An early 23 months

This is the last month that I can mention months when referring to the babies.  Nobody will want to hear they are 27 months, 31 months, etc.  And that makes me sad. I honestly don't know where the time has gone.  It takes my breath away to think that next month I will have two year olds! I have become quite nostalgic this month, looking at pictures from last Christmas.  They weren't walking yet, they were barely crawling...and they looked so little.  So much like babies.  I try hard to remember that time, but at times it seems so distant.  When I look at them now, it's hard to believe that they were ever immobile.  That we were ever concerned about their walking.  Because they are everywhere.
Beckett: you don't stop talking.  From the minute you wake up in the morning to the time your head hits the pillow, you are talking.  Whatever is on your mind, you speak it.  You don't internalize anything.  If we are walking and you see a truck, "big truck. wow. big truck. oh no truck" is said over and over again until something else interests you.  Your vocabulary is immense.  And your memory blows me away.  Sometimes I think I am raising a genius...but which mother doesn't?  Right now you are really into showing something.  For instance, if I give you something you have to go "show Blakey, show daddy, show Zoey."  You also are saying "hi" and waving anytime we enter a room.  And your sweet voice makes me laugh out loud.  You have been sick this month.  A cough, runny nose, watery eyes...and you refuse to take your medicine.  It takes both of us to hold you down and get it in your mouth.  Swallowing is a whole other issue.  Blake has been sick too and has required respiratory treatments.  So you will turn his nebulizer on and say, "Blakey treatment."  But if I ask you if you want a treatment, you vehemently shake your head no. You are so serious.  And your expressions are priceless.  You will use your eyebrows to enhance whatever you are trying to get across and I can't help but laugh. You love to cuddle, especially in the morning when I get you out of the crib.  You lay your head on my shoulder and we just stand there in the nursery.  You are a fairly good eater, except when you throw your food:( and we are quickly learning the repercussions of that.  This week at Mother's Day Out, you were bitten by another little boy.  And you couldn't get over it.  You wanted to show everybody that somebody "bit you."  You are fascinated with all things that are on wheels still. You are still very sensitive and get your feelings hurt easily.  Especially by Blakey.  If he takes something, you automatically say, "Blakey share," and then begin to cry.  You are a great sleeper and are finally getting better about waking up.  Like your daddy, you do not enjoy being awakened.  You have become frustrated with staying at home lately.  Whenever I pick you up you say, "go bye bye."  Also the way you say yes makes me laugh out loud.  It's just more of an affirmative grunt.  Almost as if it's too much effort to add the "s" to the end of the word.  You still adore Zoey and will become very angry if she doesn't follow your command. I wish I could capture everything you ever say on an audio tape.  Because I love love your voice.  You are such an independent headstrong little one.  Yet you really still love to be held.  And I certainly cater to that.  You will walk up to me, put your arms out, and say "hold you."  And I do, every time.  Because I know that one day, much too soon, that will end.  Your momma loves you Bucket! Blake: you have been busy. This month you finally came out of your mute shell. You had surgery on the 12th and the very next day...you began to speak. I was so nervous for your surgery. I questioned our decision a hundred times. But now, watching you, hearing you, I know we did the right thing. You were a rock star by the way. You never complained about not being able to eat before surgery. And afterwards you only whimpered because you wear so tired. You amazed me with your threshold for pain. Truly, one would never know you had surgery, you kept on smiling. And now you talk! It's amazing to hear your little voice. It still has the flat sound to it and you don't pronounce many sounds, but you are trying. You are finally repeating words!! And tonight you said up your first three word sentence,"sit down momma!" You are still in love with balls. So in love that if you spot one and I don't grab it for you, you scream. So, whether good or bad, I give in to you. You are such a sturdy little guy. You walk and run with such confidence. When you run, you swing your little arms Nd you have such a fierce look of determination on your face. You still love to eat but are a much pickier eater than your brother. You don't like fruit snacks?! How can that be? You are so funny....and you know you are funny. And you will work the room to make us laugh. This month we have been singing Christmas songs and you love them. All of a sudden, you will start singing Twinkle Twinke Christmas Star. Your sweet little voice makes my heart smile. You are such a patient baby, but lately you are voicing your opinion more. And you want me, a lot. You want to be carried everywhere. And from the moment I sit down, you want to be in my lap. If not in my lap, you want to push me down so that you can sit ON me;) You are so sweet in the mornings, all you want is to cuddle and watch Baby Einstein, you would sit with me for an hour, but your brother usually has other plans. Thisis the first month you are really standing up to your brother and fighting back. You used to let him take any toy for you...not anymore. Since your surgery you have become more confident. I feel as if I will be breaking up many brotherly battles in the near future;) You have been sick this month too. Yet you take both your medicine and your respiratory treatments like a champ. You have had a bad cough for two weeks, requiring us to give you nebukizer treatments daily. Your cough is worse at night...and so long after everybody else is asleep, your cough wakes me up and I stumble into the nursery, pick you up and give you a treatment. And you just let me rock you. And I wish that the moment would last...but I know it will pass so I whisper into your ear just how much I love you.