The magic of YOUR own children

so.. not to say that I don't think it's amazing when other people's kids do stuff.. don't take this as "i don't want to hear how great YOUR kids are"... ha

Over the years people have told me about the GREAT things their kids have done... like first steps and first words and all that jazz. I would respond w/ the normal.. wow, so cute/smart/talented etc. Of course I'M not as excited about it as the PARENT is, but you know it's neat. Well, now that MY OWN kids are doing these things... oh my God it's AMAZING! Now I get why parents tell of FIRSTS w/ such exuberance. How exciting is it the first time your kid smiles, laughs, walks, talks, signs etc!?

Jason and Lily are entering the explosive stage of development where they turn into little people right before your very eyes. There babyhood is quickly coming to an end as they approach their first birthdays. Here are some of the things they have recently started doing.

Walking: They both LOVE their walkers. Jason has been into it for quite some time while Lily seemed disinterested. She is now all over it. She gets so frustrated/mad when she pushes it against something and can't go any further or when Jason decides he is going to claim the walker - b/c after all it is HIS. Both have taken a few steps on their own before lunging at me. (Oh, better get that written in the baby book before I forget!)

Babbling: Oh my gosh these kids have A LOT to say! They babble babble babble... non-stop. It's so adorable to watch them make faces and expressions w/ hands as they 'talk'. They talk to each other all the time!!! Sometimes they screech (okay a lot of the time) at each other... mostly when one takes something from the other.

Games: The like to crawl around after each other and peek behind things.. LAUGHING in hysterics the whole time. Lily just found her belly button and likes to compare it to mommy's. They will both go get a hat or ball if you ask them for it. Lily has started taking things then handing them back and now they are both starting to put things back in instead of just taking them out - anything and everything. They love kisses and tickles, playing on the exercise ball and they both LOVE their daddy. When he comes home the screech and crawl super fast laughing toward the back door.

Signing: Lily has really got the sign for milk down. She uses it for milk, hi/bye and GIMME. She got really frustrated walking and sat down crying, it was close to nap time so I looked at her and asked if she was ready for milkies (nap time) and she signed milk w/ both hands just looking at me. (she stopped crying) My heart about melted. :) Jason also signs milk, but mostly just on the way up for milk/naps.

Emotion: The other day Noah and Xander were over and Noah was having a little melt down sitting and crying and Lily grabbed his pacifier and kept trying to hand it to him. (he wasn't really interested, but she kept trying) It was so cute I about cried. Jason still loves to snuggle and will snuggle pretty much anyone (I thought it was a mommy thing.. oh well) including Lily and his little friends that come over. Some friends appreciate it while others not so much.

Teeth: Lily still has just her two bottom teeth (though I think more are in the works) and Jason is cutting his first tooth right now. It has yet to make an appearance, but he has the big lump on the bottom indicating that it's coming...

They are growing up SO fast!