15 months and growing...

Climbing and up to no good!
Avery loves her hats!

Ella makes the silliest faces and great fake laugh.

The girls are at such a cute age right now, I have to just stop and recall some of their new tricks. They have become proficient walkers, and while they still trip over anything tiny that lays in their path, fall down every few feet while walking outside or on any un-level surface, I think they have mastered this latest milestone for the most part. Their fine motor skills seem to be improving everyday as well. Avery especially, has become quite skilled at fitting puzzle pieces into the right place on the wooden board, and putting foam shapes around wooden pegs. They seem to enjoy it when we sit down and do these quiet activities. If I kneel down across the room from them they will walk as fast as they can, trying to run into my arms. The are such snuggle bunnies and whenever I sit down on the floor to play with them it isn't long before one crawls into my lap. They are so affectionate and love to give kisses; often without being asked. When Jim gets them up in the morning he says they always have a kiss for him too! Avery has a tendency to get a little jealous when I am cuddling with one of her siblings and does her best to pull them away from me and move in in their place. I hope it doesn't escalate when her new baby brother or sister comes along! But for the most part, Avery and Ella love to play with each other and when one heads off to explore, her sister is usually right behind her, giving her the confidence to venture somewhere or into something they know isn't for babies! They usually play very nicely with each other (or next to each other) but often want the same toy at the same time, and try and grab it. The victim usually lets out a shriek then turns to me for some comfort. The boys at this age where a bit more impulsive and would have let anyone trying to take their toy really have it (and by it I don't mean the toy). So we are working on taking turns, something I'm sure we will be grappling with for years to come. When one girl wants what the other has and is about to snatch it, I stop her and have her do the sign for "please" . We'll see if it catches on. Ella has really taken to sign for "more" and when she sees something she wants she points to it then signs "more" very deliberately, and faster until she gets what she wants. She is content to eat for an hour in her highchair and when I'm sure she must be full, she signs "more" and the food keeps coming. These little girls have amazing appetites and I have yet to find a food they do not like. Blueberries or "boobas" are at the top of their list right now. They are adding new words to their vocabulary every time I turn around. If you ask Avery what her favorite color is she answers "purple" with out hesitating. "JJ' is another favorite word of hers and she loves to follow her big brother Jameson around. Cameron is a little insulted the girls can't say his name, but they call him "JJ' too! While watching the Superbowl last weekend they delivered a new favorite phrase: "touchdown" or "tadown" while raising both arms above their head. I can't wait to see what words will come next. They are so sweet and provide me with a constant source of entertainment and enjoyment.