Knott's Merry Farm

Normally, it's Knott's Berry Farm. At Halloween, it's Knott's Scary Farm, and at Christmas, it's Knott's Merry Farm. That right there was enough to make me want to go.

Last week we took the kids and met up with friends there for Isaac & Bethany's first theme park adventure. We weren't sure how they would do without their normal naps, but we all had a great time. Nobody was there that day, so not having to wait in any lines was definitely key.

Bethany's favorite part was probably the humongous bounce house-- she stayed in that thing for over an hour, which very well might be the longest she's ever done anything (except sleep). She's a sucker for big dogs, so she of course fell instantly in love with Snoopy and smothered him in kisses and hugs. Isaac wanted to drive every type of vehicle-- trucks, trains, race cars, the works-- and he did.

You know it's going to be a good day when a rooster greets you in the parking lot...

 

Isaac organized a sit-in to protest leaving at the end of the day.

The whole experience has kind of opened the door to the world of theme parks for us. Previously we were thinking we wouldn't take these kids to Disneyland or Lego Land or any such place until they were old enough to appreciate it (when is that? 4? 6? 25?), but now we're thinking let's just get them there while they're free!

Bethany & Isaac are 18 months old!!

It's amazing--Bethany and Isaac have probably changed more in these last couple of weeks than maybe any other two weeks in their whole lives. I don't know if it's being in a new place (we've been at Grandma's in UT) or just that they are now 18 months, but it seems like they are doing something new every day.

All the things they've never experienced before are now their new obsessions--ceiling fans, cars, stairs, and opening doors (those lever handles are wayyy too easy for toddlers). They say "on" when they enter a new room, asking for help in getting the lights on and those fans spinning. They'll pretend to pour tea and sip from their tea cups in their cousin's Disney princess toy kitchen. And they're almost as tall as their cute 3 year-old cousins and even weigh more, at a hefty 30 (Isaac) and 32 pounds (Bethany). These big babies will not slow down!

But my absolute favorite thing they now do... They count to 2! And in the most adorable way, like they're asking you questions: ahhhn? dewww? I love it, I love it.

My second favorite? They say cheese!

Happy 4th from your favorite 18-month old twins!

all about 13.5 months, how they lied to me, speaking hebrew with your mouth full, and Mimi

The kids have really changed over the last couple of months. When they turned one, I felt like they weren't really all that different from when they were 6 or 9 months old--sure, they had learned some new tricks, but to me they still seemed more like babies than toddlers. Well, lately they've definitely tipped the scales in the other direction.

They have completely given up the crawl and are getting really fast on their feet. Here's the thing: Everyone lied to me!! (Okay, not everyone, but it does sound more dramatic that way.) Several people (okay, maybe just 3 or 4) told me that once kids start walking it gets harder. I respectfully disagree. Two babies that walk are two less babies that I have to carry everywhere. And when I'm trying to corral two crawling babies into one spot, it takes at least 3 trips: one to get baby #1 in, one to get baby #2 in, and at least one more to get baby #1 back in. Now, I can hold their hands and they'll walk along with me. It's a blast! Maybe this will change when they master the art of running in opposite directions, but so far, I just think it's easier overall. I love love love this new phase!

Their language has kind of exploded in the last few weeks. They don't say very many identifiable words, just mama, dada, nana (for banana), Isaac (they each have their own way of saying it - Bethany: ayah, Isaac: aysah), mmm (B's word for moo) and oh (Isaac's favorite). Lately their babble has gotten pretty prolific, and funny. I just know they are telling hilarious baby jokes. And while it's starting to sound more like real human English conversation, Isaac still sounds like he's speaking Hebrew with his mouth full of marshmallows. Bethany still rolls her Rs, especially when she cries, so she basically cries in Spanish. Check out my bilingual babies!!

My mom, aka Grandma Dixon, aka Mimi, came out to visit last week. It was perfect timing because she could help with the babies while my shoulder recovered--and by "help" I mean "do pretty much everything"--and, she was here while Jared was in CA taking the final portion of his dental license exam. (He was actually gone again this last weekend too. WHY didn't I think to have her stay an extra week??) But it wasn't all work for this grandma...

* We let her take 457 photos over 7 days, and didn't mind it one bit...

* We wiggled & giggled with the Colby clan...

Guess what, everyone--your lap is Bethany's new favorite place!

* We played in a cardboard castle...

You can't really see it, but Mom made this great little tunnel, complete with windows and skylights! The babies were in cardboard heaven!

Even pre-tunnel/castle, these babies love a good box.

* We attempted a casual family portrait...

...and quickly gave up...

* We celebrated her birthday...

* And when she left on Valentine's Day...

This love bandit stole her heart

This sweet girl wore her heart on her sleeve

Isaac checked into the heartbreak hotel

And Bethany became a prisoner of love.

Mimi, we love you too!

Christmas in California

Christmas feels so long ago (it hasn't even been a month!) but I'm having a hard time moving on to other things without posting about it. You know what that means... a great big picture list! Here are some highlights (+) and lowlights (-) from our 12 days in the glorious golden state!

+ Newport Coast. The Lees have a timeshare at the Marriott Villas there, so we enjoyed a week in paradise. I think heaven is going to be a lot like this place.

- Soooo much rain. The downpour during our CA stay might have killed me if kids and I weren't already dying from the worst colds/sinus infections ever. Saying it all dramatic like that made me realize-- it's a miracle I survived.

+ More Newport Coast. As soon as we had a break in the rain, we took the babies on their first trip to the beach!

I'm touching the ocean!

How are my baby's legs already less white than mine?

Sabrina & Olivia dancing in the water.

- Isaac eats sand. I never understood parents talking about their kids eating sand. How could you let your kid eat sand? Well, now I know-- it's because it happens faster than you can say That's the sickest thing I've ever seen, partly because it's a long thing to say. And since getting really grossed out and frustrated didn't help (I definitely tried that first), I then took some pictures. It still grosses me out though.

Blech.

+ Birthday party for the one-year-olds. Cousin Scotty & the twins were born only 5 weeks apart, straddling Christmas, so on Dec 20 we threw a Cars-themed 1st birthday party. They got some great toys from Grandma & Grandpa, but poor Scott didn't get to play with his much while Bethany was around. She just loved sitting in that wagon!

Happy birthday, babies!

Sorry Scotty.

+ First steps, wahoo!

+ Christmas Eve Eve at Uncle Andy's. It's a great Taylor family tradition, even if it meant I had to sing a Christmas song in front of everyone, while sick. We enjoyed stew and cold cuts and yummy olives, a talent show, live nativity by the little cousins, and a walk through a nearby neighborhood that goes nuts with their Christmas lights. Except Jared & I skipped out on the lights to go to...

+ Sajid & Kiran's walimah reception. My friend (and former co-worker) getting married = date night for us! It was good to see a bunch of old Mercer LA buddies. Plus, we got a taste of some Muslim wedding traditions and I got to stare at some amazing dresses. I love the vibrant colors and that they're not afraid to be sparkly. And I think henna is so pretty and feminine.

- Meeting Santa. I think he's the only person Bethany & Isaac have ever met that they don't like. I guess we'll have to work on that for the future, or else how are we going to threaten them into good behavior?

+ Christmas! All of Jared's siblings and their families were there, and Jared's parents always bend over backwards to make everyone's Christmas comfortable and special. We felt extra special spending our babies' first Christmas there with everyone.

We love Grandma & Grandpa!

A Christmas kiss!

And yes, those are Care Bear pajama pants.

Merry Christmas, babies!

All the cousins:

Olivia, Anna, Isaac, Bethany, Jacob, Sabrina & Scott

+ Family photos. Jared's sister, Johanna, is a really talented photographer, and we're so lucky she's so willing to share her talents with us every time we get together. Here's her website. (I don't think our portraits are up yet, but if you look under Portfolio and then Children you can see my babies' newborn photos!) I'll have to post our family pics when I get them, because those Lees are really good lookin'.

...especially this one.

+ Johanna is pregnant! Yay! Baby Luke joins the fam in April.

+ Sunshine and t-shirt weather, finally! Once back in Fullerton, we spent a few glorious days at the park and in the front and back yards-- a real novelty to these NYC babies (green grass right outside your door??) and bliss to me.

Isaac & Olivia

Isaac continues the tradition...

of 4 generations of Lee men to drive Great-Grandpa Orville Lee's baby blue 1960 Ford truck.

- JFK arrival. Here's how we ended our blissful vacation (in excruciating detail):

1:00 AM Arrival at JFK.

1:30 AM Baggage claim. Babies entertain fellow bag-waiters.

2:00 AM Still waiting for bags. Babies are somehow still happy but wanting to move. We take turns-- one baby and one parent walk a circle around the carousel while the other baby and parent dance a circle around our carry-ons.

2:30 AM Stilllllllll waiting. Walking and dancing circles more creatively.

3:00 AM Bags finally arrive. By this time Isaac is about to lose it so he is being swung in his infant carseat (yes, he's way too big/old for this but it made sleeping on the plane possible), and fortunately Bethany is happy to sit in the new single umbrella stroller.

3:05 AM Taxi line, outside, with the other 54 people who just got their bags. Still swinging Isaac who finally loses it and then falls asleep. Bethany's still chilling in her single, wrapped in a thousand blankets.

3:45 AM Get taxi, which fortunately (+) is an SUV. Load babies and things. Ask driver if he knows where Washington Heights is and then distrust his answer. Fall asleep with the babies in the back seat (Jared up front) only to wake up in Harlem, going the slowest way possible. Fall back asleep.

4:30 AM Home! Diaper change, jammy change (from all that walking around the airport in footed jammies, ew), babies in bed.

5:00 AM Moms & Dads in bed.

9:00 AM Babies awake, and seeing that it was 9 AM makes it actually feel like we slept in! Hooray!

+ The babies and I literally spent the next 2 days and nights sleeping like it was our jobs. It's so much easier returning to work from your vacation when sleeping is your job.

Done! Merry Christmas 2010!