My big girls

Progress. My babies are growing up. As of today we have no more highchairs. (we still have them - they have just been moved to the basement). My girls now have booster seats and sit at the dining room table like big girls. They are thrilled about being big girls.

I'd post pictures of the two cuties in their new seats but there new thing is to run around the house with with just diapers on. No matter how much I beg them to leave their clothes on they just look at me and laugh. They are nice enough to throw their clothes in the laundry room for me -- even if they have only been on them for 7 minutes and 14 seconds. Because that's what we do with dirty clothes.

Speaking of diapers, my goal is to start potty training in January. Once the holidays are over. Cassie has been ready for a while and Chloe is 'ready' but her speech/communication is still not the best so I have been waiting until she can communicate her needs better. I'm thinking by January we should be there.

Last week Chloe said her first three word sentence -- "I did it". Thanks to Dora that's a big phrase around here these days and Chloe has mastered it. Her speech is getting really good and a lot more understandable.

And Cassie is really talking up a storm these days and very clear. She even asked for orange juice yesterday instead of just juice. And she's now trying to explain things to me -- like when dada tells her no or her sister pulls her hair or her sister decides to take her diaper off. You know, the important things that mama is suppose to know about.

And one last thing about my big girls -- as of today we have moved to level 6 at Gymboree -- the 28 to 36 month class. I was keeping the girls back until Chloe could master all the skills a little bit better and she finally started to jump off the platform onto a really thick mat -- it's about a 3 foot drop. Since she mastered that skill I figured it was time. We tried the level 6 class out today and both girls did fabulous and had a blast.

That's it for now.

Tutu Minnie cute!!!!

We had a Halloween Party tonight and here are the girls before we went. Can you guess what/who they are?

Cider, donuts, cookies and pumpkins!

Guess where we went on Monday?

Long over due

This blog is in a much needed -- very over due -- post. Things have been a little crazy around here lately. I guess this is the new normal for us.

The girls are both doing great. I'm amazed every day to see how close they have become and how much they truly love and care for each other. They both have very busy social schedules too. Weekly we are now doing gymnastics, art class, music class, and play & learn class. Of course they are all on separate days - which keeps mama hopping. Chloe's not really into art class and Cassie's not really into music class but I figure they need to participate in things they don't really like too. Chloe's also not too sure about gymnastics either. She's excited to go and get started but then is either afraid of the activity or the instructor. The instructor, Alicia, is great about it all -- but she's a little sad that Chloe is the first kid ever that doesn't like her. Alicia's trying extra hard to win Chloe over. I think we might have turned the corner with the swing (see picture below) last week -- we'll see if she does any better this week. Cassie LOVES gymnastics. She's little Miss Independent when there. It's great to see her opening up so much around others and to see her confidence shine through. We get to see it everyday at home but most of the time when we leave the house her confidence seems to stay behind for a little nap at home.

Cassie is becoming such a big girl. She's no longer a baby in any way - other than diapers. She's communicating so well, using some reasoning skills, says "sorry" at the right times, tries to comfort or correct Chloe at the appropriate times, and has turning into a truly happy, well adjusted little girl. She's also still growing too -- she's now 35.5 inches tall. Sleep issues still come and go with her -- I'm sure they will for years to come -- and naps for the past month have been in our bedroom in the pack-n-play. The big-girl toddler bed in her own room is just too much for her right now. The night time sleeping and naps are a day-by-day guessing game -- but like I said this is the new normal around here and no one is really fazed by it anymore. Although I long for a week of sleeping through 5 out of 7 nights.

Chloe -- what can I say other than this girl impresses me all the time. She's such a happy girl. Her hearing issues are now in wait-and-see mode -- waiting until she's a little older to do more intense testing. At home and while out, I really can't even tell she has any hearing issues. We haven't had any problems with her ear tubes and/or ear infections with them. We actually see the ENT tomorrow for a follow up. We are now doing speech therapy every other Friday and will be switching to every Friday after the first of the year. Chloe is doing wonderfully with her speech but we want to make sure to stay on top of it. She's about 6 - 9 months behind but I see her catching up every day. She's now using 2 words together on a regular basis -- which is new in the past three weeks. She's also off of toddler soy formula and is drinking rice milk for her milk intake. She's tolerating it very well. As long as we watch her diet closely and give her probiotics everyday, she's not having any poop issues. Plus, I found some coconut milk ice cream that the girls both love - so they can now have ice cream!!! That makes them very happy. She's also really growing too -- Chloe's now 33.25 inches tall. Just 2.25 inches behind her sister but I see that gap closing over the next 6 months. She seems to love following and doing whatever her sister does. Even picking up the wonderful word "MINE" this week from her sister. Who invented that word, anyway? I've decided I just don't have a need for it. :)

So that's enough for now. I'll leave you with some pictures of the girls -- since that's all you came to see anyway :)

Olympics here we come!

The girls are now in Gymnastics -- here they are getting ready for class. They are just so adorable. And I'm not just saying that because I'm there mother. Really -- they are cute. :) We have gone to two class so far. Cassie loves it!!!! Chloe is okay with it and did better the second class. I'll try to get some pictures of them at class -- it's just too cute to watch.

A letter to Cassie, from Mommy and Daddy

Today Mommy took you and Chloe to Gymboree, just like any other Thursday. Today in class, everyone was pretending to be bears. Bears eat berries, leaves, and fish. The class leader, Miss Jen, had pretend berries, pretend leaves, and pretend fish placed everywhere so all the little bears could collect them and pretend to eat them. It was all very cute, and you and Chloe were your usual cute selves. While Miss Jen was setting up for another activity, you started carrying pretend fish to Mommy. Mommy shared a laugh with Miss Jen at the sheer cuteness of this act. But then Mommy noticed something odd. Even though these were only pretend fish, you were holding them by the tail, away from your face, very much like anyone might do if they didn't want to get any slimy fish goo on them. This was odd because as far as Mommy knew, you had never seen a raw fish or smelled one, much less seen how someone might carry them. Then things got serious. As you carried more and more fish to Mommy, you seemed to get scared. Something was wrong. With each one, you became more and more withdrawn, and more and more disturbed. Something clearly was bothering you. After that, you clung to Mommy for dear life for the rest of the class. Mommy wondered what you were thinking. It is in moments like these that we are reminded that we don't know everything about you. We don't know what life was like for you before you joined our family. You were 13 months old when you joined us. What were you doing two weeks before that? Two months before that? What experiences did you have? What people did you know? Who made you happy? Who made you sad? Who do you miss?

Clearly you had a memory today. But what was that memory? Was it is something that happened before we became a family? Were you scared? Or did you remember some people or place that you had forgotten. Or maybe you were thinking about something that happened before we became a family, and maybe that reminded you that you've had a lot of upheaval in your life. Maybe you're wondering if there is more upheaval to come. Or, maybe not. Maybe you just remembered that fish smelled funny, and were thinking really hard about why these pretend fish don't smell like anything. But then, why were you so upset, and so clingy afterward?

Whatever it is, Mommy and Daddy wish we knew.

The Queen and her court