14 Months

The kiddos hit the 14 month mark on Tuesday.  Crazy, right? They are learning new things everyday and it's amazing to watch. They are still at about 5 or 6 words a piece that they use, but the things they comprehend blows my mind.  They really seem to understand what we're saying.  They know to go to the front door when I say we're going to go to the car. They run to the kitchen and smack their high chairs when I tell them it's time to eat.  If I ask them if they're ready for milkies they will run into our room and wait at the side of the bed for me.  The list goes on.  I know every parent thinks it's amazing to watch their child grow and learn, but I can't talk enough about it. It really is amazing.

Brooke just had her first molar break through the skin.  I can tell it's bothering her, but she's taking it like a champ.  I was expecting tears and fussiness, but a small loss of appetite the day before it came through and the constant presence of her fingers in her mouth were the only signs it was coming.

They are both still eating well and willing to try new things.  They both like love hummus.  It is so messy when they eat it, and I'm sure if it were up to them they would just stick their hands right into the container.  Who needs a pretzel or pita chip? They love to sample different cheeses while we are walking through Kroger. Dried starfruit is another new try this month that they're really in to. They also tried sushi, fully cooked of course, and edamame. B loved the sushi and H was all about the edamame.  

Since they did really well at the fish fry, I'd like to get them in to either Paula's or Catablu and let them try some salmon.  I've never cooked fish at home before, so I don't want their first experience with it to be a bad one. Any advice on what time of day is the best time to take kids into a nice restaurant? Lunch? Before the dinner rush?

A few Brooke pics that haven't been posted yet.

We spend a lot of our days doing the same things.  We have definitely been taking advantage of our zoo membership.  They are starting to show interest in a lot of the smaller animals as well as the larger ones. Going first thing in the morning seems to be the best time.  The animals are more active and it isn't so darn hot. Although this week it's too hot by 9am, so no zoo for us.

I seriously love our zoo.

The splash pad, pool and park are some of our other regular places.  We finally made it to the downtown library today, and they had a blast. The kids activity area is a perfect place to go on a hot day. Target and Meijer trips are another go to activity for a hot day.  Their new stroller makes outings so easy, as long as we're going somewhere with wide enough aisles for a side by side stroller. 

The majority of our evenings end with a little outdoor play time and a homemade popsicle. I am so glad I decided to get a water table for them.  It provides at least a half hour of entertainment each night. 

A few Harrison pics hitting the blog for the first time.

With all of the time we've been spending inside this week, the kids have discovered how to properly get down off of the furniture.  Now they want on the Lovesac and couch non stop. Tyson and Layla tolerate the invasion of "their" space, but they're not happy about it.  I however am happy that the sac is now being used as more than a dog bed. It's the perfect baby landing pad for small tosses in the air.  Let the smiles and laughter commence.

We are starting to see even more developing personality from each of them.  Brooke is definitely a little boss. She wants what she wants and she wants it now.  It's been fun interesting to try and decipher what she wants.  She'll point at the counter and if you give her something she doesn't want, she pushes it away or takes it an throws it on the floor.  She has learned that she cane give Harrison a hug and then push him down and steal his toy.  She does have her softer side too and will give hugs, kisses or high fives if you ask for them.

Harrison is such a sweet little man.  He loves to cuddle.  Human contact is what this boy is all about.  He wants to be touched or be touching you all the time. He does do his own thing, but he always comes back to make sure you're there and get some love. He really loves his dogs too. He is becoming more gentle in his interactions with them. More petting, less pulling and smacking.  He also gives hugs, kisses and high fives if you ask for them.  

One really interesting thing that we've noticed with them is their choice of toys.  They are both able to play with any toys they want. Brooke has a tendency to want to play with the more feminine toys and Harrison often opts for the trucks and cars. I remember reading a story a few years ago about how we condition our kids to act within their gender.  I am not trying to start a discussion on gender stereotypes, I just thought it was something worth noting. 

Happy 14 months Harrison and Brooke! I can't wait to see what month 15 has in store for us.