Canada Winter

We had a little reprieve from winter weather recently, with temperature above freezing and snow banks going away. But alas, "Canada Winter", as Samuel called it today, is back. Yesterday he looked out the window and said "Nuves (clouds) take the snow back. I don't want snow on my minivan". If only wishing made it so!

Tales from Daycare

We've had a couple eventful weeks with Matthew and Renee starting daycare and my starting a new job.

Daycare is going well, and not to brag but I think my kids are favourites and the teachers have fallen in love. And who wouldn't? The kids and teachers are all smiles at drop off and pick up and when I've been able to visit at lunch.

But, we've already had a few "issues". Renee was sent home one day after 3 runny diapers which is standard practice. I had an important meeting, so Marc took the day off to be with Renee who, of course, was perfectly healthy all day. The big first here was that Matthew and Renee spent a day apart for the first time ever. Both seemed to do well.

We also had our first incident report. One child at the daycare, we'll call her "Renee", was so excited with the rattle in her hand that she got carried away and hit Matthew in the eye. Matthew received treatment of an ice pack and lots of TLC (direct quote from the incident report), but he still had a little red welt above his eye. At this age, we think it was accidental, but I'm sure it's only a sign of things to come.

Samuel is terrific. He's started getting mad at Marc and me for indignities like bedtime, nap time, clean-up, not throwing blocks etc. His favourite response to us when we ask him to do something he doesn't want to do is to firmly say "Daddy/Mommy, you're not my friend". Thankfully, he's fickle and we tend to get back into the friendship book pretty quickly. He loves pretending that we're on planes, trains and boats. Today he made a tower of blocks, together with Plop Plop and Ding Dong, that was taller than him.

The kids have reached an age where we can all sit down together and play, and it's lovely.

As for me, I'm enjoying being back at work, but still trying to figure out how all the parts of my life will fit together. It's only been two weeks though so I'm sure it will come together, and fall apart again, soon.

7 Months!

Dear Matthew and Renee,

You are 7 months old! And Renee you celebrated by tasting your first chocolate (that's what happens when you turn your back on a generous and three year old with a chocolate popsicle and a seven month old who puts everything in her mouth!)

Renee, sitting has changed your world. You can sit forever (OK, about 45 minutes) as long as you have a few objects to handle. You have fantastic fine motor skills and have even started to clap. You are a determined and independent little girl. At mealtime, you insist on holing your own spoon and let out irate cries if you don't get your way. When you stayed with Daddy on Saturday, you insisted on trying to hold your bottle yourself and showed great distaste for Daddy's hand when it had the nerve of trying to help you hold the bottle, despite the fact you you couldn't hold on to the bottle by yourself. You remain constantly active and observant of everything around you. You've started smiling more frequently and for longer periods. You love stroking my face and grabbing my glasses. You hate taking medicine, not sure if it's the taste or indignation that someone else is putting something in your mouth and that I don't let you handle the bottle and spoon/syringe.

Matthew, you continue to be your happy, smiley self. You love looking out the window and at plants. You also love being held at a higher altitude, e.g. standing vs, sitting, or sitting on a counter or dresser (with an adult right there, of course). You have your first tooth. You've discovered that you can get to an object that's out of reach while you're seated by tipping forward and pushing your legs behind you. You love, love, love eating. You can't get enough food be it from a spoon or from me. You dive for my breast all the time and have given me hickeys on my arms, face, chest, etc.

You reached another very significant miles stone today by starting day care full-time. You both got rave reviews from your care givers, and seemed quite happy when I dropped you off, visited you at lunch and picked you up.

The interaction between you continues to fascinate me - you talk to each other and laugh together all the time. The other night I was giving you raspberries and you found it equally hilarious to receive the raspberry and to watch your sibling get one.

I love having both of you together! it really is great fun to have twins.

XOXO

Mami

Bath Time
(another great way to see their different personalities)

Renee can't stop moving - she started the bath facing sideways!

And Matthew just sits back and chills

Post bath with Tocayo and Regi