21

21 months. Let's dive right in... Oh but before I start I feel like I need to point out that the comma button isn't working on our keyboard (thank you babies) so know that I do know how to use commas (most of the time) but can't. I mean look at that sentence...is it driving you nuts yet? I apologize if you can't stand to read this post. I HATE when people don't use commas in their writing.

 I apologize greatly. Also most of these pictures aren't edited. I just haven't had the motivation so try to imagine these images a little brighter and a little more saturated. :)

Sophie

 

 

 

I'm not sure what to say about this girl. She has such a crazy personality. She does things she knows is funny just to get a reaction out of you. She's got a really good sense of humor and perfect comedic timing. She especially likes when things fall. She's the kid that will go up to any tower any stack of books any pile of crap on the table (BAH! I need commas!) and knock them over. She thinks it's hilarious. This includes knocking herself over too. She'll spin in circles until she gets so dizzy that she falls over and then laughs and laughs about it and then gets up and does it 7 more times. She's nuts. 

Sophie isn't a very big eater. She usually will only eat 2-3 bites of food for every 5 that Lillian takes. Even with sweet stuff (cookies candy etc) she'll usually not finish it. She's too busy running around to eat I guess. 

Sophie loves animals. Specifically puppies. We've got 3 neighbors with them (that are right next to us/that she knows about) and she's always trying to go find them. She freaks out when she sees them in books on tv or outside. Poor girl better get used to looking at everyone else's puppies because she'll probably never have a dog. That's a story for another day though...

Sophie is smart. She talks all the time and mimics the last word in almost every sentence she hears. She's constantly asking "wuzz dat?" And when you tell her she usually repeats it. Really she's mimicked well over 100 words but her staples are (this will be another time I really wish I could use commas)  tree kitty puppy sister (said si-der. possibly my favorite) please (eeese) car ball bath (a whispered rendition of ball) bird tweet water juice milk food Elmo (melmo) Jesus thanks moon shoe toe ear eye bum teeth nose knee hi bye and a bunch of other words I'm probably missing. Really this kid is a chatter box. 

She loves going to the park. We have several right by our house and she isn't afraid of going down any of the slides by herself. A couple weeks ago I wasn't keeping the best eye on her (oops...) and noticed that she was coming out of the big twisty tube slide (you know Kelsey like the one you peed in... HAHA!) all on her own. She was giggling and raced to go down it again. She isn't afraid of anything

This kid is an observer. She watches everything and copies what you do. Everything. From trying to change her own diaper to getting ice out of the fridge to putting on shoes to...well everything. She's gotten really smart this past month and has is constantly figuring things out. 

Lillian 

 

 

 

 

Lillian is my cheeser. She's usually really happy and that happiness comes with lots and lots of wide smiles and giggles. She's simple adorable. 

However when she's mad she is MAD. I don't know what's been going on with her these past couple of days but she's thrown at least one 10 minute tantrum every day this week. Yesterday I ended up letting her scream in her crib for 15 minutes because nothing would calm her down. Is she teething? (don't think so) Sick? (again don't think so) Ticked off at her sister? (ding! ding! ding!) She gets so angry that she clenches her jaw shakes and specifically goes after Sophie to hit or bite her. I don't know what to do with this one. She freaks me out sometimes... 

But that's not how she is most of the time. She's still my only baby that I can count on to for a good cuddle. She's still obsessed with our next door neighbors (specifically our male neighbor although she definitely has a huge soft spot for his wife) and still loves her daddy. She's got a lot of love in that little body and it makes me really happy. 

Lillian can say any word that Sophie can but she just chooses not to. She does talk just not as much as her sister. She still is really good about signing 'please' but she now also says it along with the sign. She understand a ton though and will even follow simple commands like "go get your shoes" and things like that (which her sister definitely does not). I wish I could be in her mind because you can tell that she's always thinking of what she's going to do next. She's a smart one that Lillian Jean. 

Lillian is always dancing (whereas Sophie is always playing with a ball). It gives me hopes that maybe they'll be interested in different things thus cutting down on twin competition. I encourage Lillian's dancing a lot though and we have daily dance parties together. Sophie usually just stares at us like we're crazy. Lillian however loves it. She know how to shake it. ;)

Oh and Lillian is aaaaallll girl. She loves her watch (see picture below) loves her shoes and loves pretending to put on mommy's makeup. This paired with dance makes me believe that she definitely will not be a tomboy. 

We've basically taken Lillian off of dairy. She's got eczema pretty bad (you can see a spot in the first picture of her) and I feel like we've tried everything. I read that dairy can trigger the problem so we've switched her to almond milk. It's expensive but I've definitely noticed that her spots are getting less red and less scaly. Hopefully they continue to go away! But it's been interesting having to keep track of who's cup is who's. I've never done that before. Not with bottles not with tooth brushes not with binkies not with diapers... they've just shared everything. That's not the case anymore and sometimes I forget and then have a panic attack if I see Lillian drinking out of the cup with cow's milk. Poor kid. Such a complicated life... 

And together

The girl's new favorite activity is getting and being naked. They are always trying to take their clothes and diapers off. They think it's hilarious and giggle the entire time as their undressing. We've found that some shirts are easier to get off than others and if they're not wearing "equal" shirts the kid that can't get naked as quickly has a meltdown. It's a little ridiculous....

The girls love it when I say "Where's your sister?!" They tilt their heads towards each other say hi and start giggling uncontrollably. They love each other. 

But they also fight like banshees. I play referee at least 3 times a day but luckily the girls are quick to forgive each other. 

Their obsessed with taking baths. Sophie asks for one several times a day and Lillian drops whatever she's doing and races for the tub when she hears the water running. 

They love being outside and would spend their entire lives out there if I let them. 

Josh is still their #1 person when it comes to play. They want me when they're sad or want milk or something like that but most of the times they're complete daddy's girls. 

They're doing pretty good in nursery at church. Sophie has no problem at all but we've had a few struggles with Lillian. They've only brought her to us once because she wouldn't stop crying though so given the track record of other kids I know I'd say she's doing pretty good. They get excited when they see their teachers around and in sacrament meeting. Sophie has been wearing her "I can forgive" necklace she made last Sunday all week. (ahhh that sentence looks awful without a comma!) They love it.

They climb on everything open every drawer that isn't baby proofed. They know where they're not supposed to go and what they're not supposed to do and they try to go and do those things all the time. 

Toddler twins are a whooooooole different ball game and they definitely keep me on my toes. This stage is so rewarding though. I like it a lot better than when they were tiny babies. I actually get feedback from them. They show their emotions so much better. They show their love so much better. It's just fun. They're my favorite little people ever and I've loved almost every second of the past 21 months.

They just really are the greatest kids ever and I love that they call me mama. 

 Even if they are usually screaming it. 

;)