G L P and the big E's!: 18 Months!

Exactly 18 months ago at 12:53 and 12:55, we welcomed our sweet Gabby and sweet Lilly into the world.

On that day our girls were battling to breath, drink from a bottle, gain weight, and rid themselves of jaundice. That is a far cry from our present battles over toys, pacis, Mommy's arms, and Daddy's rough-housing!

These days Gabby and Lilly are into everything. They love to do everything Mommy does: load the silverware into the dishwasher, take things to the trash and recycle bin (with help), wipe counters/furniture, each other during bath time. They both love dogs (dah dah, dogga or puppa), playing outside, and bath time.

Gabby and Lilly are not fond of time changes and this Mama Lion is pretty sure that the person who invest Daylight Savings Time didn't have children. The girls are getting up before the crack of dawn these days. For a while we only let them take one long nap a day and put them to bed at 7. But, after several awful, horrible, cranky evenings Daddy and I decided that the girls still aren't ready to go to one nap a day. They are now back to the regular napping and eight o'clock bed time. I guess it is true that every child is different...I guess I'm quite fortunate to have two 18 month olds who sleep 4 hours during the day! :)

The girls are also working on sharing...lots of stress on the word 'working.' Gabby does really good. Either she is alreay starting to be less egocentric (which is not likely given her age) or she just really doesn't want to hear her sister squeal. Lilly, however, hasn't caught on to the fact that there is another girl in our house that might like to play with toys. She is just sure it is all about her...I just do not know where she gets that from! ;) The one thing they share well is bowls at the dinner table. We can scoop up on bowl of yogurt, pudding, etc and they will hand it back and forth so each can get a spoonful. I don't know what is cuter: the sharing or the clapping at their accomplishment!

Gabby and Lilly also play together all the time. They just love to make each other giggle with silly noises or dance moves. In fact, they have so much fun together that it almost seems cruel to have just one baby. I just keep thinking how boring it must be to not have a playmate!

But, the best thing both of our girls do, is love on each other. They hug and kiss so many times every day! Outside, in the middle of playing, in the tub...anywhere the feeling strikes them, they love on each other. Every night the four of us all give each other kisses, hugs, and then usually more kisses, and more hugs. They are such sweet girlies!

Here is a little bit about what each of our not-so-tiny, yet still double blessings are up to these days!

Gabby

You are talking so much! Your newest words include: toes, juice, ball, stinky (and yes, she says it about diapers), sky, ball, plane, pee pee, and poo poo (my two favorite). In fact, during the past week you have learned so many words that Mommy hasn't been able to write all of them down! You will try just about any word we say. Tonight you tried to say octopus...it sounded like octaaaaaaaaa. Couple that with the cutest 'Mommy I forgot how you said the end of the word' look and we decided octaaaaaaaaa was a much cuter way of saying octopus!

You still love playing outside and with the dogs. Your favorite play spot is the sandbox! You are the sweetest, cutest mess I've ever seen when you leave the sandbox!

You wave hi and bye upon entering and leaving someplace, without being told to do so.
You say hi, hidee (a word Nanny taught you to mean hi), and hello when Mommy is on the phone.

When you were sick Mommy put a big girl pillow in your bed to elevate you and help you breathe better. And now you are in love with it. Mommy isn't sure when it is okay to have pillows, but will talk to the doctor about it. Worse case scenario, we'll put in under the sheet because I'm pretty sure you don't have any plans of sleeping without it.
You are such a helper girl! You love to take things to the trash, wipe counters, put non-sharp silverware into the dishwasher, help wipe Lilly, help Mommy sweep the patio, and help make dinner. I think you are going to make a great little mommy one day, sweet girl! (Of course if you don't want to have kids that is great too. You'll just have an immaculate house and bottom!)
You have added hair and tongue to the list of body parts you know.
You also figured out how to blow bubbles in the bath tub water. It is so funny! When you get tired of bending down to the water level, you just use your hand and mouth to make the same sound. You are such a mess!

You are back to being my mellow munchkin. You are so lovey, laid back, and carefree. Mommy loves it when this Gabby comes out to play!

Lilly

Look out folks! There is a new (or newly elected) sheriff in town. That's right. Lilly is the head hauncho around these parts these days. Usually when you and sister switch roles I don't catch on for a couple weeks. Mommy must be catching on, however, because I knew right when it happened. While still super sweet, you are also on the crabby, demanding, tantrum throwing side these days. And, like always, I love that aspect of both you and sister. Mommy has no intention of raising her girlies to be push overs, and you, my dear, are anything but :)

You had your first bad fall two weeks ago. Lately you just love playing in the tub. Well you got to playing, slipped, and bushed your eye on the bath tub. We took you to the ER just to make sure things were okay. They realized you had quite a laceration and decided to glue you back together! You looked quite rough for a couple days, but are good as new now!
In keeping with your usually tendencies, you are a little compulsive about a few new things. Washing your hands, putting on lotion, and putting on chap stick are things that you believe ought to be done a couple times every waking hour. You are a pistol, sweet girl of mine.
You are saying so many words these days. Up until now you have not shown much interest in talking (or saying words that anyone other than Gabby understands). But, out of no where, you say all sorts of stuff. You say eyes, ears, eats, pee pee, poo poo, plane, bird (burrr, burrr), and outside. Today you kept saying "burrr, burrr, burrr" to Mommy. When I finally looked and realized you had seen a bird and said, "Oh, bird! Lilly sees a bird," you said "burrr, Mama, burrr!" And it was the cutest thing...ever.

You, and sister too, LOVE using forks. Again I'm not sure when you should be given a fork, but I decided it was the day you girls wouldn't eat because you were having a fit for my and Dada's fork. We gave them to you and you used it like you'd done it your whole life.
You also are learning to drink from a regular cup. Mommy gives you a little milk in a big girl cup with dinner every night. Most of the time you drink it down with no spills, but occassionally it all ends up in your seat!
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And last, but not least, you are so sweet and caring. You are always pat, pat, patting someone, giving Frenchers (as we call your type of kisses), or snuggling with Dada or Mommy.

How is it possible that my little burrito babies are so big? How could 18 months have passed? I remember everything just like it was yesterday...and yes I do mean everything. What I thought I might forget, I wrote on paper. Like I've said before, trying to capture each and every moment of their lives is much like trying to catch the wind. However impossible it may be, there is sheer joy in the trying.

I speak for Dada and I both when I say that raising you girls is the single best thing we have ever, or will ever do. You both amaze us everyday and since we feel so blessed to have been choosen to be your Mommy and Dada on this earth, we just hope that we do and give you all of our very best. Life with our sweet girls is better than any words I could write or pictures I could share. So, here are a few videos of our sweet Gabby and Lilly.

I Like to Move It, Move It!