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February 23, 2006
Working with Uncle Chris
Daddy never lets Zofie play on the computer. Uncle Chris is much easier going that way.
Posted by Matthew at 11:29 AM
February 20, 2006
Butterflies and Dead Presidents
And now for a brief note about taking twins out by yourself:
For Father's Day Amy gave me a pass to the Nature Museum. We waited to buy it until it got cold and we have used the reciprocal agreement and the Museum of Science and Industry a few times. Today we have just returned from a couple hours at the Nature Museum. Fun, sort of.
So the Nature Musuem has many fun things, even for small girls like ours--a water area, butterflies, a special area just for kids and some taxidermy displays of owls, crows and bears.
BUT, it's President's Day (who knew?). I should have had a clue when the parking lot was free. And then again with the hoards of parents and grandparents and au pairs in the Museum. I did not know until I got home and saw something in the paper. It was really pretty annoying---in the area that says 7 and under, there were so many adults that you could hardly move (they were, ostensibly, watching the kids---but no child needs two parents and two grandparents to watch them go down a slide). Also there were older siblings "watching" their little sibs, but, naturally, a fifteen-year-old wants to climb with his/her three-year-old sib. Ugh. Could hardly move.
And Z just refuses to stay close. At one point she took off in the opposite direction that Maeta did and I felt like I had to choose which baby I was going to protect. So I end up deciding to go after Z, but with a hoard of parents, etc. I could not move as fast as the baby. It's not that I felt like the place was in any way unsafe---it was clearly all people with children, but I don't like my girlos out of sight or to feel like I have to knock women out of the way to get to my baby. So after the Z incident we got in the stroller and left. Don't get me wrong. Maeta was no angel. If we were walking and she wanted to go the other way, she just became a bag of skin and bones on the floor and I would have to choose between dragging this limp child or carrying her.
Anyway....I think they had fun (who can tell)...but I found it all a bit stressful. I suppose it was less stressful than letting them loose in a mall (yes, I admit, I have) and there was more for them to do and explore (great and largely interactive exhibits). So despite the stress, I think we will go again next week---I suppose the only way to teach them how to be babies in the city is to keep going out and impressing on them that they have to stay close. They both had dozy eyes in the car so I think they were tired afterwards.
The butterflies were great and it was by far the least stressful area. It was like a very small version of the Garfield Park Conservatory ... with butterflies.
Posted by Matthew at 11:46 AM
February 19, 2006
Tickle-tickle
Posted by Matthew at 1:58 PM
Pretty!
Posted by Matthew at 1:57 PM
Superhero
On Sundays, the girls get dressed with all but their dresses before breakfast (to prevent the dresses from getting slopped). They look like superheroes.
Posted by Matthew at 8:39 AM
February 12, 2006
A little taste
Posted by Matthew at 6:31 PM
February 9, 2006
Mommy's Valentine
Posted by Matthew at 9:33 AM
February 6, 2006
Still happy, still healthy, still tall
We went to the doctor today. Both girls are very healthy and the doctor expressed no concerns about their heath. This is the first time that I remember them trying to take blood pressure on the girls. The arm-cuff freaked Zofie out and her yelps of dismay made certain that the 8am staff at DCAM was wide awake.
Maeta 33 inches, 24 lb 2.75oz
Zofie 33.50 inches, 23 lb 2.75oz
We did not measure heads this time, I am sure this is because Zofie was so clearly opposed to the nurse's actions.
Maeta remains in the 95th percentile for height and 50th for weight
Zofie has moved up to the 99th percentile for height and remains in the 25th for weight. (Where is the height coming from? Could it just be the green bean topping on toast?)
Milestones:
Both girls have many words (Zofie has always spoken in sentences, we just do not understand them) and are running and playing. Animal sounds are becoming very distinct (Meow, for instance, is fully articulated).
Zofie can say Ls and Zs which is fun. She practices the Ls frequently, in trying to tell us that she wants her one of her favorite animals: Lion (the other is Monkey which she is still a ways from saying). Zofie has mastered the slide at Tot-lot and is physically quite coordinated. She refers to herself as Zo-Zo
Maeta's favorite animals are Kitty and Cake-o. Maeta is the stair-master. She can walk up and down stairs just like an adult---unaided (although she is extra-happy if she can hold your hand). In addition to Bye-Bye, Maeta often says "See you [later]". She also has the idiom "I see you" when she is peeking at you. These are both spoken very clearly. Maeta can occaisionally catch a thrown ball. Maeta is closer to saying a full "Zofie" than her sister; she refers to herself as My-My (pointing to her chest).
Posted by Matthew at 10:59 AM