What We've Been Up To

I keep sitting down to write a blog post but I always either get distracted or start but never finish. I've been thinking about the direction I want to take the blog in. This started off as a way to keep people updated while I was in college. Then it focused on style files. And then pregnancy and the girls.  I want to focus on a few different topics, not just on the girls, but on our family life as a whole. I don't know what that's going to look like just yet.

I took these pictures on Sunday when we went to the park! It was 65 degrees out and absolutely beautiful. We've basically been sick with various things since Christmas, so it was nice to get out and do something. All of us, except Amelia, got a stomach bug a couple of weeks ago. Brad and I were sick at the same time and it was overall an unpleasant experience and not one I want to repeat any time soon. Then this last weekend Eleanor came down with pink eye (which is alive and kicking in these pictures if you look closely) and now both girls are sick with a cold. I guess this is what happens when you have small kids! Ha!

At their 15 month appointment, the Pediatrician referred us to speech therapy because both girls still had zero words, not even Mama or Dada. Speech delays are quite common with twins. After the evaluations it was evident that both of them had quite a few emerging skills but were still somewhat behind where they should be in regard to expressive communication. The evaluation happened in mid January and we just got in for actual speech therapy for the first time last week. Between the evaluation and the actual therapy appointment, Eleanor started saying "ball", "uh-oh", "baby", and "Hi". She also started using signs for "more" (which really means that she wants food), "eat", "milk" (which she had been using for quite some time), and "all done". Amelia picked up signs in the last couple of weeks. She does her own version of "eat", "more", "all done", and will make the sign for milk if I ask her if she wants a cup of milk. Both girls are showing progress and for right now, no one is concerned that there is anything more to their delay other than just not talking.

Other than the speech issue, they are right on target for where they should be. Both girls are running around, climbing on things, and in general being full-fledged toddlers. We are entering the picky eating phase. Since Eleanor was sick with the tummy bug she pretty much refuses to eat anything other than toast, crackers, granola bar thingies from the baby food aisle, and apple sauce. I'm trying not to make food a battle and just offer her lots of options and let her eat what she wants to eat. I don't ever want food to be a battle because I don't want food to ever be an issue of any kind. Honestly, the parents always lose battles about food anyway, so I refuse to make it a battle. As an adult, I simply don't eat what I don't like and I find something else to eat that I do like. So the same goes for my kids. If she doesn't eat the dinner I offer, I try to offer her something she will eat even if that means she eats cheddar bunnies and a cheese stick for dinner.

As a family we are enjoying the fact that Brad is not studying anymore. We have time to do a lot more things as a family and as a couple. We've instituted weekly dates that happen after the girls go to bed. Most of the time it's no big deal; we just watch a show or play a board game. Once a month we try to do a more special evening where we cook a special meal and eat after the girls are sleeping. There is wine usually involved. For February, we are doing our night in on Valentine's day. I'm not entirely sure what I'm making for dinner, but we are definitely having from-scratch brownies as a special treat.

I've been training for my half! I've had to skip a few runs here and there due to illness (on my part or because I have sick kids). Overall though it's going well! This weekend I'm slated to run 9 miles. I'm down 40 lbs and thanks to that weight loss I can wear my wedding set again! I was so excited that I was able to comfortably wear it again. I missed it a lot! I haven't been able to wear it since half-way through my pregnancy.

I think that's all I have to update on. Between being sick a lot and the weather being bad we just haven't really gone out to do much. I'm looking forward to sick season to be done!