Easter

I uploaded these pictures in the wrong order. So you see the end of the day to the beginning. You might want to start at the bottom!! We had a nice Easter starting with breakfast and baskets for the kids. They each got one small present from us as well. We didn't try to go to church because it is impossible to keep them contained these days! If we only had one active toddler, I think we could handle it but with two, there would be no worshipping going on, that's for sure! We had lunch at MoMo's and the kids hunted for eggs in the backyard. Elaina got into it right away. Skylar had to first explore the yard and pull grass! Both seemed to think the eggs were pretty cool once they found the animal cookie inside. There isn't much you can put in an egg that is not a choking hazard you know!



I love to climb!!


Olivia was a bit overwhelmed by these two!


Trying to get a picture of the three cousins. Skylar wanted t love on Olivia it seems:)


Last year they were in this chair and looking so little. Not anymore!


She gets prettier each day it seems!!


Getting the hang of it but putting the eggs in his sister's basket:)


It is so fun to be outside!


He was putting grass in the basket!


She discovered the cookies inside!




Easter egg hunting with MoMo


Finding the rubber duck in the basket. She LOVES ducks!


Always banging things...


Well what is this?!?


Skylar checking out the Easter basket


Snuggling before bed last week with MoMo

Things to not say to a twin mom (or dad)

Having twins causes us to be put on display much more than I thought it ever would. You would think, with twins being more common these days, that people would be used to seeing them. And I have to say, I think mine are pretty darn cute but it amazes me still how much attention you get. It seems more noticeable when I take just one out and can wander the aisles in Target without stares. I have heard all kinds of crazy comments. Luckily, now that they are older I haven't heard the "are they identical" question very much. I guess people don't know what to say but if you see a twin mom don't say things like "Double Trouble there!" or "You sure do have your hands full!" I mean what do you think I am going to say back to that...yes my hands are full so please hold one while I shop?! I love being a twin mommy! It is worth all the extra energy it takes to raise two same age kids just to hear them laugh together. I love everything about it so no it is not trouble and yes my hands are full but so is my heart. I am so lucky to have two beautiful children to love. And when they say you have your hands full I want to say I have TWINS not 10 kids! Speaking of which I am glad the novelty of the Octo-Mom has worn off because everywhere I went, it seemed people wanted to ask me what I thought of her. Well, probably the same thing you thought of her!! Again, I have TWINS and she has 14 kids!!! A little different!

Finally, I think some people are well meaning but for the most part I think this is just a way to sound like you are not nosy but of course you really are...in different variations I have gotten "So did you know you were having twins?". Well, no in fact I went to the hospital and poof out popped two! Or if they know we adopted they ask "did you know you were getting two babies when you went to Texas?" No our agency waited till we got there and yelled SURPISE!! When people ask if we knew if we were having twins, I think it is their way of asking did you do fertility treatments. Which is a personal question and one that a complete stranger has no business asking (however, I don't mind talking to people who are going through it too because that is what helped me so much). Yes, twins run in my family (my mom is a twin) and yes, I did fertility treatments. So yes, I did imagine that I would have twins someday. Just not in the wonderful, amazing way our children came into our lives.

April Updates and some photos

Elaina and Vaughn watching cartoons together


Elaina in her new sunglasses


Skylar going down the big slide with Daddy


"Open", "Close", we have been working on these words with him when he plays with this toy.


Coat still on and he already climbed into the box.


Another child in a box...


Someone enjoyed her bananas and chocolate pudding

After a few weeks of all of us being sick, I think we are pretty close to being sickness free! Following Skylar's trip to the ER he has been dealing with the cold part of it and wouldn't you know, Elaina caught it too. That makes me think that it wasn't allergies that led to his wheezing but who knows. All I know is that we have boxes of tissues now in almost every room and finally purchased a second humidifier because it is pretty much a given now that both need it at the same time. Jon got over his respiratory issues and I am back to normal after getting pink eye. Yes, pink eye. Never got it while teaching but somehow I caught it now. Oh and passed it onto my mom. No one is safe who enters our house!

Today Skylar and Elaina turned 16 months old. So hard to believe! Right now, Elaina is so full of herself! Proud of all she can do and wants an audience. She is happiest when she can run free and loves to bring along her "bunny". She loves to dance and has shown some pretty interesting moves lately. And she now is into Elmo. She tries to say his name which is cute. She babbles constantly and is saying more and more words each day.

Skylar is all boy and loves anything that involves wheels or figuring out how things move. He loves to play on the climber/slide we have in our basement and to chase the cat. He is so close to walking and crab walks a lot. He seems to be more cautious and unsure of walking alone though he can do it when he holds one of my hands. Skylar, as many of you know, has not been talking and we worried about him. Well, out of nowhere he just started babbling which is a big change from his grunts or cries. Elaina got very excited and started to mimic it back to him which caused him to do it again. They were "talking"! We actually had him evaluated by a speech therapist to see if he needed help and she said he is not too far behind his adjusted age (the age he would have been if born full term). She suggested doing sign language with him to help him express himself. We had briefly done this and Elaina picked up on a few but now we are really trying to work hard on it with both of them. We will see how it goes.

I have decided to return to teaching next year and am so lucky I get to return to my same school. My district allows for a leave of absence for child rearing under 2 and while I could have stayed home one more year and still returned to the district, Jon and I felt it was a good time for me to go back. I learned I will be teaching first grade which will provide me with new opportunities to grow. I am nervous and excited all at the same time to get back to teaching. I love it so much and have missed it. But I am worried about juggling the demands of working with being a mom. I think though I am the type of person who will be more organized and more productive when I am working. Just sending back my contract has caused me to get moving on those projects I have been meaning to do!

Skylar's First Trip to the Emergency Room

Well we had quite a scare last night. Skylar has been fighting allergies and coughing sneezing but really still himself...playing and in a good mood. Last night he woke up screaming and when I got him up he was wheezing. I woke Jon up and he immediately said he needs to go to the ER. Jon has had asthma his whole life and knew it was an attack. They tested him for how much oxygen he was getting and it was low so he got steroids orally and a breathing treatment. Our poor guy had to go through chest x-rays, removal of ear gunk (which was not there last week at his check up), and tests for RSV. Luckily the tests were negative. He came home exhausted (as did Jon who took him). He is now on breathing treatments every four hours until we see the wheezing getting better. It is very scary to see someone so small with the mask on his face but he is a trooper. After a struggle the first time, he is now pretty relaxed when we put it on him. He seems to know it is helping him and there is a noticeable difference after it.

Our pediatrician reassured us this doesn't mean that he has asthma. It could have been an isolated incident which we are hoping for. To make matters worse, Jon has been battling asthma issues this week...it tends to get really bad when his allergies flare up and it is bad right now. I dealt with it earlier this week too. So things have not been fun around our house. Elaina is the only one who is ok. Lucky girl because she will still get to go to the circus tomorrow with me. Poor Jon and Skylar have to miss it. Let's hope they both have a good night sleep at least!

Early March

We have REALLY been enjoying the warm weather over the past week! It has been great going on walks, taking trips to the park, and just spending time playing in the yard. The kids love being outside! Unfortunately we were enjoying the weather so much that we really didn't take too many pictures outside. Here are a few plus some others from the last few weeks.

Rock, Chalk, Jayhawk! Love the Baby Jay shirt from Uncle David and Aunt Amy!!!


Our house has a central vac system. We don't use it but it is hooked up and the kids love to turn it on. Yes, we know, soon they will start putting things in it. I guess we will unplug it when it happens but for now they enjoy just turning it on. Whatever keeps them busy helps us!







Skylar enjoying the balls at the Dr. Seuss' Birthday party event at the Parkway Early Childhood Center.


Elaina and friend Julia at the Dr. Seuss event.


Castlewood State Park- So bummed that we forgot the camera when we went to the "beach" part along the river. Elaina especially loved the sand and after sifting it through her fingers, decided it would be fun to dive into the sand! Here are a few pictures from the playground.






Around the house...





He is really into climbing these days!


Elaina has become very attached to her bunny. She even takes Skylar's when she is in his room.


Skylar checking out the rain out the back window.


They love going for rides in their wagon!

Climbing, finger painting and the Butterfly House

Both kids have been sick with colds since we got back from Texas. Skylar was running a fever too so we put the cold rag around his neck which made it look like he was "working on his fitness".


Watching the movie at the Butterfly House


Checking out the butterflies with Daddy


Elaina was a little freaked out by all the butterflies. There were so many this time that I think she was not sure what to make of them!





Skylar loves to get into the drawers in the kitchen (and we had to go back and redo some of the locks after this!). He is our climber and the drawer was just too tempting!


Elaina was just not sure what to make of him!


And he is safely out and back on the move...


Hanging out in the kitchen. Elaina loves her measuring spoons and will walk around with them and even take them in the car sometimes.


Finger painting for the first time! Elaina had to take a taste of the paint.


Figuring it out...


Skylar finally took a break from throwing the tubes around to get in on the action.


She loved it! (and check out those ribs...you would never guess how much she eats by how slim she is!!)