Let's Talk About Twin Talking

With Matthew and Sarah having passed the 19 month mark, they are making a best effort to communicate not only with each other, but with us as well. Still, the going is slow, and the number of words each can say is closer to a dozen than a hundred. Whether their own "twin talk" has anything to do with it isn't entirely clear, but we are finding that they are understanding a lot of what we say, even if they cannot reciprocate in the discussion.

For example, I can ask Sarah to take a bottle and give it to Matthew, and she complies. I can also ask her to "give that to your mom", and she finds Kristine and hands over said object. Both know to "put the blocks away" and to "go get a book" and "put the book back". I've even seen Sarah respond when asked to "go get Matthew's shoes", returning with loafers in hand. So they're listening, even if not obeying.

They can even "spin" on command if I tell them to "spin" and twirl my hand in instruction.

But as we're a little lagging in the official baby book department, I thought I'd note the words we know they can say, in no particular order. I also don't believe there are any words that one can say which the other cannot. Kristine can add or change this list if I overlooked anything.

As of January 2010, Matthew and Sarah can say:

• Dog
• Dad
• Mom
• Thank You
• No
• Laszlo (my parents' dog)
• Hi
• Bye
• Ball
• "Hush" (as in Good Night Moon)
• "Woo Hoo!" (as in Homer Simpson)

Guess who taught them the last one?

Here Comes Trouble: Sarah Will Be the Death of Us

Sarah is a natural born escape artist. Combined with an otherworldy level of flexibility and a smirk that lets you know she's constantly going to try and get away with something, she is adventurous, not accepting barriers that could otherwise get in her way. If it wasn't for Matthew, who serves as her underpaid but highly effective alarm system, who knows what kind of mischief she could achieve?

Although the two are twins, their nighttime rituals are quite different now. Matthew is simple. Put him in a set of PJs, place him in his crib and say goodnight. No issues. But for Sarah, this ritual involves putting a safety pin through the zipper of her outfit to prevent its removal, for if we left it as is, surely by midnight, she would be clothing-free, with diaper flung out of the crib as far as she could toss. Somehow, despite our work, she still often manages to remove said diaper, even if her clothing structure remains intact.

In parallel, while Matthew's crib faces out, letting him have full visibility to the room, Sarah's crib looks "backwards", facing the wall. Why? Because the escape artist learned to lift her leg high, like a ballerina, atop the crib's lip and flip herself out. Seconds later, she would walk to the door, turn the doorknob, and join us in the living room, as nonchalantly as anyone could. After having this happen no fewer than five times on Friday, we had enough and turned her crib around, much to her frustration.

Meanwhile, each time she jumped out, due to surprise or his concern for his sister's safety, Matthew sounded the alarm, crying out so we would solve the issue.

But not even this, apparently, was enough to solve Cirque De Sarah. This morning, again, I was awoken by Matthew crying in something of a panic. I enter the kids' room, and find Sarah hanging on to a single column dresser, like a monkey, for dear life. The lamp and lampshade which had been atop it, were cast askew on the floor, and whether she fell or jumped, she was sure to make that her next move.

Doorknobs are no match for Sarah, barring preventative locks. Gravity doesn't scare her. Clothing is optional. Gates simply present a challenge. Food is a suggestion that needs to pass her critical review. Matthew is a frienemy, as fun to hit as to hug. And despite all this, Sarah is an absolute delight. A scamp, but our scamp.

Meet My Husband's New Girlfriend

If only she cooked and cleaned.

Twin Tuesday: Sharing is Fun

Playdate at Joshua's

He has the cool toys like the bounce house.

Boys and Their Toys. How Do They Learn?

Matthew Playing With a Tonka Truck

Raising a twin boy and girl is an interesting object lesson in genetics and society, as much as it is a fun ride as parents. Try as we might to raise the pair the same way, with the same access to the same things at the same time and for the same duration, their innate differences trend toward some social and cultural stereotypes that, due to our feminist leanings, have me wondering how we could already have gone wrong.

While I am unable to convince Kristine to dress Matthew in pink as often as Sarah, or get her to don blue overalls instead of purple, the fact is that Matthew, for whatever reason, is especially drawn to "boy's toys", including cars and trucks. I never sat him down and told him that these were for XY genetics. He just figured it out. And yes, like other boys, when out on a walk, he will pick up a stick and walk with that, as if the stick is the most amazing thing in the world.

This isn't to say that Matthew is all "snips and snails and puppy dog tails". At 19 months, he is a very sensitive young boy, who, as previously noted, can be bullied by his sister. He walks with a blanket and loves stuffed animals. But I can see him being "all boy". He jumps. He falls. He is more awkward than his sister, at this stage. Pure boy. If he ends up with a closet full of GI Joes and LEGO, I'll know the trends started at the very beginning. Somehow.

Remembering the Dream

We have come so far, but still have so much farther to go.

Twin Tuesday: Got Milk?

Because Miracles Can Happen

1. Spent almost 2 hours in a crowded DMV with twins without a meltdown by them or me.

2. Went to Target and discovered that they sell my favorite brand of gluten-free bread, donuts and bagels, plus pasta, cereal, and all the Betty Crocker Gluten-free cake and brownie mixes (on sale too). This means I don't have to go to two different grocery stores.

3. Realized school starts one week later than I thought. That means one more week of reading for pleasure. Any suggestions?

Twin Tuesday: Reflections