1.  Get nighttime pacis.

2.  Put on backpack.

3.  Put on hat (sometimes gloves).

4.  Get purse.

5.  Get out blocks.

6.  Build a tower.

7.  Intermittently push baby stroller in circle and say, “Bye! Bye!”.

8.  When asked where we’re going we say, “Grammy’s House!”

When I read to the girls, and when the girls want to listen to me read, they sit quietly on my lap.  Sometimes I prompt them to end the sentence or I ask them questions, but mostly they just listen.

More often lately, however, I think they’re hardly paying attention to me when I’m reading.  They dilly-dally and squirm and tickle each other.  So, I get frustrated and just stop reading as I struggle to see the words and they seem to be uninterested.  Of course when I stop they protest.  But I have found that when THEY read the book themselves, they can really recite a lot of the lines themselves.  It’s really quite amazing and does something for one’s ego when it appears that your 2-year-old child can sit down and read an entire book.  So, I’m pretty sure they are paying attention when I read, sometimes it just doesn’t feel like it.

So, you might imagine my surprise when Nora sat down on the living room floor yesterday, plucked a book entitled “Hanukkah” from her book bin and, somewhat ironically, broke out into a toddler version of “Jesus Loves Me”. 

???

From the other room: “[grunt] [quiet whine]” Quiet, but persistent.

I look over at Chad.  Still to the world.

“[whining gets louder. more persistent.]”

I go into their room, look over at Nora.  Still.  Look over at Tessa, her eyes half open.  I reach down to touch her.

*squish*

The bed is soaking.  The child is soaking.  The diaper is full beyond capacity.  That will teach me to let her have an entire glass of water before bedtime.  “All wet,” she says. Indeed.

I clean her up.  New diaper.  New jammies.  Entire set of new bedding.  She is so still and quiet and helpful.  A dry kiss goodnight.

[4:20 a.m. CST]

From the other room: “Wah wah wah.  Wah wah wah.”  She is saying “wah”.  It is awkward, not a cry, but words.  What could be wrong now?

Then, I hear singing, “Baby on da bus go ‘wah wah wah’ ALL through da TOWN!”

An early morning serenade from a wet, little cutie.

We were so lucky to have Granny Cozine stay with Grammy Gwen during the summer while she transitioned to Minnesota.  The girls loved to go over to Grammy’s house to see Granny Cozine.  We kept trying to get the girls to say, “Granny Cozine”, but they just kept calling her “Cozine!”

Then the questions would start:

Tess: “Where Cozine go?”

Me: “She’s right there baby.”

Nora: “Cozine eating.”  Stating the obvious.

Me: “Yeah, baby, we’re all eating lunch now.”

Tessa: “Cozine done?”  Mid-lunch.

Me: “No, baby, we’re all still eating lunch.”

Grammy pulls out some pie and ice cream for dessert and the girls randomly break into a rendition of “Happy BIR-DAY, CO-Zineeeeee! Happy BIR-DAY to Uuuuuu!”

We miss Cozine, although we’re happy that she’s finding a new home in Minnesota.  The other night, out of nowhere, Nora asked, “Cozine go?”  We can’t wait for our first visit.

Four generations:

Here’s Mommy and Tessa:

Nori in the ladybug:

Breaking for a snack (pronounced “‘nack!”):

Tessa and Nora really loved the beach.  We only went there in the evenings because it was too hot during the day.  When we’d get down there they would run and run and then just throw their bodies into the sand…Here’s Tess:

 I love this series of Nora and Aunt Gana:

Freedom (tongue style):

Tessa loved to fill her bucket with sand:

Some Daddy/Daughter time…

Some down time…

And a few footprints…

So silly.

So, we settled on going to the bookstore at a nearby mall.  They love the kids section there and we can read books and play with the “CHOO CHOO TRAIN! CHOO CHOO TRAIN! CHOO CHOO TRAIN!”  ok ok ok…

Not only was the bookstore a great success but to top it off there was outdoor live music.  There were a lot of people there.  Mostly sitting in chairs, relaxing and taking in the music.  The girls really love music.  They were doing their routine of swaying and crooning back and forth, back and forth.  They really get into the music.  Sometimes I think it’s a fine balance to allow children to enjoy participating in an experience while not eclipsing the performance itself.  We stand to the side, out of the way, but close enough that that the kids can see and experience the joy of music.  Seeing one child singing and dancing is enough to draw a few smiles and approving glances, but seeing two little kids who are spitting images of each other (no matter how much I try to make them look like their own person) really starts to draw a crowd.  And so, a crowd started to gather.

Then some young woman, about my age, came up and asked if she could take some pictures of them.

Huh?

My best guess is that she was on staff at the mall or from one of the radio station sponsors and was getting pictures for marketing materials.  So, sure.  Take some pictures.  I’m proud.  The girls are cute.

So we continue to croon on and then another woman comes up to me and asks me if we go to the Oak Park farmer’s market.  Again–huh?

We did once.  I thought about blogging about the market, but it was rather uneventful.  Just a way to pass the time on a beautiful Saturday morning.  We pushed our way through the crowded market with the girls in our arms.  I remember that we stopped for just a moment to smell some pretty flowers at one stand.  “Fluwers!” Nora exclaimed.  Both girls scrunched up their noses and gave a loud snort of the various bouquets.   About 10 steps away from that stand a man called out to me, “Ma’am! Here are some flowers for your girls!” He handed me a neat, tight assortment of tiny flowers in an old glass bottle.  I thought it was strange that he went so far out of his way to give away flowers that he was selling at the market.  We pushed on and at the end of the market there were a couple of guys playing guitars and we stopped for a bit to sing and sway and sing and sway.  The girls made friends with a couple of other kids and they all started hopping, skipping and dancing to the music.   At one point one of the singers acknowledged Nora and Tessa and their enthusiastic participation.  I think performers appreciate it when they see such uninhibited joy coming from someone who is clearly enjoying the performance.  Later we had some lunch and packed up to go home.  It was fun, but rather uneventful.

“Is that Nora and Tessa?” the woman at the mall asked me.  “I remember them from the market–they were dancing at the market!  They were so fun to watch.”

Wow.  Seriously?  You remember my kids (and their names) who were dancing for 30 minutes at a market that we went to one time a month ago?  So, now not only do have we have an audience and a photographer, but we have groupies.

As a fond parent, I sometimes worry that I might overthink the impact of my children on the greater community.  Of course I think they are cute and fun to watch and they fill my life with such sheer happiness with their sense of humor and pure spirits.  But I try to adjust my view of the girls through my mommy-colored glasses and not exhault them.  While they are the world to me, I understand that my love and amazement of them is compounded by the fact that they are my kids.  I know that there are many people who love and admire the girls, but my mommy ego sometimes explodes upon the realization that complete strangers are giving them flowers, taking their picture and remembering them from momentary, and seemingly uneventful, episodes in time.  Sometimes I am struck by the impression that Nora and Tessa do make on other people.  While the initial allure of the girls may be their twinage, it is their explosive and engaging personalities that draw people in and make a lasting impression.  Their uninhibited song and dance and giggles and flirty glances at people around them bring those people joy and happiness.

And, for that reason, I am struck with awe and pride that I get to share in their lives.  To me they are wonderful.  But to others, they are also wonderful.  And for that, I give thanks.

Anyway, the girls are really into “labeling”.  I guess this is the phase where their vocabulary soars as they label each and every item around them and their memory for events is repeating in this “labeling” storytelling.  This past weekend Chad’s parents came over for lunch on Sunday and to wish Daddy Chad a Happy Birthday (shout out to Daddy!).  We had a great time, but there was a moment when we were sitting in the living room and Grandpa Chris leaned over in his chair and KABOOM! he fell.  He was alright and we helped him up.  But Nora was very very concerned and scared.  She insisted that I give him a hug at least twice.  And every day since then Nora has gone up to that chair and said, “Grandpa Chair.  Fall down!” 

Their little memories are amazing.  One time (only once) we saw two ducks in the little creek by the park by our house.  The girls were so excited.  Every time we go by the creek on the way to the park they say, “Quack quack duck!”  And when we don’t see them I ask them, “Where did they go?”  In Nora and Tessa’s minds there are only two responses to this question: 1) “Sleepytown nite nap!”, and 2) “Snack”. 

Everything thing that leaves has either gone to bed or is eating something.  It’s so cute.  They say this about everything–ducks, dogs, cars and even airplanes.  “Where did the airplane go?” I’ll ask after it passes overhead and flies far off.  Nora will say with certainty: “Snack”.  And Tessa will agree and say “Sleepytown nite nap”.

Last night at dinner we were sitting around the table talking about milk and water.  They love to see what everyone is drinking.  Mommy was having milk.  Daddy was having water with ICE.  Ice is a big deal.  They love ice.  Toward the end of dinner Tessa wanted to see if Daddy was done with his water.  “Almost.” She said when she saw the glass almost empty.  “Ice?” she asked?  ”No,” I said, “Daddy’s ice is all gone.  Where did it go?”  I thought this was a good opportunity to talk about melting.   Tessa disagreed, “Ice sleepytown,” she correct.  I laughed so loud.  True, I thought.  The ice probably went “sleepytown.”

Tess:

Nora:

I can’t even tell you how much I love these two people.  They make my day just smiling at me on my desk.

  

Here’s the sum of our conversation:

Me: “Hello?”

Nora: “HI MOMMY!”

Me: “Hi baby.  How are you?”

Nora: “FINE!”

Me: “What are you doing?”

Nora: “PLAY.  SNACK.”

Me: “Are you having fun?”

Nora: “LUV YOU!”

Me: “I love you, too, baby.  Let me talk to Tess.”

The same conversation ensues with Tessa except there is a lot more button pushing and beeping in my ear.  They both conclude by screaming “BYE BYE!” and then actually kissing and hugging the phone. Each. 

I am the luckiest person in the world.