February 28, 2011, at 10:23 pm | Susie wants you to meet someone.
Some people may call him a bit of a blockhead, but she loves him all the same.
Everyone, meet Vector.
Susie created Vector at our playground this morning (for an explanation of his name, you’ll have to watch her current favorite move, “Despicable Me”).
His hands and feet and head are forever falling off. She sobs every time, as if she feels his pain, and then she tearfully begs me to “Fic my Vecow!” (Fix my Vector). And so I dutifully reposition his pipe cleaner appendages and glue on his extremities.
I tried several times to hide Vector today, hoping Susie would forget about her rectangular buddy. But every time she noticed his absence, she’d go on a “Vector Hunt,” and I’d cave and hand over the missing friend to an incredibly grateful Susie.
I’m thinking my insides must be made of the same spongy material as Vector’s, because Susie’s proving me to be a softie!
February 27, 2011, at 10:19 pm | I’m often asked to describe how the girls are different from each other, and the question always stumps me. I suppose I have difficulty answering because the girls themselves seem to change from day to day; the child that is laid-back and independent on Monday is needy and clingy by Wednesday, and her sister is the opposite on any given day. I used to say that Susie was hands-down the more social child, but lately Becky has been much more friendly (especially with kids her age) and Susie is the one hanging onto my legs when we enter a crowded room. Susie is still the more cuddly and physically affectionate one, but Becky occasionally curls up on my lap when she needs a hug. They both love reading, but right now Becky goes through books faster and Susie prefers to stick with one book for a longer period of time. Susie recently started to love arranging and rearranging small toys, and Becky has always preferred more vigorous activities like chasing and jumping. Becky is more physically daring and is forever wanting to go “Faster! Faster!” But Susie is the one who ends up messier during outdoor play, reveling in puddles, mud, sand, or snow.
To illustrate another one of their differences, I’ll share with you their most recent artwork.
First up is Becky. Nearly everything she draws right now is circular in shape, and she holds her Crayons very lightly, almost as if she doesn’t want to make any mistakes.
In contrast, here is Susie’s bold handiwork, using more straight lines and sweeping motions. That girl is not afraid of making a colorful impression.
The thing is, I wouldn’t generalize these artistic tendencies to their greater personalities, since Becky is not reserved or tentative in any other areas, and I wouldn’t classify Susie as particularly bold or impulsive. But they definitely have very different drawing styles.
I guess the bottom line is that although the girls shared a womb (but not a birthdate), they are clearly individuals who making their own mark on the world!
February 25, 2011, at 9:59 pm | I know I said in a previous post that I’m keeping a distance (or more specifically, a door) between the girls and our cat; however, my mom made the good point that I can’t expect them all to get along if I don’t give them a chance to interact. She suggested that perhaps the girls wouldn’t be so hyper and rough with him if he were a more commonplace sight around the house. So I decided to offer supervised visitation between the girls and Tommy the other day. It went well, I guess. No one ended up mauled, that I could tell. Maybe we made some small steps forward in bridging the female-feline gap in the household. Or maybe Tommy was just so grateful for the attention that he’d put up with anything right now.
On second thought, I don’t think that look on his face in this picture is one of gratitude. It looks more like attitude!
February 24, 2011, at 10:08 pm | My in-laws recently returned from a trip visiting their daughter and her family in Arizona, so we headed over to their house tonight to welcome them home. It was a visit filled with happy kisses!
February 23, 2011, at 9:56 pm | Oops! I realized after my post yesterday that I’ve failed to officially proclaim on the blog that we’re expecting a B-O-Y! I think it slipped my mind because I announced it on Facebook a few months ago, and forgot that not everybody and their mother is on Facebook (although MY mother is!). Furthermore, I didn’t want to make a big deal about finding out the gender because I’ve heard of a few too many surprises at the birth that resulted in the last-minute repainting of a decidedly non-gender-neutral nursery. But I had another quick ultrasound a few weeks ago (just to say “hello” to the little guy!) that confirmed our original guess, so I think we can safely get to work on masculinizing our guest bedroom. We’re very excited about having another man around the house; especially as our twins grow and get even girlier, I imagine Jim will be even more appreciative of the extra testosterone. I do have to say that this little guy is going to need all the manliness he can muster, given that he’s going to be constantly chided, cuddled and clucked over by not one, but THREE mother figures!
February 22, 2011, at 10:31 pm | The girls recently found a box of baby toys in the basement. I’d like to say that I’ve been pro-active in unpacking all the appropriate items in preparation for the baby’s arrival, but the truth is, some boxes were never properly shelved in the first place – like those toys. In any case, the girls have had a ball rediscovering their youth, reveling in the simple pleasures of fuzzy blocks and lighted mirrors.
I guess it’s good to know that the appeal of those items outlasts the baby stage. Then again, maybe it’s not so good, because no toy I’ve saved for the baby will be safe from the twins’ grasp. He’s going to have to learn very quickly how to hide his stuff!
February 21, 2011, at 9:47 pm | Daddy’s girls are growing up.
They can almost see over the rail at the merry-go-round
And they can hold their own in a game of peek-a-boo
But they’ll never be too big to cuddle with their Daddy!
February 20, 2011, at 9:46 pm | We had a very welcome warm-up here last week, resulting in two nearly spring-like days. The girls and I eagerly headed outside to enjoy fresh air that didn’t require heavy coats. I kept eyeing our still-massive snow piles, wondering whether we would see green grass again before July. Susie decided to see if she could help things along with the use of a shovel.
Susie (on right): “Here sis, let me clear a path for you.”
Susie: “This is taking a while. I think I need some heavy-duty equipment to speed up the process.”
Susie: “I don’t think this stroller is quite the right piece of machinery for snow removal.”
Becky: “Don’t worry. I’ll just walk instead.”
Susie: “I’ll join you…but I think I need taller boots.”
Becky: “Okay, let’s stick with the driveway. Buckle up, baby. There are some hazardous conditions out there.”
February 18, 2011, at 10:28 pm | Does this look like the face of a child who we discovered was wide awake at 10:30pm?
Yup, I guess it does. She’s pretty happy she’s getting to cuddle with her parents for a few minutes while her sister is asleep!
February 17, 2011, at 9:14 pm | Some days, I imagine we all just feel like wearing bags over our heads instead of facing life.
Too bad we can’t pull it off like the girls can!
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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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