Play Time

Cedar Falls Trip

Easter weekend, the family went on a 4 hour road trip to see Uncle Matt's confirmation in Cedar Falls. The girls (who wouldn't sleep the entire way there) watched Shrek for the first time in the car and got to go swimming at the hotel.

Egg Hunt

The girls went on their first egg hunt with the Multiples Club we belong too! They were satisfied with finding just one egg!!

Fun times at home

Ella is catching on to Em's tricks these days. However, she gets herself up behind the TV and is too scared to get down!! Last pic is Em giving Ella kisses (they pull each other's pants down too)!! They interact so much now. Playing and giggling is now apart of their relationship, along with the fighting. It's too cute for words! Their favorite games are chasing each other (one will crawl while the other one pushes) and the shower curtain game shown below!!

Shower Curtain Games

The girls have become fascinated with the shower curtain. We play peek-a-boo every morning as I get ready. They will sit behind it, yelling for you to "find" them!! Pretty hilarious really!!

Still working hard...

...at the remodel project that is testing our patience. Here Travis, with the help of Emma, is putting back up our baby gate that we had to take down, along with the door jam, to get the shower downstairs (don't ask!!)!

Learning to eat with a spoon...

Emma does pretty well, Ella on the other hand, gets too excited and needs to get that food in her mouth too fast to where she loses it before getting there. Ella's in pink.

Remodeling

We have started to remodel the downstairs bathroom/laundry room this week! It's starting to be a bit more than we hoped for, as we had a plumber friend of Travis' out, who informed us that we have to do some jack hammering to get a shower downstairs! Yikes!! Too late to turn back now! I think the girls are a little confused as to all the noise downstairs and that all the new "stuff" just aren't new toys for them!!

Walking

Ella is now walking like her sister. She still "forgets" that she can walk from time to time, and chooses to crawl when she means business to get some where, but she's the drunk old man now!! Like I said earlier, she's much more timid and cautious about everything, and gets her feelings hurt more often. Whereas, Emma can be the bully a bit. She's a very strong willed personality and likes to have the attention whether she's screaming to get it, or being silly! Ella's in green here.

This is what I have to say about this new potty!

At 14 1/2 months, we got the girls some potty chairs! I read too much ok!! (Haha, for those that know me, they will see humor in that statement!!) Anyway, we are not actively trying obviously, but got some chairs for them to "warm up" to! They really liked the boxes, pushing them all around the house. They also really like to pick them up and move them all around the house. They like to take them apart and "drink" out of the potty holder part. Emma likes to use this new "stepping stool" to get into even more fun stuff. But they do not like to sit on them!! "Borrrrring mom!!"

And the new tricks just keep coming!

Emma is a climber (Ella likes to stand back for support)! She has figured out how to climb on the TV stand, her chairs to lead to the couch, boxes, etc. She will stack things to climb up to reach things she isn't suppose to have. Ella is much more timid and cautious, so this behavior isn't even remotely intriguing to her, however, she's the one who gets Emma in trouble. Picture this, Emma configures her next scheme in a remote location, gets her hands on something (is darn proud of herself for this accomplishment noticable by the big teethy grin on her face), then Ella will come by, pick up whatever she got down and walk to where I'm at. Then, seeing what she has, I know I have to go investigate Emma's moves!! Fun times!

First time to Aunt Carrie's House

Aunt Carrie and Uncle Thane watched the girls one night so Travis and I could go to a Stars Hockey game.

No, don't do it Em!!

We've got a runaway!! Hopefully this isn't a glimpse into our future!!

Outdoor Adventures

Tonight was the first time the girls got to go outside, walk/crawl on their own two feet and hands. They spent a good hour going up and down the ramp to the deck, and Ella even found a nice resting place!!! We had to put some "play pants" on for this adventure!!

Someone's gotta step up...

Travis was out of town for 3 nights this week, so Emma stepped up to help mom. Here she is carrying the humidifier water tank into the kitchen to be filled up!! She worked really hard at this job and took it very seriously!! Thanks Em!!

Sick and tired!!

While mom was cooking tonight, the girls sat on dad's lap for quite awhile! Emma's running a temp tonight and Ella was tired from daycare! They play hard!! (Emma's in white)

New stuff!

Grandma Mary and Grandpa Goob got us this bike stroller before the girls were born....yep, works good!! Next we'll have to try it on our bikes when it gets a bit warmer!!














The girls think they are cool when they sit in chairs or on the couch (you have to see it to get the full picture of what I'm talking about with "they think their cool!!"), so I brought in these lawn chairs that I bought them in the fall. They are able to climb in and out of them like pros!! New tricks...walking is officially Emma's mode of transportation these days! Picture a drunk old man walking...that's our Em!! They have figured out how to climb (climbing stairs when they get the chance, climbing the futon at daycare, in and out of these chairs, and now will turn over to roll off of your lap, etc.), they can now lift the lid on the toilet, and like to throw things in the trash can when you're not looking!

Say Please

The latest trick..."please" in sign language thanks to cousin Lisa at daycare!! They started doing it without us even asking for it!! We're polite little smarty pants'!!

And they just keep growing up!!

First, after getting up from nap time, the duo needed some chill time to wake up a bit as they were waiting for mom to bring them their snack; we both must play with the same thing at all times, this was the two of them literally fighting over who gets to sit in the car seat as dad changed the belts; our first trip with forward facing car seats, yep, keep growing up; and last, Ella's "fort" in the kitchen, no really, it's her secret hide out, she thinks we can't see her!!!

At 13 months we are...

...still trying to walk. They both can get up to a standing position quite well, then start to take a few steps, then get shaky and nervous, and retreat back to the floor for safety. I read that if kids start walking past 12 months, they are more cautious...definitely true for us!! They are talking more and more and I would say starting to develop that twin language a bit. They talk to each other as if they are having a conversation at times!

We are in the beginning stages of tantrums....Emma even blesses us with breath holding tantrums!! Scares the !$@# out of me every time and their Dr. says to ignore it!! Yeah right! She looks like she's having a seizure, turns blue in the face/lips, and goes absolutely limp! It's only happened probably 5-7 times or so, but it's horrible!! They both like to pound on their high chairs when they are ready for food, still love their blankets and baths, and bear crawl when they reach the tile floors now!! Did I mention their love of books!

Yesterday we had our check up with their cardiologist to see if their identical holes in their hearts grew together the way they thought they would. They were both cleared of this issue (Thank God!!) although Emma does have a murmur still. But we no longer have to go to the specialist, as we will just be able to follow up with our pediatrician. It was a little weird to see their little shirtless bodies on the hospital-like table getting their ultrasounds done ! So, I'm sitting on the table, trying to help hold one down/comfort her to get this done, as the other is climbing up my leg. The nurses thought this was cute, as I was in a dead sweat!! They were VERY well behaved for this visit though. All the girls in the office commented on how well behaved these twin one year olds are...I was proud!! (On a side note, their cardiologist joked that we should have them retested to see if they are identical due to their looks, but also that they had identical heart problems!!)

Ella's favorite thing right now for sure is closing doors! She will go into a room, close the door, then cry, you will open it, she will stop crying, then close the door again, and it all starts over!! She's obsessed really!! Emma's favorite thing right now is standing and dancing (she's mastered it, Ella is quite hilarious attempting this skill as you can tell how focused she is!) and attempting a few steps, getting down, looking to see if you're watching her, then trying it again! Gotta love em!!

Visit to the Salon!!

The girls got to visit Aunt Carrie at her Salon while dad got his hair cut!

Go Ella, Go!!

Ella is a mean machine on this rocking caterpillar!! She's wild, let me tell you!! Emma, she's still reading her books!! I think she's smarter than me by now, if only she could talk!