17 months

Do you remember when I used to post letters to the girls every month and talk about all the cool new tricks they learned? Me either...because it's been like 1/2 a year since I've done that. Mom fail. I am not keeping a good record of all the amazing, funny new things the girls do everyday and I'm already totally regretting it. So to get back on track...

 When babies turn one they suddenly, almost overnight, transform from a baby to a little person. Their face starts to look more grown up. Their hair gets longer. Their teeth all pop out {not as easy as it sounds people}. They start walking, which makes them look tall and lean and especially non-baby like. They start talking, like words that are associated with things & you start to realize that little brain is really working and they will eventually be a fully functioning adult person one day. And that day might be sooner than you imagined.

My babies aren't exactly babies anymore. They are the cutest, funniest little girls in the world, I love to watch them and everything they do makes me want to squeeze them and hug them and kiss them to pieces. {except the terrible-two-esque tantrums and whining that has been occurring a bit} 
Honestly, being June and Lyla's mom is the funnest, most rewarding thing I've ever done in my life. Funner that a trip to India or Europe. Funner than planning a wedding. More fun than anything I could have imagined. (and I know funner isn't a word, but I don't think it makes sense not to be one so I choose to be a rebel and use it freely)
As always, I just love watching them interact together. They really love each other and whenever they are apart they call for their sister until they see her again (they both still call each other Lyla! lol) They give hugs and high fives and occasionally pull hair.  They will eat anything as long as they are able to dip it in something. Current obsessions include carrying purses, climbing on the table, wearing necklaces, raspberries, finding and trying on every shoe they can find, saying "aaaa" and trying to feed something to me or their sister, brushing their hair, brushing their teeth, and coloring in the tub with bath crayons. And modeling for me, obviously.

Some of their newest words are agua, mas, shoes, purse, and book. They are pretty good little talkers which I've been told is sometimes a little delayed in twins. I think June's second word was "thank you" and they've both been saying it since just after their birthday. On top of that their regular words include: dada, mama, bye bye (lately they say that whenever they put their purse on), grandpa, grandma, please, lyla, ball, woof woof, baby (about their favorite word- it means binkie, they really get passionate yelling for their BABY), uh-oh, belly button (more like beibut), car, hola...that's all I can think of, but they seem to be doing fine. Just in case you think I'm trying to show off my babies cool awesome skills (even though I would totally do that) this really is just for me. I want to remember, I don't keep a journal and I need to remember this stuff! So if you baby who is older/younger than mine says/does more/less than my babies there is no judging here, I think especially with having 2 babies at once learning different things at their own pace I easily accept the idea that babies have their own timeline and more likely than not they will eventually learn all the important skills that will turn them into capable adults, no importa at what month they did it first. That was Spanish there. It worked for me.

June
Your sweet smile gets brighter everyday. You can also scowl like it's nobody's business. You love giving people the stare-down, although if I give it back to you for long enough you normally start to smile. You like to observe people and are always trying to figure things out whether its a lid on a bottle or a plug to undrain the tub- you'll figure it out. You love your sister and always call for Lyla after you wake up from a nap. You love taking care of Lyla and when shes throwing a fit you try to find a binkie or anything handy that you can give her that might make her happy. So sweet. You love to be held and will cuddle right up to me (or anyone really) and read a book or watch TV.  You've become a cautious little thing- you like to explore but you take your time and always turn around and make eye contact with me before proceeding. You're freakishly strong and can throw things far. You've turned into quite the little dancer and really took it to the next level a couple months ago by making really fast little steps and lifting your feet while you dance. Since you were born you've always had flirty eyes and they remain the same. You're silly, flirty, sensitive & sweet- I love you so much!

Lyla,
You have this hilarious obsession with getting up in people's faces, turning your head sideways and squishing your whole face up into a big, almost confused-like smile. You are also obsessed with one of your newer skills, turning in circles. You are such a good repeater you pretty much say a new word everyday- you watch someone say something and often say it right back to them. You like to get all cuddly on me, but normally after you get your fill (maybe 30 seconds tops) you're ready to go go go again. You've turned into a wild child, which is fun and sometimes scary. That's why your front tooth is a little chipped. :( Hey, at least it's not a permanent one right? :/ You are fearless and run away without turning back. You'll run into a field of kids playing soccer or a circle of young men talking at church. You want to be where the action is. When you dance you throw your arms in the air like you just don't care. You have some really cute thigh chub that I love to squeeze at least 20 times a day. You're spunky and funny and we love you pieces!