We love airplanes

I took the kids to the local airport a few weeks ago. Colter is obsessed with airplanes (and trucks, and buses, and cars, and trains...). They were amazed to see the planes taking off and landing. It made me wish they could go for a ride with my Uncle Jeff.

Aren't they the cutest little pilots?

A note about the matching hats: I bought these a while ago thinking they would look so cute wearing matching hats. And they do. Little did I know that Riley would become obsessed with hats. Hats are her second love (after pup-pup). Not only does she want to wear one at all times, but she wants everyone else to wear one too. We now have a whole box of crazy hats. Papa Jim is wearing one in the video below. If you listen closely at the end, you'll hear Riley talking about her hats.

I am loving this age!!!

OK, so this is going to be a random update. Just wanted to put some pictures and videos out there.

We've been going to the local playgrounds quite a bit.

We are learning about sharing. Not doing so well in this photo, but the kids are improving. Riley will happily hand something to Colter when you ask her to share. Once she soaks up the praise for doing the right thing she has been known to snatch it right back.

A good toy is something you can either climb into or push around the kitchen floor. Luckily a diaper box fits both requirements!

Isn't Colter so handsome?!!!

Don't mind the outfit (long story). Riley can light up the whole room!

My dad actually made this table for me when I was little. The kids love having snack outside on the porch. Notice the blue puppy (also known as "pup-pup"). We are now the proud owners of a whole litter (7) of puppies. I try to limit the kids to 3 puppies out and about at one time (Riley usually wants one in each arm) with 4 in reserve.

Riley and Colter are cracking me up these days. I love seeing their little personalities. They both love to dance, but Colter has some especially smooth dance moves. He must have gotten them from Jeff because I am a terrible dancer!

Everybody loves Governor. He is such a good sport. Lately the kids have been offering their toys to him only to snatch them away, laugh and run off. Gov gets very excited. It's hard to blame him when he finally snags one and sneaks into the other room. Of course at this point Riley and Colter are upset with him. Poor dog can't win.

Just a normal morning around here... Who said tissues need to go in boxes and wagons are for toys?

Especially for Grandma

My mom sent the kids a singing duck for Easter. Since she couldn't see their reaction for herself, I wanted to be sure and post a video.

Riley immediately fell in love with the duck. Colter, not so much. Actually, he really enjoys it now.

If you look closely you can see Governor jumping up and down like a rabbit outside the window.

3 months later...

They'll be 14 months old next week. Hard to believe. Things are crazy around here, but we're having a blast.

In case you're wondering: they're both cruising and pulling up on everything, Colter says "Gu" (sometimes this means Governor) and "Daddy." Riley doesn't say any words we understand yet, but I'm thinking she may bust out with a whole paragraph at the rate she is babbling - so expressive! Governor is much more interested in them (and in eating the occasional bath toy). Jeff loves wrestling with them, pulling them around the kitchen in the wagon that's actually designed for legos, and generally any rough housing they can get away with. They get so excited to play with their dad. They're finally eating a lot of what Jeff and I are having at meals, so that's been helpful as far as planning and getting dinner on the table. They love looking out the window, swinging at the park, going for walks in the stroller, and generally any outside activity except playing with their toys in the pack-n-play while I try and help Jeff get the yard under control. They would have none of that. Outside will be more fun when they can walk. And more exhausting. :) We changed our gym membership to the YMCA. I'm only averaging taking them once or twice a week so far, but we're getting into more of a groove. Colter still cries when I leave, but he stops before I even get to the stairs. They love being around other kids and I love a break here and there.

Our pediatrician basically told us last week that Colter has asthma. We've been doing breathing treatments since December. We do them twice a day (more if he gets a cold). I'm taking him to a specialist later this month to see what else we can be doing. The doctor told us that the better we control it now, the more likely (although no guarantee - when do they ever give you a guarantee in medicine!) he'll outgrow it. That's what we're hoping for.

Jeff and I are both stressed at work. He stresses while at work; I stress about going to work. I think it always stinks to be the new girl, no matter how old you get. My old job really felt like home and I miss that a lot. Believe me, I've tried to make working a couple days a week at PHOC make sense financially. No luck yet. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of things I like about my job. I'm honored to take care of these kids. I just hate leaving my family in the evenings and they hate that I'm leaving. But, you gotta do what you gotta do and I'm very grateful to have a job!

Don't worry, we did celebrate Riley and Colter's birthdays. I'll post more later.

Movie update

Riley started pulling up last week!

So I started this post exactly one week ago. I didn't anticipate it taking me a week to finish, but that's how things go around here sometimes. Since last week both babies got sick again with fevers, coughs, and icky noses. Yuck. Come on, Spring!!! Good news is that I found out yesterday I'll be working every Sunday and Monday night starting at the end of February. This is exactly the schedule I wanted, so I am very thankful. God really took care of us. It is such a relief to look forward to some consistency. I've already gotten to know a lot of the Sunday night nurses and am thankful to have a great group of coworkers again.

Santa gave us a Flip Video camera for Christmas. It's super easy to use and almost as small as my camera, so we've taken a fair number of videos. Here are some of my favorites. For some reason the video won't load on blogger, so I'm making do with a youtube link for now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJ96cZQ8C8

Other than that, here's a random run-down of what's going on with the twins...

Colter now has 6 teeth - hard to believe! Riley's still making do with 2, but it doesn't slow her down in the eating department. We've pretty much moved to 1 nap a day, as long as they don't get up too early. They usually go down between 12:30 and 1pm and sleep anywhere from 1 1/2 to 3 hours. (Riley is my 3 hour girl!) 7:30am is there average wake-up time these days. I can deal with that. We've started moving Riley into the pack-n-play in the other room when we go to bed so they don't wake each other up in the morning. They used to babble to each other first thing in the morning, but that stopped working a few weeks ago. Now they babble to themselves. Whatever works. They are taking a sippy cup at least once every day. I actually timed them yesterday because it seeemed like they had finished their milk especially quickly - try 3 minutes! Most of the time, Colter will clap his hands when you ask. Both of them turn to find Governor when you ask them where he is. I keep thinking I hear Colter saying "Gu, gu," but there's no way of telling. Jeff thinks he may have said Dada. Jeff taught Riley which button makes the songs play on their mini piano. We've started the weaning process. They love drinking from their sippy cups, so I think they'll transition without a problem. As Mom has said, "I think they're ready, Leslie." Well, I'm finally ready too. I get plenty of snuggles during story times and when they wake up from their naps. One of my favorite times is reading them their bedtime stories. I zip them in their sleep sacks, sit them on our bed with their backs to the edge, kneel behind them, and hold the book in front with my arms circling them so they don't lean back and fall. All three of our heads are together and I give them a little kiss on the cheek when we get to "Goodnight to the old lady whispering, 'hush.'" What is it that's so calming about the book Goodnight Moon? Riley currently has the runny nose of the house. Today I went in the playroom and found Colter's hair standing on end. Turns out that snot (Riley's) has better hold than any of the hairsprays from the 80s. I know, very gross. Colter has started throwing little fits when he doesn't think lunch is coming fast enough or doesn't want to wait to get his diaper changed. It's all I can do not to laugh when he makes his whole body thrash around. Riley insists on having a toy in each hand at all times (even while changing clothes). Colter is constantly stealing toys from Riley, who steals them right back. Governor doesn't know what to do with himself now that the babies are on the move. Not true - he knows to get up and move when they're making a lunge for his tail or feet. Even he'd have to admit he's enjoying all the Cheerios he finds on the floor and in their booster seats.

We really are still out here!

OK, so the combo of sick babies, sick husband, and working nights is kicking my butt (sorry, Mom!). Thankfully, Jeff's tooth is better, Riley is completely well, and Colter's antibiotics are working. As for the night shifts...that will work out too.

I will do a bigger update (promises, promises), but at least wanted to post my latest favorite picture. I LOVE my pudgy babies!!!!