Over the weekend

Miles and Jake had a fun weekend! Peter is still in super-dad mode, taking charge of just about everything these days. He is so wonderful that I can't believe it. But back to our weekend. We went for a little visit to Aunt Phili's house and got this awesome hand-me-down kitchen that Eva and Jude are finished playing with. Oh my gosh. The boys LOVE it.They love opening all of the little compartments, they love the pretend food, they love the iron and phone that came with it. They pretty much love everything about it and have played with nothing but that since we brought it home. We also had our friends Arty & Nicole come over for a visit with their six-month-old twin boys and then we all went to dinner at Maudie's. Jake was obsessed with the the babies and just kept saying "baby" as he tried to climb into the car seat with Nikolas. We also took a trip to Costco because a weekend is just not complete without going to Costco. Here are some pictures...

Miles and Jake playing with their new kitchen set

Miles and Jake having some of their new juice and milk

Jake examining Nikolas

Miles and Jake in the cart at Costco

Miles chowing down on some of the humongous raspberries we bought this weekend

MyGym...Waddlers!

Even though Jake and Miles are not officially waddling everywhere yet, we agreed that it is time to move them up to the waddlers class. We went this morning to our first one and it was awesome! They really seemed to enjoy it more. The kiddos in there are all right around their age and even though all are 'waddling' Jake and Miles managed to keep up wonderfully. Jake did a bunch of walking there and I could just tell that Miles was thinking a lot about it ;). Since I still can't pick them up I was the photographer at class today.

Miles and Jake shooting hoops

Jake playing during 'independent play time'

Miles was supposed to try walking on these things but he was too busy trying to figure them out

Jake looking serious on the roller coaster. He actually loved it.

Jake walking

Jake playing in the ball pit

Miles on the trapeze & loving it

Both boys horsing around on the balance beam

Miles bouncing on the trampoline

Miles walking up the ramp. again. and again. and again.

15 month well check

Jake & Miles just had their 15 month well check this morning and they are doing great. Dr. Norton said that they are awesome (which we already knew)! Their fine motor skills are right on track as well as their speech. She was impressed with everything that they are saying (mama, dada, papa, duck, ball, baby, tractor...) and impressed with the questions they can answer (they can tell you what a snake, duck, cow and lion say...sssssss, quack, mmmmmm, and their version of a roar). She was also impressed with their eating and gave us the go ahead to try peanut butter (for some reason I thought I was supposed to wait until they were older), so that's what they'll be having for lunch. She checked their ears (Miles always seems to have fluid in one ear but it's still not infected), throat, mouths (nice looking teeth - both have ten), eyes, tummies and listened to their strong hearts. The big surprise is that my super big boys are not so super big for their age anymore. They have kind of leveled out a bit. Jake is 25 lbs (50-75%), 32 inches (75%) and Miles is 24.9 lbs (50%), 32 inches (75%). Jake still has a large noggin but she's still not worried about it because the rate of growth is totally normal. In other words, he has always had a large noggin. They each had two shots and that was definitely no fun. We are still on a modified vaccine schedule and that makes for fewer shots at a time but more frequent shots. I have to make a decision about the MMR vaccine and welcome any input that anyone has. I'm leaning towards splitting that into multiple shots...did anyone else do that?

To sum up their appointment, they are rock stars!

One Year Portraits

We had the boys' one year portraits taken a while ago. Most of you have seen these pictures by now, but I couldn't leave them off of the blog. I am putting a few of my favorites up here. I think she did a wonderful job and am already looking forward to their two year pictures!!

First haircut

I have been dreading our first haircut because I like their shaggy messy hair. But Miles could barely see through his and Jake was rocking a serious baby-mullet, so we went for their first cut today. We went to Bird's Barbershop and they did really well. I think they look like big boys now...

Miles post-cut

Jake post-cut

Miles getting a little blow-dry action

Miles...not thrilled with the haircut...thank goodness for snack traps & booty!

Jake snacking and getting a trim

Jake sitting on mama's lap getting his hair cut

Jake was not having the cape. Not even for a second.

Playing foosball and waiting for their haircuts

Playroom

I've finally started to decorate the playroom...so in another 6 months I should be done! It takes me a while to decide what I want to do and then a while to make it happen. I think I finally finished the nursery when Jake and Miles were about 7 months old. I'll post a picture of the finished playroom when it's ready, but I wanted to show this part because they were so excited. I got some of the removable wall decals and put them up while they were napping. When they woke up and saw them they were thrilled. Here is a picture of them admiring my work...

While I was sleeping...

I finally insisted that the camera go along for the ride if I could not be there. Between my mom, Peter and Mirinda we got some cute pictures of what the boys have been up to. I haven't actually been sleeping a ton, but I have not been very mobile yet either. Each day is getting a bit better and I can't wait to be back to my old self. They are both still working on the walking. So far I think our record is 5 steps. Stay tuned....

Miles & Jake driving the shopping cart at HEB (thank goodness they finally got some double carts!)

We made the big move and switched their seats to face forward

The word of the day is...tractor. Over & over again!

What else can you do when it's 106 degrees outside!

Playing with puzzles

Still into answering the phone. Now Jake says "hello" & "ring ring"

Jake on the awesome new toy that Peter's friend passed down to us

Miles is sooo into building this tower over & over (with a little help) and never knocks it down. He just points to all of the different pictures on the nesting blocks. Until Jake notices it and quickly knocks it over...

Miles is all about pushing anything on wheels around

Playing "ba-ball"

It takes a village...

So, remember how I said we were just waiting for Jake to take some steps? Well, he did. He sure did. He waiting until I checked into the hospital on Friday and then he took his first steps. I'm with him 24/7 and he waits until I'm gone. All kidding aside I'm so thrilled. They are both still very tentative with it and realize that they can get places much more quickly by crawling, so I can see that it will still be a while before they take off running. 

The last few days have been a little nuts. With quite a bit of extra help things have been going well. I am beginning to heal and really look forward to being able to pick the boys up and love on them. My mom is still here, my dad left this evening and today was our first day with Nubia. She's watching the boys this week and she is wonderful - they already love her. It's been really hard to be right here and not be taking care of the boys, but they are in the wonderful hands of Peter, my mom, my dad and Nubia. Next week Mirinda will be here to be with them. 

They seem to be growing by leaps and bounds. Walking, talking and getting cuter by the minute. They are obsessed with stars...we have some starlights in their room and the second they wake up they must have them turned on (I'll put up a picture of that later). Now they are identifying stars all over. Jake said 'peas' and 'fish' today to Nubia and my mom. Miles is big on 'dog' still. They are both sooooooo into 'Papa' and 'Dada.' They love their stacking blocks and stacking rings, any car or truck, playing peek-a-boo with each other, balls, and any and all books. Oh my goodness are they obsessed with books & being read to. Right now their favorites are the word/picture books. They will sit in their Elmo seats and look at books forever. I'll get pictures of that soon also.

So...I'm on the mend. It literally takes a village and we are lucky to have one! Hopefully I'll get some pictures posted soon. 

New stuff

It's been quite a day around here. Miles took a few steps tonight. Totally out of nowhere. We've been working on encouraging Jake because he seems sooooooo close. Tonight Miles was playing a game with dada, dada was just out of Miles' reach, so Miles just took a couple of steps to get over to him. No big deal. We are on our way.

Additionally, I was having a great giggle session with Jake and he opened his mouth up super wide to release a squeal of delight, and what did I see...? That boy has THREE molars and a forth one is playing peek-a-boo!! When did all of that happen!?!? I've been saying..."I can't believe the boys only have 6 teeth." Scratch that and make it almost TEN for Jakers! He has been busy.

On another note, I'm having surgery Friday. While I was pregnant with sweet Jake and Miles, some muscles in my stomach were stretched to the max and became permanently separated. Because the muscles were gaping apart, I got a small hernia in my stomach. I have known that something was going on, but have been waiting to see what would go back and what was permanent. In the last several months it has become more troublesome and I finally went to the doctor, who told me that it needs to be surgically repaired. I suppose it's a small price to pay for carrying two almost-seven-pound boys for 38 weeks! Recovery is going to be a bummer...it will be about a month before I can pick up the boys and that will be really difficult. We are going to have a lot of help, much of it from my parents, which will be a lifesaver.

So, tomorrow I am going to pick them up over and over again! I'm sure they are going to work on the walking while I am partly out of commission, and I'm excited for that but it will also be hard. Here is a picture from yesterday, when I took the boys to Town Lake to do the trail. Hopefully I'll get some pics of them taking these first drunken sailor steps soon!!

Another trip to Houston

We went to Houston this past week and just got home yesterday. It was such a nice visit, but it's always nice to be home. We went in town to celebrate Papa's birthday and go to Jill's baby shower. What fun times! Here are some photos...

Jake & Miles in their awesome new Elmo chairs

Dada reading to Jake in his Elmo chair

Miles, chillin' in his new chair. Soooo proud of himself...

Miles doing some shopping

Aunt Milly reading to Lucy & Jake

Taffy reading to Miles

Jake loving the fountain at Papasitos

All the kiddos watching the fountain

Miles (look at those curls!!!), Jake & Lucy

Jake playing peek-a-boo

Miles loving the crock at Papa & Taffy's

Jake trying to hide in the crock...not quite big enough

Sweet Miles

Happy 14 months!

I started this post on the 19th and just finished it!! 

Jake & Miles are fourteen months old today. As always, I can't believe it. I actually don't have any pictures to go with this post...just a little update. They are sooooooo close to walking and we are on the edge of our seats...just waiting. They are now letting go of things while they are standing up - on purpose - and are thrilled with the whole free-standing thing. I am so anxious for them to walk because I think it will allow them to enjoy a whole new set of activities. The playground/park, museum, etc. Can't wait!

We are teetering back and forth between one nap and two naps. That is kind of frustrating just because it is hard to plan anything. Usually if they have a day or two of one nap they need to catch up with two for a few days. I am totally ready to move to one long nap. It means we can get out and do more, but each time we have dropped one it has been a process. 

They are still eating really well, but I am definitely starting to see a little bit of the picky-toddler emerge from both of them. It's challenging because their tastes are getting a little more different so I find myself making so many different things in order to get each of them to have a meal that they like. Sorry if this is TMI...We have had some struggles for a few months with toddler's diarrhea...no fun. They had that pleasant issue as their only symptom for about 6 weeks. We finally figured out (with the help of their wonderful pediatrician) what it was and that it could be fixed with some tweaks to their diet. Yay!! They weren't getting enough fat and protein. Once I fixed that the problem vanished. Finally. Current favorites include - turkey, tofu, pasta, sweet potatoes, carrots, peas, eggs, waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, veggie meatballs, bananas and just about any other fruit you can think of, smoothies, goldfish, graham crackers 'pizza' (english muffin w/ pizza sauce & cheese) and cheerios. They are still sensitive to dairy milk so we are on soy, but they are tolerating the dairy yogurt pretty well.

They are so so sweet that I just don't know what to do! Jake is a total ham - making faces, giggling, playing peek-a-boo, etc. Miles is really into checking out how things work. If you give him a new toy he just turns it over & over, examining it before playing with it. They are both such happy boys and are so social.