Double Digits Baby, 10 Months!

They made it to the double digits, or should I say we've made it to the double digits. Ten months old, in two more months they'll be a YEAR old. How in the heck?! This month we've been full swing in packing mode for our big cross country move back to Arizona. This by far has been one of the most drawn out and longest packing extravaganzas I've had as for the most part I started super early unsure how long it would take me to pack a house while taking care of twins. When you can only pack about an hour or so a day it makes the task very very slow. Not to mention most exhausted mom's don't think, oh good! It's nap time, let's pack some boxes and sort through closets for things to go to Goodwill. We're getting it done though, and I am eager to finish the task and get settled in our new place. Though, if I'm being honest I am sincerely NOT looking forward to enduring an Arizona summer.

This month seems like a blur because so much seems to have happened in the last thirty days. Summer pulled herself up to standing at the beginning of the month, it was touch and go there for the first up and down.. and now she's turbo crawler and stands up with anything and everything. She is so proud of herself and takes her new crawling freedom to explore all kinds of things as soon as the opportunity avails itself, dishwashers, the fridge, stairs (yikes), jumpers from the outside, you name it she's checking it out. She is definitely our little explorer.

Samantha is still working on crawling or maybe the butt scoot? We can't decide what she'll go for, or perhaps she's just going to skip this whole crawling thing and go straight to walking. She's trying to pull up onto everything just like her sister, and when she's standing she's so dang happy with herself! She's also getting her first two teeth! Our gummy smile will soon be no more, and I can't wait to see those little chompers peaking through when she gives a big grin for the camera.

They both learned to clap this month, they adore spending time looking at all the pictures in their books and then sampling the pages for a little tasty snack. They love being outside and just enjoying some time in the grass, or going on their daily walk with Daddy and their puppy sister. What can I say? These girls know how to live! Naps, hours of playtime, yummy food, warm bottles, long walks, and afternoons in the sun. Such a life!

It's been a good month, even with all the packing and our house being destroyed we've had a lot of fun. I've still worked hard at getting out of the house everyday to do something with the girls and enjoy the numbered days we have left in this beautiful city. We move in just  couple of weeks, and thank the heavens my mom is coming out to help the last week and to fly back with me and the girls while Jon makes the long trek across California in a ginormous moving truck towing our  baller minivan.  This move is bitter sweet, I am looking forward to being closer to family and I am excited about our new house in Arizona, but Portland has become home to Jonathan and I in the last five years...and it will be hard to say goodbye. You take away so much from every place you've lived, and Portland gave life and a fresh start to us when we needed it most. This city met us with open arms, the forest called our names, and we embraced a very different life. This city gave us our two beautiful girls, wonderful friends, and changed perspective. I will miss this place, so so much.

Here's wishing us luck in our next adventure, and moving across the west coast with 10 month old twins!

Nine Month Update

It's been a big month this April! So much has happened I can hardly believe that only a month has passed since I last wrote. They are growing up way to fast... SLOW DOWN, Mini's! SLOW D-O-W-N! For the first time, I look at them and, while they are still my baby girls, they aren't looking all that much like babies anymore; they are growing nicely into toddler bodies. They are tall and, while still happily chubby, they are leaning out a little in their expressive little faces, so much expression, in fact, that it's rare a day passes without one of them making me bow over in a ball of laughter.

Summer started crawling in both directions a couple of weeks ago, and she obviously was made for speed, cause it seems she gains some RPM's every morning after a good nights sleep. She's exploring like crazy and already beginning to get into everything: magazines, my dirty old shoes, paws towels, dog bowls, dog toys, poor Dahlia's tail. Literally anything will go directly from wherever she found it to the mouth! Mmmmm, tasty treats indeed! Samantha hasn't yet begun to crawl, but she's certainly found her voice this month. She likes to talk, LOUDLY. She plays ball, peek a boo, claps, absolutely adores Dahlia, and is still just as tender hearted and gentle as before. Actually, when I'm with her I think about what a sweet gentle soul she is, which just makes me want to hug and kiss on her all the time.

Other big things... they started eating REAL food and a lot of it! We introduced solids at about 5.5 months and made a go at "baby-led weaning." I am not going to do the description justice, but theoretically, you give baby what you eat, let them mash it up with their gums, and limit the pureed food route... it seemed like it was going to be such a cinch! HA! They fail to mention to you that for the better part of three months it's pretty likely that you will make things for your baby and offer them food.. only to have them either taste it and spit it out, or smear it all over themselves and the highchair, gag on it and puke, or just throw it directly onto the ground for the dog..... twice a day for three months is a long time to go through this cycle. I recognize it wasn't personal, but geez, I always considered myself to be a pretty good cook.. and they were beginning to shake my confidence. Then suddenly, and without warning, I made pancakes for them (side note, feed them what you eat.. hahaha.. unless they can have a couple protein bars, cups of coffee, maybe an apple, and some wine, I'm fairly certain they won't be eating what I'm eating) Anyways, I put the pancakes down and they both picked them up and started eating them, like really eating them, I practically cried in joy. So after the pancake turning point it's been happy eating since, two - three meals a day of scrumptious indulgence, baby style. They LOVE food. Watermelon, strawberries, sweet bread pudding, quesadillas, avocados, peaches, cherries, zucchini, asparagus, yogurt... all the food, all the time. I haven't done a even a marginal job and taking a slow introduction schedule, frankly I just can barely find the time to feed them something, I certainly don't have time to track it or remember what they ate all the way back to yesterday, forget it. My new motto, let it go a little, and embrace some stress free mothering from time to time. While for a while I was super annoyed with baby led weaning, I am now thrilled I stuck it out.. cause now at nine months, they are eating real food and I even fed them today with leftovers from last nights dinner. Winning!

It's been a great month, Jon took the girls for a long weekend so I could get away to beach with my mom and have some much needed me time, it was hard to let go (and I didn't really do a great job) but it let me come back to the girls with a rejuvenated spirit and a better attitude. He did great, and it takes a brave man to agree to care solo for twin girls and our puppy.. but Jon has never been one to back down from a challenge and he's a wonderful, equally vital, and competent parent to Summer and Samantha .. I had zero doubt he would do great, and the girls were happy, the house wasn't destroyed,   that's pretty much all I'm capable of accomplishing on any given day. He's amazing, and I'm lucky to have such a great partner in raising them.

I can see them changing so fast, and as I've said before ... we're all growing around here. They are cultivating and learning to become whomever they will be everyday and I am doing the same as I learn what it means to be their mother and how that role will change and grow as they do. Unlike the months before, I can actually see the future more now.. I see lunch dates, movie nights, baking cookies, laughing hysterically together, playing in the yard, swimming, taking Dahlia for walks, meeting grandparents for lunch.. I can see it and I'm so excited for everything to come.


Picture free post, my iCloud is acting up.. I'll have it fixed for next month :)