Aimeriez vous acheter de moi quelque cheveux voles?

it's been a crazy few weeks here, good crazy though. saida is walking everywhere, like a sumo wrestler. she's so funny talking all the time in her own language. this morning she woke up early for some reason and not wanting to start a bad habit we just listened to her talking to herself for like 30 minutes. hilina was still asleep and it was like she was thinking, if i talk loud enough she will wake up and talk to me so "DOI ugh errr wuuuh DOI doi hhhhuhhhh DOI DoOOOOiiiI" and then hilina finally woke up and her baby talk is all frenchie sounding so she answers saida and it sounds so pretty, all "oui oui! je suis un ananas. j'etais un canard. mais, les canards sont tres tres stupid, ainsi j'ai change". i love it. i love how much they are growing up. yesterday i stood hilina up in the pocket doors- facing out so she was leaning back instead of forward as she is want to do- as part of our therapy. and saida went to the other door and stood just like her and then lifted up her shirt and patted her belly. so then hilina lifted up her shirt and patted her belly. the must have mirrored each other for fifteen minutes, it was awesome. it just seems like something new happens everyday. for instance just a minute ago saida said "NO!" and the next 2 years flashed before my eyes. sigh. hilina is doing great in therapy - getting stronger every day. if you hold her up she will make stepping motions and is starting to bear weight on her legs. she is so proud of herself, almost as much as we are. we meet with her team in two weeks to discuss her progress, what's working and isn't, if there are other therapies she's qualified to recieve (i'm pushing for speech because she has a really hard time chewing and swallowing). but all in all we couldn't be more pleased with her progress and are really hoping she's walking by christmas not only for her own sake, but mine too, as she is almost 3 feet tall and absolute dead weight when you carry her. and then my little judah. he's an angel. the most content baby i have ever met. i think he heard the happy chaos that is our life for nine months and decided to take it easy on us. he's easy to make smile, and easy to feed, and easy to comfort and all around just a total pleasure to be around and love on.
in just a few hours we are leaving for south carolina where we go each year with ben's family. that's right, we're packing up all 3 kids in the rental car and driving around 14 hours to the beach. we're stopping half way at ben's sister's house to break up the trip but considering our girls have only ever been in car seats 3 times - yikes! let's all hope it goes well. but the way i see it, even if it's total crap for the whole drive when we get there, we'll be at the BEACH. WITH PEOPLE. TO HELP ME! AT THE BEACH!
it's the girls first time to a beach that doesn't have trash and broken glass all over the place (god bless coney island) so i think they are going to be in hog heaven. especially saida as you can't pull that child out of the water for anything - even food.
all tuckered out.

see? he's awake!

my girls

my boys.

saida in the park walking like a sumo wrestler.

hilina