2 1/2 Years!

First, some photos:

fun in the tub

A picture Benjamin took of Asher snuggled with Mommy

Goofing around with Daddy

"Cheeeese!"

Playing in Baby Eli's wagon

Asher blowing the shofar he made at school.  He had even learned the word "shofar"

The boys turned 2.5 yesterday.  I guess it was just another day- it was also Yom Kippur, so we had bigger things to deal with.  Benjamin started the day by asking to pee on the potty.  Eric said his overnight diaper was pretty dry, so maybe he even held his pee overnight? What a big boy!  I gave him lots of hugs and kisses and told him how proud I was.

So what is new with my guys-  it seems to me that they are getting more fun by the day, except on certain days, when they act like typical two-year-olds and try my patience.

Asher has started to talk a lot more, which is great.  He has learned a lot of big words, like library, flashlight, and sidewalk.  He likes to learn the word for everything and will practice and repeat it.  Then he will use it again, correctly, at a later point.  He is stringing together 3-4 words to narrate or make a point.  It's not a fluent sentence, but it is so nice to hear!  He also had a new phrase- why it took this long I don't know- "I do!"  His services with Early Intervention were just discontinued, although I think we could have used them for a little bit longer, I didn't find his speech therapist particularly helpful.

On the other hand, Asher's progress seems to highlight Benjamin's lack thereof.  The more Asher says, the more I worry about Benjamin.  He is not talking nearly as much, is not adding words quickly, and does not show the same interest in learning words or repeating.  There is a lot of what he says that I can't understand at all, and I get very frustrated, as I am sure he does, too.  Some of what he says I know simply because he has said it many times before in reference to an object I have seen, but a lot of the time I just have no idea.  Earlier today I think he had a fit over wanting an apple, but he didn't say "apple," or anything even close, and so I had no idea what he was asking for.  When I say a word and ask him to repeat it, half the time he just says, "Yah-yah." Not like, yeah, yeah, but like those are the two syllables I just said.  Ugh.  Something tells me that a week from now I'll be on the phone with Early Intervention to have yet another evaluation for him, and possibly to an audiologist to check his hearing.

We have our 2.5 year old well visit on Friday, and I am looking forward to seeing how much they have grown in the past 6 months.  They haven't grown nearly as much as I had expected, because in February I went nuts buying 3T clothes for fall and winter, and they don't fit into them.  Asher is too tall for 2T pants, but both of them have waists small enough to wear 2T.  Such skinny monkeys.

They still love to watch Curious George and Babar on TV.  I definitely use the TV to get some peace and quiet for myself most days.  I feel very guilty about it, but I have to admit to a shortcoming as a mother.  I like to have fun with my guys, but I am not good at doing creative and exciting projects in the house.  I have no patience for Play Doh, and the guys get so nuts with markers so quickly that I get anxious and just put them away.  That's part of why I sent them to school- so they could have all kinds of messy fun that I wouldn't have to think of or clean up after.

My other shortcoming is their Halloween costumes for this year.  I have not had a single idea for what they should be, and they have not yet requested anything.  Plus I am studying for my licensing exam, so all my free time needs to be devoted to that, and not sewing.  I think we are just going to go to Costco, and see what they have, and let the boys pick something they like.

The boys are not the great eaters they were as babies.  Benjamin is still a good, and consistent, eater.  If left in his seat, he will usually work his way through whatever is in front of him, unless he is at someone else's house, a restaurant, or in a bad mood.  Asher is much more finicky, turns down a lot of fruits, and from day-to-day changes his tastes.  One meal he'll eat all broccoli, the next he'll eat all meat.  He LOVES eating pancakes for breakfast and asks for them about 5 days a week.  I have persuaded him to also eat french toast, which he likes, and chocolate (Nutella) toast.  Benjamin loves bananas, eggs with cheese, and pancakes for breakfast.  They seem to eat most of the lunch I pack for them for school, which makes me happy.  I had made some muffin-sized frittatas to go in their lunch- totally rejected.  Fortunately they are quite delicious, and Eric and I now have some prepared lunches for ourselves!  One thing that seems good- they have a good gauge of how much they want to eat, and don't overeat, even when it comes to treats.  They are just as likely to leave half a cookie as they are to finish it.

Right now we are reading Corduroy, The Hungry Caterpillar, Slinky Malinki (still), Runaway Bunny. and Where the Wild Things Are at bedtime.  Benjamin likes to jump up and flap his arms when we get to the part about the beautiful butterfly in Hungry Caterpillar, and they both like to gnash their teeth and show their claws in Wild Things.

Benjamin's preferred sleeping companions are the trucks and cars of his choosing, and his beloved blanket.  Every night he will go around the living room and pick out 2-3 vehicles to take to bed with him.  Pretty cute, if not cuddly.  Asher is very attached to sleeping with a stuffed rabbit he picked out at Ikea, and a small stuffed elephant that is part of a mommy-baby elephant set we also got at Ikea many years ago (why were we buying stuffed animals before we had kids? I honestly have no idea, but we were).  He always checks for them in is bed- the elephant is "Pff Pff" and the rabbit is "Ra-ra."

Both boys seems to be enjoying school, for the most part.  Asher has stopped crying when I drop him off, and Benjamin usually seems excited to go play.  Everyday when I ask what they did at school today, I get the same answer: "Play cars.  Play choo-choo."  I am always pleased to find out that they have done a lot more than that!

They are sweet, wonderful boys.  Both boys are so loving, so affectionate, and so funny.  And did I mention super cute?  I am still madly in love with them.