16 months......

In case it isn't obvious with my lack of writing that I've got my hands full let me just say that the girls are VERY busy these days, running, jumping, climbing, exploring and if I turn away for one second one of them is dangling over the edge off of something! I do think I may be in the best shape of my life!

We're still doing Early Childhood Family Education every week during the day and really enjoying it. I've made friends there and so have the girls. I'm excited about a class we're taking this summer specifically for 11 - 20 month olds. It's going to be a lot of fun as all of the activities are geared for their own age. We're also doing a new music class during the day! Thursday morning the girls and I went for the first time and it's wonderful. It's a curriculum developed by a brilliant Woman with a PhD in music and child development. The class is 45 minutes long and it's all singing, dancing, bouncing, and instrument play. Rasa especially was really into it. I think they're both going to love it. I'm so fortunate to be home with them and able to do all of these Mommy things all day long.

Aside from our activities we spend every night at our local park. It's beautiful and the girls love the playground, grass and paths. I've got a double bike trailer that we'll use otherwise we just walk with the girls in the stroller. The girls and I usually check out one of the city parks during the day and all go as a family at night. Royce and I love walking and biking and just being outside together and it's really something we all look forward to.

Adia Carol:


One word: BUSY. Actually that word is a huge understatement with her but you have to experience her first hand in order to understand what I'm saying. She never stops climbing and she's good, I mean really good. She can push out the dinning room chair, crawl up on it and onto the table in less than 2 seconds and does a little victory dance and shout when she's dancing on the table top. She climbs the big kid playgrounds like nobody's business! We bought the girls this climbing cube with a slide and it stands about four feet tall. Five minutes after we put it together Adia climbs to the top of the one wall, stands up and holds both arms in the air while smiling (look Mom no hands!). I took it apart twenty minutes later. I'm not a helicopter Mom but this kid is going to kill herself on that thing!

She's a sign language master! I'm simply amazed with how those teeny tiny hands of hers are able to make signs so perfectly! I always know exactly what she wants which is wonderful because Adia is never frustrated trying to communicate her needs.

She's also a little comedian. She loves making faces at people and making them laugh which in turn makes her laugh. Adia wants to be the center of attention....just....like....her....Daddy....and Grandpa Oly!

Adia is a princess. She loves jewelry, bows and pink. I'll adjust.....I promise. She's got interesting taste in clothing and is always bringing me the strangest combinations to put on her. I know it's important so I always honor her requests and when I put her purple pin stripped pants with a pink pajama shirt on she smiles, screams and dances! You go little girl!

Rasa Bea (or RaBee as she calls herself):


Rasa is a little walking (running), talking dictionary. She learns new words everyday and is starting to talk in sentences, "my baby", "my Momma", "what is that?!", "I want this" etc. She...talks....nonstop! Her and Royce spend time together looking at animals and saying their names and what noises they make. She really loves doing that with him. The best was when she saw the little mouse in Good Night Moon and said "ishy" and then "ick!" Ahhh you wise little girl.

Rasa's would rather run, run, and run then climb. She doesn't want to stop and loves to run away from her Momma! Of course her and Adia insist on running in opposite directions!

She's very particular about what she wears. With Rasa I need to give her a choice in which shoes or shirt she wears otherwise she won't let it go. Royce didn't know that about the shoes and put her in a pair she didn't like that day. She cried and carried on trying to pull her shoes off even a half an hour later!

Rasa has a wisdom about her that's hard to explain. She knows things without ever being told. My Mom calls her an old soul. She's as intelligent and articulate as she is sweet. Her and I are always exchanging looks and laughs when Adia's entertaining us.

Oh does she love babies!! She talks about babies in her sleep! She loves real babies, baby dolls, baby animals anything baby.....she must get this from her Auntie Chrissy.

Just the two of them:
Rasa is Adia's mother hen. Always wanting her in her view, asking about her when she leaves the room, hugging her kissing her and reading to her. Adia is also very affectionate towards Rasa and when either of them gets hurt the other gets very visibly concerned. They have an amazing bond like no other I've ever seen. Actually for the first time last week I felt left out. We were out running around at the soccer fields and the two of them found a nook in the soccer goal. They sat next to each other and were kicking their feet and giggling. There was only a place for each of them and they were so happy to be there without me but together. I'm always happy to see them demonstrate their independence from me but something about them doing that together is even more endearing to me. Almost like it's ok when they don't have me they will still always have each other.

Both girls are eating well. I figured out how to carefully offer snacks at specific times so as to not ruin their appetites for meals. They eat a wonderful variety of fresh foods, love pesto, tofu, brown rice, Mexican, Italian and Middle Eastern foods!! It's so wonderful to cook for them every day and I get a great deal of satisfaction putting healthy homemade meals in their little tummies.

That's it in a nutshell for last month. My house is usually a mess, my laundry is starting to pile up and there are toys and books in every nook and cranny of my home but there is never one day that I wish I was anywhere else. I am so fulfilled I'm bubbling over.