Holy Jeez Fall Leaves!

Tree leaves around here are no joke...and emaculate yards even during the falling leaf season seem to be a requirement.  Especially in our case, with a landlord for an immediate neighbor.  Oh, And he's the one who sets the bar that all other neighbors measure themselves by (ugh, sigh, etc...).  It certainly helps that he has lawn maintenance that seems to come every week and vacuum his leaves/grass (yes, that's the what the machine looks like. Or better yet, it looks like a minature zamboni, with a suck-button).  Needless to say, this SAHM and her two toddlers are no match; however, we put up a mean fight on the weekends when Nate's home.  Now that guy is a machine! He doesn't suck like the mini-zamboni, but he's a serious raker!

 

So after the girls rough housed in the leaves for hours on end, including running through our just raked piles!  They came inside tuckered our like I've never seen before.  Hence the crazy, exhausted napping positions they found...

 

Yes, sleeping face-down in the carpet

You can't see it, but Olivia is standing with her head on my lap--sleeping!

 

Gymnastics & Dance...Ready or Not, Here Comes Lauren!!!

So we were able to sign Lauren up for gymnastics and dance classes at the local parks and rec center.  Due to the Lee District Rec Center's great reputation though, all classes are usually full with 10+ person waiting lists, before 10am the day of early registration! It was a shock to me when we got here in August that I wasn't able to get her in any classes until this early registration round opened, and these classes don't even start until January.  So to ensure we got an actual spot in these classes, I woke up at 5am (without a kid waking me up!), and jumped online to enroll Lauren in these classes! We were the first enrollees in one class, and second in the other two.
So now that we were confirmed class enrollees in both dance and gymnastics, I was now allowed to buy leotards and dance shoes for Lauren.  We scored some great deals from Amazon and had the leotard and shoes in our hot little hands within two days of ordering them!  Lauren put the leotard and shoes on at 9am in the morning, and was ripped from them both at 6:30pm, kicking and screaming into the bath.  But she sure was cute spinning around and saying, "me mommy, me mommy". As in "watch me mommy".  I'm sure glad to have active activities for her to do come January, as we need to burn off that energy somehow.  Otherwise it just burns up the house!

Do Ninjas Celebrate Thanksgiving???

The answer would be YES!!! Or at least this little ninja does!



Lauren demonstrating her prowess!

The calm after the sword storm!

Olivia unarming the ninja with a smash-and-grab!

 

Some of you are saying, "What in the world did they do for Thanksgiving?!"  Well the ninja costume makes sense when I tell you that we spent it with our cousins (Nathan's first cousin, Leslie Olsen Torgesen's family), and Uncle Kirk and Aunt Cathy.  The Torgesen's live in Elkton, MD, about 2hrs away from us in Alexandria.  That's 2hrs, non-Thanksgiving Eve traffic; 4hrs Thanksgiving Eve traffic! (*insert decompression sign) 
So the part that makes everything fall into place is that Lauren and Olivia met their second cousins, the Torgesen kids (Mikey, Isabel, and Piper), for the first time on Thanksgiving Eve.  Mikey had a brand new ninja set when we arrived, and somehow Lauren conned him into letting her wear it before he even got the chance! Lauren still has her MacGyver-title worthy skills--I'm telling you!  The video is hilarious in that she does a duck-and-run move at the end--so ninja-like right?!
So Thanksgiving was full of the F trifecta: food, family, and fun! We ended up eating about 1:30pm, so that left a lot of time for dessert, clean-up, toy room play, and card games for the adults.  Nate and I learned a new game called Foot and Mouth, which was awesome!!!  Wish we had more card-playing friends in the immediate vicinity because I looooovvvveeee this game!  It's canasta on steroids...good times.  I was Uncle Kirk's partner and we did pretty awesome, though got inched out right at the end by Aunt Cathy and Stafford (Leslie's husband).  It was a good thing we needed to leave to put the girls to bed; otherwise it would've been a harder defeat to swallow :/ Per Aunt Cathy and Nate, Uncle Kirk and I have very comparable temperaments when it comes to competitions and winning/losing.  But come one, who's really okay with losing?!
Then on Black Friday, instead of joining the crazies at the local stores, we went swimming in the hotel pool!  As you can tell by the photos, I forgot my swimsuit, so Nate was overloaded with holding non-swimmers...and Lauren's diaper was overloaded with water. Wowza!  Not to quote 90's rap song lyrics, but this "baby's got back"!!  Truly!!



Lauren kept jumping in, climbing out, jumping in, climbing out...

Worn out bunch!

Baby Lauren's Got Back right?!

After lunch at Klondike Kate's, we hit the road back to Alexandria to start our Christmas decorating.  God Bless Nate and his checklist-driven self.  Our house was Christmas-ified before our heads hit the pillow that night; but Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday, so I didn't mind in the least...

The Catch22

I've come to realize the Catch22 I put myself in by starting our family blog right when we started having children: I blog for our family to capture the memories, but it's because of said family that I feel I have no time to blog.  Does that about sum it up blogosphere people?
But I've realized I just need to suck it up and post what I consider less than thorough or complete posts/stories.  Maybe even pictures-only posts, if needed.  Because I've obviously developed an unhealthy aversion to posting anything I don't feel I give a good, complete effort on (it's been 8 months since I posted last for Heaven Sake!).  So I'm going to go against my extremely competitive nature, for the moment...or however long it takes me to catch up on our life and happenings of 2012, and stop measuring myself against you timely and thorough mommy bloggers! (Kelly Peper Wilson--can you PLEASE bring down the bar?! I know you're hitting stride on like your 8th year of blogging, and it's second nature to have blog-time built into your day; but at least make it look harder!!) 
(Insert resigned sigh) So now I'm going to make a valid effort not to fret over taking everyday family photos. Why do I fret? Because the first thought that pops into my mind when framing my family through a camera lens is, "When am I going to find the time to post this?!"  This is no way to live people!!!  I shouldn't be deterred from taking everyday pictures because of my blogging-block--completely counter productive!  So I've been letting my photos figuratively stack-up, because not only am I waaaay behind, but because somewhere along my pre-children career it was beat into me that any product output needs to be my best work. Work that it thorough and complete, as it'll reflect upon me. Not to say that this belief is incorrect, it's just not a feasible mantra for the current me: a mother to Irish Twins that's nearly one year behind on posting pictures and putting into words our adventures and the many, many firsts for two sweet girls' lifetimes.
So where to start???....Why how about last November?!  That's right folks, you're about to get caught up on the holiday season from 2011.  Here's to hoping that I can get caught up to this 2012 holiday season by the time New Year's hits! And we're off...
WARNING READERS: I'm going to be back-dating these posts as far back as 11/1/2011, so that when I create books from this blog, they'll be in chronological order.  Seeing as I'm not the most avid blogger (again, working on it), I'm not sure how you'll know which posts are new besides just going back to November 2011 and scrolling through again.  Sorry :(

Olivia's One Year Old Check-Up

In "not-so-shocking" news, we've got a big baby in our Sweet Olivia!  She has not slowed down in the growth department since being born a nine pounder just over a year ago.

Olivia's latest statistics:
Height: 31" (93rd percentile),
Weight: 23.7 lbs (81st percentile),
Wears a size 4.5 toddler shoe,
...& Completely fills out size 18 month clothes.

So here's to another tall, Olsen-esque daughter!

Don't Ever Body-Check an Open Screen Door...

So Lauren has now learned the hard way that she needs to play close attention to the screen doors, and whether they are open or closed.  In the past she took for granted that they were always closed and she could lean up against them and cackle through the mesh grid; however, those days are now over...
Back on March 20th, sweet Lauren took an unintentional speedy dive out of our back door, a three step drop onto concrete. :0(  Such a sad slow motion sight to see, but there was just no stopping it.  I was calling for her to come into the kitchen so we could go outside--through the back sliding door, which has a screen.  She proceeded to come speeding around the corner from the living room into the kitchen.  Then seeing the back door open, she apparently decided she was going to keep runnig and do her "normal" slide screen body check.  And seeing her make this decision was like slow motion...I was like a deer in the headlights.  No words came out, not noise at all...I just see Lauren barreling towards the back door and thwup-gone!  Head first down wooden stairs to the concrete slab and silence...then three seconds later the shrieks began.  Oh did she wail, and rightfully so.  Her nose took a lickin', as did both her front shins and the palms of her hands.  So after some comforting right there on the back stairs, Lauren gets up and goes to the screen and gives it a pat/slap and sharply shouts, "No! Bad! No! Bad!"  She took the back door "beat-down" like a champ and was off and playing in the backyard with her toy lawn mower...all with mommy in tow trying to put some neosporin on the gallery of open wounds!

...& Mommy Will Continue to Learn!

So I just learned tonight to never try and give Olivia a bath without Lauren. Because it just won't happen--really! No matter the location, baby Lauren will find her way into water! I swear she could make-a-day out of a rain puddle! ;0P  At any rate, she was getting into this bath...even if that meant sitting on her sister's lap in the kitchen sink! No lie--wish my camera was handy and not MIA, but it was a pretty hilarious moment. Though Olivia was kind of wide-eyed about it all.   Lauren kept saying "ver ver ver" to Olivia, which I can only guess she was trying to say "over" to Olivia...as in, get over so I can get further in this water fully clothed!!! AHHHHH!!! Oh Baby McGyver, how do you continue to defeat me?! If only they issued two additional arms with each additional child after that first one :/  Guess I better start praying for quicker reflexes too, because baby Lauren keeps coming at me like a spider monkey anymore :0)

This is how Baby Lauren looks right as the adrenaline hits--the Spider Monkey Cry!

Olivia: 6 Month Check-Up

We saw our pediatrician, Dr. Venuti, today for Olivia's 6 month well baby check-up.  Since Nate's supposed to be home from Kunsan next month on mid-tour (March), our family plans are up in the air, so Olivia is actually being seen at 5 months old, verses 6 months.

At any rate, I really look forward to these visits, as Dr. Venuti always makes myself and the girls feel so comfortable.  Having worked with AF Providers for nearly 8 years as an MSC, I truly appreciate the efforts Dr. Venuti makes in getting the girls to laugh and participate in the exam, as well as making a parent feel heard.  Bed side manner isn't always at the top of a providers priorities (especially when they are pressed to see more and more patients each day, as it is military wide); but he makes it his priority to make us feel like we matter and not just a number towards an RVU quota.  Just what this momma wants and needs right now...

He's even made a habit of coming into the exam room with a huge fake flower tucked behind his ear (the ones they tape to the end of pens so no one is tempted to leave the premises with them).  He does this because of the first time he met Lauren (3 weeks old I believe), I had her wearing a large flower on a nylon head band.  He made a comment to Nate about it being like a satellite orbiting her head, of which Nate quickly agreed with of course, as he had already harassed me that morning about the size of the flower.  (She was stinking adorable! What do these men know?!) 

So how is Olivia measuring up? Here are her statistics as of today:
Height: 27" (95th percentile),
Weight: 17.1 lbs (84th percentile),
Wearing size 9-12 month clothes,
And her cuteness is out of this world (100th percentile). Amazing right?!

So What Can Lauren Do @ 18 Months Old???

The last two weeks I've been asked four separate times about the capabilities that Baby Lauren currently possesses... So since I'm well versed on her abilities right now, I thought I'd share them with you all:

- Vocabulary of approx 18 words (to include: no, please, ball, SpongeBob, sissy, baby, bye, Papa, daddy, Mama, yeah...)
- Is a stair pro, thanks to our living room stairs
- Claps for herself
- Initiates dancing when she hears ANY music
- Gives high-fives!
- Scoots to/from on her tricycle
- Scribbles with pencils & crayons
- Empties/refills toy chest & backpack
- Can bring garbage to the trash when asked to :)
- Climbs in/out of the Tahoe
- Turns book pages one-by-one
- Grabs remote when she wants to watch a kid show verses mom's show
- Will pick-up toys when asked
- Drinks from water bottles, straws...not so great @ the open cup yet though :)
- Crouches to pick-up things
- Summons mom when Olivia/"sissy" is crying
- Climbs on table chairs & bar stools, in hopes to get on the table or kitchen island
- Can identify candy ;)
- Builds block towers & then knocks them down with a chuckle
- Loves her baby dolls--hugs them & pats their backs
- Pretends to use the toilet
- "Washes" her hair whenever she has water on her hands
- Pretends to blow her nose when handed a tissue
- Folds her arms to pray, then proceeds to babble through the prayer
- Climbs into/out of her highchair
- Actively seeks her shoes & jacket when I tell her we are going bye-bye
- Wipes up spills/crumbs...more like smears it all...
- Waves good-bye to anyone & everyone!
- Kicks balls & throws overhand
- Will do pretty much anything that you ask after hearing the magic word--TREAT!

...okay, that's all I have off the top of my head. At any rate, we are super proud of our sweet girl & pray she continues her progress in normalcy! ;0)

Christmas in South Korea

So Nate was in South Korea for the Holidays, & did what he could to keep busy. He did dinner & festivities with his squadron &/or friends for both Thanksgiving & Christmas...& Christmas festivities included him playing Santa Claus & rolling around in the base firetruck...sounds like he was a hit & enjoyed his time playing the part. But only in Korea would Nate get asked to play this part ;0P He's not really what you think of when you imagine Santa's "famous belly that shakes like a bowl full of jelly!"

Lauren's 18 Month Check-ups

So we've had a whole slew of 18 month check-ups for Lauren last week & this week.  Last week she had three evaluations--OT, PT, & Neurology--& she passed all with flying colors!  She is walking, talking, and acting like an 18 month old infant. Which is exactly what we're aiming for--normal! Though there were some items during the PT evaluation that Beth noted sweet Lauren could work on: standing on one foot, walking backwards, and catching a ball...so we'll for sure be working on those. Anyone have any ideas on how to get an infant to walk backwards? ;0P

As for feedback from our neurologist, Dr. Smyser, he said that he couldn't be more happy with Lauren's progress. That she again had the best report card one could give an infant at this age and with her abilities. Woohoo! He did say that with patients who have frontal lobe issues, as Lauren did at birth, that there were concerns with their social behavior. So far there are no indicators that this should be a concern, but we'll definitely be eyeballing her conduct from here on out...

Now to today's appointment with Dr. Venuti, Lauren's pediatrician...
Statistics:
height-35" (95th percentile)
weight-29.5lbs (95th percentile)
head-18.1" (25th-50th percentile)

We saw a Physician's Assistant (PA) before Dr. Venuti today and he was just LOVING Lauren.  Before he left go grab Dr. Venuti, he turned to me and said, "This is the best 18 month old baby I've examined--ever! She's so cooperative and let me do all the checks that I needed to. And what a beautiful girl she is with those eyes..."  Needless to say, I was a very proud mother. :) Then Dr. Venuti came in and Lauren lite up as usual around him with his goofy antics... He said he was very excited to hear what Dr. Smyser said and would renew her OT and PT consults as requested by neurology. Then the PA came back in the room with some M&M's for Lauren, stating he just had to give her something for being so good...& you know our Lauren, she was all grins and ate the candy right up! Then Dr. Venuti did a quick weight check on Olivia per my request. I told him I just wanted to make sure we were on the right track since we missed her four month appointment. Olivia weighed in at 17lbs even, which is the 90-95th percentile for her age...not sure about her height yet, but we'll find out at our make-up appointment in the beginning of February. Good health news all around for the girls, which makes for a very happy Katy & Nathan!

Toy Chest Antics

So Baby Lauren loves to play in her toy chest...yes INSIDE her toy chest.  She'll empty out all the toys and then invite her friends to come inside and sit down so they can play "surprise" with whomever is in the room! This video looks like it gave both Baby Lauren and our friend Natalie Noorlander, a couple headaches...yet this video was taken by Ryan, Natalie's dad, who was sitting MAYBE a foot away. And if it's a decision between getting good video footage of little kids cold-clocking themselves with a toy chest lid, or stopping them to save some brain cells...well humor and headaches will win everytime! :)  I sure love this Baby Lauren and her shoulder touching "prise!" Or as we people with vocabularies larger than 19 words--"surprise!"