Sisterly Love

Stop! I'm coming through.

Tickle, tickle or in our house Gracie says "pickle, pickle"

Lola soooo excited at her turn to push Lily

(look at Lola's face)

A train of sweetie pies

The "toy" that eventually pitted sister against sister

" I wanted this toy to myself," thought all involved.

It's about to get ugly, although mom doesn't know

it yet.

The winner!!!!

Never one to start anything ugly with any of

her sisters :)

Clapping, clapping, clapping

Reaching, reaching, reaching

Going, going, going ALL the time!

Where has the summer gone? I cannot believe it is August. Someone told me when I was pregnant that the days go by so slow, but the years go by so fast with children. These past few months have certainly FLOWN by.

A few exciting developments. Still no official "walking" without hands, chairs, etc. However, it is literally any minute for both Lily and Lola. They push chairs and Handy Manny ride toys across rooms walking behind them all day long. Hard to say who is going to be the first walker. Lola's motor skills are slightly more refined, but she is no risk taker. I will definitely not discount Lily as the dark horse to come from behind and walk first. She is so determined behind the Handy Manny ride toy and is much more of a risk taker. We'll see...

Gracie has now slept by herself in her own room for two weeks! She is really turning a page maturity wise and language wise. She has done so well sleeping alone, I couldn't be prouder. Gracie is very interested in everything. Loves to go anywhere and meet anybody and do anything. However, a few things rank higher than others. Right now she loves, loves, loves Mary Poppins and I have even caught her trying to pick up her toys by a shake of her head. Sadly, it didn't work:) She has a great imagination and sense of humor.

She also loves, loves, loves the mall. Today, as soon as Gracie saw where we were headed she started screaming "Yea!!!!" and clapping her hands excitedly. It's not even like she gets something every time or most times that we go. She just truly loves to look around at everything and everybody.

We are watching "sisterly" love develop before our eyes. We first began calling it "twin smack down". It started with Lily and Lola taking each other's toys. They used to think it was funny when the other one would take something. Not so much anymore. Today, I had to break up Lily and Lola two times. Lola bit Lily's arm over a Tupperware lid. Lily got close to Lola's ear and screamed bloody murder while pulling at her arm over a changing pad. I mean, no doubt about it they were hacked off and they were going to get the other one. I put them both in the Pampers box thinking it would be fun. Oh no. Hair pulling, dress pulling, wait let me try to stand up by using your head for balance etc. etc. Apparently Pampers boxes only fit one little girl at at time.

We do see some sweet sisterly behavior. Gracie always asks whoever coughs "Are you okay Lily/Lola?". She also tries to calm them by singing. She has been known to tell the babies "Gracie is a tiny baby, easy hands Lily/Lola!" when they take a swipe at whatever she is holding. Lily and Lola move as close to each other as they can in their separate cribs and talk and sing and laugh at each other. They also pass bottles/sippy cups back and forth over their highchairs and think that is really funny.

Anyway, I am sure we will have more of both types of sisterly "love" over the years. We will just roll with it and realize that we are so very lucky to have our family of girls.

Have a great weekend!

Love, Mel