This month has gone by quickly and as I look back there was a lot of activities and development though the rate is now slower. Andrew and Ethan can walk well on any flat surface and are starting to master hills and the uneven ground in our back yard. Gravel and steps will probably be their next challenge. Teeth are also arriving in mass. Andrew has four molars and Ethan has two or three and his top incisors are cutting now.
Besides walking they are beginning to use words. Most are hard to understand except through context. Words include "kitty cat, fish (gold fish crackers), car, truck, woof woof, boo" and many more words that they say the first syllable only such as 'ba" for ball. Their love of reading is growing. We enjoy reading a story and quizzing their knowledge by asking "where is the butterfly or dog?" Their vocabulary is surprisingly large. They follow simple instructions and are enthusiastic about putting on shoes to go outside.Independence is very important to Andrew. He wants to do so many things on his own and has a fit if I won't let him or even at time when I try to help. They help with getting dressed, holding food containers, and putting toys back in a box though more frequently it is emptying the container.
The Ocoee White Water Center is a great place to walk so we invited Nana, Papa, Aunt Lezlee, Uncle Dale, Diana, and Grandma Bernice to join us for a picnic on September 27. The boys walked almost the whole path. There is a suspension bridge where we like to jump and make the bridge bounce. The boys were frightened for a moment and then thought it was great fun.
September 28, I walked 5K in the Race for the Cure. Thank you fellow supporters of the Cure, I reached my goal. Gail and Earl Aagaard joined us in our stroll. Since there are so many walkers and the path is narrow, the pace is slow and there is no hope of getting out of the pack. We learned our lesson and in the future will line up with the runners even though I may not want to run the whole race.
David, with some help, built a fence and deck in the back yard. It has given us more freedom to spend time outside. A video is posted below of the boys eating banana peppers sitting on the steps. What started out as a platform for the spa turned into a beautiful and visually interesting space.
