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.

I would have to say, though, of all the toys we’ve bought for the girls, the toy that is the most fun–hands down–is the beach ball.

When the beach ball comes out…(Nora in blue, Tess in pink)

It is GAME ON, BABY!

SMACKDOWN!

We need to get some video on the intensity and hilarity of the beach ball chase.  The girls get a hold of the beach ball and they start bouncing off the walls and floor and EACH OTHER–just like balls in a pinball machine–and they laugh and laugh and laugh hysterically.  Apparently, the goal of the game is to do a total face smackdown into the ball and bounce right off the top.  There have been a few close calls, I have to admit, and the thought of padding the walls of the family room have come to mind…  But the beach ball chase is just so much fun (and such a great way to burn some energy) that we have to break it out every so often.  And it only cost $0.99.

Don’t touch my beach ball, baby…

I’m not good at embedding so I’ll attach the link as well:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUeKJYgsBQM

Here, the girls are home with Daddy and he turns on the music–their favorite song “Toes”. What I love the most about this video is not just the sweet dancing that’s going on but how the girls connect in different ways with the music.

Tessa (in green) goes to get the rattles to dance to the music which is demonstrating her connection of the rattles to the music. And she starts dancing and bopping around the room with her rattles. How appropriate to get out the rattles to shake to the music–which Tessa vigorously engages in.

Nora (in pink), however, goes to get the pink capes. The capes are actually just blankets that we put on the girls (like capes) and then we fly around the room and sing. The girls love to wear the capes. She first hands one to Tessa. Sharing. Helping. Engaging. Tessa, however, is busy with her rattles, but Nora insists that Tessa takes the cape, which she balances in her mouth for a short time before it falls to the ground again. Nora then takes her cape to Daddy so he can help her put it on her back. You can hear her say, “Dad” before the sharp “uuuuh!”–the insistence that Daddy is not moving fast enough to put the cape on her. Then you see her swaying and “flapping” along with the music. Once Nora has her cape situated (and Tessa’s cape falls off) you see Tessa decide that she too wants to wear a cape like Nora and begins to petition Daddy for his help. But the video has to be put down to accommodate the “cape maintenance” responsibilities of Daddy.

I’m not sure why Nora connects the capes with the singing and dancing, although we do sing and coo when we wear our capes. I think she is initially prompted to go over to the toys (and capes) when she sees Tessa go over there to grab the rattles. This is an example of the “herding” that I see with the girls. We call it “monkey see, monkey do” around the house. It reminds me of the part in Jurassic Park with the dinosaurs are running in the field and run as a pack, a herd, following each other wherever the leader is leading them.

Anyway, I think this video is fascinating. And not too bad for a camera phone.

They’re not babies anymore…it makes me both happy and sad.

Tessa is near…

We could spend hours in our tunnel.  We chase each other round and round and round in the tunnel.  Sometimes daddy sticks the tunnel on his head and it looks like he got eaten by a giant rainbow worm!  So funny. 

Hello, Nora and Tessa.  How’s it going?  Looks like you two are playing together.

Yes, mom.  We each have a toy to chew on.  It’s great fun.  We love toys.

Hey!  Tessa thinks that the toy Nora is holding looks like more fun than this green bowl.  Could I play with that toy?

Lemme see that toy.  That is not a question.  It’s a statement. 

If I could just get a hold of that toy.  It would be mine.

I’m getting close…

Foiled again!

Now, I am going to make my opinion on this matter known to all.  See the expression on my face?  Nooooot happppppyyyyy….

 

Forget about the toys, says Nora.  How about I play with your face!?!?!

Getting closer…

 What’s going to happen next???

Was that a flash?  Oh, hello mother.  We forgot you were there.

The toy is mine.  Sorry baby Tessa.  Better luck next time.

So, that’s playtime/grabfest on Walmer Street.  Just wait until you see the battle that goes on in the stroller…