23 months

It's subtle, but it's happening.  My sweet twins are growing up.  I feel like I am literally watching them change...watching them learn and grow and explore.  Watching them develop personalities of their own, both similar and contradictory.  As much as I hate to admit it, barnes & frances are transitioning out of the baby stage.  

When a human baby is born, it is helpless.  A baby can do nothing for himself and can do little to express his needs.  As a parent, it's frightening to think of how utterly another living creature depends on you, but it's also quite beautiful.  Now, as the parent of toddlers, it's alarming to realize all the things for which my babies don't need me.  Sure, they are still extremely dependent, but they are also emerging into a new stage of independence.  They can entertain themselves.  They can feed themselves, once I provide food (although they also like to open the pantry and help themselves at times).  They can take their clothes off.  They can make up games.  They can tell me what they need and when they need it.  

I want to foster this development.  It's healthy, after all, for them to need me just a little less.  But I also want to hold on to my babies.  I want to make sure I still have years of cuddles and silly kisses and fixing boo-boos ahead.  Oh, the never ending balance of being a parent.  

Here are some "big kid" moments captured on my phone.  It seems that everything these days has to be captured on my phone, if at all.

milkshake time with mom

snacks at the farmer's market.  we both have to get our own order of fries now.

getting a little too brave at the beach

loving dressing up in mom & dad's clothes

cartoon time in mom & dad's bed.  this sassy face is likely the result of "wiping off" one of mom's kisses, a game this little girl made up all on her own.


And we've figured out how to manipulate nap time to end up in mom's arms.  I guess they still need mom sometimes.