Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all of you Mommas are having a great Mother's Day. We definitely deserve it, right? ;)

Our boys have grown so much since last Mother's Day. . Last year the boys were crawling; now they are running, jumping and climbing. Last year Alan let me sleep in while he cooked me breakfast... which I ate while tandem nursing the boys. Those days are past. This year we went to Cracker Barrel with Alan's family and the boys tore through 2 eggs each, 1/2-1 french toast each, some multigrain pancake bites, orange slices, and turkey sausage. Wow. After breakfast we were going to go to the Fort Worth children's museum, but found out they didn't open until noon. (Nap time). So we went to Ripley's Believe it or Not/Wax Museum instead.

The three boys that made me a mother! About to leave for a fun morning. (All of these pictures were taken on a cell phone, so I apologize for the quality).

                             

The boys weren't the biggest fans of the wax people.

  We had to hold them in our arms the whole time, they were just a little too scared to walk.

 Star Trek

Being interviewed by David Letterman.

 And this is what the boys did when we brought them home (after talking to each other and jumping around for about an hour... it throws them off when they fall asleep in the car and have to be transferred to their cribs). This picture was actually taken of Adam on Friday. Gotta love sleeping toddlers!!

Yawn

It is 10pm and I just got back from work 10 minutes ago. I was there since 6:45 am. I got one 15 minute break.

We are switching to computer charting, and this was my first "live" shift. Wowsers :-o My head hurts.

My hubby was in bed when I left and when I got home. So were my kids. I basically live to give my kiddos cuddles before bedtime (it is one of my favorite times with them), and to cuddle up with my husband before I go to bed. So it was sad that he was already sleeping. I knew the boys would be in bed. Hopefully they will forgive me for not seeing them at all today.

They want me to work again tomorrow. They are really short, so I feel guilty. If I didn't have kids, I would have said yes in a heartbeat, but tomorrow I am going to cuddle with my boys, and see my hubby a little as well! :)

First Haircut

At 17 months, 3 weeks (2/10/12), the boys finally got their first haircut! I had to beg my sweet husband to let me cut off the boys' little curls in the back. He thought the curls were cute; I just wanted to shave them off! Finally he gave me permission.

I cut Adam's hair, and Alan cut Matthew's hair. We used an electronic trimmer with guards, so it was actually pretty impossible to mess up. But it was still scary.

They were both so good. Adam waiting:

Adam's hair getting shaved off :)

Matthew waiting his turn:

Matthew before (left) and Adam after

Daddy cutting Matthew's hair. Matthew actually did really well, but I didn't grab a picture until the very end.

I would recommend that parents don't use the ear trimmers that come with the package. They are meant for adults, and I shaved some hair around Adam's ear that wasn't supposed to be shaved. Whoops :(

Other than that, we are pleased with the results!

Cute Things my Kids Do... Part 3

17 Month olds do the most endearing things. Here are a few from the last few weeks:

• I sat Adam on the counter by the sink. He immediately turned the faucet on, grabbed my toothbrush and ran it under the water, then started brushing his teeth. When I asked him to put the toothbrush down, he tried to get soap to wash his hands. Then he grabbed a brush and started brushing his hair. Such a hygenic boy.
• Matthew grabbed a book today (5 silly monkeys), sat on my lap, and started thumping his head. (Imitating how I always thump his head when the silly monkey "falls off the bed and bumps his head")"
• Adam grabbed my hand and started slapping it against his cheek before nap time. At first I was confused, then I remembered nap time the day before I had used both hands to squeeze his cheeks over and over and he thought it was hilarious. He only had one hand to work with, so slapping it against his cheek was his recreation :)
• Nap time cuddles make up for all the trouble these boys can cause (Matthew bit a girl at the YMCA this week)
• Matthew said "poopy" after I said, "you have a poopy!" Then he said it on demand all day... he doesn't say anything on demand! (without having the object right there). I had him demonstrate his skill for Alan when he got home, Alan was very impressed. I overheard him saying, "can you say poopy??" while he was giving the boys a bath.
• Adam & Matthew running back in forth in front of their cribs before bedtime, while Alan and I watched and cuddled on the futon in their room. Alan would point at a boy and say "go" and he would take off. Then they started pointing and saying "go" too:) We just watched them run back and forth (and chase Lucy (one of our cats) around) for about 15 minutes. Pure bliss.
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• After I had tucked them in tonight, but before I had finished saying goodnight, Matthew started waving bye, accompanied with "bye!" bye!" Okay, I will let you go to sleep :)
• They found a whole bottle of honey and poured a lot on the floor and started playing with it.

Love those little stinkers.

Words - Finally!

Matthew being silly

The boys are finally starting to say real words! Or I am finally able to understand them. They have been jabbering up a storm, but I haven't been able to make sense of much.

Today Matthew said "bye" to me about 50 times as he shut the door on me about 50 times ;) (I opened it, and we made it a game).

The other words the boys say. The word first.. and then their pronunciation.

Cheese -- "Chi" or "sss"

Ball -- "baaall"

Bye -- "bah"

Please -- "peace"

Uh oh -- "uh oh" (that one is by far their favorite"

Thank you -- "dank do"

Banana -- "boo-tah"

Book -- "buh"

Boo -- "boo"

The most common way they communicate is the classic point and "da".

Saying "bye"

Saying "banana"

Playroom Time

I have instituted "Playroom Time" in this house.

I started 3 days after the boys turned 17 months. Putting them in a safe area (by removing the climbable kid-size chairs from the playroom) and closing the door behind me. Letting them play by themselves. Without Mommy. To tell you the truth, I was so scarred from sleep training that if those boys so much as whimpered I would have not have closed the door. But I distracted them with some toys, and they were fine! More than fine, I heard lots of laughing and playing from the room. For 40 minutes. I was able to clean up their breakfast dishes, and also do some general cleaning/mopping. It was wonderful! So I tried it the next day, and the day after that, and once a day, every day since... and they have been fine! I wouldn't say they are excited for me to leave, but once Adam actually waved "bye bye" to me as I was closing the door.

I am shocked at how well they get along during "Playroom Time". Often they fight over my attention, or want me to get them something (that the other one sees and wants too). In the room on their own, I guess the fact that they don't have me to fight over helps them get along. One day I heard them both just laughing away, it melted my heart. I almost didn't want to go in, because I knew once they saw me, it would be over!

I decided to get my camera and spy on them. I am actually not sure what they were doing, but it looked friendly. Also I am amazed Adam was laying down. I almost never see him stop moving when he is awake. Here is what I saw (precious boys).

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They Could Probably Do Anything...

...And I would think it was cute.

Playing on our new piano? Probably reducing the life expectancy of the instrument by months with every keystroke....

Definitely cute (Adam in front).

As is (Adam) eating a sticky apple in his dressy new suit. /\

I also think things are cute like them running away from me and laughing when I am trying to put their clothes on, their love of finding dirt and getting completely dirty by digging in it, and today, Adam finding a kitchen tong and then following me in to the bathroom and trying to grab my leg with it. That last one was so unexpected I just laughed out loud.

Yeah they could do anything and I would think it was cute. I am pretty sure this is a parenting flaw. But regardless, I am loving these age, they are so sweet. Even if they are little trouble makes.

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Other updates:

The boys have been weaned for 2.5 weeks now. I can't believe it's been that long. Both boys have asked to nurse twice each (By doing the "nurse" sign and pulling down my shirt. Thankfully always at home :P). That was really, really sad, but they were easily distracted. Two of those times were because I was slow giving them their cups of milk. They love their warm milk in their sippy cups, and it is easier to cuddle with both of them than the double football nursing hold. So I am not sad I weaned them...... most of the time :P

The boys are loving the YMCA where I workout. They have a Kid Zone that is included in the gym membership where I drop the boys off for an hour a few times a week while I go to a class or run on the treadmill. I spy on the boys after I drop them off, and before I pick them up, and they are always playing happily. (Ever since the first 2 weeks we went... the boys only last 15 minutes most of those times). They even go play with other kids, but they always come back to each other. As soon as they see me, all bets are off and they want me to pick them up right away. I love having my hour in the morning to work out, makes the day so much better!

I have been looking through the boys' old pictures and getting nostalgic. Here is a picture from when they were 11 months and fell asleep nursing. Each stage has been cute, but the 15/16 month age is still my favorite!

Twin Love

Twins = Double the Love

These are the sweetest videos in existence :)

Matthew on the left, Adam on the right; showing Daddy some love:

Matthew showing Adam some love:

Day 2

We are on day two of no breastfeeding. I guess this means the boys are "weaned," but I hesitate to use that word in case I just cave and start breastfeeding again. Also my body hasn't completely gotten the message, so I still have a little milk. So maybe in another week or so I will actually say my boys are "weaned." :)

I am surprised by how sad I am that this chapter of parenting my twins is over. The boys were definitely ready to be done, they were only nursing once a day, right before bedtime, and those sessions were only a few minutes long before the boys got distracted and wanted down. They didn't even notice when I took away that last session, they were perfectly content with their sippy cups of milk and their bed time stories.

But I'm not sure Momma was quite so ready. It makes my heart ache thinking how they are not babies anymore, and they don't NEED me at quite the same level.

I told Alan I may just have to nurse them in the morning, and he just signed and rolled his eyes at me :)

Here are the boys and me at Fossil Rim yesterday... such big guys. (Adam on the left, Matthew on the right.)



Final Breastfeeding Count: 16 Months, 0 Days

Why I Don't Think "Cry It Out" is Completely Evil

I just read an anti-"cry-it-out" article, so made me want to post a few thoughts.

I actually have a lot of thoughts on this subject, and I do hate letting my kids cry, but...

One of the boys woke up from his afternoon nap early today, after about an hour, when they usually sleep at LEAST 2-3. (They are down to just one nap.) As he was crying was actually when I read the article, so I was feeling guilty that he was crying.

However, I could tell from his cry that he wasn't in pain, and that he was still tired. When my kids have gotten enough sleep, they wake up happy, and bouncing in their cribs. I also know from experience that once I go in their room, nap time is over. They bounce up with a huge smile on their face (usually also waking up peacefully sleeping brother), and both promptly forget about being sleepy. If they would go back to sleep after I comfort them, that would be my first choice. But it just doesn't happen, and then we all pay for it for the rest of the afternoon with fussiness and tantrums. And whining. Fussiness/tantrums/whining = avoid at ALL costs!

So I let him cry (I think it was Adam, but we don't have a video monitor), and he cried/whined for about 25 minutes (usually they only wake up for about 10, and go back to sleep). I took a

shower after about 15 minutes, and told myself if he was still crying when I got out I would go get him. But guess what? They are both now sleeping peacefully, and we will all be happier this afternoon.

And that is why Crying-it-out is not completely evil. It's all about learning YOUR kiddo, and what works best for him (or her :P).

Here are the little cuties getting ready for bed two nights ago:

Biting

T0day while I was getting the boys ready to take their bath, I noticed a bite mark on Adam's back AND on his arm :( Both bite marks had cut through the skin.

Poor Adam.

Or that was my first thought. Then I remembered how much he loves to steal his brother's toys, and it seems Matthew has found a defense against this.

In fact as I was reading them their bedtime stories, Adam tried to steal a book from Matthew, and Matthew acted like he was going to bite him. So, Adam put up a hand to defend himself, and I broke them up before it could escalate.

We think Matthew may have bitten Adam while they were playing in the play room by themselves, because neither me nor Alan saw the actual bite.

I am reading a book that says biting can happen when a child is over-socialized and frustrated. Does it count as over-socialization to have your identical twin (with very similar wants and needs) trailing you everywhere, and wanting your toys? The book suggests a different environment, but I don't see me separating the boys in the house. I think I will just have to be more proactive about not allowing stealing or biting.

So to sum it up we have:

1. A biting problem (Matthew)

2. A stealing problem (Adam)

3. A discipline problem. We need to nip this in the bud!!

Nice Morning

(This pic was not taken this morning, but is the most recent pic I have of the boys. Taken this weekend with their Granny Bee. (Matthew in blue, Adam in red.)

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There are some days that are everything you always imagined Motherhood would be.

Yep this morning was one of those day.

Which probably means this afternoon will not be. But that's ok. I am going to enjoy it for now.

Here are some highlights from this morning with my boys:

• Slept in until 8 (That one is important)
• They played with my hair and my face while they nursed
• I made them home made playdoh and showed them how to mold it and press imprints into it in their highchairs. They proceeded to try every method of eating it, peeling a piece off and eating it, grabbing a whole ball of it and biting into it. Every time they would shudder and spit it out. (Very salty stuff). Eventually they actually played with it (for about 2 minutes) before doing the "all done" sign. Sigh, I don't think they are at the age for playdoh yet. But the upside is it made me feel like a real mom ;)
• Me and Adam played the game where he opens the door, pokes his head out, and tries to scare me. A few times I pretended he knocked me down with the door. The last time I was laying on the floor, and Adam walked over to me, sat on my stomach, and then laid on me and gave me a big hug. It was so precious.
• During story time, both boys were sitting on my lap. I was reading "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" (a favorite) and both boys would bump their heads with their hands as I was reading "one fell off and bumped his head". (I have been bumping their heads myself for a few weeks while I read this, but now they have taken over, haha)
• I can ask "where's you nose/ears/foot" and the boys point correctly to them. (Actually a few days ago, we asked Adam where his nose was and he just stared at us, so Matthew pointed to Adam's nose for him.)
• I ask "Give mommy a kiss" and both boys will kiss my cheek, and then pull their lips away very dramatically with a big "mwah" sound. (That's how I kiss them, so I guess that's where they learned it. Or maybe daddy taught them, because they did it to him first. So sweet!)
• I skipped nursing them before nap time and they were okay. Yay! (My goal is to get down to 2 times a day (morning and night). Then drop the morning nursing, and just do the night feed until we are all tired of nursing. They seem to love their cup of milk almost as much, so I think we will be okay.

15 Months

Stats:

Adam: 22 lbs, 1.5 oz.

31.5 inches

(50-75th%)

Matthew: 21 lbs, 13.5 oz

31 inches

(25-50th%)

They are catching up in their percentiles! Matthew is a little smaller than Adam because of his week long illness where he wouldn't eat or drink much except breast milk. The doctor found some old fluid in Matthew's ear, so he did have an ear infection.

Signs:

I have taught the boys a few sings. (Please, All Done, and Nurse) I am not going too crazy with it (mainly because I haven't taught myself very many, I do love the concept of it though). My favorite sign in "please". I say, "say please," and Adam vigorously pats his right hand on his chest, while Matthew barely taps his chest. It is so adorable. Adam especially loves to "say please" even when I don't ask him, if he sees something he wants. One morning the first thing he did after standing up in his crib was immediately do the "please" sign. The hardest part is just trying to figure out what it is they want though. I suppose that would be where more signs would come in handy ;).

Adam saying "please":

Words:

Mama

Dada

Nana

Boom (pronounced boo) - just Matthew

Animal noises:

Moo

Baabaa - just Adam

Cute things they do:

Run away and laugh, but always look back to make sure I am following them.

On the bed or couch, they fling themselves on to their stomachs and laugh, because we often play with them by (gently) knocking them over (on to a soft surface).

Play in the mud outside, and then try to hand it to me like it is the best present in the world.

(Matthew in blue, Adam in green)

Imitate us so well. We showed Adam how to tap on our scale and then step on to take his weight. He immediately was jabbing that scale as hard as he could over and over with his foot. Then eventually he stepped on :)

Make anything into a phone. ANYTHING. Just by holding an object up to their ear and saying, "eh?"

Make car noises while wheeling their toy cars on the floor.

Approx Schedule:

Yep we still have our trusty schedule. Yay for schedules!

7:00 - Wake up/Nurse

7:30 - Breakfast

10:45 - Lunch, sippy cup of milk

11:30 - Nurse/Nap (trying to wean off this nursing time)

2:00 - Wake/Snack

5:30 - Dinner, sippy cup of milk

7:00 - Bath, story time

7:30 - Nurse/Bed time

Physical milestones:

Starting to run

Can climb up the stairs and go down the slide in our backyard by themselves

Starting to use a spoon and fork

Challenges of 15 month old Twins:

This may apply to all siblings, but my boys do NOT share well. They bite, shove and cry when their twin takes a toy, threatens to take a toy, or has a toy they want.

15 months, as much as I love this age with it's new found independence for both toddlers and mommy, can still be a very needy age. It can still be overwhelming having two sets of hands reaching up and two boys saying "mama, mama". To them they are still the center of the universe, and they don't always realize they have a brother Mom needs to take care of too. A brother with the same needs, and at the same stage of development.

Telling them apart can be a challenge sometimes! I feel so bad and worry that I am going to mess them up (as in not treat them as individuals) when I momentarily get them confused.

Advantages/the Fun Part of having 15 month old Twins:

In the morning and after naps, they are always "talking to each other" when they wake up. They are facing each other through the rails and making noises and laughing. Once they hardly acknowledged my presence when I came in; they just continued playing. Too cute.

When I send the kiddos outside to play, I often find them playing in the sand box together, or climbing their small gym outside. They spontaneously laugh at each other (actually more so when I am not around, but spying on them through the window :P).

Having twice the hugs and cuddles :)

And of course, they always have a built in buddy.

By the way, 15 months is my favorite age so far :)