15 months

I've said this before, but my babies are no longer babies--full blown toddlers. Addy has mastered the stairs, while Lilly still likes to be carried. They head for their highchairs when you tell them it's time to eat, they bang on the back door when anyone leaves the house. Addy says "HI" to anyone she sees and if Lilly makes anyone read the Dr. Suess Alphabet book one more time, she may be reciting it before the end of the week. They also are at the age where they are testing me. I hear this stops somewhere around college graduation, but seriously, are they this smart already. Here is an example of behavior from each...

One day a couple weeks ago, Lilly was facinated with the only cord and plug accessible to her in our family room. It's attached to a tall lamp and they hadn't really bothered it before that day. I told her no several times, used my no/then distraction method and that didn't work, said no and smacked her butt and she kept going back to it, finally she lost interest/stopped fighting with me and went on to the playroom. Several hours later, she was playing with tupperware while I was unloading the dishwasher. I gave her several kid-friendly utensils and she was entertained, then she got her hands on the apple corer. I said no, chased her across the kitchen, pulled it out of her hands and walked away. She had a total meltdown, looked at me, stomped in the other room and ripped the lamp's cord right out of the wall. Are you serious?

Then there is Addy, she's a climber, she's been my monkey since very early. She now can get up on the couch and ottomon herself. When she does it, she typically raises her hands in the air like she's the gold medalist in Olympics gymnastics, it's pretty funny. Jeremy and I try not to encourage this and I tagged it an acronym my mom used to use and say simply it is ASB (Attention Seeking Behavior). Because a little like her sister, you tell her no and she wants to do it even more. So last week, with my mom and other witnesses, she climbed up onto my mother's antique coffee table. We all looked at one another, I told everyone to avoid eye contact and that it was ASB. She proceeded on raising her arms in the air, looking around and when realizing that no one cared she was on the coffee table, she sat down, reversed off like she does the stairs and went back to her toys. I realize this is typically behavior for kids, I guess I'm just shocked it is happening as early as it is.

This past month has been fun. We joined the YMCA and the girls seem to have fun in the child care center while mom tries to lose the last of my baby weight (how long can I use that phrase?). We headed to Pittsburgh last weekend so Jeremy could see the Colts defeat the Steelers. The Cahill crew came along since they had never been to Steel City and the road trip was better with DVD players for the girls to watch. We know every word to their Elmo video, but sanity was saved. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the long weekend.

Grandpa Ian reading to Ms. Lil.

The girls loved my sister's giant stuffed dog--Patrick the pup.

Since, mommy got a new phone, Addy's now obsessed with my old phone, it rarely leaves her hands.

After a couple too many....(don't worry we had a babysitter)

Name that movie..."You have a baby...in a bar."

Not just a baby--3 of them, L-R: Mallory, Addy & Lilly

Lastly--Happy Birthday Michelle! We love you! If you don't know Michelle, you can read about her amazing family here and her business ventures here. Friendships that lasts a decade are few and far between, so I appreciate her everyday!