Ponytails!!!

Black women and our hair.  It's a very very very long story.  I'm amazed at what black mamas can come up with when styling their babies hair!  Nia and Nala were born with a little bit of hair but lost it pretty quickly.  It's been... well...rather slow growing...but today I present to you...Nia's TWO PONYTAILS!  In the world of all mamas this is reason to celebrate...In the world of black mamas...it's a reason to stop by Nanas and show off!  My mom, a.k.a Nana, could never braid hair and I've followed in her foot steps.  HOWEVER, what Nana can do is create a head full of ponytails on the shortest of short hair.  Whenever the girls are left with her, you can nearly always guarantee that they will come home with MULTIPLE ponytails...yes, even Nala...I know! I know!  Don't ask because I can't figure it out either.

But today, we celebrate Nia's two ponytails - styled by yours truly.  Look at my big girl...it only took TWO years...

Next goal?? One Ponytail...

disclaimer - this was the end of the day...they were neater this morning...

Check out a few more shots of my three sisters blog that I'm way behind on!!

20 Months Old

December 3 marked my girls 20 month birthday.  That sounds so "grown up" and close to "2".  Over the last month, I noticed that the girls are working harder on their communication.  FINALLY FINALLY, Nala is saying Nia's name.  But guess what? Now Nia isn't...or not very much anyway.  Nala repeats over and over "Nawla, EEa" (Nala, Nia).  The girls spend just about as much time getting along as they do pushing, shoving, sitting on one another (Nala), and biting (Nia)...all in love though :)  I think that even if they weren't mine and I didn't know them, I'd know that they were sisters, only sisters  fight like that and then love on eachother as bestfriends all in the same breath. 

I'm excited about Christmas for them.  I think it will be fun, though they still won't fully understand.  I don't plan to get them very much, but I know they'll enjoy ripping the paper apart.  I'm a little sad that we can't put up the tree as my big girl loves that part of the holiday, but in truth, I don't trust these girls to not knock it over and/or rip into the goodies.  They get into EVERYTHING.  NOTHING is safe.

Still no good shots of them together this month...which is too bad, I'd love to have had one for a Christmas card.  But doesn't seem like it's going to happen this year...I could probably convince my oldest to model for me...would that be bad to just have her??  Decisions decisions when you have multiple children...

Nala has now made her bed blanket her lovey...as if we need another habit...I actually bought minature matching lovies that are sized as lovies...no they don't do the job...only this full size blanket will do.  GREAT!

18 Months!

Nia & Nala:

Today you are 18 months old and know I sound like a broken record, but I really honestly can't believe how big you girls are now.  Where are my little babies??

In Music:
You are both now loving to sing along to "Happy & Know You It!", "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "I'm a Little Teapot", and "Mr. Sun".  You know all the moves and motions too...You guys are all about the "motions!"  You also can't get enough of big sissy putting on Black Eyed Peas "I got a Feeling" (thanks YouTube).  In the car with Daddy, you love to groove to the "Chocolate Train" cd that Miss Melissa at BAWS made for you.  Nia you love to dance and Nala, you like to nod your head and seem really interested in the music. 

ABCs/123s
Your ABCs are currently just mumbles, but you can both count to 5.  Of the two of you, Nala you show more interest in reading right now.  You LOVE books and can entertain yourself reading all by yourself!  Nia, you generally just pick up a book after you see that Nala has one! :) 

Body Parts
You both know your nose, eyes, ears, arms, feet,hands, head, and belly button.  I love to hear you repeat belly button!  (Super cute!!)

Words
You are saying quite a few words these days including Mama or per Nala "MaMUH", Dada, Pot Pot (for potty), Belly Button, Stop That, No!, Sissy or "Thissy" per Nia, Ball, Up, Down, Yay!, Shoes, I, Nose, Mine, Thank You, Love You, Hi, Uh Oh, you both say Nala, and Nia you say Nia too, but we haven't heard Nala call your name yet Nia.  Funniest of all, most recently Bye Bye Girl (yep, we are now calling everybody girl)!  In First Sentences - Nia has started saying "Here You Go."

Interaction
You are both still a little cautious of strangers, but are generally friendly.  Nala you still have a thing for men...we'll give you 6 more months and then we're putting a stop to that!  :)  You have finally stopped crying when being dropped off at church, now that it will be time to switch classes in a month from now!  At school, they say you are both happy, but pretty quiet.  It's still new, so I'm sure you'll eventually show em how crazy/wild you two really are!

You're growing up girls!

WE LOVE YOU

These two little girls who have absolutely no interest in being photographed, are now 18 months. I so do not have the patience to try to get both of them to smile for a pic...so this is as good as it gets...this is how their 18 mos bday will be remembered.

14 month old goof balls!

The girls are 14 months old!  Hard to believe how fast time has gone by.  One of my friends brought her little one to work today and I can hardly believe that it's been so long since my little babies were so small.    They are getting so big.  They no longer want you to hold them really tight...they are way too busy for that.  Both are getting around really well now.  They are in and out of rooms loving to slam doors.  Their little personalities are just blooming.  They couldn't be more different.  The cutest thing they share these days are frequent little high fives.  They like to high five everyone, but it's just beyond adorable when they do it to eachother.  I pray that they are always bestfriends (MacK too).  Wisdom in days has taught me that nothing takes the place of a good friend or a sister.  

Thanks for 14 wonderful months NiNa!

Love you baby girls:)  

She

1) is Nala

2)  is very happy and cuddly

3)is my last born

4)was born 5lbs 7 oz and at 12 mos weighed 20 lbs

6) was a little slow to walk and frankly still prefers to crawl

7) loves to chat

8) claps, snaps her fingers, rolls em over, throws em in the pan, peeks-a-boo, blows kisses, points to her nose and ears, waves, and stretches "so big" on command

9) says Hi, Bye Bye, No, Stop That, Uh-Oh, Mama, Dada, and Thank You

10) somehow looks like my husband, mother-in-law, and me as a baby

11) is still nursing twice a day

12) is mostly eating Stage 3 BabyFoods and easy toddler pick-up table-foods

13) loves her sisters but sometimes wants nothing to do with them

14) never tires of her mommy, daddy, or nana

15) turns in for the night at 7:30 and is finally sleeping consistently through the night since about 11 months

16) loves falling backwards - obviously trusts that we will always be here for her

17) somehow got a broken wrist that we didn't find out about until it was healing months later

18) has stranger anxiety

19) wears clothing size 12 -18 mos and has a size 4 foot

20) is a big time drooler

21) has little hair - but one crazy little piece at the top that does it's own thing

22) rises at 6:30 a.m.

23) loves to read

24) is afraid of the vacuum

25) is a gift