Monday, August 27, 2012

Happy birthday, Granddaddy!!

We had a marvelous time celebrating your 70th birthday with you!!




how exactly does a cup work?

Sylvia tries to figure it out.

YouTube Video


She's also ready for Rice football starting Thursday against UCLA. Go Owls!

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Vocalizing

Sylvia has started making this face recently and also now mimics some of our noises. Enjoy!

YouTube Video

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

entertaining twinfants

You never know what will entertain the twinfants. How about a giant exercise ball??!!

YouTube Video


Saturday, August 18, 2012

wear 'em out activities

We are nearly at the age when we are constantly looking for activities to burn energy. This morning we went to the park, then shopping,




...then this:


YouTube Video


Rafa went up three times and probably would have gone more, but once Sylvia got interested, I decided we should stay at the top of the stairs. In a locked room.

Friday, August 17, 2012

good morning sunshine

I love my morning time with the twinfants. They aren't cranky from a long day. They're a little cuddly as they start to wake up. It's really special. Most mornings, I wait until they're both awake to go in. They typically wake up around the same time, either naturally or because of chattering. They usually both scramble to the side of their crib and stand up (because they know I wait for that before picking them up in an attempt to save my back a little).

This morning, though, while Rafa got upset when I turned to put the milk cups down and my mama's boy rushed to be in my arms, Sylvia was content to just hang out in bed a la papi. Like her dad, she might need a few cups of coffee to face the day.

She was really adorable lying there happily, stretching, babbling and giggling.











Monday, August 13, 2012

more eating pics

I want some cake!! Or some #7 plastic... Our Sylvia even charmed the birthday boy into giving it a taste.




Oma captured Rafa's big bottom lip that he has a penchant for displaying. We love it. But probably one of those cute baby habits he'll have to break before the other kids get ruthless.




Oma also captured Sylvia's latest dinnertime game--peekaboo. She's really probably just trying to make us go away so she can do whatever she wants. What it really means is that she gets another bath because she has smeared food all over her face and head.




Sunday, August 12, 2012

randomness

They were on to something when they named Dora the Explorer. The twinfants are exploring anything and everything. The latest thing I've noticed is that they like climbing into and under things. If they can get under a chair, into a cabinet, under their toys, that's where the party is. Even if it means lots of head banging. I guess that's just part of exploring. Way to use your head...




This is a wonderfully sweet sight. My boys, sitting together and enjoying a wonderful book. On the Night You Were Born by Nancy Tillman and a gift to our babies from Nancy Brennan. Thanks, Nancys!!!




Monday, August 6, 2012

11 months!

I can't believe they're almost one year old! Pretty soon they'll be driving...




They are learning to climb, which means we have to be more prepared for falls. And lots of them. I think Sylvia might constantly have a bruise somewhere. When she started climbing off the side of the bed to get to a toy on the floor, I thought that maybe I should help 'teach' her that it's not a good idea. So, I grabbed her ankle and let her fall a little then bump her head on the floor. Not a full on fall, but a little to get the idea. Yeah, total backfire. Rather than getting a little hurt and scared, my little daredevil broke out squealing with delight and giggling. Rafa, on the other hand, clung to the sheets and nearly hyperventilated when he started falling. 1 out of 2 is better than none, right?

Rafa has some peculiar eating habits. He stores food in his mouth for-e-ver. Just loads it up an holds onto the food. Doesn't chew, doesn't swallow. Just stores. Apparently his mom used to do that, too. Why do they inherit all the weird stuff?? He also likes taking sips of his milk, rather than chugging, like his sister who is ready for beer bike. He then swishes the the sips around in his mouth. It sounds like he's straining it through his teeth. But, as I've said before, it's the goofy things that are so endearing.

I love those goofballs!

Friday, August 3, 2012

socialization

The trend these days (in circles I run in, anyway) is to put your kids in daycare starting at age 2! A couple pediatricians came to speak at a lunch I attended and that was their recommendation for socialization purposes. We have built in socialization so we're not sure how important day care is. I keep thinking that I didn't start until a few half days a week when I was three and I'm fairly well adjusted...right?




Our nanny has started taking the twinfants to story/songs/play hour at the library and we hope to find a music class we like. For now, we're hoping that will be enough socialization.

The nanny's daughter on summer break with the twinfants at the library:



Wednesday, August 1, 2012

reading



Bedtime stories are starting to get to be so fun that they're not having the intended effect of slowing the twinfants down...