Emi

Taya

Emi                                               Taya

Hi Christine – I’m sorry this is late.  I ran into some computer problems, Tim was out of town and I am not technically savvy at all.  We just got it fixed.  I’ll try not to be late again.

The girls are doing well.  They’re starting to walk but are very stubborn and will only do it when the mood strikes.   I told you in my last post that they didn’t like standing and weren’t pulling themselves up, and if I tried to get them to walk by holding my finger they would use their stomach muscles and lift their legs up. ( They are super strong and have abs of steel)  I took them to a specialist and it seems that a reflex in their feet that is supposed to automatically go away at 6 months didn’t go away so they didn’t like how it felt to have their feet on the ground.  The fact that it didn’t happen naturally is also a sign that they may have a harder time learning. It is not reflective of intellect (they’re very smart) it just means that they input information a little differently.  So we’ve been doing therapy for a couple of months now and it is really making a difference.  Both of them could probably run a mile right now but just don’t always feel like it.  They zip through the house pushing a walker like they’re running a race. Sometimes they’ll start walking and then catch me watching and drop down.  They stand up and fall down on purpose because they think it’s funny.  I’m pretty sure at this point they’re just messing with me.  The good news about this is that we caught it early and have them in programs to help with walking, the way they learn and how to deal with the frustration of not being able to do what they want.  By doing therapy and the work now, they should be just fine in a couple of years.  It’s already made a huge difference and it’s taught me how to play with them and teach them at the same time.

One of the things we taught them is a few words of sign language and I can tell you that I’m not sure I should have taught them the sign for “more”.  LOL  Those girls can eat!  Lunch can go on for quite a while.  I’ll say and sign “all done” and then they’ll get this sly grin and start signing for more.  Taya will then start chanting eat, eat, eat.  It’s pretty hilarious.  Thankfully they aren’t picky and will eat just about anything.  They love fruit and I think fresh pineapple is their favorite.  I’m not even sure they taste it because they shovel it in so fast. Usually for lunch they each eat a sandwich, cheese, an applesauce pouch, some fresh fruit and a glass of milk.   Then they have 2 dinners.  They have first dinner at 5 and that’s usually a big meal – like pasta and veggies, then they have dinner with us as family a little later and they eat whatever we’re having.  And did I mention that they will each eat 3 pancakes apiece for breakfast?  I’m not talking mini ones either.  Full size.  I also have to separate their high chairs because they will steal food from each other or start shoving if it’s something they love like mac and cheese.  The crazy thing is that they don’t really have any baby fat.  They are long and strong.

When they’re not eating they love to be outside and enjoy getting dirty.  In fact the dirtier the better, today we were outside spreading mulch and Emi completely kept throwing it on Taya and then they would laugh and laugh.  We went camping last month and I bought them these plastic suit things so they wouldn’t get wet when they were crawling around.  They were so happy to crawl through mud and throw rocks.  We stay at a campsite and rent a cabin so it’s not like we’re alone in the middle of the woods.  We go with 3 other families that have children the same age as Tas and and the girls.  We go during the off season and get 4 cabins next to each other so there is a lot of room to roam and the girls had a lot of freedom to explore.  I was kind of worried that they wouldn’t like it since they’re at a tricky age and not walking but they were great.  I think part of the reason the like getting so dirty is that they are obsessed with taking a bath.  They throw a big ol fit if we have Tas take a shower before they get their bath and will bang on the door until he gets out.  Once they get in they start kicking and splashing and squealing.  They don’t really know what to make of bubbles though and tried to eat them like they were mashed potatoes or something so we’re gonna have to wait to try them again.  Taya likes to try to stand up and then plunk down and make a big splash so by the end of it the bathroom is covered in water.

Emi camping

Taya camping

Emi                                                   Taya

We also go to a music class once a week and they love it.  Sometimes they get to play with instruments and they love banging on a big drum that sits on the floor.  There are activities and dances that go with these little songs and the girls have really responded to it. It’s not popular music or regular nursery rhymes it’s more classical and children’s songs that are designed to help them recognize beat and tone.  I kind of hate the music.  The girls love it.  We have a cd to play in the car and if they’re getting fussy I’ll turn that thing on and they calm down.  I’ve even seen them tap to the timing of the songs.

Taya is very outgoing and loves to play to the crowd.  We always get a lot of attention in public because everyone wants to see twins.  Taya will smile and wave and clap and put on a big show.    Emi will usually give people the side eye.  Lol.  The funny thing is that Emi is really affectionate.  She gives big hugs and likes to cuddle.  You just have to earn your spot with her.  She’s not giving it away.  Taya is a bit more mischievous than Emi.  I have to stay on my toes with her.  She likes to get in the dog’s water bowl and is always on the hunt for the remote control.  She likes to find the remote then throw it until the batteries come out and then try to put them in her mouth.  Needless to say, the dog doesn’t get water unless they’re sleeping and I can never remember where I hid the remote.  Emi likes to be chased and is always looking to get in the bathroom or our bedroom, where she’s not allowed to play without us.  If that door doesn’t get shut right behind you she’s in and giggling while she books it as fast as she can.

Easter morning Emi left, Taya right

Easter, Taya left, Emi right

I hope you’re doing well.  Sorry if this is a bit scattered, I wanted to get it in tonight and so just kind of wrote what immediately came to mind.  Please let me know if something doesn’t make sense or you wish I would do this a bit differently.  Take care…..

Emi

Taya

                                   Emi                                                   Taya

Happy New Year!  I hope the holidays were good for you and that the new year brings you nothing but good things.

It’s been crazy around here.  We live in the same town but bought a new (bigger) house.  I wanted to make sure we had enough rooms that the girls can each have their own space if they decide at some point in the future that they want it.  For now they will continue to share because it’s easier for me and being together is comforting to them.  There are many mornings that I come in and they are giggling and squealing at each other.  They don’t seem to find anybody else quite as funny as they find each other.  They do have separate cribs because they are way too tall to share and on the couple of occasions that I’ve put them in the same pack n play for a few minutes it turns into a WWE wrestling match.  Somebody always ends up with her head trapped in the others legs.  They’ve adjusted to the new house well and it’s nice because this house is all one floor and they have a lot of freedom.

They need freedom because they are both crawling now.  They do have different methods, however.  Taya started crawling about a month before Emi and does the Army crawl, where her belly never leaves the floor.  Emi had all the tools to crawl earlier but couldn’t be bothered with it for a while.  She would roll and pivot to where she wanted to go and if she got off track or stuck she would yell until we put her where she wanted to be.  When she finally decided she was ready she got on her hands and knees and took off.  They love to chase each other around the house although Emi’s method is much faster than Taya’s.  Neither one of them at this point are even remotely interested in walking, and in fact they will lift their feet and legs off the floor when we try to have them hold our fingers and walk.   I wish I had their ab strength.  They are also big jumpers and can bounce the jumper across the floor.  They are incredibly strong, both in physical strength and personality.

Moving has been a bit consuming but we’ve still made time for adventures.   We went to a pumpkin patch in October. Taya loved the straw.  Emi wasn’t as thrilled.  We’ve had a very mild winter so far and have had several trips to the park.  Both of them love to swing and Emi will giggle the whole time.  We also bought bike seats for them and have taken several rides around the neighborhood.  They think it’s great and have made several fans.

For Halloween this year we made them baby chick costumes which were completely adorable and that they detested.  They weren’t in them for very long because they are quite vocal when they aren’t happy and the whole neighborhood was aware of their feelings on the matter.  Once we took the costumes off they were happy to be strolled around and many people had vanilla wafers or crackers to give to kids that weren’t old enough for candy.

Christmas was exciting and fun for us.  We took them to meet Santa and they weren’t overly impressed but had no problem sitting in his lap, which is more than I can say for their 4 year old brother who wouldn’t get within 15 feet.  We did go to Iowa and spend Christmas with my family.  The girls were completely spoiled and like most 1 year olds, were far more interested in the wrapping paper and empty boxes laying around then they were with actual gifts.  We did discover something funny about Taya during the ride.  We break it up into 2 days because it takes so long.  On the way back we stop after we’ve gone through the mountains for about an hour.  Tas usually gets carsick during this part and this trip was no exception.  He started throwing up and Taya started cracking up.  The harder he vomited and the more noise he made, the funnier she thought it was.  That was quite possible the hardest I’ve seen her laugh.  Sometimes we pretend to vomit and make the sounds now and she’ll bust up every time.  It’s hilarious, but I don’t see a career in the medical field in her future.

We were home for their birthday and did a small celebration with just us.  They each had their own cake that we let them go at and again had different methods of attack.  Emi dug in with both hands and got it everywhere.  Taya leaned straight down with her mouth and started licking the icing off.  Both needed a long bath after.

Emi

I’ve thought of you often throughout the holidays and particularly on their birthday.  I won’t pretend to know how you felt but I can definitely say you were on my mind and I was reminded of your love for them when they were born.  When they are old enough I will tell them the story of your selflessness and love.

I hope you’re well and that things have gotten easier for you.  We wish you the best always and you can reach me through here or by text if you ever have questions.

Hi Christine-

I hope things are going well for you.  I know you had a challenging summer and I hope that things have turned around.  We’ve had a very busy summer!  The girls are growing like crazy and are so full of life.  I’m a little afraid of the day they start moving because I’m not sure I’ll ever get to sit down again.  They haven’t started crawling yet but I think it’s coming soon because they get up on their hands and knees and rock back and forth.  For now they roll all over the place and Taya likes to lay on her back and push with her legs which scoots her around.  They also are very vocal.  They talk all the time and if you ignore them they get louder and louder.  They are the queens of jibber jabber.  They have different voices.  Taya’s is a little more deep and raspy.  Emi’s is higher and she can shriek a high note that would break glass.  She hates the grocery store and loves to pull that little trick out there, because she knows I’ll usually take her out and carry her.  As soon as I start unbuckling her stroller harness she grins, because she knows she got me.  They are both quite clever.

Speaking of the grocery store, I am there quite often because they have now started on solid foods.  All errands with them take forever because they get so much attention from strangers.  Part of it is because they’re twins and then also because they are so darn cute.  Taya really plays it up for strangers and gives them big grins and giggles.  Emi plays it a little cooler but they both love the attention.  I often get stopped by people just to tell me how pretty they are.  The solids are going ok.  Emi is less finicky than Taya.  They both like all fruit and zucchini is a big favorite.  Squash and yogurt are also big hits.  When they don’t like something they are not subtle about letting me know.  Taya does this big huge gag thing (she’s not choking it’s all puree) and then locks her lips tighter than Fort Knox.  Emi lets me get the spoon to her mouth and then blows a raspberry which results in it spraying everywhere.  Then she laughs.  For the record mashed potatos and peas have a pretty big spray area.

Physically the differences in them are pretty easy to spot for us now.  Emi’s face is a little smaller and she has less hair.  Taya developed a birthmark on her hip and seems to get to the physical milestones a few days or so before Emi.  She got her two bottom teeth first and just today had a top tooth break through.  Emi has her bottoms but the top isn’t ready yet.  I think it will be another week before that happens.  They don’t get too crabby while teething which is lucky for us. They are also really tall.  My good friend has a baby girl exactly 10 months older than them and they are just as tall as her.  Was their birth father tall or do you have tall relatives on your side?   Neither one of them like to sleep very much during the day but Emi is a much better napper than Taya.  Taya fights sleep.  Even at night when she’s exhausted she’ll try bouncing or flopping to put it off.  Emi happily lays in her crib and falls asleep.  Taya will cry cry cry.  Tim is the Taya sleep master and can rock and pat her to sleep in a matter of minutes.  I’m not as good at it as he is.  I think it’s something to do with the curve of his belly when he’s holding her that relaxes her.  In fact when it’s an hour or 2 before bedtime I won’t let him hold them because I know they’ll fall asleep on him.  He has to get down on the floor to play with them.  🙂

They are both happy and healthy.  They have really started to interact with one another and often crack each other up.  They have great laughs and nobody can get them going the way Tas can.  I will put on a whole song and dance show for them and I might get some chuckles.  All Tas has to do is toss a bib in the air and catch it and they think he’s a comic genius.  It’s actually pretty cool to watch how much they adore him and he is very protective and proud of them.  He tells anyone who will listen about his 2 baby sisters.

I will make another post around this time in January, but if you want more just let me know.  Take care

Hi Christine,

I hope that things are going well for you.  I’m not sure if you want updates or if you need some distance right now, so I figured this was the best way for you to make that decision for yourself.  I will do an update to this site every 4 months, by the 10th of September, January and May.  You can visit this site whenever you want, so if you need a break the updates will be here for you when/if you want to see them. The only way anyone will know of this site is if you or I supply them with the web address.  You can leave comments or questions and I’ll do the best I can to respond quickly.  If I don’t hear from you I will continue to update 3 times a year.  I just wanted a permanent place for updates throughout the years.  If this is too much or too little please let me know and we’ll work it out.  I don’t want to leave you hanging if you want information and I don’t want to push anything if you want space.  I want to do what’s best for all of us.

The girls are doing great.  They are 14lbs each and are on track with all the milestones for 4 month olds. The nursery is finished and they have been sleeping through the night (woo hoo!) for a couple of months now. They’ve both started babbling and their personalities are starting to emerge.  Taya is a little more physical and seems to master some of the motor skills quicker.  She wakes up happy and smiling.  She seems to be a bit of a morning person and tends to be crankier at night although she’s usually pretty easy going.   Emi is quiet in the morning and smilier in the evening.  She started babbling first and is quite chatty.  She also has a bit of a temper and will let you know when she’s not happy.  Both of them go from zero to HANGRY!  in a second and all of Virginia knows when I’m taking too long to get the bottle in.  Sometimes they get so caught up in being mad that it takes them a minute to realize the bottle is in their mouths and they have to stop crying and drink. They have started to recognize each other and will smile when they are put in front of each other.  Everyone here is happy and healthy, I hope the same can be said for everyone there.