a conversation!

Today I think I had my first two-way conversation with my kids! We were approaching dinner time and the kids were getting restless and hungry. Jeff taught Emily how to say "uppie" and raise her arms to be picked up... Let's just say she does that A LOT now and Kyle is starting to as well! Anyhow, she gave me an "uppie" as I was cooking the polenta and taking the edamame out of the microwave. I said are you ready to eat dinner to which she signed eat. I then said, "Are you a hungry bear" to which she verbally responded "yes"! It was very exciting not only because we had a small conversation, but also because one of their favorite words is "no"! That being said, I suppose we have had other conversations, but when the response is so often "no", it makes you wonder!

On top of this feat today, the kids were very cooperative. We went to Costco, but had to walk through the parking lot before getting in a cart inside. They very diligently both held my hand! They have been getting really good at holding our hands, but it's sometimes difficult to have them both hold our hands. Then when we got inside, I had to get the card out of my purse. I asked them to hold each others hands and they did! It was the cutest thing! Emily then proceed to guide Kyle into the store to do some shopping, but very obediently turned around when I asked them to wait for me. It was really sweet and they were SO happy holding each others hand! Here is a picture of them holding Anne's hand on our trail walk last week. They are still asking for Bobby & Anne! Clearly they had a great time with them like we did!

what a day!

So for the past 3 days, I've been working full days in the office, away from the kids. I'd leave before they wake and come home at dinner time and have about 2 hours with them. I sure feel fortunate that I get to spend most of every day with them on a normal basis. So today when I came home, they were happily coloring with their babysitter. The three of us then went out to dinner. The kids did spectacular!! I was a bit nervous because it was 2 against 1 and I had been away for most of the past 3 days and going out to dinner is always a challenge. So we got there and the kids saw the basketball game on the big screen tvs and said 'baball'! They knew it on their own and it was pretty exciting how they showed off what they know! And because we were in a booth and it's quite difficult to feed 2 kids in highchairs, Kyle sat in a booster seat all by himself and very well! It's silly that I'm writing about such a seemingly small feat, but it all happens so fast!

After dinner we came home to take a bath. Before that though, they got to sit on their little potties to get comfortable with the idea of using a potty. They aren't exactly ready for potty training, but they are showing signs of possibly being ready so I thought we could at least introduce the potty and let them get comfortable with the idea. So anyhow Kyle got undressed and undiapered and sat down on his potty like a man and tinkled!! He got some in the bowl, well a little and then sprayed the floor in front of him. It was exciting though because he sat down, pushed and grunted and peed!! Emily also sat down nicely on hers, but didn't have to go. Nonetheless, it was exciting that they both sat down (they were afraid last time) and we got some results!

So then they took a bath and we watched a show together. Emily is so sweet about shows. She loves Mickey Mouse (Mu-Maah) and Dora! Emily rested on my legs and Kyle rested on my shoulder and they quietly and intently watched their show as we snuggled together. It was a sweet ending of the day with my babies. Even though I only got to spend those 2 hours with them today, they were a great 2 hours. I'm thankful that I get almost everyday, full days, to spend with them to witness their milestones and cuteness!

a special visitor

Yesterday we had a rare phenomenon happen - so between our house and our neighbor's is a small alley about 6 feet wide and then a larger area in the middle for a little patio. We put our jogging stroller out b/c it was in the kitchen and it made it easier to get the kids outside without disrupting Jeff's work. So yesterday afternoon, the stroller was parked outside and I was working at my computer at the kitchen counter when I noticed something flying around behind me outside. A bird, a morning dove, flew down in our little area - note: birds NEVER fly in there - and perched right on top of the jogging stroller. It just sat there and looked at me and Jeff. It was just amazing. We tried to take a picture with our phones, but the shadows didn't let it show up very well and when we got the regular camera, it flew off. Anyhow, it was very amazing and meaningful. Sure is comforting...

Cutie pies

What cuties!! The kids are really stinkin' cute everyday, but they have taken it to a whole new level the past few! So first of all, their words are really coming in, both of them! And their mimicking skills are really good too!

Over the weekend, we were talking about what to do for my birthday. I suggested Disneyland! We went in December and said to Emily & Kyle, "Do you want to go see Mickey Mouse at Disneyland again?" Emily got excitedly frantic! She started clapping and running off saying "mu-maaah" (read musically). She bolted out of our room, downstairs to the front door repeating her "mu-maaah". I told her we had to put on shoes first to which she replied "shoooes!" (read ascending musically) so she went over by her shoes, but then ran to the garage door for another "mu-maaah"! I had to break her heart saying we weren't going to Disneyland yet. :-( I told her that we'd get a Mu-Maah show in the meantime. She replied "shoooow!" (again read ascending musically) and waves her arm in excitement. We couldn't find a Mickey Mouse cartoon show at Best Buy so I ordered one from Amazon. I told her that Mickey Mouse show is coming on Wednesday. (This was Sunday.) So everyday, she has said "Mu-Maah Show!" She is going to be ecstatic when it gets here! And Kyle is getting in on the "Mu-Maah Show" too saying it very similarly to Emily, though with a more masculine enthusiasm.

One of Kyle & Emily's most favorite things is PlayDoh. What genius inventors!! To even earn a penny for any size PlayDoh produced would make a millionaire! Anyhow, they have found the secret PlayDoh stash - we have to keep it hidden otherwise we will be playing PlayDoh 24/7! So Emily found the new hiding place today, points and says "pee-doh"! So we played for quite some time. And they are no longer afraid of the fun factory and Kyle can push it down to make the shapes come out!

Today at the park, Kyle showed us his amazing strength on the monkey bars! So he didn't quite traverse the bars, but held to a bar, by himself for nearly 1 minute!! He was SO proud of his strength! Emily did some hanging as well, for about 10 seconds, and then want to climb around on the playground. Yesterday at the park, they discovered how to mountain climb! There is one park with a structure that has a giant 'mountain' to climb with grips and then at the top you can choose between 3 slides to go down. Wow did they love that! Emily saw how Kyle climbed up the first time and mastered it right away! They both got such a kick out of mountain climbing! Spike will be so proud!!

And tonight bathing in our room, Kyle discovered how when you put balls underwater in the bathtub and let go, they pop up to the top making a little splash. And he showed us that he knows some colors - red, yellow and green! That was a very entertaining bath for him! Emily had learned this the other week when she was bathing in our bathroom while Kyle had his owie. It's really amazing how routine things that aren't necessarily playtime are good playtime and learning time for kids! To be a kid again!

My lovelies & snow in San Diego

Kyle & Emily were very loving today. They are normally very loving everyday, but today they gave so many unsolicited hugs. It was so nice!! As we were getting dressed this morning, Emily just came over to me to put her head on my shoulder and gave me a nice hug! She did this again about 5 minutes later! And Kyle was very loving too. They both wanted to be comfy cozy so I wrapped them in their big woobies and they just relaxed all comfy cozy. I thought that would be a good opportunity to get a quick shower in so I moved them into our room to watch Dora while they were comfy cozy. I chilled with them for a bit first, watching some Dora. While laying next to Kyle, he just curled up next to me and then put his arm around my neck and gave me a very sweet hug! They are normally very loving and give lots of hugs and kisses. Today they were both especially so loving.

Oh a big event here in San Diego - it snowed! A storm just passed through and it hailed! There were little snowballs covering the sidewalk, probably for all of 5 minutes, but nonetheless we had snow in San Diego!

1, 2, 3!!!!

Our babies can count!!! 1, 2, 3!!! It was very exciting to learn they could do this!! We had no idea! We play at the park quite a bit because we are blessed with wonderful warm, sunny winter weather here. The kids are particularly fond of slides. They climb up and we say "1, 2, 3, GO!" and slide down the slide. At the park today, there was a giant abacus that they were climbing on. I explained to them it was an abacus and used for counting and started counting, "1" and then Kyle goes "2, 3!" He was so excited about this and I was floored!!! We surprised Daddy with this skill tonight with Daddy asking them to count and giving them the "1" and they filled in the "2 & 3!"

In other talking skills, they are both really good at saying "Mommy" and "Daddy" or as it comes out "maaaameeeee" and "daaaaaaadeeeeeee"! It's really sweet! They now know they use that to call us and get our attention. Emily wakes up from her naps saying "Maaaaameeeee" "maaaaameeeee". It's really cute, even though she typically wakes up early!

Emily gave us a 2 word combo tonight. She was looking at the pictures of us surfing on our honeymoon in Hawaii. I told her "Mommy surfing" and "Daddy surfing" and "Mommy and Daddy surfing". She busted out a "maaameee sooosing" and "maaameee daaaadeee". We didn't make it to a 3 word 'sentence', but 2 words is great progress and really cute!!

Our alphabet skills are in the works too. I had grand plans to introduce the alphabet one letter a day starting March 1st. Well much like this blog, great intentions don't always work how you plan! We're sort of on D. They do great with "C is for cookie" and will show you the C. "D is for Daddy" is pretty good too! "A is for apple" and "B is for baby" are getting there. Could just be a recency effect... Kyle was amazing last week when I gave him the "Z" foam letter and asked him to find the "Z" on the floor. He took that "Z" and turned it sideways on the "N" and proudly clapped for finding that "Z". His pride was amazingly adorable and his cleverness was stunning!!

It just amazes me how much they know!! They may not say all that much yet, but boy do they know a lot!!!!