17 months

I am still in awe of how far my girls have come on the 13^th of every month. Today marks 17 months since they decided to come so early. Life with two toddlers is a balancing act- literally. Are you giving them each the same amount of attention? Are you reacting to ones cries more than the other? Did you tell them both you love them equal times in a day? Not to mention the literal balancing act of holding two wriggling toddlers on your hips when they are feeling extra clingy. Being a mom of multiples, I need to work on balancing my mom time with me time. It’s even more challenging to squeeze in some me time when I start working as soon as the kiddos go to sleep and then go right to sleep after. So yes. Balance is a constant struggle.

17 months has brought with it a clingy stage. The past few days I have not been able to even walk across the room without someone (usually Isabelle) going into utter hysterics. She has to physically be attached to me, preferably in my arms or lap all. day. long.  It makes for a long day when they are both needing so much physical connection and when they have to share my lap…watch out! There has been pushing and shoving to be the only little lady in the lap. That’s new too. The pushing or pulling one sister off of whatever the other wants to be on. It’s usually Isabelle doing that too but Olivia has gotten in her fair share of shoves. Olivia has also found her yell. I get it when her sister steals a toy or book that she was playing with but now she will steal something from sister and when Isabelle takes it back—the screaming! She was such a sweet little peanut that we never let Isabelle take things from her and I think she counts on that now. Smarty pants! So personalities and sass are definitely showing this month. What’s killing me is the constant attachment. I sit with them all day, reading books and they hardly ever touch their toys or play independently. Is this a stage? I can’t wait to watch them play together or let me cook dinner. They do like to climb! Into laundry baskets, toy bins, kitchen pots…over the arms of couches and up onto the back of said couch to watch for Daddy out the window. They are fearless. I was able to put a bean bag on one side should they fall off but they would walk off the edge of anything without a second thought. Luckily they haven’t mastered getting up onto the couch on their own but I think those days are numbered.

So where are my busy toddlers this month? They are chatting up a storm! I love listening to their little voices babbling a mix of real words and toddler talk.

Mama, Dada, Cat, dog, owl, bear, baby,  ba (lamb), meow, rawr, more, ba (cup), all done, uh oh,  Minnie, hello, book- (Olivia says “but” Belles says “bup”), boot, toes, noes, ear, eye, up… and my favorite is “I love you!”

Isabelle calls Olivia Yaya which is adorable! She also started saying poop and telling me when she has gone.

Biggest development is the word NO. Oh boy do they know how to use no. Isabelle uses it to push limits. When she is doing something she knows I tell her no for…she will do it, look at me, wag her finger and say no with a sparkle in her mischievous eye. She will play with the word no. While riding her rocking bunny she will say “all done” we will then start helping her off and she will say no and slide back up. This will go on for minutes before you either pull her off or ignore her a few times.

Olivia uses no very forcefully. If you try to give her something that she doesn’t want she will say no and push your hand away. If she is really not happy with you she will flail while crying “no, no, no”. Oh the dramatics!

Sleep…I am getting sleep! Finally! I feel more human with sleep. I feel more like myself with sleep. I can handle two fresh toddlers with lots and lots of sleep.(and coffee)  I can’t wait for tax season to be over so that I can enjoy these new free hours at night and then go to sleep!!   Because I refuse to jinx myself again that is all I will say on the matter.

We have learned that Belles needs her routine. Mess with her routine and we have a squirmy kiddo in bed with us for the night. On nights where Hubby and I go out and she goes to bed late she is in bed with us. When the time changes…she is in bed with us.  If we stick to our routine, she sleeps just fine. So don’t mess with our routine!

It goes like this:

Dinner 5:30

Bath (every other night) 6:15 then they run around in just a hooded towel until 6:45

Jammies 6:50

Small sippy cup pf milk with dim lights in the living room:7:00

Brush teeth and Quiet snuggles until 7:30

Into cribs with their required stuffed animals (Isabelle has baby doll and owl, Olivia has bunny and cat)

We read a quick story or prayer, sing 2 songs, turn on their lullabies and off they go to dream land.

Meal times:

Both girls feel like they are gaining weight but I won’t know what they are up to until their 18 month appointment. They eat a good sized breakfast- usually a waffle  or omelet and fruit and lunch  PBJ, grilled cheese, yogurt with crackers etc…but often don’t eat much for dinner.  Their favorite food is Pizza and they are no longer obsessed with bananas. They do not like vegetables. Both girls are starting to eat with sporks or spoons. It’s messy and I am not sure they get much in their mouths but they often demand a spoon and refuse to use their fingers. I am struggling to get them to drink water. They only want milk. I would like to just give them milk at meals and water in between but they refuse the cup unless it looks like milk. I have to put just enough milk in to make it cloudy. They both are loving pouches. Their favorite is applesauce or yogurt. They ask for apple all day long.

The only other issue is Isabelle and pooping. It has always been an issue for her. I think she got my stomach issues poor girl. I thought going off of the soy would help but there are days where she will try for quite a while, screaming and struggling. It’s horrible. She needs me to pick her up and rub her back as she gets it out. Not to give TMI but they are huge and so hard! I am afraid something is going to tear trying to get it out. She is taking culturelle daily which used to do the trick. I have started giving her peaches for breakfast every single day and that kind of helps I think. But it is still a struggle and I hate that it hurts her. Anybody have any tips and tricks for this one?

Finally…the girls love Minnie Mouse. It’s adorable. They got a singing, Dancing Minnie for Christmas  and love to dance along with her. They glance at MickeyMouse Clubhouse when I have it on and yell, “Minnie!!!” when they see Mickey because he is dressed like their doll. In the show, Minnie is in pink rather than the red and white so they don’t make the connection. I see some Minnie related Easter Basket items in their future!!

Onto month 18! How will my peanuts be a year and a half next month? Time is flying!