Milestones and Snapshots

Once upon a time, I was really good at recording the twins' milestones - things they were doing, favorite toys/songs/books, things that were unique to that time. I did this almost monthly their first year, and I was looking back and loved the way there was a descriptive snapshot of those points in their life. "Oh, yeah! I remember that!" After a year I started doing it less, and now I can't even remember the last time, so here is our current snapshot of their lives right now.

Favorite Book:

Both - Go Dogs Go. I almost have this book memorized. You both DO have it memorized! You read the book to me almost as much as I read it to you!

Allie - You love any book with the alphabet - Dr. Seuss' alphabet book, the Michigan alphabet book, Touch and Feel alphabet, and so on.

Ryan - You are a sucker for peekaboo flaps. Where's Spot, Who Lives in the Jungle, and our Peekaboo Counting book. These are your true favorites.

Note: You both like to take a book to bed. Not necessarily to read (although you use sea horse's light to do this when you wake up in the night so we happily let you take them!), but to sleep with like a teddy bear. You love books!

Favorite Song:

Both - at night you like to call out a word (like "clock" or "cheese") and see if I know a song with that phrase. Currently the "apple" song is your most requested at bedtime.

Ryan - ABC's. You recently mastered it, and you love showing off your skills!

Allie - Twinkle, Twinkle. Although Wheels on the Bus has maintained a spot high on your list for forever.

Favorite Thing to Play or play with:

Both - the water table from Lala. You request it daily. You get to play with it at least a few times a week. Indoors and out, it never gets old!

Allie - dress up. You are constantly finding new accessories, trying on clothes, wearing our shoes. And you love to look in the mirror whenever you put something new on (even the clothes you are wearing for the day).

Ryan - Your basketball hoop. You spend a good chunk of playtime downstairs shooting hoops. My favorite is seeing you mimic things/moves daddy does when he plays with you!

My favorite things you say:

Ryan: "Wow, wow, wow!" You have such enthusiasm for everything.

"Hand! Hand!" You say this when you want to take someone to their spot (you are very particular about where people sit when you are playing) or when you want to hold your sister's hand.

"Elmo!" I've mentioned this before but you say "Elmo" in place of "I love you." You picked it up from our favorite Friday night movie (the library only has 2 in stock that are age appropriate) - Elmo Loves You! I think it is adorable :)

"Guy-guy and Seees" this is what you call yourself & your sister. I love it.

"Hello!" and "Goodbye!" You say this enthusiastically. To everyone. We were at the McDonald's play place and some older girls were playing in there with you. You cheerfully said, "Hello!" to each of them whenever they/you crawled by. I heard one say to the other "Did that baby say hello to you? I think that is all he says!"

Allie - "Sis ok!" this is what you say whenever you stumble or fall. You also ask everyone who might be hurt in any way if they are ok. Frequently you pat their head or rub their arm when asking!

"Up! Up! Up!" You say this when you go upstairs, climb up the stairs/ladder to a slide, jump on the trampoline. At the playground you were determined to 1) climb the BIG ladder 2) climb the curvy jungle gym ladder. I didn't want you to do either, but you persisted and have mastered them both - chanting, "Up! Up! Up!" the whole time!

"I making a mess!" I don't LOVE when you say this because you are always making a mess. But you got it from Disney Junior (seriously, I could just about strangle the person who came up with that idea!). And you make messes so joyfully...this is the phrase you say the most often during the day.

"Love you!" You say this often, and it melts my heart.

"(fill in the blank)________ so funny!" You say this whenever someone laughs or makes you laugh. "Buddy so funny!" "Daddy so funny!" "Sis so funny!" (the last one when YOU do something funny). This is probably the most common phrase out of your mouth. You are surrounded by humor!

"Come on!" You frequently lead the way on any new or suggested adventure. As you enthusiastically run ahead, you call this to everyone behind. I see energetic leadership in your future!

Things you do that I love:

Read books - I can't get enough of hearing your version of our favorite books. Sometimes you mimic me. Sometimes you make up your own stories. Always it is awesome.

Sing - I love hearing your little voices sing. Anything. You even make up your own songs and I love them. I can't understand them, but I love them!

Hop - my goodness, you learned how to jump and hop and now you do it all the time. If you aren't running, you are hopping.

Mimic - I live with 2 of the most adorable parrots! While frequently you mimic things I didn't even realize I said, or said that often (like today when Allie put on one of my shirts and walked around saying, "Oh, goodness!" - something I immediately recognized, but didn't realize I said often enough to have it be my catch phrase!). Thankfully, you have not yet picked up or pointed out any bad habits I have (although I am actively working on correcting any of the ones of which I am aware!). The worst part of this is that you occasionally call me "Kim" or daddy "Lucas." I hate that most of all. I am "mommy!"

I LOVE this age. I always heard about the "terrible two's" and dreaded it for a long time. Don't get me wrong, you both know how to throw a serious tantrum, but they are comparatively rare. Most of the day you keep me laughing with the funny things you say and do. I love watching you learn new things every day. I love interacting with you. I love so much about this age. I could keep you here forever!