Two!

We are now parents to a set of crazy little two-year-olds.  The past couple of years have really flown by, yet I also can't imagine our lives without Josie and Piper.  Each month that goes by, I feel like they are more and more on their way to becoming more tiny little humans that can communicate and have opinions and ideas (usually too many).

We celebrated last weekend with a fun party at New Bern Gymnastics with a bunch of other equally energetic two-year-olds.  It is crazy to set a bunch of toddlers free in that place.  Before the party, we had a little photo shoot on the front steps.  Here are some of my favorites.

And here are some of the best pics from the party.  Their friends that came to play are Emma, Emma, Reed, Owen, Ike, Alejandro, Stella, McKenzie, and Jack.

Then later this week, we had their two-year-old check-up.  All went well and they are still healthy girls.  I think I will worry about them being small until they are fully grown.  It's just one of the lasting effects of having preemies.  But Dr. Kafer assured me that they are just fine.  In fact, I think they've moved up to the 25 percentile for weight and 50 for height.  Here are their stats:

Josie
Height: 33 3/4 inches
Weight: 25 pounds
Head: 19 inches

Piper
Height: 33 1/2 inches
Weight: 24.4 pounds
Head: 19 inches

And then there is the "terrible twos".  There is a lot of naughtiness at our house - some hitting, some tantrums, some throwing food.  It is still exhausting.  But there is also an awful lot of sweetness.  Every time I walk into a room, one of them says so happily "hi momma!".  Before we put Josie down for a nap or for bed, she says "cuddles?" and snuggles right in with us for awhile. It is pretty much impossible not to take a break and sit there with her for awhile.  Also, Piper is very attached to her "bear bear" but we have figured out that the way to get her to put him down to eat, or to go somewhere, is to tell him he needs a nap.  She runs into her room, puts him in the crib or leaves him in her carseat and says "nap".  Such a good girl because I know what she really wants is to have him with her everywhere we go.

Also, every night before Josh gets home, I say "guess who is coming home" and they start yelling "daddy!!!" and run to the door to wait for him.  If daddy isn't around, he is automatically "workin".  If Blue isn't around, he is automatically in his "kennen".   We are headed home in a little over a week for Christmas and have been talking about everyone we are going to see there.  I hope Utah is ready for these crazy girls.

Happy second birthday my sweet girlies!

Snip Snip

A few weeks ago, I took some scissors to Piper's hair.  She was starting to sport a bit of a baby mullet.  I did not think to get the camera, but Josh insisted we commemorate the occasion with lots of pictures and save her hair in a little baggy.  So we'll send that along with her when she leaves the house for college. 

 She was actually pretty patient.  I think she really wanted to play with the scissors. 

All done with a cute little bob. 

We're One!!!!

Josie and Piper turned one yesterday!  We can't believe how fast the past year has gone.  We have experienced pretty much every emotion during the past year: happiness, fear, stress, exhaustion, exhilaration, anxiety.  And of course we have been very very very tired at times.  There were times in the early months we didn't know how we would continue with the sleep deprivation and the exhaustion.  Thank goodness we are past that.  I don't think there is a day that goes by that I don't say a little prayer of gratitude that I don't have two newborns anymore.  One-year-olds are FUN!  They are doing something new and different every day now and it's always always funny and cute.  They are crazy little girls and zooming all over the place, getting into everything, and making lots of big messes, but they bring us a lot of joy.

Here's their one-year chair picture with the stats from their one-year doctor's appointment.  Getting them to hold still for this is getting more and more difficult:

Measurements for one-year and a little about each of them

Josie
Weight: 19 lbs even
Height: 28 1/2 inches
Head: 18 1/4 inches

• Josie has discovered clapping in the past few days.  About 20 times a day, she looks at you and spontaneously claps and smiles and is completely DELIGHTED with herself.  So freaking cute!  
• She carries around two wooden toys from an infant IKEA toy and bangs them together all day.  She would be fine with only these toys.
• She says mama and said "daddy" the other day very clearly.  I think she will probably talk a little sooner than Piper.
• She has stood on her own for a few seconds, but really isn't that interested in walking or doing much "cruising" although she can do it if she tries.  
• She is sweet and silly and very tender-hearted.  She likes to cuddle in and lean her head to "touch heads" which is her version if kissing. 

Piper
Weight: 18 lbs 3 oz (she has been dieting during her illness)
Height: 28 inches
Head: 18 1/2 inches (how is it possible that she has a bigger head?)

• Piper's latest thing is pointing.  She seems to understand what certain objects are in books and on her toys and will point to them and make her little sounds.  She still loves to read books at night and will sit in my lap and point out objects on her toys, puzzles, and books.
• Piper is more interested in walking, pulling up, cruising, and starting to practice standing on her own.  She doesn't like when we make her do it though.  
• She is still very independent and will sit and entertain herself with a toy with no problems.
• She is a little trooper, tough, spunky, and crazy!

Some pictures from a year ago

 Josie

 Piper

 Piper

 Josie

Happy birthday to my sweet, beautiful, funny, sassy, silly, crazy, adorable little girls!

Help!!

 

 Oh boy, things have changed around here in the last month.  There is no more sitting babies down with a couple of toys while mom gets a few things done.  They are everywhere!  Both girls are crawling and not content to sit anywhere at anytime.  They are also both starting to pull up on things - and always things that seem to be major hazards, like the swing, or an open drawer, or a chair that could fall over them.  This is a picture of them in their crib when I went in to get them from a nap.  The major upside to all this mobility is they crawl over to each other in their cribs and entertain themselves for a little while until they really want to get up. 

 Here's Josie escaping the confines of the playroom to explore the kitchen.  She especially likes to crawl over to Jackson's bowl.  Awesome! 

Here's Piper practicing her pulling up on the door.  Unfortunately, she's taken a couple of spills practicing her new skill.