It's 10:50 pm

It's 10:50 pm and they're still awake. I can hear them talking in their cribs, laughing, jumping, encouraging each other. I've gone in there about 4 times already, they settle down for awhile but within a few minutes they're back to playing around. I think having their papá home for the entire day has really wound them up. I'm wondering if I should take the opportunity to leave for the day sometime this week and see how they do, I wonder how DrillSgt. would feel about that?! The last time I was out alone for an extended period of time (more than 2 hours) (to buy a dress for their baptism---that's how long it's been) I came home to "Why were you gone so long? You were gone for 6 hours!" I still say it was only 4, I remember looking at my watch & feeling guilty about it. That was back when they could only crawl, I wonder what comments I'd come home to now?

Grammy & Welo called today, looks like they're planning on heading back Friday morning. It took them about 38 hours to drive there (with 3 drivers) I'm thinking/hoping it takes them a little longer on the way home. They should rest, take their time, maybe stop and enjoy the scenery. Da'Gorgeouses have been okay with them gone, I thought it would be different, but I think that it has helped to talk to them on the phone and hear their voices.


Pistol is really composing her sentences now. This morning she told me, "I want more cereal please mamá" and when she fell tonight she said, "Oh no, I fall down!" LongRifle is getting so much better too, I've really started to notice that she is more in tune with the Spanish and has a slight accent in her speech. They both understand what we tell them, no matter what language we use, although English tends to be the predominant language. It's amazing how they're such little sponges at this age, picking up and remembering things so quickly. No matter how difficult the word may seem, they don't hesitate to try and use it, and the majority of the time Pistol always gets the correct pronunciation.

They are also getting more adventurous with their climbing on things, standing up on higher ground and taking a few more risks. I'm doing my best not to wig out when they do this, I know it's all part of learning and being a toddler, but I find that I not only have to convince myself, I also have to convince DrillSgt. that we need to let them explore and bump themselves. What makes it harder (besides all that we went through) is that there are TWO of them, so they push and pull and tug on each other leaving that much more room for something to happen. Pistol fell off (well, she was pushed off by LongRifle) of a diapers box and landed on her butt, she didn't cry until DrillSgt. went over and tried to comfort her, then it was an all out exaggeration which ended once he put her down and told her she was okay. Of course, I felt like the bad parent because I made it a point not to react. Why is it that this parenting stuff is so hard sometimes?

I had to go in there once more, it's now 11:15 pm and it looks like they've finally given in and gone to sleep. (I hope I didn't just jinx myself).