We took the boys to the Pediatrician on Tuesday for their 18 month checkup.  For some reason it was more tears than usual at the doctors office as well as a fight over who got to sit on Daddy’s lap.  They only got one shot, Hep A, and were rewarded with a very sticky red lollipop.  Their first time ever having a lollipop.  Nothing too interesting to report from the doctor.  They are on track and healthy.  She did said that twins tend to talk much later than most kids because they see each other not talking and don’t feel the need… plus many twins develop their own language with each other.  The boys definitely are jigger-jabbering with each other a lot lately.

Similarities

• They both are starting to be curious about using spoons.  We’ll give them a spoon and a bowl full of something and they’ll try to eat off their spoon for a little bit.  Then they give up and use their hands.
• They’re in size 5 diapers still.  We did buy a toilet seat cover thing but when we put them on it to see what they thought they both started screaming bloody murder.
• We’ve been going to the Y to go swimming a lot lately.  They are pretty happy in the water but still cling to us as we float around.
• They love to swing on the swing in the backyard.  it’ so nice that the weather is finally getting warmer…. it was a long winter.
• Lots of teeth!  The both have their four little front bottom teeth and their four upper teeth.  Nathan has four big molars and Anthony has two.  It’s nice to know they can chew on their food.
• They LOVE to dance.  We’ll put on music and they will sway back and forth and spin in circles… it’s adorable.
• Naps are limited.  They still have a morning nap around 11 am for a couple hours but don’t really take an afternoon nap.  Sometimes one of them will be exhausted and we’ll get a short 2nd one in.
• They’ve been interacting with each other more.  They’ll always trying to play with the same toys or fighting over the same adult.
• They are both really smart.  If you ask them where one of their body parts is they’ll point to it and smile.  If you ask them to go get a toy they’ll go get it.  If you ask them to go get a book, and a specific book, they’ll hunt through the pile of books until they find the one you want.  They seem to understand most of what we tell them.
• Neither of the boys are really talking.  Sometimes we’ll hear a “doggie”, “duck”, “daddy”, “mama”, “dude”, but that’s about the extent of it and it’s very rare.
• They go up and down the stairs on their own.
• They love to splash around in the bathtub together.
• They both give hugs and kisses!!  This is my favorite part.  If you ask them to give you a kiss they come over wide mouthed, same with a hug.  Nathan typically turns his body so youre hugging his back but he’s still there for the snuggle.
• The boys typically go to bed around 7 or 7:30 pm and get up around 7.

Anthony

• Height: 32 3/4″ 70th percentile
• Weight: 25 lbs 45th percentile
• Head circumference: 48
• Favorite foods: he likes anything but isn’t as excited about meats.  He loves cottage cheese.
• Anthony is always the first one up in the morning.  He stays happy if he can get Nathan woken up and the two of them talk to each other.  But if Nathan ignores him and tries to sleep through it Anthony makes sure the whole house is up with him.
• Anthony loves to have fun but sometime he has a serious side to him like he’s busy and has work to do.  He’ll be pushing along his little lawn mower (thank you grandma and grandpa DeLuca) and just goes back and forth without a smile.  Then he get frustrated when he runs something over or it otherwise gets stuck.  He’s got things to do!
• Anthony tends to get frustrated easily and wants everyone to know about it.  Sometimes Steve and I joke that Anthony is 100% him.
• He was a little ham during this photo shoot.

 

 

 

Nathan

• Height: 31 ” 30th percentile
• Weight: 21 13/16 25th percentile
• Favorite foods: sausage, fish, blueberries, bananas
• Nathan is pretty funny when it comes to food.  He typically won’t eat the last of something.  He’ll point at the food and make you give him another one so he has at least two pieces.  The last piece he’ll carry around with him for a long time torturing Anthony.
• Nathan has been doing this thing lately that is super cute, he’ll climb up on chairs and just sit there like a grown up.  He sits up so straight and once he’s acknowledged he’s so proud of himself.
• Nathan is a little more sensitive and very independent.  He doesn’t like being told no.
• He is very much a daddy’s boy.  Nathan is his happiest when he’s sitting on daddy’s lap.  I couldn’t get pictures of him by himself because he’s always busy, but as soon as Daddy was there he was happy showing off his pearly whites.

 

 

Us

• Being parents is old hat to us by now.  Every day gets easier and easier.  Seeing a parent with one baby, and how easy it is, gives me a sense of pride… we did it! we survived two infants!  And as a reward we will only have to drive the kids to one baseball practice, one sleepover, one school… but we get the benefit of two beautiful and unique kids. Here’s hoping anyways…
• I have been travelling a lot recent for work.  And by a lot I’ve gone to two conferences and am actually writing this post while flying to Santa Clara for an awards dinner.  Steve has done amazing handling the boys on his own.