One Month To Go

We're a month away from Clara and Maia's birthday and three days into May, and it's snowing! This spring has really tested everybody's patience, and the entire state of Minnesota is ready to move to California if the warmer weather doesn't show up, AND stick around.

Last week in fact, we had a couple of beautiful warm days that made me remember what it feels like to have the sun beaming onto my shoulders. I even worked up the courage to take ALL three girls for a walk together. We leisurely strolled down to the playground by Lake Calhoun where we played for an hour, before returning back home to meet up with Daddy. Lena was very well behaved and I am lucky she likes to stay close to Mommy and her sisters.

It now feels like months have past since that lovely spring day, though it was only last week. Outside the roofs are covered in white and the trees are blowing in the stormy wind. The birds and other animals have hidden somewhere, I don't know where, and all those people who came out in droves last week to experience the final arrival of spring (it has literally taken months) are hanging their heads low, and turning up the heat at home.

Three Teeth!

I was starting to worry that Clara and Maia would never get teeth. Their cousin Zev, two month younger, has had four shiny little white teeth for several months now, and Lena's bottom teeth came in at around 6 months, if I remember correctly. C. and M. have done a pretty good job at gumming up their solid food, but still, was it going to take 14 months, like another baby I know, to get one little tooth? 

My fears were abated last week when Maia, without warning, popped out two little bottom teeth. And Clara, true to form (she's always a week or two behind Maia), has been teething this week, with one bottom tooth through and another possibly on it's way. Only took ten and a half months! 

Both girls have also starting clapping and waving bye-bye, which is very cute to watch.

Clara and Maia are growing up so fast. They are almost one year old. Only a month and a half to go and I need to start planning their party. It's a big milestone, for them, but more importantly I think, for us. We've almost made it through this incredibly challenging year. 

And the newest and most disruptive development in the Spirn household is Lena's new pastime, dumping out all the toys in her toy bins and stacking the bins. This is done several times a week, and requires quite a bit patience from Mom and Dad. See picture below. Clara and Maia also like to join in this fun. I can't even imagine what the next two years are going to be like!

Portraits of a Ballerina

Correction: Ground Control To Major Tom

I should clarify something from my last post. Maia did indeed start crawling back in January, and she has been moving ever since, but Clara didn't acquire this important and life changing new skill until this week. She is usually just a few weeks behind Maia with everything, but learning to crawl took her a bit longer, and now that she can move, a whole new world has opened up for her. Her little sister Maia is always off to the races, and now Clara can follow suit. She isn't very graceful, but she's got the mechanics down, and she is having a great time catching up with her sister. And did I mention they are both practically swimming in the bathtub!?

We are having a great time watching them grow. They have recently started playing, and of course fighting, with each other. It's pretty hilarious to see them quarrel over a toy. Usually it's Maia who snatches something from Clara. Most of the time Clara just starts crying, but we've seen her snatch back, and the look on Maia's face is priceless as she recovers from the surprise.

Our lovely Lenabel is in full princess mode, requiring us to dress her in tutus and sparkly gowns. Of course these always accessorize her jeans or sweat pants, which she insists on wearing underneath.

Welcoming The New Year

2012 has come and gone, and we've just entered 2013. It is pretty hard to believe that Clara and Maia are already over 6 months old, 7 months and two weeks to be exact! Things are definitely starting to get a bit easier. A friend of mine who also has twins calls it "entering the sweet spot". And we'd have to agree. The babies are rolling over both ways, sitting up, crawling, eating lots of solid food, and, the best recently acquired skill, sleeping through the night. It took them a full 7 months, but it seems they've finally got it, the best Hannukkah gift! They're naps have become much more predictable too, and we're  on a pretty good schedule which definitely helps keep us a bit more sane. December was a long month, with everybody in our house catching several different ailments. It started with a pink eye infection that all of us got, and then the little girls came down with some sort of intestinal bug causing continuous diarrhea and diaper rash for a full three weeks, what a downer! The culmination of our health challenges was a seriously annoying cold, that somehow only Lena was able to avoid. And poor Daniel also got the flu. After weeks and weeks of battling something or other, it seems we're all finally healthy, and ready to enjoy the new year!

Hello Winter!

It looks like winter has finally arrived in Minnesota. It's been a mighty fine fall with warmer temps. and some actually "hot" days, but the snow started falling this morning and it's oh so cold outside today. We brought Lena's snow boots up from the basement, but she was reluctant to put them on, so we sent her to school in tennies, with the boots for backup. Clara and Maia and I will most likely be staying in today, as the roads are pretty icy and dangerous according to Daddy who drove Lena in to Jardin this morning. Plus it's hard enough getting out with two babies, and now with the cold and snow, it seems like a daunting task that I don't feel like attempting today. Maybe tomorrow?

Anyway, there is enough to keep us busy here at home. Both girls are rolling over, and enjoy practicing their moves. Maia can roll front to back and back to front, so she actually rolls across the room if left unattended. Little Clara who seems to be a couple weeks behind Maia in everything still hasn't figured out how to roll over from back to front, so she pretty much stays put where we leave her. Both girls are also really enjoying the Johnny Jump Up and Play Station we've recently set up in the living room. Lena never really got the hang of jumping in the Jump Up as a baby, but the twins love to bounce bounce bounce!

We've started feeding Clara and Maia lots of different foods, including rice cereal, carrots, prunes, bananas, and even a little bit of empanada filling (which they loved!). So far we've been mashing everything up for them, and Maia seems to really love eating. Clara, again, a couple of weeks behind, seems to do ok with food, but isn't as excited to eat as her "little sister".

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated Halloween by going to a Halloween Party down the street at a neighbors house, and then heading out into the hood for trick or treating. Lena dressed up as a lamb and had a very fun time collecting candy with her friend from school, Maya. They came back after an hour and a half with bags full of candy, which they counted on the living room floor, just like the big kids do. Clara and Maia also dressed up for the holiday, but didn't go out to trick or treat. They made some pretty cute peas in a pod those two!