No more cribs (or pack n plays with tents!)

With most milestones and transitions your children reach, there is a feeling of both excitement and nostalgia. Excitement like "Thank goodness they finally did that" but also nostalgia over knowing they are growing up. I think the transition to the toddler beds has been the most nostalgic for me so far. People ask us all the time if we will adopt more children. The answer is no. We have no plans to expand our family more. We feel blessed beyond belief to have two children, TWINS!, and on top of that a boy and a girl. We like our family the way it is. And getting pregnant? I highly doubt that! So much that I am choosing to forego the extra $200 a month I would have to pay for my health insurance for maternity coverage!!

But with the move to the toddler beds, it seems we are officially moving away from having two "babies" in the house. We are cleaning out all the baby toys and clothes they have outgrown and are just unbelievably small. Seriously were these two really only 3 lbs 6 oz and 3 lbs 11 ozs at birth?!? It is amazing! Now if only both kids would cooperate and consistently use the potty. But I won't wish these days away (though underwear would be much cheaper!).

A few pics from the first days in their beds...

Trying it out for the first time (she is a total snuggler and piles her bed with lots of blankets and stuffed animals). We have now rearranged her room and the bed is not against the wall since we realized she won't fall out.


The aftermath of her meltdown over not wanting to stay in her bed for nap. Not even watching Finding Nemo would keep this tired one awake! Thank goodness it isn't quite as bad to get her to sleep. Though she has decided she must have the door open. This afternoon's nap included her "reading" her Brown Bear, Brown Bear book to herself and yelling "I am sleeping in a big girl bed!"


Getting ready for night two in his bed. He loves it and just snuggles in with his blanket, stuffed animals, and truck.


Giving the mommy rabbit a kiss (he moved onto the baby which is attached next!)

Things you can't plan

One of the things as a parent you can count on is the unexpected. Yesterday I had one of those moments. Nothing can prepare you for the first time your child sticks their hand in their poopy diaper and unsure of what to do, comes to you, holds out her hand with a puzzled look on her face, and then wipes it on your shirt. Now that's love! Next time I will know to react sooner and dodge the hand. And just as I was typing this post, she yells out to me, "Mommy I have poops!" I cautiously approached and was happy to see poop free hands!

***This post is dedicated to my brother David...the one with the very easily induced gag reflex. "You will make a great dad someday, David, and have this to look forward to:)"

Limping to the finish line....

So I have 9 1/2 days of school left. I feel like the countdown has been stuck at about 10 for a few weeks now but no it is getting less each day. Limping to the finish line is what we are saying around here. Sickness hit our family hard a few weeks ago. We should count ourselves lucky that really our kids have only had colds for the most part. The stomach bug was awful and really knocked us out of commission. Jon was the only one spared of the violent vomiting. Yep, lovely. Nothing like throwing up in the shower and then holding your daughter who is doing the same only moments later. We did lots of loads of laundry that week.

This picture of Skylar was taken about 3 hours before he woke up covered in vomit. And of course it was the first time in forever he ate a ton at dinner. So much that Jon and I high-fived across the table. Luckily he was quick to recover after spending a day in our arms and sharing his germs with his mama.



It hasn't been all sickness around here. We did celebrate Mother's Day Eve by taking the kids to Ted Drew's for the first time. It is so fun to do things with your children that were a part of your childhood and I have lots of memories of our parents and our neighbors packing us into the car to go to Ted Drews. I still get the same thing I got when I was a kid.

So I believe in Nature and Nurture playing an equal role in a child's development. Must be the nurture part that has Elaina such an ice cream lover. She will scream ICE CREAM if she sees it in the store and goes nuts for it.


Ready for the first bite...


"It is SOOO good!" as she went on to eat hers, and bites from everyone else's.



The case for Nature playing a bigger role...seriously?!? Who doesn't like ice cream!?! Oh, yeah, that would be my kid!


Mother's Day treat for me was that my mom and I went out to a movie and dinner alone. So Jon took the kids to our neighbors for a BBQ.

Playing with their dog


Group shot, for me perhaps?


So helpful he was even watering empty pots.






Playing catch with the dog

8 months old

It is hard for me to believe the twins turned 8 months this past Tuesday. They are growing and changing so much each day! Being a parent of twins is so much work but I have to say the benefits outweigh it by a landslide! One of the neatest things they are doing now is starting to interact more. If one is upset the other is starting to comfort them by holding their hand or just staring at them. They also love to roll around on the mat and laugh with each other. The bond they have is amazing to watch!

This week we introduced sippy cups. I only put water in them and the point is to get them practicing. Skylar loves to drink out of it but needs my help holding it for him. Elaina likes to suck on it but hasn't quite figured it out. We will just keep practicing! Both are doing well with solids. Skylar loves to eat and will pretty much eat anything (even carrots now which he didn't like before). Elaina will eat anything...but only when she is ready! She purses her lips and refuses to eat at times. Then after Skylar is praised for eating she will decide she is ready. She has a mind of her own!



Jon and I took them to Grant's Farm this week on one of the first days that was not almost 100 degrees! They enjoyed the trolley ride and did well in the stroller. But at this time, they were more interested in the toys attached to the stroller than the animals. It was just nice to be outside as we have been going stir crazy with not being able to take walks in this heat.








More pictures to come from Jon's fishing trip with my brothers and dad to Arkansas this past weekend. I am sure I would pick the wrong ones to highlight the trip!

A few things I have learned from my twins (so far!)

Being a mom of twins is so much fun...but it is unbelievably challenging at the same time! Here are some things my sweet babies have taught me...

-Forget about quick, easy trips anywhere! A trip to Target for a mom with one baby might be something she thinks nothing of...I have done it with just one baby and it is very possible and actually enjoyable. But just try to go anywhere with two! Fitting two car seats in a cart is near impossible. So if I do go, I just put them in their stroller but then, how to push a cart? I don't...I just carry what I can buy....or stick it next to the babies in their seat:) Don't forget that I have to make sure that both babies are fed, not too tired, etc. Oh, it is just not worth it!

-Very few people have a good understanding of basic biology! More times than I can count, I have been asked if my twins are identical (usually after I say they are boy/girl so there is no confusion there). I usually reply no, one is a boy and one is a girl to which most people immediately realize what they said and laugh. No problem. But unbelievable to me are those that still don't get it, or worse want to argue that it is possible for a boy/girl set of twins to be identical. I try to be nice but have finally say, "My son has a p**** and my daughter does not! They obviously can't be identical!!!"

- Being a mom is 1o times harder and a million times more wonderful than I ever thought it could be! It is amazing how these babies will exhaust me to no end, where I can't wait for them to fall asleep so I can just breath, and then as soon as they are asleep I can't wait for them to wake back up. I love looking at life through their eyes. The boundless energy Elaina possesses inspires me to not sit still. Skylar's ability to look at EVERYTHING with the widest,most inquisitive eyes is so fun to observe. And then to hear him giggle at what seems to be nothing makes me take a closer look at life. To watch Elaina really look into my eyes, touch my face, and then smile is amazing. She teaches me to trust others more as it is obvious she does. I could go on and on but now that they are asleep I probably should be too so I am ready for another day that will surely take off going 0 to 60 in an instant. I love each day with my little twinnies!