Hanging in grandma's neck of the woods... By woods I mean playground.

Last Sunday, we took the boys to a park in Barberton with Joy's mom and brother. Joy's mom hadn't been able to come over last week because she was working over time and Joy's brother hadn't seen the boys since last winter.

The park was nice, they had a small jungle gym but little kids. We were able to let them climb and slide with supervision. They had a great time.

Jacob wanted to wander around so I followed him as he went to discover the playground and baseball field. Jasper stayed at the jungle gym. I think he missed grandma. Later on, I think he thought it was time to go and got upset when Joy would come for him. We took them to the swings and then I was able to put him in stroller afterwards.

We had lunch grandma's house. She has ham and apple sauce for the boys. Joy peeled grapes for them. They both fell asleep in the car on the ride home but transitioned from car to crib failed to continue their nap.

At home during the week, Joy's aunt and uncle stopped by with Joy's mom. They all had gone shopping and had brought tons of toys and clothes for the boys.

The boys love their new toys and they're playing with them more than had with other toys. They got a Thomas train station which they love. Although their favorite thing to do is dropping it off the coffee table. Hehe

I think the boys have a cold or their teeth hurt. They have been a been fussy this week. Last night, Jasper was in his crib with his fingers on his teeth and crying. Poor guy. I gave him some tylenol and some milk which helped him go to sleep.

Joy and I started doing the "head shoulders knees and toes" song with the boys. They laugh so hard when guide them through the song. Jacob can find most of his body parts when we ask. We both think Jasper knows where some of his parts are but just doesn't want to show us.



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Sliding down!

This week I took on a new job at work which changed my hours. I now get to come home a little bit earlier. Which is great because we have been able to have dinner and hit the park before dark, which is now at 7pm.

We hit the park on Tuesday and I had Jasper with me at first. I put him on the smaller slide and let him go. He went down the slide by himself with my hands right there just in case. He got the biggest kick out of it. We repeated this for a while and then later I did with Jacob. He loved it. They both laughed as they went down.

I followed Jacob around most of the time at the park. He loves to follow the other kids and talk to them. He enjoyed climbing up the slide and steps to the jungle gym. We also walked across the wavey bridge holding hands.

Jasper seemed to get really shy at park. At least the first time we went. Not sure if it was because his teeth hurt or not feeling good. He mostly stayed close to Joy and not wandering off too much.

Yesterday when we went, Jasper was more active. Jacob continued to have a blast walking around following kids. Two girls were playing and he and Jasper walked up and Jacob started pointing at their toys and talking. It was so cute!!

It really amazing me how much they are growing. They are defiantly more like toddlers now. I really think we are in for a ride.

This weekend it's supposed to be nice outside. I think we're gonna milk it all we can. Tomorrow we might go a bike ride and Sunday we're gonna hit a park with Joy's mom and brother.

-- the picture is from last weekend. I stayed home with the boys while Joy went out with her mom. I brought up a kid-sized guitar. They enjoyed hitting it mostly. We then played with a drum, jumped around, and danced to music till they got tired of hanging with daddy and went to play with farm toy.

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Parking and milestones

Last weekend we hit the playgrounds. We went to the two elementary schools that are in our area. We set them free with one us following each. They have gotten so good at climbing. They climbed up the jungle gyms. We took them down the slides. And we swung them by holding them in our laps.

It's so amazing watching them grow. Pretty soon they should be talking with words. Joy sent me a chart with milestones today. It's crazy how advanced they are. Pretty soon they should understand 200 words. That blows my mind.

Right now the boys are at 16 month.. The chart Joy sent starts at 19.

At 19th months they should:






Use a spoon and fork-- already do that

Understand 200 words -- not yet

Know when they pee -- Jasper takes off his diaper and hands it to Joy sometimes when it pees.

At 20 months:





Take off their clothes -- Jacob has been able to take his shirt off got awhile. Jasper just started this.

Yesterday, Joy sent me a picture of Jasper with this shirt off and then short after a picture with Jacob standing on the coffee table with his shirt off.

The next few months, I think the boys will be doing quite a bit of learning. It's gonna be exciting!



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We're cutting back the milk

We are attempting to cut back the milk consumption for our boys. We go through about three gallons a milk a week, sometimes four. For some reason milk really helps them go to sleep at night and also nap time. I sometimes give them as much as two and half bottles at night.

So it's not wise to give the boys so much milk and with cost that goes into buying so much milk, we're starting to cut back.

We've been working on giving them one bottle of milk and substituting the rest with water. Last night was the first night of success and I believe Joy had success during nap time.

I think it's the laying down to concentrate on drinking that helps them go into dream land. We tried water before but usually they ended up just spitting it out.

Last night, Jasper was having so much fun taking his sheet off his bed. Joy and I were in the living room watching a movie while the boys were supposed to be sleeping but rather jumping and playing in their cribs. I heard Jasper pulling his sheet off and when I went in their room, Jacob was playing with Jasper's sheet. They're such good sharers.

I had a hard time getting Jasper to keep his sheet on so I gave up putting the sheet back on. He eventually went to sleep without a sheet. I was able to put a sheet on his crib and move him without waking him, only minutes after he went to sleep. Either I'm good or he was really tired.

They are both doing a great job at talking. Still gibberish with an occasional "da da" or "ma ma". This week Jacob started doing hand motions while he talks. It's really cutest thing. Some of his hand motions look like gangsta symbols. Hehe

Today, Joy said they all went to the store with Joy's mom and Jacob was talking to everyone. Sometimes people would talk back. I wish I were there!

This week, they also advanced their climbing abilities. They can now climb up into their highchairs. They have also been able to release their trays.

At one point, Jacob was climbing the high chair, holding on to the tray when Jasper released it on him. Jacob went falling down to the ground. Luckily, he was not hurt or even cry but that prompted me to put the highchairs away into the closet. Joy had to do the same thing after breakfast and lunch the next day and so on.

Last week, Jasper was main buddy. This week is Jacob. They really take turns with me.





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Neighborhood walk

Tuesday, we took the boys on a walk or more like stroll for them around the neighborhood. We started by going to what might be there elementary school, case. We stopped there so Joy and I could vote in the primaries for our mayor.

The school really reminds me of what my Elementary looked it. Kinda grungy. Joy said it was also similar to her school. It seems good though. I hope we can get them in new elementary on w market, we are gonna at least try.

After we voted, we all sported voting stickers and walked over to the library. We picked out a bunch of board books for the boys. The boys played a little bit with the toys there from the stroller.

The boys really like Suzy Goose book we got. I think Joy picked it out. It's very interactive. It follows a goose who wants to be like someone else. Like a penguin that "slides," a bat that "flaps his wings," etc. The boys have fun running around the house and jumping as we read along.

Jacob is doing a great job at finding his body parts. Yesterday, out of nowhere I asked him where his toes are and he showed me. We were amazed.

I thought them both to shake my hand. They are also pros at high fives and giving skin. Yes, we're bringing back "giving skin." hehe

Jasper has been my little buddy lately. He's been giving me really tight hugs and wants picked up a lot. It seems they both take cycles like this. I love it.



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Painting! Reading! Playing!

This week Joy made the boys pudding paints to play with. They are just pudding and food coloring so it's totally safe for them to eat. We didn't get to see them the first time they played with them. She left them with her mom as she watched them while we did a bikeathon. Luckily Joy's mom took pictures.

One night this week though, Joy gave them the paints after dinner. They loved it!! Jasper put them in his hair and Jacob spread them all over his tray and even wall. They both had a blast and even smiled for pictures.



This week, we also had our first broken window. Luckily, Jasper wasn't hurt as he was protected by the curtains. When we got the window fixed we had them put in plexiglass. It was a little more pricey but worth it. My mom said she had to do that for us because we were always pounding on the windows.

Today, we took the boys to the zoo and let them walk around themselves. They did really good! They didn't even complain when it was time to go.

Their favorite book right now is What Will Fat Cat Sit On. They crack up when I read it because there is emphasis on the word "no" and I shake my head. They have been getting into night time stories. Sometimes they're sit right next to for them. Other times they run off but I read anyway.



Joy is working hard upstairs on the boys play room. She is painting/drawing now. It's going to be Canadian themed. We bought a play house and play grill for it. Last Saturday we both insulated it better. It was crazy but it should help keep it warmer up there during the winter. This is going to be there Christmas present, so shhh!

Right now, I'm in the boys room hoping they will nap.

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15 month check up and week

Last Friday, the boys had their 15-month check up and more shots. This time, the boys remembered the table and we're not happy at all to go near it.

We set them both on the table to change their diapers and they flipped. We thought maybe if we tried to get them used to it they wouldn't freak when the shots came. Didn't help.

When it was time for the shots, two nurses bursted through the doors and wanted to get both done at the same time. Joy held Jacob and I held Jasper. The nurses were in and out in a flash but the boys were pretty upset about the shots.

After we got home, the boys took a good nap.

Sunday, we dropped the boys off at my parents house for them to baby sit. Joy and I went on a bike ride.

The boys had a good time at grandma and grandpa's house. They played on the swings, walked around. I believe Jasper helped grandpa pull weeds from the garden.

When we got back, Jacob was sitting next to my dad on the couch, eating a crunchy, and watching a baseball game. Jasper was playing around, opening up drawers and closing them.

The boys had been pretty sluggish for the rest of the week. We're not sure if it's the shots, teeth, or just not feeling good.

I've been doing pretty good at keeping the nightly ritual down. The boys brush their teeth, I read a story, and then bedtime.

One really cute thing they've been doing is waving when it's bedtime. I'll get bottles and "Jasper and Jacob! Bedtime" and they'll turn to Joy and start waving. It's really cute.


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