Some Recent Highlights

  

There are a lot of days I feel like I’m counting down the minutes until nap time, and then until Hib gets home. Okay, that’s most days. But not a day goes by I don’t thank God for the incredible blessing of being home with my girls. As crazy as our days tend to be, I’m trying to soak in every minute. I know how fast they go. Annie is almost a year old, and Libby is two and a half. And I’m asked almost everyday if they’re twins-and some days it feels like they’re twins.  They are certainly two peas in a pod. Libby does a pretty good job of asserting herself as the big sister (you know, by pulling Annie’s hair or biting her), but Annie is desperately trying to catch up. Some recent highlights…

The girls have their own secret language. They babble back and forth all day long. Looking at each other dead in the eyes while they chat. I’m convinced they're having real conversations. Libby is really working with Annie. Even at just two years old, she’s qualified because she’s had a lot of speech therapy. We’re constantly having her imitate our words and sounds. So you can just imagine Libby's delight when Annie imitates one of her words or sounds.  She looks at me with wide excited eyes, her mouth opens as if she’s in shock, and she breaks into a beam of satisfaction. She’s so proud of this baby sister of hers who’s picking up on things so quickly.

 

They always want to be with each other. This is how most of our mornings go. Annie finishes her breakfast, and I take her out of her highchair so she can go play. Libby is still eating. Libby watches Annie start to crawl away. Libby looks at me and says, aaaaaall done (she likes to drag out the all). I ask her if she’s sure (knowing she’s not finished, but she wants to go play with Annie) and she assures me she is. I start to take her tray away, she frantically picks up a piece of bacon in one hand, and a handful of cheerios in the other. I look at her without even asking the question, and she says to me again, aaaaaaall done. And off she goes to chase Annie, still hungry, but with enough of her breakfast in hands.

They are very empathetic. If one laughs the other one laughs. If one screams the other one screams. If one cries the other one cries. Libby loves Santa Claus. Always has. We went to see him again this year. She was so excited. This was Annie’s first encounter with Santa and, true to form, she wanted nothing to do with him. She started crying as soon as we put her in his lap. She wouldn’t even look at him. And Libby could totally understand. When Santa asked her what she wanted for Christmas she stuck out her bottom lip, too. Although, she did blow him a quick little kiss to say goodbye.

They are learning, not very well, how to share. Libby is happy to give a toy to Annie, and very quick to take it right back. Annie follows her lead. Libby, despite being on steroids, is very generous with her food. If Annie is out of cheerios, Libby is happy to add some of her own to Annie’s tray. In fact, if she’s eating, she is always willing to offer Annie a bite. Annie, on the other hand, is more of a taker when it comes to food. Whatever I give Libby is in Annie’s hands in a matter of seconds. I’m not sure if she’s supposed to eat Pringles. But she does. And she loves them. I’m pretty sure she’s not supposed to have cow’s milk until she’s one year old, but Libby has introduced her to that, too. 

                                                         (Not her cup)

Yes, Libby continues to teach her little sister everything she knows. She’s teaching her how to wave hi and bye, and clap, and give kisses. Annie has really taken to the kisses. Libby’s once one-sided kisses are now requited. And I’m telling you, there is nothing better than seeing these two lean into each other for a big smooch.