Time Flies

It's been forever since I last posted so please excuse the tardiness. All I can chalk it up to is life with two kids. The craziness didn't double, it increased exponentially.

So....since I last posted:

Serik turned 3 and had his birthday at the MN zoo. They're great there and have them make a zoo craft, provide cake, give animal masks - all in a little alcove next to the Japanese Macaque which makes for interesting entertainment if you're trying to eat (i.e. they have quite red bums).

He also will be featured on two Target Halloween costumes in the fall: dinosaur and pumpkin so check out the tags on the costumes (you know the ones where you see what the costume is and how it looks on someone).

By early April Sasha had mastered standing and was cruising a bit but still had no teeth. She turned one and got in both of her bottom teeth within two weeks. She's still holding steady at two teeth as of 14 months (tomorrow).

At 13 months she decided that she needed to walk - same age as Serik - and she has avoided most of his starting to walk hazards. We have, thankfully, managed to avoid the bump on the middle of the forehead that is just starting to fade with Serik. She's pretty good about catching herself with her hands if she starts to fall.

So now we have two kids who are into everything and wearing us out. Serik is running full speed 90% of the time and Sasha is trying her hardest to keep up - even attempting running. No real talking yet for Sasha - lots of babbling and signing. I swear she has said, 'hi Dada' a time or two as well as 'all done' once but she's not as verbal as her brother, probably because she's going full bore trying to keep up with him.

So far this summer we've had Sasha's first trolley ride, playtime in the inflatable kiddie pool and Serik has incessantly been mow mowing and weed whacking (with pretend machines).

They are pretty cute together even if he does continue to be aggressively affectionate with her.

Morning greetings or after nap greetings involve a lot of hugging, pulling, squeezing, kissing, fingers in mouthing, etc. The latter cracked me up as tonight, just as I was getting ready to say for the 50th time, ' don't put your fingers in her mouth' - she clamped down with her gums as hard as she could...since her two teeth are only in front she missed his fingers but boy, he's in for it in a bit. She'll definitely be able to hold her own and is getting better at it by the day. I still feel like a referee though and have been told to get used to it.

My folks came out for a visit over Memorial Day weekend and spoiled the grandkids. We plan to head east in a month to see family and friends at the lake.

New conversations and quotes from Serik:

"Look mom there's a _______(fill in the blank), I have good eyes...and good manners."

"Mom, I'm worried about you. Sasha, I'm worried about you. Don't ever, ever, do that again."(This came out of me having to Heimlich him - yup - and saying I was worried about him and how he had to not put so much in his mouth, etc.)

"I love it alllllll the time (with arm outstretched). It's good, good, good for me."

"When I was upstairs I said to myself, I'm going to go downstairs and have a Popsicle."

" Mom, I want to keep them - I don't want to celebrate (separate) them."

"Mom and Dad do you want to go to the s-o-n-i-h (no it doesn't spell anything but he likes to get in on our spelling so he can't understand - although he doesn't get that's why we're doing it)?"

Standing with the fridge door open: "I've got to find something to eat...I'll share my apple with you mom."

When on the potty (which we're still working on): 'Mommy (or daddy), look, look, look - no listen, listen - see (with huge grin) I pottied!"

Mom: "Eat your dinner it will make you big and strong"

Serik: "What does kettle corn make me?"

M: 'Huh?'

S: Does it make me poop, (have to)potty, strong...?"

S: Here's a cough drop. If you can't open it call me and I'll come up and open it for you.

M: Well where will you be?"

S: Downstairs.

"Mom, do you like stinky things? Spicy things?"

"When I'm a daddy I'm going to chew gum and ride a motorcycle."

"When I'm a daddy I'm going to be a bird and flap my wings and ride a motorcycle."

"Can I be a girl so I can grow up to be a mommy?"

Favorite games: 911 emergency - and no I didn't tell him how to call that number so not sure who did. This is how it goes: Mom:'911 hello' Serik: '911 hello - you have an emergency' M: 'yes - hurt my foot (or the house is on fire, etc)' S: Do you want me to send a fire truck, or a police car, or a fire rescue truck or an ambulance?' M: Ummm, send an ambulance. S: OK - be right there. He then pushes one of his cars over and pats me on the foot and says 'alright you're all better.' The downside to this is that if something is stuck that he can't do he's said, 'we have to call 911' then I pretend to and he says 'no the real 911' - hmmm. We've had to reiterate the gravity of calling the real 911.

Zoo is another favorite which involves each family member being an animal except for the zoo keeper who has to walk around and ooh and ahh at the animals. Obviously Sasha doesn't cooperate appropriately with this game which leads to a few issues.

Loves riding his trike and big wheel and making up songs: "bicycle, bicycle, ding, ding....la, la, la"

Little miss Sasha does a great flex when prompted will have to post a video on YouTube but a pic is below. Enjoy.