My kids are great

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Phoebe is really starting to show her personality and some quirks. She does what BJ and I have termed "the wiggle". It started with just her head moving back and forth and after a few weeks it progressed to her whole body. She wiggles back and forth like a snake trying to slither. It is so cute and funny to see. BJ got it on tape and will hopefully be able to post a video of it. She also does a scrunch face. When she is really happy and playful she gives me the biggest toothless grin she can and purposefully squints or closes her eyes and tilts her head up. Sometimes she will do it one after the other. I love trying to get her to do these things purely for my entertainment. She is almost crawling and I am so excited for her to get around. She does pretty well now with her army crawl and rolling around, but I know she will be happier too once she can really move. She can get on her hands and knees but hasn't figured out anything beyond that. I have no doubt she will be crawling before this month is over. She enjoys watching her big sister and wants to play, but Sophia has to learn sharing and to be gentle before much more interaction will be successful (meaning no one gets hit or crying). Younger siblings do seem to get the raw end of the deal. She also enjoys screaming, most of the time to get my attention, or to just hear her own voice. Sophia picks up on it and begins to mimic the screams, then Phoebe hears Sophia and begins to mimic the sound of her screaming. It turns into this strange, albeit loud and annoying, screamfest of who can outdo the other. It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so high pitch, but they have piercing screams like I did as a child. Guess I got what I deserved!

Sophia is really coming along with her talking and her ability to pick up new things. She can count to three but then moves on to nine and likes to repeat "9" a few times before going to 8 then back to 1. She knows many of the basic shapes and is able to say a few of them and is very proud of herself when she successfully completes her shapes puzzle. She has taken to clapping for herself when she does something 'impressive' when we do not. When she leaves the house or goes to bed she starts saying goodbye to all sorts of random things "night night chair, night night blankie, night night sister" and waves the whole time. I had intentions of teaching Sophia sign language but never really got past "more" which she changed into her own version anyway of taking the tips of her pointer fingers and tapping them together. I have also been working very hard on teaching her manners and to say "please" and "thank you". She was doing very well when one day I asked her to say please for something and she grasped her hands together and shook them gently up and down. It actually took me a few days to catch on that is what she was trying to say to me. I have no clue where she got it from, but now you can almost guarantee instead of her saying "please" she will shake her hands at you. She loves nursery at church, so who knows, she could have picked it up there. She is really starting to show BJ and I that she is becoming a big girl. She can climb out of her crib with ease, much to my angst. She doesn't do it often, even though she has the ability to. So I am holding on to keeping her barred in until the effort seems futile. She also alerts us to the fact she has a poopy diaper or is too wet. She will go as far as to take off her pants but once she has done that all bets are off. She can't STAND the messy diaper and has to have it changed right away and will walk with her legs bowed out and let her diaper sag as if she were carrying toxic waste in there or something! Maybe potty training is in our near future. One last sweet thing my little Sophia does is ask me "what?" after she hears me complain or make an exclamation. Example: I am driving to the store and I am unable to turn left for some time due to bad traffic. Mama: "Oh doggone these cars! There's too many of them!" Sophia: "What?" Mama: "Oh, mama is just upset because of the traffic." And then she is content. At least I know she is curious and concerned, but also listening, so I better watch what I say!