VERY long post! So much to share!

I took Nicholas and Celia on a bike ride this afternoon around the neighborhood. I've been doing this more often lately than with the stroller. We tend to outpace the mosquitoes this way! :)

As we were passing the park (which was empty), I decided to stop and see if I could handle watching N&C at the park by myself. I knew it was kind of a crazy idea so I put my cell phone in my pocket in case I needed to call 911.
Anyway, Nicholas and Celia surprised me. They were soooo good. They stayed together so well. When we went on the small children's play-set I made sure that if one went in a direction, that I guided the other to follow so I could stay right next to them. Sometimes this meant playing it up to get them to come along, but neither of them fussed at all. They stopped at all the slides, bridges and step ups/downs. They even followed me down into the grassy hollow and we played 'I'm gonna git you!". It was like a movie it was so perfect! They just ran and giggled and listened when I asked them to come somewhere or follow me. I was so proud of them. Getting them back into the bike trailer had some tears, but we were there for at least 30 minutes and it was starting to sprinkle. They did so well that we will do it again. They were getting more brave at the end of our time there, so it might not be as easy next time, but it was so nice for today.

Today was the first day I gave Nicholas CHILDREN's Ibuprofen (instead of infant's). The highest dose of infants motrin wasn't doing anything for him. I know he is 24lbs or darn close to it and children's motrin starts at 24lbs. So I gave him the lowest dose for his weight and he was soooo much happier this afternoon. I hope he sleeps better than last night (last night included a lot of crying and moaning even with infant's motrin in him).

After our taco dinner we let N&C be naked for a minute while I was getting their PJ's and night diapers. It ended up being about 10 minutes of naked time. Celia was sitting on the hard floor playing with her stacking boxes and she looked at me and made a worried noise. Just as I looked at her I see this river of pee coming from beneath her. She was quite worried that she had peed on the floor. I had to go wash her off and clean up the pee.
This last weekend she and Nicholas were playing in the pool outside and I took off her swimsuit (she wasn't wearing a diaper outside) and 2 times she would walk to the corner of the patio, squat and pee. She wouldn't pee where people were sitting and she could tell she was going to pee by going to a different location. I think in a couple months she might be ready to start potty training. I don't want to push her, but she is showing some signs. Nicholas, on the other hand, is happy to pee everywhere if given the chance. :)

Here are some funny pictures of these two. Lately they have their favorite bibs and they ask to wear them around the house. This was before bed time the other night. Neither bibs are their 'favs' but it was just funny that they wanted to wear their bibs. Celia has a worried look because Nicholas found a Nuk and she couldn't find one.
I don't know why he is holding his hand up like that. I think he may have been signing 'plane', but it looks Klingon to me. . . If you look on the pointer finger you can see his healing blister.



And Celia incognito. This one cracks me up. Give me a line for this one!


I've been trying to start another bedtime ritual. It was in my 'Happiest Toddler on the block' book. At night before they go to bed, you speak to your toddler and tell him/her what good things they did during the day. Specific things though. Not "You were good today", but something like "I saw how you followed mommy when I asked you to come when we were at the park. That was a good girl". The author mentions that while a toddler might not understand everything you say, they get your feeling and the general idea of it. So, tonight I put them both in their crib, and then with the lights off and the lullaby music on I took Celia out and held her and rocked her and told her all the good things she did today. She LOVED it. She laid there and just watched me as I spoke to her about what she did. I played with her hair and kissed her and it was so nice to end the day that way. Then I put her in her crib and got out Nicholas. Now he was still in silly pants mood, so I told him what he did that was so good today and then gave him lots of kisses. Somehow he coaxed me to tickle his belly button too. He was having such hearty belly laughs that I had to keep tickling his belly button. After a good laugh, I put him in to his crib too.
Once I was out of their room they laughed and giggled over the monitor for a while, but then after a while I noticed it had been quiet for a long time. So, the giggles took them right to sleep. I hope to carry on the special affirmations when we can at night. I think it closes the day so well and gives me special one-on-one time with them.