The point of keeping the Babes in Mauland blog was so that we would make sure to document the development of the twins--also known as the Schmookies--and to share with friends and family. Then a strange thing happened: they required much more interaction, which left much less time to share. We haven't even written in our journal in I don't know how long. The fact is, all of this is a cop-out, an excuse. We have time to watch TV, so we should have time to blog about the Schmookies.
Since I last updated, we have seen some big changes in the kids. Keillor, in an effort to protect himself from his sister, has begun sharpening his teeth with a file.
In retaliation, Emaline refuses to let us cut her nails, and by nails I mean the steel nails she had implanted to she could look like Wolverine.

ON SLEEP
We hear other parents talk about how their kids sleep until 7:00, 8:00, 9:00 a.m. "It's so nice to be able to sleep in," they say. Our kids wake up anywhere from 5:30 to 6:00 and proceed to yell at each other and call out for "Mommy" and "Daddy." This would be so much cuter at 7:30.
We have tried earlier bedtimes, later bedtimes, first and second dinner to make sure their bellies are full. They are just early birds. I blame their mother.

ON EATING
The pediatrician says, "As long as they are eating," and "Toddlers are just really picky," and "My son won't eat most foods either." We should feel like, OK, no big deal. So our daughter will only eat oatmeal, grapes, and Cheerios. So she'd rather just drain a sippy cup of milk than eat anything at all. The doctor says it's normal. The thing is, though, we can't just relax and let her eat what she'll eat. We have to stress out about it and try to make her eat other foods; you know, the green ones that grow from the ground. I think they're called vegetables. Wait, maybe vegetables are those things you throw onto the ground and say, "Uh oh" to. I forget.

ON PLAYING
We thought that being twins, our kids would learn to play cooperatively, to share and enjoy each other's company. To pinch and bite and pull hair and steal toys from one another. Wait, that's the reality. They do cooperate sometimes. For example, Keillor will slam him finger into a cabinet. While I am comforting him, Emaline will pull a knife out of the open dishwasher I was unloading--I mean Aimee was unloading. One trips in the playroom, the other is making a toilet paper pile in the bathroom. Cooperation.

ON MILESTONES
Let's talk words, first. Here's what we hear consistently: of course, Mommy and Daddy (and variations of both), Nana (for banana), Uh Oh, Doggie, Ellie (our sitter's dog), Mimi (the mother of a girl they go to daycare with), My Milk (Emaline only), No, No, Bye Bye, Hi, Hey, PawPaw (Keillor only).
Emaline is getting good at mimicking us. I might say, "Let's go," and she'll try to say it.
Keillor is getting to where he only wants to eat with a spork. He likes to stab the food himself and feed himself. He will refuse food we try to feed him, but when stabbed with a spork, he will gobble it up.

I have to go to a meeting now. Maybe I'll force myself to find time later.

The Schmookies read to themselves