The Austins: family

So in less than a month you two will be two. We will no longer relay your age in months...we just say "they're two." You are incredible little people---how lucky are we to have you in our lives??

I don't even know where to start!

INTAKE

You are pretty decent eaters as far as toddlers go. It is kind of all or nothing these days. Some evenings you just play with your food...others you can't seem to get enough. You still eat your veggies, your favorite right now though is probably grilled chicken. The two of you would put away a whole bird if we let you. You also loooove our homemade pizzas. Our favorite thing to do right now is to grab a dough ball from Vino's and add a little olive oil, diced roma tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, and shredded mozzerella---we all love it! We try to be conscious of what kind of food we expose you to...we try to keep it healthy-always a veggie or two, some meat or other protein (we try to have at least one vegetarian meal per week), and a serving or two of carbs. We always offer fruit at the end of the meal and you guys can't get enough. Sloan you call it "poot" and it is Hilarious! We let you eat some of the requisite kid foods...because we like them too :) But we always prepare one meal and all four of us eat it, together. Some favorites right now: grilled chicken, pizza, chicken nuggets, broccoli, peas, corn, raisins, oranges, grapes, any fruit really.

You are drinking whole milk, but we are transitiong you to 2% this month, then 1% after your birthday. Maybe even to skim after that. You also like apple juice and we are still watering it down with about 1/3 juice, 2/3 water.

COMMUNICATION

This is my favorite thing about the two of you right now. You are both speaking in sentences...and you both repeat anything we say. Some things we hear a lot these days:

"how'd you do that?"

"Where'd this come from"

"I want some apple juice."

"Turn the lgiht's on"

"turn the music on mama/mommy"

"oh my GOSH"

"I want chicken nuggets mommy...and ketchup"

"I have a penis, sloan has a gina" (whaaaaat??????)

Calvin, your understanding of syntax and grammar is incredible. you know how to use the word "too" and mine, yours, I, you. You can even use the correct tense most of the time.

Sloan, if we ask you what you are, you will say "I'm a good girl" :)

The best phrase the two of you say of course is "I love you _____" which sounds more like "I lub you ____"

As far as non verbal communication goes, you both are masters at pushing and hitting each other :( and us for that matter. We can tell you are approaching that "trying toddler" stage. When you get mad you tell us to "go away", and that always results in a time out. We have started doing timouts and they seem pretty effective. As effective as anything can be with a 2 year old. It essentially involves:

1. a warning of time out.

2. carrying of toddler under arm to some type of isolated area.

3. both of us sitting down and then counting to ten

4. we take some deep breathes and -usually- we can resume our activities without problems.

Calvin you have learned how to apologize, " I sorry mama" and then give hugs and kisses. Sloan, you absolutely refuse to apoligize for anything you do. I can't say it surprises me :)

ELIMINATION:

Stilll in diapers full force, and to be honest...i am totally ok with that. We have the potty and sometimes you guys will ask to sit on, to which we oblige. Sloan, you will usually sit on it and pee before bath. You both can tell us when you need a new diaper, Sloan you will even take yours off and bring it to us sometimes (not cool baby girl).

SLEEP:

You go to bed at 8 ish, wake up at 7 ish. You take one 2 hr nap. Sometimes you guys will skip nap-not pretty. Sometimes instead of sleeping you will talk to each other, throw all of your blankies and animals out of your cribs, remove all of your clothes and diapers, and then pee on the remaining items in your crib. That has happened not once but twice. Drop dead hilarious the first time (I had to call tara to come upstairs and look at our naked children), still funny the second time...not sure how i will feel next time around.

I have to apoligize to the two of you for the lack of updates over the last year...it has been a whirlwind of a year! I finished school, we moved, mommy started a new job, mama started a new job. All on top of trying to keep up with you!