25 Months Old -- Newsletter

Dear little Liang-Liang and Can-Can,

I'm going to try this monthly newsletter out. I've watched Heather at dooce.com do this now for a couple of years and I see what a treasure it is. Heather writes her typical blog, but then she posts a monthly newsletter to her daughter who is now around 3.5 yrs old, I think. I struggled a bit with whether I do two letters (one for each of you each month) and decided on one letter with little vingnettes in the letter about both of you. We'll see how it goes.

This week are you 25 months old. You each weigh exactly 22 pounds and you are each 31 and 1/8 inches tall. You're wearing 18 month shirts but mostly 12 month pants and skirts because you are so tiny and you have such slim hips (okay, yep, you have no-butt behinds!).

You both have become much more physically daring this month. You two love the big slide at the park, you love going really fast down the hill on your trikes (esp. when I irresponsibly run in front of you and let you go by yourself) and you're both beginning to love to really bounce around hard on the beds. Yes, Sammy, you took a big 'ol spill last weekend off the bed, but you got right back up and right back into it.

Nicki, you seem a bit calmer and more confident this month. You're more content (on most days...not all) to let Sammi have more of the "Mommy-holding" time...although it's true that you both really do seem to swap back and forth on that one. Nicki, you're a bit more content to sit still and read through your books and figure out how something works.

Sammi, you are all "out there" every minute every second. Though you are both into this, you especially really seem to enjoy stooping down and inspecting every single rock, acorn, blade of grass, crack in the sidewalk etc. We call you our little "naturalist".

Ah, so....neither of you are really putting too many words together yet. Your vocabulary is still quite limited and so of course I am in the "worrying a bit" mode. I fully appreciate you've had a bit of a tough start....Cantonese orphanage for first 15 months and then the whole "twins are more delayed in talking" thing going on but still....I'm fretting a bit. We're reading and talking and repeating all the time....all the things we should be doing....

But, having said that....the things you DO say are so sweet to hear....You both whisper "bye-bye" to everything. Bye-Bye swingset. Bye-Bye acorns. Bye-Bye stroller. Bye-Bye to me and your Dad at night....Just so cute. And, you do say and sign please, thanks, mommy, daddy, help, more, milk, food, moon, stars, cat, dog, love, baby, hug, etc.....About 25 or so words. And, for sure with no doubt, you both understand 99.999 percent of everything we say....So, my official fretting won't go into high-gear for another 3 months...

Ah, Nicki....now I do know what your favorite word is these days....No surprise 'cause you're two...it is NO!....Would you like to read a book? NO! (as you crawl in my lap...). Would you like a cup of milk? NO! (as you reach for your sippy). Would you like some pudding? NO! (as you gobble the pudding up). Ed and I have to bite our lip....it's funny and we almost say it with you in unisom!

And, Sammi, you're not into the NO! thing yet (but I know it's coming). You are actually into being the sweetest thing possible. (so this must be the calm before the second storm....). You want to "help-Mama" every single second. You put trash in the trashcan, you help me wipe down the floor, your favorite thing is to help me put away the groceries, you help me load and unload the washer and dryer and it goes on and on....It's so sweet. You're also so much more prone these days to be the one that finds Nicki's towel, that gives Nicki your last Cheerio or goldfish....Just in general, you are in a very giving mood this last month. It's sweet.

We've started Fall this month and I've bought the cutest long sleeved shirts and pants for you to wear...And, we're heading out to our favorite mountain cabin up at Nantahala later this month. Yippee....falltime in NC is simply awesome. Oh, yeah, and we're going to a pumpkin patch tomorrow to pick-out pumpkins, have a hay ride, see the goats and chickens, and all sorts of fun.....

Love you both so very much,
Mommy