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morning she first kissed Adam goodbye, professing her love.  Then she kissed
Galen, telling him how much she would miss him. She was halfway to the door
when my ``Aren't you forgetting someone?!'' stopped her in her tracks, and
we both burst out laughing. 


<p> <hr> (6/7/96) During the nine days I was in Scotland, my boys changed
so much.  Fortunately, my nightmare that they would both forget me and
learn to crawl was ill founded. As I entered the front door (after 21 hours
of exhausting travel), I could hear them fussing and crying depite
Margaret's best efforts at placation. But one look at my approaching face
and they grew happy and excited. Arms reached out to be held. My dream come
true!  Their faces were subtly changed, their heft noticeably heavier, but
they smelled the same! And I hadn't missed the transition to crawling. 

<p>
However, Adam <i>had</i> learned to sit. What a change this imposes on
life! Now,  Adam is perfectly happy to simply sit in front of a big box of
toys. He'll carefully select one, grab it, pull it loose from the tangle,
chew on it, shake it, throw it to one side, and repeat with a different
choice. Amazing. 

<p><hr>
<p> 
<img src="http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/weld/photos/boys/stroller.jpeg" ALIGN=left>

Naturally, when we take the boys outside, they get considerable attention
from passersby. The usual refrain goes "Oh, how cute! Are they twins?! Two
boys? Are they identical? How old are they?" and we have the stock answers
hard wired. One day we took the boys to nearby Greenlake which is circled by
a paved trail and packed with individuals and families, walking, running,
cycling, and rollerblading, clockwise and counter, both alone and with pets
(dogs, cats, parrots and ferrets); it's as crowded as a zoo and crazy as a
circus. It quickly became apparent that twins were quite common here, and
happily we were largely ignored by the rank and file. Of course, we still
felt a need to share statistics with other parents of multiples, but this we
learned could be quite efficient.   One man approached, jogging at top speed
with a loaded double stroller and in the five seconds between first sighting
and perigee blurted out "Twin fraternal girls; two years!" and we barely
managed to respond "Twin fraternal boys; seven months!" before he vanished
in the distance. Such efficiency.

<p><hr>
(7/24/96)  In the past week my boys made an amazing realization--- they could
put <I>food</I> into their <I>own</I> mouths!  Imagine the sequence of
revelations from how wonderful it feels to drink milk when hungry, to the
discovery that there exist other foods besides milk (e.g., stewed prunes and
pureed green beans), to the recent blockbuster that they could feed
themselves!  Chunks of pasta, slices of toast, wafers of apple, and slivers
of banana all make their way, slowly, imperfectly, but deliberately into
their mouths. (Well, actually most of it ends up someplace else --- face,
clothes, chair, floor --- but a <I>bit</I> makes it into their mouths!)
<p>
Their excitement with the process is tangible. No longer are they content to
be fed, they demand an active role at dinnertime. Just sitting them in
highchairs calms their fussy complaints for a while, but soon they start
banging their hands on their tables until they are presented with Cheerios
or Baby Biscotti (our name for Zweiback toast). Since they are just learning
to feed themselves, we spoon feed them the bulk of their meals. Galen will
eat most anything, but Adam has developed quite particular tastes. When
offered a bite of Brown Cow yogurt, his mouth opens wide, but vegetables
yield a very different expression!

<p>
<hr>
Adam's other recent achievement is crawling. His first steps were two weeks
ago when Nathan was visiting. We were sitting on the kitchen floor playing
with toys, and Nathan was ambling around the dining room. When David called,
Nathan zoomed into the kitchen, crawling incredibly fast. Adam stared
intently and grew agitated as Nathan whizzed past him. Suddenly, Adam leaned
forward and took his first steps, crawling two feet or so. It was very
exciting, and he gurgled with self-satisfaction.  
<p>

<img src="http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/weld/photos/boys/bullet.jpeg" ALIGN=right>


It took a while for Adam to repeat the achievement, but slowly his
proficiency has grown. For the first week he couldn't crawl very far because
he preferred to stretch out, reaching for his objective and this inevitably
left him flopped out on his belly - a position from which he could not
recover. I grew fascinated with the manner in which his motions evolved, day
to day, by trial and error. Over a period of a week, intent exploration led
him to the discovery of a mechanically stable way to transition from sitting
to crawling and back. I'll always remember his look of triumph when he first
spotted a toy, successfully retrieved it, and returned to sit and play with
it. Now he has mastered the lift-from-belly-to-crawl maneuver, and is
spending hours rising unsteadily into a toe-tip crouch and perfecting his
balance, settling securely back onto his knees only when the ground
threatens to claim him.  Since my parent's house is not childproof, it is
fortunate that he doesn't realized that he can easily crawl a dozen feet.
Anything farther than three still appears unattainable and fails to
motivate. But by repeatedly moving a desirable object (coffee mug, beer
bottle or newspaper) away as he approaches we can spur him to athletic heights. 

<p>
Naturally, Adam's ability to crawl provides him a considerable advantage
over Galen in the sibling-rivalry arms race. Not long does Galen get to keep
the choice toys!. Adam wheels into position, grabs the object before Galen
even recognizes the threat, and confidently crawls a safe distance to play.
We keep waiting for Adam's prowess to spur Galen's development, but his
behavior appears stuck in an evolutionary trap. Long ago, he realized that
by stretching his legs way out in front, he could use the tripod principle
to stabilize the sitting position. (Actually, we're not sure whether he
solved the physics equations analytically or if he reached this
understanding via a brilliant intuitive leap.) In any case, the legs now
prevent him from crawling towards a toy. He keeps trying and trying,
valiantly leaning forward and slapping at the ground. But no matter how hard
he struggles, the toys don't get closer. 

<p> (8/15/96) Galen still isn't crawling, but he <i> has </i> learned to
spin around and around on the hardwood floor. It's very funny to watch,
this lazy-susan routine, and its interesting to ponder why Adam never
rotated like a top when Galen finds it so amusing.  It's also interesting
how the behavior equalizes the sibling-rivalry arms race. Now, when
Adam stalks in search of a prize toy, Galen simply spins, keeping his back
towards his predatory brother.  Adam keeps trying the end-run,
but Galen can spin faster than Adam can crawl!

<p> <hr><p> (9/2/96) Galen finally started moving last week. While he still
isn't doing a symmetrical crawl (he lunges forward with both hands, then
uses his left foot to scooch his flacid right leg underneath his bum, and
repeats), we can move surprisingly fast.  Galen's new mobility combined
with Adam's ability to climb stairs and pull into a standing position,
makes for a huge potential disaster. Fortunately, the boys like to stay
together. If we move one into the bedroom (to change a diaper, say) the
other quickly appears. They don't really play together in any meaningful
way, but they do make eye contact frequently and burst out giggling. Melts
my heart.

<p><hr><p> (10/15/96) A month and a half have passed, but Galen
<i>still</i> doesn't crawl in the traditional sense. He lopes like an
injured soldier or a half-tamed animal. Indeed, his odd gait earned him the
nickname "Monkey Boy." Meanwhile, tiny Adam crawls at a feverish
pace. Since he often carries small toys in his mouth, he looks like a
puppy. When he catches sight of some forbidden object in the distance, his
short little legs pump at high frequency, shaking his round baby bum, and he
recedes into the distance.

<p> The past month has also changed the dynamics of the twins'
toy-possession arms race. Although Adam still has a stronger grip and can
force a toy from his brother's grasp, Galen seems now to have the
advantage. His secret is a meticulous defense. When Galen senses Adam's
predatory pursuit, he spins 180 degrees and lopes away. Adam rarely gets
close enough to overpower his sibling. When the situation is reversed
however, clueless Adam appears oblivious to the impending threat of his
approaching brother. Galen simply sidles up and snatches; then spins and
scrams. 

<p><hr><p>
Peach Apricot Muesli. It sure <i>sounds</i> good! But the boys know
better. Somehow they sense the spoon's contents before it ever makes it
<i>near</i> their mouths. Adam shakes his head, clamps lips shut and
flails his arms in a (usually successful) attempt to deflect incoming
mouthfuls. Galen can sometimes be tricked into a bite, but
then... <i>pause</i> ... the mouth opens, tongue rolls back, and the
complete spoon's contents is slowly and inexorably forced back out. The
masticated mess rolls down the chin and impacts the bib.


<p><hr><p>
<img src="http://www.cs.washington.edu/homes/weld/photos/boys/adam-bday.jpeg" ALIGN=left>

(10/22/96) How can a whole year have passed? This should be a happy day,
and indeed the boys are happy (although they have no idea all this fanfare
is about <i> them!)</i>, but it makes me sad. It reminds me too undeniably
that time is an ever faster torrent. When I was a child, a morning could
last <i>soooo</i> long. I remember watching Apollo 13 on TV and Dad saying
that it would take <i>three days</i> for the astronauts to get to the
moon. <i>Three days?!?</i> Sure, being the first person to walk on the moon would
be cool, but three days was <i>way</i> too much of a sacrifice. 

<p> If the rivers of time flow ever faster towards the great fall, then my
boys must still be floating in a placid eddy.  But when I look at them,
they don't <i>seem</i> placid?!  They revel in life, experiencing the most
dramatic ranges of emotion. Why is it that we seem less able to enjoy life
the older we get? Do the river banks start moving by so fast that we become
transfixed, unable to focus on the journey's pleasures for fear of reaching
the final destination?

<p><hr><p>
Today's observation: My sons are musical instruments, and my family <i>is</i>
an orchestra. 

<p> Yes, it's true --- Galen loves to be played percussion. He lies on his
back like an L, feet straight up in the air, supported by my lap. Sensing
the performance is about to begin, he hums "Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" and I start
rhythmically pumping his legs, thumping his belly, tapping his chest, and
vibrating him into sound. He smiles and changes pitch. When our efforts
merge in brilliant harmony, he becomes amazed at his output and laughs ---
which <i>really</i> sounds funny, causing more laughter. 

<p> Meanwhile, Adam is on <i>his</i> back in <i>Mom's</i> lap, resonating
away. So we play together, side by side, on the kitchen floor. The family
orchestra.

<p><hr><p>
Over time, Adam and Galen have grown to love baths. The mere sound of
a tub running water draws Adam from the most distant room in the house. I
hadn't thought that Galen felt as strongly, but this morning I learned
otherwise. 

<p>
Assuming Margaret and Adam were seconds behind me, I carried Galen upstairs
and left him playing in the beroom whil I jumped in the shower. Seconds
later he was standing against the side of the tub, batting at the shower
curtain. I sang to him as I rinsed shampoo... Then heard a meaty thud
and felt something wriggle against my ankles. I still don't know how he
managed to climb over and fall in!

<p>
When Margaret and Adam finally arrived they were surprised to see Galen
peering thru the steam, fully dressed, sopping wet, and very happy. He shed
clothes and we cleaned up together.

<p><hr><p> The boys are fascinated with the concepts "in" and "out." Adam will
spend hours on the kitchen floor placing bowls, first one in the other, and
then vice versa. All the time, he has his tongue protruding in
concentration. 

<p> Both love to open and close doors. With its swinging springy action,
the kitchen door is best. They will crawl to one room, circle behind the
door, then push it shut. There is a moment of tension when it rests closed,
especially if the boys are separated. Drumming my fingers lures the hidden
boys close to the door. Then I pull the door open and peer around to
giggles. Once I prop the door open on the new side, Adam and Galen race for
the chance to push it closed again.

<p><hr><p> (11/30/96) Adam has  his projects. I have no idea how he decides
what to focus on, but when he sets his mind to something he becomes
completely pig headed. Don't even think of interrupting him, unless you are
willing to brave a total tantrum. 
<p>
So what does he do? Well, a few nights ago he was obsessed with the arch
formed between the piano's two right legs. He crawled up and over, through
the arch, then turned around and went back. Again. And again. Grunting with
effort. Tongue out in concentration. 
<p>
The next day it was the green ball. He'd ctach it, grab it, toss it onto
the stoop leading towards the bedroom stairs, then climb onto the stoop,
throw it off, climb off, and repeat. Over and over. 
<p>
Today, it was the toy box. He emptied the red crate of toys (mostly), then
climb inside. Then climb out. (Sounds easy, but the box's walls are pretty
high, so it was a real challenge. And any challenge is worth
savoring. Again and again. 

<p><hr><p> 


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Adam in garbage can

Bedtime routine - on couch

Garbage can as a walker

laughing at the speaker

Chasing each other

adam butting the ball

first real illness

first birthday
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