I can no longer kid myself into thinking these two angels are babies. There is no denying the fact that our home (sigh) is baby free and Rory and Patrick are full fledge toddlers. What an amazing journey I have had so far as their Mama. And what joy they bring into not only our home and lives but spread out to where every they go. And along with their big brother, they are like three peas in an adorable pod. What blessings have been bestowed upon us in the form of sweet and adorable little boys!
Rory continues to have a very similar personality to our Elijah. As I look back at Elijah’s 18 month update, I remember that he often would stop mid-play and come over to give hugs and kisses to myself, his Daddy and whoever else was around. Rory does the exact same thing. It is like he needs a boost on his little love meter and will stop what he is doing, climb onto my lap and wrap his arms around me with a big squeeze, then go right back to what he was doing. I never feel more loved than in those kinds of precious moments.
Rory’s speech is so sweet. He has lots of words that he uses consistently but even more than that, both he and his twin will “parrot” anything they they hear. He calls Elijah “Aiya” which I love because my little brother, Mark, used to call me that when he was this age. At this age, Elijah had more words but I don’t remember him repeating everything he heard in the way that they do. It is so interesting to see how the three boys have different combinations of similarities and differences. Here is a little anecdote about Rory’s speech and communication. Anyone that spends any time at our house knows that three kids but Rory ESPECIALLY is obsession with Despicable Me and the little yellow minions I that movie. I have always felt that screen time should be used sparingly and with the purpose of education but as well intentioned as I am about that, there are times (some days more than others) when I just need to entertain them so I can get some things done. Especially when it is 105 degrees outside. And so Despicable me has become the family favorite along with Frozen. Well, Rory will quite along with the movie. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen (though I am a little embarrassed that he has seen it enough times to be able to do this. And it is not the entire movie but there are several parts that he will say along with the characters. Cracks. Me. Up.
Rory is tipping the scales at 21 pounds 7.5 ounces. Not big by any means (in fact he is in the 8th percentile for weight) but he looks and feels like a chunker compared to tiny twin. Rory loves to climb. He LOVES to dance. In fact if music comes on in the car and it is a song he likes, he will nod his head to the beat. If he is in my lap and bops and sways and if he is standing, he will bust out a move. One of my favorite Rory moves and when he is standing and bends over to flat back and sticks his arms out straight behind him. He looks kind of like a chicken. That is sort of his signature dance move. This boy loves music. Well, really, all my boys love music.
Some of Rory’s favorite things are nursing (yup still going strong!), dancing, playing outside with his big brother, baths and pools, Despicable Me, BEING NAKED!, coloring, apple sauce, bananas, hot dogs (nitrate free of course), scrambled eggs, and mama’s homemade gluten free bread. He also loves our daily smoothies.
He still does not like to get his diaper changed though he lets me know every time he has a dirty one.
Rory tends to still be pretty clingy at times though he has really been enjoying going to childcare when I go to church events. This is especially impressive because we are doing several different events at different churches and so there is not a whole lot of consistency.
Rory has caught up to Patrick’s sleeping skills. What blessing that has been. As long as Rory does not fall asleep in the car on the way home from somewhere and does not get tired too early, he will nap for 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours and sleep all the way through the night from about 6:30pm-6:30am. So while we had a bit of a rough season for a while, things with my toddler two are getting easier. I still, often times, feel like I know what it is like to be a teen idol. Sometimes I walk into the room and am bombarded with small people pawing at me with tears in the eyes. That must be what it is like to have groupies. 
Yes, I just compared my toddler twins (and even my three year old at times) to groupies. Giggle. But you know what, I feel so loved by these guys. And even when I am in the midst of chaos and screaming which DOES HAPPEN, my heart is always grateful. And I don’t know what I did to deserve these precious beings.
Patrick is my very unique little boy. He stands out in our family as quiet and reserved. He is very deep thinker, still. That is something I saw in him even as a newborn and it has continued to manifest itself in his total being. He is similar to Elijah in that, my oldest, too had and continues to have a gentle element to his personality, especially when dealing with animals and smaller children. What is unique to Patrick is that this is the dominant element of his personality and he is like that with everyone. I believe empathy will be one of Patrick’s greatest strengths and spiritual gifts as he grows and matures. His soft and gentle voice is always so intention and just the tone of his speech and babble is soothing to the soul.
Like Rory, Patrick does A LOT of parroting. A LOT. But because he really seems to study people and absorb his environment, he has really blossomed in using his words in a conversational and social way. He ways thanks you appropriately and consistently. He gives kisses and says bye bye right when he sees someone get up to leave. He says please when offered something. He just longs to connect with people and wants to learn how to do that. He is also very funny. Elijah started this game with his brothers. It is basically fake sneezing and they all crack up. Where Patrick loves this game and initiates it often. They go “ah Ah AH CHOO!”. If you say Ah AH…Patrick will finish with a VERY ENTHUSIASTIC “CHOOOO!” It is also very realistic. I often think he really sneezed until he starts doing it repeatedly. So cute. So precious. So hilarious.
Because Elijah and Rory sort of team up, Patrick is often the lone wolf and I do sometimes get concerned that he might get left out a bit. But as I sit here typing this, I look out the window and see the three of the laughing and playing with one another in a small there man circle and it occurs to me that my deep thinker may prefer to have some time to himself to reflect. Oh, what must go on in that little mind of his. I cannot wait to sit with him over hot tea talking about what those thoughts are.
My tiny boy is now tipping the scales at 18 pounds 8 ounces. Barely on the chart at .1 percentile in weight and 8 percentile in height he is quite thin. But he eats well and is sharp minded with beautiful olive skin and I can’t help but think he just has that body type and it is the perfect body type for him just as each of my boys looks exactly as God intended! On our most recent doctor’s appointment two days ago, I did discuss Patrick’s weight with Dr. De Broeck and we agreed that we would keep a close eye on it. I actually have always weighed my boys regularly on my baby/toddler scale at home but I appreciate our doctor keeping an eye on it with me. He assured me that he was not at all worried but just because his weight gain is so slow it would be good to keep an eye on it and so we will go back in two months just for a quick weight check in.
Some of Patrick’s favorite things are peanut butter ( I give him spoonsful of it on days when I feel like he hasn’t had enough calories), vanilla coconut milk yogurt, scrambled eggs, apple sauce, nursing (yep going strong with Pfunk too!), being worn in our Kinderpack baby carrier, playing outside with brothers, Wrigley, the wooden piece of pretend toast that he is always chewing on and blueberries. Patrick, like his twin, does not like diapers changes.
Patrick continues to be a magnificent sleeper. He naps about three hours a day regularly….sometimes more. He goes to bed with Rory in their room at the same time and sleeps through the night for 12 hours. That is SUCH A BLESSING.
I still find it hard to believe we, as a family, have been doing this for eighteen months and yet, I cannot not imagine what life would have been like without them. The funny shenanigans that is our life as a family, the beautiful chaos, the laughter, the tears, the sweat……it is all rolled into this amazing package of three sweet boys that have been brothers for 18 months.
I managed to squeeze in their 18 month photos shoot today before church. I decided to put the twins in hand me down clothes of their Daddy which is always fun. I even did a little comparison collage of when Elijah had on those same outfits. Now granted there were a bit looser on Elijah when he wore them but check out the age difference. Our sweet Elijah was a big baby for the first 7 or 8 months of life!
Such sweet little boys. Look at baby Elijah. Sigh. Oh how I love that baby season of life.
This is all three boys at 18 months old. Side by side, I really see how Elijah is a perfect combination of his two brothers.
Patrick was not really into our standard photo shoot set up today.
…..so we moved it outside!
This is the Patrick smile that erupts when he is so excited that he laughs with his whole body. Sometimes it appears when someone walks into the room and sometimes it comes out of no where. There is no way you can’t experience this and not fall madly in love with this boy.
I see a glimpse of Patrick the man in this face.
Spotting something to investigate!
The he be but little he be fierce.
How you adoin’
Catch you later babe!
Love those precious round cheeks.
CHEEEEEESE
Sweet and jolly
He’s on the move!
Rory is “earthing”.
And there’s our Elijah! Big brother for 18 months!
Group shots of all three are harder this season of life with the twins.
Be still my heart…..
