Clara is walking and enjoying it. She began the month taking a few steps at a time and not feeling sure of herself, progressed to a Frankenstein walk and is now just cruising around. She still falls down, but quickly picks herself back up and keeps going. She loves squatting and then standing and doing baby downward dog to push herself up. She is walking with things- like her cup, which Mommy tells her not to do, her little people and the bus- she looks like she is going to compete in weightlifting when she picks it up and walks around. Clara loves to turn her toys over- the walker, the activity table, the drum-anything and explore it to see how it works and then, of course, sit and climb on it. Clara seems to be able to say "oh boy."
Emma is enjoying talking. Works include "no," "up," " duck(which she sometimes thinks big bird is" and "bye bye." She is also working on "oops" in which she spits and "fish" Mommy and Daddy can't get over her cute voice. Emma gets very frustrated when she is not understood. She is enjoying pushing her walkers and loves to meet people.
This past month featured several birthday celebrations and a trip to DC. Clara and Emma love to read and eat their books still. Their favorite books remain "Hello Bee," "Peekaboo" "My Cow Book,", to which Emma can show you how the cow licks, "Mirror Me,"- to which Emma can do things like stick out her tounge and puff and blow, "Blue Hat Green Hat," "Belly Button Book" and of course, their Elmo's nightime book. Their favorite toys include the electronic keys, the stage toy that sings "If you are happy and you know it" and when it says "clap" both Clara and Emma clap. They also enjoy hugging and kissing their stuffed animals and dolls. Emma has been doing it all month and Mommy just noticed Clara doing it today. Emma loves the stuffed turtle puppet that Mommy showed them on Thursday after they saw one in music class.
Clara and Emma both know where their belly buttons are and lift up their (and Mommy's) shirt to look for it. They also like to put things down each other's shirt and go get them. Daddy taught them this.
This month, Clara and Emma transitioned to milk. For Clara, it has been an easy change. Emma, however, isn't interested. She usually pushes her straw cup of milk away in the morning and if she does take it, makes a face after a sip and pushes it away. At night, Clara drinks her bottle (which they still get) and Emma refuses. She occassionally will shock Mommy and Daddy and have some, but it seems it is random. Mommy and Daddy thought maybe it was because the milk was too cold or the nipple was slow, but when these things change, she still isn't interested. Mommy is giving both ladies cheese and yogurt and making sure they are getting calcium in other ways.
Clara and Emma tried and loved strawberries, blintzes and peirogies this month. They continue to eat well and enjoy almost everything.
Clara and Emma are communicating now more than ever before. Mommy and Daddy see it most when they are eating. If Emma wants more, she can tell you "mo." If Clara is done, she starts fingerpainting with her food. Emma has developed a bad habit of pretending to choke for attention and sometimes, Clara copies her. Mommy and Daddy try to ignore it. Emma and Clara get frustrated and grunt if they don't like something.
Mommy and Daddy saw some interesting new qualities in both Clara and Emma. Jealousy. Recently, if one of them is on Mommy or Daddy, the other will come over and shove or kick the other one out of the way. They are also very very interested in what the other one has. You see, even if they have the same cup, they have to have the other one. Mommy and Daddy don't even bother trying to differentiate cups because they just take them and drink from them.They've even started to share and take food from each other's tray.
Clara and Emma are learning to brush their teeth. Mommy gives them a toothbrush and they chew on it and then Mommy does a little brushing action. Clara has 8 teeth with a 9th on its way and Emma still has 6.
Their schedule this month has finally started to change but is somewhat inconsistent. They awake at about 7 am- and sometimes, it means Mommy and Daddy are waking them up. They take a nap between 915-945. Mommy noticed if they are doing something, they are fine, but if they are home, forget about it. After a nap until 11 or so, they eat lunch followed by play. At 115, they usually take another nap until 230 or so. After snack, Mommy tries to get them out of the house. At 5, Clara and Emma enjoy dinner and then bedtime by 545 ish.
