December2010, by Larissa Johnson

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Chucky Cheese!!!

Mike and Jacques talked about all of us going to the water park here. All I could think of is chasing babies around the huge maze of water slides...none of which we could take them on. We talked about it for several days and finally I asked if we could just take the kids to Chucky Cheese. Mike looked kind of puzzled...like he'd never considered it. Jacques was all over the idea...he spent many hours at Chucky Cheese's in Corpus Christi. It was amazing to me how much fun we could have and only buy a salad bar and a soda. I would buy about $20 if I had it worth of tokens and Jacques would play and play!

So we all loaded up in the car, ran a few errands then on to the Cheese. We walked in and first things first we all got the stamp so they could make sure we were all together when we were leaving. Then we go to the counter, Mike has Devin I am holding Carter...Jacques is eyeballing the menu. Cool a pizza deal with buffalo wings and 100 tokens...between the 5 of us that should do it...its a smaller Chucky Cheese. Jacques scopes out the table and Mike and I take the boys to check out some of the kiddie "rides". First I wanted to get their picture taken care of with Chuck. I have several pictures of lil Jacques sitting next to Chuck in the car with the auto Cheese camera. So it only makes sense that we should start with a good photo of the twins...or maybe just Devin at this point. Devin was skeptical...Carter was having NONE of this sit in a car with some mouse looking character...even if he is just plastic...AND the car is gonna move? Um, no. So out came Carter and well...a nice picture of Devin and Chuck.

I figure Carter just needs time to warm up...there are a lot of lights and people and all kinds of bells and whistles... you name it and well Carter was a bit overwhelmed. Mike and I take the boys over to the table Jacques is chillin at. I say, "I left my purse in the car so no one has to sit at the table and guard our stuff." Don't need to tell Jacques twice...he grabs a couple of tokens and off he goes. Mike and I are there with the boys and I decide to take Devin who is all about this craziness around to see some games.

Devin walks right up to everything and climbs right up on and looks at me to put in a token. So fun how fast they learn. He pretty much wanted to get on anything and everything he could reach. My favorite was when I let him stand on the smaller basket ball shooter game. He was just throwing the ball toward the net...with out a care of whether the ball went into the net...he was throwing at the hoop tho...that was good. Oh he SO loved that!

I spot Mike holding Carter in one hand and shooting hoops with the other hand. So I decided to let Carter run for a bit. So I put him down and he starts going...I'm thinking cool, he's warmed up to all the commotion. I let him go and follow him around...he heads straight for the back of Chucky Cheese's where they have the big band of characters that play instruments. AND of course ....Carter's favorite cartoons on the big screen TV's. So Carter came to Chucky Cheese's to watch TV. He is SO his father's son!

Carter and I hang out for a while up watching the band...which is not playing any music. Finally we head back to where all of the games and people are. I grab Mike, we put the boys on the merry-go-round with the horses. Devin jumps on like nothing...woo hoo! Carter looked at me like I had turned purple! I held him on and he stayed reluctantly. After that ride I decided that was enough riding for Carter...he was perfectly content to sit on Daddy's lap while he drove in the racing game. Devin and I took off to ride some more.

We all ate pizza and drank soda...played some more...those tokens lasted a lot longer than I expected. It was a good time...even for Jacques 10 years later.

May pictures in May

Digga Digga Digga Digga

Carter's new favorite word is digga digga digga digga which he will just sit and repeat over and over as he is playing along. He very clearly says bottol when he is wanting his bottle. We are still giving them first thing in the morning and before bed. They have taken to their sippy cups fine though. Actually I think they enjoy the fact that the hard plastic soothes teething pains. Mike and I both love when we give them a drink and they just stop and crash on the floor wherever they happen to be and drink away.

The other night we were sitting and playing.  Devin was sitting behind the curtain that covers the side door. He yells out, "Dah!" Mike responds with a "Dee!" Devin quickly yells back louder, "Daaah!" Mike answers "Dee!" Devin moves the curtain away with a HUGE smile..."Dah!" Mike responds "Dee!". No one will ever know which of us were enjoying that more...even Carter was grinning ear to ear.

So interesting to me, Carter is clearly the bigger of the 2 boys. Devin, he is the Bruit of the 2. Constantly pushing and moving large objects about the room. The other night he decided he wanted to be "behind" the toy box, which was full of toys...he started from the side and crouched down using his legs as momentum to push the whole toy box away from the wall. So fun the logic he will use when he wants something. I can't make this work...give it to mommy. He use to push a chair or the wipes box...anything to give himself a boost and just climb up on top of the toy box. Now both of the boys will climb either into, or if it is on it's side ,on top of the big plastic box. They are afraid of nothing I swear. Carter tends to be more cautious but really they both are just so curious and want to be into ANYTHING within a climber's reach...and sometimes beyond.

Last night I had a set of candles in their holders on the table. Devin kept eyeballing them. I decided since they weren't going to be part of our everyday decor anyhow, why not...let'em see what they're all about. Who knew a set of candles would be SO interesting! Each took a candle and holder. Carter was in awe and seemed to think his candle had better stay in the holder. Devin on the other hand had his candle out of the holder immediately and was seeing what types of noise he could make if he banged it here and there. He put it back in, took it out, put it back in the holder, then decided Carter's should be out of it's holder...oh no, ok then, I guess I'll just bang my candle against yours...ahh there now they are both out of the holders...oh mommy says bath-time.

They were NOT happy when the candles and holders were taken from them, but they got over it really quick when they heard the the sound of water splashing down into the bathtub.

 

When they are feeling independent they like to play at the end of the living room toward the front door. The rest of us usually over camped out by the television. They love to hide between the wall and a bookshelf I have placed opposite the stairs. I actually thought we lost Devin the other night for a second till he popped out the side giggling. When they are not hiding themselves they love to sit at the bottom of the stairs in front of the netted gate keeping them from the upstairs...oh the upstairs...Devin/Carter, "all I know is when I find that gate down...I get up those stairs as quickly as possible because there is a lot of fun stuff up there to get into!"

They will sit with their backs against the gate and drink their bottles. They sometimes play a game where one sits down and the other gets up, walks half way across the room, turns...laughs then runs back and sits...then the other gets up, halfway... laughs...then back again for another round.

Like most babies they love to listen to music and dance. Devin shakes his butt really fast, throws his hands in the air and bobs his head. Carter stands with his legs straight and spread a bit kind of rocking from side to side. They both will bend their knees and bounce up and down moving their arms and hands...giggle giggle giggle. Sometimes they are smiling so big they will shake their head side to side almost as though they are trying to shake off all of the joy in their heads!

We took them to the beach Sunday when I got home from work. They did really well. Devin fell hands first right into the sand his feet spread...he had a hard time getting up. We had their life jackets on them at first but I quickly decided we didn't need those. Devin was really cold and was shaking so we played in the sand for a bit...he warmed back up and he was ready for some more time in the water. Carter was all about getting in the water and playing in the sand. I was impressed that he used the shovel in the sand so well. Mike helped them dig a big hole to sit in that filled with water. Jacques was pretty much a HUGE help. I think he enjoys sharing his love for the water with them. He has always been a beach boy and wants the same for his lil brothers.

Everything is set for Jacques to go to Guam. We still don't have the form for his passport and if he doesn't get his passport on time the military says he can travel on their planes with his birth certificate and dependent ID card. He, Mac and Charlie are all very excited...as are Mike and I. It will be such a wonderful experience for him to be able to see all of the history there. He will be dive qualified soon after his arrival and plans to spend as much time fishing and diving as possible.

May...again...already!

It was about this time last year that I was just returning to work. The last year has passed by so quickly it actually seems like it happened ages ago and is a distant memory. We were just starting to feed the boys solid foods and now I am trying to get them to drink less milk by feeding them more substantial solids. Funny how important labels and contents become when you are trying to ensure your toddler has plenty of energy to explore! The pediatrician gave us vitamin drops to put in their sippy's...when I remember.
Jacques is almost finished with yet another school year. Hard to believe he will begin High School next year...didn't I just do that myself? Ok no, but my son...in High School? We have decided to send him to Guam to spend the summer with Mac and Charlie. He is extremely excited at the prospect of spending days and days just searching the island for WWII artifacts. Then there is the fishing, sailing, snorkeling, diving...and well, the fact that he was born there. I think it is the perfect time for him to see and experience all of this...it will put life into perspective in the sense that there is more out there than just friends, teachers and homework. I know that he understands that good grades in High School are going to be a factor on his college resume. He has stated on many occasion that he intends to have an impressive resume by the time he applies. At this point I am just praying he passes Math this year.
I posted on FaceBook the other day that Devin handed me is poo diaper...Grams says we should be able to start potty training. Seems logical to me, not so much Mike tho..."How do you get a 15 mo old to tell you he wants to go poo in the potty?" Well...thanks to the internet...I am going to figure that one out. I have read a "U" shaped toilet seat is nice for boys...just in case that lid drops...yes someone actually posted that as a...in case you don't think of this...
Carter is just talking up a storm...he call his "brother"...that is my favorite...lots and lots of gibberish. When he is reading his books he makes the most analytical faces! He has a fascination w/ Timme's tail...thank goodness Timme just licks their faces till they stop doing whatever it is he doesn't appreciate. Last night I thought he might just lick Devin's face right off!
Devin has figured out that when he wants something done he cannot do himself come give it to mommy, she will make it work. He brings the turtle that plays "Funky Town" and his sunglasses so I can put them on him. His shoes when he wants to walk around on the carpet in them. I guess bringing me his poo diaper only makes sense! "Look what I brought you mom...now clean this up and put me on a fresh one!"

Here are just some fun pix from April

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