One Step Up and Two Steps Back

We purchased several pre-owned baby articles a few months ago from friends including a walker. At that time we let Trey try it out and when his legs couldn’t touch the floor he did a header against the activity bar. We felt so awful about the accident that we put the toy away. This weekend we thought Trey might be tall enough to try again. This time his legs were more than long enough to touch the floor. We inserted rolled blankets around his waist to give him a snug fit and watched him go. He immediately used his hands to make sounds then began to walk…backwards. Maybe that’s why he was making the beeping sound.

Flip Flop Role Reversal Turnaround About Face

During her visit to Owensboro, Aunt Susan observed that the boys’ personalities were somewhat different than she had expected from reading about them on this blog. Benji was more animated and Davey was more reserved than she anticipated. Our babysitter Carol made the same observation this morning after Benji howled to be fed while Davey somewhat patiently waited his turn. Carol found as her twin boys (who are now in college) grew, they would exchange personalities from time to time. Certainly Sandy has noticed the same personality exchange in our twins. Perhaps these boys are born for public service as flip flopping is an essential qualification for politicians.

Am I Crawling Mama?

At almost five months old, Benji is not yet crawling, but does kind of swim across the bedspread. Most babies learn to crawl between the ages of 6 and 10 months after mastering sitting without assistance, which he is close to achieving. Then, he’ll gradually (over a couple of months) learn to move confidently from a sitting position to being on all fours, and he'll soon realize they can rock back and forth when his limbs are straight and his trunk is parallel to the floor. Somewhere around 9 or 10 months, he should figure out that pushing off with his knees gives him just the boost he needs to go mobile. Then we’re in trouble.

Caroline on my Mind

Our friend Dawn Beckgard visited Saturday with her niece Caroline Pollard. The Evansville pair hadn’t seen the boys in a long while and both were eager for a visit. Caroline is five and full of questions about the boys like “why do they wear diapers” and “why don’t they have teeth”? Sandy and the girls took the twins to the park and had a great time, and Caroline had more questions like “why don’t they walk with us” and “how come you don’t let them on the playground toys”? Anyone so curious who can ask so many thought provoking questions will surely become a prize winning newspaper reporter one day.

One good turn deserves a snorer

As we watch our twins develop individual characteristics, the debate about nature or nurture continues. Up until now, nurture has had little impact because they’ve been too young to be influenced by our efforts. One possible exception is how they sleep. In the wake of SIDS, researchers suggest babies under one year be placed on their “back to sleep”. Sandy is a back sleeper, so this may be a natural position for them. However, recently Trey has begun rolling on his side to sleep (which experts allow as a safe alternative). Daddy Dave is a side sleeper. Whether this is nature or nurture is unclear, but it sure is cute especially when his foot sticks outside the railing.

Some Spoon Fed People Still Don’t Get It.

These are not rabid dogs foaming at the mouth; it’s the boys’ reaction to their first solid food. We’ve been adding rice to their bottles for over a week now without incident, so we thought we might try spoon feeding it to the boys. They were ready, willing and confused by the process. Apparently their tongues have not developed the swallowing response yet. It won’t take these smart boys long to figure that out, and then watch out. They’ll be eating everything they can get their hands on.

Happy Birthday Granddaddy!

There’s a new light glowing in Hugh David Edds, Sr. Last year’s birthday was his first as a grandfather and this past year he fulfilled a long time goal of taking a grandson (Levi) to a Kentucky Wesleyan College Basketball Game. This birthday he has three grandsons, with the additions of Trey and Benji, and a whole new list of grandfatherly goals. Together they will watch and learn all about sports rules, history and techniques. He knows hundreds of songs that they can sing together. Granddaddy can teach them all about old cars and county music singers. He is a phenomenal storyteller who will captivate them with tales of the olden days. Happy Birthday Granddaddy, your work is just beginning.