almost 22 months

Asher driving the bus at the Please Touch Museum

Benjamin driving the bus

Almost 22 months means almost 2...  I have reserved a place for their birthday:
Smith Playground
The only downside is that the room holds "about" 15 kids.  We will be inviting more than that with the assumption that not all of them will come.  All of our guests can use the playground all day long, so I hope that not all the kids need to spend much time in the party room anyway.  I don't think I'll do much as far as decorations, but I will of course make some food and at least two cakes.  We pushed the party back until April 14, because the outside part of the park does not open until April 1, which seems like it might still be iffy weather.  The following weekend is Passover and I'm not interested in a birthday party with two flourless chocolate cakes (we'll already have enough of that during the week, since both my birthday and Eric's fall during Passover this year).

The nice part about having it April 14 is that Eric's parents will be able to attend!  They were already planning to come down that weekend for a visit, so the timing works out perfectly.  I am excited both for my boys to have all 4 grandparents at their birthday party, but also for Eric's parents to get to share the event with them.

So what's new with the boys- they are still not "talking," but they are learning and using more words.  We are working on labeling and repetition, and they both have picked up new things with frequency.  They are now good at hi, bye, mama, daddy, na-night, more, cookie, bubble, no, down, uh oh, and Asher likes to call Trouble "Catty."  They have other words as well, but they use them less consistently.  They are both communicating more, and their listening and comprehension are also very good.

They are also both developing many new physical skills.  Asher's jumping two-footed, which he loves to do.  Asher is also working on monkey bars at Gymboree.  Benjamin is very strong and likes to hold himself on the monkey bars and swing his legs up parallel to, and above, his waist.

No matter how much I think our home is safe, they always find a new way to make trouble.  Just today I heard Asher saying "uh oh, uh oh!" from the living room and came in to find him on top of a table, flipping the light switch off and on.

Sleep continues to be difficult.  They are both in toddler beds and good about staying in there most of the time, but the other night they figured out the doorknob and were most of the way down the stairs before Eric realized what was going on.  Asher wakes up during the night some nights (or obscenely early some mornings) and wants to nurse. He used to be appeased by Eric saying "no mama, no nurse," but now that gets him more hysterical.  So he's nursing, which Eric says during the day he wishes would stop, but at night finds very convenient!  Their naps are also iffy- some days Benjamin decides he doesn't feel like napping, which leaves him very tired and crabby come dinner time.

They are exercising their independence more and more, which can be very trying.  Today I couldn't find one of Benjamin's shoes and tried to put a different pair on him and he got completely hysterical.  I didn't even realize he had paid close attention to his shoes before that!

In general, they are flexible and good-natured, and I am always thankful for that.  I have seen other toddler tantrums that are far worse than what my guys can do.  I always worry that those are on their way, but in the meantime, I appreciate life without them!

I have not been taking enough pictures, so I will have to change that and get some cute ones to post soon!