18 months old!

Erin and Halle are 18 months old today!  My babies are little girls now!

For Christmas, GG and Pop Pop gave the girls their very own chairs!  They have been so excited to climb all over them and have been having such a great time.  Since I'm fairly certain they would kill each other if I tried to stuff them into the blue chair again, we upgraded for this post!

I'm so happy to see them flourish and am amazed at how much they seem to know already.  They both enjoy each other so much.  The other night I was getting Erin ready for bed in her room and she kept whining "Ha-yee, Ha-yee ni ni" so I asked her if she wanted to say night night to Halle.  She got right up and started toward the door.  I took her in to see Halle, they gave each other a kiss and hug, then Erin was as happy as could be going to bed.  So. Freaking. Cute.

Cute kisses!

Their individual personalities have really become obvious over the last few months.  Erin continues to be a total goofball - totally hilarious but also completely unpredictable.  Halle is the sensitive cuddlebug, but she is learning to hold her own with two strongwilled sisters.

We've gotten into some fun routines and they both beginning to learn the rules of the house.  They understand "bum or knees" when we are at the table and they will sit down or be on their knees so we were able to get rid of the booster seats.  On bath nights, I take off their clothes downstairs while Todd gets the water running in the tub.  All three kids take their clothes to the washer while yelling "bath!" and run upstairs naked.  So cute.

A hug from Halle - and an attempt to get them both to fit in one chair...

Being twins has its definite advantages when looking for a playmate.  When Lia was this age, Sydney was her best friend.  Erin and Halle couldn't care less about Sydney because they have each other (plus Lia) to keep them entertained.  They all have started to play "games" together and most involve running the parade route in our house chasing each other, pushing strollers together, and hiding under blankets.  I've learned that having three of the main toys is extremely helpful.  Both Erin and Halle received baby strollers for Christmas and it has already alleviated the top fight between the three.

They both understand a TON of language and follow directions easily.  They have also perfected the passive resistance method of the "ragdoll" where they go totally limp if I'm taking them to do something they don't want to do.  Really annoying.

Erin:

• Has 6 teeth (four top, two bottom) and just started to cut her 7th.
• Talking, talking, talking.  She is saying many words but also babbles more than I remember Lia doing.  Erin will babble to herself or to someone else almost constantly and acts like you know what she is saying.  Many things she says we understand based on tone and inflection like "here you go" and "thank you."
• Can sing the Let It Go song from FROZEN.  All you hear is "hmm hmm GO!"  So funny.
• Likes to dance and will start bobbing to any music.
• Tentative in new situations and recently has become clingy when people visit our house - probably because she is afraid I'm going to leave.
• Total Mama's girl.
• Does things just to be funny - popping out of boxes, peeking around a corner, etc
• Has more facial expressions than anyone I've met.
• Her hair fits in a ponytail now!   Her hair is growing in evenly all over her head and in the back it is almost past her shoulders!
• Looks at a phone or tablet screen as if she is looking inside trying to find where that other Erin is hiding.
• Imitates facial expressions and people's movements.
• Likes to walk in between my legs in a circle - around and through, around and through when I'm cooking or prepping meals.  She's upgraded from just sitting on my feet....
• Wears her feelings on her sleeve - whatever is going on emotionally with Erin, you can see it.
• So, So, So LOUD - her voice is loud, her cry is loud, everything she does is LOUD
• Hates the swing.  If you ever get them mixed up, put them both on swings and see who freaks out - it will be Erin.
• Can do a front somersault.  She puts her head on the ground and creeps her feet up closer and closer to her face until she releases her neck and rolls right over.  She'll do this over and over again.
• Gets colds easier and stays sick longer than anyone else in the family.  The doc said she will likely have a humidifier in her room all winter.  Happily, it does seem to help her.  
• If she is sad or upset, she will have the biggest frown on her face and then will bust out crying with huge tears rolling down her cheeks.

Halle:

• Has 6 teeth (four top, two bottom) no sign of any more, but I know where to look now! (Since we found out they were identical, their teeth will erupt in the same pattern).
• Loves to play "Ready.... GO!" and will say "EEEE   GO!" along with us when going down the slide, etc.
• Can swing well on the big girl swing and holds on for dear life.  She throws the biggest fit you've ever seen when it is time to be done.  She LOVES it.
• Continues to struggle with constipation.  Miralax is a lifesaver.
• Poses for pictures and loves doing selfies.
• Says a few words - Halle, water, go, Daddy, Mama, ball  but is not as actively talkative as Erin is.  Halle seems to be on par with what Lia was doing at this age.
• Gets her feelings hurt if she is left out of something or if she feels forgotten.  
• Super sensitive, but doesn't really show it all the time.  This will be something to remember as she gets older!
• Loves to dance!  Spins in circles with her arms held out until she falls down, then giggles and does it again.
• Is always first in the bathtub and the last out.  She loves it.
• Touches foreheads with others as a sign of affection.
• Halle always signed more than Erin and probably knew about 15-20 signs at one point.  Now that verbal skills are picking up, she is dropping her signs.  
• Daring and brave when trying new things - loves to slide and climb.
• Hair fits in a ponytail!! Thank goodness too b/c she would NOT leave bows in her hair.
• Picks her nose.  A lot.  haha
• Halle is IN LOVE with her Uncle Bob-o.  Everytime he comes over she flirts with him and ends up spending the entire time on his lap.  They are buddies for sure.
• Has become more expressive lately with her opinion and will scream, yell or cry when Erin or Lia take things from her.  Usually this would be something I wouldn't like, but for Halle, I'm happy she is standing up for herself!