18 months

On July 2, our boys turned a year and a half!  They are getting to be so much fun and their little personalities are starting to shine through.  They really are pure joys to us and we have been incredibly blessed to be their parents!

Both

-They are using their words so much these days!  I taught them a few signs around 12 months, and they sometimes still sign, but they are attempting more and more words.  For example, they don't sign "please" anymore, but say "peeeees".  Yet they still sign "thank you" and "sorry" and don't really attempt to say those yet.  They can ask for things by name, like "T" are "choo choo" are two favorite shows (Timmy Time and Thomas); "cheeeeeese"; Sam says "water" and Ethan says "wa-ee"; they like to ask to play Daddy's "tar" (guitar); Ethan asks for a "cooook-ee" (cookie)... and if they can't communicate what they want, they will go show you.  They can also imitate animal sounds now too.  They can imitate snake, bird, duck, elephant, dog, cat, cow, horse, fish... and I think that's it.  My dad asked them animal noises the other night and I was surprised they new some of them!  So they may know more and I haven't discovered it yet.

-Their gross motor skills are coming along well.  They walk VERY quickly, but still haven't busted out running yet.  They like to wrestle (Ethan mostly likes to attack Samuel).  They love to throw things, especially rocks ("raaaa").  

-Their fine motor skills are coming along too.  They love to "read" and they have started putting the rings on one of their toys in the correct order!  And they've started stacking things, though they still prefer knocking down the towers I make.  =)

-They are starting to show an interest and concern for each other.  This is one of the biggest blessings with twins!!  They often give each other hugs and kisses and bring the other a toy when he is sad (especially on the changing table).  One will hop on their toy car and the other will come up and start pushing.  When one is not around, they question it by saying "brudder?"  When you ask where Sam is, they both point to the other boy; and when you ask where Ethan is, they again point to the other boy.  I'm not sure they've totally grasped that they are indeed two SEPARATE people, not one unit together.  

-They are getting really good at obeying too.  They can follow me like little ducklings.  They can clean-up when I ask them too.  They can bring me things or come to me or say/sign "sorry" when they do something wrong.  However, though they are really good kids, they aren't always good.  So, they get time-outs in their crib (with blankets, binkies, and stuffed animals removed), flicks on the hand or mouth, an occasional swat to the padded behind, and for minor offenses, they just have to say sorry (a sign I made up with the open hand on the cheek since the real sign for 'sorry' looks a lot like the sign for 'please').  They are responding pretty well, especially Ethan with time-outs.  He HATES them, even though he's only in there 60 seconds!  

-Food is a gamble these days.  Samuel will still pretty much try anything we give him, but not Ethan.  We sometimes have to force stuff into Ethan's mouth, and then he's like, "Oh.  That is good.  Ok.  I'll eat it now."  But, we've learned the fine art of bargaining ("If you eat one bite of chicken, I'll give you some watermelon").  It seems to work well with Ethan.  And if he still doesn't like something after one bite, we don't force it anymore.  We just want him to TRY it.  They are eating better now that we are home and not eating 2 meals a day in a university cafeteria with 700 students.  That was nuts.  We basically just fed them pizza once a day because they refused to eat much of anything else and it's not like we can discipline them very well in an environment where you have to yell just to have a conversation.  If I would let them, they would live off of fruit (any kind) and cheese.

-Their favorite things right now are choo-choo's (trains), rocks, balls, cars, baths, and fish.

18 month stats:

Samuel

31 1/2 inches tall...almost tall enough to ride some rides at Disneyland! 

24 lbs

Ethan

31 inches tall

23 lbs

(these were taken last minute)

S, "hmmmm... not sure about this Mom"

E attempts to put his arm around S, whilst getting distracted by something.

And the hugging is done.

Ethan William

This boy is so coordinated and not afraid of anything!  He plunges right into things and tries them out.  He'd have fallen in LOTS of pools if not for watchful eyes; he goes up and down stairs and if he can't do it easily, he tries it over and over until he can do it; he absolutely LOVES any form of water to play in; he LOVES to throw rocks and be outside; and he LOVES to scream!  He has this high-pitched, ear-piercing scream when he is excited or angry.  He is attempting to say words and often copies his brother's words.  He is very curious about life.  And though he is a rough and tumble boy, he has a soft and sweet side to him.  He obeys VERY well when asked to do something and he loves to cuddle.  His smiles melt our hearts!  We love you Ethan!

Samuel John

Samuel is a talker and loves to sit back and watch before he joins in the activity (he's often fearful at first).  But once he does, boy, this kid is a ham!  He gets such a kick out of entertaining people and making others laugh and being the center of attention.  He loves to go around the corner and pop out when we say, "Where's Sam?"  Then he just giggles and giggles and sometimes bullets himself into your awaiting arms.  When he gets tired, he gets super silly and giggly (like his mother).  It makes for some fun evenings!  Unlike his brother, he tends to be a bit klutzy.  He often gets hurt and usually has a bruise or scrape.  He is also a hoarder.  He likes to hold onto things for security: a cookie piece, his water, a rock....  He constantly makes us laugh.  We love you Samuel!