1 Year

Yes, I know that I'm late with this post. August was a very eventful month and the girls didn't have their well baby appointment until the 19th. They were running behind so we were at the pedi's for a tortuous 2 hours. That is way too long for 1 year olds who missed their morning nap because of the appointment. Fortunately, my brother was in town and went with me since Jeff and mom weren't able to. I wouldn't have survived it without him.

The monkeys are still rocking the charts for their verbal skills. Their fine motor and social skills are right up there too. They are still behind on their gross motor skills. We are working on them though. The pedi did put a referral in for physical therapy and said we could pursue it in a couple of months if we needed to. I don't think it will be necessary as the girls are making progress. Caitlin's weight is still at the bottom of the chart, but the pedi isn't concerned yet. Overall the monkeys are doing very well. Here are their stats:

Caitlin

Weight: 17lbs 11oz - 4%

at birth: 4lbs 3oz

Height: 29 1/4" - 48%

at birth: 17"

Isabella

Weight: 19lbs 2oz - 15%

at birth: 5lbs

Height: 30 1/4" - 79%

at birth 17 1/4"

Here are a couple of pics of the monkeys with Sean right before he went home.

Growing Pains

The monkeys have had a rough couple of weeks. I was at the hospital as much as I could be after my mom's surgery. The girls are not at all used to me being gone that much. Needless to say it brought out a lot of separation anxiety for them. Add in their beloved grandma who can't pick them up and their 12 month shots last week and you get two weeks with a whole lot of screaming. Way too much screaming! By Tuesday I wasn't sure if I was going to survive another day without loosing my mind.

The last couple of days have been much, much better. My happy babies returned! The nights have still been kind of rough. Last night the monkeys were up and screaming for 3 hours in the middle of the night. There wasn't anything wrong with them, they just wanted me to hold them. I know they love me and I am eternally grateful for the wonderful blessing they are. There are brief moments though when I wish they needed me just a little bit less. Then I look at those adorable faces smiling at me and I remember how good it feels to be needed so much!

I have been swamped this week, so I don't really have any new photos. Here are some vintage ones instead.

I need to childproof my car seats.

We switched the monkeys to convertible car seats a couple of months ago. Isabella figured out how to get out of the chest straps today. She was able to work the chest buckle down until it was low enough to get her arms out. I think (hope!) she is a long way from figuring out the bottom buckle. I am afraid though that if she can get her arms out then she can get the bottom part of the strap loose enough to get her legs out. Now I have to figure out how to childproof my car seats. :( This is such a bad thing! What am I going to do next year if she is already trying to get out now? I plan on keeping them rear facing as long as I possibly can. Now I am afraid that I am going to be driving down the highway one day and will see her head pop up over the seat.

I told you she likes you!

My brother came in last week for my mom's surgery and has been staying with us to help out. The helping out part hasn't gone as well as he would have liked because the monkeys haven't wanted him to hold them. Isabella has gone back and forth between crying and being happy around him. Most of the time when he tries to pick up Caitlin she starts screaming. He keeps saying that he thinks she hates him. I keep telling him that she doesn't hate him, she has just been off this week because of me being gone so much over the weekend. So tonight Sean picked up Caitlin and she let him hold her for awhile. She even liked it. See Sean, I told you she doesn't hate you!

I am not smarter than Cheerios.

Yesterday I put the monkeys on their play mat and gave each of them a small bowl with some cheerios. I thought it would keep them out of trouble and give me a few minutes to get dressed. I walked out of the room and came back to find the cereal all over the floor.

Ok, no problem. I picked them up and put them back in the bowls. Being the bad, not afraid of a few germs mommy that I am, I gave the bowls back to the girls. I turn away for a second and both girls start shaking the bowls like rattles and the cereal goes all over the floor again.

Ugh! Once again I picked the cereal up.

This is where I should have shown that I was smarter than the Cheerios and not given the bowls back to the monkeys. Nope, I was tired and apparently my neurons were a bit slow waking up. I handed Caitlin her bowl, she looked at me with a smile and promptly flung the bowl back to the floor.

Obviously, it was time for me to throw in the towel and go back to sleep.

Answered Prayers!

All of our prayers over the last week have been answered. My mom is home today and is doing marvelously well. No paralysis, most likely no cancer. Almost all feeling has returned to her feet and legs. We could not have asked for a better outcome. Now she just has to figure out how she is going to make it through the next month without being able to pick up the monkeys. So far it is just as hard on them as it is on her. They don't understand why grandma won't pick them up or play with them. Hopefully this next month will pass without too much trauma for them.

Prayers for my mom.

Today is going to be a big day for my family. Please send any thoughts and prayers you can spare to my mom. She is having a long and scary surgery that will have a significant impact on her quality of life. We have faith that all will be well, but it is impossible to not be very worried.

Silent Observer

Our first family photo.

The monkeys on their birth day.

So small! So perfect! So loved!

One night last week I went in to check on the monkeys like I do every night before I go to sleep. It was late and I was exhausted. The floor squeaked and Isabella sat up. I froze in place hoping that she would lay back down without seeing me. She looked around and crawled over toward me. I had a moment of panic thinking I had woken her up and would have to give her a bottle to get her back to sleep. It wasn't me she wanted though.

When she reached Caitlin she stopped and started grabbing at Caitlin's face. I had another moment of panic thinking I was going to be feeding two babies in the middle of the night. Caitlin barely stirred though. Isabella grabbed at Caitlin a couple of more times then she laid back down. I waited a moment for her to go back to sleep. Instead she sat up again and searched around on the mattress in front of Caitlin. Not finding what she wanted, she grabbed at Caitlin once more. This time she was able to get to Caitlin's mouth and found the object of her desire. With a swift tug, she removed Caitlin's paci, placed it in her own mouth and promptly drifted off to sleep once again.

I crept back to my own bed with a smile and the joy of seeing first hand how much my babies have bonded during their first year.

Pool Time!

The monkeys had a another pool play date with their friend Leo. Here are a few pictures of them enjoying their pool time.

So Caitlin, if you help me fill this bucket I won't pour it on you. Sound like a deal?

I am such a cute deal maker!

Why is everyone sitting so far away from me? Does my hat look goofy or something?

If I turn away from them, they won't see me filling this with water. Then I can spray them when they least expect it!

Our mommy won't put enough water in this pool for us to do a cannonball. Will you pour some water on us so we can stay cool? We really want a diving board on our next pool!

Happy 1st Birthday!

Today was the monkeys first birthday! Happy Birthday girls! We had a wonderful day filled with family and friends. Here is a little photo summary of the day.

Patiently waiting for our guests to eat so we can have cake.

Getting closer to cake. We can't wait for our first taste of sugar!

Our personalized smash cakes.

Do you think mommy will notice if I wipe my hand on her pants?

Can I have a birthday cake everyday?

The aftermath.

I can't wait to play with the spider legs.

This butterfly rocks! Whee!

Caitlin

Isabella

I bet I can put this toy to good use.

Almost there.

I told you I could put it to good use!