13 Months Old

This morning when I woke up, I knew that today would a day of thanksgiving. We have passed the one year mark with the twins; we have survived the sleepless nights, the days of being tethered to the house, the months of feeding issues and the feeling of sleeping walking through the day. The babies are now 13 months old and I feel like we are getting our feet underneath us (though some days the wheels fall off).

I have decided no more cute pictures of the kids sitting in the chair with a sign declaring how old they are- it is now much too hard to wrangle H & J into a sitting position and expect them to stay there. So, here are some pictures of the 13 month olds on the move and a little information about what they're into now.

Jack:
loves to read books and will sit and read by himself
really likes to watch tv (he stares at it all the time)
Thomas and Friends is easily his favorite show
likes music and recognizes songs like "ABC's", "Itsy Bitsy Spider"
enjoys being outside and going for wagon rides
now makes an annoying whining noise when he wants more food or a different food
still has a killer smile
stands well on his own and will take 1-2 steps
can hold his own bottle
gets along well with Abby and enjoys watching her play in the backyard

Harper:
loves to be on the go
really likes to play chase and climb
likes to dance and squeal
likes to read books and will sit alone and read
enjoys being outside and going for wagon rides
is learning names of "hair", "nose", "ears", "mouth" and "eyes"
can sign "more" in regards to cheerios :)
has some crazy hair!
stands pretty well and is getting more adventurous with walking- now takes 7-8 steps at a time
likes to play with Abby and gets along with her (especially interested in her collar and tags)

Both kiddos got toothbrushes this week, so we've been working on brushing teeth and they seem to really like it. They had watched Tony and I brush our teeth so often that when I put the toothbrush up to them, they both opened their mouths. We were also excited to have Nana visit this week. The kids were so happy to see her, and I think Nana was equally as happy to get to spend time with the kiddos. Here's a shot of Harper helping Nana cook dinner.

I am proud to report that both kids are growing and doing so well. We are blessed in so many ways; happy 13 months, Harper and Jack!

Spaghetti Sauce, Fundraisers, and Baby Showers

Every Sunday when I sit down to write the blog, I always feel like it's been a whirlwind weekend and Monday has snuck up on us too soon. However, this weekend really was jam-packed and I could use one more day to recover.

Friday night Tony and I decided to try something new with the kids dinner. We got the "no more pureed food" suggestion from the pediatrician at the beginning of January, and we've been working to eliminate bottles and add more "real food" instead. Honestly, this has been more difficult than we thought it would be (isn't that the truth for every stage of parenting?). People keep telling us "just feed them what you eat", but it seems to be much harder than that. Tony and I stay alive on turkey burgers with no bun, steak, and smoothies- none of those things are kid friendly. We also run into the problem that if one kid doesn't like the food and refuses to eat it, sometimes the other one does too- they feed off of each other (pun intended). So, Tony and I made some spaghetti on Friday night and the kids seemed to like it- they certainly made a mess with it. We also have run into the problem of feeding the kids when they're "too hungry", thus turning our little ones into whining, fussy, meltdowns waiting to happen. Gone are the days we didn't have to worry about dinner until 8pm; now I know why some families eat at 5. So, here's the spaghetti aftermath- kiddos went straight to the tub, and we even found noodles in their diapers! Yipes!

Saturday morning we loaded up and went to a Crossfit fundraiser for the son of our local gym owner. Tony and I have been both been hooked on the Crossfit fitness craze for a number of years (Tony a year longer than myself) and it was nice to put our fitness obsession to good use this weekend. The boy we were raising money for is a two year old in need of a life-saving liver transplant. The Crossfit community came together to participate in a workout held in this little boy's honor. It was gratifying to know that we could give to such a worthy cause, and it was fun to be able to see friends from across the Crossfit community that go to different gyms that we don't see on a regular basis. Tony was slated to workout prior to his ankle injury, but he's still hobbling around a bit, so he was on baby duty while I represented for the Collett Clan. Here's a picture of the Black Iron Crossfit/Frisco Crossfit crew on Saturday.

Sunday I was excited and happy to co-host a baby shower for my good friend (whom I met through Crossfit) and her baby due in April. I left the house at 11am to pick up my co-hostess, make some last minute stops, arrive at the venue and set up prior to the baby shower at 2. Tony had the kiddos and did a great job taking care of them all day long by himself. He gets extra kudos for changing four dirty diapers while I was gone and feeding them lunch, a bottle, and a snack before I could get home tonight. Thank you, Tone! I know that Chrissy was thrilled with her shower, and Heidi and I were thrilled to be able to throw her a nice party. After all the cake and cookies and punch and presents, we forgot to take a picture of us together all dressed up. So, here's a picture of the three of us back in our comfy clothes after the shower- smiling partly because we were back in comfy clothes.

So our weekend flew by and now we're getting to tackle another week. I'll close tonight with a couple of silly pictures of the kids just being themselves. Even when they days are long, the whines are grating, and the crying seems endless, I'll still take these two any day.

Mid-Week Silly Faces

Our house has been filled with giggles (and whines), and squeals (and cries), and lots of smiles (and lots of tears).  It's amazing to me how the kiddos can go from throwing a fit about not getting something they want (like the tv remote) to laughing and chasing each other around the living room. Sometimes I wish my attention span was that short and that I could get over things as quickly as they do.

Harper and Jack are quickly approaching 13 months old, and they are learning to communicate better (Harper can sign "more" and Jack insists on hearing you sing "The ABC's" by pointing to the alphabet wall in the nursery), and they are making some great silly faces and getting themselves into some pretty funny situations.  The past two days the kids have made us laugh and shake our heads, and I thought this would be the perfect time to share these silly pictures. I love that the little ones have such big personalities-enjoy!

Miss Harper having a snack- this is her "one more Cherrio, please" smile

Jack's mean face

Harper's crazy hair

Jack's favorite past time- emptying everything

Harper trying to tame that hair

Watching TV in the toy box

Climbing in the toy box- check out that face! 

Birthday Celebrations

Our little family of five had an exciting three day weekend, and we are all very glad for the extra day to recover and rest.

Friday evening we went to Costco and the kids got to zoom around in the cart- their favorite. They also got to sample some cheese and crackers as we shopped; they were a big hit, especially with Harper.  Before we put everyone to bed, I was lucky enough to catch a moment to relax with the kiddos and read them a book. I hope they always want to have books read to them; I'm also lucky that Tony got a chance to snap this picture. After H & J went to bed, Tony and I spent the rest of the night scurrying around picking up and cleaning and getting everything set for Jack and Harper's first birthday party.

Saturday was the big birthday party day and Tony and I started early. Tony's brother, Ryan, and our 7 month old niece Emmy got to the house early so the kids could play; Ryan was nice enough to corral all three kids while Tony and I worked. We got a big surprise when Tony's Aunt Joyce climbed out of the car with Tony's dad who had driven up from Houston. Joyce had flown in from Cincinnati to meet the kids and spend some time with us- it was the best birthday surprise and the kids warmed up to her quickly.

 

We had a low-key party at the house for Jack and Harper complete with hamburgers, balloons, 7 kids running around, lots of family and close friends, and some great cake smash moments. Harper wasn't too sure what to think about the slice of cake we put in front of her, but Jack dug right in and was covered in icing before long. He ended up with icing in his hair, all over his face, and he even smeared it around on his tummy. I don't think his high chair buckle will ever be the same- it still carries a blue tinge from the icing. Harper ate small bites of cake and tried to be dainty about it, but she also ended up with icing in her hair and all over her face. So, both kiddos went straight from their high chairs to the bathtub. This was the first time that the kids got to take a bath in a big tub, and the first time they took a bath together- what fun!

We were limited on space, but were thankful the weather was nice and some of the kids could play out back. Harper and Jack were happy there were familiar faces to hold them and play with them and pass them around. The kids took an hour long nap from 10-11, and then didn't nap again until 4; they were troopers. We were very lucky to have friends who helped us clean up and family who stuck around until the kids were ready for ready for bed. Tony, Papa, Aunt Joyce, and I were all in bed by 9 pm- if exhaustion is the mark of a successful party, the twins' party rocked!

Sunday and today, we spent our time finding spots for new toys and cleaning out closets to send old toys on to their next owners. I also updated baby books and Tony rested his ankle- he rolled his ankle at the gym on Tuesday and has been in a walking boot since then. That guy grilled hamburgers, ran errands, and did so many other things for the birthday party without complaint. I can't imagine trying to pull off a party without all the hard work he put in- Thank you, Tone.

I still can't believe how big they are getting; our blog from one year ago Saturday (January 18th) documents the first time Jack and Harper became neighbors when their isolettes were moved to adjoining rooms. Now those two little ones are sleeping in beds right next to each other, sharing a room, and babbling and giggling before bed. God is good.

Here are some action shots from the birthday weekend!