I know, I know...

I know I have been such a great blogger for so long and then completely dropped the ball these last two weeks.  Actually I think I lost the ball after I dropped it.  But I finally took some pictures and have some to share.  We really haven't been doing much.  I am teaching two online courses and am volunteering as a leader for a newborn twins support group (probably a dangerous thing for me, makes me want one).  I think I am so overwhelmed (as I say I want another kid) that the girls and I just hang out at the house when we have any time.  So today I decided we needed the to get out of the house.  Bellevue Square Mall opened up a new toddler play area a month or so ago, so I took them over the bridge to have a little playtime. 

Today the girls turned 16 months.  I can't believe it.  Two is just around the corner.  At 16 months they are little sponges.  They learn so quickly and it is so funny to watch.  They both love pretending to talk on the phone.  Emma got a hold of my phone this morning and called Nana to tell her stories.  I was in the kitchen and didn't even realize she had my phone until I heard it ring and she was standing in the corner of the living room with it.  Supposedly she pushed the right buttons and got Nana on the phone and was jibber jabbing away.  When I am on the phone Emma will walk around with her hand held up to her ear pretending to talk too. 

Madi loves the word "bye"  she says "bye" every time I hang up the phone, or she thinks someone is leaving. She says it so loudly and directly it is funny, and it is only "bye" not "bye-bye" or "ba-bye", just "BYE".  They aren't really signing any new signs but then again, I haven't tried teaching them any.  I taught Madi to say "quack quack" when I ask her what the ducky says, but it only lasted two days.  Today Madi learned how to pretend to sleep.  She was in the back seat and was rubbing her eyes.  When I asked her if she was tired, she closed her eyes and gave me a huge smile.  Then she would pop open her eyes with a look of surprise.  The I would say "sleepy Madi" and she would shut them again, again with a huge grin and POP them open once more.  We did this most of the way home as we sat in traffic.  She had me laughing out loud. 

They both love to read and to have me read to them.  My lap is becoming a battle field.  They fight over sitting with me and which books I am to read.  And then I get the pleasure of reading the same book 8 or 9 times in a row.  It is adorable and quite humorous.  I have a hard time not laughing at the girls when they fight.  It is pretty entertaining and I know I need to step in and help them work things out.  The are starting to really fight over mommy especially when they are tired.  I just keep telling them there is only one mommy and they have to take turns.  I don't think they get it. 

Their favorite time of day is probably bedtime.  Actually, they hate bedtime but love the few minutes before bedtime when daddy sits on the floor between their cribs and reads to them.  They listen to the stories while throwing every thing possible out of their cribs.  Blankets end up on daddy's head and you can hear the giggles throughout the house.  Then it is "high fives" (Chad taught them high-five) and kisses and he turns out the lights.  He is so good at putting them to bed.  It is hard when he is out of town, I just don't have the touch.  They scream their heads off until I come back in and then we get caught in an ugly cycle.