Catching up

A lot has happened since our last post. On a sad note, my favorite "Tia" passed away. She was a wonderful person full of life with a gift for making you feel special. I am saddened by our loss but am glad she passed in her sleep and is now in a better place. We made a special trip to go see her and am really glad she was able to see our boys. She immediately fell in love with them and those two took to her immediately. It was a great trip.

We are currently planning the boys' first birthday party. The invites went out and all of the guests have RSVP/d. It is a Korean theme and they have their Hanboks ready to wear. We tried them on tonight and they are a little big for them. Joaquin looked absolutely adorable in his outfit. Jacob was not pleased with the outfit and was mad and ready to rip it off. I am curious to see how long they are going to last on the day of the party.

Joaquin has started to eat more table food. For a period of time, he stopped eating. He did not want anything other than milk. He totally rejected baby food. He then went on a corn puff diet and that was all he would eat. He is now enjoying other foods but still does not come close to eating the amount of volume that Jacob eats. Jacob eats a lot of food. That boys eats like a growing teenager. When he is done eating he looks like a snake that just ate a cat. His belly really stretches out. The boy is naturally thin and so his belly looks abnormal. Joaquin is 22 lbs and Jacob is 20 lbs. However, Jacob is an inch taller than Joa.

Jacob has been crawling around for a while now, but he is really making an attempt to walk. He prefers to be on his feet and will walk for a few steps. His steps look like a drunk failing the "walk the line" field sobriety stance. His balance is wobbly at best, but he makes the effort. He likes to walk. When he gets a hold of his walking stroller, he takes off like he is being chased by a dog. The boy is quick.

Joaquin likes to stand. He stands up whenever he gets the chance. He also has taken a few steps. His favorite toy is also the walking stroller. He can maneuver it like a surgeon with a knife. He knows where he wants to go and he never gets stuck. He has free reign. He is a strong boy. He totally physically dominates Jacob. He grabs Jacob and has his way with him. He will put him on the floor and then roll him along the floor as Jacob screams in anger. He gets on top of him and starts to playfully slap him around. I am amazed by his strength. He is a powerful strong boy. What he lacks in grace, he has in pure brawn.

Another note on Joaquin is that he really likes music. When music comes on he starts to bob up and down and dance. He also really likes it when Latrice or their grandmother sings to them. He is going to be drawn to music and I hope he develops the ability to sing. I know he has the lungs for it because he has been developing for the past 11 months. He likes to scream quite a bit and is very vocal when he is unhappy (and that is the majority of the time).

Jacob is a really sweet boy. He likes to be around people and he likes to smile. He is very curious and always seems to be studying how things work. When you lay him down to sleep, you have to be with him. He will hold your arm and caress it slowly. His trick is to get you to fall asleep with him so you do not leave him. Someone has to sleep with him through the night. He has been out of his crib for about 3 months now. I do not know how we are going to get him to sleep by himself in the future. That is a bridge we will have to cross when we get there.

A few weeks ago we went to Myrtle Beach, S.C. We had a good time and we were able to take the boys on a few kiddie rides. They seemed to enjoy them okay. We try to take the boys out every weekend. A trip to the park or the mall is the norm. I also take them out for runs and Latrice will take them out on walks. These lil ones are super stars wherever they go. We are constantly being stopped and asked if they are twins. 90% of the public believes that Joaquin is a girl because of his long hair and cute face. We are still determined not to cut it for a while. It is a tough decision because it is always in his eyes. I hope we do not give in...

Latrice's mom is now living with us. That has added an interesting dynamic to our lives. We are trying to incorporate her into our routine. Of course she has her ways with the boys and we have ours. It is a challenge to get her on our page, but she is coming around. The boys adore her. Joaquin and Jacob love their HALMONI (grandma in Korean). She has been very helpful and we are glad for the extra hand around the house. It has left us with more time to enjoy some TV or simply lounge around.

That is all for now...

~Javier