2 Years, 3 Months

Pumpkin Season
Halloween would have been a lot more fun if we hadn't all been sick for basically the entire month of October. It's rough adapting those little immune systems to school.

Cookie Daddy with his Elmos (Henry left, Jack right):

Henry toyed with dressing as Elmo for Halloween:

Then went with a hybrid: Cookie Elmo (with Cookie Big Bird).

Briefly contemplated going as Puppy Henry:

But ultimately settled on Cookie Monster for some trick-or-treating downtown with Mama Big Bird:

Jack spent Halloween at school, where he was able to participate in their harvest festival. Henry had a rough morning, but was feeling well enough after a good long nap to do some trick-or-treating. He did a fantastic job saying "trick-or-treat!" and "thank you." By obliquely calling his acquisitions "treats" instead of candy, he didn't seem to realize they were actually edible, so he simply enjoyed pouring his treats out of the bag and putting them back in until Mommy made them disappear.

Though Halloween has passed, the boys still request Mommy or Daddy Big Bird from time to time.

Cuddling with Daddy Big Bird (Jack left, Henry right):

Attacking (lovingly):

The boys' first field trip with their preschool was to a pumpkin patch. They thought it was a fantastic "adventure."

Henry tries to get the most bang for his buck when told he could pick one pumpkin:

Scarecrow Jack:

Henry (with a more reasonably-sized pumpkin selection) navigates the pumpkin patch's drainage pipe play tunnels:

Henry rides home with his ultimate prize:

And proudly carries it to the house himself:

Being uninterested in tackling the mess that is pumpkin carving, Mom is grateful the boys take her up on her offer to decorate their pumpkins with Halloween-themed stickers:

Now, it's time for...

Henry!

Pictured above with his second favorite stuffed toy, creatively named Teddy Bear. His favorite stuffed toy (and favorite thing period) is his elephant lovey "Hen-e-phant" (short for Henry Elefonte, of course). 

Henry's favorite activities include gathering toys into piles and sitting on them like a dragon guarding his hoard. I guess one has to do that with an ever-present twin brother. He loves Sesame Street (as one might have guessed from the Halloween costumes above) and is not terribly fond of Jack's favorite show, Curious George, on at least one occasion looking me earnestly in the eyes and solemnly stating "no monkey" when asked what show he'd like to watch that day.

Henry loves to sing and often treats us to renditions of Twinkle Twinkle, the alphabet song, and row row row your boat, as well as assorted songs from preschool and the library toddler time he attends with Kasey on Fridays.

Henry is absolutely the sweetest little boy, when he's happy. 

Above: reveling in his unsafe jigsaw technique.
Below: pleased after a delicious morning snack of yogurt.

He can be a bit shy (especially at school)...

... sometimes a tad mischievous (cackling because he just pulled the googly eyes off of all of his pumpkin stickers)...

... and often doesn't appreciate his picture being taken.

Which brings us to...

Jack!
Who, me?

So much attitude with this kid.

Ugh, Mom, you're embarrassing me. 

Jack's favorite answer when asked if he'd like to do or have something is "okay, sure!"

Jack's poofy mane after playing hair salon with nanny Kasey:

Jack absolutely loves school and has apparently been making lots of friends and having a blast. Nap-pack in hand, backpack on, ready to go!

Favorite activities include: playing in the dirt...

... following the letter of the law if not the spirit (no food outside the kitchen... technically his butt and the food are still in the kitchen)...

 

... and helping Daddy with projects. 

Jack hands Daddy a nail for the toilet step-stool under construction (it's since been finished and it's absolutely perfect for the boys):

Removing wall hangers which previously held strollers, now used only infrequently:

Patching the holes:

Always a job well done (or, in this case, a delicious bagel well finished): 

Little Chaos Monsters
Life with twin two-year-olds is... exhausting.

Jack, on the run, Henry following behind:

Jack shows off the cool seed pod he found, Henry scans the horizon for something similarly awesome:

Locked in the front yard away from the neighbor's cat, Jack (in green jacket) and Henry (in tan t-shirt) strive for a better observation point:

Daddy was too tired to play chase. He's now playing "be dragged away from the comfortable couch:"

Henry is victorious in his quest to hold two balls in each hand:

Jack is satisfied with one in each hand:

Our backyard, under construction (Henry in orange, Jack in blue):

Showing off the block towers they built. Jack:

Henry:

The boys are learning a ton, speaking in full sentences, effectively mimicking the things Mom says in frustration, and coming up with lots of novel things to say and ways to play. They are really asserting themselves and showing their personalities, which is alternately mindbogglingly frustrating and heartwarmingly astonishing.