Almost a year old! (and happy election day...)

It's hard to believe that it's been almost a year since Sophia and Ethan joined us in the world, and hard to believe that their first presidential election will be such a historic one! Congratulations President Obama!

Ethan and Sophia are quickly becoming toddlers and have made some major developmental leaps during the past few weeks!

Both Ethan and Sophia will now clap both spontaneously and will also clap in response to someone clapping for them.

Their receptive language continues to get better and better - they know body parts including: tongue, feet, toes, hands, fingers, knees, elbows, belly button, and nose. I may be missing some, but they also understand yes and no, food, eat, bottle, milk, poop-poop (dirty diaper), do you need a change?, nap-nap (tired), more, all done (eating), and come-come (come here).

Sophia and Ethan are also both crawling up a storm. They've started doing this flanking maneuver. I'm not sure who exactly decides where they're going to go, but they'll often take off in the same direction at the same time and arrive at the same object. We haven't been able to catch it on video yet, but we're working on it - we think it's hilarious!

Ethan
Ethan is now pulling himself up to standing from a belly position. In the past he would pull himself up from a sitting position when we sat him in front of the gate, but he is now going from his belly to kneeling to standing up on some toys (he's still working on pulling up to standing on the mirror in the hallway). He's also scooting along the gate and couch.

Ethan now enjoys playing catch. When we roll a ball to him, he will roll it back or hand it back to us (after giving it a little lick).

While Ethan does push up to all fours, he prefers to crawl army-style on his tummy. It is surprising to watch him outpace Sophia when he crawls (glides?) across the hardwood floors. He is an explorer! After meals I let Ethan and Sophia explore the house while I clean up. It started out as just letting them explore the kitchen, but they soon took off out the kitchen and into the dining room, hallway, and living room. They love it!

Ethan now has 8 teeth and counting!


Sophia
Sophia finally has two bottom teeth! She's been drooling and madly chewing on things, so we think she'll be catching up with Ethan on the tooth front soon.

On October 14th, Sophia said "nana" meaning "banana". We were eating a piece of bread and a banana and I tried to give her a piece of bread and she reached for the banana and said, "nana". I gave her a piece of banana and then tried to give her bread again. Again, she reached for the banana and said, "nana". Her first word other than mum-mum or da-da. Amazing, eh?

Sophia is now not only pulling up on things, but she's also STANDING on her own. She'll push herself up to standing and then just hang out. She likes to raise her hands up above her head while she's standing in one long, tall stretch. It is so cute and we're all very excited and proud. She's also scooting along the gate and the couch, and is also making a leap between our learning cube and the "house" we have in the play room. Walking may just be closer than we think!

The leaves here are turning colors and are slowly falling off the trees...
Ethan pulls up to standing to get a toy on one of the higher shelves.

Ethan stands at the toy bins.
Ethan holds up a toy to show Sophia...

Ethan wonders what Sophia has found back down on the floor...The play group (from the left) - Ethan, Amalia, Maya, Joshua, Sophia, and Elin
Play date at Katie Leiserson's house - Sophia, Ethan, and Katie
Sophia and Ethan had a great time playing with Katie's play table...
Sophia and Ethan...
Ethan drinks a bottle on the Leisersons' big bean bag...


Sophia joined Ethan on the bean bag for a bottle. Then Katie noticed Ethan and Sophia's bottles and started to climb up to join them also...
Sophia can't believe that Ethan is pulling up!
Ethan and Sophia love to hook their feet under their trays when they eat...
Ethan and Sophia often hold hands when they're eating...
One of Ethan and Sophia's favorite pasttimes now - playing with the full-length mirror in the hallway...

Ethan enjoys having the mirror to himself while Sophia explores the hallway (note her feet to the right)...
Sophia's "WOW" face...
Sophia, Dad-Dad, and Ethan (pre-bath on Saturday morning)...
Our only Halloween costume shot taken at the Mothers of Twins Halloween Party. Ethan is the tiger on the left, and Sophia is the giraffe on the right...


10.17.08 :: Playing with the activity mat - I had put this activity mat in a pile of old toys to go to the basement, but during one of their explorations, Sophia and Ethan found it and seemed to really enjoy looking it again. So I set it up for them in the play room.


10.22.08 :: Playing in the kitchen (coke cans) - Ethan figured out that when he pulls the side of the box, the coke cans make a nice gong sound!


10.22.08 :: Playing in the kitchen (box) - Ethan and Sophia play with a good old cardboard box


10.24.08 :: Playing in the hallway...


10.26.08 :: Eating and dancing...


10.26.08 :: Clapping and saying yay!


11.2.08 :: Playing peek-a-boo in the sun room...