It's been a while

Well, naptimes recently have been shotty at best. Either that or I am tutoring or out and then Cali decides she's going to sleep for 3 hours or more. We know who is really in control around here.

Mac found his tongue today. It's really funny to watch him stick it out and make funny noises with it. He is still the happiest, smileyist baby I've ever seen. I just want to snuggle him all of the time. Yesterday, Marshall went to pick him up at Leigh's (I was tutoring and got my eyebrows controlled) and Mac just about jumped out of Leigh's arms to get to him. At least that's what they tell me. He also continues to adore Cali -- as she does him. Two nights ago I forgot to let Cali kiss Mac goodnight and she kept saying "Mac, Mac," until I took her back downstairs and she got to say goodnight to him. She went right to bed after that.

Cali is at an age where new things happen daily with her. Her vocabulary is ever expanding. She knows two comes after one, and three comes next, as well as six comes after five. Six is her favorite number. She can repeat almost anything and her enunciation is pretty incredible. She is even starting to make the "l" sound properly. since she was born, I have said bless you everytime she has sneezed. The other day I sneezed in the car and from the backseat I heard "bless you!" (It wasn't Mac :)).

A few days ago I took the kids over to school and let Cali walk around the track a little. It was the first time I have seen her go up and down steps without holding onto anything. She's really getting strong. That same trip she was stepping off the curb and her head went first and she did a summersault. Instead of crying she looked up at me and laughed. I thought she was going to be hurt, but not my tough girl :).

Mac has just figured out how to take out and put in his pacifier (which Cali named "B' a long time ago -- not sure where that came from). Sometimes he puts it in upsidedown of course, but at least he can find his mouth. Looking forward to when he can do it in the middle of the night.

We had Mac's pictures taken a week or so ago and oh my gosh. I thought Cali's were difficult to decide on. He is just so happy, that Jen got so many good shots that really capture my little man's expressions.

We put up our tree after Thanksgiving and Cali helped me decorate it. She brought the balls over and I put them on the tree. She's pretty good about not taking them off and just looking at them, but we still have a tree that is decorated from the middle up. It will be that way for at least a couple more years I'm afraid.

Cali had her 18 month checkup today and the doctor said that it was the easiest 18 month she has had. She says that the children usually wiggle and cry and really resist, but Cali just sat there, curious about the different pieces of equipment the doctor was using on her. She didn't cry until she received her shot, and even then it was only briefly. She really did a good job.

Cali is jumping, rolling on the floor, dancing, discovering, loves the outside. She loves to be tossed around and to swing high on the swingset at the park. She puts Mac's pacifier in when he's crying, and tries to give him milk from her sippy cup. It's really fascinating to watch her become a little lady.

Mac grabs my face and pulls me in for open mouth kisses when he presses his open mouth on my cheek. And when Cali is around it's as though he's about to jump out of his skin to play with her body his body just won't let him. I'm so excited to see them play together in just a few short months.