Reese is 18 Months Old & Some BIG BIG News...

Back on January 29th, Reese turned 18 months old.  I really didn't plan to let four months lapse on here but when you find out you're expecting....TWINS.  Yes, we are expecting twins and I'm currently 23 weeks along.  We found out about a month ago that we are expecting two BOYS and we are crazy excited (and scared shitless...but thrilled).  Life right now is a whirlwind of excitement, planning, stress, and simply trying to soak in every last second of life with just our sweet girl.  I'm not gonna lie, these are big changes and my anxiety is through the roof.  It took a good two months after finding out we were having twins for the thought to even settle.  We will have three children under the age of two.  Three.  I really have no idea how I'm going to handle this but I'm not the first person to do it and at the end of the day, I just can't wait to meet these little boys.

Back to the original gangster...Reese is 18 months!  I am straight up loving this age.  She is so fun and legitimately hilarious.  Since her baby book is still sitting mainly empty, here are her stats so one day I can show her that her mama actually did keep track of this mundane stuff....

Weight: 22 lbs. 12 oz. (52nd percentile)
Height: 32  inches (63rd percentile)
Teeth: 12 and number 13 (a canine) is coming in.

Sleeping: 12 hours at night (approx 7pm-7am). We had a couple of weeks there where she transitioned to one nap a day, but since then it's been all over the place and we're still trying to figure out if she needs one or two naps.  Considering my exhaustion levels right now are bone crushing, I could really use a set nap schedule.  But we'll push through.

Playing:  This winter was simply brutal on a toddler and very pregnant mama, but we pushed through with trips to the Children's Museum, story time at the library, and your basic Target runs.  R has really gotten into coloring and she will spend a considerably long time coloring in her Mickey coloring book.  She continues to love all kinds of music, particularly Tom playing the guitar and the toddler station on Pandora.  R is super into babies right now, which is good timing since she's going to be a big sister in a few months.  Now that we've had a glimpse of spring she is back to playing outside and loving it.  She is still completely infatuated with Lily and loves to chase her around the house with her stroller.

Likes: Library story time (we moved up to the toddler class), playing with other toddlers,  reading books, music, owl straw cup, playing with anything mom or dad has, helping in the kitchen (making food, putting things away, etc), anything having to do with animals (particularly DOGGGGGIES), Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (which she has watched way more of than I'd like thanks to a rough first trimester with the twins and an evil winter) and her beloved snacks.  R really loves doing things for herself but always makes sure to check that mom is close by.  She has also become very interested in my growing belly.  She constantly asks me to lift my shirt up so she can see it, and then gently pats it and waves hi to the babies.  It is about the sweetest thing I've ever seen.  Tom has been taking her out on Saturday afternoons for outings to give me time to rest and her love and adoration for her dad has truly blossomed.  If Reese can't see Tom or isn't sure he is, she will walk around the house beckoning him by shrieking Da?! Da?!  Again...the sweetest thing you've ever seen.

Dislikes:  Car seat (I've just accepted the fact that she hates the car seat...but I'm not willing to face her forward on the off chance that it will improve things.)  diaper changes, being told no and redirected, doctor's appointments, having something taken away from her, mom and dad leaving for work, and generally being told something is off limits. Pretty typical toddler stuff.

Says: Reese really understands so much and can easily follow simple instructions (i.e. please throw that in the garbage, can you hand mommy your milk cup?)  Her recent lingo includes mama, da! (daddy), Yee Yee (Lily), there you go, all done, no, down, oh shoooow (oh shoot), do do (please or do that), hi, and doggy.  I"m sure there are other phrases I'm forgetting but these are the main ones.  She  jibber jabbers all day and I'm excited for the day that she starts to put it all together.

Reese continues to be fiercely independent which, as her mom, I both love and slightly dislike since that means she needs me less and less.  Although I think a small part of me will always be a little sad she isn't a tiny baby anymore, 18+months is totally my jam and I truly love watching her grow and explore.  I'm trying to savor as much one on one time as I can before we get closer to her twin brothers arriving.    I've had a lot of mama guilt about how bringing home TWO siblings at once will effect her.  I wrestle with major, major, guilt about all the changes coming Reese's way, but I keep reminding myself giving her two siblings so close in age are built in playmates for life.   Deep breaths.