The last month of infancy

As we approach the twins' first birthday (far too quickly, I might add), I'd like to share the ways that they still seem like babies, and the ways that they are growing.

Mr. Sam:

He still doesn't crawl in a traditional sense - he does a wiggly worm, caterpillar-like movement all around the house. Every so often, he changes direction by pivoting on his ample belly. Any opportunity he has to stand (supported), he uses to dance. All the world is a ride to him. He grunts while he crawls and I call him my little caveman. Perhaps one of the funniest things he does is use his hands like pinchers - but not when he's trying to pick something up. He just pinches his little crab claws in the air during his free time - like some kind of primal warning (except he's the least threatening creature on the planet).

Doing the worm

He still has only 3 teeth: two on bottom, and one on top. The one on top is really growing well, and becoming more prominent each day. As a result, he looks more and more like a hillbilly as time passes. Hopefully his other teeth will accompany the lone soldier soon.

My favorite thing about Sam is that he is gentle. When he gets upset he sobs. When he is tired, he still rubs his eyes. If you leave the room, his heart breaks. He is calm and happy and peaceful.

Miss August:

August is more full of spice than sugar, although she knows how to "up the saccharine factor" when necessary to make someone fall in love with her. She is such a charismatic little person and loves people.  She's not walking yet, but she is as close as you can possibly get. She climbs and crawls on everything and we are running out of ways to contain her in one spot when needed. She has a gravely little voice and often speaks in tongues. If you're a Tool fan, it reminds me of the first 30 seconds of "Rosetta Stoned" from the album 10,000 Days, when Maynard is experimenting with some "creative vocal delivery" as critics called it. Basically it creeps me out.

Laughing at her sister who is in the bathtub

August is so alert and involved with everything around her that she can't eat or drink a bottle if someone enters the room, if the TV is on, if a book is open or if we have company over. She has decided she should be included in absolutely everything. The funniest thing she does is throw her bottle when she's done drinking it, not unlike a careless teenager crumpling a beer can and throwing it on the side of the road. She just chucks it as fast as she can when it is no longer of use to her. 

The biggest difference between the babies is how they express their discontent. Sam bawls, and August gets plain furious. They have started communicating with each other verbally, through a variety of "da-das" since that's the only word they have in common. August says "mama" every now and again, and has said "go" and apparently said "good" but we haven't heard it in person.

The other thing they have in common is spitting. Meal times often conclude with spitting wars. That's how we know they are full, or maybe just bored with our company. So, we swallow our pride, and wipe the peas and green beans off of ourselves and leave them to it.

This past month we celebrated Easter in St. George with our friends from California (The Fishers). They hadn't met the twins yet, and Claire was thrilled to be reunited with her friend Penny. We hiked and swam and hunted for eggs.

Family hike in Snow Canyon

Playing at the town center water park.

Claire reunited with her BFF Penny

I think August could fit inside her own Easter basket if we tried.

Alert and happy to be out.

Sleepy Sam couldn't make it through the whole hike without a nap.

Claire also had her last dance recital at her current school. She only has three weeks left of Pre-K... I absolutely cannot believe it. She is so excited for summer and we have started making lots of plans. If the weather is good we will have a campout in the backyard on her last night of school. She still makes the babies laugh harder than anyone else can. She also makes us laugh harder than most people can. Just the other day, I told her I wasn't feeling well, and she asked me if I was teething. She continuously dances and sings anywhere and everywhere she can and loves to braid her own hair and the hair of everyone around her. It's probably a good thing we don't have a dog anymore.

Last but not least, I think it's safe to say the babies are FINALLY sleeping through the night. They go down around 7:30 and get up at 6:45 for a bottle, then go back to sleep until 8:30 or so. They have one good morning nap around 10:00am, and the afternoon nap is iffy... Sam would do it, but August won't and she fights and screams and wakes him up. Neither of my girls have turned out to be big nappers... they can't be bothered. There is just too much to be done.