22 months old

Going for a stroll in the city

(when did they get so big?)

The time just goes too quickly, it seems like mere days between my monthly updates.  Alistair has started walking exclusively (and much better) lately, so I felt very confident not going through with his approved physical therapy, as we'd planned (you know, after we didn't... ;) ).  Additional therapies (and children) wouldn't have/don't cost us any more, so you are welcome fellow taxpayers of Illinois. ;). We've just started speech therapy for both of the kids, so we'll see what comes of that.  Coming out of the first session, our first job is to get their hearing tested, which is standard protocol when receiving speech.

Marielle continues to do well.  As time goes by, I realize just how much she is not only my daughter, but basically my clone.  Always trying to help, cleaning up whenever there is a mess (and even when there's not), even rearranging the rugs and furniture.  She is so eager in our classes, it is like watching myself as a girl, it's a little mind bending.  I hope that I'm able to foster her needs and her little joyful personality, minus some of the negative experiences I had as a child.  And keep up with that metabolism, the girl can eat!  I got her those cute pink sparkly shoes for fall, but she much prefers (and is a bit obsessed with) her brother's grey Chucks.  That's my girl! :)

Alistair is, not surprisingly, behind his sister a bit in development which we've known for a long time, but he also seems like he might (or might not) be on a bit of a different trajectory.  We noticed when he was tiny, that he appears to definitely be left handed as well as having a strong affinity for music.  He is more sensitive than Mari, but is also acutely aware of others and (usually) their feelings and is very charming (he's such a huge flirt with the ladies, DH jokes we don't need to question his love of them).  He giggles like I've never heard before, it almost always pushes me over the edge.  He is so in love with animals, especially dogs, it makes me (kind of) sad we'll never have one, due to DH's severe allergies, even though he's been getting shots for years now.  It will be so interesting to see how their personalities develop over the coming months and years.

We are headed off to the thrill that is very small town Iowa for a few days, as DH has leadership training at his company's headquarters there, and we decided to tag along instead of staying behind. Our big trip is coming up soon, this time next month we'll be in India.  We'll be connecting through Germany this time and gone for nearly three weeks.  If we can stay healthy, which would be a first for me, I think all will be well.  Happy Weekend!