Nosey Day

The day before Thanksgiving.

We had a full day planned post-nap, so I knew I had to get the cooking done before noon. Thomas and Veronica seemed to know and just played well together while I started cooking. By the time they were interested in starting something new, it was time to use the food processor... very interesting to the two toddlers. The mixer? Just as exciting. It's no wonder Veronica told me later, "Nosey [noisy] day!"

Sitting in their thinking chairs writing in their

handy-dandy notebooks while Mommy cooks.

The twins must have been too excited thinking of the journey they were to take in the afternoon. So, after an hour or so of wild chatter in the cribs, we headed west to visit the friends in Plainfield. Anita and her girls were staying with family there, so we went to play. They talked about visiting "Hema" [Rehema] and "bread" [Bethany] up until they finally settled into napping in the car seats.

We had a wonderful greeting from the girls.

Anita planned a craft for us all to do. I'm not sure what was more beautiful - our children playing together so nicely, or Bethany's blue lips.

We stayed long enough for dinner... and even a bath! Four toddlers crowding into half a bath tub (not sure they noticed there was more back there) makes for tight quarters!

Buddy & Sissy

I miss the mornings of double cuddles - they are coming to be more and more rare. If they want to cuddle, they don't want to share Mommy, so it ends up being a battle. If they don't want to cuddle it's off and running to the first activity of the day - books, cars, or breakfast.

This morning, Thomas was the first to hop up and greet me. He also was concerned that "Sissy" join us. So, upon hearing her invitation from Thomas, Veronica stood up in her crib to be picked up. Before I even had them out of the room (carrying them both), Veronica was leaning over to Thomas, patting him on the shoulder and calling him "Buddy." We moved on to the couch where they both continued to cuddle with me AND each other! Patting each other, stoking the other's face, calling them loving names... Sissy, Buddy, Honey...

I didn't want it to end, so when Veronica started to get off my lap I bribed her... "Want to watch Signing Time with me?" They both said yes. Thomas cuddled up in the crook of my knee and requested a blanket. Veronica lay on top of my side. It was heavenly until Veronica's hunger took over. Alas, we had a great breakfast with a lot of sweet conversation and laughter.

We went on to Verizon to pick up Daddy's new phone. It was like a toy store or something -all those phones!! How is a toddler to control oneself with all those phones?!?!? We made it out of there and went on to the YMCA. To my surprise, they were actually excitedly talking about going there. (Usually there is distress). Thomas pointed out that I would "ex" and Veronica assured that I would come "back" as they continued to talk more specifically about which toys they would play with. The tone changed as we were approaching the door to the Y... Thomas insisted, "Hold you, Mommy." I picked him up and he began crying. Veronica walked right in to the child watch center. I tried a different approach today. (Instead of going in to play for 20 minutes to warm them up). I just dropped them off. When I returned, the caregivers told me he stopped crying just a minute after I left! I know what I'm doing next time.

Today they both asked at separate times to go see Daddy or spend time with him. I was so glad that Judson had already planned to spend the evening with them as I went to the Mother of Twins club. From the report, sounds like they actually made some friends at the Greenwood Mall play area - normally they are quite to themselves, may observe other kids, but petrified if a kid shows interest in them. So, this was a real treat to hear (and see from Daddy's perspective).

Hanny, part II

Pa (Grandpa Struck) and (Grandma) - Mamak per Veronica, Mak (mawk) per Thomas spent the night last night. This morning no one called for Mommy or Daddy... all we heard was "Pa! Pa! Pa! Mamak!" So, we let Grandma and Grandpa take the early shift.


When we got up we discovered that both kids insisted on eating breakfast with Pa - all in their hats. We walked into Veronica and Pa reading on the couch in their hats. Next, it was necessary to put shoes on - without removing the footed pajamas. We found shoes that fit and all was well until we needed to change diapers again. But, it all worked out - they're motivated to change when Pa & Mamak are!


All dressed up, we went to church where we sat smack-dab in the front row. They seemed to love it there where they could see anything. Thomas asked me to explain several things to him. When the altar servers recessed down the aisle to help present the gifts, he was quite concerned as to where they were going. He was soon relieved to see them return. Toward the end of the service he was getting a little antsy, so I pulled out a notebook and pen (somehow I could only find one of our SIX Magna-Doodles - and one is never good enough for twins.) Oh - what a wonderful tool - a "HANNY BOOK." (see post from Nov. 5, 2008)


Thomas was quite upset when the baby behind us pointed at him. "BABY! BABY! BABY!" After consoling him and redirecting him to his hanny book, he was excited to let me know (loudly), "book... Tas (Thomas), Sissy, STEVE!" At the end of Mass, as Fr. Bob was headed away from the altar, Thomas yelled and it caught Fr. Bob's attention. Grandpa was sure Thomas said "Bob," but I'm quite certain it was "Hanny Boh." Fr. Bob looked pleased, so I'm sure he thought he said "Bob" too.


We returned to a delicious waffle brunch and then got to work on putting up some shelves. Thomas was quite interested and quickly caught on to how to use the stud finder! (Kinda funny as he was wearing a shirt that said, "My Daddy's a Stud Too.")

Mamak & Pa were gone when they woke up, but the new shelves startled them. Thomas asked, "Mommy do?" I told him Daddy built them and he looked at Judson quite impressed!

Dinner was a quick microwave meal of chicken nuggets, peas and pears. Of course Thomas had to have "chetchup" and tonight Veronica was eating her "che-pup-pup" (ketchup) with a spoon.

Now, I am waiting for them to fall asleep. They are quite tired, but fighting it. Veronica is stalling by insisting that she needs to change the direction in which she is sleeping - again and again. Thomas is talking about eating corn and seeing dinosaurs. Maybe that will distract her.

Cute

This morning Judson got up to get the kids - a ritual I do most morning as he is already off to work. They are usually in good spirits at this time, so we wanted to let him enjoy the early morning shift. I wasn't able to go back to sleep, so I just listened to the joyful festivities of snuggling, telling stories, and then off to coloring.

Later when we were all "up," Judson was changing Veronica on the changing table. I walked in as he had her standing up on the table to pull up her pants. She looked at me and said, "I cute."

A little later in the morning, Thomas was trying on a hat, looked at me and said, "I cute."

Judon worked most of the day (Saturday), but came home for dinner. After dinner the kids went off to play in the playroom while Judson and I finished dinner at the table. Veronica came back in dining room, walked right up to Judson and sweetly asked him to come play in the playroom. The love their daddy!

After the playroom activities were over they decided to empty a basket of their dirty laundry I had parked in the hallway. They took turns picking up different articles of clothing and telling each other, "cute."

So Polite!

Today whenever either twin said "no" to me, it was "no thank you." Unprompted.

They are also blessing anyone who sneezes!!

For the past month, whenever one steps in front of the other or passes someone, they say, "Sorry."

Thomas requests to be held by "Mommy hold you" or "Hold Thomas."

Veronica likes to add "me" to her polite phrases: "Thank you me." "Bless you me." "Hold you me."

a LITTLE over-protective?!?!

So, I finally broke down. I did it. I turned the car seats to the forward-facing position. Most of Thomas and Veronica's friends have been forward-facing for a year now. I just want to keep the kiddos as safe as possible. The law requires they stay rear-facing until they are a year old or 20 pounds in weight. Well, they both make sense to me - 20 pounds fills the car seat out better; a year of age gives more developmental/muscle stability... hmmm... mine were preemies and Veronica continued to waiver on either side of 20 pounds for a long time. Plus, it's stated that rear-facing is actually safer, so why not?

It was time to move Veronica's straps up though, she finally grew a little taller... So, I decided to bite the bullet as Thomas's long legs did not look quite comfortable. I didn't see it going over well to turn one around and not the other.

So, last night, the #1 Daddy-O and I changed the seats up. To our surprise, forward facing had different criteria for the harness height and they can now seat in either seat (it's been Thomas on driver side and Veronica on passenger side for a year as the harnesses were different). I found some extra safety in the tethers that strap to the back of the car. Not required, but recommended for increased safety. Who thought I wouldn't buy into that?

This morning, we went to try the new seats out. I got around them being "siwwy" because the seats were already silly!!!! They thought it was pretty cool.

It was much easier to strap them in, and they seemed to enjoy the ride more. We could see the same things at the same time (hard for me to not think they were still looking the opposite way - a two year habit); we could see each other; they could actually see what I do with the steering wheel; and they could see so much more without the seats reclined! Exciting stuff!

The only thing we'll likely miss is both of them asking to hold our hands while in the car seats - we can't reach them like that now.

We drove first to the Glendale library today for a Signing Times story time. It was well attended and Veronica and Thomas sat still through the whole thing and paid attention - another first! This particular library seems to have a puppet theme in the children's area. So, afterward, they all went to play with the puppets. There was a little cardboard theatre Thomas was particularly interested in. He sat behind it, armed with a puppet, and started yelling, "Puppet show! Time for puppet show!"

The BBC Live

Our first attempt at watercolor painting

"B-B-Cs!" That's what Thomas says when he wants a YouTube video that shows magnetic letters displayed during the alphabet song. (Pa was kind enough to introduce this to the twins.)

For the past couple months they've both been consistent in recognizing the letters A, B, C, D, O, T, & X. I was surprised one day about a month ago when I was writing the alphabet on the driveway with chalk. They took turns anticipating some of the next letters. This past week, the main book Thomas has wanted to read is ABC Look at Me by Roberta Grobel Intrater. It shows a picture with a different baby showing an emotion for every letter of the alphabet. He will read it over and over!

Today they floored me! We were waiting for the large stall in Target's restroom when they both started to help each other through the alphabet song! I through a few prompts in, but between the two of them, they sang it over and over! One lady walking into a stall peeked her head back out and said, "You're a good mother." That was a super compliment!! However, I know that they are good kids and make it easy for me. Veronica continued to sing it throughout the entire shopping trip. She has most of it down. It's funny that Thomas calls it "BBCs"... yet when he recites it, it is "ABC."

Well, all that knowledge is simply exhausting because they both fell asleep on the way home. However, when they woke up, Veronica insisted on helping me empty the bags... that's when she found it... the paintbrushes. Yes, after last week's ceramic painting fun, I decided to get some washable watercolors to play with. Well, there was no waiting for painting! We had to get started right away!! They had an absolute blast painting - lots of concentration and good sharing of the supplies. (Even if it was tempting to try to drink the brush water.)

Towers were even built by both kids... Quite a switch in interest - we didn't know if they could do it. We just knew they wanted us to build them as fast as we could so they could knock them over. So, actually taking the time to build towers was amazing... of course every tower was demolished properly.

Bath time was great as well. They insisted on playing with their numbers (they stick to the wall when wet) and Thomas was naming many of the numbers. They played with their "coffee." (Pouring water from containers) Thomas offered it to Veronica by calling her "Honey."

What fabulous kids. Today was a fun day.

Veronica's first watercolor 11/17/2008

Thomas's first watercolor 11/17/2008