The Monkeys....and Am I Royalty?

It's been awhile since my last update. Still spending lots of time indoors, due to the chilly weather. At least we are getting more day light - it's not getting dark until 6pm or so, which is a nice change from when it was dark at 4pm around Christmas time.

Hannah and Griff are doing well. I told Mike I don't remember Abby EVER acting like they do. They throw their food, they hit each other, grab each other's toys, scream about everything, are into every possible cabinet and drawer.... It's very loud in our house, all the time. I remember Abby being much more verbal at this point - we were able to communicate with each other much easier than I can with H&G. They aren't stringing words together yet, so sometimes it's hard to figure out what they want, and I know they get frustrated trying to get their points across. Neither one of them listens to me very well, and they seem to get great joy at running away from me when I ask them to do something. It's clear they understand me, as there have been occasions when they actually do do as I ask, but those times are few and far between. I'm starting to see just how easy a baby and toddler Abby was (and continues to be) - perhaps because there was only one of her. Whatever the reason, she was definitely easier than the monsters....I mean monkeys :-)

Abby is doing great. She is thoroughly enjoying swim class. I'm so proud of how well she is doing...she tries so hard. Kelly, her teacher, will ask her to try something new, and Abby will nod her head and say to her, "let's do it". Abby will tell me later that she was scared, but she pushed herself to do it anyway. She is swimming underwater now, and can hold her breath for 25 "quick" seconds. She also backfloats unbelievably well. She does it all on her own for about 20 seconds. She is also liking gymnastics more now. She has a new coach this session, and I think she likes her a bit better. I was going to pull her after this session ended, but she is telling me she wants to continue. We'll have to see.....I have her signed up for soccer starting in April (her friend Ella from school is doing it with her), and she is starting a theater class in a few weeks, too, so I don't know if I want her to do gymnastics on top of that and school.

We were watching a special on tv tonight about the Royal Family. Abby was completely into it -- marveling at the castle, princesses, the Queen, the "fanciness" of it all. Then, after about five minutes of silence, she says to me, "mama, am I royalty in our family?" Mike and I looked at each other, smiled, and told her yes.

That's all for now. Enjoy the pictures :-)

Some fun (and love!) on the teeter totter

Ok, I don't usually let them have their paci's outside their cribs....and this one isn't even Griff's - he stole it from Hannah's bedroom floor. But he looked so comical wearing one of my winter hats, that I had to get a picture.