One and a half!

Holy cow. I can't believe Killian and Payton are 18 months old today! Not only are they signing up a storm (they sign about 90 words), they are talking SO MUCH! One day, about 5 or 6 weeks ago, they just woke up one day and started saying all these words. I think they are speaking close to 70 or 80 words. They are like little parrots. They repeat everything we say to them. They even say "blueberry" and "medicine" and "emergency". Okay they don't say it perfectly - but they try! It's like that Dairy Queen commercial where the baby says "antidisestablishmentarianism". American Sign Language continues to be their first language, but their verbal skills are catching up. I especially think it's cool that the speaking has not replaced the signing. If they say a word that they sign, they do both together. So, if they say "more" they are signing it and saying the word at the same time.

Jacey and Bryleigh have been keeping busy with summer camp. Jacey attended softball camp last week. And next week she will be going to a sleep-away YMCA camp for 8 days and Bryleigh will be attending a local horseback riding camp for the week. They go swimming every day at their regular camp, and go on a weekly field trip. So far this summer they have been to the zoo, the beach, Knotts Berry Farm and Raging Waters.

It's been crazy getting them all in different places every morning before work. There have been two weeks so far this summer that I have three separate drop-offs and pick-ups before and after work. Thank goodness I have the best job ever and they are so accommodating. It doesn't hurt that I work at a school too, so the summer hours are super flexible. I guess it's just good practice for the upcoming school year, where I will have three different drop-offs (two different schools for the girls, and my moms for the twins) every morning.

Chris and I went on vacation last week! Just the two of us! That is the first time we've gone away for more than 24 hours in over 2 years. The twins stayed with my mom for two nights and 3 days. We went to Havasu for one of our best friend's 30th birthday. It was a lot of fun and very relaxing. Although it was nice to get away and have a break, I was so ready to come home. I missed the kids more than I can describe. The five hour drive home was terrible, I just wanted to get back to them as soon as possible. The twins have so much fun at Grandma and Papa's house, I don't think they realized we were gone for so long. And Chris and I are very strict with them, so they had a lot of fun at Grandma's where they can get away with a lot more. :)

We had a bit of an emergency yesterday. Payton had an accident while playing outside at my mom's house. Not 5 minutes after arriving for my mom's birthday party, Payton walked into Bryleigh's spinning hula hoop. It hit her eyelid and cut it. We spent a few hours in the emergency room. She didn't need stitches, the doctor just taped it up. I think it looks a lot worse than it is or feels to her. She doesn't seem to be in any pain, although it does look very uncomfortable. Payton is a tough kid. She's totally crazy and wild and seems to have a high tolerance for pain. She jumps off of furniture, sometimes head first, and she loves to play rough. While in the waiting room at the ER, she was climbing onto the tables & chairs and doing headstands on the ground - all while her eye is bleeding and swelling. Although I hope this was the last trip to the ER we'll have to make with her, I wouldn't bet on that. I didn't put pictures of her injury on this page, as some of you may not want to see it. But if you do, you can go here to see them. A warning that if you are squeamish when it comes to injuries, you may not want to look at them.

I have A LOT of pictures on this post. Enjoy....

Eating with our new "big kid" plates.

Payton's bath time.

Signing "dirty"

Cuties

At Uncle Sean and Aunt Dena's house.

Payton loves to collect things

Guitar Hero

Playing with Daddy

Killian with his cousin Michael (1 month old)

Grandma's birthday present. Canvases with each of the kids' handprints. From redenvelope.com