Naughty or Nice?

It looks like someone just told Amelia and Penelope that they are on the "Naughty List" and don't get anything from Santa this year...



Seriously, though, the picture is so sad. I kind of feel like a bad Mom for making them sit on his lap when they were so clearly hating it (look at those arms reaching for Mommy and Daddy!). But we had to at least try... Our small town has an annual Christmas tree lighting and then Santa visits the local hardware store for pictures. Paul and I thought that before we venture to the mall and wait in a long line and pay a bunch of money, we'd test the waters with a little more low-key Santa visit closer to home. One quick glance at this picture

and I think we made the right decision, don't you... There will be no mall Santa this year!

My Countdown

And no, not to this...


But to this...


Only 67 more days. I cannot wait.

Happy "First" Thanksgiving

I know.... I know... Thanksgiving was yesterday and officially, it is Amelia and Penelope's 2nd one. :)

I had every intention of writing a post on Thursday but the day sort of got away from me (and yes, that happens quite often!). Anyway, all week long I've been thinking about this year compared to last and to me, it feels like the girl's 1st Thanksgiving. Last year, they were about 3 weeks old at Thanksgiving and I was sooo sleep deprived and pretty overwhelmed. I think the girls spent their days eating and sleeping and crying while the only thing I remember doing was nursing every couple of hours. My how times have changed... I don't really remember much about last year's actual Thanksgiving Day(I had to read my blog post to trigger my memory) and when I asked Paul, he said he felt the same way, not remembering much of the holiday weekend. Those early days sure are hazy and blurry.

This year was quite different! We slept in a little, had some breakfast, watched some of the Macy's parade, played a bit, napped and then headed over to the Clopton's for a delicious meal. We let the girls sample some of the Thanksgiving meal, but only Penelope actually ate the table food. Amelia made bad faces with each food she tried. Her meal consisted of goldfish crackers, bread and a Gerber jarred meal. She did eat a few bites of my pumpkin style pie (mostly cool whip) and seemed to like that. Penelope though had a more traditional Thanksgiving meal. Since I was feeding Amelia, I'm not too positive on all that Penelope had, but I'm pretty sure she ate mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans, roll and bite or two of turkey. I think she liked the pumpkin pie too. Uncle David kept suggesting I let them try the Pecan Pie, but I don't think they are quite ready for something that sweet just yet. :D

And not wanting to post without some sort of picture...here is a priceless one from the 12 month sitting. It is quite possibly both the best and worst of the bunch. Really sums up the whole experience. But we can't hold Flash completely accountable - it was Paul's idea to try putting them in the little sled together. LOL

12 month stuff

Picking up where my last post left off....

Amelia and Penelope had their 12 month check-up a couple weeks go and are right on target (as expected). Penelope weighed in at 21lbs 4oz and measured 29in. She was in the 50th percentile for both. Amelia was 21lbs 0oz and 29.5in and was in the 50th percentile for weight and 75th for length. Interesting that the 1/2 inch difference between Penelope and Amelia in length makes a 25% difference in the rankings. Also interesting - Penelope's head size. I don't recall the exact #, but the nurse said it is in the 95th percentile. My little Peanut has a big brain! :D No wonder she's been having a harder time balancing and walking - big 95th %ile head on a little 50th %ile body. LOL! The doctor said they are track for both growth and development, but unfortunately both of them got 4 shots each - ouch!! so we left with 2 crying little girls. This was possibly the worst of the vaccination appts so far. Penelope seemed to take it the hardest and when it was Amelia's turn, her cries got Penelope all worked up again. Poor things. I felt like crying too.

Now speaking of walking - Penelope started to really get her groove about 2-3 weeks after Amelia (by late October I think). It's really neat to see the different ways that each girl balances and walks. Amelia does a hands over her head thing while Penelope can be a little more zombie like - arms straight out in front of her. Both are super cute and super busy right now! I swear Amelia is getting so good at walking, I keep saying she'll be running laps around the house by Christmas. Penelope tends to be more laid back and while she seems motivated to walk more and more every day, she is also quick to go back to crawling pretty easily (especially if she's fallen a time or two or wants to get somewhere faster). Amelia on the other hand - I haven't seen her on her hands and knees crawling somewhere in quite some time....

We got the 12 month pictures back today. The 2nd sitting went just about the same as the first. We got a few more smiles out of both girls (well, Amelia really) but neither were willing to stand still for more than second or two or smile very much in the direction of the camera. We brought toys and treats but they didn't work as well as we expected. And tonight I am feeling a little frustrated with the money we ended up spending on a few pictures that are just so-so. Even more annoying, the number of delays and mix-ups we had with Flash. My latest issue - paying extra for the "premier" session that includes retouching, confirming the retouching at the time of the order and STILL getting pictures back with snot and drool. Grrr... And for the # of people I've heard recommend them, I'd have to say I don't think we'll be going back there anytime soon. We liked the photographer at Olan Mills, the girls responded to her and we consistently liked the results. We should have stuck with her! Lesson learned - I think. :)

In other photo news, we are slowly but surely working through the birthday party pictures. I wasn't kidding when I said we had over 400! I made an initial pass and got it down to about 200+ favorites and maybes. Next is Paul's turn to get rid of some of my maybes and duplicates, etc. And then we pick our top favorites for Smug Mug (and the blog). We seem to have our plates full with picture projects right now. Birthday pictures, Smug Mug 8 month to 12 month galleries and ordering our Christmas card and 12 month photos. Maybe it'll all be done by 2010!!! :D

Not wanting to finish this post without some kind of picture to share, here are a couple from a recent trip to the local Plain City park. The weather in Columbus was absolutely gorgeous the first 2 weekends in November so we took a walk to Past Time Park one afternoon and were pleasantly surprised to find that there were a few toddler / bucket swings. I'd say both girls liked the swing although Amelia seemed to enjoy it more. She had this silly little grin on her face the entire time. The picture doesn't do her expression justice (especially being a cell phone pic). And you'll have to thank Paul for taking a picture of Penelope with the big triangle bar in front of her face...

Busy Birthday Week

It's been awhile since I've posted so I figured I better go back a couple weeks and try to catch everyone up... A few days after my Grandma's funeral was Amelia and Penelope's 1st Birthday. Paul and I took the day off work so we could just relax and spend some time together as a family. After lunch we dressed the girls up in their "picture" outfits and took them to a local photo studio for their 1 year pictures. Paul and I also got cleaned up and joined in for a few family pictures. We had been taking the girls to Olan Mills for 3, 6 and 9 months but I pushed for something a little nicer and fancier for the 1 year and family pics (Flash Photography). What a waste of time and money! :( Neither girl really wanted to have anything to do with smiling or sitting still for pictures. We spent a good hour there and when we went back a few days later to check them out, we had 1 decent family picture (although neither of them are smiling, but at least they both managed to look at the camera!) and maybe one or two OK photos of each girl. And getting a picture of them together AND looking good - forget it! :D So while Flash offered to waive our sitting fee and give us a percentage off our order for a mediocre session, we decided it was worth trying one more time and set up a "re-take" appt for the following weekend. I guess since there were SO many great pictures at the 9 month sitting, my expectations were pretty high. Silly me though - I shouldn't have ANY expectations when two 1 year old girls are involved!

Once we finished at Flash, we packed up the girls and headed to Target to buy them some birthday presents. I think I like the tradition of taking them out shopping every year on their birthday to buy one special gift for each of them. And as they get older, we'll give them the $ limit and then let them pick the store - and the toy too of course! I envision them in a few years realizing what they can get if the pool their money together... We ended up buying them some small toys that make noise and light up and then a ride-on/walk behind for each of them. They love the little airplane at Grandma Clopton's so hopefully they will come to love their "school bus" and "music parade" here at home. :)

After Target, we headed home to unpack the car but decided shortly after getting home, we wanted Der Dutchman for dinner. Now if Paul and I had been thinking, we wouldn't have pushed our luck... Since both girls had mild colds last week and didn't have any afternoon nap that day, we should have known better than to try eating out as well. Live and learn... Live and learn... *sigh* They were good for about the first 10 minutes and after that - we had to keep giving them toys and crackers just so they wouldn't fuss and cry. It was possibly one of our quickest meals at DD ever. LOL

After the girls ate their dinner, we stuck candles in a couple donuts and sang to them. They got a kick out of that and Amelia kept grinning at me. Then I gave them each a small piece of donut and we watched... Amelia touched it, didn't try it and then started crying. Penelope was a little slow, but eventually took a bite, liked it and finished her piece. It was a long day for everyone but pretty fun for the most part. I'm still in disbelief though that my little girls are a year old!

The rest of the week I was in party mode and worked hard to get everything ready for Saturday. Our theme was Barnyard Babies. Check out the invitation - that I made!!

I am by no means very crafty or creative and I did sort of steal the general idea for these from another twin mom's blog. But they came out pretty darn cute if I do say so myself. I probably won't attempt anymore hand crafted invites for awhile, but I'm glad we all have a keepsake for this 1st birthday.

The party on Saturday was fun and I think the girls enjoyed themselves (at least as much as a 1yr old can). It took both girls awhile to warm up to all the strange faces in their family room but eventually they started showing off their walking skills and just being the cute and funny little girls that they are. They got lots of great gifts (books, toys, clothes, kid sized rocking chairs and a wagon). Paul made a really nice video of their 1st month (mostly from the first week or so) and although some of the clips of me are rough (ie - no makeup, yucky hair, glasses, etc) it was fun to look back on when they were such tiny little things. After the video and gifts, we had cake. Amelia acted the same as when I gave her the donut - just not interested. Penelope was pretty quick to dig in and start smearing frosting around on her face. Unfortunately, her cake experience was short-lived as she snapped her party hat band on her cheek which brought on lots of crying. And that got Amelia crying too. So they were quickly cleaned up and taken out of their seats. Not exactly the what I had in mind when I pictured them with their little individual cakes... But I suppose it's probably an OK thing that they don't have my sweet tooth (yet!). I can always hope for better at party #2 right?? Unfortunately I don't have any pictures to share just yet, but hopefully they will be on Smug Mug soon. They are out of the camera but Paul is trying to sort and tag them all first and that takes a little time (especially when we combine pics from 3 cameras and total is over 400!!). Once they are on Smug Mug, I will post a couple of my favorites here.

I think I here someone waking up from a nap, so it's time for me to wrap this up. I have more to share (stats from the 12 month Dr appt, a general update of what both Penelope and Amelia have been up to lately - accomplishment wise, how our "re-take" session went, etc, etc). I will have to save that stuff for another time though. :)

Happy 1st Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my girls! I cannot believe it has been a year...

Amelia and Penelope - I look at your newborn pictures and videos and have a hard time remembering when you were so small (but at the same time, it feels like we just brought you home a few weeks ago). I thought you were both so tiny and fragile and I was afraid to even change your diapers fearing I might hurt you. I made Daddy change the first few. I was just too nervous! But you were both actually so strong and healthy and grew so fast.

And just look at you now, one short year later... Some days it can bring tears to my eyes. It won't be long now before you are officially toddlers. But you will always be my babies, my little girlies.

I can't really remember what I did without you both (except maybe sleep more LOL). It certainly wasn't anything all that important. I love you so so much and that love continues to grow with every passing day. You are my heart and my true joy in life. I would do absolutely anything for you two. Just please please please, don't go and grow up too fast. I don't want to miss a thing! Happy First Birthday! Love you, Mommy

Mixed Emotions

This weekend has been strange. Emotionally, I've been all over the place. One minute I'm smiling and giggling with my girls and the next minute I'm crying. I was emailing back and forth with my sister and she pointed out that she thinks the day(s) after a funeral are just as hard if not harder than the actual funeral itself because that is when we have to face the reality of the situation and that life does actually go on without that person. And that is exactly how I've felt the past 2 days. I found out my Grandma passed on Tuesday morning and I was doing OK until Friday. I guess work and the daily routine kind of kept me distracted. And then on Friday, all the emotions just sort of overflowed and they kept coming all day yesterday and today. And it's hard to describe all the reasons for my crying. I'm obviously sad about the death, but at the same time, I'm relieved that my Grandmother is no longer suffering and is finally resting peacefully. What I am starting to realize though is that with her passing, I no longer have any remaining grandparents and am feeling like a full fledged adult (you'd think having twins would have gotten that point across to me, but hey, whatever...). And the idea that my childhood is done and over with and those wonderful summers in Indiana are a thing of the distant past has just completely gotten to me. I am mourning what to me feels like the loss of a simple and carefree time. Sure, I know those days were gone a long time ago but I guess maybe I didn't accept it or face it. Accepting that my "growing up" years are gone means accepting where I'm at in life and all the choices I've made to get here - good and bad. So maybe I'm sad that some areas of my life aren't like what I pictured when I was a kid and I can't just get a "do over". Food for thought I guess...

Speaking of food, both my sister and Dad reminded me of 2 other things that were favorites from Grandma and I can't believe I forgot either of them. Grandma made an unbelievable chocolate cake and when she discovered how much us Reinke's liked it, she would make it for all of our visits. And no holiday gathering was really complete without her church windows. We've tried to recreate both desserts over the last few years (using her recipe) and they are just not the same. She must have had some secret ingredients that she forgot to write down! :)

Now on to happier times... Paul and I did get to have some fun this weekend. We took our little marsupials out trick or treating around the neighborhood on Saturday night. Once we had them in their costumes, we let them walk/crawl around the house for a bit so we could take pictures and it was a riot! Amelia got the hang of walking in the costume pretty quickly (once we took off her shoes that she was wearing underneath) but then she absolutely refused to put the purple croc down. I think she has it in her hand in almost every single picture we took. And poor Penelope... I made some adjustments to the koala head to make it fuller and thicker and didn't take into account the weight of 4 burp cloths pinned inside there. It just kept sliding off backward on her. Maybe that's what threw off her walking as she couldn't quite get the hang of it like Amelia did. Anyway, I've included a few of my favorite pictures below. If want to see more, check out our Smug Mug site.

Adorable Koala

Sassy Kangaroo

Had a hard time walking - or standing - in the costume

Didn't care to leave her baby Joey in the pouch

In Loving Memory

Wanda M Hasler

1/21/21 - 10/27/09

Today I said good bye to my Grandma Hasler. It was a hard, sad day. But I can take comfort knowing that she lived a long and full life (with 3 children, 6 grandchildren and 12 great grandchilden) and now there is no more pain. I have also been reminding myself that she is finally back with Grandpa after missing him dearly for the past 12 years.

The drive to and from Indiana gave me time to reflect and so many memories from my childhood keep coming to mind. I want to bottle them all up and never forget... Growing up, my sister and I used to go visit Grandma and Grandpa every summer. We'd spend a week or two "helping out" around the farm and playing with our cousins. Some of the things I remember most - Grandma's sense of humor and teasing - she used to always pinch my thighs and ask why I was wearing such thick jeans. And there was a time when my cousin Brad and I were being ornery, so she waited at the screen door and surprised us with a cold glass of water! And then there was the big blue and white chair in the front room where us kids would sit with Grandpa and he'd read story after story. That was the same chair that Grandma would sometimes fall asleep in while reading her afternoon paper. Grandma's house was also the place to be for good meals. She was such a great cook and if you wanted to show your appreciation for a meal, you had better say "yes" when 2nd helpings were offered. :) Even better, she bought the sugary cereals that Mom never let us have at home (Count Chocula and Boo Berry - yum!), no meal was complete without dessert - even breakfast (my favorite - Swan's ice cream and her molasses cookies) and oh yeah, you are never too old for chocolate milk (she made Grandpa a glass everyday for as long as I can remember). Grandma's is also where I learned that lunch is really "dinner" and dinner is really "supper". Yeah, I loved it all. Lassie and the barn cats, the tire swing, riding with Grandpa in the red pick-up truck, the smell of bacon early in the morning, catching fireflies, playing with Lincoln Logs in the basement... I could go on and on but it's getting too hard. I guess it's really all the little things that end up rolled into one great big wonderful memory.

So Grandma, I hope you know just how much you mean to me and how much I loved those weeks I spent with you and Grandpa every summer. I love you both. ~April Suzanne

Halloween Preview

Just a quick peek at Penelope and Amelia in their costumes (Brooke - you were right!!). This isn't the best picture as it is from the phone and neither girl looks real excited about the whole thing. But we took lots more pictures with our camera and I hope to have a few of the favorites posted by the weekend. We managed to get a few grins out of Penelope, but I don't think the binky ever left Amelia's mouth (I tried to take it away once and she started crying - loudly). We plan to take more on Halloween night since you can't see all the details when they are in the stroller. Anyway, Boo at the Zoo was lots of fun and we got several "oh how cute" comments. Paul did a great job finding these costumes!

Breathing a Sigh of Relief

Last week I was completely obsessed with finding some costumes. This week I am breathing easy and turning my attention towards making the birthday party invitations. Thank goodness! I went to two different Once upon a child stores on Sunday and came away empty handed (well, at least in terms of costumes as I did find some great dresses CHEAP that I couldn't pass up). The costume selection was the same as the twin sale - cute stuff, but nothing in their size that would work as a pair. On Tuesday, I went shopping after work and looked at Joann's, Old Navy and Target and struck out again. Ugh... I had also spent most of Monday evening and Tuesday evening (after babies went to bed) searching the internet. I was super frustrated with the whole silly holiday at that point and just about ready to call it quits, dress them in orange and call them pumpkins! That's when Paul (master internet searcher / finder) stepped in. ;) He was able to devote some time on Wednesday searching the internet and found 2 great costumes from an Ebay store. We probably paid more than we originally planned (plus shipping/handling - boo!) but the customes have already arrived, are in fact brand new and look SO cute. Now that I think about it - what we bought is only a little bit cheaper than what I found at Old Navy, but I can confidently say that we probably won't see any other babies out trick or treating wearing the same thing as our girls. On the other hand, I bet we'll see lots of ON bears, dogs, bunnies, etc - not that there is anything wrong with those costumes... :) I really can't wait to dress Amelia and Penelope in their costumes! Of course, I was out and about at lunch today and saw several 50% off costume racks, but considering how much I love what Paul found, I am letting go of the money factor... Maybe we'll be able to list them on Ebay next fall and get a little cash back. Anyway, I don't want to just tell what they are until I have some pictures of them in the costumes to post here so in the mean time, I'll give some clues.

#1 - they are not identical
#2 - they are animals
#3 - the only place you'll see these two animals in the US is at a zoo (which is quite fitting since our house sounds like a zoo at times!)

Any guesses? I have more hints but Paul told me they will give it away so those will have to wait until we get closer to Halloween.

And now, on to the birthday party plans and invites. :D

And the search continues...

I went to my first Twin Sale last night. What a scene! The shopping on Friday night is for twin moms only - no kids, husbands, grandmas, etc - and it was crazy. I cannot even imagine what it is like when the public comes in to shop on Saturday morning. I was pretty much overwhelmed with just how much stuff there was. We only had 2 hours to shop so I didn't even get to see everything. I had a list of the things I wanted to look for and did my best to stick to those areas. I pretty much skipped books, stuffed animals, shoes, furniture, equipment (like car seats and swings), outdoor toys / ride-on stuff and strollers. From that list, you're probably wondering what's left?? I stuck to the small toys and clothes and managed to get a few things I was looking for. Unfortunately I didn't find any Halloween costumes and that was #1 on my list. :( They had a few cute costumes in the right size, but nothing that really "went together" like I want. Of course, by the time I found where the costumes were at, I have a feeling they were a little picked over. Oh well... I did find some absolutely adorable red velvet dresses for Christmas that will be great for going to Church on Christmas Eve. They are awfully "dressy" and not very practical for our family gatherings but at only $6 each, I couldn't resist. I also found a few small toys and the travel highchairs I was looking for (all for $5 or less). The rest of my money was spent on size 12-18 month clothes for this winter. I got about 20 or so items and didn't pay more than $5 for a single thing. (20 sure sounds like a lot but when you consider there are 2 babies to dress, that's really only about 10 outfits. :D) Oh, I also found two super cute lightweight jackets in a 2T and I'm really hoping we'll be able to get those out next fall. They were brand new for $10 each. A few of the things I found even still had tags on them! Actually, I'm pretty proud of how much I did get but am still thinking about a few of the items I passed over and wish I hadn't....Like the more casual holiday outfits, the 4in1 gymboree winter coats, the activity center toys... Guess that's just a lesson for the next sale in the spring - take everything in consideration with you to the line and review everything as you wait to pay. I got in line at 9:15 and didn't get out the door until after 10! I was exhausted by the time I got home. The other lesson learned - use something better than an old gym bag to carry around my finds, preferably something with wheels! Now, I must give BIG props to Paul for doing the sale by himself last year. It's a wonder he didn't turn around and come right back home when he saw 3 gymnasiums packed full of stuff! I didn't make him shop for clothes though and that has got to be the hardest part. They hang a few things but most of it is just stacked on tables (by size and tops or bottoms) at least a couple feet high. Like I said, it's a little overwhelming... :)

So I guess I'm on to Plan B for the Halloween costumes. Tomorrow I will check out the local Once Upon a Child stores and hope for the best. The 2 stores I called said they had a good number of costumes so keep your fingers crossed for me. If I strike out there, then it's time search the internet and Ebay. My last resort is buying new from a discount store like Target, Walmart or Old Navy - or maybe waiting for the last minute sale at Babies R Us. Of course, doing that is risky since I have to find 2 of something that goes together and in the same size. Seriously though, considering that they are going to wear these for a max of 2 hours, I HATE the idea of paying full price. It just seems like a waste of money.

Today is the Amelia and Penelope's 11 month birthday. In honor of that and the MSU victory on the football field, I've attached a picture from today's morning playtime. Check out those shirts! Our girls may live in Ohio, but they will come to love Michigan State just like Mommy. :D

The two toys they are playing with are from the sale. You can't really see the one next to Penelope, but I think it's their favorite of what I brought home. It only cost $2 so of course it's bound to be the best one. :) Amelia is already showing signs of claiming it and not wanting to share. Too bad there wasn't 2 of them! The bigger toy looks like it could be fun for them (playing music and animal sounds), but when Paul went to put new batteries in it, he found the old ones corroded in there. Boo.... He thinks he can clean it up and get it working though.

Oh, before I completely forget - Amelia officially WALKED last night! And not just a couple steps, but really walking with her arms out for balance. I was on my way out the door for the sale and Paul called for me to come back quick. He said Amelia walked from her jumperoo across the room to the couch. I didn't really see it that time, but she repeated the performance a few more times this afternoon. So while the first steps for both girls were about a month ago, we marked yesterday as THE DAY for our little miss Amelia. It's so neat to see her put it all together and actually walk. Of course, my heart skipped a beat or two when she ventured on to the hard, slippery kitchen floor and that's when I realized that walking is great for them, but SCARY for Mom and Dad. LOL! I'm sure Penelope's big moment will be soon and we can't wait. What a great way to remember their 11 month birthday!

Happy Eleven Months A and P!! We love you lots!

Yikes!

The last day of September....oh man, where did this month go?? I had such high hopes for blogging more this month. I guess there is always next month, right. But seriously, how can it be October already? I hope the upcoming month is a little "slower" - we have a lot going on at the end of October and first of November and need all the time possible to get everything accomplished.

So let's see...when I last posted, I was looking for themes for costumes and parties. Thanks Brooke and Sarah for the creative ideas! Love the salt/pepper and ketchup/mustard costume suggestions! Those just might be what we do in a couple years when the girls are walking well and can really show off the costumes. I'm still undecided for this year though and am hopeful that when I go to the Mother of Twins sale this weekend, I'll find just the right outfits for their first Halloween. :)

As for the birthday party, I think I've got it narrowed down to a few favorites (leaning towards bugs or animals) and am actually considering making my own invitations. For those that know me well - I'm neither crafty nor creative so that would be kind of big deal! :D But I think it would be worth it to do something special and have a nice keepsake for this 1st birthday. I saw a really cute idea on another twin mom's blog and it has inspired me to give it a try. Oh, and it doesn't hurt that Paul's Mom has a good stock of scrapbooking tools and is willing to help me with this project. I'm already looking forward to going to Michaels or Hobby Lobby to check out the possibilities. Of course, now that I've blogged about, I better follow through! Hey - who knows, maybe this will be the start of a fun scrapbooking hobby for me. OK OK maybe I should wait to see how the invites turn out before I go that far... LOL

I don't have much of anything new to report on Amelia and Penelope. They are getting more and more steady on their feet - standing without hanging on to anything for several seconds at time and sometimes taking 2 or 3 steps if a favorite (or forbidden) item is just out of reach. Maybe they'll be walking more by their birthday. Right now it seems like they think about taking a step but then realize that getting down and crawling is safer and will get them where they want to be quicker. Watching them scoot around and crawl fast is such a cute and funny sight. Tonight Amelia kept putting her head down all determined like when she was trying to get somewhere fast. Oh, and Penelope (who is turning into quite a cuddly baby) is finally getting
some top teeth which will hopefully help her with crunchy foods like crackers. I'm getting tired
of feeding them mainly baby food, but neither seem all that happy when I try thicker textured or chunky stuff. I'd also like to start practicing with self feeding but I just don't know that I'm ready for the mess that that is bound to bring with it... Maybe we'll wait just a little longer on that. ;)

Well it is officially past my bed time and given that Amelia has woken me up with crying the past two nights, I'm exhausted. I will post again very soon (promise!).

Suggestions

This is a call to all the creative people out there.... Got any cute ideas for Halloween costumes that aren't identical but coordinated for Amelia and Penelope??? They would preferably be something I can find in a store to buy as I don't imagine I'll have a ton of free time to make them myself. :) By coordinated I'm thinking along the lines of bumblebee and ladybag, teddy bear and panda bear, giraffe and zebra, cow and pig - you get the idea.

I'm also starting to think about themes for the 1st birthday party and welcome suggestions for that too. It doesn't necessarily have to geared towards twins - just cute and fun and girly and appropriate for the big # 1. :D

So post a comment and let me know what you think! Thanks!

Falling Behind

I'm falling behind in posting while the girls are falling on their behinds as they try to stand and walk. That's right, you read correctly, I said WALK... Both girls took their first tentative steps yesterday afternoon!! I'm SO glad I was there to see it - and that they managed to do it within minutes of each other. :D It happened at Grandma Clopton's house when I went to pick them up. Amelia kept standing on her own for several seconds at a time so I told Penelope she better watch out or her sister would walk before her. Since Penelope was the first to roll, crawl, stand and cruise, I kept predicting she'd be the first to walk. Well my little Peanut must have heard me because less than 5 minutes later, she let go of the footstool she was hanging on to and took 2 steps towards me! And since Amelia kept standing on her own, we put her up to the same footstool and sure enough, she let go and took a couple steps towards her jumperoo. What big girls!!! Of course once we got home and had dinner, Paul turned on the video camera and we let the babies crawl all over the family room and living room, hoping they'd try again for Daddy to see. Amelia did it a couple times, letting go of a chair and then taking 2 steps to an end table but the best we could get Penelope to do was take a few steps while lightly hanging on to my finger. Still awfully impressive though.... They are only 10 months old (and growing up way too fast for Mommy)!

Speaking of 10 months - I completely missed posting on their 10 month birthday. They are now officially 10 months and 1 week. Last week was a slow week at work but a busy one at home so I guess that's how I missed 9/3/09. On Friday, Grandma and Grandpa Reinke came into town to watch the babies for a couple days while Paul and I headed up to Cleveland. Our 7th wedding anniversary was on Monday the 7th and we celebrated by going to the Cleveland Airshow on Saturday and spending the night in downtown Cleveland. We were pleasantly surprised at how nice our hotel was and the whole downtown area in general. After the airshow we went out for possibly our most expensive dinner ever at John Qs steakhouse and then just enjoyed a nice baby-free evening. It was our first night away from home without the girls and I was a little hesitant about leaving them but it had to happen sooner or later. We are after all planning a vacation without them for February 2010 so one night 2 hours away is a good start. :D On Sunday we slept in until 8am, had a yummy breakfast at the hotel's buffet and then just wandered around downtown looking at some of the old buildings, etc. We even stopped in Lodi on the way home for a little outlet shopping. All in all, a very nice way to spend our anniversary. And the girls survived without us - in fact, I'm not sure they even noticed we were gone. A good sign all be OK when we head to the beach in 149 days (not that we're counting down or anything!!).

The End of Summer

While I sit here at the computer, I've got the windows open and can feel a cool breeze. I need jeans and socks to keep warm. It is August 30th... and it already feels like fall. But did we really even have summer this year? Such strange weather lately although I have to admit, I sort of like it. Fall is my favorite season and I much prefer partly sunny and mid 60s over sunny and 90 (and 100% humidity!). So as the weather cools and I start to see more and more school buses every morning on my way to work, I realize that summer is definitely coming to an end. Time to think about putting the baby pool away and packing up a closet full of very cute baby girl clothes meant for hot and sticky summer days that were hardly worn. I've spent the last few days sorting through baby clothes, packing away what's already outgrown or will soon be out of season. Now as much as I hate doing laundry, it has been kind of fun to get out new outfits for fall and see all the cute tops and pants that have been in stored away the last several months. Of course a year ago we were in the middle of a heat wave and drought and maybe that's why I felt the need to have SO many sun dresses in the 6-9 month size. Regardless, most of that is now being packed up and sent to the basement (although I am keeping out a few of my favorites just in case we get a little heat in September or October). FYI - I have already bought several sale/clearance items for next summer so we can always hope for hotter days in 2010. :)

OK, enough about the clothing. You are probably wondering what we've been up to lately... Work and more work - unfortunately. Have you noticed a pattern where I find time to post at the very end of the month and/or the first week or two of the new month? And then nothing at all for that 3rd week? You can thank my job for that. Every 3rd week of the month is our "crunch week". I absolutely loathe ****** (insert name of large banking institution here) and the upper management for letting the pattern continue for so many years. My dept is bored silly the first week to 10 days of every month, trying to find ways to stay busy for 8 hours a day. Then bam - we all get slammed in the 3rd week. And overtime is REQUIRED. So last Saturday I worked for a few hours and then put in my overtime Monday thru Wednesday. I am typically pretty cranky by the end of "crunch week" and feeling way behind and overwhelmed in my chores at home. I've tried to take this past weekend to get caught up on a few things around the house (like laundry) and also reengerize so I'm ready to face next week.

We did squeeze in one fun family outing last weekend - the first trip to the zoo! Paul and I had a good time and decided to get a 1 year membership. Hopefully by next spring Amelia and Penelope will enjoy it just as much as we do. They seemed pretty unimpressed with it this first time around - and slept through about half of it. We took a few pictures, but I'm not sure they are all that great and since they have yet to be moved from the memory card to the computer, they may or may not make their way to the blog. :D

Speaking of cameras, our great little Nikon point and shoot is currently in the "shop" for repairs. We hope to have it back soon but in the mean time, all we have for picture taking is Paul's professional - and expensive - camera. I feel uncomfortable and awkward using it so I'm afraid we won't have too many pictures for the month of August. But considering just how busy and active the girls are, we are probably better off sticking with video right now. Oh, but we did have their 9 month pictures taken a few weeks ago and should have those prints any day now. Both girls did great and loved all the props we gave them - chairs, ladder, books, rocking horse....like I said, they are busy and active 9 month old girls!

In other big news, Penelope is finally cutting her first tooth! You can't really see it yet but you can definitely feel it. And Amelia is getting #4 and #5. And hers you can certainly see as she likes to show them off (just wait until you see the 9 month pictures!). We have been pretty fortunate so far with the teething. Neither seem to be too bothered by them and have yet to give us trouble during the night because of pain. Let's hope that continues as they get more and more teeth!

Hmmmm... I'm starting to hear some noises coming from the nursery so I guess that means nap time is about over. Time to sign off.

~April

Babies Don't Keep - part 2

So did you see the poem I posted on Monday night??? All you other Moms (and Dads) out there already know this and everyone keeps telling me "they grow up fast" and boy oh boy, are you ever right. Babies don't keep... I just can't believe how fast our days and weeks and months are slipping by. It makes me a little sad at times. My memories from those early months are pretty foggy. I barely even remember taking time out to just hold them close and rock them and study their tiny and precious features. And now I really feel like I'm missing so much good stuff by working all day instead of being at home with my girls. They learn and discover so many new things all the time these day. In just the past couple of weeks, Amelia has started to cut her 3rd tooth, is"reading" books and turning the pages herself and clapping (I have yet to see this one for myself though). And Penelope, well, she has discovered her own laugh and giggles all the time (sometimes even at nothing at all :D), holds her own bottle for a feeding and most recently, figured out how to play "chase" with Mommy (she crawls and I follow and then she stops every couple of feet to make sure I'm still back there, smiling and laughing the whole time). This is such a great age - all the playing and smiles and new discoveries. I don't want them to grow up too fast. But... Babies don't keep... Some nights when I'm done nursing the 2nd baby and have a few quiet minutes, I just sit and rock them and wish for time to stand still. When they cuddle up against me and fall asleep, I find myself trying to memorize their little faces and realize I could stare at them for hours. They are so perfect. So the question is, is the the job worth it? is the extra money for all the "extras" in our life worth the price? Could I - strike that - Could WE give up some of that "stuff" so I could work part-time and be home more? I'd like to think so... But it doesn't feel like it's possible. I barely have the energy at night to check email and update this blog, let alone do a job search and resumes and applications. And then Paul suggests maybe a career change, but the thought of classes on top of work and babies brings me close to tears. I feel like I am "stuck" in my current spot and can't break free. But... Babies don't keep... And that is slowly becoming my mantra, my motivation to make a change for the better. I don't want to look back on this first year and be full of regret. The job just isn't worth it.

Babies Don't Keep

I found this poem online and it really hit home (especially lately) so I wanted to share...

Cleaning and scrubbing

can wait 'til tomorrow.

For babies grow up,

we've learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs,

dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby

and babies don't keep

(author Ruth Hulbert Hamilton)

9 Month Stats

We had our 9 month well-visit yesterday and I'm happy to report that all is well with the girls- not that I expected anything to be wrong... The weight gain is slowing down a little, but they are both still nearing the 20lb mark (yikes! almost time to think about bigger car seats!). Amelia weighed in at 18lbs 12.5oz (50th percentile) and was 27 inches long (25th percentile). Penelope weighed 19lbs 2oz (60th percentile) and was 27 1/4 inches long (45th percentile). Other than having to wait for what seemed like forever for our Dr to get to our room (at least that's the way it felt to us since we were trying to entertain two squirmy 9 month old babies) the appt went just fine. They had blood draws to check iron levels and neither even batted an eye at the finger prick. Of course they cried a little during the vaccination, but by that time, we were well past their regular nap time and both were getting cranky and fussy. I tried to talk to their Dr about transitioning from less milk and onto more solids but her answers seemed vague and have left me today with even more questions than yesterday. And the "there really is no one right way" answer just doesn't help this first time Mom. I need some solid direction. As we near the 1 year mark (is that even possible???) , I've been giving a lot of thought to weaning them and I want it to be a fairly smooth and easy transition for all 3 of us - and more or less done by mid-November. I'm just not totally sure where to start. Guess I'll have to keeping reading up on the subject and ask around a little and then put together my own plan... Anyway, it's getting late and while I have more to say, I need to get myself off to bed. I've included a cute picture that Paul took with my cell phone while we waited on the doctor... Check out the chunky bellies - gotta love 'em!!

Barkley The Bunny Hunter

Since I've always considered Barkley a member of the family, I figured I'd share his latest adventure. For the past few years, there has been a serious overpopulation of rabbits in our neighborhood. I used to get annoyed with the holes they'd dig in the backyard and around the fence line - actually I still do, but I've got bigger things to focus on these days... :) Now as some of you may remember, last summer one silly rabbit decided to build her nest and have a litter of bunnies in our backyard. Barkley discovered that nest but luckily no babies were harmed and we spent the next 2-3 weeks taking him out on leash, not mowing the backyard and in general, being very protective of the rabbits. Eventually they "moved out" and that was that. They were fluffy and cute when they finally left and we were happy that we were able to keep the dog away from them for so long. When we saw signs again earlier this summer that rabbits were hanging out in the backyard, I told Paul we just don't have the time to watch out again this year for bunnies, that they have to learn that a fenced yard where an 80lb dog lives is not the place for them. Oh, if only they would have listened... I took Barkley for a walk on Friday evening and he was still pretty hyper when we got home so I put him out in the backyard to burn off a little more energy. When he didn't come back after about 10 minutes, I called to him. Nothing... I walked out on the deck and saw him nosing around in the yard. He looked at me, I called for him again and again, no response. So, I got my shoes on and went out to see what he was doing. You know where this is going don't you??? I found lots of grass clippings and fluffy fur clumps (the nest materials) laying all around. It was getting dark so I took Barkley back in the house and Paul got the flashlight. Sure enough, he found another nest. Unfortunately, one little bunny didn't make it. :( Paul's theory is that Barkley started digging pretty hard in the nest and probably got the little guy with his paws (since the rabbit was a good foot or two away from the actual nest). I feel so bad and hope that the rest of the litter managed to get away and find their mommy. I know Barkley didn't intend to hurt it, he was just curious and being playful. I mean seriously, look at this face....

On the up-side, it is 1 less rabbit to roam the neighborhood.....

Assorted Pics - part 4

Just some of my favorites from the past few weeks. Most of these - and more - should be on SmugMug soon enough (in the 8th and 9th month galleries)

1st time Amelia pulled herself up - she's so excited! (and if you look closely, you can see her 2 teeth)

Check out the hands behind the head and crossed ankles - seriously relaxed

The beloved Wii trunk - I guess it is the perfect size for them...

Dinner time...

I suppose I am a tiny bit biased, but I don't think our girls could be any cuter...

Side note - the quality of these pictures isn't the greatest and that's my fault and the way I uploaded them (I was in a hurry to just get them out here). Anyway, I'm currently in the process of learning lots of new things about how we store and organize and share our family photos and also how to do more creative things on the blog. My hope is that going forward, the pictures will look better and I'll stay more up-to-date with this in general. Stay tuned... :D

Assorted Pics - part 3 (Swimming)

A few swimming pictures (mohawks courtesy of Daddy)

LOVE this one!!

Sharing the water toys

Something caught their attention (a barking dog I think...)

This is how the first time in the pool went - Amelia chewing the toys and Penelope trying to climb out

good times....

Assorted Pics - part 2 (Vacation)

July 4th - Holland, Michigan

Sisterly love?!? I guess Penelope wants Amelia out of the chair!

What a precious face

Happy that she's now got the chair all to herself

With Grandpa and Grandma Reinke

Taking a walk around Waukazoo Woods

Checking out the local Farmer's Market (and who would have thought we'd need socks on July 4th??)

Enjoying playing with spoons and Cheerios :D

Assorted Pics

Amelia looking awfully cute at bath time

Babies are so flexible...

Penelope also looking super cute at bathtime

For more of these older pictures (eating their first solids, rolling over, etc), check out the 6th and 7th month galleries on our SmugMug site.

9 months already?!?

It's so hard to believe - my little baby girls are going to be 9 months old tomorrow! And it's almost been a year since I went on bed rest. I've been thinking a lot lately about August 15th, 2008. It was the day after we came home from a great Reinke family vacation in Lancaster, PA, and I went to a Dr's appt, thinking it would be a routine check-up and 2 or 3 hours later, I'm in the hospital being monitored for pre-term labor. That set off a crazy chain of events and our life hasn't been the same since. Really, though, just where has the time gone??? The last 12 weeks of the pregnacy seemed to drag on and on (see my posts from September and October if you want to re-live those days :D), but now that Amelia and Penelope are here, I can't keep up... They are growing so darn fast, I'm afraid to even blink. Everyone warned us how quickly the months go by and they are SO right. And now it feels like it has been forever and a day since I updated the blog, I don't even know where to begin. I'm thinking I should just do a quick re-cap of the past 6 weeks, post a few of my favorite pictures and then start fresh. I want to really try to post once every week or two (don't laugh at me! we all have goals right?).

Over the 4th of July, we went on our first big road trip to Holland, Michigan. The girls did great in the car (only getting fussy the last hour of trip) and while it took us 7 hours to drive up, we managed to get home in just 6. Hooray! I'm not too sure we'll do a drive like that very soon, but at least now we know it's possible (with lots of planning and packing!). I think I'd like to wait until the girls are weaned a little bit more as pumping in the car (while going 70mph down the highway) wasn't the greatest... While in Holland, we visited Grandma and Grandpa Reinke, Aunt Brooke and Uncle Todd and cousins Kendall and Braden. We took the girls to the Farmers Market, a neighborhood picnic and on a couple walks in Waukazoo Woods. Paul and I even got a little time to ourselves to wander around downtown Holland. I really love West Michigan in the summer. There's just something about being so close to the lake...I think it's in the air. :) Anyway, we had a fun weekend with the family. I wish we lived closer so we could visit more often (especially now that B and T have a new boat - can't wait to see it!).

The following weekend, the weather finally warmed up some and we had our first "swim" in the kiddie pool. That was fun, but a little hard for me since I was home alone that day. Penelope spent the majority of the time trying to lean over and climb out the side. Thankfully, Amelia just relaxed and chewed on the water toys and I tried my best to take a few pictures and some video. I don't know what I would have done had they both tried to crawl out. I don't think I thought that idea out very well. 2 wet and slippery babies probably requires 2 pairs of adults hands. :) We went swimming again yesterday (and yes, Paul was home this time) and they seemed to enjoy it more. Amelia really got into splashing with her hands and kicking her legs around. Penelope splashed a little and played with the toys, but after about 10 minutes, started to make her exit. Oh well, maybe swimming just isn't her favorite thing (at least for this summer)...

Last weekend, we took another road trip to Indiana to attend my cousin Megan's wedding reception and visit more family. It was really neat to see all my Hasler cousins and their families. The number of kids everyone has really grew over this past year. Paul and I went from 0 to 2 kids and my cousins Melissa, 3 to 4, and Brad, 1 to 4. There were babies and toddlers and tweens all over the place. It was quite a family reunion!

This weekend we stayed in town but still kept busy - at least on Saturday. We decided to head to Marysville to check out the Union County Fair and some farm animals. I must admit - Amelia and Penelope both seemed quite unimpressed with the whole thing. :D Well, except for the sheep barn - when a curious little guy stuck his head out close to the stroller and let out a loud "baaa". At first I thought Amelia was laughing, but then quickly realized those were scared cries and then that set off Penelope... So there we are in the sheep and goat barn with 2 crying babies. Gotta love it! :) I was hesitant to show them too many more animals fearing what might happen when a cow "moos" or a pig "oinks" but they were fine the rest of the time. They both even took a little catnap in their awesome new City Mini stroller. Maybe next year will be a better age to show them the farm animals at the county fair. Although next weekend we might try to go the Ohio State Fair, but I have low expectations - and know to stay away from the sheep! :D

So while June seemed to be Penelope's month to get moving, July has been all about Amelia. By the first of July, Penelope was getting really good (and fast) at crawling and Amelia has spent the month catching up. Early in July, she started to "creep" on her belly and a couple weeks after that, she figured out how to get herself from laying on her belly to sitting up and also how to pull herself. After practicing in the crib for a few days, she had it down pat and has been pulling up on anything she can get her hands on. I must say she's pretty brave too - she's quick to let go with both hands if something - or someone - distracts her. There have been a few falls and bumps to the head, but I think that comes with the territory. Lately, her crawling has been a mix between an army crawl on her belly and on her hands and knees. I think when she gets tired, she prefers to creep on belly. She's good at that though and I have a hard time when her and Penelope go off in separate directions! Most of the time though, they go after the same things - TV remote, bumbo seat (they really like climbing on it and pulling up on it), the couch. a small trunk with all the Wii accessories and of course, the TV and entertainment center. I keep saying we need to get on the ball with baby-proofing because there will come time when the extra large pack-n-play can no longer hold both of them (happily anyway!) and instead we need to use an entire room to contain and entertain without fear of them getting hurt.

So I think that's about it...at least as far as activities and milestones go... I will work on finding some pictures to post later this evening.

So Grown Up

I really don't think I'm ready for this yet... It was just a month ago that I posted a picture of Amelia sitting by herself and now Penelope is pulling herself up. They are growing up way too fast!

Smiles and Smirks

So lately I’ve really started to notice the differences in the girls personalities. It’s pretty cool to think that while they grew inside me at the same time, they are still two very different and individual little people. Penelope is more active and on the go. She wants to be involved in everything and doesn’t want to miss anything or anyone. When she’s in a good mood, she’s quick to share a grin with you. Amelia is more likely to sit back and watch and just take it all in. She studies things and comes across as more reserved. Getting her to smile can take work. And even their way of smiling at you is different. Penelope likes to give you these big, open mouth smiles. It’s almost like she’s laughing, but no sound comes out. Amelia has more of a mischevious grin or smirk. It makes me wonder what she’s thinking… or plotting… Whatever it is, we think the jokes on us. ;}

When it’s play time, Penelope is everywhere and into everything. Now that she’s got rolling down pat and is quickly getting the hang of crawling, it’s hard to contain her. And Penelope usually wants whatever Amelia is playing with and isn’t afraid to take it. Yes, she’s “that girl”... Just last night Paul held Penelope up to Amelia (who was still in her carrier) and as Penelope reached out and I thought "how sweet, she's trying to touch Amelia " she proceeded to rip the binky out of her sister's mouth and stick it her mouth! The look on Amelia's face was priceless - stunned - like she didn't even see it coming. And Penelope doesn't even like the binky anymore but I guess she just wanted it because Amelia had it... Good thing Amelia is a little more laid back about play time. She is content to sit in the same spot playing with the same toys placed around her for 20 or 30 minutes. She doesn’t show much interest in crawling (yet…) and while she’ll sometimes roll around on the floor, she doesn’t seem to want to spend too much time on her stomach either.

What’s interesting is that how they act and play right now is very similar to their activities when I was pregnant with them. Amelia didn’t move from her spot for about the last 3-4 months and hardly ever kicked or punched or elbowed me very hard. I would worry the most about her and the fact that I was feeling so little movement. It was always a relief to see her moving on the ultrasound screen or to hear her heartbeat on the monitor. Penelope was the opposite. She could pack a good punch – or kick! I never had to worry about her activity level. She moved a lot and made sure I knew about it. I guess she’s been more active from the start. :D

Both girls are “morning people” though. They are almost always in a good mood when they wake up. There are lots of smiles and laughs and babbling – it makes the fact that they woke me up at 5:45am on a Saturday a little easier to take. Putting them down for their nap is another story. Most of the time, Penelope goes to sleep without a fight. Amelia, on the other hand, can have a hard time soothing herself and sometimes needs to be rocked (with her binky, a blanket to keep her from looking around and a little white noise). As for what soothes them – Penelope likes to suck her thumb and Amelia loves her Nuk binky. She’s going to be that kid in all the family pictures with a pacifier hiding half her face! Maybe that’s why I feel like I don’t see her smile as often…

Even how they sleep is opposite. Amelia usually sleeps on her back with her hands tucked behind her head. Sometimes she even crosses her ankles. It’s adorable and one of these days I should try to get a picture of it. Penelope prefers to sleep on her tummy though. As soon I as lay her down at night, she will immediately roll onto her stomach. All those evenings when Amelia would fuss and cry and then fall asleep against Paul’s chest, I thought for sure she’d be the one to like sleeping on her tummy. She proved me wrong again…

I’m sure these things will change over time, but I’m just fascinated by their differences. I love the fact that they are not identical in any way. I love seeing all their individual characteristics emerge. I can’t wait to watch them get into their own interests and hobbies and activities. (Although for Mommy and Daddy’s sake, hopefully they’ll share a few of those…) I even like buying clothes for them and thinking “this dress/outfit/whatever suits Amelia best”. Or “this will be perfect for Penelope”. Paul bought them dresses a while back and last week, I switched them so A wore P’s and P wore A’s and it just felt off. They didn’t look right in each other’s dress. I thought that just about every time I looked at them on Thursday. Silly I know…. :D

I keep thinking of more differences but it’s time for me to wrap this up. I’ve included a couple pictures from our 6 month sitting. These weren’t the best of either of girl, but I think they are so natural and such good reflections of who they were at 6 months old.

And I keep forgetting to mention – Amelia is the first to cut a tooth – 2 actually! Her two bottom teeth are making their entrance and she seems to be OK with it so far.

More Baptism

I was going through a different set of baptism pictures and found a few more that I wanted to share... The first two are in the church nursery, where I took the girls to put on their fancy dresses. They were in such good moods all day, especially Penelope. She can really turn her smile on when she wants to. :D The last picture is a better picture of the girls with their cousins. Something I realized when looking at these pictures - Paul and I were married at the same church where they were baptized and I got the girls dressed in the same room where I got ready for the wedding. Kind of special (at least to me anyway...)

Penelope

Amelia

With cousins Braden and Kendall

Baptism Pictures

The baptism was just about a month ago and I figured it's about time to get some pictures on here...

April and Amelia, Paul and Penelope

Amelia

Penelope


Pastor Jim, April and Amelia, Paul and Penelope, Pastor Brian

Lots more photos (baptism and then some) to be on SmugMug sometime soon. I know I keep promising that but our computer had a major overhaul and that has to be finished before Paul can get to all the pictures we've taken in the last couple of months.

The Month of May

It's hard to believe that tomorrow is June 1st already.... Where did this last month go?? (I think I must ask myself that at the end of every month.) May has been so eventful for us. The girls hit that 6 month mark and it seemed like new things just started to happen for them almost every day. Since I don't envision myself working on their baby books anytime soon, I try to make a point to jot down all the milestones on the calendar in my date book so I at least have something to reference later on and boy oh boy - May is full of notes! :D

I think when I last wrote, Penelope was really getting the hang of rolling all the way over and Amelia was working on the "belly to back" roll. Now Penelope is getting pretty mobile and has found that rolling and scooting can get her where she wants to be (which is usually closer to some toy or other interesting object just out of reach). Amelia still hasn't mastered the complete roll but we're working on it. She's such an active little girl and prefers jumping in the the jumperoo over laying on the floor with toys - I think it's only a matter of time before she discovers just how fun rolling (and scooting and crawling and cruising and walking!) can be. :)

On Sunday the 17th, we had the girls baptized. They looked so adorable in their pretty white gowns. It truly was a beautiful and memorable moment and they both behaved perfectly. I thought for sure someone would cry when they were handed over to the pastors or when they put the water on their heads but the most we got was a little whimper from Amelia as she went from my arms to Pastor Brian's. I was very proud of my little sweeties! Hopefully I'll have a chance to post a couple pictures from the day...
Also memorable from that afternoon - Amelia and Penelope's cousin (my niece), Kendall, got them both to really laugh. Now I've heard them giggle a little, but not laughing like they were. It was so darn cute! I've tried to get repeat performances but apparently I'm not funny enough (at least not to them)! :D If Amelia is in a really good mood, I can kiss on her tummy and she'll laugh a tiny bit (I think she's ticklish) but it's just not the same. I'm looking forward to the next time we see Kendall...

These last couple weeks of May seem to be the most eventful (at least according to my calendar). Over Memorial Day weekend, we heard Penelope's first word ("hey"), Amelia started to get much more vocal and is trying out lots of "ta-ta-ta" and "da-da-da" sounds, both girls tried sipping water from my water glass (messy!), Penelope began pusing herself into the push up position with her belly off the floor (crawling can't be far behind right?!?!) and as I'm sure you saw from my last post, Amelia sat on her own. Of course, Penelope showed us the very next day that she can sit on her own too. It's been really fun the last few days to get on the floor with them and have them sitting up for play time.

On the food front, we are slowly trying out the veggies and so far no bad reactions (taste or allergy). It seems that green beans and sweet potatoes are the favorites for both so far. Peas and carrots are the least well liked, but we still have squash left to try. They got their first taste of fruit yesterday with bananas and those didn't get nearly the reaction I thought they would. I figured if they liked the sweet potatoes, then they'd really like trying some fruit... But maybe the bananas were too sweet. The look on Amelia's face sort of leads me to think that might be case (lots of really big eyes and almost a puckered expression). Maybe apples and pears will suit them better. We have several pictures from their very first bites and I hope to post a few of those soon. Coming up in the next few weeks - the rest of the fruits, oatmeal and barley cereal and apple juice (once they learn how to use a sippy cup). They are growing up so fast!!