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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Holding hands at the nature realm

Monday we headed to the nature realm after dinner for some walking around. When we got to the path we set them down to walk on their own with one of us closely behind or next to each.

Jacob did the sweetest thing. He was walking with Joy and they started holding hands as they walked. It was really sweet seeing then walk in front of Jasper and I holding hands.

I tried to hold hands with Jasper. He responded by going down to the path and crawling. I did get to hold his hand for a few second though.

Joy and I switched kids and I got hold Jacob's hand for a bit.

The boys love the nature realm. Jasper pointed to trees when I asked. They both enjoyed picking up little stones and throwing them on the path.

I really enjoy taking them to the park, especially after work. I'm not really looking forward to fall and winter coming.

**note: the picture is from our visit to nature realm previous week

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Dudes Day Out

Saturday we had "dudes day out." Joy had gone shopping with her mom and left me with the boys. This has only been the second time where I had been with the boys solo for an extended amount of time. It doesn't count when Joy goes to pick up her mom, even though it's about 40 minutes till she gets back.

I got up early to get the dishes and laundry going so I wouldn't have to worry about that later or rushing to get it all done while they nap.

We started off with a little movie matching. I put on the cartoon channel but quickly decided we should watch something with music in it. I put the Blues Brothers in. We then had breakfast while that was going. The boys liked the music and Jasper was making weird faces when they went to visit the nun.

After breakfast, I put the boys into the stroller and we walked to the library. On the way we talked and sang. We also pointed out the trees and I named things along the way.

We got to the library and I picked out a bunch of kids books that I think would benefit the boys in a way that they could interact with. I got a baby book on body parts, smiles, hugs, zoo animals and bunch more. The boys loved walking down the aisles and grabbing books off the shelf. I quickly had to stop them though. All in all not much mess made.

On the way back home, I was telling the boys that mommy was shopping with grandma. I noticed Jasper hunched over to the side of the stroller with tears in his eyes. I think he missed his mommy. So I picked him up and held him as I strolled Jacob back home. Jasper cheered up quickly.

When we got home, I got the boys water and we hung out in the dinning room reading books. They especially loved the book on hugs. Jacob sat in my lap and without warning I got lots of hugs.

After reading I took the boys outside to their sandbox. I put pandora on my phone and we danced some. The boys played for a little bit and pulled some dead branches down not far from them.

After the sandbox we had lunch and then I gave the boys a bath/shower to get the sand and food off of them.

We concluded "dudes day" with nap time.

After nap time, we all headed up to willoughby to visit my grandma in the nursing home. The boys lightened up everyone's day. They got my grandma to leave her room and we went into a community room where there were birds. My grandma loved seeing the birds.

We then visited my sister for her birthday.


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