Thursday, March 12, 2009
Sweet Parenting Moment
Lola and I were playing on the floor yesterday making funny faces and smiling at each other. After exchanges of laughter, she stopped and just looked at me right in my eyes. She stared at me with this ponderous look on her face and I thought, "Wow, she's looking at me so closely. And not at something funny on my face. She's gazing right into my eyes. What a special moment. I wonder what she's thinking about?" I bet you moms out there can guess what happened next. My wonderfully sweet thought bubble was burst seconds later when I smelled that she had made a freshly dirty diaper! What a special moment we shared!
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Happy Birthday!
I know, I'm a day early. Lola and Jackson's birthday is tomorrow. But I wanted to make sure that I had a post up first thing in the morning. And since I can't even manage brushing my teeth first thing most mornings, I figured I should post tonight just in case the morning gets away from me.
I've been trying to write a Happy Birthday post for the kids for a while. Knowing myself as I do, I knew it would be a long process. And so I started early, at least a month ago. There were many many drafts. Some were funny. At least I though they were pretty funny :) Some were sappy. Really really sappy. Several concentrated on the early weeks of Lola and Jackson's life, recalling the difficult time when the kids were in the hospital and the many sleepless nights when they were first home. Others were musings about what their futures would bring. Would Jackson be a rock climber or a high rise construction worker? Would Lola end up getting X-rayed to find out what whether she had swallowed an action figure?
After writing, modifying, and deleting 10 or more Happy Birthday posts, I decided to throw in the towel. Not that I don't reserve the right to post one later. There are still at least one sappy, one funny, and one ponderous draft saved. But for today, I will let the pictures do the talking:
I've been trying to write a Happy Birthday post for the kids for a while. Knowing myself as I do, I knew it would be a long process. And so I started early, at least a month ago. There were many many drafts. Some were funny. At least I though they were pretty funny :) Some were sappy. Really really sappy. Several concentrated on the early weeks of Lola and Jackson's life, recalling the difficult time when the kids were in the hospital and the many sleepless nights when they were first home. Others were musings about what their futures would bring. Would Jackson be a rock climber or a high rise construction worker? Would Lola end up getting X-rayed to find out what whether she had swallowed an action figure?
After writing, modifying, and deleting 10 or more Happy Birthday posts, I decided to throw in the towel. Not that I don't reserve the right to post one later. There are still at least one sappy, one funny, and one ponderous draft saved. But for today, I will let the pictures do the talking:
Monday, March 9, 2009
If you hear we're in the hospital...
When I saw this I was a little concerned:
Then when I saw this I thought, "Oh No! No No No No!"
And then this:
I put the camera down before I got a clear picture with the flash because he started reaching to grab on to Lola's crib, which is about 2 feet to the right out of the frame of the picture.
I might start taking bets on when will be our first trip to the hospital!
Then when I saw this I thought, "Oh No! No No No No!"
And then this:
I put the camera down before I got a clear picture with the flash because he started reaching to grab on to Lola's crib, which is about 2 feet to the right out of the frame of the picture.I might start taking bets on when will be our first trip to the hospital!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Count Lola Belle
We had our first biting incident today. I'm not sure about Lola's motivation but after hearing Jackson screaming I ran over and I pried the kids apart. There they were on Jackson's arm, 2 little teeth marks. This picture was taken 5 hours later and the marks are still there. He didn't stop crying for at least 20 minutes. Then he was pretty tender-hearted for at least another hour. And so it begins...
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Well, I was going to have a fun picture-filled Mardi Gras post for you but I guess that is not in the cards for this year. Lola and Jackson did get to go to parades on Sunday and they really enjoyed them. Unfortunetly I forgot the camera (cardinal mommy sin, I know) and so for now I'll just say they enjoyed the time outside and the beads were a big hit. They are still carrying them around the house.
I thought I would be able to make up for the camera mistake when Aaron and I took the kids out for Mardi Gras day. Unfortunately, there was a small fire at PF Changs and Aaron had to work until after midnight monday, all day tuesday, and most of wednesday (days he was supposed to be off). So the kids and I stayed home on Mardi Gras and enjoyed the beautiful weather out in the back yard (and a much needed visit from Grammy, I was starting to lose it :)
So, instead of cool first-Mardi Gras pics, enjoy these from around the house:
Lola is Walking (toddle-ing is really a better description)!
Jackson rearranging the furniture.
Quality time with dad.
Just hanging around.
Two adorable babies.
I thought I would be able to make up for the camera mistake when Aaron and I took the kids out for Mardi Gras day. Unfortunately, there was a small fire at PF Changs and Aaron had to work until after midnight monday, all day tuesday, and most of wednesday (days he was supposed to be off). So the kids and I stayed home on Mardi Gras and enjoyed the beautiful weather out in the back yard (and a much needed visit from Grammy, I was starting to lose it :)
So, instead of cool first-Mardi Gras pics, enjoy these from around the house:
Lola is Walking (toddle-ing is really a better description)!
Jackson rearranging the furniture.
Quality time with dad.
Just hanging around.
Two adorable babies.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Great recent pics!
Lola and Jackson are almost 1 year old! It's unbelievable. It's so fast. Way too fast! I'm not ready. My little babies... they're growing up :( Ok, a little sappy. I'm just warming you up for the 1 year post. It's guaranteed to be dripping with gooey sentiment.
But for now...
Lola and Jack have both started trying to walk! They can each take about 3 steps before wobbling and falling down. Lola seems to be progressing a little faster than Jackson, but he isn't far behind. We'll see if they're walking by their first birthday.
Let's see what else... so many new experiences...
Lola and Jack had so much fun helping Pops build the base for the shed!
Lola at her happiest, outside with a leaf in one hand and mail in the other hand.
Both babies like hummus, very international of them I think:
And no surprise here, Lola and Jack LOVE ice cream sandwiches:
Some things are new and some things are just like they've been for months... Lola and Jack still love to climb and get in to everything! And also, this is a great shot of all their teeth!
But for now...
Lola and Jack have both started trying to walk! They can each take about 3 steps before wobbling and falling down. Lola seems to be progressing a little faster than Jackson, but he isn't far behind. We'll see if they're walking by their first birthday.
Let's see what else... so many new experiences...
Lola and Jack had so much fun helping Pops build the base for the shed!
Lola at her happiest, outside with a leaf in one hand and mail in the other hand.
Both babies like hummus, very international of them I think:
And no surprise here, Lola and Jack LOVE ice cream sandwiches:
Some things are new and some things are just like they've been for months... Lola and Jack still love to climb and get in to everything! And also, this is a great shot of all their teeth!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Where do babies really come from?
Where do our personalities really come from? Are Lola and Jackson's personalities written somewhere in their DNA? Is it formatted in their soul?
Having twins gives me a unique opportunity to watch 2 babies born to the same parents and raised in the same environment grow into very different people. Now I know that we influence them in different ways. I am not blind to the fact that I'm sure Aaron and I treat them differently.
And I know they have grown and changed with their surroundings. My children are learning and changing every day with each new experience. But simply acquiring their personalities as they experience and react to new things doesn't explain it all. That explanation doesn't account for the part of them I know they were born with.
Jackson is a climber. He climbs everything: the dresser, the changing table, the bookshelves, the oven. If there is something for him to grab on to and somewhere for him to put his feet he will climb. I have watched him try over and over to see what's on top of the --fill-in-the-blank---. I never tried to encourage this (why in the world would I?). So why does he climb? And why doesn't Lola?
Lola eats everything she can get her hands on. And I mean it...everything. Things I have pulled out of her mouth: shrimp tail, penny, spider, grass, rock, leaves, sticker, leftover food from the floor, countless pieces of paper. And this is not a complete list. And it isn't a matter of just putting it in her mouth and testing it's feel. She really tries to swallow it! Recently she has caught on to our "game" and whenever I catch her chewing on something she crawls away laughing as I chase her. I know every baby puts things in their mouth; that's their way of figuring things out. But she does this far more than Jackson. And she insists on not just chewing but swallowing everything. Why does she do this?
And these funny little things are the tip not the base of the iceberg. Lola and Jackson's emotional needs are so different. And they express those needs very differently. Jackson hugs me super tight when I get him out of his crib after a nap. Lola, even though she has often just been woken up by her brother, pops her head up and checks out what's going on around her. She like me to hold her, but she doesn't snuggle me like Jack.
Some of these difference come from being a boy and a girl. But certainly not even that explains is it all. Where is it written that Jackson will have a burning desire to search out vertical conquests. How can it be that Lola spits out carrots during dinner but when she finds a day old one on the floor she will fight with all her might to keep me from prying it from her mouth.
I don't often pose philosophical questions. I usually keep my musings on matters of science and religion to myself. And I certainly don't want to discount the power of external influences. But as I watch my son and daughter become who they are as toddlers I can't help but wonder when this process of "becoming" started. At conception? Sometime during the pregnancy? At birth? And where in them is it dictated? Somewhere in the strands of their DNA? Or maybe in someplace scientists can't see, even with the most powerful microscope?
Having twins gives me a unique opportunity to watch 2 babies born to the same parents and raised in the same environment grow into very different people. Now I know that we influence them in different ways. I am not blind to the fact that I'm sure Aaron and I treat them differently.
And I know they have grown and changed with their surroundings. My children are learning and changing every day with each new experience. But simply acquiring their personalities as they experience and react to new things doesn't explain it all. That explanation doesn't account for the part of them I know they were born with.
Jackson is a climber. He climbs everything: the dresser, the changing table, the bookshelves, the oven. If there is something for him to grab on to and somewhere for him to put his feet he will climb. I have watched him try over and over to see what's on top of the --fill-in-the-blank---. I never tried to encourage this (why in the world would I?). So why does he climb? And why doesn't Lola?
Lola eats everything she can get her hands on. And I mean it...everything. Things I have pulled out of her mouth: shrimp tail, penny, spider, grass, rock, leaves, sticker, leftover food from the floor, countless pieces of paper. And this is not a complete list. And it isn't a matter of just putting it in her mouth and testing it's feel. She really tries to swallow it! Recently she has caught on to our "game" and whenever I catch her chewing on something she crawls away laughing as I chase her. I know every baby puts things in their mouth; that's their way of figuring things out. But she does this far more than Jackson. And she insists on not just chewing but swallowing everything. Why does she do this?
And these funny little things are the tip not the base of the iceberg. Lola and Jackson's emotional needs are so different. And they express those needs very differently. Jackson hugs me super tight when I get him out of his crib after a nap. Lola, even though she has often just been woken up by her brother, pops her head up and checks out what's going on around her. She like me to hold her, but she doesn't snuggle me like Jack.
Some of these difference come from being a boy and a girl. But certainly not even that explains is it all. Where is it written that Jackson will have a burning desire to search out vertical conquests. How can it be that Lola spits out carrots during dinner but when she finds a day old one on the floor she will fight with all her might to keep me from prying it from her mouth.
I don't often pose philosophical questions. I usually keep my musings on matters of science and religion to myself. And I certainly don't want to discount the power of external influences. But as I watch my son and daughter become who they are as toddlers I can't help but wonder when this process of "becoming" started. At conception? Sometime during the pregnancy? At birth? And where in them is it dictated? Somewhere in the strands of their DNA? Or maybe in someplace scientists can't see, even with the most powerful microscope?
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