What We Say

I have been practicing Narrative Elaboration with the kids for as long as I can remember. Knowing how imperative early meaningful discourse is for babies and toddlers to their cognitive development (especially non-present discourse) it has been important to us that we foster these skills early on.

Interestingly, both kids seem to enjoy non-present discourse the most out of the types of communication we carry out throughout a typical day. Since the first three years of life is the most intensive period for acquiring speech and language skills, we had to make the most of the time we had. And did we ever!

Each night, as I tuck little Pea into bed, I lie face to face with him while he recounts the day (with my help). We start with what we had for breakfast then move through the day's events chronologically (an example of non-present discourse). At the end, he tells me what part of the day was his favourite. Lately, and in keeping with the next stage of communication, he makes sure to ask me to tell him what part of the day was my favourite. This exchange of communication, the taking on of my perspective, is indicative of another key milestone in his own language development.

One of the most important language processing tips I learned was from teaching. I once read an almost unbelievable statistic that the time between a question posed by a teacher and the selection of a student to answer that question was a mere 9/10 of a SECOND. Crazy! Since that time, I made a conscious effort to count to 10 before selecting a student to answer a question. Interestingly, the longer I gave the students to think about an answer, the more hands went up to respond. We all need time to process. Some of us need a little longer. So, in keeping with this tactic, I try to give the twins a lot of time to process a question before answering it for them or giving them a consequence for not adjusting behaviour accordingly.

The science of language is fascinating to me and it is staggering to imagine all those neurons firing off in the twins' brains day in and day out. I love this age of emergent reading and language development. It makes me so happy!

Last Day Of Nursery School

Since February, the twins have been attending nursery school on Mondays and Wednesday for a couple of hours each day and today marked the kids' last day.  Over the past few weeks, I scoured the web looking for ideas for teachers' gifts (you'd think I'd have a handle on this given my profession) and decided to make some yummy vegan fare for each of their four teachers.  Two teachers received vegan oatmeal chocolate chip cookies (see yesterday's post for pictures) and the other two teachers received vegan chocolate zucchini loaves.  I ran with M3's idea for the gift, so THANKS!

Vegan Chocolate Zucchini Loaves

Our card read, "We 'loafed' being in your class!"

The cookie card read, "Thank you for making us smart 'cookies'!"

These four women are the BEST!

From left to right: Miss Cindy, Miss Joy, Miss Susan, and Miss Holly.

Swimming Pool Fun

The twins have come a long way...I mean, a LONG way since that first sad foray into swimming at just 5 months of age.  Now, not only do they love to swim, but their passion for the water is so strong that J. and I both knew a pool for the backyard was needed in order to keep them happy through the summer.
It's not a large pool (just 12 feet in diameter and only about 30 inches tall) but the kids have been having a blast in it and that is all that matters. We were in the pool this afternoon when I told J. that I thought Pea would be swimming under water within weeks. Just minutes after, Pea decided he wanted to dive for Chick's goggles.  Once he started, there was no stopping him.  Cute li'l bug.

Height Chart

I am aware that there are some pretty fancy-schmancy height charts for sale out there, but nothing is as sentimental to us as this "height chart" we have been keeping in the play room.

Every month or so, we measure the kids on this beam (the one that holds up the house, interestingly enough) and it is always SO fun to see how much they have grown. This particular side shows how much Chick has grown and the other side shows Pea's growth.  Currently, at almost 34 months, Chick is measuring 37 inches and Pea is measuring 36 inches.  I imagine that these markings will stay here until long after the kids have moved out. I also imagine that I will come down here often to run my fingers along the length of the markings reminiscing about their childhood.

Montessori

It is a well-known fact that my goal was to stay home with our children until they were old enough to be enrolled in JK (which meant staying home until September of 2013).  However, when I applied for a third leave of absence, my employer denied it stating that there were too many people waiting in line for my job (true) and that the was a precedence set in the board to only allow two years LOA for any employee.  I didn't like this, but I accepted it after some time.

I gave the twins three full years of being home with me, learning from me, receiving valuable skills and security from me (not to mention all the love, cuddles, hugs and kisses I could give them) and I feel pretty good about where they are in their development.  They are ready, even if I am not, to enter the world of school.

We did some research into the possible care facilities in our area (three that were recommended to us, at least) and tried to keep an open mind with all of them.

The first was a daycare facility just down the road from the high school where I teach.  A few of my current colleagues have their children there and they each raved about how much their children enjoyed it.  I made an appointment to tour the facility and was somewhat disappointed in both the staff and in the facility itself.  Sure there would be catered lunches and I wouldn't have to worry about preparing lunch for the kids, but the room in which they would be all day was small, the windows were above their heads and a college student was singing songs with the toddler group when we visited.  It just didn't seem to "fit" the twins' personalities.

The second was a convent my parents wanted me to check out.  My parents work closely with this particular church and raved about the daycare the nuns ran.  So, my mom and I (and the twins) dropped in one day to see what this care facility was like. As warm and caring as the nuns were, I was disappointed to see that the toddler group was sitting on the floor watching a movie.  The baby group (18-24 month old children) were in a room playing on their own while a nun washed the floor.  The room in which the twins would be all day was bright, but small and had very simple toys.  Again, not a good fit for our kids.

The last option was a Montessori School close to J.'s work and less than a 5 minute drive from our home.  Truthfully, I didn't think we would be able to afford Montessori, but the price difference between the first option and Montessori was a measly $10 a month.  I was shocked.  When the teachers at the Montessori School showed us the activities in which the kids would be engaged, I immediately knew that they would love it there.  The school's activities were very much in tune with those that I have been doing with the kids here at home.  The room was bright, large, full of floor to ceiling windows, and had interesting (and bilingual - which is very important to us) activities and posters around.  The play yard was beautifully landscaped and the toys were engaging as well.  We were shown the gymnasium on the upper level and it was HUGE. The twins didn't want to leave when our tour was over and this spoke volumes relevant to their comfort.  It was a no-brainer as it was the only place I visited in which I felt the kids would be happy and challenged (not to mention cared for in the best possible way).  Lunch is not provided (they serve a hot lunch twice a week for a small fee) but I was happy about this because of the nature of our kids' diets.  I would be able to provide them the proper nutrition I know they need and wouldn't worry about them being served processed junk.

So, come Fall, I will be back to teaching full time and the kids will be in school from 9am until 3:30pm every day.  They will be three years old by then and more than ready to start a new chapter in their lives.  Not sure if I feel the same about me.

Changes

We've been immersed in potty training Pea these last two weeks and things have gone very well.  The only setback we encountered was when we'd put him in underwear.  Thinking it was a diaper, he thought he could use it as such.  It took a few days of consistency for him to finally comprehend what the underwear was for, but we think he's finally got it.  We've been accident-free for three days and counting!  This morning, he woke up with a completely dry diaper, to boot.  What a boy!

Chick has been completely soother-free for almost two weeks. She used to only get it for naps and at bedtime and then once she was asleep, we'd take it away from her. Now, using the cold-turkey method, she no longer gets it at all.  She is struggling with getting to sleep as a result, but we will persevere. She gets up and out of her bed several times at nap and bedtime and this is causing frustration on all of our parts.

Due to Pea's sleep issues, I always, always rocked him to sleep for naps and at bedtime.  When we decided to take away Chick's soothers we also made the decision to no longer rock Pea to sleep.  Oh, man.  It took three days of Pea bawling in his bed and screaming for me for over 45 minutes, but finally he figured out how to get to sleep on his own and stay asleep.  He is currently chatting away in his bed while he tries to soothe himself to sleep.  No more tears.  His only request now is that I keep the door open.  No problem, my love.

So, a lot of changes are happening around these parts.  None of them easy, but all will be worth it in the end. 

Two Year Molars

Chick and Pea will be 28 months old on December 16th and I have been anticipating their two year molars since long before their second birthday.  Pea began teething at around 5 months of age, so I suspected he would get his two year molars early, but that was not the case.  I kept waiting and waiting and wondering what to expect when those difficult teeth finally made their appearance.
Last week was challenging, to put it mildly.  Pea, my typically calm and collected boy, was difficult to please, was whiny, territorial and aggressive.  Very unlike himself. Presuming teething issues, I gave him ibuprofen periodically, but it didn't seem to help that much.
Sure enough, tonight as I was brushing his teeth before bedtime, I rooted around inside his mouth and felt the bud of a new molar.  On this right side, his gums were very swollen.  Poor sweetheart. 
Earlier today, as J. and Chick were at gymnastics, Pea and I played in Toys R Us.  He found a little plush horsey and walked the store with it the entire time we were there.  Since I rarely buy anything new for the kids, I decided to use some gift cards we had to purchase this little horsey for Pea and a little lamb for Chick (she LOVES singing Mary Had a Little Lamb).  It has barely left his side today and, as he drifted off to sleep tonight, he held it close to him still. If only all of his future life's struggles could be appeased with a plush toy.

First Dentist Visit

One of my regularly scheduled cleanings was coming up and I thought it might be time for the kids to get to know the dentist's office in order to foster a positive attitude toward the health of their own teeth. So, I contacted the office and asked if Chick and Pea could have a visit as well.
J. and I don't do a lot of preparing the kids relevant to what to expect. I know that other parents read stories about dentists and talk about what might happen beforehand, but it's not something we do. The one time we actually took the time to prepare the kids for what was coming, we got this. So, for Chick and Pea's transition to big beds, for Pea's first haircut and for today's dentist visit, we kind of simply threw them in. It seems to work well for Chick and Pea to not have a lot of prior knowledge of what's to come. The hygienist and dentist both commented on how well the kids did and not a tear was shed.

Someone tried to make a break for it before his appointment.

Someone else donned a scowl thinking she'd scare away the hygienist.

Chick was first in the big chair.  She was hesitant to open her mouth, but after the hygienist gave her the dental mirror to hold, she was keen to be a good patient.

Pea, always eager to please, complied with the dentist's wishes and received a Diego Toothbrush as a reward.  

It's good to know that the kids' teeth are coming along nicely and that we are doing a good job with brushing. Our biggest challenge in the next little while is to wean Miss Chick off of her bedtime soother. We are open to suggestions for Chick and welcome wine for the adults to get through it.

First Haircut

Pea's stylist, Laura (a very sweet girl from Manchester, England) did a fantastic job with his first haircut. Though we didn't talk to him about what was going to happen beforehand, he was an amazing little client and all the stylists remarked how wonderfully behaved he was (and Chick too as she was patiently waiting in the big, comfy chairs). There was no crying, whining or squirming. He sat stoically and waited sweetly for his curls to be lopped off. I'm hoping those curls aren't gone for good.

Of First Pillows

I've made no secret here of Chick's sleeping prowess. She is such an incredible sleeper that we are often reluctant to make any changes to her bed time routine lest we disrupt the one child who guarantees us consecutive hours of uninterrupted sleep.
Tonight, though, we threw caution to the wind and decided to introduce Chick to her very first real pillow.  It was quite last minute and something to which we really didn't give a lot of thought, but the reaction we received from Chick is one that will stay with me forever.
Pea had already gone to sleep and J. and I were reading to Chick in her room.  At the end of the story there is a picture of a little girl asleep in a bed and she happens to have a pillow. J. and I were playing iSpy with the pictures on the pages and we spied the little girl with the pillow.  I asked Chick if she would like her very own pillow, too.  The look on her face - like, "You mean, I can have a REAL pillow?" was so sweet.  I left her room, grabbed one of our guest pillows, found a pink pillowcase then re-entered her room with the "new" pillow in hand.  Her eyes lit up with excitement and soon she was throwing off all of her loveys to make room for her brand new pillow.  So cute.  I love, love, love, experiencing all of these new facets of life with our children. Especially those experiences we tend to take for granted. 

Our sweet Chick with her new pink pillow. Perhaps someday she will actually use the pillow to support her head.

Just Like That

One morning, just over a week ago, the twins were playing in the great room seemingly oblivious to the potty chairs sitting nearby.  I casually said to Chick, "If you pee or poop in the potty, I will give you a cookie."

She walked over to the potty chair and pooped.  

Just. Like. That. 

Likely a fluke, we knew we wouldn't see any sort of consistency for a long while.  Just in case, though, I thought it wise to make a Potty Treat Jar for some tangible reinforcement.  We knew we would play up the happy dances, the high fives, the hugs and praise, but that the tangible aspect of the treats would help reinforce the expectation.  I got my craft on and made this:

We continued to diaper the twins as we normally did with our typical "naked times" through the day.  Reminding Chick and Pea often to use the potty was key, I think.  By the weekend, Chick was asking us to take off her diaper so that she could use the potty.  At that point, we knew there was no stopping her.

We have ventured out to several places sans diapers and she has been spectacular with no accidents.  She only wears a diaper at night and that's because she is not physiologically capable of holding her bladder for the 13 hours she sleeps every night.  However, she so adamantly fights diapering now that we have to put her to bed in panties, then sneak up to change her into a diaper once she is asleep.  Little monkey.

I am very proud to say that we have, on our hands, one fully day-trained little girl.  I never, in a million years, thought we'd have one child trained a month before her second birthday. Then again, I'm writing about our determined, stubborn, and perseverant little Chick. Once she sets her mind on something, there's no stopping her.  She reminds me of someone....

Congratulations, my sweet, beautiful, clever Chick.

Side Note:  Pea has decided that he prefers the safety and comfort of diapers for now and we are just fine with that.  He'll do just as well as Chick when he's ready.  His time will come. 

Teeth

I'm not a fan of teeth at the moment. Sure, they are lovely and filled with the pearly goodness of calcium, but they are buggers too.

Pea has a full mouth of teeth. He's got 'em all except for his two-year molars and has had a mouth full of teeth for a long while. In the very beginning, he was a little fussy when teething, but I don't recall there being a lot of pain.

Chick on the other hand...

As of a few days ago, she had only 9 teeth. I know this because I routinely swipe her gums for any signs of developing buds and there was nothing there on Friday. This morning, she woke up crying (she always wakes up happy and chatty) and had a fever of 102.5F. She was fussy yesterday and I suspected that she was teething, but today was more telltale. Sure enough, a swipe of my finger along her gums revealed her two upper molars had broken through (barely). What a day.

Chick is a fairly...uh...emotional girl to begin with, but that coupled with the pain of molars breaking through her toughened gums made the day difficult for her and for her family. Poor Pea didn't know what to do with her today and no matter how many times he hugged and kissed her, she pushed him away and rejected his efforts. Then, he became sad. It was an all around sad kind of day.

At 5:00pm, J. gave me the two hour count down to bed time.  This is a rare thing in our household.  Many days, we don't get the kids to bed on time because we are happily cuddling on the couch and don't want the day to end.  Today, however, we were happy to see our little Chick in her crib sound asleep.  When she sleeps, she is not in pain.

Stupid teeth.

Let's hope that she is over the worst of it.

Vaccinations and Superheroes

The twins had their very last set of vaccinations (for at least 5 years, anyway) at their wellness check up yesterday. Chick cried for less than 10 seconds and Pea only whimpered a little after the first shot and barely noticed the second. The first was intramuscular and the second was just under the skin. They are troopers, for sure.

19 Month Stats (they will be 19 months old tomorrow):

Pea

Height:  31.5 inches / 80 cm

Height Percentile:  19th (he's just wee)

Weight:  27.8lbs / 12.6kg

Weight Percentile: 71st (solid as a rock, this boy)

Chick:

Height:  31.5 inches / 80 cm

Height Percentile:  36th (teeny girl)

Weight:  25lbs / 11.4kg

Weight Percentile: 57th (she eats everything and anything we give her, but never stops moving)

While Chick fared well through the night (no surprise there) Pea was a different story.  He was up with a fever and a rash and only really fell into a good sleep in the wee hours of the morning.  I think my head hit the pillow for good at 4:00am or so.  Chick was up at 7:00am, though and ready to face the day.  Sigh.

Both are feeling well this morning and were ready for their daily lessons in colours, letters, and numbers.  Superheroes are not super without education.

And Now It's December

• Tanya came to visit last weekend.  Then, she had the audacity to leave.  Something about "I have a family to get back to." Blah, Blah, Blah.  I miss her like crazy.  

• We put up a small, four foot Christmas tree on the weekend just to see how the twins would react.  We fervently worked on "gentle" all the while.  Last night, the big tree went up.  Today has been an exercise in futility patience as I redirect the twins away from the ornaments every five seconds.

• Big, fluffy snowflakes are gently falling to the ground at this very second.  The trees are lit, candles are burning, soup is in the slow cooker, I am sipping tea and the twins are napping (well, I can still hear Chick chattering away in her crib).   

• Before I brought the twins up to bed, we put on our snowsuits and went out to play in the flakes.  They weren't sure what to make of the whole thing.

• I just went to check on Chick (who was still chattering in her crib after 30 minutes) and she was STRADDLING her crib.  I guess it's time to put the mattress on the lowest level.  

• Over the weekend, the Holiday Train rolled through our town. We bundled up the kids and traveled the two minutes down the road to see Santa leap out from one of the cars.  It was beautiful, but too crowded for us.  Additionally, a lot of people (A LOT) lit up cigarettes in the crowd of kids.  Listen, it's your choice to smoke, but it's not MY choice, nor my kids' choice to inhale it. 

• These candles make me happy.  There are five and on each one is a word that is illuminated when lit.  The words are: Love, Cherish, Joy, Peace, and Hope. 

The twins discovering the Christmas tree this morning upon waking.

• Lastly, here is a video for the family.  My parents will be so happy.  It's long.  It contains exponential levels of cuteness.  You've been warned.

Compilation of Cuteness from Two Kayaks on Vimeo.

15 Month Check Up

Pea's Stats:

Weight: 26lbs 9oz (79th percentile)
Height: 31 inches (41st percentile)

Chick's Stats:

Weight: 24lbs 12oz (68th percentile)
Height: 31 inches (63rd percentile)


Immunizations: Chicken Pox and Pneumococcal Conjugate (vaccine against bacterial meningitis).

Pea's Crying Time: Less than 20 seconds.
Chick's Crying Time: What time is it now?

The pediatrician complimented the twins on their receptive language development (music to this teacher's ears). 

Verdict: Two healthy and happy babies.

First Santa Claus Parade

I'll give you $100 if you can find Pea.

This pony stopped to bow to Chick.  It was so sweet!

I'm not completely sure, but I think this horse was trying to hit on me.

So what if going to the parade ruined our nap schedule and turned Chick into the nasty version of the Grinch.  It was worth it.

15 Months

Chick and Pea at 15 months (remniscent of this photo and these photos).

Dear Pea,

This month, you scared us something fierce. When we learned of Breath Holding Spells, we were nervous for what it might mean for you in the long run. Thankfully, you have not had an episode since and we are hopeful that the events of the past month are behind us.

You continue to be our thoughtful, sensitive, cuddly boy and we love how much you need from us in terms of touch.  Whether you are playing with a toy or eating grapes you like to have one hand on someone you love (Daddy, Chick, Mama, Gramma or Grampa) while doing so.  We are all grateful for the random hugs and kisses you give, but Chick worries that those kisses may turn into bites.

You have bitten your sister a few times this past month and they have each been quite painful to see.  Each has left a welt on her that quickly turns into vibrant shades of purple.  Your biting continues to be a result of over excitement and not something malicious that you do out of jealously or frustration...yet.  We are constantly searching for ways to teach you that it is not okay. 

You are a quiet boy who doesn't get frustrated easily and who has a high tolerance for pain.  That said, when you do get hurt or frustrated beyond your tolerance level, the whole neighbourhood knows.  You, my love, are LOUD.  Thankfully, you are very easily consoled; by me.  You continue to show a preference for me as your personal soother.  As long as I'm around, you will calm down quickly.  If I'm not around, it's a whole other story.  We're working on it.

You have a total of 13 teeth at this point:  two upper and lower central incisors, two upper and lower lateral incisors, two upper and lower molars and one lower canine emerged last week.  No wonder you are biting!

Sleep is still an issue, but we are dealing with it in a myriad of ways.  We have switched you from dairy to almond milk and have cut out most dairy from your diet (cheese is still around as is the occasional yogurt early in the day).  You sleep from 7:00pm until between 2 - 4 am in your crib and then I take you into our bed when you wake screaming.  You then sleep soundly until 7:00-7:30am.  We are lucky to get a two hour nap from you during the day.

You understand so much more than you can verbalize.  I can ask you to bring your milk sippy to me and you will go look for it then walk over to me with it in your hands.  I can ask you to close a cupboard door and you will walk over to it and shut it.  I can ask you to give your sister a hug and a kiss and you do both with love.

As for your vocabulary, it is growing.  To date these are the words I can think of that you say (not perfectly, of course) with enthusiasm:

• cat (ca)
• hi
• dada
• mama
• cracker (kacka)
• car (caw)
• banana (nah-na)
• Elmo
• more (mow)
• no
• moo
• cow (caw)
• meow (ma)
• quack (kak)
• nap (map)
• truck (chuk)
• chair (cheh)
• shoes (shz)
• park (pawk)
• more milk
• milk (miowk)
• cheers (chiz)
• Hannah (ah-nah)
• dirty (diteh)

Your appetite seems to have grown this month and you are showing more preferences for certain foods.  Grapes are a huge hit, though watermelon is still your favorite fruit.  Too bad they are now out of season.  Scrambled eggs with cheddar cheese is another hit with you and you love it when I make that for lunch.  You are definitely a sauce boy as you love plum sauce and ketchup.  You delicately dip your index finger in the puddle of sauce and suck on it as though you'll never eat again.  Super cute.
Your father and I were so happy when you finally decided that PB&J was a yummy food in concert.  You especially like it when I buy small pita pockets and fill them with PB&J.

Your favorite toy right now is pretty much anything that Chick is playing with.  Other than that, you really like to push things around.

 

Happy 15 months, my love!

Dear Chick,

You are asserting your independence more and more and Daddy and I continue to be both proud of your accomplishments and scared to death of what it means for us when you are a teen.  I am constantly saying, "You are NOT the boss, Missy!  Mommy's the boss!" but you try to be the boss anyway.  "Try" is the operative word.  I would much rather have a daughter who is independent, strong and who knows what she wants than have a daughter who is easily imposed on.  Now, if only we could get you to stand up to your brother when he takes a toy away from you.

You have strategies for dealing with your brother's bullying and we can't help but marvel at your brilliance.  If Pea takes a toy from you that you are playing with, you will search for one of his favorites and pretend to play with it until he decides he wants that one instead.  When he takes that toy away, you go back to playing with the original toy you wanted in the first place.  Smart cookie, you are.

You still hold a preference for Daddy's lap over Mommy's lap except when you are hurt.  Then, you only want me.  This morning, you got your first fat lip at the play group and you held onto me so tightly until you felt safe enough to go back to playing.  It doesn't usually take long.

You are our olympic sleeper.  Always have been.  You go to bed at 7pm and sleep soundly until 7:30 - 8:00am.  You usually have a two hour nap during the day as well.

Like your brother, you understand much more than you can say.  You listen to and respond to instructions with ease and we now know when you are simply ignoring us.  You know that you have to bring your milk sippy to me when you are finished and are not to leave it on the floor.  You know to alert us to any danger by saying, "Eh Gow" really loud.  We're not sure what "Eh Gow" means, but it is definitely an alert.  You say it when you see a door open, when you see a ball stuck somewhere it's not supposed to be, and when you make a mess. 

Your vocabulary is growing every single day and you continue to amaze us with your new words.  So far, these are the words we've heard you say with purpose:

• cat (ca)
• hi
• dada
• mama
• cracker (kakaw)
• soother (sootha)
• apple (appa)
• car
• banana (na-nah)
• Elmo (Elma)
• no
• moo (ma)
• meow
• duck (uck)
• quack (ack)
• dog (da)
• nap
• truck (tah)
• chair (chah)
• shoes (zooz)
• park (pawk)
• Oh dear (Oh Do)

You have a total of 7 teeth thus far:  two upper and lower central incisors, two upper lateral incisors, and one lower lateral incisor emerged this week.  You are not as rabid a biter as your brother, but you do bite on occasion.  The recipient of your gnawing is usually Daddy.

Food is your friend.  I don't think that we have introduced a food that you haven't enjoyed.  You especially love Mommy's Red Lentil and Cauliflower Curry, Chicken Tetrazzini and Pasta with Garbonzo Beans.  As for fruit, you are much like your brother in that you love grapes and watermelon, but this month you developed an appetite for oranges too.

Your favorite toy right now is your doll stroller.  You LOVE to take your "baby" (my childhood Cabbage Patch Kid) for a walk around the house in the stroller and can play with it for a long, long time.  In fact, if it weren't for Pea stealing it from you, you would play with it all day.

Happy 15 months, sweet girl!

Chick signing "Thank You"

Chick's First Two Word Sentence

Since I say this phrase at least 100 times a day, I'm not surprised it was Chick's first two word sentence.

Pea said his first two word sentence last night, but we didn't get it on camera. Not surprisingly, it was "More milk". I hope to catch it on camera soon.

Oh Dear from Two Kayaks on Vimeo.

Just For Fun

I stopped taking the twins' pictures with their teddy bears a long while ago. If you've ever tried to get a toddler to sit still, let alone lie still for any length of time, you'll know why.
Today, I decided to try my luck at positioning the twins for a picture. I couldn't find Pea's bear, so I used Chick's bear for both shots.
The picture of the left of each shot was taken when Chick and Pea were two weeks old and the pictures on the right were taken today (just a few days shy of of being 15 months). Holy. Cow.

And just because...here are some other pictures from today.

Pea likes to alert us all of any danger he suspects.  This is our sign for danger (also "hot").

When Chick shows affection like this, I get all mushy-like.

Then this happens, and I come back to the reality that is our spirited Chick.

A Milestone For Us

Last year at this time Pea struggled so much with sleep and I, as a result, spent much of my time rocking him (standing up because he wouldn't let me sit) in his room and in the dark. I would open up his blinds to look outside while I was rocking him and would sometimes see my neighbor (a mom to two young kids) in her kitchen on her computer or in her living room watching TV. Okay, so after writing that, I know it sounds a little creepy, but it really wasn't anything other than a passing glance.
What I remember most is the feeling I had when I saw this.

It wasn't envy or jealousy.   It wasn't confusion or sadness.  It was more like wonder. 

I wondered when/if there would come a time when I could relax in the evenings instead of hustling to boil water, cool it, make six bottles for the night feedings, try to have something to eat for dinner, then rock Pea in his room when he was in the thick of horrible colic. There was no down time for us, no time to watch television, to decompress, and to wind down in preparation for the night and next day.
Recently it occurred to me that we are no longer those harried, sleep deprived parents of two newborns. After the babies went to sleep tonight at 7:00pm, J. and I went through the fall television schedule and set our PVR to record all the shows we've missed and all the ones we would like to start watching. We've both been sitting here on the couch since 7:15pm. Not one of us has moved and it is now 9:45pm. The next move will be up the stairs to bed. I will check on Chick first and will likely see her atop her blanket with her rump in the air (she will sleep soundly until 7:30am when she'll wake up quietly to play in her crib). I will then check on Pea who will likely have spun 180 degrees in his crib and will be clutching his "Blankie" with a white-knuckled grip (he will wake sometime between 4-5am when I will scoop him up and take him into bed with us where he will sleep soundly until 6:30am).

A far cry from where we were at this time last year.

If a new mom is watching us from her baby's window tonight, I would want her to know that these hard days and nights won't last forever.  I would wish that she wouldn't feel lonely at 3:00am looking out at dark houses and quiet streets.  I would tell her not to doubt her ability to soothe her baby and to stop reading all those "helpful" theories about how to get a child to sleep through the night (if it were so easy, there wouldn't be a million books on the subject).

Mostly, though, I would tell her to breathe in deeply the scent of her little one.  As much as those first few months wore us down, I never took for granted the time spent in that dark room with Pea.  The feeling of his warm, rhythmic breath on my neck and his warm body against mine was not lost amid the fatigue and doubt.

It's another feeling I won't ever forget.  And, between you and me, it totally trumps that feeling of wonder I had.