R and L are now officially a year and a half. Their love for music and dance is growing with them. R has a very cute new dance move. He shakes his head and shoulders very fast and then swings his arms around freely. Leila does cha-cha-cha type steps around the house. She also goes down down down and then up up up.
When the moment and music inspires them, they hold hands and look into each others eyes. Their smiles are contagious. They make each other laugh. The couples dance turns into a bear hug. Then there is hair-pulling, screaming, and crying. An adult intervenes. We pull them apart and ask them to be gentle. Sometimes there is a make-up stroke through the others hair, or a peck on the cheek. Other times there is no reaction. This is sort of how our days go – the activity might be different, the fun, laughter, drama, and crying always there.
So what has changed for US?
-We haven’t read anything longer than a few pages on a computer screen in a while.
– We only watch animated movies.
-I hum nursery rhymes all day long, even after R and L are asleep.
-Maher plays children’s tunes on his classical flute. He did take it out of its case after many years though.
-We eat overcooked, car and plane shaped pasta. The big secret we are keeping from the Lebanese family and friends is dinner is at six-thirty pm now.
-My brothers and guy cousins are jealous of my big shoulders and biceps. When I was pregnant a friend with twin sisters told me his mum developed strong arms. I looked at him strangely. Now I understand.
-Maher’s practice takes even longer than it used to. The little yogis don’t miss their chance to practice with and even force feed him.
Now that L and R are eighteen months old they will sleep soundly through the night, eat heartily, drink out of cups, and play calmly with each other. No, but one Mum of Twins (MoT) blogged how things lightened up for her at one-and-a-half. So hey, some positive thinking and hoping can’t hurt!
Natasha Devalia 
You don’t need a haircut, don’t change Maher’s (my hair) length!
I know, I know, but I had too say it..
By the way, I need to cut mine but not because I’m bored, it just takes too much time to wash/brush/style and look for things to hold them up so that Nayla doesn’t pull them all the time.
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We have to get you a hair cut soon! I also need a trim to be honest.
It’s just something I always did before, wish for longer hair but cut it out of impatience.
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i know all about strong arms….. can t wait to see Leila and Rahul, Nayla, Eva and Raya all together playing that s toooooooooo much cutness !!!!!!!!!!
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Will be fun! We are waiting for you.
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*cuteness
very very soon…Kisses
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Since you are having dinner at 6pm now, I offcially grant you Chinese citizenships!
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Nats! This is great post! Can’t wait to see R and L again, they sound so ridiculously, inqusitively, CUTE!
Positive vibes all the way!
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And what about the changes to your house?
-from yoga studio (empty and zen space) to toy paradise (with a basketball corner, a parking spot for vehicles, a lounging area to drink milk bottles, a diaper spot, not to mention all the boxes with stuffed animals and dolls, loud and colorful plastic toys, wooden house, horse and all kinds of music instruments and so much more..)
-from white walls to colorful stickers walls
-and all the security equipment : locks on windows, drawers, gas leak detectors, mosquito nets..
Happy one-and-a-half year!
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Hey Pasca,
Thanks for reminding me about all that! You and Nayla seem to enjoy coming to the Play House Chengdu!
We have crayon scribbles on our white walls too.
And a fire extinguisher in every room!
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And my hair is longer than it has ever been. I haven’t had the time to get bored enough to need the change!
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