18 Months, 1 Week - Vocabulary

The girls' vocabulary increases all the time. It seems that every week there's another couple of words and a sign or two. Here's what they're saying/signing now:

Signing:

1. Milk
2. Please
3. Thank you
4. Baby
5. Up
6. Help
7. Down
8. Dog
9. Horse
10. Cat
11. Hat
12. Cold
13. Hot
14. More
15. Done
16. Book
17. Hungry
18. Thirsty

Speaking:

1. Sister
2. Banana
3. Agua “water”
4. Kitty
5. Done
6. Hello
7. Mommy
8. Grandma
9. Grandpa
10. Nonna
11. Nonno
12. Daddy
13. Bye-bye
14. Night-night
15. Shoe
16. No
17. Yeah
18. Hot
19. Apple
20. Baby
21. Cracker
22. Moo
23. Quack
24. Neigh

18 Months - Thanksgiving

Let it Snow!

We traveled with Grandma and friends Scott & Nicole and their baby Victoria up to Tahoe for Thanksgiving this week. We rented a house just around the corner from my sister's house and spread out, letting the toddlers run. Little baby Victoria, 5 months old, just sat back and watched the girls run circles around her pointing and chanting, "Baby!"

It snowed 6-inches the first night we were there and the girls were fascinated by the change in topography. They stood on our bed that morning, pointing and chatting indistinguishably about the new blanket of snow.

Bundled up, we took them outside for short walks. They weren't very interested in walking far nor wearing the new mittens I'd purchased for them and they cried when their hands or feet got covered in the cold snow.

Inside, the girls enjoyed running circles around the living room, jumping on the giant "L"-shaped couch and singing The Wiggles songs they know. Soon, most of the family could sing along with them and grew very t ired of the tune. Tina also spent a lot of time cuddled up in Uncle Scott's lap captivated by the many books she'd brought him to read for her. Uncle Scott is also her God-father, so it was great bonding time.

Mid-way through our Turkey Day, we received word from Paul's mother that our house in the City had been burglarized and almost all of Paul's and the contractor's tools had been stolen along with all my jewelry. This shocking news gets Paul into my sister's car to drive home to deal with the paperwork and figure out what to do next. The rest of us plan to go home as scheduled the following day.

I am terribly thankful that they didn't find my Grandma's silver nor find value in the china or other heirlooms that are priceless to me. And, although I would gladly trade some nicer jewerly (kept with me instead of at home) for a few of the missing sentimental pieces (like my Grandma's necklace, my mom's pearl cocktail ring or other unique pieces given as gifts), I strangely am OK with the loss. Family has become more important to me, it seems. Despite the bad news, I'm not figiting to get back home to tally our losses. The most important things to me - all my blessings - were gathered around that Thanksgiving table. The rest is background - decorations the insurance company can help me rebuild. And, I can deal with that another day. For now, I'll just reflect on this week's memories and photos, which you can see here.

The Early Birds - Twins Book Club Review (finally!)

It's been months since I've said that I would read and then comment on "The Early Birds" by Jenny Minton, a book that her PR rep sent me to create some viral publicity. I started the book in July and got really into it as Jenny describes the pregnancy part of her story. However, once her babies were born, she spends so much time in the tiniest details, she lost me...and lost me hard. I remember exactly when it happened...she was describing what her mother did or did not order for lunch and how the waiter was handling it..."Ack!! Who cares! What does this have to do with a 'story of motherhood??'" I thought. I got angry at silly side-details like this and put down the book. I read 2 others before the guilt of not finishing it and of see it stare down unappreciatedly at me finally got me to take it down and dust it off to finish it again.

I have a feeling that the reason I didn't bond with the book after her boys were born is just simply that I was blessed with an uncomplicated birth; my kids didn't have to spend anytime in the NICU and I never really became familiar with the workings of the hospital as she did. I didn't feel guilty about my birthing experience and completely unlike Jenny, I was allowed to sprint out the the hospital doors days after the girls were born. Within 2-weeks of my girls' birth, I was challenging myself to go outside and navigate the world as a new mother. Jenny never got that chance and was stuck mitigating other details much more acute than the great outdoors.

Thinking this difference may have been the factor causing an interest "slow-down," I asked a friend, who I was visiting for a few days and who is the mother of very preemie twin boys who also spent months in the NICU, to take a quick read and let me know what she thought. BINGO! She said the book had her in tears and she loved it.

So, I suppose that this book would be a great gift for someone who perhaps has had to spend time with preemies in the NICU; who has perhaps some feeling of guilt for somehow contributing to them being there to begin with; who's going through a tough time with sick babies but wants to have hope for the future, even though the future seems so far away.

One thing is certain, Jenny has done a lot of research on IVF (her method of conception and common for families with twins). It was interesting to note all the science and lack-thereof behind the IVF methods. If you are thinking of IVF, there is a lot of interesting information that may play a part in your decision. From her perspective, IVF may be at fault for many of the problems with preterm labor, preemies and lifelong illnesses. Those to me were great tidbits of information.

Worth reading? If you're not engrossed in IVF and NICU details, perhaps not. However, if either of these arenas have crossed into your life, perhaps so. I don't think it's for all mothers of twins, but for the ones that it is, it may feel like you're reading your very own diary of thoughts and feelings. And, it does give hope for the future - Jenny's kids (along with a third one she has later) are all fine, healthy and happy kids.

17 Months 3 Weeks - "Apple, Apple, Apple!"

First of all, you have to admire this new view...

View from"New Home" in the Oakland Hills

While working on our remodel, we're staying at our friends' recent purchase in a little tear-down on the most gorgeous acre and a half lot in the world. Unlike us, they plan to not live here during the planning, demolition and construction of their future house. The opportunity this affords us is fabulous!

This week, my Baby Center email told me all about possible benchmarks for vocabulary and words that the girls may have at this time developmentally. The poll shows that most kids, 75% of boys and 58% of girls only use one word at a time when "talking." Neither of my twin girls often speaks more than a word at a time, but one of them will use their sign language to augment their message: one spoken word with another or more signs to punctuate or add additional detail to her comment or story.

It seems that the girls learn a new word - either spoken or signed - everyday. While picking apples outside in the orchard of our current home, the girls got very excited and were showing a lot of enthusiasm about the picking and then the putting the apple in the bag part of the process. After 2 or 3 rounds each of this task, Ava shouted out "Apple!". An extended chorus of "apple" followed hereafter like she was the lead soprano in an opera recounting the trials and tribulations of apple picking - lasting far longer than necessary or needed to acknowledge this seemingly minor event. Tina echoed the "apple," but clearly, Ava was the diva of this production.

This is the apple orchard behind the house that started Ava's lyric opera of sorts


"Baby" has also popped up while reading through some books. I thought they were just echoing what was being talked about in the books, but this week, while finding a box of diaper wipes with a picture of a baby on the sides, Ava walked over to the box, pointed to the picture and said, "Baby!" "She's got it," I think. She continued to floor me when, as she squatted down by the box, she pointed to the eyes of the baby and said, "Eyes," followed quickly by "Shoes". As enthusiastically as I can, I applaud and encourage her: "That's right, Ava! There's a baby with shoes on that box!"

At the barn this week, Ava and Tina both got very excited to talk about the dogs there. They ran around chasing them slapping their thighs signing the word for "dog" and saying "woof, woof." When I mentioned that there were also horses and reminded them of the sign, Ava quickly did a modified version of "horse", pointing to where the ears would be instead of making her fingers into horsey ears on her head. Testing her memory and also showing off for Daddy later when we were home, she showed Daddy that they saw horses and dogs at the barn that day.

New words like "banana", "cracker," and "night-night" just seem to spill out of their mouths nearly every day. They prove that all they are understanding the words and are really trying to tell stories about their day or requests what they'd like to do. Nostalgia kicks in as, more and more every day, they are becoming more like little people and not so much babies.

5-Point Car Seats - Good for the Long-Haul

There are a lot of things to consider when deciding on which forward-facing car seat to get your kid/s. I solicited much advice from many of my friends who already had kids. Much of it heeds on brand and long-term comfort for the child and durability for the seat. Some of it is about the bulk - some of these monster car seats, especially if you have more than one kid, demand you purchase an SUV or minivan!

I had one friend who told me there's no reason to get a car seat that allows for more than 40 lbs because, by the time they are that age, their self-awareness will demand that they get to sit in a booster "big kids' seat" like their older friends. So, why bother if they're just going to whine until you give up and move them to a booster.

We bought the seats that work up to 65 lbs. mostly to stave off having to buy another seat for another 25 lbs. After watching this, though, I think that after the girls are 65 lbs., we just may buy another 5-point harness car seat and leave the booster for someone else's choice.

If you have kids under 80 lbs., you should watch this very emotional, but educational video one family made to prove a point about safety and car seats:

17 Months 2 Weeks - Rain, Rain, Go Away

So, here's what the house looks like now:


October's House

It's been coming along nicely, although (as is par for the course), is about 2-weeks late.

The view from our room is divine: you see the whole Bay Bridge all the way down to Hunter's Point. Here's a view from the girls' room:


The View from the girls' room

However, it has started to rain - just small showers - and our place is getting flooded. The tarps the contractors have placed are suppossed to keep the rain out, but they aren't working properly yet. Much of Paul's work from before, mostly in the front living room, is being ruined and we'll have to re-do the front and back rooms now as well. So much for being able to move back in to the "finished" areas of the house.

I'm glad that we're not living there now. The kids would be falling all the time on the wet hard-wood floors. We get the windows delivered tomorrow and, hopefully, that will help them be able to further close up the front and back of the house and get a better seal on the place. The future grandeur is damped slightly by this step backwards, but we know it will all eventually will be a really nice place to live.

17 Months, 1 Week - Gone Without Girls

For the very first time in over 2-years, Paul and I went away for the weekend...by ourselves!!

My Aunt Kathy, who is actually a professional nanny/childcare provider, had offered her "expertise" when the girls were first born for such an occasion. 17-months later, we finally took her up on it.

This allowed Paul and I a chance to run up to the wine country for a modest but well-deserved birthday/anniversary celebration. Without the stresses of the house remodel or the girls, we got to take naps, watch 10-thousand movies in our room and hold hands while walking to dinner.

Most people warned me: "You'll be gone, but you'll be constantly worrying about the girls and will be calling home all the time." Didn't happen to us; we were talking about them often, but only once did we call to make sure everything was alright.

After an intimate Saturday, we woke up Sunday and visited Domaine Chandon, one of the more popular Champagne cellars in the area. We did a small reserve tasting, but most just took in the beautiful grounds. We got married just 10 miles up the road in St. Helena 4 years prior. I always love seeing the wine country decorated in reds and yellows.

After our tasting, we met up with some colleagues of Paul's from work for a "business" lunch; really just an excuse to entertain and treat themselves to a very fancy lunch. We met at The French Laundry in Yountville - very hoity-toity. People fly from all around the world to eat here - it's one of the most famous restaurants in the country and certainly the most famous in Northern California. Ridiculous prices, but an experience that you'll remember for the rest of your life. Too bad the image of the bill sears itself stronger into the memory than the 4-hours of luscious food and pampering waitstaff.

Anyhow, all was quiet and good as we pulled up Sunday night, proving that the girls can survive 36-hours with someone besides ourselves caring for all their needs. Good to remember for next year's anniversary!!