We are 11 months old!!

Jack is now 20 pounds and 13 ounces and Claire is 18 pounds 3 ounces. Jack has two teeth on top and three on the bottom ( a little lop-sided, but cute). Claire still only has two on the bottom, but I have a feeling that there are some new ones on the horizon.

Claire was sick yesterday, so she got to have mommy-daughter day. We went to the grocery store together (boy is it different going to the store with only one baby...I don't have to bring the stroller or use two carts. Tons easier!!). Mainly, though, we just took a lot of naps because she wasn't feeling good. Jack had a mommy-son day not too long ago when he was sick, so they both have had the experience now. I wonder if they miss the other one when they aren't around...hmmmm...

Grandma Kisner is here this week, so we have all kinds of plans. I will try to update the blog with all of our adventures.

Santa was super generous!

Santa was really generous this year! The kids got tons of presents...they are set for years :) Really, though, they enjoyed Xmas a lot more than I expected. I thought they would just play with boxes and paper (well, they did play a lot with the rolls the paper came off of and the bows), but they did actually enjoy getting the toys and books as well. Jack's favorite toy so far is the Fisher Price Shopping Cart. He loves that thing. He puts everything he owns in it and then takes it all out and starts over again. He even gets jealous when Claire starts to play with it (and bullies her away from it). Claire is content playing with just about anything, but she likes the furry books that her Uncle Curt gave her (Fluffy Kitty and Puppy) the best. Here are a few pictures from Xmas eve.

He can do it! He can do it!

Finally, Jack has learned to feed himself!!! After coaxing and pleading with him to just put the puff in his mouth and stop carrying it around the house for hours, he started to do it yesterday! Now he can eat anything I put in front of him! He is a finger food eating champion! Yesterday when he did it for the first time, I started clapping (then Claire started clapping). It was adorable. Now if we could just get Claire to walk then we are in business.

Addicted to Puffs

Okay, so we have a problem. The babies have been sick these last few days (cold/cough/diarrhea), so maybe that is it, but I have a feeling that it may be more than that. Claire is addicted to Gerber Puffs. Many of you may not know what these are, so I have included a picture. They look like little star cereal pieces, and they have different flavors (she likes banana especially). They dissolve in your mouth, so they are great finger foods. Claire is very good with eating these (and all finger foods), but now she is on strike and won't eat anything else but puffs! The only way we can get her to is to sneak in other food with the puffs...

Jack, on the other hand, refuses to eat any finger foods unless we put it in his mouth for him. He can pick it up, but he won't put it in his mouth. Nick was trying to teach him what to do tonight, and he started screaming when we would try to guide his hand with the puff in it towards his mouth. I don't get it...the boy can walk but can't feed himself. I don't know what we are going to do with him when he has to be off jar food...

Steppin' Out

We have a walker! I think it is official. Jack Tom can walk. Four or five times today he took more than 5 steps ( a couple of times he took over 10 steps and walked half way across the room). Of course, we didn't get a video of it, and we probably should of....last time when Jack was learning to crawl, we missed the beginning of it because the next day he was "speed crawling." We are afraid that tomorrow he may be running (watch out!).

Funny, though, he still can't feed himself. If you put it in his mouth, he will chew, but he won't bring food to his mouth. Claire, on the other hand, gets mad if you put in her mouth. She wants to do it herself. She also can wave "bye bye" and loves to clap her hands. So Jack has the gross motor skills and Claire has the fine motor skills. If you add them up...almost a normal 10 month old baby :) Ha ha. No, they are both perfectly fine. See pictures above from their 10 month birthday.

Trip Pictures!

Here are a few pictures from our trip to Indiana (sorry so delayed...I was out of town this whole week as well). The twins met their great grandmother for the first time! But as you will see, the babies mainly slept (which is a good thing...I was really worried about the 15 hours in the car each way). Anyway, I also have to add some 10 month pictures too, but it will have to be later. I am too sleepy myself right now..

First Trip!

The twins went on their first trip this week to Indiana! We went on a 10 hour drive, and surprisingly, they did wonderful. There was probably a total of 5 minutes of crying the entire time. Most of the time they slept, but when they weren't sleeping, they just played quietly. WE were both shocked (and wondered if someone had switched out our kids on us or something). Unfortunately Claire had a little diarrhea problem, but other than that, things went smoothly. We had an interesting time at the hotel on the way there (had to walk in the cold quite a ways to get from the parking lot to the hotel and then the room was on the very top floor -- this woke up both kids and made it hard for them to get back to sleep). Pictures to follow...

We went to the park!

When it wasn't as cold (about 2 weeks ago), we went to the park in Belmont. One of my friends took pictures for me, and I just got the copies (so that is why this entry is a little late). Anyway, there was one of those infant swings there that Jack just loved (see pictures). Claire, on the other hand, wasn't as into it. She warmed up to it a little more at the end. I think Jack, though, could have been in that swing all day! He just kept laughing and smiling. When it warms up again, we will definitely have to go back!

And more from today

Pictures from yesterday...

Uh oh...I think we will have a walker soon!

Jack Tom is standing by himself quite a bit these days. He just started this week, and today he did it several times without even realizing he was. He was holding his toys and then wasn't holding onto anything else. It was kind of funny because when he realized he was standing by himself, he was scared and then his legs went to jelly and he plopped on his bottom. I think that he is going to get the hang of it soon, though (just like when he was crawling and pulling to stand). If only he could get the finger foods down. Claire Bear has really started eating foods...cheese, peas, carrots, and of course, Gerber puffs. She usually grabs a wad of whatever and stuffs it in her mouth, with several pieces going on her outfit and maybe one or two in her mouth. It is very cute though...but I know what I'm asking for for Xmas now (a mini wet-dry vac). Pictures to come tomorrow...sorry :)

Claire Bear can eat finger foods!

So Jack may be able to crawl, stand, cruise and almost walk, but Claire can scoop up food with her fingers! Ha! She has been picking up Gerber puffs, peas, pieces of cheese and putting them in her mouth for the last couple of days. When we put these things in Jack's mouth, he normally just spits them out. He hasn't figured out yet about the hand to mouth thing either...I guess he is too busy concentrating on learning to walk.

Above are some pictures from this weekend!

New Tricks!

Jack has learned to do this clicking with his mouth and Claire Bear has learned to imitate daddy for clapping her hands! So cute!! Last weigh-in Jack was 20 pounds 2 oz (he's a big boy now!) and Claire was 17 pounds 9 oz (growing but still petite). Here are their latest pictures including a picture of some of their "art work" from school (I think it is supposed to be a pumpkin, but I am n0t sure).

We are 9 months old!!

I will post more tomorrow (hopefully). I am exhausted after coming back from Chicago, and the babies have been a little under the weather recently (Claire has had diarrhea and Jack has had a cold).

They turned 9 months today, so I had to post a little something.

Clapping!

Both Jack and Claire have learned to clap recently. They both love it too...they start smiling and laughing when they realize that it was their hands that made the clapping sound. Claire has finally gotten her second tooth (so I don't have to worry she will just have the one fang anymore). Both are learning to walk with the walker we have around the house...see pics

More cute pictures!!

More cute pictures...


Don't forget to vote in cute baby contest :)



http://gastongazette.upickem.net/engine/Votes.aspx?PageType=VOTING&contestid=3591

Or if that doesn't work go to www.gastongazette.com and look for link to baby of the year contest. Go to "vote" and we on the 6th page of babies (at the bottom).