So Fast

I love my neighborhood, I really do. Everyday I see someone who will stop and ask me how I'm doing, how the boys are doing. Everyone thinks that NYC is so huge and impersonal, but when you live here it's simply a lot of little neighborhoods stacked next door to each other. I see the same people over and over again because I don't leave my neighborhood that often. Everything I need is pretty much here and it's all walkable. I love it.

Lately, what strikes me the most is when I tell people how old the boys are (almost 14 months, gasp!) they usually say something like how fast it all goes. My, doesn't it though?

Three days ago on March 14, Grunter took his first steps!

Not to be outdone, the next night, March 15, Whoop Whoop decided Grunter was getting too much attention and took his first steps!

I'm so happy to have been there for all of it and Chicken was able to race out of the office/bedroom/nursery in time to catch Grunter in the act.

While I wouldn't say they are 'walking', they do like to practice quite a bit these days shakily standing up and maybe taking a step here or there before going back to speed crawling or knee walking.

Whoop Whoop's favorite thing is to act like he's going to walk and then crash with a big smile in my arms and give me a wide-open mouthed kiss and a hug. He has become quite the lover boy and is all Mommy's boy. I never thought my screaming, colicy baby would turn into the charmer who flirts with everyone and is quick to smile.

Grunter has a sly little smile and already likes to play tricks--like pretending he's going to give you something and then yanking his hand back and flashing a sly smile. Oh, he knows! But you have to work for a smile from him as he's more reserved and dubious of strangers.

When I take them on an outing or music class, it's almost always Grunter who will hang by my side while W2 crawls away to do his thing. I'm hoping once they start walking/running, this works in my favor as Grunter likes to keep me in his sight while W2 never even looks back most of the time. It could cut down on trying to run in two different directions!

Baby sign language seems to finally be working. We've been signing to them since 10 months...I think. Every now and then I thought someone might be signing 'more', but these last couple of weeks they are signing for 'more' 'all done' 'milk' and saddest of all...'eat'. Yes, I found that one out the hard way as the other day I didn't prepare their snack ahead of schedule and by the time I put Grunter in the high chair he was frantically signing "eat"! On one hand, so sad he was that hungry he had to tell me to feed him, but on the other hand--hey, it's working!

We're working on a lot of other signs, so we'll see how it goes.

They are both speaking a few words each, but nothing with frequency. They both say "mama" or "mommee" "hi" "bye" "hiya" and "head". Yes, "head" was their first word! I like to put things on their head and it's been a game for so long that it was the first body part to be identified (@11 months) and spoken. Funny.

Grunter also says "car" but only if he see it in a book, not a toy car or an actual car. W2 has said "ball".

They both say "cat" but one says "dat" and the other "gat".

Both boys 'moo' when they see pictures of a cow and Grunter says 'whoo' when he sees an owl.

Elephants are very popular and can be picked out on any page and also toys.

Their receptive language has been blowing my mind for quite some time now--starting around 11 months. I swear at the end of every day, we are in awe of their awesomeness and what they did that day to blow our minds all over again.

I can't believe how much they understand what we are saying. I say 'raise your arms' and they do it, I ask them to bring me something and they usually do.

They know "head", "ears", "feet", "toes", "belly", "hands", "tongue" and "face". They might know "eyes", not sure...

I often call them "noggin boppers" as they are always bumping each other and other things with their heads. Today, when I called Grunter a noggin bopper, he reached up and touched his head. Whoa. He knows his head is also his noggin. I'm telling you, kids are crazy smart. I had no idea how much fun they could be.

They are both big fans of books. We read to them throughout the day and always 3 bedtime stories. They are finally wanted to sit in my lap and pay more attention while we read, but even so, we rarely make it through the whole book before they are off into something else.

These days are full of 'oh oh oh' and pointing and wobbly steps. I remember someone blogging that 14 months was one of their best. As we approach this month...I can honestly say the same!

It's so much fun, but it IS going so fast!