Our Kids

Both of the girls read their first books! It is very exciting:) They have memorized books and can “read” them but this was a book that they read in front of their little reading class (of about 6 kids) and it was a book they had not read. It is so cool and exciting to see them figuring out that they can do things, it is like the world is opening up for them. So cool.

I have been accused by well meaning folk that I did not or do not socialize the girls enough. I have talked with our parenting counselor about this and she feels it is just a twin thing and when the girls are ready to socialize outside themselves they will. They take a lot of classes (without me) and we do playdates so I am okay with it all.

The other morning I was heading out the gym and Jason had to work so I decided to take the big girls to the gym play center. It was early so I though it would be ok, Piper wanted to go, Lela did not and Piper did not want to go if Lela would not go. So I decided they both should go.

There were only about 5 kids there when I got there and they seemed interested in going in but not excited. I came back 1.5 hours later and found them standing next to each other right where I left them. The teachers said they would not go anywhere and would not talk to them. Not only that some shithead of a kid came up to Piper and wiped his boogers down her. He must have had a buttload of boogers because her shirt and pants had tons of dried mucous on them. It was DISGUSTING and she was some upset about it.

I know some would march them right back to the gym to get more “socialization” but I think we are going to pass!

Piper went in for her second biopsy today. She did really well but it is so hard to come around to the recovery room and see your little peanut on that big bed with an IV and oxygen mask on. It really makes you grateful that it is only a biopsy and not something more.

She is resting right now and probably will be for a while but the surgery went well. The doctor thinks she got all the cells that were causing the pigmentation and she is pretty sure it is not a melanoma. So if the finger returns to normal and we confirm it is not melanoma that would be awesome, stay tuned we won’t know for a week or more.

Landis is a monkey for real! She can no longer be contained. After spending nearly 14 months in some type of carrier (from the moby to the babyhawk to the ergo) she finally revolted. It has been two months now and with her new found freedom she is determined to walk by herself everywhere. She climbs out of every highchair, seat belt, shopping cart and doesn’t think twice about the giant fall that is heading her way.

I spent one morning this week holding her in the cart as I tried to grocery shop (disaster). Then I had to buy some vegetables because they were down low and she decided to bite in to them all while I picked up some oranges. She is soooo determined (read stubborn) when it comes to walking on her own but she is in to everything. She is a wonderful, cute, quick little monster.

Oh I should mention that she has 8 teeth and is working on some rear molars!

We have seen a surge of independence in the girls lately. It has come as quite a surprise and something that I have NOT been pushing. I have not been pushing it because if I ever do that it seems to prolong what I am trying to accomplish.

The girls are starting to dress themselves, brush their own teeth, wipe themselves and even go to the bathroom alone (with me in the b-room but not the stall) out in public. It is all welcome but it happened somewhat spontaneously.

They have always been helpful with the dishes and getting their food etc but in the personal hygiene department it has been all me. It is nice to see them feeling confident and becoming self sufficient.

We still have those late night visits and other challenges that come with 4 year olds but some days they really do take care of themselves.

It is so awesome that the girls are 4 and we just had the inauguration. They totally get that we have a new President and that we live in the United States of America. They don’t know what it all means but they were interested and even watched the inauguration.

It was so cute because Lela would look at me and say, “I saw the President.” I was explaining how President Obama was taking over from President Bush so when they introduced Pres Bush Lela looked at me and excitedly said, “I saw President OBush.” I think she thought they all had an O in front of their names.

Today at Apples to Zebras they talked more about the new President and made shooting stars and American flags. It is cool that they were able to get the gist of what was going on today and it is so cool that they were interested and seemed to follow what is happening to some extent.

This morning the girls wanted to draw with markers. You will all know by now that Lela is way more deliberate in her drawing and Piper is a bit more free spirited. I think that Lela enjoys it more but Piper is always game for a little bit of drawing.

We encourage the girls to tell us about their drawings and we reserve the “I love it” or “good job” and instead we listen as they tell us what they drew. It can be quite interesting to hear what they say about their pictures and you wonder where they get things from.

This morning Piper’s drawing is a depiction of a potato under water. Lela started drawing “walking potatoes” some time ago and I think that Piper picked up on the trend and we all know she loves water.

Lela’s drawing was a picture of me with a baby in my tummy. She started with the egg and then filled it in, she even drew in a tiny baby. I am thinking that this came from a dinosaur book where they hatch out of little eggs. It was quite ingenious.

Oh and I am in fact not pregnant just in case you were wondering.

I want to move the girls to a bunk bed, you know the one, the one with the twin upper and the full lower beds. I know they are only 4 but Lela needs to go to bed earlier than Piper. But Piper is harder to put to sleep, probably because she is not tired:P

Anyway, my thought is if we get the bunks then Lela can get in bed and Piper can get up top and play with toys, read books or do what she wants until she falls asleep. It would give her a cool place to hang out while she waits for the sandman.

I know that probably doesn’t sound like a good reason to get bunk beds but in my mind it sounds like a great idea, LOL!