Merry Christmas!

Today is December 25th.  Two years ago, we enjoyed Christmas breakfast with friends  came home relaxed, then went to bed not knowing that the next day we'd be new parents.  Tomorrow, Jenna and Rachel will be two.  Tonight at dinner, we taught them how to hold up two fingers and respond "TWO!!" when asked "how old are you?"  I know I've written it before, but I truly can't believe how fast the time has gone.  

Jenna's washing dishes at her kitchen

Playing with Slime!

A few days ago, we had some of Kenny's family here as they traveled to NY.  We exchanged presents and I realized that this was the first time the girls had opened presents since last year.  They quickly knew what to do and were so cute when they passed out the presents to everyone.  

Sorry it's blurry, they were busy passing out presents!

Saying Goodbye to Anne'

Even though they are both sick with terrible coughs and runny noses, we were still able to enjoy Christmas today.  This morning, they both went right to the biggest present and started tearing the paper.  It was fun to see them working together.  After opening presents, they explored and played with the new toys.  The favorite was the Fisher Price Wheelies Loops and Swoops Amusement park...a long name for a big toy!  We were disappointed though because it didn't come with 2 cars or 2 flags like the box said.  I'll try calling the company tomorrow and getting the missing pieces.  Still there was one car and two they already had worked fine.  Jenna and Rachel also loved the Fridge Phonics and played with that for a while.  The got some new phones, books, puzzles, Little People, and coloring books.    

Christmas!

Working to open a present

Rachel's new book!

Playing with the new Wheelies toy

Making cookies (actually tasting the dough)

Tomorrow my Mom and Dad will be coming and staying for a few days.  We'll have some friends over for a birthday dinner.  When you ask the girls "What does Birthday mean?"  They say, "Cake and Presents!!"  We'll definitely be taking more pictures tomorrow.  As for tonight, I will check on the girls on their last night as one-year-olds.  

What are they saying now??

Two weeks from today, I will have 2 two year olds.  I can't believe how quickly time flies!  I love looking back at old pictures and seeing how small they were.  Even last Christmas, they looked like babies and now they're definitely toddlers!  They are talking so much...really just to each other and to Mommy and Daddy.  They don't talk much around other people!

I wanted to write down some of the cute and funny things they say (not all are completely appropriate but funny anyway!) They are really beginning to talk in phrases and are starting to tell stories about things that have happened. 
Jenna calls herself "Nen-na" and calls Rachel "Ray-ray".  Rachel calls herself "Chay-chel" and calls Jenna "Che-na".  
At night: "Night, night Mommy.  I love you!"
When frustrated: "Mommy do-it!"
When flushing the toilet: "Bye bye poopy, I love you!" 
Trying to say Cranberry muffin: "Cran-booby mup-pin"
They're very polite and often use please.  They're starting to say Thank you too!  I love when they say "Up please" or "Shoes off please" 
Heard at naptime: "Lay down, Jenna" "Shhh, shhh" "Lie down Ray-ray."  Jenna is attached to her blankie and always makes usre she has her "Brown kitty, ba-ba."  I think blanket will always be ba-ba.  

Saying different names:
Mickey = "Mick-me"
Minnie = "Min-me"
Becky = "Beck-bee"
Monkey = "Monk-me"
Other names they love to say: Of course Mommy and Daddy, Aunt-Yan ra (Sandra) and Unc Steve!  Aunt Katie and Unc Tim!.  Amy, Oll-ver (Oliver) and Fe, fe- oh (Fiona). 

Both can count to 10 and think that it ends..."8, 9, 10, yay!"  They recognize both letters and sing a form of the ABC song.  Rachel's favorite song to sing is "Soft Kitty, Warm Kitty, little ball of fur.  Happy Kitty, Sleepy Kitty, purr, purr, purr."  Those that watch Big Bang Theory would smile at this!!  

Instead of just using nouns, both girls are using adjectives to describe things.  Mostly colors but sometimes sizes too.  They use color words often to tell me which cup or plate they want or which socks to wear.  It's so much fun to see them learning.  

Rachel is sorting pom poms by color.

A friend made slime for them to play with!

Halloween

I've been buying and selling on a Facebook page dedicated to Moms of Multiples.  I found a cat and mouse costume that were perfect for Jenna and Rachel.  We had plans to go to two Halloween parties but because of travel plans, we didn't make it.  I wanted to make sure they got to wear these costumes at least once.  Halloween night was SO cold but we dressed the girls in layers and visited about 5 or 6 neighbors.  They were so funny, walking right up and saying "Trick, treat!".  Kenny and I were cold so we headed home and then decided to go visit a friend where the girls got to wear their costumes for a little longer.  We had a fun night!

Our trip...Part 2

Thursday was kind of a "down day" for us.  We didn't plan to drive too far anywhere because we had been in the car so much!  We went to Eastview Mall in the morning.  I visited this mall so often as a teenager and then as a college student working at JCPenney.  It has changed so much in the past few years.  It really is a beautiful place and there is nothing like it around us back home. We felt a little out of our element when we are used to shopping at Target and Kohl's!  The girls still like riding in the double stroller so we wandered around for a while then headed home for lunch.  After their nap, we visited with some friends then decided to head to a nearby park.  It was almost 80 degrees!  Crazy weather for October in NY!  The park at great slides and climbers and of course 2 swings perfect for the girls.  

On Friday, we headed out to visit family.  We were meeting "Unc. Tim" for lunch but the weather was still nice so we went to another park for a little while before lunch.  We met Tim at DiBella's. DiBella's subs are delicious and something I miss from NY.  There are no subs like these around us in VA.  We went back to Katie and Tim's house and the girls napped in their cousin's room.  It was so nice to visit with everyone who came over.  After their nap, the girls and their cousins played outside in a HUGE pile of leaves.  This is the first time Jenna and Rachel had played in the leaves.  Our trees at home are too small to make a leave pile.  Homemade pizza, a movie, and visiting family made it a great day! 

Saturday afternoon was planned for Mom's side of the family and some friends to come over and visit and have desserts.  It's always so nice to being able to see so many people.  At times, I worry about the girls being a little overwhelmed, but they did great!  They loved seeing great-Aunts and Uncles and especially their Aunt Sandra and Uncle Steve again!!  

They LOVE their grandma and grandpa and had so much fun staying at their house.  My mom had some toys that were mine when I was little and it was cute seeing the girls play with these.  I get nervous thinking about a long road trip but they were good in the car (for the most part) and slept well in their pack-n-plays.  

Aunt Sandra teaching how to make picture on the glass door. 

Jenna loved the fridge letters

Rachel and Grandma

 We ended up driving straight home on Sunday instead of stopping and staying with family in PA because of the forcasted Hurricane Sandy.  We didn't want to be stuck in wind and rain.  That was a LONG drive back and like earlier in the week, the girls DID NOT sleep well in the car.  The 7 hour drive turned into 9 hours and I think they only slept for about 30 minutes.  We were happy were had bought a DVD player for the car!  

A rare moment when they were both sleeping in the car.

Because Kenny started a new job, we won't be traveling for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  It was nice to go to NY in the fall.  The drive was beautiful and the weather was pleasant. We were busy but it was so good to see so many people. 

Our trip up to Canada and New York

Kenny started a new job at Augusta Health in Fishersvilleon November 5.  His last day at UVA was October 19.  Because it will take a while to build up PTO, we decided to make a trip to NY in between the two jobs.  We left on Saturday, October 20th and drove a few hours to PA where we stayed for the night on our way to Tillsonburg, ON, Canada to visit Kenny's Grandma.  We stayed for a day and then headed to NY to visit my family.
I was so impressed with how the girls were in the car and how they were at Grandma D's house.  I brought a bag of toys but they were most impressed with a polar bear sculpture Grandma kept on an end table.  We got some cute pictures of them hugging and kissing the bear.

It was a long drive on Monday.  We would leave around naptime, hoping that Jenna and Rachel would sleep in the car but that really didn't happen.  Rachel never naps as long as Jenna and she would wake after 30-40 minutes and then wake up Jenna.  At least they were kept busy with books, toys, and movies.

On Tuesday, we visited the Strong Museum of Play in Rochester.  Kenny and I had gone to the Strong Museum when we were dating but had never been since it was renovated and made into a fantastic Children's Museum.  Tuesday was very rainy so it was the perfect day to go and spend the morning there.  They really enjoyed the Sesame Street exhibit and got to drive a taxi with Elmo in the backseat! We all loved the Wegman's grocery shopping.  Each girl got a cart, picked 5 items, got to scan them, get a receipt and then put their items back.  It was SO well done and they loved it!  We rode a train, a carousel, and then got some souvenirs from the gift shop before heading home.  They napped well that afternoon!

  

 Wednesday was a day we had set aside to visit my grandparents in Wolcott.  I loved seeing Jenna and Rachel playing with toys that my cousins and I had played with.  There were Fisher Price Little People, the school, big trucks, balls, and a little rocking chair.  I didn't even have to take out the toys that I brought.  While the girls napped, Grandma and I chatted.  I have always enjoyed talking with my Grandma!  Kenny went with Grandpa to the orchard to find any apples left on the trees.  When the girls woke up, we explored the yard and the apple boxes.  It was a beautiful fall day.  I'm so thankful to be able to spend time with my grandparents.  Jenna and Rachel were so happy and friendly with them and with other visitors who stopped by!

Rocking in the big chairs as Great-grandma looks on

They wanted to play in the mud puddle so I said "Keep your hands up!"

Catching up...Visits in October

October was a packed month.  Each weekend we had something planned!  During the second weekend, Sandra and Steve were here to visit.  Jenna and Rachel LOVE their Aunt "YaYa" and "Unc. Steve".  We had fun things planned.  On Friday we went to the Green Valley Book Fair.  I love going there and always leave with a basket full of books. 
 We went to a farm in Harrisonburg on Saturday.  They had animals to pet, a carousel  and a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch.  It was a cold day but sunny and we brought home some pumpkins.  

 The girls love Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton because we go often to feed the ducks.  On the weekends, there's a train and we hadn't been yet this year so we went on Sunday.  Sandra and Steve came with us last year when we rode the train. 

Each day they were, Sandra and Steve gave the girls a little present.  They got play food, cute dresses, coloring books with stickers and play dough. 

They also brought mini cupcakes for us to make.   We had fun making (and eating) the cupcakes.

The weekend went by way too fast.  Even though it's been about a month since they were here, Jenna and Rachel often talk about Aunt Sandra and Unc. Steve.  Because they drive a red car, if we are somewhere (anywhere!) and they see a red car, both girls will say "Red Car, Aunt Sandra, Unc. Steve!"  I even heard this from the backseat today on our way to the library.  Hopefully we'll be able to see them again soon!