12-15 Months

Dear Daughters,

You are at such a fun age. I love how everything is so exciting for you. Here are a few things I've loved experiencing with you for the first time:

-watching birds when we go on walks around the neighborhood

-seeing tons of butterflies at Desert Botanical Garden

-swinging in Grandma and Grandpa Jones’ backyard

-going down a slide at the park with Hallie and Jane

First Words (Including words that you mimic)

L: Mama, Achoo, Dada, More, Here, Thank you

E: Mama, Dada, Purple, Up, Cracker

Aunt Marissa won the family caption contest: "Mime training boot camp"

You are both getting pretty good at climbing up and down the stairs, drinking out of sippy cups, and reading books. You used to only want to eat books. I'm glad you like looking at the pictures now, too. Your favorite books right now are ones with photographs of real things in them. My favorite thing is how you stand in front of me and then back up into my lap.

You are starting to practice coloring with crayons. Our practices usually are cut short by one of your eating the crayons or trying to color on things other than paper. You are also starting to learn your body parts. You are both great at finding your tummies.

Both of you love to peek through things.  You’ll look through the legs of a chair or through an opening of the easel and just start laughing.  It’s so funny.  

Outside is your happy place. You don't even necessarily need to be doing something. As long as you're outdoors, you are good.

Our solution for owning only one car.

Baby Ducks!

Wishing you were outside

You have definitely been expressing your need for independence when it comes to feeding yourself. If Dad or I try to feed you something, you refuse. If I put it on your tray, you gobble it up. I've been trying to give you more practice using a spoon. It always makes a mess, but that seems to be how you prefer it. It's not unusual to see you both walking around the house with a spoon in your hands. E, the other day I saw you putting your animal cracker on a spoon instead of just putting it in your mouth. L, you are already starting to be a picky eater. I hope it's just a short phase.

You are still obsessed with phones, computers, and pretty much anything electronic. We met some family members at Chuck E. Cheese last week and you had a blast. Your great aunt Bonnie wanted to spoil you by taking you to get a prize from the ticket counter. She took E up there with her. With all the prizes available, the thing that you wanted the most was the calculator that the employees use. When we got home, I pulled out two calculators that I had from when I was a teacher. You've been playing with them nonstop ever since, pretending that they are your own little phones. You brought them on our walk the other day and I could hear L talking to people on the phone as we strolled throughout the neighborhood. 

You both got an early ticket to nursery at church. I was just called to serve as a nursery leader, so you girls get to come with me. You've only been once so far, but your favorite part is definitely the bubbles. It sure beats trying to keep you both happy during Sunday School by myself (with help from some friends).


L,

Your biggest regret in life is that you aren't quite tall enough to climb on top of the couch or the coffee table by yourself.

I've decided that you may have a future career in interior design. You love to rearrange the chairs by pushing them around the kitchen and move all of the little rugs to new locations.

When you want something, you reach your arm toward it and shake your hand.  It’s a bit counter-intuitive for me, so I sometimes forget that you are asking for something, rather than saying that you don’t want it.

One day, Dad went upstairs to get E from her crib and left you alone. When they were coming down the stairs, you were waiting at the gate and started clapping. I was sad I missed it, but luckily you did it again another day.

E,

When you are excited, you shake your head back and forth.  This looks like you don’t want something, so I was a little confused at first.  

You LOVE to spin. Sometimes you'll even spin yourself around when there isn't any music playing. I love my little dancer.

Thanks for being such great little girls!!  I love you so much!!

Mom


P.S. Your dad got a little confused about when Mother's Day was, so he had you girls give me my presents a week early. I loved the poems that you wrote for me.