You Make Me So Very Happy: 21 Month Update

This age is the best!  Yes, it does come with some tantrums (our tantrums [so far]seem to be the "peaceful protest" variety where the boys just decide to go limp and melt into a pile of liquid when they don't want to do something) but it also comes with an unbridled awareness and interest in the world.  I love that you can practically see their little minds putting things together.  It seems to go in this pattern: one day they learned the word for something (e.g. star), the next day the bring you a star and say the word in association with the object, the next day they spot a star someplace they never noticed it before (e.g. in a book, on a shirt, on a bed sheet) and they point frantically and repeat over and over again "STAR, STAR, STAR".  When this happens, I am not sure who is more excited, me or them.  They are certainly excited to be able to communicate more and more, but I am super excited that I (1) understand what they are saying and (2) that I can see the wheels in their minds turning. 

We had a couple of mystery sayings that I finally figured out (resulting in an actual happy dance after cracking the code).  Brady has been saying the word "boppy" for a long time.  He rolls off his lips so cute and sweet that I make him repeat it frequently.  I've asked him to show me the 'boppy', point to the 'boppy' and basically all other kind of questions to try and ferrite out what this word may be referencing.  Finally one day I got it.  A 'boppy' is a robot.  I have no idea how this word got lodged into his brain or how it got transmogrified into something like 'boppy', but I picked him up and swung him around when we finally cracked the code.  He was equally as giddy!  Now I call robots boppies.  I know this is a clear no-no according to the parent handbook, but I can't help it!

For a long time, Brody has been saying what sounds like "Opa" at seemingly random instances.  Every time he says it Chris and I repeat it back in a loud uproarious voice and we raise our hands, kind of like we are toasting with ouzo in Greece (or, more like we are reenacting a seen in My Big Fat Greek Wedding).  Finally one day I realized "Opa" is really "Up above the" from Twinkle Twinkle.  Again, pure delight on both of our parts when I finally got it (though I do miss the excuse for random toasts to be had in the living room upon the saying of this word).

By far my most favorite word that the boys say is 'happy'.  They say it so very sweetly and at just the right times.  I think they have learned this word from a variety of places but mainly from me singing "You are my Sunshine" to them at night and before naps.  I have never been one to know the correct lyrics to songs, and even though I do actually know most of the words to this song, I still make up my own lyrics to avoid playing favorites.  I never sing the correct line "my only sunshine"; instead I say "my darling sunshine" (silly I know, but these are the things moms of multiples think about).  One day while I was singing, Brody started to repeat the word 'happy' after me.  Now both boys say 'happy' when I ask if they had fun, when I say 'I love you' or when I say 'birthday'.  A few days ago we had a particularly memorable evening on the beach with the boys and the dogs.  It was just one of those awesomely fun outings where everyone had a great time.  When we were putting the boys to bed, Brady was half asleep on my arm and just as I was about to set him down, his eyes shot open and he looked right at me and said "HAPPY".  You pretty much had to mop me up off the floor after that.  I don't think any other moment could make me feel as good as I did right then.

At this particular developmental time frame, the rate at which the boys learn new words and are able to repeat new words will never cease to amazing me.  My nickname since the first few months Chris and I started dating has been Nerdel.  It's kind of a combination of 'nerd' and 'turtle' (the way he wished I road my bike after I crashed three times) and he used to exclusively call me this.  The other day I swear I heard Brady say Nerdel.  Today I know for sure he said it again and when I asked him who Nerdel was and he pointed to me.  You could have peeled Chris and me off the floor we were laughing so hard!

One more funny thing that the boys say that I want to remember is the word 'naughty'. Perhaps I have to use this word a little too often or on a daily basis?  Whatever the reason, the boys like to repeat it back to me when I tell them something is "naughty".  This inevitably results in me giggling and me losing my street credit when reprimanding them for their antics.  They also like to growl at me when I am speaking  in a gruff voice because they did something wrong.  This too causes me to crack a smile and not only breaks the tension, but also makes me lose my train of thought.  I believe they have outsmarted me in this arena.

Speaking of outsmarting, both boys have learned to open door knobs.  They can let themselves out of their own room when I am trying to corral them for diaper changes and bedtime.  They can spring the dogs if they are sleeping in the master bedroom and they can run into their own room and wake their sleeping brother if they happen to be up first.  It is basically mayhem here, 24/7.

My last funny memory from this month is that they boys spend a ridiculous amount of time throwing stuffed animals into each others' beds when they are supposed to be going to sleep for nap time.  I can hear them giggling and laughing and yelling to each other as they pelt one another with plushies.  I have also witnessed that when one wakes up, the first thing they do is stand up, yell for their brother and throw a stuffed animal onto the sleeping baby.  It is funny and a little sad.  Usually it is Brady who wakes up second so now I know that his sleep has been cut short by his brother who just cannot wait another moment for his partner in crime to wake up!  Today I moved their cribs to they are not touching anymore.  I am hoping this will stop the antics and the early wake ups (I know, I'm so lame).

Such silly boys!  Can't wait to see what next month brings to us!

(Side note: the abundance of black and white pictures is due to a 30 day photo challenge my friend Amy encouraged me to do as a way to improve my black and white photography skills.  It has almost perfectly corresponded with month 20-21, hence the large photo bomb below.  It has been a great fun and has given me many many pictures to remember this month by!) 

Last but not least, I had a birthday this weekend!  We celebrated with a day of family fun that included being on the beach for an amazing sunset.  What a great way to ring on this new year!