"I'm big, Mommy. I'm not little." - Chance

It's official. Chance has grown up. Last night, while putting him to bed, I must've called him "My little boy." He corrected me: "I'm big, Mommy. I'm not little." Sigh . . . where did my little baby boy go already?

At 2 yrs, 2 mos, he's definitely hit toddlerhood. We tried to go blueberry picking last week with our Mommy and Me group, and it was WAY TOO HOT at 10 am. Chance lagged behind, and when I said it was hot, he said, "Too hot, Mommy." He picked for a couple of minutes--click! an actual pic!--then dumped out the few he had in his bucket. Again, he picked for a minute or two, then dumped out his bucket--and promptly threw it. It landed near Mommy. He didn't yell, he didn't cry, in fact, he didn't really say much, but he definitely protested. Aunt Manda thinks he'll be the type of kid who holds his breath when he doesn't get his way . . . and might even pass out from it. Ha! :)

Mommy has been a little desperate to find healthy foods that the WHOLE family will eat. Lo and behold, today Chance ate one of these "healthy popsicles" I made with bananas, pineapple, and baby spinach leaves (and a little water with sugar and a touch of gelatin)! Yep, it's green, folks. He takes after his Daddy and doesn't like much, even making himself gag if he doesn't want to eat it.

His new favorite toy is this large dump truck from Target. We even took it to the beach at the beginning of June. There's Grace, sitting on a fallen palm tree, eating her lunch with Luna (our neighbor Mindy went with us and brought her dog). And there's Chance, driving his dump truck over the cool "bump" made by the tree, making driving sounds, putting sand in the back of it.

Couple o' VIDEOS of my ALL-BOY child. First one: he's flipping over a large plastic ball, landing on his back--on purpose. And he did it over and over again, thanks to Daddy's encouragement. Mommy didn't like it at first, but I realized that I'd better just join in with the fun . . . it's only gonna get worse, right?


Second one: When Daddy was out of town last week, he and Grace didn't want to go to sleep one night, so they ran around and laughed at each other, and--of course, Chance tackled Grace several times, as seen in this video.

Grace Spurt

Pic: Evelyn joined us for a playdate last Friday. Mommy had as much or more fun than the twins, I think. Thanks for coming, Laura and Evelyn!

Grace has had another "developmental spurt," as Mommy likes to call it. She's more self-entertaining, more verbal, more humorous than ever, which was quite wonderful during Chance's recent recovery from surgery (adnoids removed and ear tubes inserted on 6-11). As Chance clung to Mommy for a few days afterward (low-grade fever for about 2 days), Grace made up new games to play, helped Mommy, and generally had a blast with life.

At their 2-year check-ups on 4-15, the twins still measured in the bottom percentiles for their sizes, but they're still growing on the charts. Dr. Leonardi also commented that Grace's verbal abilities were those of a 3 1/2 yr old. Yes, we're proud parents, but do y'all know what it's like to have this itty-bitty 2-yr old talk in paragraphs to you? When we're in public, and she holds a lengthy conversation with a stranger, I watch that stranger's expression change from one of shock to surprise to delight. On the back porch, Grace recently said to her daddy, "I want to go inside. To see why Ruthie's barking. To see if she's okay. I'll come right back." She also bosses us around, "Mommy, come here right now. I don't want this paci. I want the blue one."

I remember that Grace sang the ABC song as early as last Nov.--at age 1 1/2--because at one of our Mom's club events (Barnes & Noble storytime on 11-5), one of the moms heard her and told another mom about it in a surprised voice. I didn't realize it was such an amazing feat, I guess.

Below are a couple more examples of Gracie's verbosity. The first video, in the highchair, was taken in January (21 mos old) at Grammy Sharon's house. At the end of the video, you can hear her sing the ABCs. (Please disregard my embarassing memory loss while singing "Twinkle Twinkle.")

This video was taken last Saturday at a birthday party (6-20). Grace sat on the floor and sang her ABCs while presents were being opened. She sang it a few times, prompting Daddy to call her "Rain Man."
When Chance was recovering from surgery, Daddy took Grace to run errands. They returned with an Ariel doll. Apparently, Gracie was intrigued by Ariel's "top," telling everyone in the store "She's got boobies" and then coming home to inform Mommy too. BTW, Daddy fixed her hair that morning--an 80s 'do, doncha think? She'll be wearing a Guns 'N' Roses t-shirt soon.And, not surpringly perhaps, Grace regularly picks up a telephone (play ones around the house, and sometimes Mommy's cell) and pretends to call someone. She holds a conversation that usually mimicks what she's heard Mommy say (and sometimes we actually call the person she requests). Most frequently, she "calls" Aunt Manda, as in this video. But the FUNNIEST part of the video is Chance declaring, "I squish him! I squish a bug!" Grace couldn't talk over that, and MOmmy had to stop the video so she could laugh.

Right before her 2nd birthday, Gracie also began calling me "Jenny" instead of Mommy. She'd heard her daddy call me that, so she began to do it too. Is it just me, or isn't that supposed to happen during adolescence?! But Grace also saw her parents' wedding picture, and when I asked her who the lady was, she said, "A princess." Awwwwwwww!!!!!!

You know, I just realized that I haven't posted the major change experienced by this Mommy of Twins. Right around the twins' 2nd birthdays, I caught myself thinking, We've got it made. For the first time since their birth, Mommy could grab a few minutes to do something other than intently oversee/interact with the twins. And as I watched them create their own games--by themselves or with each other--I began to see the beauty of having twins. I also love that we have BUILT-IN PLAYMATES at our house. I wouldn't wish that first year with twins on anyone, but now I think, We have arrived! Or perhaps I should say, We survived!

The Marcheses Visit

Memorial Day weekend 'n' the Marcheses. The Baums didn't make it out to Kiawah to see them 'cause of a nasty crud (swine flu?), but we had dinner with 'em down at Noisy Oyster on their last nite. Then delish pralines from Market Street Sweets afterward--thanks, Uncle Paul (see the tall, dark, and handsome fella carrying the bag in the pic below?)!
Shan stayed with us a couple of days after Kiawah, and we used our membership to the SC Aquarium. Grace pointed out the highlights. Shannon was extremely impressed.

A gift from Aunt Shan: two adorable sea turtles (Mommy's fav sea creature)!

Grace: "Pinch! Pinch! He pinched my toe!"

Mommy and Shan saw a Spoleto concert at the Cistern (CofC): Punch Brothers. Unique, talented music by folks of high caliber (Nickel Creek, etc.). It hopefully redeemed her from her prior faux pas of giving Shan and Paul the wrong location for the Spoleto play they saw a few nites before. (Did I mention we might have had the swine flu? A common symptom: brain sludge.)

Mommy recently videoed the twins sitting at the table "writing" with Momma. Chance sings a song that Mommy often sings, but I didn't realize that he knew it this well (or perhaps that I sang it that often!). It's my own version of the Barney song, y'all. And then Grace sings a part of one of her favorite songs, "Little Bunny Foo Foo" (is that how it's spelled?). Aren't they SOOOO TODDLER now? Mommy is already telling them not to grow up so she can hold them forever. :-)

Southern Eats: watermelon and corn, y'all!

How to eat a watermelon Chance-style:

1) Ask Dad to cut a slice that's almost as big as your head.

2) Put face into one of the slices on the picnic table, slurping fruit into mouth.

3) Cradle slice in the nook of your arm, as if it were a baby, and carry it around the backyard.

4) Regularly shove slice into face, hoping that more of the fruit makes it into your mouth.

5) Proceed to play as usual, eating as many slices as your stomach will take.

Our "Little Momma" Grace took her slice into the "new" playhouse and placed it into the "sink bowl" . . . then put the bowl onto "the grill." Ta da!

"Ahhhh, cooked JUST right!"

Chance horns in on Grace's game.

Daddy offers Chance another slice (his 3rd or 4th, we think).

BTW, Mommy bought the Kidkraft Interactive Outdoor Playhouse at a local outlet called Costless, who sells leftovers from Costco. This playhouse was a floor model, so it's not in perfect shape--the "phone" is missing, one of the wooden walls is cracked (we hope to glue it w/ Gorilla Glue), the handle to the door doesn't work--but it was WORTH $69.99! (The full price is about $350.00.) One side is a refreshment stand with a grill, another is a puppet theater with a clock whose hands work, another is a water/sand area (with tubs for each)! There's even a working doorbell.VIDEO of Daddy cutting up the first watermelon (seedless) of the summer. The twins also dug in to sweet corn-on-the-cob--YUM, y'all!

Mommy loves this video of Grace in her tap shoes (from a consignment store)--she's so demure and girly and sweet, though her brother tries to capture the camera with his own rendition of a tap dance.

The final 2-yr birthday celeb!

The Grands Boespflug gave the twins If You Give a Cat a Cupcake (to accompany the fabulous If You Give a Mouse a Cookie) and, after reading it, made cupcakes with the twins' for their final 2-yr birthday party.
In this pic: Grandma Barbara helps the twins mix food coloring into the frosting.

We sang "Happy Birthday" to our 2-yr-old wonder twins--the candles are cupcakes too.
Gracie and Grandma enjoy the 'cakes.

Strawberry pickin' at Charpia Farms. Do ya think Chance ate a few strawberries?! Afterward, Grandma and Mommy made homemade strawberry jam (oh my! yum!).

The twins attended their first official birthday party for Lucy (from Summerville Moms) who turned 3 on Sat., May 16. Daddy and Chance decorated a sugar cookie.
Chance "eats" cookie (FYI: the Grands are in the background).

Grandpa and Grace decorate her cookie.
Grace drew on the concrete with the chalk at the birthday party.

And, of course, the Grands read lots of books to the Baum Twins. Mommy just likes this pic of Grace: future yoga instructor.

Chance is ever-obsessed with splashing in puddles. Thanks to playing with his Daddy, he also loves to kick a ball, though it's usually a bigger one than a tennis ball as seen in this video (also at Lucy's b-day party).

The Mercedes of Wagons

The Grands (Boespflug) came to help out last week while Daddy was out of town. One afternoon, as Mommy turned the corner toward home (after editing at Atlanta Bread), she saw the twins with a brand-new, souped-up, Radio Flyer wagon. Four cupholders, fold-down seats, storage area in the back. Folks, it's the Mercedes-Benz of wagons. Chance was pulling Grace who sat inside--under the canopy, eating grapes. That's right. Eating grapes in the shade while her brother, the ever-active little boy, pulled her home from the playground. Well, the epitomizes our twins! Thank you for the fabulous wagon, Grandpa and Grandma!These pics came from the Grands' camera--at one point, Grace and Chance apparently BOTH pulled the wagon, though it couldn't have lasted long because they only passed about 5 houses in these few pics.

Jammin' in Berryland

It's strawberry season! Summerville's Charpia Farms has a fantastic crop this year (see pic), so we've picked twice already this May. Once with Alex, Chase, and Alex's mom; once with the grandparents Boespflug.

Jamberry is one of our favorite children's books. Chance particularly likes the train, "trainberry, trackberry, clickety-clackberry." The twins always consume a few of the berries they pick--yes, before paying (but usually after paranoid Mommy pours a bit of water over them to "wash" them). Hey, Mommy gives Charpia Farms a load of free word-of-mouth publicity, which more than makes up for the digested ones, right? Ahem . . . And, unfortunately, the only hat Mommy could find quickly for Chance was this camo one that Daddy bought last year . . . Don't ask.

A girl on a mission.

We also went to Boone Hall's strawberry festival where we bought some berries (the pick-your-own were already picked). Gracie rode the little train ALL BY HERSELF; Chance wouldn't go for it. She braved the ride without a smile and then burst into tears when Mommy picked her up after it was over. The cry didn't last long, though. Mommy praised her brave little girl.

Daddy and Grace eating at the festival.

Cute outfits from Grandma Boespflug!

At Wannamaker Park, Chance climbed and ran down this big hill over and over . . . and slept well at naptime! (Of course, by the time Mommy filmed it, he'd decided to investigate other children playing on the top of the hill--hence, Mommy's worried call.)

The first time we noticed Gracie really looking at her shadow (video is from Feb.)! Mommy wonders if she sees the shadow a bit differently because of her nystagmus--a potential issue for those with that condition. And around this same time, she panicked over shadows on the wall in her room at night too, telling us "no shadows" and prompting us to block light that made shadows on her walls or ceiling. Of course, it's too early to understand her vision fully. Hopefully, the fear of shadows is a normal "kid thing" that she'll grow out of. :)

Daddy Fun!

Our neighborhood association held a "Safety Fair" last Saturday where the twins tasted their first-ever snow cones (one of Daddy's favs). The chemical-free sunscreen made a ghostly glow on their faces; contrasted against the red dye on their lips, they looked like clowns. :-) Chance and Daddy wore matching jerseys--awww. A few days earlier, Daddy had taught the twins how to blow bubbles into Mommy's drink with a straw . . . and a few days before that, he'd moved the kiddie pool to the end of their slide so the twins could splash (see VIDEO below). And he taught Gracie a response to the Mother's Morning Out "bully" Gabin, also 2 yrs old: "I'm evil. I'll eat you." From what we could surmise after the next MMO, Gracie had said it to Gabin, and the teacher had told her "that's not nice." Ahhh, Daddys are FUN!
At the fair, the twins also explored the inside of a fire truck.

Our neighbor Mindy plays with the twins -- and they adore her. Here's an action shot of her jumping in their kiddie pool.
Video of "Daddy's fun park"

Video of the twins admiring the tractor at the strawberry picking farm.