Thanks for the messages from the last post. I didn't mean to sound so dire. But I think it's important to show that this life is all a work in progress, and nowadays one that consists of a finely balanced, barely managed juggling act (like playing level 20 Tetris but with increments of time rather than shapes). But then it's so easy to get mired in this stuff, which at the end of the day is just stuff. So what if we barely remembered to file taxes and barely renewed our vehicle registration on time? Perspective. I need to make sure I keep it. This week has been a good one in a lot of ways and I feel calmer and more at ease than I have in a while.
Now back to the fun blogging that I love. The biggest problem with dropping off the blogging bandwagon, though, is that it feels really hard to pick back up. I went to upload pictures from my phone yesterday and realized that I haven't updated on the kids' progress in so long. And so much has happened!
The boys are nearing 10 months and are so fun. They are stubbornly resistant to being on their stomachs and very much prefer to sit. They hate being forced onto their knees or into any crouching or push up position. But the big news (as of October 5 anyway) is that they can now crawl!! We have mobile twin babies, watch out! They seem a little bit behind because they are only man crawling and cannot get on to their hands and knees yet, but things are progressing every day and they seem to be coming up with new tricks every day.
Michael told me that today Teo showed his true speed when he was left alone briefly while his brother got a diaper change - Teo immediately swiveled from sitting into crawling mode and apparently booked it to the rubber door stopper (which he must somehow know that he's not allowed to chew on) to shove it in his mouth before anyone would see him. How adorable!
Al loves to crawl under tables and chairs. Each time we let him go on the hardwood floor he either makes his way to the little kids table and tries to physically push (or chew) on the table legs and chair legs, or to the larger dining table where he seems to derive great pleasure being nestled underneath. How funny!
Teo has really, truly discovered the joy of sitting now that he can go from sitting to lying on his stomach, and then back again. It provides him endless delight in his crib and last night he did not want to go to sleep because he just kept pulling himself to sit up! How adorable is that? His favorite position now is sitting in front of his crib with his little fists clutched tightly around the bars as he tries to figure out how he can pull himself up to stand.
Al also enjoys himself immensely in his crib but his favorites are probably still peek a boo and playing with his blanket. His smile and gurgles are so infectious. Sometimes the two sit in their cribs, clutching the bars, and stare at each other as they shriek and laugh. Inevitably one of the boys will get so excited and so loud that the other stops in his tracks, wide-eyed, as if wondering "what's wrong with him?!"
The boys' first words were "jie jie," which is "older sister" in Mandarin and definitely not the first words we would have guessed for them to pick. Such is their love and adoration for Lola I guess! But they now also know "da da" and Teo has said "ma ma" but not consistently. We have been trying to teach them body parts, lights, animals, etc. but it hasn't seemed to click yet.
The other day I couldn't help but just sit back and shake with helpless laughter as Al tried to hoover up his puffs with his mouth. He hates touching his food with his hands (something I am trying hard to encourage because messy play is so important, and I really want to make sure he is adequately developing his pincer skills) so much that he spent the whole time lowering his entire face to his high chair table, opening his mouth, tentatively sticking out his tongue, and trying to suck up the puff directly. It took so much effort on his part, and it would have been so easy if he'd just use his fingers... yet I found it so endearing and adorable!
The boys are generally very good eaters. They've tried a wide variety of food now and they show preferences for vegetables and fruit, but also eat fish, meat, lentils, egg yolk, pasta and beans. I don't think they show as marked of a preference as Lola did - with her we have very vivid memories of her going nuts over apples and watermelon, whereas the boys tend to be more even-keeled in their appreciation. Al is over 20 pounds now and Teo close behind. I can't get over how close in size they are to their older sister. They've just started wearing her pajamas that she JUST outgrew about six months ago.
Al's front two teeth have emerged and there is a huge, huge gap between the two. Teo's front two teeth are slowly coming in, and it's still hard to tell if the gap will be as big, though it looks pretty wide. Their crooked and gummy smiles coupled with the huge gap between the front teeth... might just be the funniest and most adorable thing ever!
I know it sounds from these anecdotes like all I do is laugh at my children, but actually it's just because I take such delight in how unbearably sweet and adorable and wonderful they are...
Ever since Teo got sick at the end of September (a terrible experience that only added to my September stress, where he had a very high 103 temperature, we went to the emergency room, then panicked hours later when his body temperature plunged to a very low 96 degrees after he got a double dose of Panadol and nurofen), I've noticed that his temperament has been a bit different. I joke that this past month he and his brother have switched places, because whereas he was content to do tummy time and play on his own while Al fussed and cried, now Al is very content to do tummy time and man crawl and play on his own while Teo fusses and cries. It's almost like they are practicing for the future when they will try to psych us out not only in appearance but also personality.
Now for my usual insane slew of catch-up pictures. October kicked off with a four day long weekend here, in which I took advantage of the time off and brought Lola to the science museum, followed the next day by a trip to my office and the park across the street from my office. I was pretty tired by the time my long holiday weekend was over, I'll be honest.
We went to the space museum two weekends ago and it was really great. Everyone cooperated in the car despite traffic. Teo stared out the window contemplatively, Al chewed on his toy and tried to sit straight up, and Lola wore her (new) rain boots and chomped on fruit. To each their own.
We like parks. We like picnics in parks. Another day, another park.
We also like libraries - but probably more than the books in the library, we like the cafe. Here, the kids all went to the central library in Causeway Bay, across from Victoria Park, but really really enjoyed their snack time at Delifrance!
Here, a lovely moment one of the mornings when I just got down on the ground with the boys to play before I went to work. Their smiles are so infectious - oh, my heart!
Lola has gotten a lot better toward her brothers. She will now give them good night kisses before they sleep (right before Lola, Michael and I then sit down to dinner together) and it is the sweetest thing.
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