Okay, so I’m sure every mother at one time or another is amazed at their children. Yesterday was one of those days for me. I think they are all so stinkin’ cute, even though they each make me crazy at times.

Cole has started picking up the girls and carrying them. YIKES! Luckily I was nearby all 3 times he succeeded in carrying them yesterday. He is trying to be so helpful and he loves them so much. He kisses them all the time, lays by them, wants to “take” (hold) them, and calls them both “Brighton”. He almost flipped Brighton out of the jumper yesterday by pushing the front if it down. Taylor and I both gasped, yelled at Cole, and then started giggling once we realized she had stayed in and was fine – she didn’t even cry or act scared. He is so smart. He is speaking lots more and even more clearly, he sings the alphabet and head/shoulders/knees/toes, he can dribble and pass a soccer ball, hit a baseball, he is learning to catch balls, loves to draw (he does slashes, dots, and circles now in addition to the scribbles), and plays memory with me (we call it match). He is a budding photographer – he loves to get out the camera and take pictures. He got Tay’s camera out yesterday, took off the lens cap, steadied it on the bed, and took a well focused picture of me getting the girls ready (too bad I wasn’t dressed so I deleted it). He tells us make believe stories usually in his made up language, but it’s fun to hear him speaking fast and rolling his eyes to the side as he tells you his nonsense. He says his prayers at night too.

Hallie is into this goo/raspberry/bubble blowing phase. She still will smile at almost anyone that talks to her, but instead of talking – she makes this “goo” sound as she blows raspberries, and bubbles/drools all over the place. She puts everything in her mouth. She can roll over both ways (even in a carseat or bouncer), turn herself, pulls her head up to do sit ups, sits and stands with someone nearby, and looks like she is going to try to crawl at any moment. She’s still weighs (14 lbs) a pound heavier than Brighton, but she’s losing some of her chubby cheeks and double chin.

Brighton has learned to smack her lips and has found her little tongue. She is super smiley, and loves to talk and make all sorts of noises. She makes the worst screachy noises though. She has the strongest little stomach muscles as she is constantly trying to sit up from a laying position, even when she is strapped in her carseat. She too can sit and stand if you are close – she topples to the side without warning. She is getting good at rolling all over the floor. She’s 13 lbs now, but still as skinny as ever. Her hair is growing really well – we love the blonde fuzz!

A couple weeks ago I cut Coley’s binkie – when it was obvious that he didn’t need it anymore and wasn’t going to steal the twins’ binkies. We tried the “it’s broken, let’s throw it away” trick – with no luck. He still wanted to chew on it. So we let him have it when he asked for it at bedtime only. Then I started throwing any that I found away…. telling him I didn’t know where any were when he asked for one. He started saying “well, find it” – then he’d go looking under his bed, in the couch, etc. He’s now gone a whole week without one and is doing great. Although, there are times that Taylor and I wish we could stick one in his mouth (in church or when he’s throwing tantrums in public)… but that’s all par for the course – right? We now understand through experience the extent of the phrase “terrible two’s”. It’s a good thing he is so stinkin’ cute and is learning so much in between the tantrums, that I guess we’ll keep him!

The girls’ are on a schedule… eating every 4 hours during the day (6-10-2-6-10) and sleep 7-8 hours at night. When awake, they enjoy smiling and talking to mom/dad, sitting in their bumbo seats, lying on their backs kicking, batting at toys hanging from the activity gym, pulling their dresses up showing off their cute legs and tummies, tummy time, rolling over from their tummies to their back, and scooting themselves up (pushing with their feet – while lying on their back). This last little trick usually ends up with Hallie pushing herself right off the ottoman – little stinker – I can’t leave them alone for a second anymore. I got their ears pierced on 6/24. They were annoyed that I was holding their heads still, but they calmed down right after and have done great with the earrings. I’m so glad I pierced them before they know any different.

Yikes! My girls are rolling over from their tummies to their backs and they are only 2 months old. Coley rolled a week before he turned 3 months old… and I thought that was early. Brighton rolled over twice yesterday, Hallie once yesterday, and once today. If this is a preview of what’s coming… I’m in trouble! They are growing up so fast… Hallie weighs 11 lbs and Brighton weighs 10 lbs now. It feels like time passes faster with the girls than it did with just Coley, probably cuz we have more going on with 3 kids!

Coley has officially transitioned from occasionally noticing the twins to a self appointed teacher and assistant. When I put the activity gym over them with the toys hanging… he insists on making sure they notice the toys – physically turning their heads toward the toy saying “see toye”. While they were in their bumbo seats, he put the tray on it, put a cookie on the tray, and gave Hallie a taste of chocolate when I wasn’t looking. You ask, “how would I know” if I wasn’t looking, but the chocolate on her lips gave him away. Such a nice big brother to share his cookie! When they are in the bouncer, he shoves their binkies in their mouths, and bounces them… not always very softly. Unfortunately, his exuberance just makes more work for me to keep the girls safe from their very loving, well meaning big brother.

Here’s a couple pics of the girls loungin’ in their bouncer and in the boppy this morning. Hallie pushes up and holds her head up so well, and Brighton was smiling (I just couldn’t catch it on film).