Mar 01
Posted under Baby Notes, Clara and Libby by MicheleP.
So I was wrong. I admit it. My sweet bean knew she was ready and could do it and she did – she’s been dry for 2 nights now. The smile on her face the first morning was just priceless.
“Mama!!!! I did it! I did it! I’m really a big girl now!”
Sniffle…sniffle…
Mar 03
Posted under Baby Notes, Clara and Libby by MicheleP.
We recently decided it was time to give up the pacifiers and declare our home paci-free. I never intended to become a “paci-mom” but somewhere during those first few weeks of the girls’ lives, sleep became an necessity and thus we decided that having parents who could function was far more important than our previously held opinions on pacis. (Come to think of it, I’ve changed a lot of my previously held opinions on many parenting issues…but that’s a whole ‘nuther post.)
Over the past 2 years, we’ve continued to cut back when and where pacis were allowed until we got to only using them for sleeping. But, oh, how they are loved and needed for sleeping. Not much different from how I crave that first cup of coffee in the morning, when it’s bedtime there is only one thing on their minds… the PACI. But, it was time. One by one the pacis were starting to wear down and the practical side of me (is there any other side of me?) said that there was no way I was going to be buying new pacis for 2 year old children.
We planned our transition a week in advance and decided that the best way for the girls to understand was to “give” the pacis to a baby. We packaged them up and took them to a friend’s house where they eagerly gave them away. They were excited to do this but I don’t think they fully understood the downstream effect of giving the pacis away…
“Where are we going tonight?”
“An day uh’s house”
“That’s right. Ms Andrea’s house. What are we going to do there?”
“Give baby pacis!”
“That’s right – you are going to give pacis to the baby. You are big girls now – do big girls have pacis?”
“No big girl pacis. Baby pacis”
“That’s right. Babies have pacis. Are you a babies?”
“No babies”
“That’s right. Only babies have pacis and you are big girls. So when you go night-night, will you have a paci?”
“Yea”
And so we started the conversation again. But they never really got it until it was time for bed that night. Only then was it was crystal clear what it meant to be a big girl. Oh, the tears! Growing up is so hard (I still struggle with it at thirty…something). We remained strong as they delivered their opinions on the matter for the next 20 minutes. Then, all was quiet. Sleep… ahhh, beautiful paci-free sleep!
Jan 02
Posted under Baby Notes, Clara and Libby, Life, Mothering by MicheleP.
Ok, so we went to the park today. No big deal, right? Well, it was a big deal – because we walked to the park. Keyword: WALKED. No Bjorns, no strollers, no wagons, no piggy-backs… my little girls walked all the way to the park. All on their own. Sigh.
Oct 17
Posted under Baby Notes, Clara and Libby by MicheleP.
Libby is getting so very vocal. From the moment she gets up until she goes down at night she is telling elaborate stories and singing beautiful songs. This girl has a lot to say about a lot of things – and of course most of it we can’t make any sense of – except that high pitched squeal that says, “That’s my toy – give it back!” Message received. LOUD and CLEAR! I love to just sit and listen to her babble – it’s music to my ears! 
Oct 04
Posted under Baby Notes, Clara and Libby by MicheleP.
We’ve been working with the girls on signing – so far they aren’t responding back. However, at least someone (er – something) is picking it up… Today before lunch as I signed “eat” to the girls, Dakota & Caddo ran over to the highchairs and start barking. They have definately figured out what eat means and that when babies eat – they do too.
And – we have our first spoken word from Libby. No, it’s not Ma-ma, or Da-da (although she will say that but not referring to either of her parents) but banana!! It comes out like “Ba-Ba” but she definately knows what a banana is and that she likes them very much – little monkey!
Jul 24
Posted under Baby Notes by MicheleP.
We are experiencing a lot of firsts these past few weeks… learning to crawl and even trying to stand; eating new foods and drinking from a sippy cup and going to the nursery for the first time!!!! Yep! I did it – I put my girls in the nursery and guess what – they survived – and so did I 
Scott and I are searching for a church here and while the girls are very well-behaved in church, they don’t seem to understand that when everyone else is quiet – that they should be too. They love to giggle and squeal – especially during prayer so today we took them to the nursery and they did so well. When we returned, we found Clara happily engrossed in an Exersaucer and Libby sitting in someone’s lap loving life.
