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.