Am I supposed to know if yaks Moo?

So, Keira and I had our first fight.
You see... she has this alphabet book. Each page has a letter and images that start with that letter. A has an apple, etc. "Y" had a picture of a Yak.
Keira pointed to the Yak and said, "Cow. Moo!"
I lovingly pointed out, "No sweetie. That is a yak. See? It has looong fur and horns. I have no idea if it moos. It might. Anyways, it's a yak."
She looked at me like I was a raving idiot, pointed back at the book and said, "No, no! Moo! Cow!" and turned the page to Z.
I sat in silence for a moment.
Was that our first argument?
Really?
That was it?
And she thinks I'm an idiot.
Awesome.
I still have no idea if it moos.

So I took time off... sue me.

Ana, Keira and cousin Quinn

I know, I know... I've been busy... OK?

Here are the updates

Hubby - B is doing MUCH better with his palsy since he has started using the apnea machine. Apparently people need a good night's rest with higher levels of oxygen. Who knew? We're using his disability time as family time. I'm getting really used to seeing him at night... it will be extremely hard to give that up.

Me - Since I've had the girls I feel as though I'm always chasing the clock, burning the candle at both ends, self eating watermellon... whatever you want to call it. As soon as my alarm goes off, I'm trying to keep up with the billion things that will happen before the day's end. Of course, this leads me to "night time Mommy". "Night Time Mommy" likes to stay up late. I've never been a night person, but the freedom I get after 9pm... when I get to eat dinner... it is just amazing. I want to read, watch tv, stay up too late... and then... well, "Morning Mommy" just hates the hayll out of "Night Time Mommy".

Girls - They're getting SO BIG. Big needs to be defined as growing up... both girls are still hovering at the 21lb mark and are almost 20 months.

Ana - Ana is SO CLEAR when she speaks. New words happen daily, with the latest being table, water and puppy. I really can't stress how clearly she speaks. So cute. Her favorite toys are her monkey, penguin, baby dolls in the stroller and small towels which serve as blankets for all of the above. Her favorite activity is gymnastics. She'll hang from just about anything. Including the stove. Which doesn't lock. You really only need one time to learn that lesson...

Keira - Keira is still facinated with books and movies. She has taught Ana how to wrongly say "movie" ("MOO-NEE"). This is where that twin speak comes into play, I believe. She is quite possibly the funniest little girl ever. She makes funny sounds, has the oddest dance ever and laughs at almost anything. Her latest life lesson was that you can, indeed, fall into a pool. (Good save, Daddy)

I'm sorry for taking a long time off, Constant Reader. Hubby's palsy took a little out of us already this year. We've also said goodbye to too many family members this year. They will always be part of us. I'm looking forward to telling stories of my "crazy Auntie Joan" to my girls when they're ready for it... which will put them into their 20s to reeeeally be ready. This year also brings good news to friends and family as I watch the closest people in my life bring new wee ones into the world. Good thoughts to Jenn, KT, Sheri, C, CJ, Trish and Linda and the wee ones they're bringing to this wonderful world.

Herding Cats

Taking pictures of 1 year olds is like herding cats.

I'll try to do a better job... when I get a spare moment...

Quick update:

Keira - Very happy as of late. Walking, touching and grabbing at Ana as much as possible, saying kitty (kIKIIII), Daddy, MumMum, up (PUP) and ball. She trys to say almost everything we say. She is very gentle with the kitty and is very easy going when you let her play on her own.

Ana - Very dramatic. She'll throw herself on the ground in a New York second if she doesn't get her way. She gets over it equally as fast, but we're keeping our eye on this little personality blip. Ana loves to clean up spilled milk or water with a cloth (very cute) and also loves to play "ring around the rosy" (kinda wishin I hadn't taught her that at times).

Both - They're still under 20lbs (boo).

Mom and Dad - we're going to go clean the kitchen, now... and then we all fall DOWN!

Bone Crushing

I am so tired today. Ana kept me up all night, which is unusual... and then she did a "big barf" all over me this morning- while wearing my work clothes - with a huge meeting first thing in the morning. I felt so bad for my little wee one. She is so sweet and it kills me to see her uncomfortable... even if I have to take a second shower to remove the rancid smell of milk off of me.

Where was I? Oh... tired. So tired lately that I haven't felt like updating you on their weights - 19.8 and 19.9.

What else is new? Keira has two top teeth! It is a bloody, painful nightmare apparently. Poor babies. Being wee is so hard!

I'll update all y'all more later. I'm just too tired.
A mother of multiples one told me (as I was about to give birth) that I would experience a tired like I had never felt before. Bone crushing tired. The first few months were rough, but this is the kind of tired that goes with the drudgery of the nightly routine, lack of sleep or free time and a lingering holiday with relatives looming on the horizon. This is the kind of tired that comes with long work weeks with new bosses. This is the kind of tired that you count the moments until the kids go to bed, so you can just lay on the couch but instead you decide to update your blog because you're so tired you're too stupid to eat and take care of yourself.
Bone. Crushing. Tired.

Mostly Keira. Mostly.

The first thing you'll notice about Keira is her eyes. Blue. Shockingly blue. My friend Mike always asks if they're getting bigger and bluerer. Possible. Keira doesn't have the dynamic personality of Ana. Quite the opposite... she is usually somewhere between pleased and concerned to not thrilled and whiny... and it will switch in a New York second. She has an infectious belly laugh that comes straight from my mother-in-law. Keira becomes bigger than life when she laughs... and she has a fantastic sense of humor for a wee one.

The first thing Keira does in the mornings is point at everything on her way downstairs. She wants to know everything. Ba? Wall. Ba? Kitty. Ba? Stairs.
The last thing she does everyday is look forward to bed. I swear... she hates naps but she loves to lay down in bed. Keira is so good at night when she isn't having night terrors...
Favorite toys - Books. Books and words and anything with a photo. Books, toy cars, puzzles and you should probably have more books. Oh... and playing with the clothes.
Least favorite toy - Most physical things.
Favorite food - Those little hotdoggie things from Gerber, peaches, grapes... and I think just most solid foods. She loves to eat like a big girl.
Least favorite food - Bottle. *insert bad words here* that girl hates her bottle, sippy cup or anything to serve liquids. Total fight most on occasions.
Words - Keira is sticking to "Ba" for now. She is holding firm on "Ba". "Ba" is mastered. She is picking up sign language rather nicely. She can say "more", "all done", "Puppy" and some wax-on-wax-off Karate Kid move that I haven't figured out.

How to sum up Keira? She is a cuddly, inquisitive, silly girl. I've always said that she'll be severly disappointed to learn that she is not an only child. She loves all eyes on her and is perfectly happy to meet anyone.
Most people remark that Keira is beautiful, but few people get to meet the book reader and pointer that we know and love.

Both of our girls are so different. Ying-Yang. They are both beautiful, intelligent and the center of my world. Their differences will become more dramatic as they get older. I hope that they learn to balance the strengths in their relationship and build a solid team. As sisters and twins, they'll be intwined in each other's lives forever. I'm sure it will be amazing once I get them to stop sticking their fingers in each other's mouths...

All about Ana

I thought I would create a few posts about each girl. It is not hard to notice that they're individuals... it is just hard to implement individualism in a house with young twins. Trust me.

Ana is hard core. I have a quote I tell people. Ana is always really happy... until she isn't. Ana spends most of her day quite content and full of laughter. If she becomes "Angry Ana" it is a bad scene with back arches and the most pitiful cry you've ever seen.

The first thing she does most mornings? Crawl to the bin with the stuffed animals and pull out two flat Gund-things that Marsha gave us and throws her face in them. All in all a nice way to start the day.
Last thing she does every day? As we walk up the stairs Ana runs her hands through my hair.
Favorite toys - Elmo chairs, any stuffed animal, doll house kitty thing, small face cloths and who can forget the lion?
Least favorite toy - Books.
Favorite food - Cheerios, grapes and most things with parmesan on them.
Least favorite food - Texmex and green beans.
Words - Meow ("Brow"), Light (LTTTT), Mommy (MIMIMIMIMI), Uh-oh, Bye-bye (bbbbbeeee)

How to sum up Ana? Hard core baby... or girl. She goes full speed ahead laughing and squealing. She has a look in her eye that makes you think you're missing the joke somehow.
Most people meet Ana and tell me that she is unlike any baby they've ever seen. It used to bother me a bit... Now? No way. You'll never meet anyone like her... not even her twin.

So, we're up and running?

I just got off the phone with Brad. "We're up and running?" He said this a few times. I think it has hit all of us... ANA IS WALKING. Not the meager 5-7 steps, fall, laugh.
No, right before bedtime she decided to walk all over the living room. She held a squeaky toy in one hand and a bib in the other and walked back and forth. She was really breathing hard and didn't want to stop for a bottle or rest.
Very Brad of her.
She didn't give up when she got tired. Didn't give up when she slammed her face into the Radio Flyer. Didn't give up when I pushed the bottle into her mouth.
She is up and running.

We're packing her sparkling new shoes for the zoo tomorrow.