15 months old

Time sure does fly when you're having fun!  And in general, that's what we're having.  Both boys are full of energy, curiosity, and personality.  We've gotten to a point where it's pretty hard to be in the house alone with both of them, even though we had done a pretty good job of childproofing, they are finding new ways to make trouble- climbing the chairs, climbing the couches, and reaching for whatever they can.

It seems like Benjamin is getting ready to go down to one nap a day, as evidenced by the fact that he almost never takes more than one nap a day.  He still gets tired around 11 if he doesn't take a morning nap, and falls to pieces if he doesn't take an afternoon nap, but he seems to be resisting taking both in the same day.  That's fine for him, but Asher still seems to want 2 naps, and he will nap about 2 hours each time!  I am not sure what the solution is, and how to manage their differing needs while still having the time to shower in the morning...

Yesterday morning while Benjamin didn't nap we had an incredibly scary experience.  We were hearing all the usual no-nap noises of him kicking the slats of his crib, practicing his soprano, and chatting.  Then hysterical screaming.  I rushed up to their room, and Benjamin was standing in his crib with the cord to the air conditioner wrapped around his neck!  I cannot describe how horrifying it was to see that, I thought I was going to vomit.  I screamed for Eric and pulled the cord off, grabbed Benjamin and ran downstairs.  He was crying, and I was shaking.  The cord to the air conditioner had been tucked behind the book shelf that is next to his crib, but apparently his little arms could reach behind the shelf.  And with all that no-nap time, he decided to play and explore.  It could have been disastrous; I can't even consider how things could have ended up.  Eric fastened the cord to the baseboard, and we moved the furniture in the room so that Benjamin's crib is on the opposite wall, with nothing within reach.  And I think we'll get a video monitor so that we can see what trouble Benjamin is getting up to during no-naps.

We are working on them with talking.  They still don't really talk, although they do communicate, and Asher's physical therapist gave us some suggestions.  I am a little bit worried, but we know several other little ones their age who also don't talk, so I don't think they are outside the range of normal just yet.  We'll see what the doctor says when we go in July.

We're leaving for our annual trip to Maine on Thursday, and are getting so excited to see all our family, and of course, eat ice cream.  And then, July 3 is our 5th wedding anniversary- I cannot believe it has been 5 years!

I'll post pictures tomorrow, we forgot to take any today, even though I purposely dressed the boys in really cute clothes!

all better!

The boys' ailments seemed to clear up for the weekend.  We went to the park:

Hi. I have been taking my cute pills regularly.

And a pool party:

Asher took to the water like a fish. Benjamin screamed.

For Father's Day, I took the guys to our favorite coffee place and we had breakfast with Grandpa Nick while Eric was supposed to sleep in.  This was a treat for both of the fathers in my life!  Later I ran errands, in the morning with Benjamin and in the afternoon with Asher.

The boys learned a new trick:

Look mommy! We're tall!

Which quickly turned into Asher climbing on, and then standing on, the kitchen table.  Oh dear.

Tonight they had corn on the cob for dinner.  When Benjamin was done eating, he used his cob to call Meema, who has been away in Colorado.

"Hello, Meema? How are things out West?"

"This thing gets terrible reception! I want an iphone!"

There is never a dull moment with these boys, that is for sure!

sick baby week

This week we had sick babies.  First it was Benjamin, with a low fever.  I thought he was teething, because there was a lot of drool, and he was constantly chewing on his hands.  He wasn't sleeping well-- worse than he usually does, which is saying something!  On Tuesday night he just screamed whenever we put him in bed, really hysterical and heartbreaking screams.  I ended up taking him for a car ride, hoping that would get him to sleep, but even that didn't work.  We gave him Motrin, but that didn't seem to make a difference, either.  He wouldn't nurse, but eventually took a bottle of milk and calmed down to sleep.  I did so wish he could talk enough to tell me what was wrong!

Wednesday he seemed better, and then Wednesday night I got home from work just as the guys were getting bathed and going to bed.  Asher fell apart, just crying and crying, which he never does.  He went to sleep, but then woke up around 3 in hysterics, with a fever.  We gave him Motrin, too, but it took him a while to settle down.

I went to work on Thursday and heard that Asher was kind of cranky, and napping a lot.  I got home around 4 and he woke up to my voice.  I went up to him and he was burning up!  He had a temperature of about 102, and I called the pediatrician's office.  Of course they told me to come in.  He had no other symptoms, other than lethargy, loss of appetite, and his fever.  The nurse practitioner we saw sent us home with infant Advil (I had sent Eric to the store to get ibuprofen, told him NOT Tylenol, and he came home with Tylenol. He said the pain medication choices were too overwhelming so he grabbed something and ran) and to call if it got worse.

This morning both boys seemed fine.  They ate breakfast, played, Asher napped and Benjamin rolled around his crib, we went to play group.  Asher had no fever, had regained his appetite, and was back in his good humors.  They ate a big healthy lunch, and then Benjamin went down for his nap.  Asher was nursing and then pulled off, looked around... and threw up all over me!  It really was a lot of undigested food, poor baby.  He seemed fine before, and fine after.  I called Eric to help me clean up, and Eric hates vomit more than I do, so I was worried he would lose his lunch on top of it!

Fortunately, after his afternoon nap, Asher seemed fine.  We took a trip to the grocery store and he was being completely adorable, calling everyone in the store "Da-eee," playing with me by giving me kisses when I would lean toward him and say, "Will you give me a smooch?"  It was really nice to have time with him where my attention was completely on him, and I took my time at the store so we could enjoy each others' company.

Despite the illness, we have enjoyed nice, long walks in the beautiful weather.  Eric and I are eating a lot of vegetables, since we keep getting green things from our CSA.  I do look for different ways to use them, but we've had a lot of salads.

This weekend we have a pool party, and then it's Fathers' Day.  Our only plan for Fathers Day at this point is that I am going to make big pieces of red meat on the grill for Eric and my dad, and Eric wants key lime pie for dessert.  Easy enough!

Can you believe...

Can you believe these 2 big boys wouldn't even put their toes in the water last summer?  Now look at my little water babies!

Last night Eric took the boys for dinner with my parents at my aunt and uncle's pool while I drove to Maryland to meet up with other mommies from a message board (I know, a mass internet date! I was nervous to meet everyone in person, but reminded myself that I met my husband on the internet, and that worked out pretty well).  I had a good time at my dinner, and the boys (and Eric) had a wonderful time in the pool!  Apparently there was splashing and screeching and general silliness.

Asher Bear and his curly hair

Today we went to Alex's Original Lemonade Stand-- we live in the same neighborhood as her family and so are near the big Lemonade Stand party they have every summer.  They have tons of "free" food (just make a donation), so we went and had a snack.  The boys had their first taste of "wooder eyes," which is Philadelphian for water ice.

Asher and his water ice

Benjamin holding that other famous Philly food- soft pretzel!

"OOH! That's cold!"

Tonight we had ribs and corn on the cob for dinner.  The boys ate the rib meat off the bone and loved it! Then they ate their corn off the cob.  Asher is serious about his corn on the cob, and generously helped Benjamin finish his corn.

Benjamin licking the bones clean

Asher and his rib

double-fisting

Then they had blueberries, tons of them, until I decided enough was enough.  For dessert they each had some cake, which they liked, and Benjamin used bits of to style his hair.  I really love watching them enjoy their food.  I noticed they chew with their mouths closed, which is nice, since I have a lot of other table manners I will need to teach them over the years!

I sometimes feel like we only take pictures of them eating, and part of that is that they try so many new foods, and we like to capture those moments, and the other part is that they are only still when we strap them down!  I swear we do things other than eat, but I guess it is pretty obvious that we love eating and love our food.

"Da-Deee"

The family at the playground

That's what Asher has been saying since Saturday morning!  I am not 100% sure he knows that Da-Deee is Eric, but he certainly noticed our enthusiastic reaction to his saying it, and so has repeated it several times since.

Saturday morning had another first- first use of forks!  Benjamin looked very interested in my fork, so I got him his own, and he knew exactly what to do.  We were having french toast, and he was able to feed himself.  Sometimes he holds the fork in one hand, and eats with the fingers of his other hand, or picks the food up with his fingers and then puts the food on the tines of the fork.  He really loves the fork, though, and if I don't give him his own, he will try to grab the big fork out of my hands.

Benjamin and his beloved fork

Asher and his funny squint

We had a busy weekend, with a birthday party on both Saturday and Sunday.  The Saturday party had a puppet show, and all the other children sat quietly on their parents' laps and watched.  My children raced around the room, trying to pull food off the tables, double-fisting goldfish crackers, and running out the door into the parking lot.  I worry a little that the other mommies won't want us around, since my guys are so active and a little wild, but so far everyone has been understanding that "boys will be boys." It definitely requires a great deal of energy from both Eric and me to chase them, and we sure did work hard for that birthday cake!

Here are some pictures from the past few days:

The Bear growling

Cute pajamas (Costco!) and a thumb-sucking Asher

Benjamin styled his hair with cupcake

We are trying to enjoy the good weather, by eating on our deck, taking lots of walks and jogs, and getting in the wading pool I bought them as often as we can.  I have a feeling that this summer will just fly by, and I hope that we enjoy it as much as we can.  So far, so good!