10 Million Strong, and Growing

Lucie and Ryan had their 18 month checkup this week with all eyes were focused on the weigh-in. Helpful reminder for us that child growth charts are not an exact science. Or even make sense. Consider that Ryan gained just over 2 pounds in the last 11 weeks to tip the scales at 24 lb 6oz (height was 33 1/2 in, 80%). That was good enough to move him from the 20th to the 30th percentile for weight. Meanwhile, Lucie gains a nearly identical amount (2 pounds to 20lb 13oz with height at 32 1/2, 60%) but falls from the 5th to the 2nd percentile?

Who knows. Bottom line is that Lucie is once again on an official high caloric diet. The good news is that now we have many more doctor-suggested options: creamy peanut butter, mashed potatoes and gravy, and lots of cheese. No doubt Ryan's Buddha belly will benefit as well.

Another new addition to their diets -- Flintstones chewable vitamins. Turns out the same vitamins that helped Megan and I grow are still the best option for our little ones.

Art Project Day

Thanks to great boxes of art supplies from their buddy Logan, Lucie and Ryan are enjoying exploring their creative sides. I love to watch their different approaches as they begin drawing. Lucie takes her time, making careful polka dots and placing stickers in just the right spot. Ryan, on the other hand, dives into his work head first (practically literally). Blue, green and brown pen quickly cover everything.

It seems that Ryan has forgotten the line from one of their favorite books,
Yummy Yucky, going something like this, "Blueberries are Yummy!, Blue crayons are Yucky!" He definitely agrees with the blueberries part, but his mind still isn't made up on the tastiness of blue crayons. Good thing it's all washable and non-toxic. Bleh!

The Big 2-to-1 Nap Transition

Everything had been going smoothly with R & L's morning and afternoon naps until the dreaded napping revolts began about a month ago. Ugh. They would either take a short morning snooze and spend the afternoon jabbering in their cribs, or the morning nap would be a complete bust (more jabbering or crying in the cribs) and they'd fall asleep in the stroller coming back from our morning activity. Naptime was becoming too stressful and unpredictable - it was definitely time to move them to one afternoon nap a day.

There are a few ways to transition and I chose the cold turkey method - dropping the morning nap and moving the afternoon nap a bit earlier. I was a little worried about the transition but things actually went pretty smoothly. We only had a few days where one or both babies practically fell asleep in their lunch (as Ryan demonstrates so well here). After a few weeks now, they seem used to the new schedule. With a longer stretch of time in the morning, we've joined the other parents and toddlers at the park at 8:30 a.m. I've learned that it's one long morning if you don't get out of the house...

Swinging through the Second Year

Wow, Ryan and Lucie are 18 months old today. It's funny to think that a year ago they were just beginning solid foods, and today they had apple slices, string cheese and oatmeal cookies for lunch. Everyone says babies grow quickly, but I never thought it would go by this quickly.

Here's a little peek into life at age one-and-a-half:

Mealtime - Both Ryan and Lucie love fruit, with a special place in their hearts for blueberries. They could easily eat a whole container in one sitting. Lucie's other favorites include cream cheese and chicken, while Ryan lights up for scrambled eggs and hummus (sometimes together - yum, yum).

Favorite Books - Some recent hits include big picture books like "Chugga Chugga Choo Choo" and "Goodnight Gorilla".

Fears - When the "Black Beast" (our vacuum cleaner) comes out of the closet for a clean-up, R & L go running from the room. We try not to bring it out too often (which explains our stained carpets), but when it's absolutely necessary, I often end up vacuuming with a baby in one arm, and another sitting safely on the couch.

Latest Fascinations - Lucie is trying to climb everything. She just figured out how to climb into her stroller and wagon, and is working on tables and chairs. Scary! Ryan is mesmerized by the blender, toaster and waffler. When he gets really worked up over something, I'll take him on a tour of the kitchen and he's soon smiling again.

FIrst (Professional) Haircuts

With bangs hanging in her eyes (Lucie) and uneven hair from his parents' previous haircuts (Ryan), our little ones were looking a bit shaggy. It was clear that Chris and I had hit the limits of our haircutting abilities - it was time to call in the professionals.

We weren't sure what to expect at the salon, but thankfully everything went well. There were no tears or screaming, just some nervous glances and unsure smiles. The stylists worked quickly, and cuts were complete by the time Ryan and Lucie had figured out the controls on their car styling chairs.

Like so many of our "first" experiences with Ryan and Lucie, we thought, "That was fun - now, why didn't we do this sooner?"

Ham & Cheese (Ryan Edition)

Ryan can be quite a ham in his own way. While perhaps not as naturally photogenic as his sister, he still mugs for the camera on occasion.

Observant readers will also notice that Ryan is often seen without socks. Lately, his favorite activity is to vigorously remove his socks as every opportunity: lunch, naps, you name it. Who knew that toes could be so exciting?

Ham & Cheese (Lucie Edition)

In our digital age, Lucie and Ryan are photographed just about every other day (closer to every other hour when visiting the grandparents). So it shouldn't really surprised us that they have learned how ham it up for the camera.

Lucie's favorite pose involves lots of teeth (sometimes all 16) and a eye squint. She has been known to hold the pose for several seconds until she's certain the shot has been captured for all posterity.