the.betterleys.com

{ 20 months old }

James & Evelyn are now 20 months old. It makes me sad, mainly more thinking about that soon I might not ever get to say I have a ‘month old’ child. Instead, I’ll be saying “Oh, they’re 2″ or then soon after “2 1/2″. It was so hard putting on the calendar for December that they’ll be 2 1/2. James was sitting next to me and himself was quite shocked at the idea.

Last week, the 13th -Friday James jumped, like for real jumped. Two feet off the group and the same time, he looks like a little frog the way he does it. Bending his knees and hopping around that way. He tends to fall over after 3/4 jumps, but this is a milestone that is usually a marker for 24 months-as well as kicking a ball and man that boy has been doing that since like July or August!

Picked up potty chairs for the kids yesterday too, we got one at a rummage sale for $3 but Evelyn who actually asks to sit on it, can’t sit back far enough and if she did actually go on the potyy we’d have an issue. James, needed the boy attachment. So I got them each a new one, matching style, boy and girl colors. They like to play with them at the moment only.

After the hives James got it was difficult finding him something of a treat for Valentines day. He’s not a fan of chocolate really that much to begin with, so I doubt he’ll like what I did end up getting him. A yOrk peppermint patty (evelyn got a strawberry marshmallow heart but that was processed on a line with peanut items so James can’t have it)…. we’ll see.

Yesterday Grandpa Mitch & Grandma Pam came over and played with the kids, while Momma & Daddy went out with the Multiples Club, momma & daddy had a good time and felt nice to walk around without a little one attached to our hips and Grandma & Grandpa had a blast, Evelyn & James did too-they laughed and giggled and begged for cheese curds

The kids are well though, doing all the things that two toddlers would do. Starting to play more together and share (OK, sometimes). They discovered that the step stools can go to other places, and have taken to looking out the sliding patio door or going infront of the pantry and pulling out boxes. Hanging out watching me in the kitchen next to the counter. Throwing one over the baby gate to use in the family room

Evelyn is an absolute smarty pants. She wanted her milk/cup so I filled them both and gave her hers, and set James’ on the counter where I was working. She took a drink and ran off into the living room. A few moments later she’s back and pointing and grunting at James’. It took me a second to realize what she was doing-so I handed it to her and watched her go. James was looking out the window for Daddy all the while and she walked right up to him and handed him his cup! It was too cute. SHe’s just so smart and helpful.

James is mechanical and an inspector. He is always looking at things and figuring out how they do this, and what else he can do with it. Even with his food, unless he just got this from me, he’s very much investigative first, like with the cheese curds they had with Grandma last night- Pam said that he took out the cheese and gave it a good look first- then he touched it to his tounge and finally approved! He does this wth lots of things. Or the animal crackers he promptly rejected that were vanilla over the chocolate version.

I’ve been really busy lately with the multiples club, but that’s good. I like having a scheduled time away. James too has been busy! but with work more so!

There is a discussion going on around the house these days, so stay tuned for that - though not sure when.

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On an off note, if you read this blog, and look at the photos in Flickr, can you comment?

The only person I know to read this blog regularly and check Flickr is my Dad & Pam and I just want to know if the two sites are being used. Not that Dad & Pam aren’t enough, really, but I guess I’m really curious too! We pay for this website and for the flickr account, that I just am curious the ‘volume we get’ and justifying the cost.

SO, if you want so see James & Evelyn and hear about them - post a comment or email us if you rather.

Also, remember you can print photos from Flickr, this is one of the main reasons we went there. If you want the login, email us! It’s so easy, we have a login setup for family/friends and you just click on the photo you want after you’ve logged in ( and then all sizes, and then pick original - it will load that size) and then you can save them, at higher quality for printing.

Thanks!
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1 comment February 22nd, 2009

fun with the food allergy

What a morning.

Kiddos are eating breakfast, Daddy is giving them stuff in between his own breakfast. Both have colds, James worse off than Evelyn and so they aren’t eating the greatest. Daddy says if they eat their breakfast (a slice of toast with cashew butter and jelly and banana) they can have some gold fish crackers - sidenote, bot kids were so adorable the other day saying “Gold” as I handed them and said myself, goldfish crackers whilst shopping. More on that later.

Well Daddy did give them more crackers, they also got a oatmeal banana bread bar. They’ve had these before and love em’. I sit down with my breakfast to eat with the kids and see lil man has a red splotchy face. Oh no… what did it?

We know him to be allergic to peanuts and eggs though the eggs are a bit trickier as it’s pretty specific as to what triggers. Like just straight eggs does, or raw egg (mayo).

So he is rubbing his eyes and all of a sudden most his face goes red. So we take away the food, and wash him off, I hold him for a few minutes and get a peek at his face eventually and he’s covered in hives.

When we learnt of his allergy to peanuts and even the eggs. The response was a rash on his face, but not hives and it went away within 1-2 minutes. This got only worse. Daddy James heads to the store to get some benadryl. James’s lil tounge seems thicker and he’s extra snuggly.

Eventually he wants down to eat some goldfish. Daddy returns and we give him some medication. It does ZIP. Nothing, nadda.

Four hours later, we have lunch, and go down for a nap, he’s by this time about 1/3 covered in hives on his whole body. Poor lil man, we had to change him as he won’t stop itching them. He’s supposed to be napping now, but with the medications it seems to have lead to some hyperactivity (it warned this) and it took him about an hour 1/2 to fall asleep. Lets hope he sleeps a little while, he’s quite tired from the cold.

I think we might give him a oatmeal bath when he gets up. It’s supposed to help. Or/and I might pickup some lotion for him, though in reading it’s pretty specific the type that won’t work versus will for hives.

Onward to more fun things!

The kids are little explosions of words this week!
Both have started to say or attempt to say things like;
cow
circle
gold
pig
milk
sheep
square
triangle
flower
bird
butterfly
horse
fish

They are both really, really into puzzles at the moment too, EVelyn is like a puzzle pro. I got down one last night I was sure was too advanced for her, but both she and James worked together and got them all!

We got them some flash cards, for the ABCs and we have a puzzle with it too (we didn’t realize but think they are a little small at the moment for them anyhow). They like to do the number puzzle too, but the 9 and 6 give them little trouble sometimes.

It’s fun to see them really understanding us and doing things.

Evelyn is a helper! OMG, she loves to help. She’s a good listener too for things she can help with, like I’ll ask James to get his shoes or something, and before I know it, Evelyn will be getting them and James is taking them away from her

She also tattles, yes at 19 months, she does. She tells us when the door is open and shouldn’t be, and the gate isn’t closed, or the curtains need to be opened.

James likes to learn from afar and laugh and enjoy playing of others. He participates briefly but moves onto new things quickly. He’s very visual and likes to see how things come apart, and how they work. He LOVES the ball-he’d play with that all day. He likes Daddy to throw it up the stairs, and if it gets stuck at the main level he runs and hides when Daddy goes to throw it back down. He LOVES to dance, he has quite the groove/rythm too, he’s very good and dances according to the speed and tempos or whatever.

On a family note, we are VERY happy that James’ mom is doing well after her risky surgery. While we weren’t able to be there for the surgery in a physical sense we were vrey much there in heart. Plus side is Evelyn finally talked on the phone to Grandma! So hopefully that brighten her spirits. James on the other hand, wouldn’t talk. Stinker.

Ttyl!

Add comment February 1st, 2009