Love is Golden: Fifteen Months

Better late than never, yes? Here's a brief rundown of month 15:

Charlotte Anne at 15 Months:

21.5 lbs (25th %)

30 inches long (50th %)

Oh, my Charlie. It's been quite a month. First, there's the gym meltdowns...we've already discussed that. But she's giving me a run for my money at home these days, too. She screams and fights me when I wash her face after she eats..and when I try to change her diaper...and when I get her dressed...and when it's time to get her undressed...and when she has to get her hair washed in the bathtub...yep, pretty much any time we have to mess with her at all. When Charlie doesn't like something, she is sure as heck going to let you know about it (and she's going to let the neighbors know about it, too, just for good measure). I swear there are times when I expect the neighbors to come knocking on our door asking what's wrong when the only thing "wrong" is that we are giving Charlotte a bath and Charlotte doesn't want a bath.

At our recent 15-month doctor's appointment, Charlie screamed throughout the entire visit. Our doctor said she appeared to be very anxious, but she also said the same thing that I repeat to myself several times each day: It could be just a phase. Sometimes I believe it, but other times I begin to think that my stubborn streak and anxiety and Brian's temper have combined in this one little girl, kind of like the "perfect storm" of toddlers. Yikes.


Yes, I am letting her run around with blueberries all over her face while carrying an A&M bottle opener and a UT bottle opener...because sometimes, you've just gotta pick your battles.

All that said, Charlotte has so many good qualities...she is so smart and funny. She is a great little sleeper and loves to go to her pack 'n' play for naps. She is such a great communicator and she loves to shop with me. After meals, Charlie will hang out in her high chair forever and watch me clean up the kitchen and Jensen play. At Cristi's house the other day, she amused herself for a good half an hour while Cristi and I sat on the couch and talked. I feel like people who have seen her in certain situations would be shocked to hear that she ever behaves badly...but most other people would unfortunately be shocked to hear that she is ever happy and content. She's a gal of many moods who went (pretty much overnight) from throwing herself on the floor screaming when I tried to put bows in her hair to "asking" for a bow by pointing to her hair and saying, "Bow, bow!" She is a tough one to figure out, my Bug.

Jensen Todd at 15 Months:

23.5 lbs (50th %)

32 inches (75th%)

Mr. Dude is the cutest little mess of a troublemaker in the world! He cracks me up at the gym childcare center...while I'm sitting there consoling Charlotte, he goes off and plays. Then, every once in awhile he looks up and spots me and runs over to give me a hug as if to say, "Hey! You're still here! Awesome!" Then he goes right back to playing. He is incredibly easygoing and even smiled at the doctor throughout his 15-month checkup. He's a great shopper and behaves for the most part, but goodness gracious he is LOUD. You can hear his (happy) shrieks from several aisles away! He's also into absolutely anything and everything that he can possibly get his hands on....trouble with a capital "t"! Poor little dude still only has four teeth but neither our doctor nor my dad is worried about it so I guess I'm not either.

As you can see, he is also quite the little fashionista. I bought the sunglasses in the above pic for Charlotte, who of course wanted nothing to do with them...Jensen, however, quite enjoys them! He also fancies bling in any form (he likes to point out the shiny jewelry to me when we shop) and likes to sport headbands around the house. Oh, and he also loves shoes...perhaps I have the next Steve Madden on my hands?? But this little guy is also a bit of a cowboy-in-training: he has a new-found love for his rocking horse:


Oh, he also got his second haircut this month...it was a bit too short!

Jensen rides his horse morning, noon and night. He loves Chicco (that's what we named his horse; hey, I never claimed we are creative!) and does not take too kindly to Charlotte riding him. When he sees Charlotte on "his" horse, his little face gets a look of anger, jealousy, worry and sadness all at once. It's quite sad and needless to say it (along with a few other incidents) has led to lessons in sharing. But overall, he is such a happy boy...his dad and I truly hope that he is always as full of joy as he is now.

Charlie and Jensen have begun interacting in several new ways this month...some good, some bad. The bad is that they are really, really beginning to fight over toys and books. I always assumed that since they are twins, they would be great at sharing because they would just be so used to it...not the case. I feel like I am telling them to share constantly, and they are not often happy about it! The good is that they are running around together causing all kinds of mischief. I never fully appreciated the phrase, "the pitter-patter of little feet" until this month. When they are in another room and I can hear their little footsteps running towards me, it never fails to make me smile. They have also begun to wrestle with each other sometimes in the evenings...usually it starts with Jensen lying on his back and us urging Charlotte to "go get Brother!". Charlotte will sometimes (much to Jensen's delight) come and tackle him...he loves when his sis wrestles with him!