. Avery has ventured into a few more daring spaces on her own too - I'm sure Lauren will follow shortly!</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYVponusW9anpxmx_HGUEi2qdMlxKr6FGoYqeCnc68FRqrLlwl1fstKuFzDG4HROseZXwXRssJJyVqNWkW8hzsaY0OAQ2D4VFXuRt5NdMTWnBXDgiipynCm3f7A6KvZtKGHqUWkuxoI-B/s1600/IMG_1825.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtYVponusW9anpxmx_HGUEi2qdMlxKr6FGoYqeCnc68FRqrLlwl1fstKuFzDG4HROseZXwXRssJJyVqNWkW8hzsaY0OAQ2D4VFXuRt5NdMTWnBXDgiipynCm3f7A6KvZtKGHqUWkuxoI-B/s320/IMG_1825.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UN5reL8IteoU3U7Tud3rvUw9jfVAKWvH1YhEkKIISB06z-b_7ajITlOSib3Jv7uhyRQcFPql2IljZ6k256Sj6hhE1YHn7OBCvKyNzmnxJict5cP1Pj0yg-ocQ-Ckmzs4Qi3_2jh0Z2CQ/s1600/IMG_1858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8UN5reL8IteoU3U7Tud3rvUw9jfVAKWvH1YhEkKIISB06z-b_7ajITlOSib3Jv7uhyRQcFPql2IljZ6k256Sj6hhE1YHn7OBCvKyNzmnxJict5cP1Pj0yg-ocQ-Ckmzs4Qi3_2jh0Z2CQ/s320/IMG_1858.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MGybFESbb20kO29sP4PqJEsq84kuhPUkeTK6FNaSVz37HLIcp-FzbN_zefAJaOkPp2jljA5J0K1sdtFDpAngyMaymsePzSctkqSZYTzwcN0o2c-b9Ff2wuqpMEWSI1N_GgOcvz3E4CsP/s1600/IMG_1862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-MGybFESbb20kO29sP4PqJEsq84kuhPUkeTK6FNaSVz37HLIcp-FzbN_zefAJaOkPp2jljA5J0K1sdtFDpAngyMaymsePzSctkqSZYTzwcN0o2c-b9Ff2wuqpMEWSI1N_GgOcvz3E4CsP/s320/IMG_1862.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div align="left"><strong>Hair-do's:</strong></div><div align="left">Now that their hair is growing a little longer, I get to have a little fun (particularly at bathtime, teehee!).</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDQHyGiva0rxyXuPiRcB8RLlJGxlAxO5PZYTbzGInaDg30_2mlNVD5bnNGudymzPUDJBA6nqNHAkFWKp-d9aAsuSI9C50cGGzC-odXtpHWizjALM_bZfT6RLqhT2ZeMIFB27SZAaRMcjH/s1600/IMG_1895.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnDQHyGiva0rxyXuPiRcB8RLlJGxlAxO5PZYTbzGInaDg30_2mlNVD5bnNGudymzPUDJBA6nqNHAkFWKp-d9aAsuSI9C50cGGzC-odXtpHWizjALM_bZfT6RLqhT2ZeMIFB27SZAaRMcjH/s320/IMG_1895.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rIWIkzNdYV8lvHegIWdxd82Lr9kxvS6MotdCb_LtpJuTC6pC4V9JPcUClGM5iSqYAnDAt8fujWhFNgf7bspFsvQ8hw0P177yaZHWdfH6wrfdR0P0VM7baK-a-5q7vtJwAPZjI3ygzmhz/s1600/IMG_2039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" i$="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5rIWIkzNdYV8lvHegIWdxd82Lr9kxvS6MotdCb_LtpJuTC6pC4V9JPcUClGM5iSqYAnDAt8fujWhFNgf7bspFsvQ8hw0P177yaZHWdfH6wrfdR0P0VM7baK-a-5q7vtJwAPZjI3ygzmhz/s320/IMG_2039.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, when things get a little rough at night, at least I know that I've got a day chock full of cuteness to restore my sanity :-)</div><div align="left"><br />
</div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-18111320932912680212011-06-16T16:14:00.000-07:002011-06-16T16:16:04.826-07:00My Housewifely DutiesWhen the babies were brand new, and had no semblance of a predictable routine, I used to daydream about when they were on an actual schedule, with naptimes and bedtimes that went off without a hitch every time. I thought about all the things I could get done during their multiple daily naps - why, that would be hours and hours of free time...right? <br />
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Fast forward to today. A week away from 9 months, and little miss Avery Cays still only naps for 30 minutes at a time on most occasions. Oh sure, I can get lucky with a 2 hour nap every once in a while - but those are few and far between, and there's no way to predict when and where they'll strike. So I've come to terms with the fact that I have to squeeze all of my chores into 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the afternoon. It's made me very aware of the priority of chores - bottles first, floors second, dishes third, laundry fourth. Everything else is on a "when it gets to the point I can no longer ignore it" basis :-) No matter how tempted I am to fold laundry on the couch while Regis & Kelly keep me company, if the top 3 choices are not done, it cannot be so. <br />
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I do sometimes try to get my chores done while the girlies are awake. It just means that I have little helpers... or little leg-clingers, whatever you want to call them. The dishes are a particularly fun chore to attempt. Unloading is usually fine, as long as I remove the silverware basket as soon as I open the door. Loading, well, that's another game altogether. The gist of it is me, removing babies from their station at the dishwasher door, putting them back in the center of the playmat, running back to the dishwasher, and loading as much as I can before they're back on top of me. It's super fun. Laundry is another fave - I fold, they unfold...it's a riot! I don't try sweeping and mopping as much when they're awake anymore, Avery likes to chase the broom and/or mop, making it nearly impossible. Vacuuming makes Lauren cry, but also wakes them up if they're sleeping - so I choose the lesser of the two evils and let her face her fear (builds character, right?). <br />
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American Baby magazine assures me that around my babies first birthday, they will switch to taking one "gloriously long" nap after lunch that lasts anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours. All I have to say is, I'll believe it when I see it. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">My Little Helpers:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEhBBJVUK3SG3H9n-amZkhGq-XwwHgLxyAyxdiDPawvyhx41exOBDQANaUIgWHqBNGpefA8bJ1K91yr2Nf4k6R3j6StycDsWRjsi6OBO06VAzH-Ca5UNzjMPqbjTDs4Ey0jBKjQv3luiq/s1600/IMG_1610.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijEhBBJVUK3SG3H9n-amZkhGq-XwwHgLxyAyxdiDPawvyhx41exOBDQANaUIgWHqBNGpefA8bJ1K91yr2Nf4k6R3j6StycDsWRjsi6OBO06VAzH-Ca5UNzjMPqbjTDs4Ey0jBKjQv3luiq/s320/IMG_1610.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuvhlsCI3mhymK8IK7gYX2WhnwlWC4HKyfqa9Rduj7XvexyBrEQhQIaCQbRmpT8wyzx-H2AasPscap2cE2K_X2r2ItRaAtxmbyHgdZO89JgucvXxjlndx1PVaGDQUfYY5eeKJhBxGGX_Y/s1600/IMG_1593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuvhlsCI3mhymK8IK7gYX2WhnwlWC4HKyfqa9Rduj7XvexyBrEQhQIaCQbRmpT8wyzx-H2AasPscap2cE2K_X2r2ItRaAtxmbyHgdZO89JgucvXxjlndx1PVaGDQUfYY5eeKJhBxGGX_Y/s320/IMG_1593.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkIaLPapJWA3aBsyPOKjz01TqZJeF7W-Pj9un4Ntd8u9EtJrwXHeAzSvbiww2auyqwvze84GwgdHtF7YEfkNW_jz1tyVl4rONMrM7fhyphenhyphenAhnw-R_DEwPmviIb4UImpmqFU2HrvFOQuvwCR/s1600/IMG_1664.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkIaLPapJWA3aBsyPOKjz01TqZJeF7W-Pj9un4Ntd8u9EtJrwXHeAzSvbiww2auyqwvze84GwgdHtF7YEfkNW_jz1tyVl4rONMrM7fhyphenhyphenAhnw-R_DEwPmviIb4UImpmqFU2HrvFOQuvwCR/s320/IMG_1664.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-16564659959453866092011-06-06T22:22:00.000-07:002011-06-06T22:22:42.356-07:00I'm a Physical Therapist!Ever wondered what having an 8-month-old in physical therapy is like? Let me enlighten you :) <br />
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For an hour every other week, Avery gets to play with new toys, but has to allow a strange lady to knock her off balance, stretch her neck, hold her in positions she hates, and just generally annoy her in exchange.<br />
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Then, mommy gets to continue the fun at home and annoy / piss her off 3 times each day - it's so much fun!<br />
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My repertoire of PT moves so far:<br />
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<strong>The Claw</strong> - Avery's least favorite, where I hold down her left shoulder with 3 fingers while pushing her neck into a straight(er) position with the other two. She does evasive maneuvers to try and escape.<br />
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<strong>The Tipsy Kiddo</strong> - When she's sitting, I tip her over to the left so she has to use the muscles on the right side of her body to sit back up. She also hates this one.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>The One Legged Baby</strong> - When she's standing, I lift her right leg so she's standing on her left - this one is pretty much a joke - she usually just sits down when I try this one (since, shocker, she hates this one too!).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>The Look-At-Silly-Daddy Stretch</strong> - This one requires the assistance of dear old dad, and he must perform whatever silliness is takes to get her to look all the way over to him over her left shoulder while I hold her chest so she can only turn her neck, not her body. If there is no daddy to look at, this one doesn't work!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>The Office Max Special</strong> - This one we like! All it involves is sitting Avery on a binder, with her left side on the low side, so that she has to work with her right side to stay balanced. Usually drama free!</div><br />
So what's the goal of all of these lovely annoyances? To correct an ever-so-slight tilt of her lovely head to the left. They were calling it Torticollis, but it's so mild, it really doesn't even count. The therapy is mostly a precaution, so that she doesn't develop a permanent preference to always tip to the left. I am doubtful of the need - it certainly hasn't hampered her mobility in the slightest - but the therapy was recommended, so to therapy we go :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecle_6Yg6LcMRX6tlbmHnDnjV2_EJd308m3vEc2MwFoitCZiNChuu9cTEUDT0pSffokKwOExrPi0BFg5mTT46ESi5fj68PbY_6P2FNqC4RFT5iAv5EGrm9-Ny2Xki0Pp2U8qdc8J1-xlk/s1600/IMG_1506.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhecle_6Yg6LcMRX6tlbmHnDnjV2_EJd308m3vEc2MwFoitCZiNChuu9cTEUDT0pSffokKwOExrPi0BFg5mTT46ESi5fj68PbY_6P2FNqC4RFT5iAv5EGrm9-Ny2Xki0Pp2U8qdc8J1-xlk/s320/IMG_1506.JPG" t8="true" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Office Max Special</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">P.S. Lauren loves going to physical therapy - to her, it's a torture-free wonderland of new and fantastic toys to play with for an hour :)</div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-65117922857136979062011-05-29T21:26:00.000-07:002011-05-29T21:29:58.725-07:00Cousins<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdN8qAMMxAZc-suusUjvUReFGZEygPhKhhnvdSC0IhLZQzo7bhp0zyCIm5q-YTJMHEN4cpK4_6GImIPPAqx6t1dqayNW8x8l_l3m3hrg04_T-ANKEc2LWAzY_IYnWRhEuBRqhznzNxFV2/s1600/IMG_1279.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwdN8qAMMxAZc-suusUjvUReFGZEygPhKhhnvdSC0IhLZQzo7bhp0zyCIm5q-YTJMHEN4cpK4_6GImIPPAqx6t1dqayNW8x8l_l3m3hrg04_T-ANKEc2LWAzY_IYnWRhEuBRqhznzNxFV2/s320/IMG_1279.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Owen Anthony Spagnolo</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">As I held my brand new, teeny-tiny, oh-so-cute, Jake-look-alike nephew this afternoon, I couldn't help but take a little stroll down memory lane. The first lane I went down I am sure you can predict...to 8 months ago when my own little angels were themselves teeny-tiny, itty-bitty little creatures. Seeing Owen Anthony in all his tiny perfection really hammered home how incredibly fast baby-hood goes. The past 8-months seem both like an eternity, and like the blink of an eye. I miss how miniature and precious my girls were when they were born, and at the same time cannot wait for every new milestone. Maybe that's why I am so persistant with the camera...it gives me a way to freeze time, while celebrating all their changes too. Now J & L are embarking on the same journey, and I could not be happier for them (I'll just keep reminding them that "it goes so fast" over and over like a broken record!).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Then, once I stopped feeling weepy about my rapidly aging 8-month-olds, I thought about Owen in a different light...as A & L's cousin. I think that the cousin relationship is one of the best ever. To me, having cousins my age made family vacations feel like summer camp, and made holiday gatherings feel magical. Some of my very best memories are of times spent with cousins, on both sides of the family. Almost every trip as a child involved cousins...a trip to Priest Lake meant Mary, Lisa, and Jenny. A trip to Sacramento meant Tara, Mark, and Rachel. Seeing Uncle Bob meant Kim and Melanie. And those were just the cousins that were the same age! It seems like there was a never-ending supply of cousins to hang with - the benefit of being from a large family on both sides. And while I know that my girls will never have the chance of even getting near the number of cousins that we've been blessed with, I am so extremely excited to watch them grown up with Owen, and I hope that all of them will make some of their own "best" memories with each other. So, to ALL of my many many cousins, I say thanks for the memories!! Love you all.<br />
<br />
<br />
P.S. One of my all-time favorite cousin memories is being in the little upstairs playroom at Grandpa Frank's house, with the Benutty kids, when we were calling everyone by their backwards name and giving them little characters. I was Airda, which is atrocious, but the game was fun. I don't know why, but that memory pops in to my head quite a bit, and it makes me smile without fail.twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-53599162455520552692011-05-23T11:54:00.000-07:002011-05-23T11:54:32.060-07:00Team BubbaOver the last couple of weeks, the girls really seem to have bonded. I think they're BFF's now. They go on little mischievous missions together...dog hunting is a favorite, as is peeking into the laundry room when I accidentally leave that door open for longer than 5 seconds (same goes for the pantry...and the dishwasher, come to think of it!). Whenever one appears to have come across something interesting, the other is sure to come investigate (and steal, if appropriate). It's quite cute.<br />
<br />
Now that they're into EVERYTHING, and together all the time, we've all taken to calling them "bubba's" when we need to address them as a unit. Which I started, and am ok with. But I think maybe we need something more creative, like one of those clever celebrity-type mashup names for them - you know, just so we're not so generic.<br />
<br />
Auren?<br />
Avren?<br />
Lavery?<br />
Laurery?<br />
<br />
Hmmm. Those don't exactly roll of the tongue like I'd hoped. Maybe I'll go even simpler.<br />
<br />
AL.<br />
<br />
It's good, right? <br />
<br />
"AL! Stop eating the dog toys!"<br />
"AL! Stop standing up in the bath!"<br />
"AL! PLEASE stop throwing your sippy cups on the floor!"<br />
<br />
Why yes, I think that'll work. (And don't worry, I'm not ignoring their individuality. There will still be plenty of times to use their own names. "Avery, stop pulling your sisters hair." "Lauren, stop stealing your sisters binky." See?)<br />
<br />
A few of their favorite activities:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikePQ0_7S8ozrTyj948bloM57vwdM4_oJVgtRX2OS_8LZg__3jBToiy6BrC7iiiILrU8IfwN1pIyYGo0SY3ipicMVvUH8Uc46NzBVgtvj0fb3KMDoFhvKLyfQsCsutwFijM8Hvg-vvJ9Vo/s1600/IMG_0677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikePQ0_7S8ozrTyj948bloM57vwdM4_oJVgtRX2OS_8LZg__3jBToiy6BrC7iiiILrU8IfwN1pIyYGo0SY3ipicMVvUH8Uc46NzBVgtvj0fb3KMDoFhvKLyfQsCsutwFijM8Hvg-vvJ9Vo/s320/IMG_0677.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doorstop doinging</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIyHofGjoWElKFa0S4AgTcPlP8btD5-e1hx5QaGHlh6JFP3IMYNCZdrHW-3JoCIUFCql8iz7Nbx6zN-R4O__iXBZ4qvxxI8oUFg6vHcr_DQpV_0VXsKg6qfNsTQsFtUatCfkIthQshGSy/s1600/IMG_0992.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMIyHofGjoWElKFa0S4AgTcPlP8btD5-e1hx5QaGHlh6JFP3IMYNCZdrHW-3JoCIUFCql8iz7Nbx6zN-R4O__iXBZ4qvxxI8oUFg6vHcr_DQpV_0VXsKg6qfNsTQsFtUatCfkIthQshGSy/s320/IMG_0992.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kissing </td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvJuA7M9SKN5MrHpVHE7QIFRoctaqA1yIEbPd1r4rC6V56dPt-y9fH3tlQzMG8wDNmDqcjtq3vIHCasiXQPcdjS3WJsxcDp2TkUXsCKrSYIYcW5CNoYYGXgqWcbzNL8kTsgM5hFcChRXd/s1600/IMG_0994.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbvJuA7M9SKN5MrHpVHE7QIFRoctaqA1yIEbPd1r4rC6V56dPt-y9fH3tlQzMG8wDNmDqcjtq3vIHCasiXQPcdjS3WJsxcDp2TkUXsCKrSYIYcW5CNoYYGXgqWcbzNL8kTsgM5hFcChRXd/s320/IMG_0994.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dog Hunting</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHTZ0roAz2lsibGOtTqSdJFBhhjCzxuYoufbNfAnaUUY6L_4-i9LFIEtgFvvFnNi5xDY-dzvJgFHGny5D9xB0TMdFHP1CRL5TDD0_ADfJ2SOU6BMP7nPCH36J8YmY0RnLSwFf41gPg2lj/s1600/IMG_1124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPHTZ0roAz2lsibGOtTqSdJFBhhjCzxuYoufbNfAnaUUY6L_4-i9LFIEtgFvvFnNi5xDY-dzvJgFHGny5D9xB0TMdFHP1CRL5TDD0_ADfJ2SOU6BMP7nPCH36J8YmY0RnLSwFf41gPg2lj/s320/IMG_1124.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wrestling (Ok, this is a favorite of Avery's...Lauren's not really a fan!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbzOdXjMjX2rSCj0HzHhSjaG0oa_azF6R676U7flNI-_4HXz69wSh7WyZBV8yfU9GtBkPYxnqsCH3SC31TGCZswl416KOaf3HhInaCGoaUW6R8v2WDXiF8f_BLT8QeAUME6wqZzxj4K-e/s1600/CIMG0287.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfbzOdXjMjX2rSCj0HzHhSjaG0oa_azF6R676U7flNI-_4HXz69wSh7WyZBV8yfU9GtBkPYxnqsCH3SC31TGCZswl416KOaf3HhInaCGoaUW6R8v2WDXiF8f_BLT8QeAUME6wqZzxj4K-e/s320/CIMG0287.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hangin' out at the activity table</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnQbn2y1d5AGXrmMy-SwBU__pnGPmBpNgK0jmrH05GIBJ5eTUJW8MJjAbNsopxWoF5VFx6VU96zM3K4ZS-E7Q13Fft2enp1O6KJGWECZlMRWViUZ5Pd1Pv95BdguQbO1SgjTszo3xlxa1/s1600/CIMG0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHnQbn2y1d5AGXrmMy-SwBU__pnGPmBpNgK0jmrH05GIBJ5eTUJW8MJjAbNsopxWoF5VFx6VU96zM3K4ZS-E7Q13Fft2enp1O6KJGWECZlMRWViUZ5Pd1Pv95BdguQbO1SgjTszo3xlxa1/s320/CIMG0314.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the dogs in jail</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKLC134s6iDsWh8tarpXg-GnauT9uzupG2GO59_wGpyQxU0LYF5TbTqLq6QrzqyGSWUqxj_ogEUtK6hqq66yAYlmJ7E-WQlAYpEt9wstR4-HxnnPoF5_WkWvUNUY5jYCeKwDTiMaRAz6d/s1600/IMG_1161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQKLC134s6iDsWh8tarpXg-GnauT9uzupG2GO59_wGpyQxU0LYF5TbTqLq6QrzqyGSWUqxj_ogEUtK6hqq66yAYlmJ7E-WQlAYpEt9wstR4-HxnnPoF5_WkWvUNUY5jYCeKwDTiMaRAz6d/s320/IMG_1161.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Standing by the chair (that they REFUSE to sit in, but LOVE to stand on!)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q8tXvzS4jeV8Md7bZwuDDsVmb5Rj1WvMVbE8LOdQn6KSn3Xc3Bz9uru0p7WgglS9FWZcqQ47lOfbeJlRrjaHBo7bY4NMiNqY1a5gtBEaA55LI3KYkdqtzf5UuSyGEayqTr3knV19_bYt/s1600/IMG_0934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9q8tXvzS4jeV8Md7bZwuDDsVmb5Rj1WvMVbE8LOdQn6KSn3Xc3Bz9uru0p7WgglS9FWZcqQ47lOfbeJlRrjaHBo7bY4NMiNqY1a5gtBEaA55LI3KYkdqtzf5UuSyGEayqTr3knV19_bYt/s320/IMG_0934.JPG" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging out by the back door together</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PZgq4zMGZ8Oup4FlxZWTkoaRHFTkGRxb1sojSx6YbqCWBnU6AxJczLuUPQEjSE9i4FjS9UcD8Xkj7nk4Lk7VXY9j2N0j4h8y41LIURIwRujbI79KtcmOGVketpsj-bDqpKZQZ151XcSq/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0PZgq4zMGZ8Oup4FlxZWTkoaRHFTkGRxb1sojSx6YbqCWBnU6AxJczLuUPQEjSE9i4FjS9UcD8Xkj7nk4Lk7VXY9j2N0j4h8y41LIURIwRujbI79KtcmOGVketpsj-bDqpKZQZ151XcSq/s320/IMG_0984.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climbing the stairs</td></tr>
</tbody></table>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-34545786537538863932011-05-11T13:19:00.002-07:002011-05-13T13:52:54.186-07:00Miss PiggyAs I wiped off the prune-unibrow off of Lauren's face today, I paused for a moment for a quick comparison. <br />
<br />
Lauren:<br />
Oatmeal in both nostrils<br />
Prunes in her eyebrows<br />
Applesauce spread from cheek to cheek<br />
Both hands covered in goo<br />
High chair slimed<br />
Bib coated in lunch<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOTQCUraW62H5U8F-QM9YAg-BQt1yxSQEbZOyMyG9s5B1hjDWoH1u7cy2pZD74dRUgFujxtlvZePJQjnkMHn6U2noPoob8pat67bK86zAk6k_HBjWzJEq5SWwkye2dCPm7mbuAaXzQ4xU/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiOTQCUraW62H5U8F-QM9YAg-BQt1yxSQEbZOyMyG9s5B1hjDWoH1u7cy2pZD74dRUgFujxtlvZePJQjnkMHn6U2noPoob8pat67bK86zAk6k_HBjWzJEq5SWwkye2dCPm7mbuAaXzQ4xU/s320/IMG_0974.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>Avery:<br />
Several small food smears where the spoon caught some drips<br />
Almost clean bib<br />
Clean high chair<br />
Hands untouched by food<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_vg41dtZtoNXg0sycgrtVcYP7_cDLYC8bZI4t2UJYDz8aFXaXnpicEXYmvQJ8KwavG4E3lubD9KTilbORXr5aA4kRIXYgDmywxTICVTxL8439P47RjFoyWYhA5sDQ7WGntFTfJAubLNN/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2_vg41dtZtoNXg0sycgrtVcYP7_cDLYC8bZI4t2UJYDz8aFXaXnpicEXYmvQJ8KwavG4E3lubD9KTilbORXr5aA4kRIXYgDmywxTICVTxL8439P47RjFoyWYhA5sDQ7WGntFTfJAubLNN/s320/IMG_0975.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><br />
Although this is a thrice-daily demonstration of one of their many differences, it still amuses me to no end that I've got a Miss Piggy and a neatnik.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In other developments this week:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">- Both of the bubba's can now climb all the way to the top of the stairs, which they would do all day if I'd let them! It's cute, in a very scary way :)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">- Lauren has decided that, at least sometimes, crawling the normal way is more advantageous than her usual butt-scoot, and employs it when speed is of the essence (like when a particularly tantalizing toy is brought out!).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">- Lauren has also started handing out b's and g's, and although her usage of consonants is still minimal, I am happy with anything at this point that's not a vowel!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">- I've resorted to purchasing a baby-sleep book in the hopes of finding some answers to Avery's current non-sleeping issue. Having been spoiled by the girls sleeping for 8-10 hours at night for a few months, having a relapse to terrible sleeping is quite a shock to the system, and we're into our 2nd month of it with no improvement on our own, so let's hope the "experts" can give us some good advice! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Never a dull moment in the Cays household!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-37026844449964766402011-05-06T11:38:00.000-07:002011-05-06T11:38:53.374-07:00MilestonesIf separation anxiety is a milestone, then I've been misled. I thought all milestones were cute. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nBqC9LaiJMby-mDxOl0G1W8s1LM4b6BXxtkWxZpyHcfhpATaYr4KPE9pj_fZfNpC1dRJUIfiqq-5duU6lrDndiWiJNFOn3xNxqOkLwvoEBXuZDAFBzO98orVAq25AX9m7vQ8MJg73VQJ/s1600/IMG_0792.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8nBqC9LaiJMby-mDxOl0G1W8s1LM4b6BXxtkWxZpyHcfhpATaYr4KPE9pj_fZfNpC1dRJUIfiqq-5duU6lrDndiWiJNFOn3xNxqOkLwvoEBXuZDAFBzO98orVAq25AX9m7vQ8MJg73VQJ/s320/IMG_0792.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>According to my weekly development email, Lauren has made a "big cognitive step" this week. I guess that's the nicest way to describe a phase that is not exactly pleasant. I'm diagnosing Lauren with an early-ish case of separation anxiety, which considering the amount of time I spend with her, is really quite silly! For her, the "symptoms" are sobbing every time I leave the room, and (slowly) following me around to cling at my legs and cry. <br />
<br />
I guess I should just feel lucky that only Lauren appears to have entered this stage, and not Avery too. I'm sure she'll follow soon enough, and then I'll have two babies who protest any time I dare walk to the far side of the kitchen island, so I should just enjoy Avery's indifference while it lasts!twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-46448870156158824102011-04-27T13:02:00.000-07:002011-04-27T13:02:19.806-07:00Unfair AdvantageI used to feel guilty that my small frame (you like how I just threw that compliment in for myself?) caused Avery to suffer from a decidedly wonky head. Putting her in a helmet only added to the guilt, and added a healthy dose of defensive-mom-mode to it (people can be quite judgey when they see a baby in a helmet). I have spent many a breath apologizing to Avery for putting her through this, and assuring her that her only knowledge of it will be through photos, not memory. And then I noticed something...<br />
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Avery has become indestructible. She does not understand the concept of pain. When she learned to go from sitting to crawling, her method was to literally dive, headfirst, at the ground. She runs into anything she can headfirst, doesn't even bat an eye. She falls from standing straight to her head, and keeps right on going as if nothing happened. <br />
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Meanwhile, Lauren has a lovely collection of bruises on her forehead to show for her much more limited activity, and it's all my fault...I should have smashed her head too!<br />
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So, while Avery gets to go through arguably the most clumsy phase a human goes through with her own personal childproofing system strapped to her head, I've resorted to much more low-tech methods to try and give Lauren some of the same advantages: Foam packing paper around the sharpest corners she encounters, and a little more hovering around her to try and catch some of the nastier spills.<br />
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Makes me wonder which one will need therapy...Avery, for having to wear a helmet? Or Lauren, because we gave her sister the unfair advantage of the helmet. Damn you, Guilt...damn you!!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out Mommy's handiwork.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Avery doubling up on protection.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-47249230331171341002011-04-25T15:20:00.000-07:002011-04-25T15:20:49.879-07:00Was a sunny day...Saturday may very well have been the best day we'll get all spring...the weather gods blessed us with blue skies AND actual warm temperatures! We had to take advantage of it, since we don't know if or when we'll get another chance, so we loaded up the bubba's and took them to Lake Wilderness for the first time. It was the first really nice day of their whole life, and so it was their first introduction to grass (ok, mostly dirt, but there was a little grass in there too...), swings, and prolonged exposure to fresh air. I have to say, it was the best day in a very long while...amazing what a little sunshine will do for you!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJolgmeaXt4dvYdymtdsM8HZd9Md7X9-hJ8IveGgbc8IGcHYGYycxs2HyBJD_qhs7N9ggUtmX46BJxweBPhSdWxeXb5Rn2iL71EMdo4qCZMzeleZHIiy7s6scOUKfAt97cRuzJ9FEkcA8Q/s1600/IMG_0364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJolgmeaXt4dvYdymtdsM8HZd9Md7X9-hJ8IveGgbc8IGcHYGYycxs2HyBJD_qhs7N9ggUtmX46BJxweBPhSdWxeXb5Rn2iL71EMdo4qCZMzeleZHIiy7s6scOUKfAt97cRuzJ9FEkcA8Q/s320/IMG_0364.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-73359771929943375002011-04-15T22:27:00.000-07:002011-04-15T22:27:16.956-07:00Must Love DogsLet me get something off my chest: I <em>love</em> my dogs...but I don't necessarily always <em>like</em> my dogs. <br />
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They're stinky, drooly, whiny, destructive (diapers and baby toys are a beloved treat), and ALWAYS bark when the babies are trying to nap. More often than not, I find myself asking why on earth I have even one dog, let alone 2!<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">And then I see the pure joy on my babies faces when they see their dogs. I watch Lauren laugh when Daisy suddenly appears, surprising her. I watch Avery scoot towards the door to the living room so she can get a better look at what the dogs are doing in there. I see them both stop fussing to give a wrestling Daisy and Bella their undivided attention. I find myself calling the dogs in to entertain the babies when I'm home alone with them and in need of some backup. I seem to mind less and less as the days go by that the dogs kiss the babies (and the babies love it, and I'm sure one day soon will kiss back), and I laugh at the girls as they wrinkle up their faces when the dogs whiskers tickle them. I am looking forward to the relationship that my girls will have with their furry "sisters" in the years to come.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>So while I've always loved my dogs, the fact that my babies adore them makes me <em>like</em> them again. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunging for Bella</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3KBUfAguHptB_IjKs-eeGHjxhDYM1CK2u71VmHJGZH5RCdYZAm3pYi9yUExjBsjeJErD3V5yNe0p0fzTZ_3UUqZNNwffPWnhMLWnyL4kxla0eINGyt0KWaQRiIw7cJqkZLxx8oa_fhV9/s1600/Twins+2386+%252833%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo3KBUfAguHptB_IjKs-eeGHjxhDYM1CK2u71VmHJGZH5RCdYZAm3pYi9yUExjBsjeJErD3V5yNe0p0fzTZ_3UUqZNNwffPWnhMLWnyL4kxla0eINGyt0KWaQRiIw7cJqkZLxx8oa_fhV9/s320/Twins+2386+%252833%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bella is very patient with the (grabby) babies!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkqXxrPfTp98Uqm5NyYh8OysUv1R1JUclehXPOFHvS57THBrHujtAA6SUnCKpOID4NjN-WkBLZw33v11rdQAC3ASUSwRLinckn5ADu1YaB-hTksHtVIIb3dbnLyIdtmNit5WGdHMjVe_o/s1600/Twins+2386+%252836%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLkqXxrPfTp98Uqm5NyYh8OysUv1R1JUclehXPOFHvS57THBrHujtAA6SUnCKpOID4NjN-WkBLZw33v11rdQAC3ASUSwRLinckn5ADu1YaB-hTksHtVIIb3dbnLyIdtmNit5WGdHMjVe_o/s320/Twins+2386+%252836%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It tickles!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-90703826534289805942011-04-08T21:41:00.000-07:002011-04-08T21:41:42.169-07:00Oh, the (forced) fun we shall have!Well the weather gods FINALLY smiled upon the soggy PNW, and we seized our opportunity to take the pumpkins on their first hike. We selected Poo-Poo Point for it's proximity to our home, and because we <em>thought</em> we remembered it being fairly easy. Unfortunately I have a terrible memory when it comes to how easy or hard something was (somehow everything is remembered as easy!), and it turned out to be a smidge (ok, a lot) harder than we thought. But we persevered, and made it to the top, and got to watch the paragliders jumping off Tiger Mountain right it front of us. The girls LOVED it - awake and happy the whole 2 hours up, and happily napping on the way down (luckily chest to chest in the Bjorns still knocks them out!).<br />
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There was a group of 3 little girls at the top, I'd say maybe 6 or 7 year olds, and it got me daydreaming about all the hikes I want to take my girls on. There's waterfalls, lakes, rivers, rocks, bridges...so much to explore! They'll love it! And even if they don't, I love it, so they'll just have to suffer along with me, just like their older brother and sister do...they can just thank me when they're thirty :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihGFrm_5d3uG80kiG-sg_Hr-CjeXGlTAwazMfEZUU9c0kdz5bew0hnxye5K8Fv2jCSfAVmVSYxD__6TkCgWRlDPLxhBEyxyuXA68zdIjOPaqOYqczgVIAyo5wXwE4M6AIPsxJ6jAfnx_r/s1600/Twins+2385+%252821%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihGFrm_5d3uG80kiG-sg_Hr-CjeXGlTAwazMfEZUU9c0kdz5bew0hnxye5K8Fv2jCSfAVmVSYxD__6TkCgWRlDPLxhBEyxyuXA68zdIjOPaqOYqczgVIAyo5wXwE4M6AIPsxJ6jAfnx_r/s320/Twins+2385+%252821%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-52403146374549648272011-04-04T21:01:00.000-07:002011-04-04T21:01:31.357-07:00Lauren Thinks She's TwoWe think Lauren thinks she is two. ALL this child wants to do is stand, and she is constantly frustrated by her lack of ability to do so. She answers our attempts to put her on her tummy with shrieking...yes, shrieking. If you heard it, you would probably think we had caused her bodily harm. But no, she just HATES being on anything but her knees or her feet. She searches for anything close by that she can use to pull herself up: my legs, the activity table, the toy basket, the diaper caddy, the edge of the bathtub...the list goes on and on. And mind you, she can't even fully pull herself up yet - she can just get herself to her knees, or on a good attempt, on one knee and one foot. Once she gets herself to this point, she looks at us expectantly to help her get the rest of the way on her feet, and again shrieks if she is not accommodated. I have my fingers crossed that she learns this skill quickly and we see a reduction in the current number of shrieks per day :)<br />
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As for crawling, she has little interest at this point. She will attempt a half hearted army crawl for a cell phone or a laptop, but only if it's just beyond arms reach and one scoot will do the trick. Meanwhile her sister will scoot her away across the whole play mat to get her paws on a cell phone, and even managed to maneuver herself today from her belly, to her knees, to sitting on her butt. We were very impressed. Who knows, maybe Lauren will skip crawling and go straight to walking. I'm sure she would certainly prefer it that way, since she thinks she should already know how.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa1JUwlh8qxYJY7uP8h-ovVUWaj0woWUItp3d-nIQ6fOSiGKNeqJvA8uS6MzkD97JUwgGThkIZ-3ox8s_PKvvRJ1y1FLyhkzc8mWKPoWnQrCD9rkVKjGOwa74hS_Ec8QflBjf8MUmKflu/s1600/Twins+2384+%252834%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYa1JUwlh8qxYJY7uP8h-ovVUWaj0woWUItp3d-nIQ6fOSiGKNeqJvA8uS6MzkD97JUwgGThkIZ-3ox8s_PKvvRJ1y1FLyhkzc8mWKPoWnQrCD9rkVKjGOwa74hS_Ec8QflBjf8MUmKflu/s320/Twins+2384+%252834%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoarycSh3T8Aj7X2c-AnV8wRAIiViMD5k2AkStB3Kks96djGNYI1pSoCRGbVIhHwp0UqlqqUMd4QGs7o46WpbBMhyphenhyphen2vMnBB6uyDRI17N9uZnsdIl_v_Vjx4-fLwkGfOyi4X5odC0rn9b8D/s1600/Twins+2384+%252863%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoarycSh3T8Aj7X2c-AnV8wRAIiViMD5k2AkStB3Kks96djGNYI1pSoCRGbVIhHwp0UqlqqUMd4QGs7o46WpbBMhyphenhyphen2vMnBB6uyDRI17N9uZnsdIl_v_Vjx4-fLwkGfOyi4X5odC0rn9b8D/s320/Twins+2384+%252863%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-82257514399735620612011-04-02T21:38:00.000-07:002011-04-02T21:38:14.769-07:00Ah, to be a 6 month oldHaving newly joined the ranks of the unemployed, I think it goes without saying that I've got a lot on my mind. The last 3 days, my mind hasn't taken a break, running a constant stream of scenarios and what if's. I've been alternating between moments of complete and utter panic (have I just plunged my family into financial ruin?!) and an almost blissful state (I mean come on, the weight of a very stressful job has just been unexpectedly lifted off of my shoulders...it's not ALL bad!).<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I was in one of my panicked moments this afternoon, when I looked over at Avery. She was in the bouncer, jumping her little heart out. She was alternating between blowing rasberries and "talking" to herself as she jumped, while periodically smiling every time she checked to make sure I was still there. I thought to myself "Wow, if only I could get my brain on the same level as hers right now, where the only thing running through it is to blow a rasberry, or not to blow a rasberry, and make sure my mommy is still here". </div><br />
I think that's why our memories don't go back all the way to infancy...if we could remember how easy we had it at 6 months, who would ever want to grow up?<br />
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Look at this child, and tell me you don't want to be her for 5 minutes!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7fzpqGeomPOpUO_RYfwK0sf4D6X1mnQ1SgIlAoFdkfww5ggw26791OMfmbntgj2SaCF_Cby2mgSyEUz91wQE1F84AJgvagPS2MX2n6_YQfnWqGwACJsQb_YAAFvkp0hlJjb5kkUnALAL/s1600/Twins+2383+%252820%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD7fzpqGeomPOpUO_RYfwK0sf4D6X1mnQ1SgIlAoFdkfww5ggw26791OMfmbntgj2SaCF_Cby2mgSyEUz91wQE1F84AJgvagPS2MX2n6_YQfnWqGwACJsQb_YAAFvkp0hlJjb5kkUnALAL/s320/Twins+2383+%252820%2529.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-705708667658103780.post-17058557515876427122011-04-01T14:39:00.000-07:002011-04-01T14:39:18.164-07:00Time on my hands!Not a day goes by that I don't tell myself to write something down...a funny moment, a milestone, a breakthrough...but "later" is always my answer.<br />
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Well, now that I've got an excess of time of my hands all of a sudden, I'm going to start taking my own advice and writing these things down. <br />
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I mean, I've already neglected to write about:<br />
First smiles<br />
First laughs<br />
First food<br />
First rolling over<br />
First sitting up<br />
First....well, you probably get the picture! My memory, at the ripe old age of 31, isn't what it used to be, and if I don't start now, I'm going to forget every exhausting moment my babies are putting me through :)<br />
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I thought about writing an epic post - everything I can remember up until now - and quickly decided against it. How about just the basics?<br />
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My twins arrived on September 20th, 2010, at 1:27 a.m. and 2:04 a.m. <br />
Avery Rose is my Baby A, my little one, who started out her life at 5 lb 8 oz.<br />
Lauren Grace is my Baby B, my big one, who started out her life at 6 lb 0 oz.<br />
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Avery, named by her daddy, has so far proven to be very much a daddy's girl...from taking after his looks, size, even temperment as far as we can tell.<br />
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Lauren, named by me, has so far proven to be my little mini-me, right down to the red hair!<br />
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It is fascinating to watch them develop...they've done nothing at the same time or pace. Each has been "first" at something (Lauren was our first smiler, Avery the first laugher; Lauren was the first sitter, Avery was the first roller...you get the idea!). It is a nature vs. nurture experiment, taking place right before my very eyes, and I can't get enough!<br />
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Fast forward to today, the girls are 6 and a half months. They sit, scoot, eat, and drool. Lauren has 2 teeth, Avery has 0. They are full of personality, and I wake up every day wondering how they will amaze me today. <br />
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I'm excited to start capturing these moments and saving them for a rainy day, and hopefully the girls will enjoy looking back at this in 20 years and seeing their first months through my eyes. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-HkiKS54ULGgtR5sI6b2jYdn6D1YrkfHNiKd8Hagp5FtacIOIcJtoqxWI0pgvTy0wNRRiI4n-avdGzcZTgRz4tfEjEiSRoCqARcsjV5IPoRExIh8igOuR843p2cQBOsbSgbMbOS4QSmd/s1600/Twins+2377+%252838%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg-HkiKS54ULGgtR5sI6b2jYdn6D1YrkfHNiKd8Hagp5FtacIOIcJtoqxWI0pgvTy0wNRRiI4n-avdGzcZTgRz4tfEjEiSRoCqARcsjV5IPoRExIh8igOuR843p2cQBOsbSgbMbOS4QSmd/s320/Twins+2377+%252838%2529.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>twinssquaredhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11513158296633639523noreply@blogger.com2