Hanger Girls

We took the girls to an Easter party at our gym today. They were pretty funny. Eiley, who is more likely to follow, was instantly into it. She sat right down to have her face painted and was having a ball. Arya, who is usually the leader, was very subdued. She was not interested in having her face painted, even after watching Eiley. I had to practically hold her in place while she did her first art project, despite the fact that one of her teachers as the person helping at that station. Eventually, Arya warmed up after doing a couple art projects and especially after making a little rice krispie treat bird nest with coconut and jelly beans. Once we went upstairs and she saw the bounce house, all of her inhibition was gone. She race into the bounce house and would have happily stayed in there all day. We pulled both kids out for a quick story time and then it was time for an Easter egg hunt. The staff members had "hidden" plastic eggs outside for the kids. I say "hidden" since most were in plain view. Each child was instructed to pick up 12 eggs and put them in their basket. It did not take Arya or Eiley long to figure out how much fun this was and that the eggs were full of stuff. They came home with some candy, fun erasers and lots of stickers. I think this was a nice warm up for next week.

After the party, we came home for a short time. Arya and Eiley, like all normal 2 year olds, played with plastic hangers while I planned some meals for the week and Cork booked hotel rooms for a mini trip to Chicago and a wedding later this summer in La Crosse. After that, we all headed out the door for dinner at P.F. Changs. While going to a chain restaurant is not necessarily our first choice, it was a free choice tonight thanks to a gift card, so we weren't going to pass it up. The girls did very well while at dinner. I think they are always way better behaved when we "go out eat" than they are when we eat at home. They love to "go out eat".

Play Dough Baby

At Christmas, the girls' preschool teachers made them playdough. We still have that playdough today. I love it. The teachers gave us a recipe and since it was rainy today, I decided to make some. The girls picked the color and had a blast helping me cook it and make a big baby out of it after. We did have a few issues, like when they decided to pour vegetable oil into a measuring cup while I was stirring the playdough. Thankfully, Arya's aim was pretty good and most of what she spilled stayed on the counter. Some of it went into a drawer and some on the floor, but somehow she managed to not get any on her clothes.

Playdough
3 c flour
1 1/2 c salt
2 T cream of tartar
3 T vegetable oil
3 c water
food coloring (optional)

Directions: Mix dry ingredients together in a saucepan. Add liquids (and food coloring if using); mix over medium heat until a ball forms and it pulls away from the pan sides. It will get difficult to stir. Knead until smooth, about 5 minutes. Store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.

After making the play dough, we made granola. We finished that with a big mess in the kitchen. Arya looked at me and said "you make big mess mama." Thank you child, I never would have seen the mess without your help.

Froggy

We had a decent day today. The girls had preschool this morning. I am amazed at how well they can follow directions when they want to. They come home from school with art, that their teachers instructed them through, and they are so proud of themselves. Today, they came home from a frog. It was a paper plate, painted green, and folded in half. They then had to color eyes and a tongue and glue those as well as arms and legs on. Not too shabby for 2 year olds. I asked their teachers about a month ago if the girls were ready to move to the 3 year old program next year. I wasn't sure they were ready to start the 2 year old program this year, but wanted them in the class to try to develop them as individuals and to help with their speech since they had a lot of twin speak. Both teachers assured me that the girls were ready to move up a grade. I was still a little leery, but within the last week or two I had to admit that I think their teachers are right. Both can now sing their ABCs, recognize most letters, count to 10, know their colors, shapes and their vocabulary is booming. They are pretending and amazing me with the things they say and do.

Sleeping Woes

I'm not going to be nice about this. Our days lately have SUCKED! Arya and Eiley are refusing to sleep at night and are miserably tired during the day. They whine and cry all day long. It takes all of my patience not to yell at them. When night time comes, both have more energy than they know what to do with. I'm hoping this stage passes quickly. I was going to take them to the zoo today and I honestly could not stomach the thought of taking both out into public. It was just going to be ugly. On average, they've been sleeping about 2 hours less than they usually do and it's not going well. I was in bed, trying to sleep, before they ever feel asleep last night. Tonight, we're currently an hour past bed time and both are banging around upstairs. I am not looking forward to yet another day of over tired, clingy, cranky two year olds.

The One About Me

Today's post is about ME!!!! I'm 28 weeks pregnant today and got to drink this wonderful glucose drink and then have my blood sugars tested. I passed with "flying colors". I also had my iron checked and that's fine. I failed both of those during my pregnancy with Arya and Eiley. I was also banished to the couch by this time with them. I've recently switched my care provider for the third time during this pregnancy. With Arya and Eiley, I settled because I felt like the Dr. I was seeing was best for a twin pregnancy, especially one with complications. I did not particularly like her as a Dr. or as a person. This time I've finally found someone I like both as a midwife and as a person. My appointment with her today was great and she spent a lot of time talking to the girls. I did not bring them with me last month and was asked by multiple times where they were. The midwife let them help her with the doppler to listen to the baby, they got stickers and suckers and everyone was so friendly. The midwife spent a lot of time talking to me as well. She told me something no one else has mentioned to me during this pregnancy. She said that because my uterus was stretched so far (about 50 weeks) with the twins, I am more likely to experience braxton hicks contractions. I have been having a lot of BH, not as many as with A&E, but more than most people would probably consider normal. It was nice to hear that it's pretty much expected. I'm measuring 2 weeks ahead right now and everything else looks perfect. This all shows what a difference one baby makes.

White Board

This white board might just be one of our best investments for a kid toy. We use this thing constantly. Right now the girls are obsessed with having me draw cats and elephants. Aren't those amazing drawings! The cats have fish treats and the elephants have peanuts and bananas by them. Besides drawing, we also practice writing their names, and recognizing letters and numbers. They could spend hours playing with this every day.

Green Dog Lift

We had a busy day. It started with a fit about baths. Neither kid wanted one. I got Arya's pajamas off with a huge fight and then something changed and neither could wait to get into the tub. Halfway through the bath, Arya decided she was done and started yelling to get out.

The yelling continued through most of the morning. Eventually I asked if she wanted into an Ergo. This was the best thing for both of us. She was instantly happy. I'm just happy that at almost 28 weeks pregnant, wearing a 2.5 year old in an Ergo is still comfortable. Eiley didn't want to be left out and dragged out a baby bjorn we've been trying to sell.

We had some friends over for lunch and both girls perked up into a great mood. They kept themselves busy showing off. After lunch, we hung out outside while Arya and Eiley raided my closet for shoes. Both came walking outside wearing no pants and shoes with heals.

See this green dog? Arya and Eiley haven't had anything to do with this toy until the last few days. They dragged it downstairs on Thursday or Friday and I think I might have spent hours since then moving it out of the bathroom. They put it in the bathroom and shut the door. I go into the bathroom for one of them or myself to use it and have to drag the dog out since it takes up way too much space. Tonight, they pulled it out of the bathroom themselves. Cork and I were sitting on the couch and we saw the hall light blinking on and off over and over. I walked over there to find this.

Besides all the things they are doing, they are also saying so many new things. Their vocabulary is through the roof. They talk about things that happened last year that they didn't have the vocabulary before to tell me they remembered. They were eating whole wheat banana bread tonight and both decided to try to talk bad. They were saying that the other was eating "poopoo". Lovely!

Sand Trap

The girls have had a plastic flower, filled with sand, in their room since they moved in there. They were playing today while Cork and I got a couple things ready to go to the kid museum downtown. The girls were busy dumping the sand out of the flower and pouring it all over their floor. Wonderful! I swept up the sand and poured it back into the flower. The flower won't be going back into their room until I can glue the lid on.

Swaddle Me

The girls decided today that they really wanted to watch an episode of Dora. My parents were here though. One of the girls, and I don't know which one, decided they should watch "Googa" after Nana and Papa left. The second Nana said they were leaving, the girls popped up and turned the tv on. I let them watch for awhile while I cleaned a bathroom, put away laundry, dusted and did a bunch of other odd jobs that just aren't much fun. I turned it off once the episode was done and they were not happy.  To make them happy, we started talking about what will happen when "Indukala" gets here. Indukala is the awful name they call baby #3. We've been talking about this a lot lately, trying to get them somewhat prepared for this whirlwind. Our talking turned into them asking me to swaddle them and eventually they were taking turns, being rocked on the couch and pretending to eat from a doll bottle.

The girls devoured dinner tonight. They ate and ate and ate some more. Eventually they wanted something different and I let them each have a couple pretzels. Arya was playing with her pretzel, so I told her to eat it. She told me "dat not popple, dat elelelelele". I tried to get a pic of her pretzel elephant and she kept moving it and then took a bite ruining it. I was pretty impressed with her imagination.

Chair Stealers

Yet another picture that looks so cute, but isn't. There was a whole lot of screaming about whose chair it was, but neither would give it up. Eventually they both gave up and shared.

Conversations

I had a new bra on today and of course Eiley noticed. Nothing gets past either of them. She asked me about it and then told me she needed to wear it. I told her she didn't have anything to put in it. Wrong answer. This escalated into her trying to find something on her body to put into one. Arya told her she could find them on her "tummy". It was pretty funny to watch the two of them looking up and down their shirts. Maybe I should have taken video, you know, because that's definitely the kind of thing they want captured to watch later in life.

Bed Time Disasters

The girls were super charged tonight and did not want to go to bed. Cork told them, "Let's play a game. You go and hide in your beds and we'll come find you.". Both took off like it was the greatest idea. Of course 30 minutes later and we can still hear them playing, but at least they're in their room...and 30 minutes later I found out that they actually weren't in their room. They did this to our room, very quietly. It's now an hour and forty minutes past bed time and they are still up. Tomorrow is going to be rough.

Dancing Whale

Can you tell Arya dressed herself today? She loves her new whale shirt and wanted to make it dance. She just kept spinning and jumping and spinning until she fell.

Sad Face Ice Cream Face

Cork told Arya to make a sad face. This is what we got.

Who doesn't love a good ice cream cone?

Dat a Duck

I was cleaning the kitchen and the girls were doing this. At least they are old enough now that I can make them clean it up and they actually clean it all up.


Some things you teach your child as a parent and they're pretty funny as long as the kid does it at home. Tonight, when asked if a noise was a fart Arya replied "dat not shart, dat duck". I couldn't stop laughing. While it's funny here, it might not be as funny when she does it at preschool. At least when she does it there, I won't be around to be embarrassed.

Sleepy Eating

A 3 minute phone conversation with Cork ends with two semi naked toddlers and my family room, which had just been picked up and vacuumed, in a disaster. I know the first picture is one Arya is going to be so mad at me for taking once she's older. She loves to hold onto this handle while she takes care of business in the bathroom.

I think Arya was tired tonight. She was happily eating pizza, but was just barely staying awake between bites.

Maybe

I don't think I say the word "maybe" too often, but maybe I do. The girls both use this word all day long every day. Today, I was pushing the girls in the swings. We've been talking about the new baby a lot lately. Arya said something about the new baby using their swings once she's born. I explained that the baby would be too small this summer, but she would use their swings the next summer. This prompted Eiley to tell me "Maybe my not baby. Maybe my big girl now". I call them my babies all the time and haven't really used the term big girl, so I'm guessing it's something they've heard at school. They say other things they've learned there. They sing a song, and I can't make out any of it until they say "what's your name" and point to someone. Arya said "ready, set, go" today. It's just little things they pick up, but it shows that they have an influence in their lives outside of Cork and me.

This picture looks so cute and peaceful. What you can't see or hear is Arya screaming "Eiley touch me" every time Eiley's arm went around her.

Jello

We had turkey bbq and jello for dinner tonight. The girls had never had jello before and weren't sure what to think of it at first. They quickly decided it was amazing. I'm not sure if they had more bbq or jello on their faces.

Shades

We don't get many days in the mid 60s in March. We took full advantage of it and spent about 5 hours outside today. We did school in the morning, ate lunch and then stayed out until dinner.

Accidents Happen

The girls have been doing amazingly well without diapers. Today was the exception though. Eiley peed on a chair in the kitchen and then Arya peed while we were at the library. Arya was running around and stopped dead in her tracks. I knew right away what happened, even before I could see it soaking through. Poor kid was so embarrassed. Sometimes they can hold it for hours and other times they have to go every hour. I had planned on taking her to the bathroom in a few minutes, but was a couple minutes too late. We got back to the car to change her and I realized I didn't have extra pants with. Thankfully we had underwear and wipes though. Eiley had wiped out in a wet parking lot this morning and I'd used our extra pants for her. I grabbed new pants at home and then forgot to put them in the diaper bag when we left. We needed to run a few extra errands, so we went home after the library, changed Arya and headed out again...and yes, A&E are still rear facing :) Kids grow up fast enough. I can push them to learn things and be independent, but I'm not going to force safety things before I need to.

ChooChoo

It was gorgeous again today, so we spent the day outside. One of the things we need was go to the zoo. It was the zoo's behind the scene weekend where they take you into select areas of the zoo you normally don't get to see. One of the places Cork and I really wanted to see was where they keep and maintain the trains. Thankfully the girls enjoyed this as well and let us spend enough time there. We also got to see in the elephant area and the food commissary with all sorts of food including rabbits, mice, carrots and flavored yogurt. I asked who gets the yogurt and was told that just about all the animals at the zoo, besides the big cats, enjoy yogurt as a treat.

The girls picked out their own outfits today and are wearing mainly 3T. I can't believe it's not falling off of them. I think they still fit into some 18m clothes at the beginning of last summer. It's crazy how much they've grown in the past year.

Windy Parade

We all went to a St. Patrick's Day parade today. It was super nice out, but crazy windy downtown. Even though it was probably 55 degrees, we were all wearing coats, gloves and hats. Brrr. The wind almost blew over the Brewer Sausages. We were right at the beginning of the parade, I can't imagine how the people in the sausage costumes fared by the end. Since the kids are pretty much always on a sleep strike at night, Eiley decided the parade time was a great time to pass out since she was being held. That should make for an interesting night/morning since we lose an hour tonight. Her nap made her no less cranky or stubborn at dinner. We were eating last night's pizza and she did not want it. Her pizza had cheese, pepperoni, mushroom and red pepper. I picked off the peppers and mushrooms and she still refused to eat it. Arya ate hers, had seconds, had some mango and then had a cookie for dessert. Even with the prospect of dessert, Eiley refused to eat her pizza. I often have to wonder if Eiley or I am more stubborn.

Mickey Mouse Pizza

Life with 2 year olds is never boring. I thought the girls slept in this morning past 6:15. Nope! And, we don't have a puppy in the house. They were very quietly, and apparently happily, ripping apart a box of tissues in their room.

This afternoon, Arya held out her finger with a big booger on it and excitedly proclaimed "my pick my nose!" Just before that, I was doing some dinner prep as the kids played upstairs. Eiley yelled down the stairs "Arya poopoo in her unwear mama". Yes, she was ratting her sister out. Thankfully she told me quickly enough that I could run up the stairs and get Arya on the potty.

As I rolled out pizza dough tonight, Eiley looked at it and said "Mama make mickey mouse pizza!" No my dear, mama just isn't very good at rolling round dough. Thanks for rubbing that in. And of course Cork had to then point out that if she thought that was mickey mouse shaped, then I was probably making pretty bad mickey mouse pancakes. I have to admit that my mickey pancakes are not as nicely shaped as the ones Cork makes.

Both kids love to floss their teeth now. Because their baby teeth are very close together in the front, I do sometimes floss them. Eiley got herself some dental floss tonight and had pulled out multiple feet of it before we saw it. Cork asked her something like "how much dental floss do you need" and her innocent response was "too much." How do you not laugh when your toddlers are saying things like this all day long.

I saw a picture today on Facebook of a friend who was about as pregnant as I am, who still fits into her pre pregnancy clothes. While there is no way I can fit into my shirts without stretching them out, I decided to try a pair of jeans. My butt has grown and I won't be wearing these in public, but I feel pretty good that at 25 weeks pregnant I can still fit into my pre pregnancy jeans.

Cloth Malfunction

I have no idea what got into the cats this morning, but both were walking around the house meowing like crazy. Sikozu wanted into the basement. The kids know the routine and before i could say anything, they both told him "no bayben YouYou". Then when he wouldn't stop meowing, one of them yelled out "no diedie YouYou", as in no candy. The other picked up on it and all day when the cats meowed, the kids told them "no diedie". This should tell you how often the kids whine for candy and are told "no candy".

The girls were playing this afternoon and I see Arya grab Eiley's hand and drag her upstairs. I heard their bedroom door shut and then Arya yelled from the hall "you go bed right now Eiley" and a few seconds later "time bed you Eiley".

Scissor Teeth

Arya and Eiley have been diapering everything lately. I think they're getting ready for their baby sister.

I have to admit that I'm typing this a few days after I took this picture. I can't remember what I was cooking, but I know that both girls were so interested in it.

Arya found a bag of suckers today. She was determined to get it open, even though I told her I wasn't opening it. She kept looking for scissors and when she couldn't find them, she resorted to using her teeth.

This is a typical dinner cooking hour around here. I cook while the girls fight at my legs, screaming and pushing each other. Things should get really interesting when we add baby #3 to the mix if she experiences the same witching hour time Arya and Eiley did/do.