We've been staying busy around here, so I haven't had time to do much blogging.  Here are a few updates to keep you up to speed:

* Last Friday, we put 2 ounces of whole milk in with Addison's soy milk, to hopefully begin the transition to whole milk only.  She drank it in the morning, then proceed to cry. All day. I'm not exaggerating... I'd say she didn't cry for a total of 30 minutes (not counting nap time).  I'm not sure if it was a coincidence and she was having an off day, or if it was the milk. I'm too scared to try again right now though - maybe in a week or two.

* They both seem to enjoy their gym class, and we've had fun singing some of the songs at home.

* They are still napping well on their new schedule. Their average naps have gone from 2 hours to about 1.5 hours, but they are sleeping 30-45 minutes later in the morning, so I guess it all evens out.

* The new schedule is definitely causing me to have less time to myself. This is also one of the reasons I seem to be falling behind with the blog, along with many other things. I am still adjusting, and will figure out my new routine soon!

* They are trying out size 5 diapers during the day. We ran out of size 4 and have quite a stash of 5s (thanks mom!) so we'll see how they do. They still seem pretty big, but I thought I'd give them a try since we have so many.

* Addison has a runny nose. I really hope it isn't a cold.

* They are really enjoying the cooler weather and the extra outside time. Sunday, we let them play in the rain, which they loved. Here they are playing...I don't think Fischer loves anything more than getting muddy.

And here they are drinking water from their "special cups."

We are heading to get Fischer's hair cut again... I hope he does just as well this time as he did last time!

It's been a sad couple of days in our house. We lost one of our furry babies, Sassy, yesterday morning. It was very sudden, and we are still adjusting to the fact that we are now a family of 5. We loved her so much and will miss her for a long, long time!

Life can't be put on hold when you have 19 month olds though. On one hand, it's good that Addison and Fischer are young enough to not understand what happened with Sassy. But, on the other, it's sad that they won't have memories of her. We will show them pictures though, and tell them stories about her. Bo is doing ok, but it's obvious that he's sad. We are giving him a lot of extra love and attention.

I can honestly say I don't know how I would've gotten through losing Sassy without Addison and Fischer. They kept Scott and I laughing yesterday when all we really wanted to do was cry.  Thank goodness they keep us smiling everyday... it will definitely help us heal.

We love you Sassy!!

Addison and Fischer are 19 months old! They are almost out of their teens - I can't believe it!

No, they aren't allowed up on the coffee table. But, I found them there while I was cleaning up after lunch, so I figured it was the perfect 19 month photo - it shows that they are usually up to no good at this age. :)

Here are 19 things I love about my babies (I can still call them that!):

1. I love that Fischer gives hugs now, while saying "ugg" or "uga."

2. I love that Addison says "uh oh" or puts "oh" in front of words all the time (oh mama, oh dada, etc).

3. I love when they play together and giggle.

4. I love when they wake up in good moods and I can hear them talking and laughing on the monitor.

5. I love that Fischer says "hiiii" when we open their door in the morning or after nap.

6. I love when Addison dances (which I still have never gotten a video of).

7. I love that they are both saying "hi" to almost everything (Hi fishy, Hi mama, Hi dada, Hi Bo, Hi Sassy, Hi milk, Hi Mickey... you get the point).

8. I love that they both love animals (even the dead ones), and I hope they always do.

9. I love that sometimes they just want their mama.

10.  I love that they love to eat and that we've never had to struggle with feeding them.

11.  I love that they will sit and watch a show so that I can get some things done.

12.  I love that they love books.

13.  I love how they run.

14.  I love that they don't mind going in their car seats - I've heard horror stories about this.

15.  I love that they like to drink water.
16.  I love that, just this morning, they both saw a bruise on my leg and said "boo boo" and kissed it.
17.  I love that they have their own, very unique, personalities.
18.  I love how they seem to learn more and more each day.
19.  I love them both for just being them!! 

I'm happy to report that Addison and Fischer did great in their gym class yesterday! They had a great time, and did much better in the structured circle time than last week. I stole an idea from another mom and made sure I had a ball for them to play with while we were sitting in the circle. This helped them sit for a little while longer. I noticed that Fischer would do really well during the songs, but once the instructors started talking, he was ready to go do something else! I'm hoping next week will be even better.

They set up different activities in the gym each week, so it was fun seeing the new activities yesterday. Addison was a little less adventurous this week, but she still had a great time! Thankfully, Dianne went with me, which was a huge help!

The new nap schedule is still going pretty well. They did not nap yesterday, but I think it was because of the excitement from their gym class. I will have to figure out a new plan for next week so they don't go all day without napping again - that makes a long day for all of us!

Weekends always seem to go by so fast! We had a good one, with nothing major going on, which was nice. I wanted to stick to our new nap schedule since we are still getting used to it, so we made sure we were home a lot this weekend. I'm happy to report that our new schedule is going well! Addison and Fischer are averaging 2 hour naps, which is great! They have had some fussy times, but overall they are handling the change well!

Saturday, after their nap, we went to Jim and Dianne's house for a visit. When we pulled in, we saw Jim on his tractor. Scott was excited to take Addison and Fischer on a tractor ride! They were a little iffy about it at first, but they rode it a second time and loved it!! Then, Addison kept going back to it and trying to climb up into the seat.

While there, Fischer got to play in their sprinkler, which he loves. He now knows how to turn it on and off too. Addison played in it also, in between tractor rides with her daddy. Fischer also found the water bucket they use for their dogs, and he splashed in that for quite awhile. He definitely loves water!

Then we came home, relaxed, then watched the Carolina game, which we won. Go Cocks!!

Today, we stuck around the house this morning so that we didn't disrupt the nap schedule. After naps, we headed to a nearby park that we've been wanting to check out. It had a nice playground, as well as a lot of grass... Addison and Fischer took off running - they enjoy their freedom. :) Fischer, of course, went immediately to the fountain, which was leaking. There was water everywhere, and he was soaked within 30 seconds. Water makes him so happy! Addison played in the water too, but also enjoyed bringing Scott and I gifts, including pine straw and bugs. Isn't she sweet?!

After they played in the water, we headed to the playground. Addison LOVES slides. She is so brave on them (which is good, but also bad), and pushes herself down, barely giving Scott and I a chance to catch her at the bottom. Fischer had a good time playing in the sand. Then, we had a little picnic so that Addison and Fischer could have their afternoon snack. It was a great time and we'll definitely be going back to that park!

We are now in our 3rd day of napping only once a day, and it's going ok so far. I think it'll take some time for all of us to get used to the new schedule.  The first day, Addison only napped for 30 minutes, and Fischer napped for a little over an hour. I think they were confused and very tired during the first day. Yesterday, both napped for almost 2 hours. We've been eating lunch a little earlier than we used to, then I put them down about 20 minutes after finishing. I'm hoping to slowly work back up to eating at noon again, but for now we'll just go with the flow! We'll see what today has in store soon!

Addison and Fischer have really started playing together more. I hear them giggling a lot more, which always makes me smile.  

Here they are on Wednesday - I think they were talking about the schedule changes... 

Here they are yesterday in their "clubhouse." I put a blanket over it to make it a fort, but they kept tearing it down. They like hanging out in here though!

And here they are this morning... it's safe to say that Fischer won this round.

Addison and Fischer had their 18 month check up yesterday. It went great, and they behaved so well while we waited!

It took the nurse a few tries to get accurate measurements (squirmy toddlers made it tough!), but she finally succeeded. Here are their stats:

Addison:
22 lb 15 oz (20th %)
31 inches (25th - 50th %)
18 inches for her head circumference

Fischer:
22 lb 8 oz (10th %)
31.75 inches (25th-50th %)
19 inches for his head circumference

I really thought Fischer was going to weigh more than Addison this time, but I was wrong!

The Doctor said everything looked great and they seem completely healthy! We don't have to go back until they are 2! I can't believe it. We will go back in October for flu shots, but that will just be a quick visit with the nurse. Hopefully I can get their weights again then.

During the appointment, the Doctor asked us questions about their sleep, diet, words, play, etc... And, we happened to be in the fish themed room, so she got to hear over and over that they can say fish (or as they say it, "shi").

In other news, we decided to transition to one nap a day. They were napping at 9 and 2, so we will do one in between those times. Today was our first try, and it went ok... Addison only slept 30 minutes, and woke up crying, so I had to take her out of the room when it became clear she wasn't going to settle down. Fischer slept about an hour and 15 minutes.  I know it is quite a change in their routine, so it will take some getting used to.  It was time for the change though, because their 9:00 naps were becoming more of a challenge lately. So, just like with all of their other changes, I just need to remember it's for the best when I get frustrated. If I can deal with taking pacis away, I can certainly get through this change, right?!

I am officially in my 30's. I had a wonderful birthday yesterday - complete with a night out with Scott!

Yesterday morning, we took Addison and Fischer to a trial class at My Gym. They went to the Waddlers class, which is for 14-22 month olds. They seemed to enjoy all of the play time, but did not care for the structured portion of the class, where we all sat in a circle and did a few things. The teacher assured me that it usually takes them a few classes to get used to the structured part and that I shouldn't worry about it. Luckily I had Scott there with me to help contain them during the circle time. He went since I wasn't sure what to expect the first time. I decided to go ahead and sign them up, so we will be attending class each Monday morning! I think it will be a great thing!

One of the activities they do within the hour is "separation time." They put a bunch of toys out in the middle of the room and ask the parents to step away while the children play with each other and the 2 teachers. I really thought Addison would keep coming over to us, because she is somewhat clingy.  She barely gave us any thought though, only coming over twice to bring us toys. I was so happy that they enjoyed playing on their own like that! They also got to play on a trampoline, several different swings, a balance beam, slides and many more fun things.

Here are a couple of pictures of them playing. Their favorite, by far, was the ball pit. The last picture is of them playing during separation time.

Yesterday afternoon, we played in the sprinkler for a little while. Then, Scott and I got ready for our date night! The sprinkler playing would explain my hair - I got soaked, and had no time to shower, so it just went up in a quick ponytail. Oh well. :)

We had a great time, and Addison and Fischer did great for Jim and Dianne (thanks again!!).  I'm looking forward to a fun year! :)

This was the last weekend of my 20s... and it was a great one!

Friday night, my parents came to visit and we all went out for a nice dinner. Addison and Fischer behaved so well, and even got to try several new things (including veal, which I didn't have until I was at least 25).

We got home, and had some play time outside before baths. In the picture, notice that Scott and Fischer are both wearing button up shirts with their sleeves rolled up, and khaki shorts. So cute! :)

Then, Addison and Fischer talked Grandma and Grandpa into watching Sesame Street with them before heading to bed.

Saturday was game day!! South Carolina played Georgia, and since it was a noon game, we did a lunch/tailgate at home. Scott grilled up some yummy food so that we could eat lunch right when the game started.

While he cooked, Fischer practiced his football moves...

And Addison practiced a couple of cheers...

Then it was time to head inside for the game! Addison and Fischer got a special treat - they got to eat at their picnic table while watching TV!

The Gamecocks won, which was a great birthday gift! :) We decided to celebrate by getting ice cream at Sonic later in the afternoon, which was delicious.

We spent the rest of Saturday playing and watching more football, which is, in my opinion, the perfect Saturday.

Tomorrow is my actual birthday. To mark the occasion, we are taking Addison and Fischer to their first gym class, then Scott and I are getting to have a date night. I'm very excited! :)

Yesterday, I let Addison and Fischer play with play doh. I was a little nervous, since the container stated in bold "this product is not to be eaten." Since Addison and Fischer tend to put everything in their mouths, I was a bit worried, but thought I'd give it a try anyway. I said right away, "do not put any in your mouth." Fischer put a little up to his mouth, but his mouth was closed. He was just being his little boundary-testing self. Other than that, they didn't put any in their mouths - maybe they understood what I said!

They seemed to have a good time playing with it. They especially enjoyed putting it back in the container, then taking it back out. I'm sure we'll play with again soon! Notice Addison has a rock sitting right next to her play doh. She loves playing with rocks, and I keep finding them everywhere. She is somehow sneaking them inside!

No, we do not have a new pet.  As most of you know, Scott enjoys hunting.  This fox is from one of his hunting excursions years ago, before I even knew him.  The fox lives out on our sunroom right now... We were out there playing the other day, and I looked up and saw Addison with her arms lovingly around the fox's neck while saying "awwww". Yep, she was hugging it. I thought it was gross, but also couldn't help but laugh. She is definitely an animal lover. :)  She and Fischer also like to point out the nose, eyes and ears, as well as try to feed it leaves and rocks.  There's always something interesting going on around here. :)

Speaking of animals, Bo had a great time playing outside tonight. He started chasing one of Addison and Fischer's balls and had the best time! He is worn out now - laying right beside me, sound asleep.  And yes, he did pop the ball, but it was worth the $2.50 to watch him have so much fun! I think it was a bit of payback because Addison and Fischer love playing with the dog toys when we are outside.

Just another random thing... Fischer now calls bugs "lees." I'm not sure where this came from, but when he sees bugs in a book or outside, he very enthusiastically says "Lee! Lee!"  Kids say the funniest things!

We hope you all had a great long weekend! We didn't do too much, but it was nice and relaxing. We played outside. A lot.  Addison and Fischer are now to the point where they walk to the door and say "bye bye," or get extremely excited when they see their shoes.  They also get very mad if we don't go outside right then. So, we have to keep shoes hidden until it's time to go out.

Yesterday was Labor Day, so we decided to go to a festival. We ate lunch there, then walked around for a little while. It was pretty hot, so we didn't stay a long time. Lunch was good though - we shared barbecue sandwiches, a cupcake and some shaved ice. It was fun sharing it with Addison and Fischer. Last time we went somewhere with yummy food like that, they were still on their diet of pureed foods, so they just had to watch us eat. I think they liked sharing better. :)

Our Labor Day afternoon was a lazy one, once we got home. We decided to try out letting the kids watch a disney movie, so we put in Monsters, Inc. They watched it on and off while playing at the same time. They did snuggle a bit with Sully, a character from the movie (who I've had for years!), while they watched.

We've been spending more and more time outside lately. It's still hot, but not as humid, and actually a little pleasant! The mornings and evenings have even been cool... I am ready for cool all day long! I love fall!

Just a few updates from around here.... Addison and Fischer finally seem to be rid of their colds. They stuck around for over a week, but I think they are almost completely gone now. Since Addison wasn't feeling great, we didn't try her on any whole milk yet. We may start that this week. As I said before, we'll just mix in a little whole milk with her soy milk, then go from there. Last time, it just took one tiny ounce of whole milk to make her sick.

Addison has officially caught up to her brother in the tooth department. She now has 16 teeth! Now, we just wait for their 2 year molars... I won't be upset if they wait awhile to make an appearance. It'll be nice to have a break from teething for a little while.

Fischer has been in time-out on several occasions over the past few days. He is all boy, which I've mentioned before, and likes to play rough. Sometimes he takes it too far and earns himself a minute in time-out. It's hard to say if it's working or not, but we are trying to establish some consistency with discipline, and I figured that was a good place to start. It's funny because I never thought I'd be a "time-out mom" but I feel like it's the most appropriate form of discipline at this age.

Addison and Fischer have been much more affectionate and playful with each other lately (it usually starts out nice and then Fischer tries to make it more of a wrestling match). They've been laughing a lot together, and I've even found them hugging. I just love seeing them interact like that!

We may go potty shopping soon. Woohoo! We probably won't actually start potty training right away, but thought that we could have them in the house so Addison and Fischer could get used to seeing them. Addison is still telling me that her diaper is dirty on occasion, but it's definitely not consistent at this point. I don't think she's too far off though!

That's about it for now. We hope you all enjoy your long weekend!

Baths just got a little more colorful around here! I bought some bath tablets by Crayola that dissolve and turn the water fun colors! Tonight, Fischer had red (although it looks pink) and Addison had green. They were a little surprised at first, but then seemed to enjoy the change!

Today is the season opener for Gamecock football. I'm so excited, and I'm pretty sure Addison and Fischer are too!!

Last year, they couldn't even sit up on their own when football season started! (Now, I can barely get them together long enough to take a picture of the two of them).

Here's hoping for a good season! Go Cocks!!

We finally got Addison and Fischer's lawn chairs out again. Last time we had them out (months and months ago), the chairs were just too big for Addison and Fischer.  So, I had it in my mind that the chairs were quite large.  When I finally got them out last night, they were so tiny. Things like this really show me how big Addison and Fischer are getting!

I tried really hard to get a picture of both of them in their chairs, but it just wasn't in their plans. They were too busy plotting their getaway in their new car...

Or maybe they were too busy watching Daddy grill our yummy dinner (which he had to start doing outside of the fence because of our curious little children)....

Or maybe Fischer was too busy inspecting an adult beverage bottle...

Finally, Addison decided to take a little rest in her chair. She wanted to study her new rock.

We've had fun playing outside at night these past few days. It will be even better when it's actually cool enough to play outside during the day for more than 15 minutes at at time! Hopefully soon!