Toddlerhood

14 months! It's official. You ladies are toddlers. And I'm reminded of that every moment we spend together, whether Jane, you're walking laps around the house - and it's still that super cute stumbly, drunk woman walk - or whether Lucy, you're playing pretend something or other. When did you figure out how to play make-believe? There's so much about you two that I get to learn. And that you get to teach me. Earlier this week, while you were eating lunch, Jane, you said something that sounded just like "cupcake". And I said, "Cupcake?! There's no cupcake!" (Yes, a lot of my comments to you end in exclamation points, because I'm sooo excited to talk to you.) And you looked at me like, whatever, mom. And Lucy, you pointed to your bib (you were both wearing your birthday bibs that have cupcakes on them). So, I stood corrected. When did the two of you become smarter than me?

We had a delightful Christmas. This year was with the Hartman side of the family, which actually turns out to be more Reiff than Hartman. You two were the hits of the holiday. You both got spoiled rotten - from the ridiculously cute Ugg boots that that you're proudly sporting, to the riding tractor and pull-behind trailor. Luce, you sat in the tractor seat and beamed. Seriously, that grin nearly killed me. Jane, you're not a big fan of the tractor or the trailer yet. I'm cool with that. No rush on the growing up thing. We caught up with the Stroessner side of the family on New Year's. You guys got to play with your cousins and got a lot more great presents. Your little cousin Hannah was asleep in her swing when we got there and neither of you noticed it for a little while. But then Jane, as you were toddling around, you caught sight of her and did your Frankenstein walk/run straight to her side where you stood there rocking her and pulling on her swing toys. It was pretty cute. You both played with your older cousin Eva and her new Potato Head family. I'm so glad you have cousins your age to grow up with. We also got to celebrate Grandma's birthday with a yummy ice cream cake. I believe you each had a substantial piece all to your selves. Good thing we're still trying to fatten you up.

You guys like your ABC book, your shape and color cards, your new dolls (which, quite frankly, are a little scary to me), and chasing the cat. You both like to crawl/race up the stairs, and it never fails to make my heart skip a beat when I walk around the corner and one or both of you are already several stairs up. Jane, you're an expert at coming back down them and recently you decided that you were ready to walk down them. You're not. Lucy, you're a bit more cautious about coming down and start your back up to the stairs a good three feet away. But then as soon as you get to the first one, you go into hyper speed and it's all I can do to keep two steps in front of you.

You're both talking up a storm, and I love to listen, especially when you're talking to each other like you're doing right now in your cribs. It's not just one word things anymore, you two are carrying on conversations (minus the understandable words part), and look at us like you expect us to respond.

I love you little meatballs! I'm excited to see what 2011 holds for our family!