They are both turning into such "toddlers" now. They aren't really babies anymore, though they'll always be my babies. They can say what they want and get around to where they want to go. Everyone says it, and I've said it a million times, but time really does fly. Especially when you take a second to reflect and think how far you've come. I had a wonderful "kairos" moment in the kitchen the other day when I was holding Ainsley on my hip and was just really overcome with what an amazing gift she and her brother are. There really were times when we didn't know if we'd get to be parents and looking into a child's face that is half you and half your spouse is truly one of God's greatest gifts.
Enough sappy talk! On with the pictures!
Snuggling on the couch watching Sesame Street. Whoever would have guessed this would be the best way to spend my birthday morning?!
Fell asleep and his glasses fell off on the way to therapy.
A new trick!
Playing in our playhouse from Uncle Larry and Aunt Vickie!
Ben had an appointment with his stroke specialist, Dr. Golomb, in Indianapolis on Monday. It went GREAT!
We left Sunday morning EARLY. Like, 4am early. This was all Jeremy's idea and he thought it would be good to leave at that time and hope that Ben and Ainsley would sleep a good part of the ride. And they did! We picked up my mom (who was courageous and kind enough to volunteer to come along and help entertain the kiddos) in Newton on our way and they slept until almost 7am...as did my mom and I! We stopped for breakfast at changed the kids in the back of the van. We did this a lot as I find most public restrooms pretty gross. It's not weird to change your kid in a parking lot in the back of a van, right?
We mostly ate lots of snacks and Ben and Ainsley really enjoyed watching Sesame Street in the van. My Grandma Betty was kind enough to let us borrow her van for this exact reason. I didn't really want to buy dvd players not knowing if the kids would really watch them or not since they aren't really into watching tv yet. But they loved it and were completely enthralled. Total success! Another key component to our successful road trip was chopped up twizzlers. These kids are twizzler maniacs! We found this out on our road trip to Minneapolis a couple weeks ago and I had to keep breaking off pieces for them so we pre-cut a whole bag and they ate close to the whole thing...well, Jeremy and Mom and I helped. Ben was absolutely killing me with his "More, Pwease!" And he gets his little hand going and signs "please" at the same time. No possible way I could say no to that.
So we got into Indianapolis around 3pm and checked into our hotel. It was promptly destroyed like a rock band was staying there.
We rested for a bit and cleaned up then headed to downtown Indy to check out the Cultural Trail. It was so awesome! We walked all over and the have a huge canal in Indianapolis which I had no idea about. There were lots of fountains and Ben went crazy over the fountains.
We got up Monday morning and had Ben's appointment. As I mentioned, it went great! First of all, we don't have to go back until next March! We have learned through blood work that Ben and I both have a gene mutation that makes our blood more likely to clot. We knew Ben had it first and I just got my results a week or so ago (from having THIRTEEN vials of blood drawn). This is *part* of the cause of his stroke. Dr. Golomb calls it a "perfect storm." Several things added together (being a boy, being a first born, being a twin) in addition to having the gene mutation, combined to cause a clot that cut off the supply of blood in his middle cerebral artery on the right side of his brain sometime around the time of birth.
The mutation itself isn't a huge deal. Dr. Golomb thinks it's an adaptive or evolutionary type mutation so that if you get bit by a bear or in a car wreck you won't bleed out. She does recommend that I see a high risk OB before (*if*) we try to get pregnant again to discuss how to minimize risk and she suggested I see a hematologist.
She was very pleased with his development socially and cognitively. This was probably the best part of our appointment. She talked about how Ben might be labeled as "delayed" because of his gross motor issues related to his cerebral palsy. He can't walk at 21 months but he followed 3 commands in Dr. Golomb's room which falls in the 2-3 year old category. She said she feels he is cognitively where he should be or even "cognitively advanced." Now I'm not a parent who feels it necessary to brag about their kids or how smart they were. I grew up in a house where good grades were expected, not rewarded. My mom didn't rant and rave about how great it was that I got straight A's or got into pharmacy school or graduated with honors. I should also mention how I'm not athletically inclined. At all. Jeremy possesses these same traits. Smart, not playing any collegiate sports, much less professional. So all this is to say that Jeremy and I don't care if our kids can't play professional sports. That's just not what we personally value (though it's fine that others do). It was, however, terrifying when there were so many unanswered questions about what Ben would be capable of after the stroke and especially after the infantile spasms. Let me stress how amazing blessed we are that Ben is where he is. Infantile spasms VERY often cause cognitive impairment. My mom always says it's a good thing he was a genius to start with so losing a few IQ points won't make any difference. I think being a grandma makes one more boastful ;)
So after our great news we headed home! We stopped in Springfield to see Lincoln's house and the capitol.
We went for a walk this morning and there were ducks in the pond at the park and these two LOVED them. We'll have to remember to take some bread to feed them next time.
Both children may or may not have been eating ranch with forks. Ok, they did.
We have officially slept with two kids in our bed. I don't recommend it.
We did cute 4th of July pedicures.
Mommy did her fingernails too. Then I broke half of them while staining the deck. Boo.
Ben and Ainsley are enjoying the pool this summer. We have a little inflatable pool at home and we've been to Grandma Betty's pool a couple times. They are both doing really well and loving the water.
So what that I am officially addicted to "Magic Mix." This stuff is a.maz.ing. It is a Walgreen's brand product so I get it cheap at work and it is delicious. It has peanuts, raisins, M&Ms, chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
So what if a one year old child gets the better of me at least once a day. Ya'll. Seriously. I say nice things about my daughter in the monthly updates I do because I plan on having those posts made into a book one day. But for real, that girl is cray-cray. I have no other explanation than we have hit the TERRIBLE Twos four months early. I swear she cries or whines 80% of her waking hours. She cries when you change her diaper, when you put her in her high chair, and forget about putting her in the car seat. I need an old priest and a young priest on speed dial for the fits this child throws. I really *want* to be the calm mom that doesn't yell but this girl knows how to push my buttons.
So what if we went to Pella yesterday morning because I've been craving a Dutch Letter something fierce and the kids both ate three cookies in 10 minutes.
So what if I also bribe Ainsley with said cookies to come inside from the garage. She is kind of a weirdo and likes to just hang out in the garage. She will NOT come in on her own. We either have to grab her and bring her in - which leads to another temper tantrum - or give her a cookie. Whatever works, right? Maybe?
So what if Ben played with an empty beer can in the kiddie pool yesterday.
Ben and Ainsley are 20 months old! I think it might be getting to the point where it's weird that we're still counting in months...but I'm going to keep doing it until they are two years old and then I'll back off on the blog posts a little.
Ben - You are such a lover! You are so incredibly sweet and will always give kisses and hugs when we ask for them. You are such a flirt with everyone and like to play shy and cover your eyes when strangers talk to you. You are really into peek-a-boo right now and will cover your eyes and wait for us to say "Where's Ben?" and then throw your hand off and we'll say "Peek-a-boo!" It's adorable and you just love the attention.
You are scooting all over and can really get wherever you want...even over the threshold to get out onto the deck. We need to get the deck sanded and sealed so you'll quit getting splinters all over - you've had them in your hand, feet, leg and even your behind! They don't seem to slow you down any though.
You are starting to take steps if we help support you and keep you held up. You don't quite have standing and balancing down yet but moving your feet in a stepping motion is a HUGE step for you. We are so thankful Miss Kim has been helping you work on that every week at PT and you usually walk on the treadmill there.
Another BIG development lately is giving "fives" with your left hand. It is so awesome that you know what we mean when we tell you to use your left hand now and you can do it!
You are loving reading books still and you like to bring us a book and then get as close to us as physically possible to read it. You'll even stick your little nose down really close and you usually get pretty excited and "read" along.
You are growing so fast and we love you more and more everyday. Mom and Dad are continuously impressed by your perseverance and you are such an inspiration!
Ainsley - You are quite the sassy sweetheart lately! You have really come into your own personality and are very clear about what you want and don't want. Your probably say "No!" 200 times a day. So that's the sassy part but you are still such a Momma's girl and love to be held all the time and be loved on.
You are very into babies right now. You have a couple Cabbage Patch babies you always want at home and you have dolls you like at daycare too. You always ask for your babies and want to carry them around. You have a pink blankie you love too and a puppy you sleep with and in the mornings you have to have a baby, the blankie and the puppy in order to leave your crib.
You still love reading books and you always have to sit right on Mom or Dad's lap. Right now your favorite is Busy Timmy - a Little Golden book that was Mom's when she was little. You always ask for "Timmy" and it's pretty darn cute!
You are quite the little parrot and mimic almost all words and actions now. It always amazes me the things you learn that we did NOT teach you. You always like to grab my hair spray bottle and pretend like your spraying your hair just like I do - you even make a sound like the spray bottle does.
You are definitely more reserved with strangers than your brother and you act like you are not impressed when people talk to you. You always get compliments on your curls when we go places. You're new thing to say is "Here." You will bring us something and say, "Here, Mommy" or Here, Daddy" or "Here, Bubby." You call Ben "Bubby" which sounds like "Bobby" and is VERY cute. You've also recently (and suddenly) started says Mommy and Daddy versus Momma and Dadda which makes you seem way more grown up!
We went swimming at Grandma Betty's pool the other day and you loved it! You had a blast jumping in from the side while holding Mom or Dad's hands and kept saying "Again! Again!" You and Ben are doing swim lessons along with all the other kiddos from daycare in a couple weeks which I think you'll love.
We love you so much and love seeing you grown into such an amazing little girl!
