24 / 7 Playdate

Ever since we brought Mary Louise and David home, we've heard comments from the passer by: "you've got your hands full!!" "Better you than me!" and the ever popular: "Twins?! TWINS!!!!?" Bringing Everett home only exasperated the random comment situation to the point that it's simply the background noise of public outings for us. Then, every so often, someone really stops and thinks: "you know, it might be nice to have 2 the same age - they always have a playmate!"


This is true to a certain extent. I've said many times that this is just my normal - I wouldn't know any different and I love that fact. They do play together. Entertainment? Sometimes. Right now, they are in a great phase of inventing games and cooperating in imaginary play situations.

2 nights ago, I was folding diapers and watching my 2 "big littles" play in the bath. They took turns pretending to be babies - but narrated what they were doing the entire time:
ML: Da-bid - you be da baby! You have to crwy Da-bid! Crwy!
D: Ok Meese! Wah-ha-ha-ha. Wah-ha-ha-ha.
ML: Dis ok baby. Now you have to hug me Da-bid. Big lovies! Tisses!

D would oblige, Mary Louise would pat him on the back for a few seconds. They would giggle. Then David would point his finger in her direction: "Now you cwry Meese! Now you crwy!" They had a 45 minute bath that night. Mary Louise was really concerned that her "pruny" feet would never be the same though I assured her she would be just fine. She insisted that she most definitely needed a Band Aid. (sigh)

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After many many months of consistent encouragement (**nagging**), Mary Louise and David are starting to make a conscious effort to pick up after playing. I've heard on more than one occasion, "we need to pick up now!" and witnessed a double effort at cleaning up toys and putting things where they belong before going on to the next area of play or project. I. love. this.
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We have had 2 play dates with some new friends. I met a friend of a friend a while back. She encouraged me to attend La Leche League meetings with the kids (something I'd always wanted to do but just couldn't risk after ML and D came home...not to mention dealing with my heart braking short comings in breast feeding them ending with me exclusively pumping - nothing to sneeze at - but I had to make peace with my body a little first). Anyhow, she had a nutritional class at her house (I talked about it before) and we went to 2 meetings. Our kids LOVED each other and her sweet son (just slightly older than ML and D) is so much like a boy version of ML it's almost silly (they are Disney World in child form - whimsy, happy, boisterous babies, uhem, big kids).

Laura is a very VERY good sport about getting messy with kid projects and our overall controlled chaotic atmosphere here. Last time they came, we painted on the patio:

ML and Dominic - is he not one of the most gorgeous children you've ever seen??


David and Dom - super serious:


June- sweet cherub- standing back to admire her handy work:


The foursome:


The aftermath was a brick patio in desperate need of a hosing after tiny painted footprints covered the area (it still makes me smile everytime I see a rogue spot of paint out there). It was wonderful - I got some Mommy chat time, the kids played very well and had a ball doing just as they pleased and playing in the sun shine.

Dom and June are wonderful. They are respectful, honest, and unafraid to ask for what they need / want. Most importantly, each time they leave, Mary Louise and David ask for at least a day or 2, "when my fwends Dom and Dune are coming to my house a-din?"
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David finished with his private speech therapy last Friday. He did very well on his testing and I am waiting for the official write up and hard copies of the results to be sent to me. His therapists left his chart open ended and offered for me to come in an have David re-evaluated in a few more months if I am concerned with his progress or lack there of. David scored within the average range for his actual age (3 years and about 3 months). He had further language skills emerging in all areas and his therapist felt that "on a good day" he would have done even better as the second day of testing, she found him to be "a little off". 85 to 110 or 115 was the average range. David scored 90 to 95 in the 3 areas of language. The only real disturbing part is what a stark contrast there is between the private standardized testing and the state standardized testing- especially when they are giving similar tests. Time will tell. Brent and I have talked quite a bit about declining services with the state come fall. But I am waiting to see what the next couple of months show as far as David's language progress to make any final decisions. Right now, I really don't have any more concerns about David's language (or Mary Louise's for that matter). They are doing well in my (novice) opinion and gaining a deeper understanding and more complicated thought processes constantly.

So, when they come up with words like the following, I giggle and try to write them down asap to remember just how far they've come:

LeBlanc kid - isms as of late:
"Big Pooer" - I kid you not, this is David's interpretation of the word "computer". If you preface his "word" with "I want to play on Momma's Big Pooer" which he often does as there are some games on the public broadcasting site, it sounds down right awful.

Mary Louise calls a computer "Peter".

"Dam Quackers" - therapists have asked before if my kids know curse words...this really highlights their reasons for the line of questioning - Mary Louise's words for Graham Crackers.

"Bustelle" - Nutella; "Gigah Boon Bars" - Tiger Milk Bars: 2 of David's favorite snacks.

"Bat-nanas" - Bananas

Can't wait to hear what they come up with next!

xo,
Heather