14 months

I cannot believe that my boys are 14 months old!  They are continuing to learn and change each day.  I noticed that they are starting to imitate my behaviors- they have tried to feed me their food and make me drink their sippy cups.  Tonight Benjamin tried to brush my teeth with his toothbrush, and he thought it was hysterical!

Dinner on our deck, at our new table- Eric built it all by himself!

Benjamin has been adventurous: he has walked (and then run) across the bridge on the play equipment at the play ground, and has been climbing on the slide at my mom's house, and tonight at our house.  He is a very quick learner, and with each time he climbed up the slide he got better and faster at it.  Asher is a little more cautious, but after he sees Benjamin do something a few times, he generally wants a crack at it.

Benjamin, a big boy on the slide all by himself

Asher trying out the slide after Benjamin showed him how it's done

Asher's new favorite thing is to take the phone, press all the buttons, and then wait for the "phone is off the hook" signal to start-- and then he starts dancing.  His dancing looks kind of like the "running man," he stays in one place and stomps his feet up and down.  Benjamin thinks this is soooo funny (because Benjamin loves physical humor), and they both have a good time.  What gets me is that we have a ton of musical toys, play music for them through our computers and TV, and he likes the phone the best.  So now I call the phone "Asher's iPod."

They are not talking at all yet, which of course worries me a little.  We had Early Intervention here on Monday for Asher's 6 month evaluation.  His torticollis is much better, although he still tilts his head to the right at times, especially when he is tired.  Now our bigger concern is that he walks on his tip-toes.  Note to parents: don't google things.  The possibilities that come up with "walking on tip-toes" are not good.  EI doesn't think we need to worry about the serious stuff (cerebral palsy, autism), but that he should learn to walk using his whole foot.  Next up: a referral for physical therapy.  But as far as the not-talking goes, they said not to worry.  The boys definitely communicate, they babble, and make a variety of sounds.  We were told to imitate their babbles, which we were already doing, but given they are both boys (and boys learn to talk a little later than girls), we don't need to worry just yet.

14 month old Benjamin

14 month old Asher, pouring his milk on himself

I also finally got their bloodwork done.  We were asked to do it when they were 9 months old, since we live in an older home and there is a possibility that we have some lead paint in the house, but then we switched pediatricians.  The new doctor gave me a prescription for bloodwork at their 12 month visit, and I didn't do it, because I just couldn't stand to go.  But I called the doctor about Benjamin's nap boycotts, and they told me to schedule an appointment... and get the bloodwork done ASAP.  Today the doctor called to say that both boys' hemoglobin was low, so I have to give them an iron supplement.  Being a mommy is very consuming!  There is a lot to handle, and sometimes it is hard to cram all their appointments and things into the two days of the week I'm not working.

In the end, the complaints are few and the joys are many.  Not a day goes by where I don't pause and remember how lucky I am, and how grateful I am to have two healthy and beautiful children.  14 months old, and the time is just flying.