Jack Sprat and His Wife--well Jenna Sprat and her sister is more like it!

Oh, you have two girls-how great! That must be so easy-they can share everything! People say that ALL the time. Then they get to know our girls and comment at how vastly different they are. It's WONDERFUL!

Scott and I often chuckle at how incredibly different our two little ladies are. At just 18 short months difference in age, one would think that it's just a repeat of the last go round--oh contraire my good friends!

Take meal time for example, Jenna sits neatly at the table with her napkin on her lap, asks permission to get down from the table when finished eating and has NEVER once thrown or dropped a piece of food on the floor intentionally! She likes what she likes and doesn't appreciate us trying to introduce her to a different squeezable yogurt or macaroni and cheese-she revels in predictability and organziation. Maya, she's got quite an arm--she throws foods, drinks, plates, napkins, placemats. She has mastered getting into a one legged kneeling position while strapped into her chair and can sometimes even half stand up in her chair. Maya loves to try new foods-this morning she tried repeatedly to taste Mommy and Daddy's coffee. :) When sharing foods, it couldn't come easier-take a cup of fruit filled yogurt, Maya only want to the plain yogurt, while Jenna will happily request all of the fruit pieces.

Bathtime and Bedtime--Bathtime-Jenna screams throughout and insists on being all done the second she enters the tub. Maya repeatedly splashes, throws toys and sucks on shampoo bottles. Bedtime--Jenna takes a mere 30-45 minutes from bath completion to falling asleep. Maya, a short 20 minutes tops and she's out for the night. Jenna longs for opportunities to delay the inevitable, while Maya is known to be seen and heard walking around the house requesting "Night night!"

The car-Jenna, an easy going traveler, happy with her music, Mommy to listen to her stories about her babies and their imaginary lives. Maya on the otherhand, takes the time to practice her overhand throws of her lovie, yelling when she tosses it and no one can reach it and thoroughly enjoys emptying a snack cup or spitting out the water she drinks from her sippy cup.

Forget "baby proofiing." Ask Maya, what would you like to play with and there you have the danger zones... Climb up the stairs while no one is looking-check, throw non-bath toys into a full tub-yes please, dump out boxes of markers stomp on loaves of bread--done and done, dive into a freshly peed in potty-what fun what fun! Jenna, never once climbed a stair without permission until she was 2 years old! Enough said.

Our girls are SO different in so many ways, yet parts of them are the same--they are both filled with love, share wonderfully with each other and friends, shower us with hugs, kisses, smiles, laughter, are the happiest moments of our days and most of all bring Scott and I the most immesurable pride with ALL that they do. We are so lucky!

1 down, a lifetime to go! YAY!

So we survived the first year of having two daughters. Most say that is the hardest time-when they are the smallest and need the most support. We did it though!

We got past sleepless nights, feeding concerns, potty training, moving from Mommy and Daddy's room to a new room, moving from a crib to a bed, learning to sit up, learning to crawl, getting teeth, learning to our abc's, infant car seat to "big girl" car seat, learning to walk, eating solids, going to school, transitioning to a bottle, learning to run, learning to jump, spelling our name, brushing our teeth, dressing and undressing ourselves, doing a forward and backward roll, first words, signing, learning new words, tantrums, going to classes w/out Mommy or Daddy, how to kiss, first pairs of shoes, sitting in the shopping cart, walking the grocery store, watching as both girls walk ahead on their own... We've passed SO many HUGE milestones this year.

It's amazing to see how fast it just flies by. I always remember other parents saying that to me when I was a teacher, "It just goes by so fast!" I really never got it-until now. They are growing up so fast and so many times I just want to freeze life and savor those tender little moments. But again, in the blink of an eye, something new is upon us, something new to treasure, something new to revel in , something new. It's always something and it's FANTASTIC!

Visiting with Auntie Heidi, Uncle Dave and Cousin Lilah

Most people who know Jenna, even if they meet her in the grocery store for a quick minute, immediately know she LOVES babies. The real ones, the baby doll kind, the imaginary kind, you name it--she's a born care-giver. We joke that at the young age of 2 1/2 years old, she could likely babysit Maya or any other young child, if she just could lift the kid into the crib. :)

Needless to say, there is one real live baby that is her top favorite and NO ONE can compare! Cousin Baby Lilah. To Jenna, Baby Lilah is sort of like Oprah or Cher--she only requires one name to be known by--it just happens to be Baby Lilah. Just as Maya has "matured" into BIG MAYA from Baby Maya or Little Maya, Jenna is fully aware of the growth and maturation Lilah has undergone. She has watched with pride as Lilah has learned to nearly sit up independently, chiming in "Good work Lilah!" and gets such thrills out of Lilah sharing snacks with Jenna and Maya and eating at the dinner table with us when she, Auntie Heidi and Uncle Dave come over.

We feel so blessed to have our daughters grow up with a female cousin so close in age-and so incredibly sweet and precious. Our most recent visit to Barnes and Noble and to a sports bar for dinner-was a BLAST! Jenna couldn't wait to share all of the toys and books with Lilah she just knew were right for her-even "reading" to her! And as Maya raced around with various stuffed animals and books handing them to Uncle Dave over and over and over again, she shared a special uninterupted moment with Lilah as well. Maya kindly shared her Puffs with Lilah and a cuddle with Auntie Heidi.

They are such fun!

Halloween 2010

The festivities started nearly the Sunday before. The girls were asked to wear their costumes to dance class, music class, three or four different parties and also on Sunday 10/31 to go Trick or Treating.

One of the best parts about having two little kids is that neither of them had any real understanding-that we were aware of-as to what Halloween was all about. No awareness of ghosts, witches, goblins candy, or any of that.

We had lots of family here the afternoon of-we started out early, before dark and anyone else for that matter. We took the wagon and strolled up to a few neighbors houses, only actually ringing the bell of one friend's house. We also took part in some of the treats here at home. :)

After about 30 minutes of walking in the bitter bitter cold, Maya cried and asked to go eat and Jenna told us she was all done and ready to go home. What they did enjoy was dressing up and handing out candy to others who came to our house.

It wasn't a bad attempt--and they looked ADORABLE!!!!

One day when we weren't looking...

Maya started walking, well running actually!!!!!!!! She is a BUSY girl! Maya started taking steps around 10 months and just kept on going and going and going. My father, Maya's Sabba, volunteered to watch her one morning while I took Jenna to the dentist. As Jenna and I walked into the dentist's office, I heard my father yell, "WHOA, Maya, when did this happen?" He had seen her two weeks prior and was in awe of her mobility. She can take off!

Maya has shown her strengths to be with her motor skills. She can jump, she can palm a ball, she can run, kick a ball, frequently does forward rolls, and climb with the best of them. People who see her, often comment about how petite and sweet she is demeanor wise, but BOY can she hang with her sister and her buddies!

We are having a blast and getting quite the work out keeping up with Maya! :)

Candid Shots

My blogging has been slacking... Here are some adorable shots over the last "little while."

Bye Bye Bottles, Bye Bye Formula--HELLO Cups of Milk!

How is it that the transitions that cause parents the most anguish and the ones that we are uneasiest about are the ones that kids see as really no big deal?  

Maya turned one year old on 10/3/10 and as we contemplated switching her from bottles to cups and from soy formula to whole milk, Scott and I decided, it was best to get the "okay" from our pediatrician.  (Why?  No real reason, except, I am an adherer to the rules.)  After Maya's 1 year check up on 10/08, we got the go ahead and for dinner replaced Maya's last feeding with a yellow straw cup filled to the brim with organic whole milk.  I insisted on throwing all of her bottles away-as my impulsive nature there was no turning back, however, Scott, more practical saved the remainder of the soy formula in case Maya refused the milk so we'd have a back up plan.  (We really do make quite the team!)  :)

Cautiously, we watched--what would she do?  How would she react?  How would her tummy handle the change?  An in a split second, it was done.  She grabbed the cup, put the straw to her mouth and never looked back.  Maya has survived the BIG CHANGE--SO not a big deal to her-and seems truth be told, a bit happier.  Yet again, one of those moments that us parents see as our baby girl growing from an infant to a toddler and we worry that it is all happening WAY too fast!  

So there you have it, Maya is no longer "Little or Baby Maya" as I like to call her.  Jenna always remembers to correct me, she is now "Big Maya."  I just wish there was a way to slow their little worlds down...  It all goes by so fast!!!!

How in the world is it time?

How in the world is it time for Jenna to be starting school?  We talked about it coming for months and then poof-summer was over, fall had arrived and our little Jenna bear was heading off to school.  

Our goals for her for the summer, were met, without really any complications; switch her from her crib to her bed, check, toilet train her, check, prepare Jenna for the big transition of heading to preschool, sans Mommy, Daddy or Maya-check.  

Sadly and happily, I admit that our daughter is more resilient than I would have thought.  She survived the two transition mornings of school with a fair amount of tears and then almost like magic, on the first "REAL" day, she put on a little weeping to make Mommy feel as though she was sad to take the big leap and then just as Jenna and Mommy did their secret goodbye wave at the window-her tears went away...  (Though someone else's started and it wasn't Maya!)  :)  

Jenna and AVA MISS BABY--Jenna's baby doll friend who has the opportunity to accompany Jenna to preschool-had a BLAST!  They helped make muffins, played in the sandbox, Jenna pushed Ava in the swing on the playground and ate a snack of crackers, apples and muffins.  

As the three hours were nearing completion, Mommy and Maya raced over to pick Jenna up (Mommy arriving 30 minutes early--a little eager to see how things were going, but resisted and stayed in the car until noon.)    When Jenna emerged from the classroom, she truthfully looked older, more grown up, more mature, more self assured and most of all, SO very happy!  She ran over, embraced Maya and I with hugs and kisses and said so proudly "Mommy, I not crying anymore, school's pretty much fun!"  

During the short, but priceless ride from school to Papa Gino's to have lunch with her classmate Jacob and his mom, Jenna recounted all of what each child did and who they played with and how much she and Ava enjoyed the day.  As I listened, I teared up, as I am now, and beamed with pride.  She COULD and she DID do it!  Jenna, I am so IMMENSELY proud of you and get that same warm tingly feeling inside of me listening to you now attempt to chant the blessings, (just as they do in school,) as I did when you first smiled, rolled over, crawled, walked, said Mama, and all of your other monumental firsts.  

Ferris Bueller was right---"Life is short.  If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

THE BIG ONE!

Yes, it has come to that time, Maya has officially turned one year old!  I can't believe it!  The year flew by; in the blink of an eye she went from our tiny little 7 lb 2 oz baby girl to her now 19 lb 14 oz very mobile and curious self.  

Maya has always been said to be happy, easy going and most of all smiley.  The active part of her developed rapidly and she has not looked back.  

She can be somewhat mischievous as she has a great arm and LOVES to test out her throwing abilities-

in the car, at the table, in the stroller, wherever. 

She also greatly enjoys putting items in the freshly "used" potty, climbing up the stairs

when you aren't looking and most of all, LAUGHING when you catch her doing 

something she knows she isn't supposed to do.

Maya has also been thriving with her language-she can sign: hat, hi, dog, all done, and 

say: bye-bye, mama, more, hat, bat, ball, hi, book, milk, all done, make some corresponding 

animal sounds (baa, ahh-ahh/monkey, moo, quack and meow). Maya also intentionally shakes

her head yes and no when she is attempting to tell you what she wants and is big into pointing!

The addition of 7 new teeth over the last four or so months has been exciting for Maya as well.  

She continues to enjoy eating with the family-always wanting to mimic her big sis and share 

whatever treats we all are enjoying!  

We adore you Maya! We cannot wait for our future together! XOXO