3/27/06 WE'RE WALKING AND TALKING! Sophia took 18 steps today, which is by far her longest stretch. She has been taking around 10 or so at a time, but today she decided it was time. Lucas is taking off, and just lets go and walks across the room now. He's getting very sure of himself, enough so that he bends down and picks things up, then stands up and keeps walking!
We've got language! Both babies say Dada to Will, and they both know I am Mama, although only Lucas calls me Mama. Sophia's comes out as BlaBla because she still insists on sticking her tongue out when she says it. Soph said "Ock Ock" today, which wouldn't be a big deal, except she said it while rocking the caterpillar rocker, and right after I said Rock Rock. She also repeated "Dog" when Nana said it. Lucas loves to point at things and say, "THAT", which sometimes comes out like "DAT" and sometimes like "THAT", depending on his mood. Lucas also says, "Hey", "Hi" and "Hello", sa well as "Yeah!", which comes out like "Yeeea-ah!" He also points out other things when asked, like the light and Grandpa. They both also know where their mouths and tummies are!
AAH! Does the excitement ever end around here? They are SO smart and are growing up so fast!
3/25/06 It is Lucas and Sophia's Very Merry Un-birthday today! (Their 1 year birthday if they had come on their due date). To celebrate, the babies got a FUN playhouse, with working doorbell, telephone (ok, just the buttons make noise), swinging doors and shutters, and all sorts of other fun stuff! We had barbeque, baked beans, cole slaw, and fried pickles for dinner, which it turns out, they LOVE!!! They really are Memphis babies. Soph was popping the fried pickles in her mouth with both hands and would grunt and then clap after each bite. Lucas just got covered in BBQ sauce, which he was tearing up! All in all, a pretty fun day. Check out the pictures!
Since we last posted, the babies are doing pretty well. We went the doctor for our 5th round of ear infections, but we are on the mend and sleeping through the night again. Lucas has started naming things, like Dada, Mama. When you ask him where the light is, he points, and he points out mouth too. Sophia has mouth, and sometimes light. She is letting go and taking many steps now, and Lucas is walking across the room on his own. They are growing up so fast! We spent the last few days with Melissa, and they had a GREAT time with her. Thanks Meliss for all the great summer clothes. I think we're getting toward warm weather again, so we're getting out the warm wardrobe!
It's hard to believe they should only be a year old today. It seems like forever since their 1 year birthday. They are doing so many wonderful things, and are getting more fun each day. We are stacking blocks, climbing on the rockers on our own, climbing into things, and now out of things, and playing all sorts of games. I will post more soon, but check out the new pictures! There will be an April album soon!
3/19/06 We went to the kickoff for the WalkAmerica for the March of Dimes yesterday. There were lots of other babies there that were preemies, and ours weren't really sure how to react. I think ours were by far the fattest though! :)
We had to make a run to Target on Friday because our adorable little boy figured out how to open the back door! He has been taqlle nough to get both hands around the handle for a while now, but he realized that if he pulls one way or another, well.... So we got the doorknob covers and now he's really torqued.
I think I mentioned in a previous update that Sophia has a credit card that she carries everywhere. Well, that has continued, but now, she will be standing with the card in her hand, and then put the card on her hip, shove it down like she has a pocket (which she doesn't) and then let go. It truly looks like she is trying to put it in her pocket, but she doesn't have any! What a goof!
We let the babies dance to all sorts of music today to see what kind they like best. Lucas has decided that he can really get his groove on to Disco music(i think it's the beat) and the Jackson 5. Sophia is partial to Lil' John and R&B, such as Kanye West. However, they both also liked MC Hammer and Wham, so who knows. I think they just like to shake their booties...
We also tried Chocolate chip muffins for breakfast. The chocolate was fun to wear. Cute pictures though!
3/16/06 I don't know if Lucas and Phia just figured out that they have hair on their heads, or what, but they spend an enormous amount of time these days pulling on their own hair. It seems that they have also figured out that food+ hair= fun spikey hairdo... They LOVE to smear food into their hair. Doesn't matter if it's applesauce, pasta, cheese, it all works just like hair gel. This morning, Lucas was rubbing pancakes on his head and Sophia realized that sausages can double as hairbows.... Who knew???
We are getting very excited about the March of Dimes Walk America walk for premature babies. We are going to a kickoff party this weekend for the local families who are walking. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who has donated to our walk, it means so much to us.
We're also looking forward to next weekend, (March 25th) which is the babies' due date birthday, which we will be calling their Un-birthday. (and a very merry unbirthday to you!) Nana and Papa George are bringing down the playhouse we got for them, so I'm sure they will be THRILLED!
Othe than that, both kids are obsessed with "Monkey see, monkey do". They repeat everything we do, and every sound we make. It's cute, to a point..... Who am I kidding, it's adorable...
Happy St. Patrick's day to y'all!
3/13/06 WE FIGURED OUT THE PUZZLE! (well, at least part of it!). Soph and Lucas can both put the circle and the square in the puzzle. The triangle is still somewhat elusive, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Lucas puts the puzzle piece down on the puzzle and slides it around until it goes in. Soph just bangs it until it fits. Such different styles!
We finally got our "padded" flooring (puzzle pieced like gym flooring) so they can play full time in the kitchen now. I was just worried about them falling on the tile! They love the new foam flooring, and the mama doesn't mind it either!
Other than that, we're just chugging along, waiting for summer! Word from Nana says that the babies have new swimsuits! :)
3/9/06 Sophia had a HUGE day today! She took 8 steps, in a row, by herself! A huge "step" from a year ago when the pediatric neurosurgeon told us she may never crawl or walk! I know I was whining about how stubborn she is, but it's why she is here and doing as well as she is. She is truly a miracle (they both are). Soph has also figured out how to say Gagagaga. She said Dada Gaga, which, when shoved together, in the middle, sounds like Dog! We'll keep working on it.
Lucas has been so much happier since the ear infections are gone. He is pointing at everything and "talking", and also climbing into or on everything. He gets so excited (about 250 times a day) and just tenses up and screams with this huge grin on his face. It's so cute to watch.
We've found a new favorite food..., Hot dogs. Personally, I don't care for them much, but they can be picked up easily, and they taste different, so they are a hit! We've only tried the all beef kind, but they are the newest food to fall back on when meals aren't going well.
As for the mama, I'm tired and it's time for bed. Over and out....
3/7/06 I swear I have the smartest kids in the world! We've been really working on imitating and "commands" and this morning we played a pseudo Simon Says. For example, with Soph, I say Yeah- she claps, I say ah ah ah (like the count)- she says ah ah ah, I say Hi!- she waves, I say hahaha- she says hahaha, I say Gimme 5! -She gives me 5, I say dadada- she says dadada, I say yayayaya- she says yayayaya. Then we mix it up, and she really can keep up! It's amazing! Lucas plays too, but with a little variation. He doesn't laugh like the count, but if I say where's mouth?- he points to his (or my) mouth. If I say Ring Ring- he picks up the nearest object and talks on the phone. My personal favorite with both, I say Shake Shake Shake, and they DANCE! And it doesn't matter the order, they follow along like little troopers! We're starting Harvard next week... early admissions :)
3/6/06 Well, we're finally feeling better. They have slept through the night again the last two nights, so we're hoping we are on the mend and that they will be gone for good this time! The weather is on the way up, mid 60's the next few days and mid 70's by the weekend. We're expecting a lot of OUTSIDE time to work off some of the energy!
What's new here? Well, our little Sophia has become mroe strong-willed than ever. I mean, I knew we were in for some rough times when she wouldn't let us feed her anymore, but now she refuses to take naps, wear bibs, or wear her eye patch. She throws GIGANTIC tantrums everytime the physical therapist comes, simply because she doesn't want him telling her what to do. As soon as he stops making her do stuff, she returns to her normal color and stops crying within about 2 seconds. Seriously, it's amazing, like flipping a switch. We struggle to change diapers because she won't hold still, and she hates getting dressed, you know, all the stuff that we try to do daily....GRRR. The worst part is, seh gives you this little devilish grin that is so cute, it's so hard to say no to her. However, I could live with JUST the grin and eliminate the tantrums.... I now feel VERY bad for everytime I gave my parents a hard time and was defiant.
Lucas is just a happy kid. He's always smiling and laughing. He is really easy going, which is a nice change after Soph's tantrums. He is walking a ton now and gets so excited about it. He is getting so close to talking. He points out things and screams AAH when he wants us to look at them, and then waves his fingers in and out when he wants something. He is making MANY new sounds, so I think it's only a matter of time.
Also, bubbles are a hit, especially with the bubble gun. I think the babies are ready for finger painting. They love to smear around whatever is in their tray at mealtime, especially anything with a sauce or liquid to it. Can't wait until summer when we can just hose 'em off!
We finally got both babies clapping, waving bye bye and hi, giving fives, and dancing everytime the music comes on. They also both give kisses (although sometimes with Phia you have to watch out for the teeth about 1/2 way through!). We got a playhouse for the babies for their "due date birthday" - March 25th, so watch for pictures of it soon!
3/4/06 Another round of ear infections! This is the 4th this winter! Are we ever going to get any sleep around here? The good news is, the babies are FINISHED with the synagis shots (for RSV!) They also had their 15 month check ups last week (a few days early). Sophia is 23 lbs. and 30 inches long. Lucas is 28 lbs. and 32 inches long. Growing like crazy. Again, they are almost caught up in development, according to the pediatrician. We are working really hard, and they are just blossoming.
Sophia had an interesting conversation yesterday at breakfast. They were eating cheese, and she was shoving fistfuls of cheese into her mouth with both hands and saying, "Dabm, Dabm, Babm, Dabm, Babm.....etc" on and on and on. The entire breakfast she recited her new dabm babm's. Hey, whatever works. Still haven't quite figured out what it means, but it's language!
Lucas was standing at the gate the other day and I was sitting on the floor next to him. He walked right up to me and grabbed my face. He planted a huge kiss on my mouth, and then just stood there smiling, like "I love you Mama." (ok, maybe he was really thinking, look what I did, I'm so big, yeah for me... but a mama can dream, can't she?" Anyway, it was so sweet. Lucas is going through a phase where he is scared on the dark, and is VERY clingy to me. He would cling to only Dada a few days ago, so I take what I can get.
Both babies take immense pleasure in feeding me, or offering me a toy to play with, especially the phone. They have also starting stacking things, and putting objects IN other objects. Now, originally, I was very excited about this. Like a few weeks ago, when they put the blocks in the toy, like you are supposed to. Or when they help me put the toys back in the toy bucket. However, this "helpfulness" has now progressed into other objects. For example, I lost the remote the other day, and couldn't find it for the life of me. Turns out, someone had helped me out by shoving it under several toys in the toy bucket. Thanks guys! That one wasn't as big of a problem as the next fun scenario. You know those sippy cups are that "leak proof"? Sure they are. Right up until you put them in the bucket with all the clean diapers. So then we have a bucket full of "prematurely wet" clean diapers. Oh well, at least we get the concept!
Also, I will be sending out an email soon, but we have joined the March of Dimes Walk America to support research and care for premature babies. We will be walking on April 29th in support of Lucas and Phia, and in rememberance of Emma. If you would like to sponsor our walk and support the cause, please visit our site at
THANKS
Posted by our3babies
at 10:07 PM CST
