March 21, 2010, at 9:34 pm | We went over to our friends’ house on Saturday night for a delicious Bar-B-Que. The last time we were there, it was Christmastime and the girls spent the evening entranced by my friend Carrie’s dancing snowman:
Last night, there were no musical interludes, but everyone was thoroughly entertained nonetheless. Chris and Sarah showed Susie how to work an iPhone:
And Carrie occupied Becky with her endless bag of toys (note Susie’s lesson in Apple software continuing in the background):
Even Jim kept busy by showing Jon and Joe all the best motorcycle deals on the market right now:
And I had to get in on the fun by arranging a picture of Jim and the girls with their favorite stuffed animal at Jon and Carrie’s house (you can see Becky’s dismay that I dressed the girls in the same pajamas as I did several months ago…I’m obviously not fashion-forward enough for her):
Here’s the monkey picture from December:
We’ll see what the girls are wearing the next time we go to our friends’ house. I’m going to need to mix up the pajama rotation if I keep documenting our late-night outings!
March 20, 2010, at 11:14 pm | I’ve long suspected that the girls would be overjoyed if we got them a dog. Not only do they pant enthusiastically every time we see a four-legged creature, but they attempt to roughhouse with our cat in ways that would be much more suited to a canine companion than a feline one. Apparently, Becky must have been studying up on ways to convince parents to purchase a pet.
Here’s strategy #101:
-Show Mom and Dad that you would walk your new dog EVERY day.
Becky: “See? I’m so good at this, I think we should get TWO dogs at once!â€
“Pretty please? With sugar on top? I promise I’ll clean up after their poop as long as you clean up after mine!â€
P.S. – Just in case you were wondering, her arguments aren’t working. Sorry, kiddo.
March 19, 2010, at 10:22 pm | We visited Jim’s Nana yesterday, and we took advantage of the warm weather to sit out on the porch for a while. The girls thought they were all grown-up getting their own rocking chairs.
Nana introduced the girls the bear statue in front of her building. All three of them thought the bear was pretty entertaining!
Becky (on left): “Wow! This place is great – our own chairs, and our own bears!â€
March 18, 2010, at 8:56 pm | The girls have been teaching me a lesson that’s vital to twin toddlerhood: Whatever’s in someone else’s hands is better than what’s in your own.
This rule of thumb plays itself out all day long, every long day. No matter whether the object is a toy, a book, a gadget, a rock, or a crumb, the rule holds true. The moment one girl looks over at her sister and spies something in her hands, it instantly becomes a must-have item that needs to be procured at all costs. It also applies to physical areas – namely, my lap. I can beg one of the girls to sit in my lap and read a book, but it’s not until her sister plops down for a snuggle that the other one instantly realizes that my lap is, indeed, the best place on earth.
Although this rule typically causes headaches all around, I’ve been brainstorming ways to use it to my advantage. I finally came up with a winner this afternoon during lunchtime. I had served the girls grilled cheese. Neither of them were particularly thrilled with the sandwiches today; they each partially chewed a piece, then took it out of their mouths and placed it on their trays. I noticed them each looking over at each other’s trays with a longing glance and I saw my move. Making a big show of how nice it was for the girls to share their food with each other, I took Susie’s masticated sandwich and handed it to Becky, and gave Becky’s slobbery piece to Susie. Delighted with obtaining her sister’s lunch, they both chowed down happily.
I guess it’s true what they say: The grass is always greener on the other side…even when it’s pre-chewed.
March 17, 2010, at 10:19 pm | While frolicking in my in-laws’ yard yesterday afternoon, Becky’s courage outpaced her coordination and she tumbled face-first onto a stone walkway. It wasn’t a bad fall, but it did result in a tiny abrasion under her bottom lip. To the best of my memory, it was the first time she’d scraped up her face, other than an occasional scratch from her fingernails and repeated goose-eggs from bumping her head. I wanted to document this (un)momentous injury, but asking Becky to stand still for the camera is a little like asking Robin Williams to stick to a script – it’s just not natural. Becky’s expressions are in perpetual motion – perpetual goofy motion, to be precise. I have a feeling that she will be one of those kids who will be thrilled to get her first broken bone so she can constantly wave around a massive cast for audience approval. Here’s her showing off the (nearly nonexistent) scratch on her chin. I apologize for the blurry photographs – that’s perpetual goofy motion at work for you.
March 16, 2010, at 11:45 pm | It’s been a long, full, fun day. We’re all tuckered out!
March 15, 2010, at 9:49 pm | I bought the girls a stepstool to aid their current obsession with washing their hands in the bathroom sink. Prior to this purchase, I had been trying to hold each child up to the sink and use both my hands to wash both of their hands. It goes without saying that holding a child without using either of my hands is a difficult task, one which required copious use of my knee as a makeshift seat and which demanded more balance than my uncoordinated body could handle. I finally realized a stepstool could save my dignity and my back.
However, the girls prefer to use their new stepstool as a seat instead. So they stealthily grab it from its proper spot in the bathroom, haul it out into the family room (complete with dramatic panting and wobbling to emphasize the stool’s cumbersome shape), and proceed to play musical chairs. First one girl will sit down, subsequently get distracted or bored and vacate the seat, and then her sister will occupy her spot until the first girl remembers what a privilege it was to be sitting on the new stool, and try to reclaim her rightful throne through any means necessary. Here is the illustrated version:
Becky: “This is my special seat forever and ever…oh look…a toy cow…â€
Susie: “This is my special seat now. Becky’s too interested in that silly cow to know what she’s missing.â€
Becky (on right): “I understand the error of my cow-chasing ways. Kindly return the seat to its proper owner.â€
Becky (on right): “Perhaps a little friendly backrub will help ease the transition?â€
Becky (on right): “Okay, I tried to be nice about this. I’m coming in for the landing. Move it or lose it.â€
Susie: “Ha, ha…Becky might be bigger, but I’m more stubborn. I win!â€
March 14, 2010, at 9:56 pm | Here’s a hug from our house to yours:
P.S. I think I’m going to need an extra hug or two if Daylight Savings continues to usher in a new era of crankiness. Susie fought her bedtime tonight harder than she ever has before. I can’t believe it’s simply due to the time change, since she’s adapted very well to other changes in the past and normally requests to go to bed. My guess is that she’s getting a new tooth or a new bug or something along those lines, since she didn’t seem like herself this evening. Then again, Becky had a rough day earlier this week, so perhaps they’re just taking turns testing my limits. Or maybe they’re just going to tackle the Terrible Two’s a bit early. Does that mean they’ll get done with them early as well?
I think I’m going to need lots of hugs!
March 13, 2010, at 9:41 pm | The rain held off yesterday long enough to allow us an afternoon foray outside. My main goal was to wear the girls out so they would nap well. To this end, we packed our outing with:
1) Swinging
2) Cornering our mountain lion/ house cat
3) Kicking deflated soccer balls
4) Keeping “Bubba†(Jim’s mom) company on her porch
5) Watching out for signs of spring
The afternoon was a success on all counts. The girls had a great time, and they took a nice, long nap afterward. Actually, they’ve been napping much better than usual lately. I guess our outings are sufficiently exhausting! I’m not sure how the time change tonight will impact their sleeping habits. I imagine it will throw them off for a while, especially when it’s naptime and their bodies are telling them it’s too early to sleep. I’ll let you know how it goes!
March 13, 2010, at 10:21 am | (Update: I intended to post this little snippet last night, but our site was down due to technical difficulties. I’ll past again tonight, as long as the internet cooperates!)
Jim and I went to an ice skating party tonight while the girls spent the evening with his parents. We had an amazing time with our friends, and I’m pleased to say that, despite our inexperienced ankles, neither of us fell. Although we emerged unscathed, I’m pretty exhausted from this foreign concept known as exercise, so I think I’ll wait to post pictures from the girls’ day until tomorrow. Hopefully, the whole-body soreness I expect to feel tomorrow won’t affect my typing fingers!
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ABOUT US I'm blessed to be saved by the grace of God, loved by my wonderful husband Jim, and embraced by my twin girls, Rebecca Faith and Susanna Joy and my sons Jimmy and Danny. I started this blog in May 2008 when I was hospitalized for pre-term labor at 24 weeks gestation. The Lord allowed me to keep the girls inside until they were 34 weeks along, and on July 27th, Rebecca made her debut, followed by Susanna, five minutes later, on July 28th. We ecstatically welcomed Jimmy into our lives on April 25th, 2011, and Danny on August 31, 2012. This blog has been a personal journal of faith and motherhood and the only way I can remember which child did what and when. Thanks for stopping by to share in my Faith and Joy! Feel free to e-mail me at: [email protected]. |
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