Birthdays and Playtime

It's hard to believe my babies are already 9 months old! Actually, as I'm writing this they are almost 9 1/2 months old. I've compiled some funny playtime pictures and stories to celebrate the occasion. It's the funny everyday stuff with twins that is the best. And I know it's those everyday things that the grandparents (and other family and friends too) miss the most with us being out of the country.

Birthdays have always been a big deal in my house growing up, thanks to my Mother. So I guess I've caught the bug and taken it to new ridiculous heights. I have tried to celebrate the big monthly birthday milestones with M&M...because I love to take pictures of them, love to dress them in cute clothes, and simply am a glutton-for-punishment.

This is the 4 month celebration. As you can see by their faces, they're loving every minute of it! Cupcakes and candles...not a big deal...they didn't even have to get out of their papasan-bouncy chairs. Andrew and I have always secretly wished we had adult-sized versions of these. But on this day, simply smiling for the camera was not on their agenda.

OK, we've advanced to 6 months now. I stepped it up a little with the cake and the "6" candles. They are wearing special outfits given to them by our best friends CAS and Christy and despite Mary Ellen still being on medicine for thrush (see "Gentian Violet" purple mouth), cooperating much better.

I got the cakes and candles at Wal-mart on one of my trips out by myself, thanks to my Mother. The checkout lady commented "Oh, you have twins." And thinking that she was psychic or that I now had twins somehow written on my forehead replied, "How did you know?". She mentions the TWO cakes and TWO number 6 candles, and my sleep-deprived brain finally catches up. Then I have to admit to her that, yes I'm a nerd and in fact, am celebrating my twins 6 MONTH birthday. She stares blankly back at me and I silently thank the Lord that I have a college degree and a husband that provides so aptly for us and I never have to work at Wal-mart! It's not crazy to celebrate 6 month birthdays...she's the crazy one. Again all the extra effort merely for a photo op, but we have the pictures forever. And no they did not eat the cake.

Finally, now we're at 9 Months. No big hoopla. Just a photo op (pictures, very important) in their cute rubber boots! My good friend Anne gave them these cute boots and I just had to put them on before M&M get too big. And considering we live in the desert now and get maybe one rain day per year, there wasn't going to be a foreseeable day to wear them to celebrate the rainy day. Ya know, this is another reason for my picture obsession. We have SO many dear friends and family that have given to these babies and a thank you note just doesn't seem like enough to let them know how much we appreciate their generosity. I want them to SEE how their gifts have been enjoyed and loved. Michael is displaying in this shot what Andrew and I affectionately call his "Grandpa". His smile is so sweet, unfortunately a lot of the time we get the "grandpa" instead.

And as I stated in another post...it eventually always goes in the mouth. Really praying for those teeth. I guess these rubber boots are too tempting. Notice it's Mary Ellen's he goes for.

I added this shot because Michael was in rare form this day. He just finished his favorite playtime activity, the Johnny-Jump-Up, which you'll see below. I also wanted to share the cute onesies that our friends Divot and Sharee gave them. Michael's looks like a little flight suit, complete with wings and a name patch that says THORNE and an actual ACC patch. Mary Ellen's has a picture of a pilot and says, "My Daddy My Hero" on it. So cute! Don't know where in the world they had them made, but it's just another example of our friends incredible generosity.
This was the first day we got the Johnny-Jump-Up in the mail. It took them each about 5 minutes to get the hang of it and start jumping like there's no tomorrow. They also loved watching each other jump.

Sheer bliss!

Mary Ellen loves to jump, but most of all, she loves to run. In circles that is. She is definitely going to be our runner. She will run in giant circles in the Johnny-Jump-Up until it makes us sick to watch her. Every once in a while she'll stop and look at us and laugh. She's probably seeing 6 of us because she's so dizzy. And now they both have learned that if they run and pull their legs up, it becomes a swing. Good thing we have this large opening to hang it in.

Now, the next favorite playtime activity is the giraffe that CAS and Christy gave them for Christmas. Michael is pulling up on things now and the giraffe is perfect for that. He can hold on and push the buttons on it's head which light up and make music.

Mary Ellen also loves the giraffe. I have to put her up on her knees because she can't get there on her own. But when the music plays she bounces up and down dancing. So funny to watch. Neither one has the dexterity yet to put the ball in the giraffe's mouth so it can go down the spiral. But they love to see me do it.

Andrew loves to double them up in their toys to see what they'll do. Most of the time they do something funny and it's always a great photo op. Mary Ellen loved to be in the Johnny-Jump-Up with Michael in front because he was doing all the work. Michael was getting squashed and eventually started yelling and Mary Ellen laughed.

OK, these next ones are purely for the Grandparents. They are so darn cute! We had to get CPR cards for M&M. They are similar to green-cards or visas. We all have them. It's something that is required for Americans who are living and working in country. They let us take the pictures and they turned out so cute.

Enough for now. Until next time....