Continued....17 Month Stats

Here are the new skills and fun things the twins have done at 17 months.

 

(July 27th - August 27th)

 

Katherine Ilene:

 

* You learned how to 'sign' the word for more and will say "mo" as you sign it. 

 

* You can climb up onto the couch.

* The two top teeth on each side of your front teeth came in.

 

* Your favorite book to have us read to you is, Aaaaaargh Spider!, and you will have us read it over and over again to you.

 

* Lately you have been trying to copy many of the words I say.  I find myself saying something and then I hear a little echo voice repeating the last word I said.  New words: Matthew, no, juice, puppy, Goofy, Pluto, Meow's like a cat, Moo's like a cow, grapes, you try and count 1 2 3,

 

* You love singing!  You can pick up on a tune of a song very fast.  As we sing you will join in and try and sing along saying words that are similar to ours.  You like to sing the "ABC's", "Row, Row, Row Your Boat", "Jesus Loves Me", and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star".

 

* You still love playing with the Sesame Street number and word cards.  Your favorite card is the 'M for Mail' card with Zoe on it.  You always seem to find that card and will carry it around the house with you.  Your few other favorite cards also have Zoe on them, too.  I guess you like her. :)

 

* You like to play outside and look at the leaves and rocks.  You usually pick a favorite leaf and rock to carry around with you as you play.

 

* You like going to the park.  Not so much for playing on the equipment, but rather to socialize with the other people who are there.  You like to walk around and say "hi" to them as you see them.

 

* You have loved fruit this past month.  Your two favorites were watermelon and grapes. 

 

* You continue to remain patient with your brother.  When he takes a toy away from you, you will get upset, but quickly move onto playing with something new. 

 

* You will now place your sippy cup in the holder on your highchair when you're eating.  Yay!  We have less sippy cups just being tossed around at our house.

 

* You're starting to only want to eat foods that aren't cut up into pieces.  You want to be a big girl and take bites yourself.

 

* You love goofing around and being tossed around by Daddy.  He can really get you laughing!

 

* You went to your first wedding for your Great Uncle Steve Bernhardt on August 11th in Cedar Rapids.

 

Matthew Edward:

 

* Learned how to climb up our bed which is pretty high up there for a little guy!

 

* Can 'sign' for the word "more" and say something that sounds like "Maaa, Maaa" for more.

* You got in all 4 of your 2 year molers all at once!  Needless to say, this month was a hard one in the teething department.  Lots of restless, early mornings and short naps while you got them in.  We felt so bad for our little guy.

 

* You have been a little garbage disposal eating a lot each meal.  You love breakfast and eat the most at that meal.

* Loves chips and dipping them into any dips or salsa's he can.

 

* We are just so amazed with all of the directions you can follow from us.  You go to your bedroom with your blanket when we say it's time for night, night.  You get your shoes and sit down on the step for us to put them on when we say we're going outside.  You climb into the stroller when we say it's time for a walk.  Get out a sippy cup when you're thirsty and go to the fridge.  Will hand sister her sippy cup or blanket when we ask you to get it.

 

* You like climbing onto the kitchen table which is a no, no!  You try and climb into your highchair seat from the top of the table.

 

* Right now you love any toy or plastic container you can fit shaped blocks through or just put stuff in and take it out.  It's simple things like putting in and taking out the tennis balls from the canister.  You love it when I count the tennis balls as you put them back in.  Then we clap and you join in, getting a huge smile on your face, and then dump out the balls and start again.

 

* I think you wheel yourself around on your fire truck more than you walk around the house.  You really are a great driver!  The fire truck is definitely your favorite toy!

* Loves to wave!  You will wave at cars that go by outside and wave good-bye to us when you're going to bed.

 

* You love, love to play outside in the yard or go to the park.  You beg me to take you outside all day.  Beg by bringing me your shoes and then stand by the sliding door motioning to take you out.  You get a bit upset we can't go when you want to.

 

* Your favorite thing to do at the park is going down the slides.  You don't seem to be afraid of any of them.  We've let you go down a lot of them by yourself with us catching you at the bottom.

 

* You've got a good throwing arm.  We like to try and play catch outside with you and you can get some pretty fast throws. :)

 

* You would be happy playing in water all day.  You're fascinated with filling up containers.

 

* You like the toy shopping cart I bought for Kate.  You love climbing up and sitting in it while someone pushes you around.  Dare devil!

* You went to your first wedding for your Great Uncle Steve Bernhardt on August 11th in Cedar Rapids.

 

 



Thanks for all of the smiles and laughs you give us everyday Katers and Matty!

18 Months

Happy half birthday, Kate and Matthew!  Wow!  Can't believe today they turn one and a half years old! 

 

The 17 month blog post of the twins will come in two parts.  This morning will just be their 17 month pictures.  Then tonight I'm hoping to add the new skills and things they've been up too!

 

These pictures were taken by our friend Kirsta (Lindgren).  Her husband, daughter, and her where up here to visit in July.  She was awesome and took some pictures of the twins for me.  We had a great time hanging out with the Lindgren family...and the twins loved their daughter, McKenna!

 

Dear Kate,

We absolutely love your silly, easy going personality!  Your deep belly laughs are the best sound.  We especially love it when you make yourself laugh.  I guess what you're telling us is pretty funny!  You are a little teaser and love it when we tease you back.  We have been so proud of you starting to say more and more words this past month.  My favorite is when you heard me say "No!" to your brother and you started to chime in in the background copying me with your own 'no' to him.  You also love to sing.  You pick up on the tune of songs very quickly and try and make sounds like the words we sing.  The sweet sound of your singing voice melts my heart.  You love books and we love reading them to you.  We thank God for blessing us with such a sweet, cuddly, funny little daughter!

Love, Mom

 

Dear Matthew,

You are all boy!  There is no doubt about it.  You are a little monkey and you amaze us with how you can manage to climb up the things you do!  You don't miss a beat, watching and observing everything we do.  It amazes us how much you seem to understand what we tell you or direct you to do.  We can give you directions and you will most of the time do it.  You love to play in closets, open and close doors, turn on light switches, and push buttons.  Always curious to see how things work.  My favorite part of the day is being able to snuggle with you in the morning.  You definitely are a little lover and a great brother who's always trying to 'help' Kate either by getting her a paci, blanket, or sippy cup.  So cute to watch, even though Katers might not always enjoy it.  This past month you've been getting around the house by riding on your fire truck.  You push yourself all around and can steer it everywhere!  You have the biggest smile on your face as you wheel around the house!  We thank God for blessing us with a busy, smiley, happy little boy!

Love, Mom

 

 

And a few black and white

 

Happy Birthday, Grandpa!

Today is my dad's birthday!  And also his twin brother, my uncle's, as well!

Happy Birthday to a fantastic father and awesome grandpa! 

I couldn't have asked for a better father growing up and now!  Katherine and Matthew are two very lucky grand kids to have you as their grandpa - a fun, silly, teasing kind of guy who's right there playing on the ground with the kiddos!  Thanks for all you do for us, even being a state away.

We wish we could be there today to help you celebrate, but we are thinking about you on your special day and the twins are sending hugs and kisses your way!  And I know Katers wishes she could help you celebrate by sitting on your lap rocking in the chair or having you read her books. 

Have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Grandpa's little buddy!

We love you!

Perfect Sunday

Perfect definitely is a great adjective to describe today's weather!  I forgot out wonderful upper 70 degree weather felt.  It was nice for once to turn off the AC - something that hasn't happened in a very long time - and open up the windows.  Love, love the smell of fresh air in the house!  There is something great about the smell of the outside air, the breeze blowing in, and the sounds of the crickets chirping.

Today was such a perfect day to actually play outside.  The four of us decided to enjoy the day by going to a local park in our neighbor for the twins to play and then have a picnic lunch.  So we loaded up our picnic gear, some toys, and got subs at Jimmy Johns along our way. 

We found a new park in town we thought we would try.  It ended up being a perfect park to pick.  It had great equipment for the ages of our kids.  The twins loved it there and were on the go the whole time. 

I think Matt was in 'slide heaven'.   He started on the small slide that was just his size.  He would climb up the structure, go down the slide (head first or feet first), and continue his way back to the steps to climb up again.  The kid was just going in circles.  Then he spotted the larger piece of equipment with the big winding slide.  Bye, Bye little slide!  Matthew was moving up!  He would climb up the bigger equipment and head right to the big slide.  We had to keep a close eye on him so he didn't go down the slide himself.  He was close many times because he didn't want to be patient and wait for us to get ourselves situated at the top.  One time going down, I just got barely got to the top in time to just grab onto his arm as he had started to whiz down the slide on his own. The other people we had met at the park said Matthew had the biggest smile on his face the whole way down each time he went.  He was also rockin' crazy static hair from it, too!

Look at him go!  Kevin and I said it would be great to have this piece of equipment in our backyard!

The kid wore us out!  Kevin and I had to take turns being on "Operation Matthew Watch" chasing him all around the park and on the equipment. :)

So Happy!!!

Like I mentioned...crazy, static hair!

Going down the big kid slide.

Katers also loved the park.  Her favorite part were the swings!  She'd stay there all day if you'd let her.  She did like going down some of the slides but didn't need to keep going over and over again like her brother.  She did let a lady there we didn't know catch her at the bottom of the slide.  No stranger danger for her.  Besides the swings, she loved being Miss Hamball with the people at the park.  She was all smiles as she walked around showing off her silly, cheezers personality.  Everybody got a kick out her...our little social butterfly!

Kate's crazy hair blowing in the wind.

Going down with Daddy!

Big Smiles going down

It was fun to have a picnic at the park.  The kids sat nicely and ate their food so we could actually eat, too!  The Teddy Grahams were a big hit with K & M!

Wanted to carry the Teddy Grahams around with her

Of course, we had to bring monkey blanket to the park with us. :)

The day was definitely a perfect one!  The kids were so happy playing.  It was fun to watch them explore their world and become more independent kiddos.  I enjoyed having some quality time with just the four of us.  Plus, it was fun to meet new people at the park who also have kids around the twins' age. 

Thanks for the great day, family!