Friday, June 29, 2007

Weekly List # 5


We are Quirky

1. Ella likes to crawl through legs
2. Drew loves shoes, feet, and especially toes
3. Ella likes to lay down at the top of the slide as if she is about to nap
4. Drew likes to smash his peas one by one before eating them
5. Ella likes to squeeze her tongue
6. Drew loves to play with dish towels and belts
7. Ella will not go in the swing, Drew will not get out of the swing
8. When Ella finds a puddle of water she touches it and then wets her hair
9. Both will only eat bananas outside of the house
10. Ella is afraid of the foot measuring devices at shoe stores

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Nonna's Visit


Well, Nonna blew into town to help with E&D's 18 month doctor's appointment. Thank goodness, because the appointment would be impossible without her. The appointment went well, although Drew overheard the Dr mentioning the side effects of one immunization and true to form, developed a fever for a few days after. So, Ella really benefited from Nonna's visit, as she got to go the park while Drew stayed in the AC. Ella and Drew are so in love with Nonna and her silly ways. Who else will read the same book 378 times in 3 days? Who else thinks it is sooo funny when you put all your food on your head? And then even funnier when you mash the food into your hair?! Who else will pick up your stuff when you defiantly throw it? Who else cleans the kitchen...oops, that's why I love her.
Although Nonna has returned to golf, real estate and Caca, we still think of her often. Both babies woke up this morning asking for her. Drew put his eggs in his hair and waited for the laughter (it never came). I put dishes in the sink and they are still there. Oh, Nonna...come back!!!

Friday, June 22, 2007

Weekly List # 4

Things We Love about Summer
1. Being outside every waking minute
2. Meeting Daddy in the park after work
3. No winter jackets, sweaters, hats, etc.
4. We LOVE sunscreen! E&D fight over who gets it first
5. Italian Ice
6. Ice Cream
7. BBQ's
8. sprinklers at the park, well learning to love them!
9. Art in the Park
10. Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles!!

Boston Soul

My written description will not do this story justice, but Ill try! Sometimes Mike and I tease my mother and her pronunciations. For example, she says "hay-yaa" for "hair." So last night Mike was playing with E&D on the rocking horse. He was trying to get them to say "horsey" or "Neigh," to no avail. So, then he imitated my mother and said "Haaseee." Wouldn't you know Ella now says "haasee!"
Settled: she has Boston in her blood.

Monday, June 18, 2007

New Pics

2007-06-18

Here are some cute pictures from Mike's Birthday last week as well as today in the park. Twice a week in the summer the City of Hoboken sponsors "Art in the Park" for toddlers. Today's activities included making pasta necklaces, painting, and Yoga. As you can imagine, Drew and Ella were the stars of the yoga demonstration.

Budding Vocabulary

It dawned on me that since this Blog is as close to a baby book E&D are going to get, I should be recording some milestone type stuff. So, here is a list of their current words. I think their vocab is also a nice look into what is important to them now...
Ella:
Mama, Dada, D (drew), Ella, Caca, Nonnie, Gramma, Unc, Hi, bye-bye, ball, bubble, boo-boo, apple, up, no, more, Elmo, wooof, baa, yeah, shoe, duck, eye, hat

Drew:
Mama, Dada, Ella, Caca, Nonnie, Gramma, Unc, hi, bye-bye, ball, boo-boo, up, no, more, cheese, Elmo, car, ya-ya(motorcycle), park, yeah, shoe, sock, woof, baa, fish, duck

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Weekly List # 3

Words (Re)defined by Ella and Drew

1. Gambling: sticking your finger in your twins mouth
2. Frustration: Fork
3. Mine: Anything you have
4. Ball: Anything round or close to it, ie. stop sign
5. Sharing: Taking
6. Privacy: Huh?
7. Stop: Faster
8. Bibs: things to play peek-a-boo with, or race twin to see how many times you can remove it during one meal

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

A Year AND a Half

18 months

Well, my little babies are 1.5 today. They are getting so big, so smart, so funny, and so fast. I looked forward to this age as one where they would be talking more and in general just doing more things. That is certainly true. Words now include: cracker, o's, car, ya-ya (motercycle), Bye-bye-bah (park and tub), nonna, caca (papa and pop-pop), Unc, sissa (Melissa), bubble, Yeah!, No, D for Drew, ball, beep-beep, and a bunch more. Drew is trying to say it all and will repeat just about anything by saying "ahh-ahh." They use their sign language less, but still use the help sign after yelling "MAMA" to get my attention. Drew is profficient with the fork and loves to practice. He uses it as a distraction when he doesn't like the meal. Ella holds her fork in one hand while shoveling the food in her mouth with the other.
Ella loves to throw her food and she demonstrates some natural abilities in her throw. She also loves the rocking horse these days and rides all the time. She does not like it when Drew rides...or touches anything else she has deemed hers. He has such an easy going manner, that he usually hands over whatever she wants, but we are trying to teach her otherwise. Drew has a new toy motorcycle he likes, he also loves his Noah's Ark set, books, and climbing. He is my shadow and loves to stick close by, he even learned to open the bathroom door!
We celebrated the half year mark with a trip to the zoo. They absolutly loved it. We will become regulars, especially since on Tuesday afternoons it is free! They loved the goats and screamed "Baa" at them. They also liked the penguins, wolf, and horses. They "woof-woofed" at anything with fur or hair including elk, bison, cows, kangaroos, lamas, and bobcats. The peacocks roam freely and they got a big kick out of those.
And Happy Birthday to Mike!! and cousin Luke!!
Click on the pic for an album...

Monday, June 11, 2007

The Big Announcement



Well, now that the grandmas, nanas, and nonnies know, you my faithful readers and friends are the next to find out: Baby #3 is on the way. Don't reboot your computer or clean the screen - you read it right! 2 ultrasounds have confirmed that it is just one baby (insert:collective sigh of relief). Yes, we are crazy. Yes, we know our hands are already full. Yes, we know about "prevention." Yes, there is a reason for my expanding girth - aside from daily iced mochas!!
New baby due on December 17, four days after Ella and Drew's 2nd birthday. If the baby comes a little early, we could have 3 kids under 2!! Mike and I are excited and looking forward to experiencing one baby. Drew and Ella have no idea that life is about to change.
Now on to selling our apartment, buying a new car, and that iced mocha....

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Weekly List #2

Top Ten Rituals (for lack of a better word)
These are things that they do EVERYtime or pretty close to it...

1. Hand me their pacifiers at end of sleeping
2. Wave Bye-Bye to the tub whenever they are in the bathroom
3. Throw their sippy cups to the floor and say uh-oh about 10x per meal
4. Wildly rub their hands on their tray throwing food everywhere to signal all done
5. Give kisses when getting up from eating
6. Ella points to her knees and says "boo-boo" when changing her diaper
7. Gathering shoes and hat (any combo) and rushing to the door saying "bye, bye"
8. Putting their shoes into their room upon returning home and clapping
9. Diving onto Mike anytime he lays on the floor
10. Immediately look under the stroller when we arrive at the park to see what toys I packed

Monday, June 4, 2007

What's Drew up to now?

Drew is the master of keeping himself busy. I have memories of my brother Matt playing with his GI Joe men for hours in the corner of the living room - I think this is where Drew is heading. Not quite at the GI Joe level though, so what does Drew do to keep busy? Today he was searching in the pantry until he found two small jars of tomato paste. Then he went to the coffee table and put them on it, took them off, stacked them, scraped them along the side, rolled them, etc. A little while later I found him whisking the bars of his crib with my kitchen whisk. Next he walked up and down the hallway dragging one of his belts. Finally he got a hold of the vacuum cleaner attachments and was having a grand old time until he began whacking Ella in the head with them. At that point I had to intervene.

Ella for Mayor

Ella loves to say "Hi." She says it in a variety of tones from an expressionless "hi, hi, hi, hi" as she wanders around the house to an overexcited valley girl-type "Hiiiiiyaaaa" if she finds you in another room. While driving last weekend Mike and I answered her "Hi's" for about 20 minutes to keep her busy. Well, now she has taken to saying to hi to people we pass on the sidewalk. We see a lot of people on the sidewalk. Sometimes I feel bad for her because she often says it after passing the person - so, no response. In that case I usually respond to her. Ella has also decided to great each person in the park with an exuberant "Hi!" The best part is she says hello to everyone after we have been in the park for a good hour!