HAPPY SIXTEEN MONTH "BIRTHDAY" CHARLOTTE AND JACOB

Charlotte loves her pizza

Pizza party gone wrong - look how clean Jacob is! 

I didn't do it.... 

Jacob and Charlotte love going to the park and on the swings

TFC...TFC...Jacob sporting a TFC toque he put on himself

Jacob LOVES his Fisher-Price Ride and Stride Dinosaur 

Someone has dirty knees....

Where does the time go? I can't believe it is May 1 already. I also can't believe that we have two 16 month olds in our house. The kids are growing so quickly and changing everyday. This month (April 1 to April 30) we have seen Charlotte and Jacob:

• Take more steps independently: While they are not quite walking 100 per cent of the time both Charlotte and Jacob continue to take more steps on their own. They have a steady combination of crawling (when they want to get somewhere fast) and walking (when they want to test out their independence a little more). Both are very proud of themselves when they do test out their walking skills
• Babble more: Words and sounds continue to stream out of Charlotte and Jacob's mouths. Jacob is like a one-man farm when you go through a list of animals and ask him what sounds they make - this month he's added Bah (sheep), ooo ooo eee eee (monkey), and nah (horse) to his list of farm animal sounds and says bye, up, ha (for hockey and he also uses it for hot too), kick and ball (which he also associates with baseball when it's on tv). Charlotte is less into the animal sounds but has added bye, up and yes to her list of words.  
• Help mommy celebrate her birthday: We spent my birthday weekend in Boston. Doyle ran his 9th Boston Marathon on April 16. On the 15 (my actual birthday) the kids, our friend Paul and I ate dinner at the Cheesecake Factory while Doyle spent the night at his sister's place near the start of the marathon
• Find a favourite commercial on TV: Charlotte loves the OLG dancing 7's commercial. Everytime it comes on she stops what she's doing focuses on the TV and screetches with glee!
• Find a favourite book: Charlotte loves reading "Zoe's Year" and Jacob enjoyes "The Big Red Barn"
• Learn that what "one" does the "other" must do: The kids are both quite competitive and observant - we have noticed that when one of them sees the other doing something they have to do it too. 
• Continue their love of solid food: Both kids enjoy eating. Their fav foods continue to be cooked broccoli, carrots, green beans, avocado, blueberries, pears, oranges, kiwi, salmon, chicken, pork, steak, chili, pasta, pizza, eggs, toast and mini-go yogurt. There really isn't a food they won't eat - which is great!
• Activities outside of the house: Swimming, walks in the neighbourhood, drop-in play and music at the community centre, Baby Time at the Northern District Library and play dates with Ethan, Jayden and Wesley

"LITTLE B"...MAKES...THREE!!

Do not adjust your computer screen. What you're seeing is true...we'd like to virtually introduce you to "Little B"...the newest member of our family! You will need to wait another 6 months before you can officially meet him/her...so for now you will just have to follow all of "Little B's" adventures via the blog! 


He/she has been busy growing over the past 11 weeks and will continue to do so over the  months ahead. His/her anticipated arrival is on or around October 22, 2012.


So far things have been going well - despite the fact that I have felt quite sick this time around. I've basically had 24 hour a day 7 day a week nausea for the past four weeks - something I didn't experience with Charlotte and Jacob. On top of that I've also been extremely tired - but that could also be the result of being back at work and keeping up with two very active 15 month olds! My OB says both symptoms should pass within the next few weeks. I'll be holding him to that or else.....


So....I invite you to join us on this latest adventure we are embarking on. It's no doubt going to be a wild ride.....stay tuned for more adventures of "Little B" soon...

HAPPY 15 MONTH "BIRTHDAY" CHARLOTTE AND JACOB

It has been another busy month in our house - so busy in fact I've missed posting Charlotte and Jacob's 15 month "birthday" update by two days! The kids are filled with endless amounts of energy and are keeping us on our toes. From March 1 to March 31 Charlotte and Jacob have:

• Started to take steps "independently": Jacob took off first last Sunday and each day adds a few more steps to his walking repertoire! He kind of looks like a cowboy with cement feet but he is so proud of himself every time he "walks". He has even mastered getting up on his own from a sitting position. It is only a matter of time before he'll be off and running! Charlotte has also taken a few steps as well but still seems to prefer crawling over walking. She does get competitive if she sees Jacob up and walking and hears us cheering him on! It's kind of funny to see.
• Found the sky: Both Charlotte and Jacob have discovered the sky and love to point at it when you ask them where it is. They also know to look to the sky when you ask them where an airplane is! 
• More babbles: Jacob can say "guy" (which means sky)
• Started swimming again: We signed up for the Spring session at Brown Community Centre - the kids were so excited to get in the pool last Saturday they didn't stop splashing and blowing bubbles (aka drinking water) until we got out half an hour later! They are very comfortable in the water and love to kick, splash and jump from the side
• Watched mommy start a new job: I left eHealth Ontario on March 16 and started at St. Michael's Hospital as a Senior Communications Adviser on March 19
• Made it harder to get a good "birthday" picture: The kids don't sit still for too long so it is getting harder to get a good picture of them. As you'll notice in this picture - I caught them between "crying" fits. They were a little out of sorts this afternoon.  
• Enjoyed visits with friends - today we got to meet our friend Ian and Kim's little girl Madelaine and catch up with her older sister Sydney when they dropped by before heading back to London

• Activities outside the house: Walks in the neighbourhood, drop in centre time and swimming

FUN IN THE SUN...

WOW...is all I can say about this weather. We are loving it - especially because it is still only March! All the kids want to do is be outside...so much so that they cry when we bring them inside! 


The past few days we have spent a lot of time outside with the kids - they have loved walking (in their new big girl and big boy shoes) with their Fisher Price Ride and Stride dinosaurs, crawling around the grass and sidewalk and waving at people and dogs from the porch. This little taste of summer has been such a treat and we cannot wait for the real thing to arrive and stick around for a while! 

Jacob and his dinosaur 

Dino races...ready....set....GO!  

Jacob's new "big boy" shoes! 

I took this picture last night (Mar 20)...
Charlotte played with her toys for 30 minutes with her sunglasses on! 

HAPPY "14.5" MONTH "BIRTHDAY" CHARLOTTE AND JACOB

First of all...I'd like to officially and publically acknowledge my laziness over the past month and a half with keeping up this blog. I apologize for not posting more frequent updates and pictures and am making a promise to not let it go this long again in the future.


It has been a busy time in our house. Charlotte and Jacob continue to brighten our days and remind us they are still around in the middle of the night! Today marks their official 14.5 month "birthday"! As I've said in many of my previous posts - it amazes me just how quickly the time goes by. I can't believe they are 14.5 months old. They continue to hone their skills from previous months and have unveiled some new ones! From February 1st to March 15th Charlotte and Jacob have:

• More "babbles": Both kids continue to "babble". In addition to being able to say "dada, duh (dog), dickle dickle dickle (tickle tickle tickle), care (our nanny Claire's name), mama (mommy), dada (daddy), dis (this) dat (that), and oooooo (oh)" the kids have added the following: Jacob's new babbles: gar (car), hi (hi - but it sounds more like eye), and ha (hot). Charlotte's new babbles: hi (hi - but it sounds more like eye) and ooof (we're not sure what that means)
• Animal sounds: The kids have started to respond to us when we say "what does the [insert name of animal] say. They know that a snake makes a (sisssss sound) and a pig makes a (huh huh sound) and a dog makes a (wooff wooff sound)
• Pointing to body parts: Charlotte and Jacob have learned some body parts and can point to them when we asked where is your [insert body part]. They know eyes, head, hair, nose and ear.
• Imitations: Both Charlotte and Jacob have started imitating things. For instance both will hold objects (tv converter, phone, etc) up to their ear and pretend to talk on the phone - it's more babbling than talking. Charlotte will also imitate the sound Jacob makes when he cries (wah wah)
• Increased their pointing: Both Charlotte and Jacob point at everything in sight. I feel like we live in a 24 hour game of charades! The light switch is one of their new fav "toys"! 
• More teeth: Both Charlotte and Jacob have sprouted new teeth! Charlotte has four teeth on the top and three teeth on the bottom and Jacob has three teeth on the bottom with a fourth peeking through on the top
• Waving: Both Charlotte and Jacob love to wave. Sometimes when we're out for a walk I feel like we're in a parade because they are constantly waving from their stroller! 
• Blowing kisses: Charlotte and Jacob also love to blow kisses. Every morning when Doyle and I leave for work they will sit on the couch at the front window and wave and blow kisses at us as we walk away. 
• Continue to "walk" with assistance: Everything is a cruising opportunity for the kids. They love holding our hands and walking, pushing the kitchen stools and chairs, and walking with their Fisher-Price dinos
• Continue to stand on their own: Charlotte and Jacob continue to increase the amount of time they can stand on their own. We keep waiting for them to take independent steps but it hasn't happend yet
• Continue to increase their interest in solid food: In addition to all the food mentioned previously, over the past month and a half Charlotte and Jacob have also had blueberries, spaghetti and meat sauce, salmon, talapia, chili, sushi (shrimp and crab), edammame beans, kiwi and strawberries.
• Fought their first big bout with the "flu": Both Charlotte and Jacob came down with a lengthy case of the "flu" (fever, runny nose, upset tummy, little energy and decreased appetite). Jacob's fever lasted 6 days and Charlotte's lasted 4 days and they continue to fight the runny nose
• Activities outside of the house: Music at Central Eglinton Community Centre on Friday mornings, Playtime at the drop in centre, Baby Time at the Northern District Library, and lots of stroller walks with Claire, and sled rides in front and out back of our house

HAPPY THIRTEEN MONTH "BIRTHDAY" CHARLOTTE AND JACOB

Today marks 13 months since Charlotte and Jacob were born. It truly is amazing how much has happend since they arrived. This past week a year ago we celebrated some exciting firsts (both kids passed their car seat test, had their feeding tubes removed from their nose, had their heart rate monitor leads taken off and were discharged from the St. Mike's NICU) and a year later we continue to celebrate many more. From January 1 to January 30 Charlotte and Jacob have:

• More "babbles": Both kids continue to "babble". In addition to being able to say "dada, duh (dog), and dickle dickle dickle (tickle tickle tickle) the kids have added the following: Jacob's new babbles "care (our nanny Claire's name), mama (mommy) and dis (this) Charlotte's new babbles: dis (this), dat (that), and oooooo (oh)"
• Increased their pointing: Charlotte continues to point at everything she sees or wants. Jacob has just started to point at things over the past week.
• Expanded the types of solid foods they eat: Our nanny Claire has been cooking up a storm for the kids and they have loved everything she has made for them including: Shepard's pie, chicken and veggie stir-fry, chicken and veggie pizza, hummus on toast, and sweet potatoe
• Begun to walk with "assitance": Whether it's with the chairs from our table, stools from the kitchen or their Fisher-Price Ride and Stride Dino's the kids love to walk! More times than not we will find the stools from the kitchen and chairs from the table spread around the main floor as the kids move from one place to another on their feet!
• Started standing: Both kids have started standing on their own for a short periods of time (30 seconds here, 45 seconds there). Jacob figured it out first but Charlotte wasn't far behind. They are both very proud of themselves when they are standing and quite often will clap after they fall on their bum!
• More teeth: Charlotte now has three teeth on top to go along with her two teeth on the bottom. Jacob remains locked on his five (three on top and two on the bottom)
• Adjusted to "mommy" being gone during the day: Charlotte and Jacob have adjusted to me not being around during the day - since I returned to work on January 9th they have been spending their days with our nanny Claire. They have never once cried when we leave in the morning and are always happy to see us when we get home at night!
• Activities outside of the house: Music at Central Eglinton Community Centre on Friday mornings, Playdate with Sophia (a little girl C and J and Claire met at the drop in centre), Playtime at the drop in centre, Baby Time at the Northern District Library, and lots of stroller walks with Claire

ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER...

After a fantastic year at home with the kids I am heading back to work tomorrow. It has been a very emotional last week of maternity leave for me. I have shed some tears and have rustled with many guilty feelings about leaving the kids in someone else's care while I'm at work. Although we have a great nanny, named Claire, who the kids seem really comfortable with - I still can't help but feel like I'm going to be missing out on so many milestones while I'm away from them during the day. 


The kids must sense that things will be changing around here tomorrow because they chose not to nap this afternoon and they decided that today would be a great day to start "walking" consistently with their Fisher Price Ride and Stride Dino's they got for Christmas. While we were hanging in the basement this afternoon watching football, Doyle decided to put the kids behind the dinos to see what they would do. As he helped the kids steady themselves he let go of the dino and away they walked!!! They were so proud of themselves and wanted to do it over and over and over and over. They haven't mastered "steering" yet but have mastered controlling their feet while the dino rolls away in front of them. It was the greatest thing to watch and I'm so glad I was here to share this milestone with them. 


There is no question this week is going to be challenging on many levels - leaving the kids, worrying about whether I remember how to do my job, finding a balance between working and life at home and getting enough "awake" time with the kids. But one thing is for sure...at the end of the day (no matter how challenging it was) I get to come home to two of the greatest kids one mom (and dad) could ask for and I feel very fortunate to have my family beside me as I embark on this next journey....