matt&will

We Survived!

2011-02-06T19:48:00.001-06:00

Thanks to a biennial business conference in Orlando for Chris, we got to take the boys for their first visit to the major theme parsk. Considering I'd only been to WDW once (at age 12) and didn't particularly enjoy it, I was not all that excited about going. But I must admit, taking young children was 100 times better. We had a ball!

The boys were absolute troopers. EVERYONE told me to take strollers, but I didn't listen and the boys walked all through Sea World (7 hours), Magic Kingdom (7 hours), and Universal (3 hours). We finally took pity on them and rented strollers at Animal Kingdom on our last day. All that walking did mean we had to stop every 10 minutes for snacks, but it was worth it.

What am I most excited about after our trip? We already have part of the boys' book character parade costumes for next year. After 2 years of making costumes for them, this year they'll be Thing 1 and Thing 2. Add some red pants and blue hair. Done!

No photos please

2011-01-09T18:50:00.003-06:00

When we flew to Atlanta, we flew out of a very small airport. I'm pretty sure it only has one gate. Just putting things into perspective here, folks.
So 5 of us go through security. I'm taking off the boys' jackets and shoes and pulling out their quart sized Ziploc baggies. We put up all our bags including the boys' new Cars rolling backpacks. As we're waiting on the other side, one of the Cars backpacks gets pulled and I give permission to have it checked. Out comes 2 1/2 pint bottled waters. I had no idea they were in there and figured out they were leftover from a trip to the park with Gran.
So the next thing I know, an agent asks who the backpack belongs to and I explain that it's either Matt's or Will's. He checks the tag, asks for Will and explains that he will have to undergo a pat-down. Really?
Now my biggest fear on the planet is a pat-down. Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm big into personal space. Even watching the new procedure on TV makes my palms sweat and my heart rate soar. But I'm a good mom. And I tried to explain that Mr. "I'm only 4 years-old" Will most certainly did not pack his own bag and I was responsible for it. The agent didn't buy it but proceeded to explain to me that they do a "modified" pat-down for minors. It's not as intrusive. Great.
So Will has his first pat-down and I can only standby and watch while trying very hard not to cry. The agent was wonderful and made it like a game for Will, so he didn't mind in the least. But the next thing I know, Matt is in tears. He's sobbing. Thinking he's scared for his brother, I scoop him up and ask him what's wrong. "But I want a pat-down tooooooooo!"
Wow. Totally did not expect that one.

90 Years Young

2011-01-09T16:36:00.002-06:00

We traveled to Alabama this weekend to celebrate Nana's 90th birthday- a surprise party no less. Nana is Chris's grandmother and much, much more. She's a mom to 3, grandmother to 7, and great-grandmother to 18! It was quite a moment to see her shock when nearly all of the grandkids and great-grandkids greeted her for lunch at the country club (the parents were already there- surprises 1, 2 and 3). Definitely a moment to remember and so glad I forgot a camera (typical).
What is really fun to watch are Chris's 3 cousins, their spouses and 11 kids ranging from 2-16. Lots of fun, laughter and all around craziness, but what's incredible is that hardly anyone whines, complains or cries. All the kids had a ball.
Now, if I could only look 1/2 as good and be 1/2 as active as Nana when I'm 70, I'll be doing great!

Back in Business... for now

2011-01-01T21:39:00.004-06:00

I'm resurrecting the blog in the hopes that I'll double my number of blog entries in 2011 from 2010. Setting the bar low, as usual.

Since I hardly even take photos anymore, don't keep a journal, and rarely blog, I decided to try the 1 sentence journal for the boys. I'll basically write one sentence (x 2) at the end of each day. Weeks ago I picked up two 2011 cheapo calendars to do just this. When I cracked them open tonight, I discovered I bought one weekly calendar (perfect!) and one monthly calendar (oops!). January 1 and I've already failed. Typical.

With the late fall/early winter we've had, I'm not wishing for a happy AND healthy New Year. At this rate I'd settle for healthy!

(Photo- Will enjoyed his chocolate pudding)

Then and Now

2010-06-20T21:41:00.004-05:00

In August 2007 we made a trip to Alabama to visit family. Here's Chris with his cousin, Sheri, and her triplets. 5 kids under age 3.

And here they are now... (plus baby brother)

We had such a sweet time with everyone. It was pretty incredible to watch the boys play with their cousins without much need for parental intervention and so nice for the parents to be able visit.

Book Parade

2009-11-04T22:35:00.000-06:00

The boys have a book parade at school tomorrow. They are supposed to dress up as their favorite book character. Matt has been obsessed with "The Fox and the Hound" since my mom brought it up a few months ago, and Chief is his favorite character. Will hasn't been as sure of his decision. In the last week alone, he's asked to be Chief, a mountain lion and a sheep. Since the sheep was the most recent request, I decided to go with it. I'm sure tomorrow he'll want to be something else, but for now here's a sneak preview of my sheep and Chief.

Matt and Will Interpret the Bible

2009-09-28T14:46:00.003-05:00

We are studying Psalm 23 for the next several weeks and the boys are learning how a shepherd watches over his sheep. Here is what they learned last week.
P.S. My mom's Italian heritage is evident in Matt. He likes to talk with his hands.

Whiff!

2009-09-20T17:18:00.004-05:00

I keep reminding myself that the boys have greatly improved since the first game. Check out Matt's big kick this week.

2009-09-20T17:18:00.001-05:00

Redemption

2009-09-20T17:17:00.001-05:00

Take two for Matt.

2009-09-20T17:16:00.001-05:00

Quick on his Feet

2009-09-20T17:13:00.002-05:00

Putting Matt and Will in together makes for a winning combination. Check out Matt's reaction time!

2009-09-20T17:12:00.001-05:00

First Day of School

2009-09-16T18:23:00.001-05:00

Last week Matt and Will began a two day a week pre-school program. This being their first taste of "organized care," you can imagine how anxious I was. Mainly because they had to be potty-trained for the program, and our summer long booty camp was only mildly successful. Much to my surprise, they came home in the clothes they went to school in. They actually made it 5 hours without an accident. Shocking!

Now that we're in week two I've discovered that they are only potty-trained at school, so the remaining 5 days a week at home they demand to wear diapers. Why would anyone want to switch to underwear full-time? It just makes no sense to them.
I didn't think it would be possible to get myself ready, prepare breakfast and lunches, feed and dress the boys, and get out the door before 8am but I've actually accomplished it 3 times. I have a whole new respect for women who do this 5 days a week.

Top photo- Matt and Will enjoying breakfast on the big day
Middle photo- Will and Matt in front of their cubbies
Bottom photo- checking out Stuart, the pet hamster

Will's Moment to Shine

2009-09-16T18:02:00.002-05:00

The video below is taken from last week's soccer game. Matt and Will are making huge improvements. They can actually take the field without having to hold their coach's hand. Will bragged all day on Saturday that he kicked the ball "THREE TIMES!" Wow. It's a good thing I captured 1 of the 3 on video.

P.S. Gran and Papa are hardcore fans, aren't they???

2009-09-16T17:59:00.001-05:00

First Soccer Game

2009-08-31T21:15:00.001-05:00

The boys started their regular season play last week and game one wasn't pretty. They wouldn't set foot on the field, but finally they agreed to go out when the coach promised to hold their hands the entire time. So there were my children, one at a time, taking the field hand in hand with their patient coach. He basically dragged them around the field for 4 minutes. After one period each, they got brave and agreed to go in together without holding the coach's hand. Matt got some major action when he made a block; luckily I captured it all on film.

2009-08-31T21:11:00.001-05:00

New Room

2009-08-30T19:55:00.002-05:00

This week was finally the week to transition into big boy beds. Matt and Will have been sleeping on mats at night for the last few months, so we were fairly sure they could handle twin beds. It didn't take long to discover that 2 twin beds would not fit in their nursery, so we also had to flip-flop their room with the playroom (and the closets too!). Good thing I called in for reinforcements. Nana spent almost the whole week with us, and along with Gran and Papa we almost have the room the way we want it.
With just a few finishes touches (photos and window treatment) the boys' room will be complete.

Photos: Before- the playroom
During: Matt helps Daddy bring in the new beds and Will brings up the rear
After: Notice the red clothes rack? It started out in my brother's nursery 36 years ago. It's been painted every color under the sun.

After: Almost complete

For Uncle Wade

2009-08-07T22:26:00.002-05:00

Wade sent the boys their very own camels and backpacks from Kuwait. They've played with the camels so much that I hear the song in my sleep.
Thank you Uncle Wade! We love you. Stay safe!

2009-08-07T22:17:00.001-05:00

Tongue-tie

2009-07-06T17:56:00.003-05:00

The videos below are an exercise to see if the boys can lick their lips. This might help us decide whether or not to go through having their tongues clipped. I'm posting these for a friend who just happens to be a speech therapist. Thanks, Kim!!

2009-07-06T17:55:00.001-05:00

2009-07-06T17:54:00.003-05:00

2009-07-06T17:54:00.001-05:00

Pillsy

2009-04-23T23:46:00.000-05:00

My poor kids probably have no idea what their real names are. Just like my own mother, I have bestowed many, many nicknames on my boys. "Will the Pill" and many variations began pretty early on during the first year. From the get go, Will has been quite good at expressing his emotions. Needless to say, the first year of his life he was primarily unhappy/cranky/disgruntled. Enjoy some photos of my sweet pill!

Matty P!

2009-04-23T23:37:00.000-05:00

Our sweet and talented nanny took some great photos of the boys over Easter weekend. Below are a few of Matt.

Proud Parents... We Think?

2009-03-26T14:50:00.003-05:00

Chris and I had to substitute "teach" in the boys' class last Sunday at church. They ended up combining 2 classes, so we had 10 toddlers ranging from 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 years old. It didn't take long for me to realize that teaching toddlers with a Christ-like manner is not my forte.

Because the boys have never been in any organized program like daycare or Mother's Day Out, I never really knew if they were well-behaved kids. Like every parent, I struggle with discipline and we have some good days and some really bad days. I never thought Matt and Will were "bad" kids, but I did not realize how well-behaved they were until I witnessed them in a group setting.

While the other boys were chasing each other, hitting, shoving, and tackling one another to the ground, Matt and Will were quietly entertaining themselves. When we read the Bible story, did our craft project, sang songs and prayed, Matt and Will sat, listened and participated. They did not cut in line, they did not interrupt, they did not wander off. For a moment I was incredibly proud of them, and then I came to a few realizations:
1. Matt and Will are shy. What looks like "well-behaved" to others could really just be timidness in an unfamiliar situation.
2. The worst offenders in the class were the older boys. Perhaps I just got a horrible glimpse of our future.
3. It may be a really good thing if we don't get Matt and Will into a preschool. I certainly don't need them picking up any more bad habits than the ones they already have.

Chris and I would normally leave the boys in their class for a second hour so we could attend church, but we were both ready to bolt. It's just too bad that at 9:30 on a Sunday morning you can't find a good margarita. We really could have used one.

In the Kitchen

2009-03-24T22:19:00.001-05:00

I am so fortunate to be able to spend so much time at home with the boys. I wouldn't trade it for the world, because we get to do things like this.

Lately the boys have been all about making their own breakfast. Today we made banana-blueberry-flax-bran muffins. I'd tell you they were scrumptious, but they didn't leave any leftovers for mommy. Note Will's overflowing batter in the photo below. He likes to try to fit all the batter in one spot.

The final photo was taken by our budding photographer. Will loves taking pictures with our phones and cameras, and he's actually getting pretty good. He captured a great action shot of Chris and Matt. I only had a crop out half of the photo- Will's fingers.
If you're thinking to yourself what a lovely peaceful home we have, let me just tell you that things went downhill fast after muffin making. Don't let those innocent faces fool you.

Video

2009-03-23T22:06:00.001-05:00

Blood!

2009-03-23T21:41:00.003-05:00

It's no secret that Matt and Will have some crazy fears- dogs, cats, insects (especially flying ones), wind- just to name a few. I don't understand where these came from. We have 2 dogs for goodness sake! And wind? I don't even know what to say about that. But one thing they are not afraid of? Blood! They love it. They love to talk about it, see it, talk about it some more and then talk about it again.
Last week I listened to them on the monitor when they woke up. Here's the gist of the conversation.
Will: Will have bloody nose! Will have bloody nose! It's all over mine's shirt!
Matt: Matt want see! Matt want see!
Will: Matt see it?
Matt: No, Matt no see it? Will have bloody nose?
Will: Will have bloody nose! It's all over mine's shirt!
Matt: Matt see it?
Turns out there was no need to try to see Will's gore when Matt suffered the same fate. Then we had to call daddy to give him the news. I just love how thrilled Chris seems to be to get a call about a runny nose.

Just Like Mommy

2009-03-12T21:37:00.000-05:00

I'd be a happy camper if I could wear turtlenecks 365 days a year, so it's a treat to see Matt and Will sporting them too. They were perfect for today's cold snap and kept them warm as they got in and out of the van to tour preschools. We checked out our 4th and 5th schools today and are hopeful that we'll get the boys into one of them. I'm still incredulous that they are actually going to be 3 years old next month.
As I was filling out the 4-page registration form today for our #1 choice in round 3, I came across questions like "when did your child begin to talk?" "and walk?" Ummmm, apparently this is when I should be able to turn to page 76 in my keepsake baby book and see that why sure, they started to talk at 14 months and 3 days. Right after they got their 6th tooth and ate organic peanut butter for the first time. I thought about putting "no clue, but they apparently picked it up somewhere- both can talk and walk!" Instead I'll just have to google the approximate age for talking and walking and go with that.

Is Anyone Out There?

2009-03-03T23:01:00.000-06:00

In our house we've been stuck in the D&D phase of twin toddlerhood- demanding and destructive boys! Matt and Will do not ask for things, they shout commands. As in "mommy, I want milk RIGHT NOW!" In addition to this, they can also destroy a house in 2.2 seconds flat. I might need to start hiring them out as a demolition crew. Needless to say, we've been a little busy over the last few months. But for all the moments that I've been pulling my hair out (only the silver ones for now), we've had just as many hilariously funny times. Chris and I both agree that each month Matt and Will are even more fun than the last. So here are a few highlights off the top of my memory challenged head:
- We sing songs every night before bedtime. They're not sold on traditional lullabies, so right now the #1 requested song is "So What" by Pink. They know every word of the chorus.
- We took them to an alumni event last week and Matt insisted on bringing along "The Potty Book." In the middle of the video presentation, Will started flipping through the book and occasionally exclaiming, "he NAKED!"
- Their birthday has been a hot topic lately. Asked what they want for the big day, and they both respond "chocolate dobash cake." I guess they still have nightmares from their first birthday cake.
- We learned this week that it's really hard to get a child into the right preschool, much less two children. These boys could use a structured program, so we'll keep trying.
- Chris and I aren't much into big birthday celebrations for little kids, so we're going to take them somewhere special on their big day. They love to watch animals on TV (hunting shows are a favorite in our house) and read about them in books, but they are scared to death of animals in the flesh. I've even asked Matt if he'd like to go to the zoo. His reply? "Matt want to see little elephants. Matt don't like big elephants." And would Will like to go to the aquarium? "Will no like big fish. Will want to see little fish." Looks like we might be visiting a local pet store instead.
- My boys love to be naked. They spend entire mornings sans clothes and diapers working at the tool bench, reading books, having snacks. It's crazy butt apparently normal.

Top photo- Matt and Will modeling their new underwear. They rarely stay in them longer than 3 seconds.
Middle photo- Will and Matt on top of their Christmas gift. They don't actually play with trains on the train table. The first few weeks they discovered that they could take all the pieces apart. Since then, all the pieces have been glued and nailed down... twice!
Bottom photo- Matt on top of table apparently begging for animal crackers.

2009-01-04T22:31:00.000-06:00

Just a quick update since I've been so lax in blogging. And no, I did not resolve to blog more in 2009. Today marks the end of a nearly two week break from work. I was so looking forward to the holidays since we'd have family in town (i.e. help with the boys). I envisioned sleeping past 5:30am, reading lots of books, playing tennis and taking naps. That all came to a halt on day one of the break when Matt came down with a nasty virus that lasted 6 days. On day 7 I was patting myself on the back for keeping Will healthy. So much for celebrating! Will started running a fever on day 8 and today was his first day fever free.
Despite the first illness in goodness knows how long, we did enjoy the holidays with our families. The boys love playing with all their new toys, I had some unbelievably good meals, read some books and still managed to squeeze in 2 tennis lessons. Here's to a healthy start to 2009!

Starring Will

2008-09-29T22:56:00.001-05:00

When Hugs Go Wrong

2008-09-29T22:23:00.001-05:00

I've been terrible about taking photos lately because my memory card was full and I couldn't remember to transfer photos and clear it out. It's amazing the things I can't remember to do these days. So several weeks ago, the boys were wearing their boxer shorts to bed and looked especially cute. We decided to try to take some photos of them together and asked them to hug. Amazingly, they embraced almost instantly. But then in typical fashion it quickly spiraled into a WWF match. Will lost this round when Matt took him to the floor and pinned him for a three count. Being the super mom that I am, I was sure to photograph the entire episode. The best part is that we asked Will to reenact the incident and he obliged. I'll be sure to post the video reenactment asap. Will definitely has a future in movies.

Superstars!

2008-09-18T09:37:00.002-05:00

Here's a proof from the boys' recent photo shoot. Will (in navy) was a total ham. He loved having his picture taken. Matt gave the camera man a run for his money. Mommy had to act like a loon throughout the whole process. It was an exhausting 10 minutes.

Boys

2008-09-15T15:28:00.002-05:00

After another morning filled with fighting, crying and whining, I packed the boys up and headed for a local park. I explained to them that they would have to sit in the stroller while mommy walked and THEN we could go to the playground. We had a slight hiccup when Will saw the stroller, looked from it to me and exclaimed, "BACK!" As in "put that darn thing back in the car, we can walk." But all was well. We had a lovely walk and even managed to avoid crying fits when dogs passed us by.
After the walk I took the boys to the play area where they acted like kids in a candy store for all of 3 minutes. Apparently the playground cannot compare to the excitement of the nearby creek. So for the rest of the morning we threw "socks" (translation: rocks) into the water and played in the dirt. Who needs a playground when there's running water and a plethora of rocks?

Morning with Will

2008-08-15T16:07:00.003-05:00

It's not too often that I get to spend quality time with one child, but this morning Will woke up at the usual time and Matt slept in. Poor Matt is coming down with a cold yet again.

So Will woke up and we snuggled in the chair for about 1.2 seconds before he insisted on picking out his outfit. He surprised me this morning when I didn't have to go through every option. He actually chose something from the front of the pack. He then insisted on picking out his diaper. Mind you, they are all the same. But he pilfered through every one before selecting one for himself and one for Matt. Lately he likes to stand up while I change his diaper. I guess he just needs something new and different in his life. I've at least taught him to help me a little by holding the sides, but perhaps someday I'll teach him how to change it all by himself. Then I can take a smoke break 8 times a day.

It was another hour before Matt woke up, so Will and I just hung out while he drank his milk. It's mornings like this that always make me wonder just how easy it would be to have one child. Guess I'll never know... and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Family Tradition

2008-08-10T22:54:00.001-05:00

We took the boys to an annual festival late last week. It's the festival that Chris's family attends every year. This year marked 38 years in a row! Although it's a spaghetti dinner, Will preferred the homemade rolls and jelly.
The next day, we got to drive "daddy's new truck" and loaded Caleb's car seat so he could ride along with us. C's mom was quick to point out that the truck could easily accommodate triplets. Let's not even go there.

Naptime Ritual

2008-08-04T15:25:00.002-05:00

After I changed Matt's diaper for naptime today, he started protesting as I tried to snap his outfit. He kept saying "no, no, duh taa!" I was clueless as to what he was saying until I caught a glimpse of our handy roll of duct tape. You see, some wise twin moms suggested I use duct tape to secure their diapers before putting them to bed. We've had some issues with the boys taking off their diapers in their cribs, but I won't go into the gruesome details. Let's just say it's now standard policy to use duct tape anytime they're not wearing a one piece outfit.

Apparently Matt can't sleep without knowing that the extra form of protection is securely in place. I guess he's trying to tell me that he definitely cannot be trusted.

Fashionistos

2008-07-31T22:20:00.002-05:00

Oh where to begin. I can't even remember the last time I posted or what I wrote about. Matt has just recovered from yet another summer virus. It's no fun having 1 or 2 sick kids. With only Matt sick, Will suffers just as much because I have to give 90% of my attention to Matt. Unfortunately for Will, Matt still felt well enough to bite, kick and hit.

Will has become incredibly bossy over the last few weeks. He has an opinion about everything. Every morning he agonizes about what to wear. It's worse than having a teenager in the house. Each morning we go through all the shirts in the closet. He looks them over, ponders, and holds them before finally commanding, "NO! BACK!" For the most part, he does a pretty good job at picking outfits that somewhat go together. But he's had some misses. Like the Hawaiian outfit in the photo.

The boys have been spending some time at the local library. Our wonderful nanny takes them every week or so, and they play with puzzles, run through the aisles, knock over books and sit for story time. When our nanny was on vacation I decided to take them and check it out. We were late and didn't get to play with puzzles, but we sat in on the story time. By the time it was over, I felt like gouging my eyes out or going out for a stiff drink. The boys were fine; I just couldn't handle the suzy sunshine-sing songy-storyteller.

The picture of Will and Matt in the stroller is one taken in the parking deck of the library. Our nanny said they insisted on wearing their rain boots, so she let them. She's a smart gal; there are some battles that aren't worth fighting.

I'm constantly asked if the boys have different personalities. For the most part they are pretty similar, but there are some definite distinctions. For instance, Matt prefers to bite while Will likes to hit and shove. Will has to eat out of a blue bowl with a green utensil; Matt settles for the red bowl and red utensil. Will is quite territorial when it comes to his highchair, his car seat, and any toy that he is playing with. Matt for the most part is pretty easy going. But a new difference that I discovered last week was their puzzle building skills. Matt very precisely stacked the blocks in the right order and then disassembled them by putting each piece in a certain place. Will on the other hand was creative in his methods and ended up with an abstract version of the same puzzle. See the proof below.

The last photo is of Will and Jake. Lately Matt and Will have been fighting over who gets to take Jake to bed. This was taken after nap time. Notice that Will turned Jake on his stomach so he could sleep. Awwww!

Observations from the week

2008-07-02T21:48:00.003-05:00

Matt and Will tend to mimic one another. Yesterday I put socks on Matt because he is nursing an in-grown toenail. (Don't worry, Dr. Chris is taking great care of him.) Much to my dismay, he insisted on wearing his crocs. I tried to explain that he would look like a Florida tourist, but he didn't care. When I tried to put Will's shoes on, he refused to wear them unless he had on socks too. Then later in the afternoon Matt decided to remove one shoe and sock, so Will had to do the same.

You'll see Will's birthmark in the 2nd photo. We don't even notice it anymore. Will doesn't notice it. In fact he can point out numerous boo boos on himself and Matt, but he has never pointed to his birthmark mistaking it for a boo boo. Two neighborhood kids asked about it today, and it reminded me that one day Will will take notice of it too. We met with a specialist last fall for a diagnosis and he mentioned the possibility of laser removal (though it probably wouldn't work that great on the ankle and foot, so what's the point). I'm going to feel bad when Will needs years of therapy as a result of us not having it removed and instead telling him it's what makes him special.

Chris was our hero for the day. This morning he awoke at 4:15 due to an odd smell. He discovered it was coming from the refrigerator but couldn't figure out exactly what it was. While I was googling "noxious odor from refrigerator" and only getting results about food smells, it actually started smoking. After returning to bed at 5:30, Chris kept reminding me that he saved our lives. It's a good thing I don't cook that much, because I was able to move the most important refrigerator items into our mini fridge that we keep in the garage for Chris's drink of choice- Mt. Dew. The best part (for Chris)- I was able to leave at least 6 cans of Dew in the fridge for him. It was the least I could do for him after he saved my life.

Discipline continues to be a problem for me. The problem is that you have to remain consistent. Sounds easy, but it is so much easier to just give up. Take the couch/counter/sink problem described in an earlier post. I spent all day telling them to sit on their bottoms, but they continued to stand, jump and crawl into the sink. By 7pm Chris and I had both had it, so we moved the couch away from the wall. When I told Chris they'd probably end up falling from the back of the couch onto the floor, he said, "well, I guess they'll only fall once." Let the games begin!

Two heads are better than one

2008-06-26T22:40:00.001-05:00

My dear neighbor down the street has one child, a 3 year-old boy. She's never really had to childproof anything. Her home is filled with things that would not survive a day with Matt and Will- lots of ceramic figurines, glass, items on the coffee table, cabinets that aren't locked, a flat screen TV within arms reach of anyone over 18 inches tall. Sometimes when I'm over there with Matt and Will, I look around in astonishment at her orderly living space.
She has a water dispenser that her son doesn't touch! We had to move ours to the laundry room as soon as Matt and Will discovered they could flood our home with 3 gallons of spring water just by depressing a lever. And if one's finger got tired, the other could take over. How fabulous is that? That darn water cooler has been in the laundry room for well over a year now, but do you think they can resist messing with it EVERY time they walk by it on their way to the garage?
A few weeks ago they discovered the one door that was not childproofed in our bathroom- the door to the linen closet. While I frantically tried to put on make up and dry my hair each morning, Matt and Will would pull everything within reach out of the closet and dump it into the bathtub. As if that weren't enough of a mess, they would then turn on the water and shriek with delight. One morning they found a half-empty glass of water on Chris's nightstand. They emptied a nearby tote (thank goodness) and poured in the water. Then those smart boys refilled the cup two times at the bathtub- dumping one cup into a woven trash can (please note these don't hold water) and their final cup directly onto the floor. It took two trips to the bathtub for me to realize what was happening.
With the way our living room is arranged, I knew we'd have issues with the sink area. They've only recently begun crawling onto the couch, but it didn't take long for them to figure out they could find lots of interesting stuff in or near the kitchen sink. I have a feeling this is only the beginning.

2 months with 2-year-olds

2008-06-22T16:31:00.001-05:00

Someday I'll regret not being better about blogging. After all, this is as close to a baby book as I'll ever get. Two has been a tough age so far, and we're only 58 days into it, but who's counting. To experience this age with two kiddos, you're assured of having at least one child doing one or more of the following at any given moment: crying, hitting, biting, whining, falling, spending time in time-out. The list could go on and on.

I guess I've always been a "glass is half empty" kind of gal, even though I like to think that I'm a realist. This has just been a tough stage. But the good thing, is that for every moment that makes me want to break dishes (apparently I'm a toddler at heart), there are just as many moments that make me laugh with joy. Here are some highlights from the past couple of months:

Word explosion- they will try to repeat just about anything you ask them to and are beginning to string words together. Some favorites include "daddy bike" and "daddy truck" along with "Emma, NO!"
Will has regressed to the koala bear phase. When I pick him up, he'll wrap his legs around my waist and hug my neck as tight as can be. He'll also give kisses out of the blue. I'll be holding him and then all of a sudden he'll grab my face and plant one on me.
Matt needs my complete attention at times. If we're reading a story and I look away from the book, he'll stop and whine "no, no" and push my face back to the book. I guess he's not going to be skilled at multitasking.
The other day Matt was playing and I starting belting out the lyrics to a Captain and Tennille song. He stopped what he was doing, looked at me and said, "no, no, no, no." When I kept singing, he tried to squeeze my cheeks together to make it stop. I now sing the song just to see what his reaction is. Sometimes he can handle it and other times he doesn't appreciate it so much.
The boys have always been scared of dogs, even though we have two of our own. Now we can add flies to list of animals that freak them out. It's going to be a long summer. I just don't get this one. They both will happily pick up earthworms, but scream in terror if they see a fly.

Enjoy the photos of some recent activities- toddler time at the local library, their fist bowling experience, and their new soccer goal.

Mommy Milestone

2008-05-21T22:15:00.002-05:00

Chris and I did something crazy and selfish and took a trip BY OURSELVES to celebrate our 10 year anniversary. We spent 4 nights in Sedona and had a really nice time, though it was 1 night too long in my opinion. The boys stayed with Gran and Papa and had loads of fun. We figured after the first night they assumed their old parents were gone and they had new ones. No skin off their backs!

We took a day trip to the south rim of the Grand Canyon. If you have not been, you must go. It truly is awesome, majestic and grand. I don't know all 7 wonders of the world, but I've been to 2 that I know of and both of them have been breathtaking. Whoever came up with the 7 wonders truly knew what they were talking about.

We also took a hot air balloon ride and an off road jeep tour in Sedona. It wasn't until after I made the non-refundable reservations for the balloon ride, that I questioned my sanity for sending both Chris and I 1000 feet above the ground in a woven basket with an open flame. You have to think about these things when you become a parent. I actually took a video of our "blast off" and was yelling, "Matt and Will, if mommy doesn't come back I love you. Wooo Hooo!" That's just not right.

Happy anniversary Chris! Thanks for getting me the watch that I discovered in a magazine ad a year ago. The ad I tore out, handed to you and said, "get this for me for our anniversary next year." Yeah, that one. I must admit, I do have good taste and you sure do follow instructions well.

They Got the Memo

2008-05-07T15:20:00.001-05:00

For the most part we've been cruising along, basking in the delight of fitful sleep for nearly a year. When your point of reference is one year of hell, everything else is roses. No matter how bad a day we have, I can always count on a 7:45pm bedtime. Usually the favorite time of day in our house.

I'd like to make it perfectly clear that Matt and Will have officially turned two. Apparently someone let them in on the "terrible two's" rite of passage, and they have been speeding down the checklist for the past 12 days.

- Excessive use of "NO!" Check!
- Public displays of disruption Check!
- Hitting, slapping, biting Check!
- Tantrums Check!
- Lots of quality time-outs Check!

Some highlights of the past 12 days...
Favorite quote- "Emma, NO!"
Will's favorite quote- "MA, NO!" translation "Matt, NO!"
Favorite place to yell at top of lungs- local restaurants
Newest recipient of slaps- Mama
Latest fear- caterpillars

I'm taking it all in stride but am fearing the next two years. A twin mom recently came up to Chris and I proclaiming, "I have some of those." She proceeded to tell us that when those twins were 3 years old she wanted to kill herself. Apparently I have a lot to look forward to.

Gimpy

2008-04-15T23:25:00.002-05:00

Will's x-rays were clear last week, so I can't log the first broken bone milestone in the nonexistent baby book. He has begun to walk again but looks so pitiful. I'm just glad I don't have to carry him around everywhere. I picked up Matt a few times last week and whined, "why can't YOU have the injury?" The two pound weight difference is definitely noticeable when you have the heavier one attached to you for a week.

Lately Matt has become obsessed with an itty bitty mole on the fourth toe of his right foot. I pointed it out one night as I was trying to "redirect" his attention from flipping off the changing pad to staying still for a diaper. Worked like a charm. Now he'll point out the mole to me any chance he gets while saying "MOHHHH!"

They turn 2 in 10 days. The second year has flown by. That's a good thing considering the first year felt like an eternity

Beware of Books

2008-04-08T21:36:00.000-05:00

Matt and Will have been loving their Dr. Suess books lately. They're not so much into reading them, but Matt especially likes to find the mouse on every page of "Green Eggs and Ham." He gets so excited everytime he sees it and says, "Ooh! Mah! Mah! Mah!" which loosely translates to "Look Mom there's a MOUSE! A MOUSE! Did you hear me, there's a MOUSE!" Yesterday we learned that he can pick out mice in other non-Suess books too. It kept him entertained for about 3 minutes during a 2 hour doctor's visit.
Will's most recent experience with books has been much more physical. Thursday night just before bath time, Will slipped on a pesky paperback and fell a harrowing six inches to the wood floor below. Yes, I saw that his leg was somewhat twisted. Yes, I saw that he couldn't get up. Yes, I heard his crying. But did I think it was anything to worry about? No. We bathed him, gave him Tylenol and put him to bed. He slept like a baby that sleeps through the night, and I figured he'd forget about his fall by morning.
Friday morning I discover that he cannot stand, crawl or walk. Chris takes him to the doctor and he gets x-rays that show there is nothing abnormal. But the doctor does discover that he has severe infections in both ears. Great!
All weekend I lugged him around from room to room. By Sunday he was crawling but still would not stand or walk. Monday we had a well-child visit and his dr. felt he should have been putting weight on the leg by then. So we did another set of x-rays and are patiently awaiting the results. We have two trains of thought on the whole is-it-broken-or-not situation. 1. Our child may have been crawling around with a broken leg for almost a week. That definitely is baby-book material! 2. How lame is it that Will's first broken bone may be the result of slipping on a book? This would be a much better story had it been the result of a flying leap off the top of the refrigerator.
The moral of the story. Books are dangerous. Kids should just watch TV.

Must be a boy thing

2008-03-31T21:47:00.001-05:00

New 'Do

2008-03-28T00:03:00.000-05:00

Matt and Will got some major haircuts a couple of weeks ago, and these are the "after" photos. Matt doesn't have as much hair as Will, so it tends to get a little crazy sometimes. This is what it looked like following a nap, and I just didn't have the heart to fix it. His hair kind of matches his personality sometimes.

Future Trash Talkers

2008-03-16T12:38:00.001-05:00

Making Dad Proud

2008-03-15T21:20:00.001-05:00

Looking Back

2008-03-12T21:59:00.001-05:00

March has become an emotional month for me. It will always remind me of the roller coaster ride that led up to Matt and Will's birth. The end of March 2006 brought my first hospital stay for pre-term labor, steroid shots for the babies' lung development, weeks of IV mag and bedrest. The boys' birthday is bittersweet. It is a joyous occasion; we are incredibly blessed that Matt and Will are perfectly healthy now. But I will always remember the circumstances surrounding their birth. I will always remember that it was 12 hours before I visited them. Five days before I held Will. Ten days before I held Matt.
Today I picked out a white button down shirt to wear to work. It was one of many white button down shirts my mom purchased to make kangaroo care with the boys more modest. I can't look at those shirts without remembering hours, days, weeks visiting the boys in the NICU. The half hour kangaroo care sessions we had. The feel of their skin against mine. Knowing that my body had the power to help regulate their temperature.
Matt and Will take my breath away. They make me laugh. They turn me into a baby talking, uber-affectionate, swelling with pride mama. It amazes me every day how far we've come.

Will above, Matt below

Will above, Matt below

The "D" Word

2008-02-21T22:46:00.004-06:00

We're closing in on the 2nd birthday and I'm finally realizing that I might need to start some form of discipline. We've been dealing with biting, hitting and most recently kicking for the past several months but I've pretty much had the "boys will be boys" attitude. I mean come on, they are going to have to live together for the next 16 years. I'm sure we'll experience our fair share of battles.

Don't get me wrong. I've been "redirecting" their habits for the last year. And what I've learned about "redirection" is that it is certainly not "discipline." Why would Will want to play with a puzzle when he could kick Matt in the face and watch him cry? A puzzle can hold their attention for as long as they can throw it across the room, but making one another cry NEVER gets old.

Redirection DOES work when you want a child to stop wallowing in their fit of self-pity. I can usually stop the tears just by asking, "Where's Emma? I don't know where Emma is?" I think the only reason this particular tactic works is because they are actually afraid of dogs and they probably interpret my question as "Emma is loose in the house and at any moment she might spring upon you and thrash you with her tail. Hurry! Find her before she finds you!"

I'm sure I could read hundreds of books about how to discipline, but why would I want to read a discipline book when I could be reading Us Weekly? So I recently went to the trenches for advice from some fellow twin moms and they broke it down very simply for me. It took maybe 3 sentences to explain. If there's anything a twin mom understands, it's the the necessity for simplicity!

Shaking in His Boots

2008-02-19T21:58:00.001-06:00

What's Wrong in These Photos

2008-02-07T22:49:00.000-06:00

Matt and Will continue to be obsessed with clothing- especially with its removal. I raced into the nursery one day this week when I heard screams from Will during naptime. He had taken off all of his clothing and his diaper was around his ankles. He was just standing there frozen, looking at me with a "now what?" expression. Everyone says that these are signs that they are developmentally ready to begin potty training. I figured if they could pull down their pants to sit on their rocking chairs, they might as well have some potties to sit on. Too bad they want to keep their pants on for those.

Matt in all his glory

2008-01-27T23:23:00.000-06:00

Over the last few months, the boys have experimented with clothing removal. Will started so innocently with socks, but last week he advanced to the diaper. This was no easy task seeing that he pulled it off without removing his onesie. True talent!
Matt's obsession (as we all know) started with his pants. As you can tell by the evidence below, he is now removing tops or at the very least his right sleeve. All this clothing removal takes time and effort. They spend at least 1-2 hours during each naptime on this ritual which also seems to include running laps inside the cribs and screeching like monkeys. A video monitor would sure come in handy right now.

Not My Kid

2008-01-27T23:14:00.001-06:00

What a Year!

2008-01-21T22:41:00.000-06:00

Only 21 days into the New Year and it's already felt like an eternity! We have all recently recovered from a very nasty upper respiratory bug that landed all three of the guys on antibiotics. Will had a double ear infection, Matt a single, and who knows what Chris had- by that time I really didn't care. Being sick is not something that I am accustomed to and NO ONE tells you that you will catch EVERY bug your child does. THIS is the "dirty little secret" that no one divulges about parenthood. Consider yourselves warned.

Just as life was returning to normal and we were nearing the end of the 10 day antibiotic treatments, I hurt my back. This is nothing new for me, but it was the first time I had hurt it this badly as a mother. Matt and Will didn't seem to care that I couldn't stand up straight; by golly they still wanted out of their cribs every morning. The best thing about hurting my back? I was ordered to bed for two whole days. They were the greatest two days of my life!

Enjoy some recent photos of the boys!

Newest Obsession

2008-01-14T21:51:00.000-06:00

We've had a rough couple of weeks due to illness, but I wanted to share some photos of Matt's latest discovery. He's developed an aversion to wearing pants some days, so occasionally I find him struggling to be free of them. Some mornings all I do is pull pants back on, and other mornings I just give up and let him go around pantless. I guess his poor little legs just need to breathe sometimes.

Evening Entertainment

2008-01-01T23:20:00.001-06:00

Off to a great start

2008-01-01T13:28:00.000-06:00

It's going to be a great year. We got a full night's sleep. Last New Year's we were up all night comforting two babies with croup. We were up for days; it was pretty bad. This year we had a nice dinner with our neighbors, had the boys in bed by 8:30 and we were asleep by 10. Who needs to ring in the New Year when you can sleep through it!

Here's to a full year of fitful sleep and lots of love and laughter.

Utter Shock

2007-12-14T14:14:00.000-06:00

I despise most diaper changes. The flipping game is old. It was old 6 months ago, and it's still old now. Yesterday Matt had a dirty diaper and I was dreading the crying, flailing walk to the nursery and all that would follow, so I turned to him and asked, "Matt, can mommy change your diaper?" Imagine my surprise when he acknowledged me, sat down, flopped on his back and stared. After the initial shock wore off, I praised him, ran into the nursery for my supplies and enjoyed a calm and quiet diaper change. Ahh, the little things in life!

Making an Appearance

2007-11-29T22:05:00.000-06:00

I've been a terrible excuse for a blogging mom lately. Last month I took advantage of the time change and returned to my early morning workouts which put a major crimp in my late nights spent glued to my laptop. And now I have to live with the guilt of ruining the lives of all three of my regular readers. For that I am sorry.

Matt and Will are 19 months and changing every day. Some observations from the past month:

1. Will is trying to talk more and more each day and will mimic words that I ask him to repeat like "waffle" (wa wa), "snack" (nah), and "night night" (nigh nigh). He calls our nanny "reh rah" since he can't say Cara. It's adorable.

2. I gave up on teaching them sign language after failing to get them to sign "milk" after 6 months of trying. Suddenly, Matt began using the sign for "milk" when he wanted "more" of anything- food, drink, toys- you name it. Whatever works, I guess. This gesture along with "ehh" are his primary forms of communication for the time being.

3. Since I didn't know a sign for "I'm sorry," I started helping the boys say it by taking their hand and gently patting their brother's head. Now when I ask them to apologize, they automatically pat the other's head. This sounds really sweet, but I can assure you that gentle patting quickly escalates to gleeful hitting which requires the "I'm sorry routine" again. You can see where this is going.

4. Will has suddenly developed separation anxiety with everyone. He can be joyfully waiting for Chris to open the door when he returns from work but will run screaming from him if Chris then tries to pick him up. It's the craziest thing. Cara assures me that it subsides soon after my departure and I believe her. Today I came home from work and they were coloring at their table and barely gave me a second glance as if saying, "Oh, it's just you. Keep it down so we can concentrate on our art."

5. We get goodnight kisses from Matt and Will every night. Will gives the traditional pursed lip smack, but Matt comes at you head on with open mouth. You can't help but smile when you get a kiss like that. He's a very enthusiastic kisser.

6. Both Matt and Will have a funny attachment to outerwear. They sometimes grab their coats, thrust them at me and stick out their arm so I can help them into them. Sometimes they will walk around inside all morning while wearing coats and hats. If they unzip their jacket, they will insist that I zip it back up. If they tear off their hat, they'll whine until I put it securely on their head.

All in all, each month that passes tends to be more fun than the last. Yes, it's crazy at times. Yes, we have our fair share of hitting, biting and crying. But we also have lots of belly laughs and kisses. There is nothing more precious than hearing the boys pad around the house or squeal in delight as they chase one another around the dining room table. They are great kids and each day I am reminded of how blessed Chris and I are to have them. And after a particularly trying day, I can rejoice in the fact that they sleep through the night.

Thank Goodness for Digital Cameras

2007-11-01T21:26:00.000-05:00

How did twin moms manage before the invention of digital cameras? I'm sure I took 100 photos today in less than 5 minutes. All I wanted was a photo of both boys under the tree- preferably one in which you can see their faces. This is what I got...

What a difference a year makes

2007-10-27T21:47:00.000-05:00

Matt and Will- 6 months

The boys had their 18 month check-up this week. They are absolutely healthy and totally normal as far as developmental milestones, which means they bite, hit and say "no" like any other 18 month-old. This normal business rocks.

Will and Matt- 18 months

Week in Review

2007-10-21T23:20:00.000-05:00

Some highlights from the past week:
1. Matt got shoved by a girl who's three months younger than he is. He stayed on his feet but burst into tears. Word has already spread around the neighborhood and he's the butt of all the cool kids' jokes.
2. After slowly coming to terms with the fact that my kids will be iron deficient, non-meat eaters for the rest of their lives, their Gran and Papa made a huge discovery. Matt and Will gobbled up a smoked turkey leg. As in the kind that can be found at your local county fair or arts and crap show.
3. The proceeds from my wildly unsuccessful M.O.M.s sale were used to purchase Matt and Will their first vehicles- matching 2007 Little Tykes cozy coupes. Life is sweet.

4. We had a near disaster this weekend when Matt and Will discovered we were down to one racquetball in the house. Needless to say, after an evening run to Wal-Mart, we now have 6 new balls, 2 content boys and 1 relieved mom.

5. Chris and I got to see our second movie in a year. I picked "We Own the Night" thinking it would be your run-of-the-mill crime drama and ended up shedding tears. This becoming a parent thing is totally for the birds sometimes. No one warned me about the possibility of uncovering emotions I didn't think I possessed.
6. This week I will be renewing the same library book for the 8th consecutive time. That's 16 weeks I'll have had the darn book. I'm going to give up on reading anything past the two year-old reading level from here on out.

Dancing Kings

2007-10-08T20:39:00.000-05:00

So one week into my blog-every-day-for-a-month plan, and I already failed. Which is great, because now I can go back to blogging twice a month. The pressure is off. Now my dad can sleep at night knowing that daily blogging is not taking time away from my family. He actually suggested I COOK dinner a couple of times a week in lieu of blogging. That's just so funny to me. Why would I want to cook dinner?
Today I put on the boys' CD and asked them to dance. The result? Matt might be a future Lord of the Dance!

Matt wears his sunglasses at night

2007-10-06T20:44:00.000-05:00

So far I've made a whopping $60.50 between the M.O.M.'s members only sale and the garage sale this morning. They still haven't tallied the sales from the public sale, but I'm not expecting much. To help ease the pain, I ate my way through a plate of Oolang sea bass from PF Chang's and then put some sunglasses on Matt. Who knew it could provide such entertainment.

2007-10-05T22:01:00.000-05:00

Why is it that fake floral arrangements, used baby bottles and cheap vases sell like hotcakes, while beautifully maintained baby clothing gets passed over? The numbers aren't in yet, but we did not fare well at the consignment sale. So what am I doing tomorrow? I'm slashing my already low prices and trying to get rid of roughly 250 items at my best friend's garage sale.

And then from this point on, I will only purchase Matt and Will two outfits each per season and throw them away when their time is up (the outfits, not the kids). I just don't know if I can take this kind of disappointment again.

Small Fall Sale

2007-10-04T20:51:00.000-05:00

Tonight we set up for our local M.O.M.'s club fall sale. It's the "small" sale as opposed to the "big" spring sale. All I have to say is I better rake in the big bucks, because the amount of work that goes into sorting, tagging, hanging, pinning, and arranging makes me want to just give away every last piece of clothing. It's a good thing my mom did 75% of the work, especially since she purchased 75% of the wardrobe. It's her fault we're in this mess in the first place.

Mother's Day 2007

2007-10-03T22:33:00.000-05:00

I am happy to report that Chris has finally purchased my Mother's Day gift. It's a good thing neither one of us is into celebrations of any kind, otherwise he may be a single father to twin toddlers.

So behold the mother's rings that I asked for one week prior to Mother's Day after a flyer from the jewelry store appeared in his golf tournament goodie bag (smart jeweler). The flyer boasted that the handcrafted rings could be ready in less than one week- just in time for the special day. Of course EVERY day is Mother's Day in our house, so celebrating it on October 2 should have come as no surprise.

There's just one slight problem with my new rings. The saleswoman convinced me to get a smaller size. They are incredibly uncomfortable, so the only finger they fit is my wedding finger. I'm going to have to get them resized, otherwise I'll look like I'm married to 2 cheapskates who feel I am only worthy of sterling silver.

Lofty Goal

2007-10-02T21:27:00.000-05:00

I have this crazy idea to try to blog every day in October. Part of the reason I don't already do this is because I don't feel like I have enough "material" to warrant writing every day. I certainly don't want to bore my audience- all three of you. But one of my blogworld heros is LauraC, a fellow twin mom, who manages to blog M-F. I have loved keeping up with her.

In order to accomplish my goal, I'll need some help from some of you out there. So, if there is any topic that you'd like to hear about, any questions you have, please leave a comment or e-mail me (or call me, dad).

The picture today is from a couple of weeks ago at Matt and Will's first tailgate party. They happen to tailgate on the front lawn of a fraternity house. It's the closest they'll ever come to a frat party if I can help it.

What makes Matt cry

2007-10-01T12:51:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago, Chris was strategizing in preparation for his first tailgate with the boys. I would be working that day, so he'd be on his own. He decided to pull out some of our baby gifts- namely the 2 backpacks disguised as leashes. Chris was smart enough to try them on the boys prior to taking them out in public. Here's the result for Matt.

Nap Time

2007-09-25T11:21:00.001-05:00

Our house is currently in a state of disarray. We are in the midst of installing a new 5-ton heat pump after our "old" 3-ton unit stopped working during some of the hottest days of the summer. 1 unairconditioned house in 100 degree heat + 2 toddlers + 1 cranky mom = 1 husband that must purchase a new a/c or else.

Technically Matt and Will are to blame for this major purchase. After all, we never would have needed a bigger a/c if we hadn't needed to add on a bonus room for my office and workout space. They are the ones who conspired in utero to split into 2 beings and wreak havoc on our perfectly situated house. So while I spent the better part of my pregnancy in a constant state of nausea and bedrest, Chris ripped out my pantry, installed a stairway and finished out an additional room. The poor a/c unit just couldn't handle cooling that extra space. Thank you Matt and Will.

Because of all the work going on in the house, I've had to deny Matt and Will access to the kitchen and keep them contained in the living room, dining room and playroom. I must admit it is nice to be able to work in the kitchen without a toddler or two underfoot, but Matt and Will are not hip on this new arrangement. They spent most of yesterday crying at the gates wondering what they did to mommy to deserve such punishment.

When I put them down for a nap today they babbled for well over an hour before they finally fell asleep. It started with giggles and laughter, progressed to "uh oh" and "ahhh" at the top of their lungs and then wound down with "mama? mama? mama?"

Now that they have finally fallen asleep, I just know that the a/c man will show up to get started on the work today and wake up my peacefully sleeping boys. At least I'll get to deal with 2 fussy toddlers in a comfortably cooled house.

Morning Show with Matt and Will

2007-09-20T21:25:00.000-05:00

It's a shame my mom doesn't know how to turn on a computer. IF she could locate the power button, click on the Explorer icon and scroll to the 1 "favorite" I have listed for her, she'd find this:

The Diaper Pail

2007-09-15T21:57:00.000-05:00

It would not surprise me if Matt and Will grew up to one day become respectable garbage men, especially my Matt. He's become quite a helper after diaper changes by disposing his diaper afterwards. All I have to say is, "Matt throw your diaper in the pail."

Today I was changing Will's diaper and gave him his wet one to try to keep him occupied. I'm still dealing with the constant flipping Will insists on doing each time I try to wrangle him into a new diaper. Will was not impressed with his old diaper and flung it to the floor. About that time, Matt came strolling into the nursery pushing one of his toys. (the only thing that would make this story better is if Matt was whistling) I heard the toy stop and turned around to see Matt scoop up the diaper, walk directly to the pail and toss it in. Then he went right back to his push toy and continued his route out of the nursery without missing a beat. It was priceless.

Later this evening when faced with the task of hand washing all 10 sippy cups and their 10 accompanying valves and lids, I decided to waste some water and run the dishwasher even though it wasn't completely filled. It always pains me to run the dishwasher when it's not cram packed, so I tried to find all that I could to put in it. If I didn't want to have to unload the extras, I might have even filled it with clean dishes. I loaded the cups and realized I was missing one, and by golly I was NOT going to run the darn thing without that 10th sippy cup. Chris and I checked all the usual hiding places- under furniture, in the hamper, in trash cans and came up empty handed. I figured the only place it could be was in the diaper pail, so I quietly sneaked into the nursery with my flashlight, opened the pail and pushed aside the top layer of diapers. Sure enough, my garbage men were a little too eager today and threw away the cup. I guess it was a good idea that I decided to run the dishwasher tonight, because that cup could use a little extra sanitizing.

This will come back to haunt them someday

2007-09-14T12:40:00.000-05:00

Last year when all of my friends and neighbors were consumed with the task of finding Halloween costumes, I had more important things to worry about. Like when I could sleep. So Papa bought the boys some spiderman costumes to carry on the family tradition of a long line of spidermen. Unfortunately, even though they were sized 6 months, they boys were still in 0-3 month clothing. So the costumes were stashed away and forgotten.

A few weeks ago while cleaning out Matt and Will's closet for an upcoming consignment sale, Chris and I came across the costumes and decided to try them on the boys. They fit. So we decided to take loads of embarrassing pictures and paraded them down the street for all the neighbors to see. It was a wonderful evening.

I know I've been terrible about blogging lately, so I figured I'd play catch up.

At our recent well-child visit Will was 31 inches tall and weighed 21 lbs. 11 oz. Matt was the exact same height and tipped the scales at 20 lbs. 6 oz.

We had to take the boys for some blood work at our local hospital to check a recurring rash. A fellow MOM reassured me that the lab used numbing cream and the boys would do fine. Guess what? No numbing cream. Will had to have two draws because the first vein didn't give enough of a sample- not a good morning for us.

The blood work came back normal except for their iron levels, so I have to give them supplements. There is a negative side effect associated with iron which is the same side effect we've been dealing with thanks to the transition to whole milk. Thank goodness the boys have acquired a taste for prunes. We can all sleep at night thanks to those prunes.

Matt fell off his firetruck this morning (with a little help from Will I'm sure) and I ran to him and found blood coming out both nostrils and his mouth. He has a huge fat lip thanks to a tear at the top of his gums. I'll be sure to take a photo to commemorate my neglect. Thanks to some ice and tylenol, he's fine now.

There are times that I make Matt and Will hold my hand while they walk. It's great when I need them to follow me inside or keep them safely on the sidewalk. Unfortunately, they've learned that they can drop to their knees to avoid having to go my way. I cannot even convey to you what an annoying habit this is.

A couple in Arizona was recently on TV with their 3 month-old sextuplets. The mom looked great. Asked about their schedule, she said that all 6 were on the same 3-hour feeding schedule and they all slept between feedings. They only wake once during the night for a feeding at 2 am. They ALL sleep from 7pm until 2am, wake for a feeding and go back to sleep until 7am. When I told Chris about this he asked why couldn't we have had sextuplets. We spent over a year waking no less than 6 times each night. We went more than a year without regular naps. We apparently were not meant to be parents.

2007-09-05T23:01:00.000-05:00

Here's a sampling of my favorite Matt and Will moments from the past few weeks.

Matt playing peek-a-boo while patiently waiting for his bath and Will giving kisses

Will's new trick

2007-09-05T22:56:00.000-05:00

Of great concern

2007-08-19T20:07:00.000-05:00

When Matt first began cutting his front teeth, Chris and I were a little taken aback by the size of his pearly whites. Then we just chalked it up to it being a proportion thing. Maybe they just looked big because he's small. We can't offer excuses anymore. Matt has gigantic teeth.

Chris turned to me one day and asked, "So which one of your family members had buck teeth?" It was then that I had to come clean with the dark family secret. Although my brother and I both have big teeth, his were unusually large. Before an orthodontist would even touch my brother's teeth, he sent him to a dentist to have 8 permanent teeth pulled to make room in his mouth.

So it appears that Matt inherited his Uncle's teeth (see exhibit A). Let's just hope he didn't inherit his taste in women.

Thank goodness for distressed floors

2007-08-07T23:33:00.001-05:00

I've been told by experienced moms that this is definitely a boy thing. Matt and Will love to send toys crashing to the floor, bang them on the windows and smash them against the cabinets. The lounder the sound the better. I sure will be glad when THIS phase is over.

My First Video

2007-08-07T23:04:00.001-05:00

I have so many funny videos of the boys, but most of them are too large to upload. I finally took the time to find one that would work. Here's a short video of Matt and his basketball. It's almost a month old but even early on he was working on his dribbling skills.

Road Trip

2007-08-01T22:48:00.000-05:00

I figured I needed to elaborate a little on our recent road trip. The one where we traveled 1500 miles in 5 days. I know I mentioned that Chris got a GPS lady to help him navigate the trip and she really was wonderful. I had hoped to come up with a catchy name for her, but I just ended up calling her the "voice of reason." I certainly didn't agree with all her directions, but you can all take a guess as to whom Chris listened to.

It really irritates me sometimes when women gush about how wonderful their husbands and/or children are. That's why it almost pains me to admit that our trip with Matt and Will was easy. They were pretty much perfect travelers except for our first night on the road when we stopped too late. That night we got to relive the first year of their lives by sharing a bed with them. Let's just say we sure don't miss having the boys sleep in bed with us, if you could call what we did sleep.

The rest of the trip was great. Matt and Will loved every minute of it save for their brief encounters with Caddy, the sweetest dog on earth. She freaked them out so bad that they cry when OUR dogs come around now.

A few more photos from the trip. The first one is just to show what we needed for a one night's stay on the road. Scary huh?

Will had his first taste of peach frozen yogurt. I'm pretty sure he enjoyed it.

Nana gave Matt and Will each a teddy bear. Matt loved pulling out the hair on his teddy bear. I'm afraid it will be bald by the end of the year.

Multiple Multiples

2007-07-31T22:18:00.000-05:00

Blogger ate all my text, and I don't feel like retyping so here are a few photos from our trip (which was so much easier than I ever could have expected thanks to the fact that I set my expectations low).

Chris, Will and Matt along with his cousin and her triplets. Five kiddos under 3 in the same house. They are adorable and Chris's cousin is amazing.

Will, Chris, Nana, Gran and Matt- four generations!

Will and Matt enjoying the complimentary breakfast that came with their hotel room on our last day of the road trip.

Definitely on the mend

2007-07-26T00:01:00.000-05:00

I can tell Matt is feeling better because he's back to biting Will when he doesn't get his way. It doesn't happen very often, but as soon as I hear Will's wail, I know that he's once again on the receiving end of Matt's teeth. What surprises me most is that Will has rarely bitten Matt. Thank goodness Will at least hits Matt, otherwise I'd be worried that Will is a big sissy.

I didn't witness the latest bite, but when I rounded the corner I found Matt stuck in the basket trying to figure out how to get out and Will dissolved in tears. I took a mom and me photo to try to make Will feel better, but he wasn't too impressed. All I can say is I just hope he doesn't inherit my nose.

I'll report in after I recover from the road trip... look for my next post in April 2009.

We must be insane

2007-07-24T22:52:00.000-05:00

I'm sure the 3 people that read this blog are waiting on pins and needles to find out how Matt's diaper rash is. After 8 days, nearly 50 baths, 2 different prescription creams, and a pleading call to the pediatric clinic, he is finally on the mend. He should be nearly healed by the time we leave for our road trip this week. I believe I vowed not to travel any more this summer after the trip to the beach, but under duress Chris got me to agree to take a road trip with him, the boys and his mom. I must be a saint.

We're splitting the 12 hour drive between two days, since Chris is in bed every night by 9pm and I pretty much can't see after dark. As you can tell, we are not experienced road trippers. In fact, under the pretense of "saving our marriage" Chris purchased a GPS navigation system to use on the trip so he didn't have to consult his passenger for any help with directions.

When we arrive at our destination on Friday afternoon, we'll have a whole day and half with his family before we pack up the van and start the drive back on Sunday. I can tell Matt and Will are really excited about sitting in their car seats for 6 hours a day. It's all we talk about.

The 8-day diaper rash marathon has taught me a lot about the boys. As hard as it was to suffer from such an uncomfortable rash, Matt weathered the week without much problem. Poor Will was another story; he's just not used to feeling so neglected. By yesterday afternoon Will was so miserable. He was moping around the house whining and then would suddenly throw himself down on the floor feigning injury. When I didn't fall for his act, he picked himself up off the floor, took a few steps and threw himself down again. It was so sad to watch his desperate plea for attention. I just knew he was thinking "why couldn't I have gotten the diaper rash? why does it always have to be Matt!" Oh to be a twin!

Warning: Bare Bottom Ahead

2007-07-19T21:06:00.000-05:00

We're dealing with another round of bad diaper rash for poor Matt, but I'll get to that later. I figured I'd better share some photos from this week:

Here's Will changing out of his pj's. Don't you just want to squeeze him?

Will after eating cheese ravioli. He usually likes to smear it all over his face, hair, eyes, etc.

Sweet Matt- before the diaper rash.

This is how we know the boys are finished with a meal. They start throwing everything on the floor. Doesn't it sound like a fun game?

Yet another way to tell when a meal is over.

Will's first professional hair cut.

And Matt's too!

Along with 3 baking soda baths per day and lots of prescription ointment, I also try to air Matt out a few times throughout the day. After 4 days it's no better, so we're trying a different tactic. I'm praying the new prescription will work, because even though Matt is a trooper, he is still so uncomfortable right now.

2007-07-10T22:29:00.000-05:00

Yesterday while I unloading the stroller out of the minivan at the grocery store, a woman walked by and said, "It gets easier." I guess I looked at her strangely because she went on to say that she had two-year old twins. I wanted to tell her that after surviving 12 months of pure hell, nothing could be easier than my life now.

So maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but the first year really was rough. Yet now after enjoying a mere two months of sleeping through the night, the horrors of the first 12 months are starting to fade. It's amazing what a little sleep can do for a mom on the edge.

For the first time ever, we have a schedule. Several days during the week, Matt and Will actually take a nap. I mean, I have to pinch myself sometimes to see if I'm dreaming! I get work done, I run errands, I fix meals, I read books, I work out, I have dinner with friends, I go to church. My life has done a complete 180 in just two short months. It's indescribable how wonderful that feels. I will never again take for granted my ability to sleep uninterrupted for more than 30 minutes at a time.

The Camera Loves Matt

2007-07-09T12:37:00.000-05:00

I've apparently been favoring Matt lately, because all of my photos seem to be of him and not Will. Oops! That's a huge twin mom faux pas. Here are some recent favorites of Matt mainly:

Chris gave Matt the "Steve Urkel" look and he felt so self-conscious. Even though high-waisted pants are coming back into style, Matt wants none of it!

Here's Matt plowing the living room floor while Will steers.

Matt has been crawling under furniture lately to find his missing racquet balls.

Matt has very good taste in water, just like his mom.

One Year Photos, Two Months Late

2007-07-06T10:08:00.000-05:00

Matt and Will

Matt

Will

Mom loves her boys

I'm that kind of mom

2007-06-27T21:55:00.000-05:00

One of my friends recently sent me an e-mail thanking me for not being one of "those moms" who share every achievement about their child- like going pee pee in the potty. Who knows how I'll act in the midst of potty training. I'm not there yet, but let me share where I am right now.

Matt and Will were a little fussy tonight, so after dinner we immediately started running their bath so we could get them to bed. We filled the tub a little too high and when I was putting Will in, he slipped a little and went face first into the water. Tears ensued as they usually do with Will. Chris grabbed Will and I lunged for the drain to let some water out. I slipped and was headed face first for the water but caught myself on the faucet. It scared our already emotional guys, and they started screaming. When I caught myself on the faucet I accidentally hit the hot water which started running. I also knocked the handle off somehow. So now the scalding hot water (it's instant- gotta love it) is filling the tub near my screaming sons and I can't get the handle back to turn it off.

Some peace returns when I get the water turned off and we start bathing the boys. There were still some tears, but everyone settled down. When I took Matt out of the tub, I cuddled with him extra long before getting him into a diaper and PJ's. I did the same for Will. I was holding him close, telling him how sorry Mommy was for scaring him and how much I love him when I feel warm liquid seeping all over the front of me.

Potty training? At this point I'd be happy if they would just go in their diapers.

Matt's two front teeth

Will showing off for the camera

Another week closer to high school graduation

2007-06-21T23:19:00.000-05:00

We had a nice Father's Day with Matt and Will. We got to church only a few minutes late and signed the boys up for the nursery. After they scan them in and print off name tags (which are affixed to their backs), you take your babies to their "room" and wait for a volunteer to come get them. There were two volunteers with the "crawlers" and one of them came over to get the boys. She took Matt from me and walked across the room to set him down with another baby. He immediately began to protest, so she scooped him back up, walked over to us and said, "well, I can't hold BOTH of you at the same time!" I just had to chuckle. She was obviously not a twin mom.

The boys were super in the nursery and I kind of paid attention to the service, but I kept looking at the screen that flashes your child's ID in case you need to come to their rescue. The greatest thing about the nursery was that by the time we got home from church, the boys were asleep so we plopped back into bed with them and all took a nap. It doesn't get any better than that!

We decided it was time to get the boys their first basketball goal, so that afternoon after a dip in their blow-up pool the boys got to show off their skills. They've got a lot of work to do. Once Will gets the basketball in his hands, he refuses to give it up. Chris was practically shaking him over the basket in order for him to score. Matt is a serious goal tender and was such a show-off hanging onto the rim.

Will is walking when he feels like it. He took dozens of steps on Father's Day but then refused to walk for the following two days. I have 10 video clips of coaxing him to come to me, and all he does is drop to his knees and crawl.

Matt is back to his biting stage. He tends to do this when he's teething. Apparently, his favorite teether is a very unwilling Will and he's got a nice bite mark on his face to prove it. These are the times that I dream about the day they graduate from high school.

A Mother's Love

2007-06-18T22:28:00.000-05:00

I have been reflecting on motherhood so much lately. Perhaps it is because our babies are turning into toddlers right before our eyes. Matt and Will are changing so much and it seems as though it is happening all at once. Will is taking dozens of steps at a time, although only when he is in the mood and definitely not when there is a camera involved. Matt seems to cut a new tooth every other day- we're up to 5- and he prefers to use them on both his brother and me. We turned their car seats around to forward-facing yesterday which means they are both finally 20 pounds. They are eating 3 solid meals a day and using sippy cups at each of those meals. Today they had three meals, a snack and 4 bottles. I promise all I did today was feed boys and clean up from feeding boys. What a life!

I can remember lots of conversations with my Nana about my mom. My mom is the epitome of a mother. She is innately nurturing, loves unconditionally, would sacrifice all for her children, is kind-hearted, can bake a mean chocolate cake- the list could go on and on. I never understood why my mom would give and give and give to me even when she had nothing left to give. My Nana would always tell me that I would understand this type of love when I became a mother. I always kind of brushed that remark off because of course I understood love. Well as usual, my Nana was right.

I was totally unprepared for how I would one day so completely love Matt and Will. Of course I loved them from the minute they began to resemble human beings on the ultrasound, but my love for them did not reach the "heart being ripped from your chest" type love until we brought them home from the hospital. I read a quote once about a mother's love and it was described as watching your heart walk around outside of your body (or something like that). It is so true. And what surprises me most is that I- a cynical, sarcastic, tough love type woman- am completely capable of overflowing with love for my children.

Happy Father's Day

2007-06-16T21:18:00.000-05:00

It feels like this is the first Father's Day with Matt and Will, but it's not. It's just that I can't even recall what happened at this time last year. All I know is that Chris and I were in a fog of sleep-deprivation and were just working on auto-pilot to get through each day. That's pretty much how the first year went for me.

It seems like an eternity since that time. Our lives are slowly returning to some sort of order and routine. The day is filled with bottles, meals, clean-up, play, tantrums, laughter and bed-time rituals. Our lives have changed so much from the selfish ways of our first 7 years of marriage. Matt and Will now dictate everything we do. There is no more sleeping in, no more spur of the moment dinners out, no more uninterrupted TV viewing, no more late nights at the office. Our evenings used to be so easy, so relaxed. Now when Chris walks in the door it's like a mad dash to get them in bed at the right time. Get the sippy cups! Put on bibs! Cut up sweet potatoes! Run the bath water! Fix the bottles! Read the book! Say nighty night!

When the boys are finally in bed we then have to return the house to some sort of order- pick up toys, wash down high chairs, wash bottles and sippy cups, clean up the bathroom and do laundry.

What I love about Chris is that he does all of this, day in and day out, without complaint. He's not the kind of dad who walks in from a long day at the office and retreats to his recliner. He comes home ready to play, feed, and bathe. Sure he may not wash bottles, but he definitely knows how to mop a floor!

All I know is that I cannot imagine parenting Matt and Will without Chris. He's more wonderful a father than I could have imagined, and Matt and Will are blessed to be able to call him Dada. Happy Father's Day Chris!

Where did it go?

2007-06-14T07:28:00.000-05:00

The boys are obsessed with sports balls- tennis balls, racquetballs, mini soccer balls- you name it. Yesterday Will fell asleep clutching his racquetball. Matt will actually sit and play "ball" with me. He'll throw a ball and I'll throw it back. Other days he's perfectly content playing by himself. He'll throw a ball and then crawl after it- the game goes on and on. The only problem with their obsession is that the balls often roll out of their reach under the furniture. I can often find both of them peering under the couch trying to figure out how to rescue their beloved tennis ball.
I tried a quick and easy recipe that I'd like to share with all my mom friends out there. I'll call it "Quick and Easy Mexican Pie."

Ingredients
1 can reduced fat crescent rolls
1 pound ground meat (turkey, beef, soy crumbles-whatever)
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can zesty diced tomatoes
1 15-ounce can black beans (or whatever you fancy)
Taco seasoning to taste
1/2-1 cup low-fat shredded cheese

Directions
Unroll crescent rolls and press into bottom of 9x13 pan
Bake "crust" at 375 until golden brown on top (~10 minutes)
While crust is baking, brown meat in a skillet
Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, beans, and taco seasoning to meat- simmer for a few
minutes
Spoon mixture on top of crust, sprinkle with cheese and return to oven until cheese is
melted. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes or salsa. Enjoy!

Twin mischief

2007-06-12T22:10:00.000-05:00

Today marked my first day of my new work schedule. All I had to do was get to the office by 10:30. How hard could that be, right?
I started the day at 6:30, changed into walking clothes, did some laundry, brewed my coffee and listened as the boys babbled from their nursery. At 7:00 I stripped them of their pj's, changed diapers, soaked pj's (thanks to some wayward poop), made bottles, fixed toast, fed babies and had my pre-workout snack. While I was doing another load of laundry (thanks to Will's poopy pj's), the boys were getting acquainted with the bathroom.
We always try to keep doors shut in our house, because there's no telling what Matt and Will can get into when left to themselves. Apparently "someone" left the bathroom door open last night, but he was such a great help giving the baths that I won't call him out. So of course Matt and Will make a beeline for the open door and this is where I find them. Will eating toilet paper and Matt decorating. I tell you, all Will thinks about is food!
I quickly herded them out of the room, put them in their best "white trash" outfits (sleeveless rompers that I swore I'd always put on over onesies but decided that it was just too hot today), and loaded them into the stroller. We got back from our walk a little after 9:00 and I put them in the pack n play to watch them duke it out during my shower. By the time I got out, they were seconds away from total annihilation, so I took them into the playroom for a change of scenery. I can usually manage to get myself ready while they play, but they were in full koala bear mode and refused to be anywhere but my arms.
I played with them until our wonderful nanny arrived, gave her instructions for the day and then glanced at the clock- 10:15- time to leave. I still had wet hair, no make-up and no lunch.
I finally breezed into my office at 10:50. It's not like I can just sneak in, because for the past year I have shared an office with my boss. I realize this would totally stink for most people, but I have the greatest boss in the world (who also totally reads this blog, if you know what I mean).
Before I go, I'd like to give a shout out to Shelly at the Revenue Office. She let me cut in line and paid no mind to the fact that my driver's license expired 2 1/2 months ago. Apparently there's a secret identical twin society that offers these special perks. Matt and Will have a big responsibility to pay it forward whenever they get the chance.

Guess what toy is broken?

2007-06-09T22:28:00.000-05:00

Since I have been really bad about posting pictures lately, I wanted to share some recent photos. Matt and Will love their push toys. They push them all over the house and Matt can now turn in circles and maneuver his way through all the obstacles in the house. Just today I heard him squealing in delight, and when I peeked around the corner to see what he was doing I caught him ramming his toy into Will. Unbelievably, Will was smiling right back. After I redirected Matt's attention several times while trying not to laugh at him, it finally dawned on me that I needed to video tape him. Of course, when I started taping he lost interest in Will and abandoned the toy altogether.
Matt and Will have tried two new foods this week- grilled cheese sandwiches made with Havarti cheese and fresh Bing cherries. In the highchair pictures, they are enjoying one cherry split between the both of them. Yes, I know. We are really slow and cautious when it comes to introducing solids.
I took Matt to the doctor yesterday for his persistent diaper rash and while we were there, the doctor commented on Matt's interesting teething pattern. He cut his bottom central incisors first, but then he cut a top lateral incisor instead of the expected top central incisors. Thank goodness one of his top central incisors is coming in. I was afraid I would have two draculas crawling around (Will has the exact same teething pattern).
Both Matt and Will get closer and closer to walking every day. If they don't know I'm doing it, I can let go of their hands while they are standing and they can stand unassisted. As soon as they realize they aren't holding onto anything, they drop to their knees. They can walk all over the place just holding onto me with one hand. All they need is a little more self-confidence and they'll be off and running. Apparently, that's when the real fun begins.

Welcome to my life

2007-06-08T15:12:00.000-05:00

Thursday night I discovered that my driver's license expired on my birthday- about two months ago. So I decided to get to the revenue office bright and early Friday morning before I had to drive north to meet a friend. I was up by 6:20 and was in the shower when Matt awoke a little earlier than expected. Chris was running late, so he kindly got him out of the crib and changed his diaper. By the time I was out of the shower, Will was awake and the morning rush began. I actually managed to leave the house by 8:10 after I had 1. Changed Will's diaper 2. Prepared two bottles and fed two boys 3. Soaked Matt in a J&J bubble bath followed by a baking soda bath (we're still battling a horrible diaper rash) 3. Wrestled two boys into onesies, pants, shirts and socks 4. Put make-up on and dried my hair and 5. Loaded the double stroller and two boys into the car.

When I arrived at the revenue office I unloaded the stroller, got both the boys securely buckled into it and headed for the front door. Greeting me at the door was a computer generated, laminated sign that read: "The card machine is out of order. We are unable to process driver's licenses at this time."

Are you kidding me? I seriously wanted to march into that office and explain to them what I went through to get there with two babies who had been bathed, dressed and fed. I mean, I HAD MAKE-UP ON. And I USED A HAIR DRYER.

When I calmly explained to the man at the desk that my license was expired he shrugged and told me I better not attract any attention from the police. Believe me, I could have attracted plenty of police attention right about then, but instead I smiled at him through gritted teeth and politely took my leave.