Monday, July 22, 2013

17 months.

I can't believe it - today you babies are 17 months old. So much is happening so fast. Mama's limping along because her zealous picture-taking of her all-action Mighty Men has seriously overwhelmed 'Dora. (The computer.) Dora is protesting. Force-quitting any time I open my photo library. I'm working on it. In the mean time, this post is all about DOCUMENTATION.

Foods
*Oatmeal and Rice cereal
All veggie and fruit purees
(We're transitioning to whole milk, but are back on a mix with formula since teething brought out some extra-picky drinkers)
Newbes: waffles, scrambled eggs, yogurt, and solids like black beans, bananas, green beans, rice, little bits of chicken
Dislikes: peas, white beans, straight milk
~Still not doing the standard sippy cup, but we're drinking through a straw!

(TEETH: You each have two upper and lower teeth that have been in for awhile, and you both have a third upper in, and a fourth on the way. Zeke has a third that has cut through on the bottom, and the fourth is coming. I imagine Gabe's bottom teeth are close behind.)

Songs
Rise and Shine
The Wiseman Built His House Upon the Rock
Only a Boy Named David
Itsy Bitsy Spider
Our original "Medicine Time" special
*You LOVE the hand motions to these, and the hand motions are what you use to tell me which song you want to hear. AGAIN.

Signs
More please
Thank you
Hungry (also substituted for "I want" these days)
All done
Oh my!
Mighty Men
 Ta-da!
Hi/Bye
High five
Pound it

Words
Da-da
Ma-ma
Up! (also substituted to mean "down")
Ni-night
Amen
All Done
Right Back!
Hey! (Gabe uses this line to pick up adoring families in restaurants)
Bye-bye
Diaper
Bottle
Luv you
Gabe says "Gabe" (and points to himself!)
*and the most recent addition makes Dad so proud: hot dawg!

Sounds (What does the _______ say?)
-dog
-cow
-monkey
-horse (head shake)
-rooster

Movin' and Groovin'
Gabe's army-crawl is SUCH old news. His crawl is no-sweat, and he has a special TURBO speed - no baby crawls as fast as our Champ. Gabe is pulling up and cruising, he's walking whenever he's got two fingers to hold on to, we're working toward free-standing and walking with only one hand to hold, and we know all too soon he'll be running!

Zeke is the MOST creative baby with his stylish scoot (that looks a lot like the back-stroke). However, he likes to keep us on our toes, so just as we thought he'd go from swimming across the floor to walking, he got up on all fours and crawled!! We're very happy for him. That crawl gets stronger every day. He is also beginning to pull up on things - we practice every morning in his crib. When he stands, he is very sturdy - this baby doesn't do anything he can't do well. :)

Faves
Gabe is a big fan of cooking with Mommy. It's a little surprising since he's such a busy boy, but most evenings when Mom disappears to the kitchen to make dinner, she is followed by the turbo speed pitter-patter of her little helper, who is very interested in watching the meal come together.
Zeke and Mom have a special across-the-room form of communication. Zeke knows when Mommy is watching. He knows she's proud of him and probably gushing over the toy he successfully placed in it's rightful spot, so he cuts his little eyes over at her, and when she indeed is smiling back at him, he scrunches his eyes and little nose, a smile spreads from ear to ear while his head rocks from side to side, and he gets back to his playing.

Sweet 17-month-olds. Oh, if I could freeze time...

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

The blessing is all mine

When we answered God's call to begin our family through adoption, we thought we were choosing to bless two little fellows by welcoming them into our home.

Tonight, the bubbliest child who has a cute baby-talk quirp and matching facial expression for everything pulled my arm tighter around him as I sang and rocked him to sleep. Moments later the other most beautiful boy (who made his first efforts toward a crawl on his belly tonight!!), came riding through the door on the hip of my handsome husband, back from the twins' room where he was supposed to be going to bed. Apparently when Cary laid him down, Zeke shook his head "no," and used his "hungry" sign to announce that he would be needing another bedtime snack before he'd consider sleep. We couldn't stop laughing at the expectant look on his serious little face, and that he never appeared in any distress about it. What a blessing that these two most wonderful little people are here with us; that they trust us and communicate freely with us; that they are ours, and we get to be theirs.

Thank You, Lord, for bringing these two boys into our home.  How humbled I am to know that the blessing is all mine.