Flashback Friday: Growing Up

 Brina trying to figure out how to get across the floor to Daddy!

Today’s Flashback Friday goes back 10 years.  The girls were 6 months old and starting to learn so much every week.  They are more mobile and on the go.  They love babbling back and forth to each other and to others.  It is fascinating to watch them explore and learn new things.  Our family is blessed with these to sweethearts.

Brina is the more mobile one, but Karlie is only a day or two behind her.  Karlie is the more verbal one, but it doesn’t take Brina to catch up.  They challenge each other and neither one wants to get left behind so they do a lot of their fun activities together.

It is cute to see them working together like a small team.  Some of their jibber jabber we don’t understand, however, they seem to understand all of it and will randomly bust out laughing about some inside joke they share.

 Sweet Brina pausing to say “Hi” to Mommy!

Karlie is always quick to offer a sweet smile which makes my heart happy.

It’s only been a month since they started eating rice cereal and “solid” food.  The first time we had a lot of tears because they didn’t like it and wanted their bottles.  Now they are all smiles when they get into their high chairs .  They look forward to meal time (I think they consider it another form of play time only messier)!  Oh, how quickly things change in just a few weeks.

Having fun with Brina as we get her dressed for bed.  She doesn’t look too thrilled, but puts up with her goofy parents anyway.

Brina – “Quiet Karlie, it’s my turn to talk now….”

Karlie – “What are you laughing at Daddy?”  She is all smiles and has no idea she has tape on her forehead!

Brina so proud of her standing ability.

Karlie and Brina, they had such pinchable and kissable cheeks at this age.

Daddy’s unique way of giving Mommy some cash.  Brina wasn’t too sure about this new toy in between her toes.

Brina would get very upset if she tipped over and couldn’t get herself back up again.  This time when she fell over I think Karlie was concerned about her crying because she stuck her fingers into Brina’s mouth (maybe to make her be quiet, who knows).

Brina’s first ride on the rocking cow (with pillows on either side and Daddy next to her just in case).

Sweet Karlie

Karlie’s first ride on the rocking cow.  They were a little unsure about this moving cow at first, but as they got older it became a popular toy at our house.  They loved it.

Happy Karlie girl

They are learning how to use a sippy cup.  Karlie sometimes would “act” like she was drinking or play around instead of actually drinking so we had to make sure she was getting enough water.

  Brina tipped over Mr. Octopus while playing and couldn’t get back up.  She was not happy!  Once I sat her back up again she was fine and her happy self again.

Surprised Karlie woke up to a massive stuffed animal on the swing with her.   Where did this come from?!  “Butch” was a large stuffed dog I got as a kid from Grandpa CE and Grandma Willa.  The girls loved to roll around, climb, and play with it when they were little.

Life is good – Karlie

Brina is fascinated with the new toy which we called “Giggles”.  It would giggle and move around the room.  She loved to followed it around the room and knock it over so it wouldn’t run away.

Karlie on the other hand was a little suspicious about a laughing and moving toy.  She was fine with it at a distant, but the first time it bumped into her arm she was hysterically screaming like it attacked her.  After watching it a few more times she eventually got used to it and enjoyed it.

Brina riding the “Hungry Hippo”!  They could ride on the hippo and as it moved it would pick up block and other toys off the floor and put them into a storage bin under the seat.  It made “clean up” more fun for the kids.  They both loved riding on it or being pushed around the house picking up scattered toys.

Playing together on “Mr. Clown” mat.  They initially would both fit (with all their toys) and stay on the clown mat now they are getting older they never stop moving so even though they might start there they don’t stay very long.

Karlie is happy to play music for the rest of us.

Brina talking and showing off her belly button while Karlie sits there nicely for the picture.

 They loved talking (or babbling) to each other.  This was one time while I was getting them dressed.  Karlie was talking away so I sat Brina up on the changing table with her and they talked back and forth for several minutes.  Who knows what they were saying, but they were having fun.  They were fascinated by the words and noises coming out of each others mouths and would stick their hands inside the others mouth trying to figure out how it all worked.  Loved these little interactions and the cute gibberish they made.

Daddy let Karlie borrow his hat.  He was concerned about her getting a sunburn.

 Karlie sitting quietly, but not entirely sure about this thing on her head.

A whole lot of Brina mischief was found in my laundry basket.  They used to love playing in our laundry baskets.  Once they were older they made it a game to climb in and out, wonder how that started?  Sweet Brina is distracted me from doing the laundry, but hey that can wait until tomorrow, right!?