I love my babies!

Sometimes I just need to shout it out loud! I love them so much! As they continue to grow I am laughing more and truly enjoying my time with them.  Not that I didn't before, but the first year of Maddie's life was difficult and all my sickness this past year hasn't helped. But they are becoming much more independent and now with adding in conversation that just leaves me laughing.  Our play time is so much fun.  I am just so blessed to be spending these days at home with them.

Nate at 3 years old, so far, is better than 2 years old.  I will probably be eating these words.  He has just entered a very sweet stage.  It's not that he doesn't test us still, but he really enjoys being the big helper and has become sensitive. He doesn't like when we're mad at him and he wants to be a "good boy".  It probably also helps that Maddie is starting her terrible two's and Nate sees her getting in trouble all the time and wants no part in it.  He has developed quite the imagination.  We always have to protect the house from ogres.  When he's calling out for me and doesn't get my attention right away, he calls me "Beckie".  Not loving it but it's kind of funny to hear this little voice say my name. The other day he called out for Daddy and he didn't respond so he said "Beckie" to get his attention too. I don't think he gets that my real name is Beckie and thinks its a term used to get our attention. Afternoon naps are almost completely nonexistent, except the days he is really tired he will lie down and go to sleep.  We are maintaining quiet time though, and he does a good job playing quietly in his room until Maddie wakes up. He loves to be funny and if he does something that makes us laugh (usually a goofy face) then he will continue to do it. He just loves getting laughs out of us.

Maddie is talking up a storm. She loves to learn. The other day she was getting into the dog food. We have a book and in it it says "no no" to eating dog food and "yes yes" to eating a banana.  So when Nate saw her playing in the dog food he told her "no no".  She stopped, ran over to the book shelf and grabbed the book and opened it to that page! She has to copy what big brother does all the time. It's so cute to see them running around and playing together. She can be stubborn, but I guess she just knows what she wants. A couple of weeks ago she woke up in the middle of the night. I am trying my best not to take her back to bed with me (I had gotten into a bad habit when she was teething/sick) so I went in and sat in the chair to rock her. She said "no" and pointed towards our room.  She didn't want to be rocked, she just wanted to go sleep with Mama! She loves to wear her Hello Kitty snow boots, everywhere, everyday. She likes her toenails painted so they're "pretty".  I did it once to see if she would sit still and she did. Now she gets into my nail polish container and picks out the one she wants. She hasn't quite gotten blowing her nose yet. When I hold a tissue up to her nose and tell her to blow, she blows out of her mouth. It's hilarious.

Maddie's 18 Month Wellness

Maddie had her 18 month wellness visit this week.  She's actually 19 months but that's how it goes sometimes with scheduling the visits at the doctor's office.

She is 35 1/2" tall (100%+) and 27lbs 13oz (93%). No surprise there. Other than her ears still having some fluid in them and doing another round of antibiotics to completely clear it up, she is a healthy little girl. 

She talks so much it's crazy.  Most of it is mumbo jumbo but she does repeat so many words. Her independence has not changed, nor has her fiestiness. It is something I've decided I need to really bring in before she gets too much older and it gets out of control.  I've been a little easier with her because she is the baby, but I can tell with her personality that she's going to need me to be firm.  So she has had several time outs today and I can already tell that she is learning to listen a little bit better.

We were upstairs this morning playing and she hit Nate so I put her in her bed for a timeout (I hate lugging the kids all the way downstairs to go to timeout so they have to go to their rooms instead if we are upstairs).  Next thing I know she's walking back in the room!  I couldn't believe it! So now she can go free.  It is naptime and so far she is staying in there.  We will see what happens but once she really gets the hang of it and remembers that she can leave her crib whenever she wants we are going to have to move her.  Boo!