12 Month Update

Everyone,

The boys turned 1 year old last Saturday. I just can't believe it. The party was fun (more about that later) and I loved singing happy birthday twice...once for each. They smashed their cakes beautifully and the rest of us enjoyed sandwiches, cake, and chips.

On Monday they had their 1 year old doctor appointment with the evil MMR shot. I'm seriously going to delay that one for the next baby...it was awful. We had a nice doctor and my mom got to come with me and help undress and dress babies. She needs to come to every doctor visit because it's SO much easier with another person.

Professor weighs 18 lbs, 8.5 oz and is 29 3/4ths inches long. He gained 2 lbs from last check up so at least he is growing! His head is 18 and 3/8ths around. He climbed all over the room and kept trying (and succeeding) to climb onto the shelf under the exam table. He has to be moving all the time. He is still trying to stand by himself, although he doesn't stand for long. He learned how to climb onto the couch by himself while my parents were here and I find him sitting quite happily on it by himself. He also learned how to turn around and go down the stairs (thank you Cappy!) and now I don't worry about him AS much on the stairs. His dimples have stayed (yay!) and I love making him giggle. He has such a deep chuckle and those impish dimples together are just too much sometimes.

He is serious about his food and especially about his Cherrios. He loves anything that he can eat himself. Bread with jam and butter is a particular favorite. He also loves his oatmeal in the morning, and macaroni and cheese for lunch. Bananas are always welcome, as well as avocados, pizza, noodles, sweet potatoes, anything really. He eats a lot as long as you don't try to feed him. We went to our favorite ice cream place for the boys very first ice cream and he cried when he ate it because it was so cold. He can drink through a straw (yay!) so we get to start in on milk and juices. This past week with him being so sick has been unusual for me and he's been serious about snuggling. He's normally my sunshine boy, always so happy and shiny. He still has a love affair with his binky that I banish to his bed. Lately, he's been going up to his room while we are all downstairs and getting it out of his bed if he can reach it. He still loves balls and shaking his head no. He gets his feelings hurt easily and gives me the cold shoulder when I have done something wrong. He loves to play pass the baby (back and forth between someone) and is my great explorer. His skin is always so dry and sensitive but nothing that some apricot/coconut oil doesn't help. Besides, it makes him smell divine and I think he gets annoyed at me always sniffing his head. He has charm when he wants to, and still cries the loudest.

Pirate looks so much like a little boy these days. His jaw is still unhinged but his happy little kick is back sometimes. He has such an injured crying face when he is unhappy. His facial expressions really make me laugh. He said his first word on his first birthday! I was trying to put them up to bed for a nap so they would be happy for the party and Juice was holding Pirate. I held out my arms to him and he pushed my hands away and said clearly, "Daddy." We both laughed and asked ourselves if that is what we heard. I held out my hands to him again and he pushed them away and said, "Daddy" again. Juice was glowing. Butterfly was a huge momma's girl and to have the boys be interested in him makes him happy.

Pirate weighs 19 lbs, 1 oz and is 30 3/4ths inches long. His head is 18 1/4 inches around. He waves, dances, and points. He loves to push buttons. He also loves to give me things and have me give them back to him. I thought I heard him said "Out" the other day while we were standing by our storm door looking outside. He loves to eat and cries when it takes too long between spoonfuls. He has started to like to snuggle and will climb into my lap and put his head on my chest and suck his thumb. Just to be there. I love it. He babbles very softly, mostly trying out new sounds right after he nurses. We still call him Mr. Grabby because he grabs everything. Grocery shopping with him is entertaining because he is always grabbing at all the stuff on the shelves. We think he got Juice's skin because it rarely gets irritated whereas Professor's skin is always more sensitive.

We had friends over this weekend and they were asking who the baby was on my wall. I have a one year old picture of Butterfly up. My little fried said that she thought it was Pirate but wondered why I put him in a dress. Butterfly and Pirate look so similar. There is no doubt that those two are siblings. They remind me of each other.

Everyone said that the first year with twins was the hardest. I actually think we did pretty good. Of course, we had help for the first 5 months or so. It also could be that I'm not remembering those newborn days very well. No sleep, no time, but so much fun and love. We absolutely adore these boys. I can't imagine our lives without them. I look forward to seeing what the next year is going to bring!

Safire

PS- Thanks to my friend Lolli who took these amazing pictures of the boys!