Santa

We took the girls to see Santa today. Last year, they just screamed. The photo is amazing. We have really been talking it up this year and training them to ask Santa for Grandma and Grandpa to visit. 

Overall, the visit was a success. It snowed in the mall. 

They were good waiters :)

And, well, they took a picture ;)

Shopping Success

I took both kids into CVS last night free. No stroller, no second adult, no cart (not that a car cart is a good idea with two anyway). SOOO much better than my experience at Target 8 months ago. Now, granted, we were only getting one prescription, and it was CVS and not the most exciting place on the planet, but they did a great job holding my hands, not touching all the cosmetics, and waiting nicely next to me on line and at the counter to pay (Avery did do a jumping dance at the counter after the first full minute of standing there, but she stayed within a nice radius of me.).

The only downfall was when we left the house, I told them we were going shopping. CVS is not appropriate shopping to Quinn, apparently, and she was pretty much crushed when we were leaving. We actually went back inside to "shop" more in the aisles but she was not pleased. I guess only the grocery store, hardware store and IKEA are real places to shop?

I realize this sounds pathetic, but since we both work and do 95% of our shopping together on the weekend, when the kids are sleeping solo, or online, there just aren't a ton of opportunities to try freewheeling like this.  The only place I take them shopping semi-regularly by myself is BJs with it's double carts and general spectacularness (in their eyes...it's the only cart they'll consistently sit in without trying to climb out...). Maybe one day I'll take them out to eat alone...

Toddler beds.

Scary. 

I will do a recap when we hit the one week point. 

Crib jumping.

The picture speaks for itself. 

This was nap yesterday. They were hanging out together when I went in this morning too. I think our cage days are numbered. 

Pretend play

In the last couple of months, the girls have started pretending much much more. It's so funny and still surprising. 

Today Avery went shopping. 

And Quinn made cupcakes. "I eat cupcakes and drink water. All gone. "

Happy Halloween!

Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich love :)

A non allergenic Jif Quinn, a grape Schmuckers Avery, and the Wondermommies bread:

Tales from daycare

We've been in daycare for almost two years now, and I can honestly say I am very happy there. No child are arrangement is perfect (including a stay at home parent in my opinion, for us anyway) but really, I have no complaints. That said, I was SUPER nervous about Avery's favorite teacher leaving. Due to luck, she moved with our girls from infants to the two year old (!) room, and their transition was seamless. 

But, she just got a new job elsewhere....child care is kind of a mind fuck sometimes. They're employees, technically, but how do you not get attached to the people watching your kids fifty hours a week? Anyway, once I got my wits together I remembered I would never think anything other than Godspeed to someone in an office setting heading to greener pastures and wished her the best. 

As luck would have it, Ms. C's last day was also our last day before vacation. I was pretty nervous - Avery talks about her a lot, but while we were away we talked about Ms. C going bye bye and talked up they other teachers. And, shock of shocks, she returned to daycare this week seamlessly.

And in thankful for twins news, Avery comforted Quinn at naptime today (who was crying for MaMa) by telling her "it's ok, don't cry, mama will be here later". Swoon. 

Flower girls

Last month, the girls were half the bridal/flower girls party at their aunt's wedding. They were adorable in the dresses Grammy made them, and were just great all weekend. Quinn did a great job walking down the aisle lured by gummy bears, but Avery required hand holding. Their just slightly older cousin sprinted down on her own, but our girls are introverts for sure. 

Self imposed Time Out

Post ceremony stroll

Apple picking

We went apple picking with a few of my old teammates and their families today. It was a huge milestone - for me. This was the first time I've taken the girls to a very public place solo and unrestrained. I try to be laid back, but sometimes it's hard with two young toddlers. I just started feeling comfortable at the park solo in the last couple of months. I imagine, though have no true way to know, this is one of the harder issues with twins - 2 & 4 means you have one kid with somewhat reasonable listening skills and a sense of danger. 2 & 2 (young two anyway, and certainly below) has so so much room for chaos.   It went well though, perhaps thanks in part to the tractor scaring Avery     And the promise of cider donuts 😉

Not impressed with the tractor ride

But loving all the loose chickens (and huge cage full of peacocks)

Cooking

The girls have really gotten into pretend play recently. It's adorable. They can spend an hour diapering their babies (and like to use every cloth diaper we own for this).

They also like to cook. We have a toy grill outside and they make hotdogs and pizza in the fake oven (its a grill/brick oven. They have nicer stuff than we do). 

They also really adore our new stool and are learning to help us cook for real. Most recently Quinn helped put the cheese on our pizza and Avery helped me make cookies. She was shockingly good at putting the flour in the bowl. She's also a kid after my own heart and kept trying to eat the dough (sorry kid, momma can give herself salmonella but not you)

At the moment they're parading around with gift bags talking about leaving to go shopping. Hysterical. 

Two

Incredible. 

The girls' birthday was on a Monday, so they had cake at daycare...and again at home after presents :)

An hour or so before officially two!

Cake at school!

Favorite present, hah!

And this weekend we had a small party with some family and a couple of friends. We kind of dropped the ball on invitations and not many people were available - plus all the summer vacations- but it was a nice size for our small house :)

More cake!

Two Year Well Visit

 We had our two year old well visit last night, and it was kind of awesome.  We talked a bit before going about what the doctor would do, and they were apprehensive going in, but generally did really well.  They weren't that excited about sitting on the scale or being measured, but we counted to ten while the nurse did it, and they did ok! The only major tears were when the doctor looked in Quinn's ears.  They also got one shot (Hep A), and the doctor used numbing spray this time and there weren't even tears...

 After she went, Quinn did say "Avery turn!" I guess she wanted to make sure Avery suffered like she did ;)  And they both got Daffy Duck bandaids, which were pretty exciting, even the next morning!

 The other bonus of our well visit is the doctor was ok with their 24-32 oz average milk consumption (being honest, Quinn pretty much always gets 32 oz). She said there's some new research indicating high calcium and vitamin D intake as babies breeds taller children.  Our homework is to start multivitamins and get to the dentist.

 

percentiles from this site for actual age. I THINK it uses the CDC and not WHO charts, but whatever, good for scanning curves at least. It also reports anything under 5th percentile as 5th percentile, which is ridiculous...Quinn has never been ON the CDC chart.

Quinn
Birth: 3 lbs 8 oz & 16 inches
1 month (40w gestational): 5 lbs 13 oz (5th) & 19 inches (5th)
2 months: 7 lbs 13 oz (5th) & 20.5 inches (5th)
3 months: 9 lbs 9 oz (5th) & 22.5 inches (29th)
4 months: 10 lbs 9 oz (5th) and 23 inches (16th)
6 months: 12 lbs 0 oz (5th) and 24.75 inches (24th) 
9 months:  13 lbs 14 oz (5th) and 26 inches (38th)
12 months: 15 lbs 14oz (5th) and 28 inches (25th)
14 months: 17 lbs 6 oz (5th) and 28 inches (8th)
18 months: 19 lbs 5 oz (5th) and 31.25 inches (51st)
24 months: 21 lbs 7 oz (5th ) and 34 inches (66th)  (according to this site about 8th and 50th on WHO)

Avery
Birth: 5 lbs 0 oz (5th) & 17 3/4 inches (5th)
1 month (40w gestational): 7 lbs 13 oz (7th) and 20 inches (38th)
2 months: 8 lbs 14 oz (9th) and 22 inches (46th)
3 months: 10 lbs 4 oz (10th) and 24 inches (80th)
4 months: 11 lbs 13 oz (12th) and 24 1/4 inches (60th)  
6 months: 13 lbs 2 oz (6th) and 26 inches (71st)
9 months: 15 lbs 6 oz (5th) and 27 inches (47th)
12 months: 16 lbs 14 oz (5th)  and 28 inches (25th)
14 months:  18 lbs 4 oz (5th) and 28.5 inches (16th)
18 months: 20 lbs 4 oz (5th ) and 31.25 inches (51st)  
24 months: 22 lbs 5 oz (5th) and 33 inches (33rd) (around 13th and 21st on WHO)

After our poor weight gain months last year, it's super awesome to see their weight tick up a bit. Quinn's still way below the weight for length CDC chart and just below 2% on WHO, and I feel bad you can see her ribs, but is what it is. Avery is just over the 3rd percentile line now on CDC and a bit over 10th on WHO...they're just going to be skinny kids.  The pediatrician isn't worried anymore, so I am trying hard not to be. And it keeps them economical - they're still wearing some tees, skirts and dresses from last summer. You don't hear of a lot of 2 year olds doing that :)
And Quinn is offically taller - considering she started out almost 2 inches shorter, I am impressed!

Two tomorrow

I can't even wrap my head around this.

They're so big and such toddlers now. 

Winter boots on July 27 at the mall. And sitting is protest at said mall. 

Climbing around a mid sized play set with minimal hovering. And only one mom. (That's probably another post)

Diapering their babies. 

Knocking on the backdoor in the 9 month dresses. Um. Yeah. They'll look awesome with jeggings as tunics this fall though. 

Getting In Trouble at daycare ;)

23 months.

How are they almost two? I feel guilty calling them one year olds now, "just one" and similar, but am eating it up while I can. They are just not babies anymore and I am not sure I am ready. 

They're just so BIG now. I mean, they're still petite, but all of a sudden they are looking and behaving like little kids. Well, true toddlers. They (mostly Avery) tumble. They wash their hands. They have opinions and give orders and pretend to diaper themselves, toys and each other (mostly Quinn). They sing and talk and make requests. They eat cereal with milk and a spoon for heaven's sake!

All of a sudden their feet grew and shoes that were falling off in April when I bought them are perfect now. They wear pebbles ponytails most days (though Avery sometimes comes home from daycare with a real ponytail). I think they are going to get their first haircut this month.

They're really incredible. We are so lucky. 

Words and words and words

The girls are talking so much now. It's just crazy. At Christmas, just shy of 17 months, I counted over 60 words, signs and sounds. I have no idea how many they have now, but it is a lot, and they're adding  more every day. They'll repeat pretty much any word you say to them. It really started picking up around 20 months and got dramatic around 21.5. 

 They're both speaking in simple sentences, especially Quinn. Avery sticks to things like "milk please" and "mamma up you" while Quinn says things like "Avery come here sit down!!!"  Avery is really into singing and will serenade you with "old mc Donald" or "twinkle twinkle" (complete with signs) randomly. Last week she sang the "rain rain go away" gone randomly on her own after hearing it once in the morning! Sponges!!!

It's really funny and fascinating to see their personalities continue to develop. Avery is physically bossy, a thief and a pusher while Quinn is more into words. She'll collapse on the floor screaming about how she was wronged - "Annie broom! broom! Mama! Annie no!!"  Quinn is also a bit more rule oriented. So far Avery spend more time in time out, often twice in a row, and Quinn will come over repeating the offense "no touch baby grass! Ouchies". She may be a tattle eventually. 

Life with twins

The girls are doing so many funny things now. I try and try to video them, but mostly I have videos of nothingness and screaming. They know the camera is there ;)

Their new obsession is the rocking chair in their room. They have started sitting in it and having milk while we (moms) read books sitting on the floor ;) sometimes they will start to get ready to sleep and pat (read: beat) each others backs. At daycare, their teachers (well, only their favorite, because they won't go to sleep for anyone but Ms. Caroline) pat and rub their backs and they expect the same at home. Sorry kids. Do each other. Momma doesn't hang out that long after bedtime ;)

Tonight Quinn bucked the trend though and pulled a diaper out of the box, laid it out on the floor, and demanded Avery get down and get changed. This didn't totally progress, but they spent a good five minutes pretend changing each other, diaper cream and all. Hilarious. 

Strawberries!

The girls love strawberries, and we had the opportunity to pick them fresh with some other twins this weekend!! As it turns out, fresh strawberries basically melt in your mouth and are amazing.

Aside from Quinn's terror of the tractor pulled hay ride to the field, it was really fun and tasty!

Growing up too fast

The girls are really into getting dressed now, and are slowing starting to get into it...soon they'll be wearing our shoes full time. I can't believe they'll be 2 in 2 months!

Shopping with twin toddlers

It's an experience. Hauling a stroller into a store with carts (when we haven't walked there) just isn't out thing, so we do a lot of winging it. There's just not a lot of stores with functional doubles. I Love the doubles at BJs/Costco, but my grocery store has ones kind of like the weird triples at Target with the seat designed for a 6 year old and car carts only.

Party in Lowes several months ago. These inescapable cars still work for us.

Now, the weird seat ones are fine for toddlers...if buckles aren't an issue. My kids don't mind being buckled exactly, but they like to do it themselves. This is just fine in a BJs cart but not in a cart where they are likely to tumble out and fall 4 feet due to the design.

Perfectly nice true double. Not sure why they don't fight about sitting in these...maybe because they only see them every 6 or 8 weeks?

And, I am just not willing to plan my life so that my toddlers don't have to go to the grocery store.

Driving today before the escapes began

So today, we may or may not have been spotted by our pediatrician with two 1.75 year olds in various stages of climbing the car cart...we are working on either a) staying in the car or b) walking and holding hands 75% of the time when we shop now. We do most of our weekend shopping together or with the jogging stroller, so this is working ok (aka they walk a lot of the time). But they're just NOT ready to be free yet...I tried a few weeks ago and ended up carrying 2 20 month olds out of Target football style.  They WERE having a good time but I couldn't grab the ONE STINKING ITEM I wanted plus keep them BOTH within an arms length (one item aside, I couldn't do it). Maybe by next year this time they'll be mature enough that there is no running down aisles.

(Ironically, the basket on this car cart does have a double seat, but what kid wants to sit up there when there is a car option?)

Six flags

The girls are in the midst of their first amusement park trip with mixed results. This far, Quinn is not amused.

Update: Avery had a darn good time. Quinn enjoyed putting rocks in her hair at lunch. She was done done done with rides after the Teacups.

life with twins

How fun is this?

sleeping in

We've worked out a really good program around these parts for weekends - trading off.  While there are some times this doesn't work - like if we have early morning plans - it is generally successful.  We occasionally have some debate as to who gets up early on Saturday, but overall it is a win. I slept till NINE on Saturday. NINE. AM. Amazing.

We've actually had pretty decent overnight sleep recently (well, aside from Avery's recent cold), but there are some tooth related interruptions (I'm blaming them on teeth anyway). Last night, they both woke at 4:45.  Based on our interaction, I actually think if I'd had 4 arms or two chests to sleep on, both would have gone back to sleep (Chris was sleeping in, as she had a big work meeting Monday afternoon - normally we'd have each taken one)...but alas...we got out to the couch, all laid down and snuggled for a bit, then they NOTICED EACH OTHER. And it was party time. On the upside, they were happy as clams and not screaming, and I was able to pin them between myself and the back of the couch (back cushions off). Around 5:30, I threw in the towel and figured no one, including me, was going back to sleep, and got them milk and turned on the tv. And magically....they watched it. I think Sesame Street was on. I'm not really sure. I fell back asleep until they started hitting me over the head at 6:05 when Barney came on. TV time done, but hey, I more or less got to sleep in, right?

Library!!

The girls went to the library for the first time today! We played with the toys and read some books :). We didn't bring anything home since we have soooo many books as it is, but maybe next time. AND they walked the block back to the car holding my hands and climbed in on their own. Win! Maybe next time I will risk letting them walk around for a minute so I can grab a book off the shelf for me!

life with twins

As Parents of the Year, we try to ensure the girls have a well rounded diet.

Who doesn't like Thin Mints?

Quinn, it seems.

(disclaimer: they only got one cookie each. Those ones they keep being handed are the scraps we're slipping off their trays. Add THAT to our Parent of the Year nominations under "Scheming Against Toddler(s) Successes")

TWENTY MONTHS!

The girls are twenty months today. Holy crap. Only 4 months to 2.

They're really freaking adorable right now, for lack of a better way to put it. And such toddlers. No baby left really.

They're still rear facing in the car, and we have no plans to change that. They fit just fine and have no complaints, so we'll be easily exceeding the minimum recommendation of 2. I'm not sure if we'll make the NHTSA recommendation of the 4th birthday, but we'll see. That's a long way off. And they can pick up stuff they drops now, most of the time. They still can't QUITE get their milk from their toes.

Earlier this month, they had their first experience being in a wedding. Avery was less than thrilled.

She did cheer up after the big round of applause. It was for her, not the happy couple, right?

Their traditional Korean hanboks!

They're really turning into narcissists, giving themselves kisses in the mirror, and holding out their limbs to kiss their own ouchies (real or fake).

Their speech is really picking up. They've always been fairly verbal for their age, and I think we're really on the cusp of the major language explosion I've read happens around 20-22 months. Just recently they've added a ton of words.OPIE (open. the door, the seatback traytable, etc) is a big one right now. Teet(h) and MEETin (mittens) are also still hits. They're becoming repeating machines and will say back almost any word you tell them, so I think we'll have to start watching what WE say soon :)

Quinn has two or three canines coming on (one is a smidgen broken through) and is finally taking the lead on the tooth count. 12 each and more on their way! They're both taller (and not wider) and their 12 month pants are becoming ankle length fast. Unfortunately, especially on Quinn, they fall down pretty badly with a disposable diaper (thank heaven for cloth) so I am looking forward to warmer weather so they don't get stuck in leggings all day every day. I'd guess they're 20 and 21 lbs now.  Our scale at home gives really random results on little people, so it's hard to estimate :)

Favorite food of the moment are milk (shocker), mac and cheese, and blueberries. Oh, and yogurt. We've been doing a lot of yogurt for dinner lately as they are in love with feeding themselves. They're pretty good at it too! It's amazing that this time a year ago we were just introducing finger foods and working on eating off a spoon.

Angry Toddler

 

Being a toddler is hard, yo.

timing is everything

The girls are talking a lot now, but I can never seem to snag it on film.

For example...prior to me turning on the camera, Avery spent about 3 minutes LOUDLY giving me animal sounds and holding up the relevant animal. Sigh. Cooperate kid!

life with twins

it's the simple things that are the most fun.

photo time!

I just picked up a Groupon for photos at Target....

We take a lot of photos at home - especially now that we have iPhones! - but it is nice to have photos done "professionally". I am just not willing to spend $$$ on a boutique/private photographer, so all of our photos have been done either by new "photographers" looking to build portfolios on the cheap, or cheap studios (the count is currently 2 new guys - newborn + 1 yr and 1 studio - 6 mo photos at JCPenney).  They're not amazing, but in the long run, one or two hangable photos from every 6 months is sufficient. And in 30 years, will I regret not spending 5-10x as much on "nice" photography? Probably not.

So now the question is, for our belated 18 month photos, what to wear? I think I want to put the girls in these cute checkered dresses (that were a gift from Grammy last summer, but were too big...) but what do we wear? The package includes 3 photos on CD, so I'm hoping to get one good family shot and a couple of the girls on their own.

life with twins

hilarity.

I suppose we shouldn't encourage yogurt flinging, but she was having so much fun.

19 months

Are you kidding? 19 months? geez.

The girls are SO MUCH FUN NOW. Granted, they have their moments of tantrum and such, but they're generally hysterical, and such TODDLERS now.

Happy birthday Mommy!

Avery is into STUFF - she has a tigger and HAS to have it for nap and bedtime at home. And suddenly when she gets up, she wants to take her blanket with her. She isn't a morning person (or an afternoon person too close to naptime) and prefers snuggles, with you and the blanket, standing, for a while when she wakes up. Once in a while (I guess) she sleeps really well and wakes up happy but this isn't that often. Sunday we snuggled on the couch for a solid 45 minutes (when Quinn blissfully slept till 7) together, which was sort of awesome. And Sesame Street was on ;)

LOVE hats. Even Mama's.

Quinn isn't as attached to anything in particular, though they both are addicted to their hats and mittens. MET-in. MET-in. Sometimes they wear them until their food for dinner arrives (if we put them on leaving daycare).

They still are really enjoying daycare, as much as we can tell, but they are ready to go home when 5 pm rolls around. They say hi to me, then run over to get their jackets. Sometimes if I chat too long Avery will start yelling "BYE BYE" in an angry tone. Time to go! Quinn in particular is really getting into dressing herself. She can sometimes get her jacket on flip-over-the-head style, and I found her after nap yesterday with her pants off (and trying to put them back on. She would have succeeded too if she didn't have both legs in one hole). I guess no more velcro diapers for naptime? They also really enjoy taking off their socks (and are getting better at shoes) but can't quite get socks or shoes on yet. They HAVE to try to do both socks and shoes a few times before we can do it. Sometimes this means we help them a couple of times and they remove them then we can put them on for real. And people wonder why it takes so long to get toddlers dressed...

Also loves milkshakes...

They also are learning their letters and numbers. The other day, Avery started pointing at the letters on my teeshirt and saying (the wrong) letters. Not bad, right? They can almost count to three (hit or miss) and randomly walk around saying "nine".  A few days ago Quinn stood on a cushion and I was telling her to get down, and started counting....I said "One" and she looked me in the eye, grinned, held up a finger and said "ONE!".  We about died laughing. Might need to get better about that :)

One Year Ago

I can't believe they're over a year and a half now. They're older than it took us to have them (trying to get pregnant + C's pregnancy) and this time has gone by SO Much faster.

life with twins

fun on the slide. and working on our sharing skills.

life with twins

The girls (especially Quinn) are very into puzzles (shape sorters, puzzles, things that screw together, etc) right now.  Of course, as toddler law dictates, no matter how many we have, they both want the same one.

Snow!

The girls have seen snow before, but this was their first major storm, and the first on the weekend when we could take them out in it!

Verdict: fun, but cold and upsetting when you take off your mittens.