Thursday, April 03, 2008

19 Months



It might seem like the last two weeks have been nothing but birthday celebrations. But, we've been busy keeping up with the twins as well.
On Easter, we took them to the park. Charlie was intimidated by the wobbly bridge, but mastered it by the end of the playdate.



We were amazed at what pros the twins were with the slide.

We took the twins in for their 19 month appointments. Charlie is back on the charts - yea! At 21.06 pounds (2%) and 31.5 inches (20%), we are making progress (compared to 1% & 17% at 15 months). Greta was 22.88 pounds (24%) and 31.3 inches (31%) which is consistent with her prior measurements. We saw Nick's baby book tonight. At 18 months, he was 35 inches and 26 pounds. So, while the kids may look like Nick, there is a chance I am their biological mother.

It's hard to keep track of their milestones when we are doing our best just keeping up with the kids. They constantly amaze us at what they learn & know how to do. On the way home tonight, I was jumping through radio stations when we came to "I will survive" - I saw Charlie start clapping his hands to the beat & Greta started bobbing her head. I have disco babies. Their teacher showed me how they learned to "tap dance." She asks Greta where her feet go & she starts shuffle her feet & swaying side to side (Charlie just stared at her).

Their routines:
The day starts with Greta letting us know they are awake. We come into the room to be greeted by a cheerful Greta. If she were older, she would tell us she had already been for a 3 mile run. Charlie is more like Ella. He is curled up in a little ball pretending to be asleep. When I try to get him out of the crib, he rolls away. When we take Greta out of the crib & put her to the ground, she is off & running. Charlie curls up on the floor.

At breakfast time, Greta runs into the kitchen & climbs into her highchair. She has undoubtedly clipped the restraints on both chairs, so I undo them & buckle the kids in. They love life cereal, milk, waffles, milk & milk. Greta will also eat nutrigrain bars (so long as it stays in the wrapper).

For lunch, they will eat most meats, a good selection of fruit & veggies, ravioli (cold, only the gerber brand), yogurt, applesauce, cottage cheese & milk.

They have started doing "chores" around the house. They will 'help' with toy clean up, feed Hogan (he loves it - Greta takes 18 trips to the food bowl & drops it all over the floor) and put their dirty clothes in the hamper.

Charlie is focused on cars, trains, trucks, etc., brooms & he still loves books. Greta likes dolls (though not as much as Ella did) & loves cell phones. She has great dexterity & loves playing with containers that screw on & off, buckles, etc.

Greta has a great vocabulary. Though we are probably the only ones who can understand her, she will talk in mini sentences. She likes to baby Charlie. Yesterday, I saw her take his pacifier out & when he started crying, she hugged him & stuck his milk cup in his mouth. Perhaps she thinks tough love is the way to break his paci habit.

Charlie is harder to understand. He's usually happy to let Greta take care of them both, but he has his moments when he chimes in. He is a hilarious dancer. They both know their animal noises and they can both open the doors to the rooms at home.

They have really been thriving at preschool. Greta knows the names of the kids at the school & has a special affinity for the director. Charlie is happy to start playing when I drop him off & runs right for his coat when we pick him up (unlike Greta who showers us in hugs first). They said Charlie refuses to go outside without his coat. They both fight over who gets to carry the key & their lunchbox at school. I think this fall, we will have to get them their own boxes to carry.

It's been great fun to watch them develop & grow. We are hoping to take them all swimming this weekend. It will be Charlie & Greta's first time in the pool since August.

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