Each day, I am more astounded by the things the boys remember!
Maybe it's not uncommon at their age, but I'm amazed.
Here are a few examples from yesterday:
1) We count the school buses we see each morning. This helps to reinforce counting, and the boys love their school buses (it's what they are thankful for almost every night at bedtime prayer!). When we picked the boys up from daycare yesterday, we saw a school bus (rare for the evening commute). So, I asked the boys if they remembered how many school buses they saw yesterday morning. I was expecting silence, or for them to just start counting, but instead Lincoln piped up and said "Seven. We saw seven school buses this morning." He was right! We saw eight this morning, so I'm going to see if it was just a lucky guess yesterday or not!
2) One thing we learned at Open House last night was that they have been teaching the kids about 9-1-1, and when to use it (not when we need help putting our shoes on, but if there is a fire, or you can't wake mommy or daddy). I assume it originated since October is fire prevention month, and the firetruck visited daycare.
On the video at open house, the kids were learning a special song about 9-1-1.
When we were putting the boys to bed last night, Brian asked the boys what number we call when we need help - they both answered him with a resounding 9-1-1! I never would have thought about teaching them about 9-1-1, but we will definitely be reinforcing this at home now!
Our Family
Thursday, October 18, 2012
It's started already....
Every parent knows that the day will come when their sweet little baby will start rebelling, and will vocalize just how unhappy they are with their parents. I always imagined it would be at age 12 or 13...not at 2, almost 3. I was wrong.
I don't remember what I did or asked Lincoln to do, but suddenly, he stopped, looked at me, and said, "Mommy, I don't like you!"
My first reaction was wow...did that really just happen? The shock must have shown on my face because I heard Brian very calmly say, "He said that to me yesterday."
I took a deep breath. I knew he didn't really mean it, but also knew I had to deal with this.
I marched over to Lincoln, looked at him and said, "I don't care if you don't like me. I love you...and I always will."
I heard a "No! No Mommy!", then silence as I walked out of the room. Then I heard him call..."I love you too Mommy!"
I know we have more work to do here. I want to teach the boys to be respectful. It's ok to not like something they are asked to do, but its not alright to lash out at the person. They should express their displeasure with the request - not the person.
I know I went through those feelings with my parents. No matter how angry I got at them, I still loved them. I know we will have challenges with the boys, and I want to help them understand how to focus their feelings appropriately. Being a parent is so much more than changing dirty diapers and giving baths...that stuff is tiring, but the really hard part is teaching your children values, molding them into the people they will become. Before becoming a mom, I never understood the immense responsibility of a parent. I pray that some day my boys will look back and say what a great mom I was, realizing it wasn't all roses, but knowing that I was only trying to make them the best men possible.
My love, respect, and appreciation for my parents grows more and more each day.
They raised 5 independent, responsible kids.
They were our parents, not our friends.
They had rules, and when rules were broken, there were consequences.
They were strict with us, but always had our best interest at heart.
And most importantly, they were independent and responsible. They taught by example.
I'm confident that Brian and I will raise independent and responsible kids as well. Why? Because it's a family tradition that I want to carry on. We work each day to instill values in our kids, values that I trust will lead them to make good decisions, and define their character. I look forward to the day when our relationship will shift - we will be friends with our kids, and build new relationships with our grandkids. A day when we will be proud of the young men that they have become, know we lived and taught by example, and pray that our boys will value and continue that family tradition.
I don't remember what I did or asked Lincoln to do, but suddenly, he stopped, looked at me, and said, "Mommy, I don't like you!"
My first reaction was wow...did that really just happen? The shock must have shown on my face because I heard Brian very calmly say, "He said that to me yesterday."
I took a deep breath. I knew he didn't really mean it, but also knew I had to deal with this.
I marched over to Lincoln, looked at him and said, "I don't care if you don't like me. I love you...and I always will."
I heard a "No! No Mommy!", then silence as I walked out of the room. Then I heard him call..."I love you too Mommy!"
I know we have more work to do here. I want to teach the boys to be respectful. It's ok to not like something they are asked to do, but its not alright to lash out at the person. They should express their displeasure with the request - not the person.
I know I went through those feelings with my parents. No matter how angry I got at them, I still loved them. I know we will have challenges with the boys, and I want to help them understand how to focus their feelings appropriately. Being a parent is so much more than changing dirty diapers and giving baths...that stuff is tiring, but the really hard part is teaching your children values, molding them into the people they will become. Before becoming a mom, I never understood the immense responsibility of a parent. I pray that some day my boys will look back and say what a great mom I was, realizing it wasn't all roses, but knowing that I was only trying to make them the best men possible.
My love, respect, and appreciation for my parents grows more and more each day.
They raised 5 independent, responsible kids.
- We bring our kids to visit their grandparents, watching the amazing relationship form between the generations. Why? Because I cherish the memories that I have of my grandparents...garage saling with Grandma Wappes, and begging Grandma Muehlfeld for a cookie out of the freezer. I want my kids to have those memories as well.
- We are socially responsible - giving to charity and getting involved in community events like Relay for Life. Why? Because I am thankful for all the blessings I have in my life, and want to help those who are less fortunate. Plus, I want a better, brighter future for my kids.
- We have a close and loving relationship with our parents. Why? Because I recognize all the sacrifices my parents made for me and my brothers and sisters. Spending time with them is the best way of repaying them for everything they have done for me. .
They were our parents, not our friends.
They had rules, and when rules were broken, there were consequences.
They were strict with us, but always had our best interest at heart.
And most importantly, they were independent and responsible. They taught by example.
I'm confident that Brian and I will raise independent and responsible kids as well. Why? Because it's a family tradition that I want to carry on. We work each day to instill values in our kids, values that I trust will lead them to make good decisions, and define their character. I look forward to the day when our relationship will shift - we will be friends with our kids, and build new relationships with our grandkids. A day when we will be proud of the young men that they have become, know we lived and taught by example, and pray that our boys will value and continue that family tradition.
Open House
Last night was Open House at the boys school.
Background:
The boys daycare does Open House twice a year. I went for the first time in April, and really enjoyed the opportunity to speak with the teachers, and find more out about what they do all day long. A few weeks ago, we found out there was another open house coming up, and I suggested Brian go this time. I could sense he wasn't really comfortable going by himself...just not a situation he wanted to be in alone.
Finding a babysitter:
Unfortunately, Brian and I don't get out a lot. There are 2 reasons for this:
1) Through the week, we leave them for about 10 hours a day, so we want to soak up every minute outside of that with them.
2) Asking someone to watch twins is a big undertaking. I never worry about the boys being taken care of, but I worry about the whole situation stressing the babysitter out! My parents have watched the boys a few times, and my brother and Scott have watched them once. Each time we leave them, it's stressful. The boys cry, and it can be hard to get them settled down.
Knowing that Brian probably wouldn't go to Open House by himself, I started thinking about finding a baby sitter. My parents live too far away to watch the boys on a random Wednesday night, so they were out. I asked my brother if he would be available...and he was able to rearrange his schedule to help us out.
We had a sitter. Check. Next, we had to prepare the boys to (hopefully) make it an easy transition.
Monday night at dinner, we asked the boys if they wanted Uncle and Scott to come over and watch a movie. Lincoln was excited, but also said that Mommy and Daddy were going to watch the movie too! When we explained to him that we were going to go talk to his teachers, Jackson emphatically said "I go see Miss Monica too. No watch movie with Uncle!"
(Did I mention before how stressful it can be to leave?)
We let the subject go, and brought it up again the next night...that Uncle and Scott were coming over to watch a movie. Lincoln was again excited, Jackson was skeptical. We again let the subject go.
When we got home last night, we started talking about how we were going to all have dinner, and then take a bath before Uncle arrived. We talked about how Uncle was coming to watch a movie, and told the boys if they ate their dinner and behaved, they could have a treat with Uncle - ice cream with chocolate syrup! They both ate their bowl of White Chicken Chili (they LOVED it), and were even cooperative in the bath tub. We were just finishing getting them dressed when Uncle arrived.
I was a little nervous as Scott wasn't with him. Scott handled the melt-down last time. However, the boys brushed their teeth, and sat down on the couch to watch the movie. As the movie was getting started, I reminded the boys that mommy and daddy were going to an appointment (we didn't mention school, knowing Jackson would want to go with us), and that they were going to stay with Uncle, watch a movie, and eat ice cream. I assured them we would be home before they went to bed, and each of them gave me a hug and a kiss goodbye. Then, they gave Brian a hug and a kiss as well, waved bye-bye, and watched the movie. That was it. We walked out of the house, and not a tear was shed! We were so proud of the boys...and Uncle was relieved!
The actual open house:
We arrived at open house right on time. We watched some video of the kids doing various activities (eating lunch, singing songs, playing outside, etc.) for the first 10 minutes or so, then we checked out the artwork and things on the walls in their classroom. The director of the school was there, and she came over to talk to us. I explained that Brian hadn't ever been to this part of the school, so she gave us a tour of all the classrooms, and shared with us the differences for each level. She walked us through a typical day for the boys too - explaining circle time, the stations, outside play, meal times, and nap time. It was a lot of information, but definitely helps a parent feel better about leaving their child at daycare.
Brian and I had some questions for her as well, based on things the boys have told us.
1) Breakfast - we get the boys up at 6:00 each morning, put them on the potty, feed them breakfast, then get them dressed for the day. About 2 weeks ago, Jackson made a comment about helping Miss Sally (the school cook) clean up breakfast. He's a helper, so I didn't think anything of it. However, then Lincoln made a comment one day about having breakfast with Miss Sally - "she gives me muffins"!
I was a bit shocked and concerned. How much ARE my boys eating each day? Plus, we are supposed to pay extra for breakfast!
So, we asked the director how breakfast works. She first of all told us that breakfast is now included in the tuition price (a change I evidently missed....so no worries on the extra money thing). However, she was concerned that we didn't WANT the boys eating breakfast there. We assured her that its fine, we will just ensure they are getting lighter breakfasts at home!
The director and the boys teacher both assured us that the boys are GOOD eaters. They often times ask for a second serving of most things, but eat almost anything.
Guess this explains why we are buying 4T pajamas!
2) TV time - the past few weeks, Brian and I have been a bit concerned about how much TV they are watching at daycare. Each day they were telling us about shows they had watched that day - sometimes listing 5 or 6 shows! So, we asked the director, and the boys teacher last night how much TV they watch at school. They were a bit dumbfounded by our question, but told us they have "movie time" on Friday afternoons where they watch videos, and that kids there after 6:00 at night watch videos to allow the aids to clean their classrooms for the night.
When we told them the boys tell us they watch it everyday, they were blown away! Evidently our little guys have quite the imagination! However, we are confused as to how they know some of the things they know - must be their friends singing songs or telling them things!
3) Potty training - the ultimate goal is to have the boys potty trained before they move into their next room (when they turn 3). We discussed what the boys have been doing potty training wise at home, shared with them that the boys are talking more about it (they know which kids at school wear "big boy pants", and last weekend Lincoln watched Knox), and inquired about diapers vs. pull-ups. Since the boys are showing interest, they will start trying to work with them at school more now, and Miss Monica gave us some suggestions for how to help the process along at home too. So, today we took in both diapers and pull-ups. Anxious to see how it goes today!
Summary:
Overall, I believe that our boys must be pretty good kids. In the video, we could see they were paying attention most of the time, singing along with the songs, and doing what they were asked. At lunch, they were sitting in their chairs and eating like they are supposed to. They were patiently waiting in line to see the firetruck, and so happy when they were swinging outside.
We asked the teacher about their behavior - they mention how much the boys wrestle at school, and I just want to make sure they are only beating each other up. They assured me that it's really just Jackson picking on Lincoln - they don't bother the other kids, but if that changes, they will definitely let us know.
I think the people at daycare enjoy our boys. Everyone knows who they are, and it still cracks them up that they spend SO MUCH time together. They know they are good eaters, and they know their personalities. Last night, Miss Monica commented as she was buckling the boys in the van that she just loves how they giggle EVERY day on their way out to the van. They are happy to see us! She said they giggle throughout the day with each other, but it is a different giggle when they know mommy and daddy are there to pick them up. They are excited to see us and go home. I thought that was normal for kids, but evidently not!
I'm a very happy and proud mommy today....and I love my boys immensely. I hope the giggles are their way of telling us that they know how much we love them, and that they love us too!
Background:
The boys daycare does Open House twice a year. I went for the first time in April, and really enjoyed the opportunity to speak with the teachers, and find more out about what they do all day long. A few weeks ago, we found out there was another open house coming up, and I suggested Brian go this time. I could sense he wasn't really comfortable going by himself...just not a situation he wanted to be in alone.
Finding a babysitter:
Unfortunately, Brian and I don't get out a lot. There are 2 reasons for this:
1) Through the week, we leave them for about 10 hours a day, so we want to soak up every minute outside of that with them.
2) Asking someone to watch twins is a big undertaking. I never worry about the boys being taken care of, but I worry about the whole situation stressing the babysitter out! My parents have watched the boys a few times, and my brother and Scott have watched them once. Each time we leave them, it's stressful. The boys cry, and it can be hard to get them settled down.
Knowing that Brian probably wouldn't go to Open House by himself, I started thinking about finding a baby sitter. My parents live too far away to watch the boys on a random Wednesday night, so they were out. I asked my brother if he would be available...and he was able to rearrange his schedule to help us out.
We had a sitter. Check. Next, we had to prepare the boys to (hopefully) make it an easy transition.
Monday night at dinner, we asked the boys if they wanted Uncle and Scott to come over and watch a movie. Lincoln was excited, but also said that Mommy and Daddy were going to watch the movie too! When we explained to him that we were going to go talk to his teachers, Jackson emphatically said "I go see Miss Monica too. No watch movie with Uncle!"
(Did I mention before how stressful it can be to leave?)
We let the subject go, and brought it up again the next night...that Uncle and Scott were coming over to watch a movie. Lincoln was again excited, Jackson was skeptical. We again let the subject go.
When we got home last night, we started talking about how we were going to all have dinner, and then take a bath before Uncle arrived. We talked about how Uncle was coming to watch a movie, and told the boys if they ate their dinner and behaved, they could have a treat with Uncle - ice cream with chocolate syrup! They both ate their bowl of White Chicken Chili (they LOVED it), and were even cooperative in the bath tub. We were just finishing getting them dressed when Uncle arrived.
I was a little nervous as Scott wasn't with him. Scott handled the melt-down last time. However, the boys brushed their teeth, and sat down on the couch to watch the movie. As the movie was getting started, I reminded the boys that mommy and daddy were going to an appointment (we didn't mention school, knowing Jackson would want to go with us), and that they were going to stay with Uncle, watch a movie, and eat ice cream. I assured them we would be home before they went to bed, and each of them gave me a hug and a kiss goodbye. Then, they gave Brian a hug and a kiss as well, waved bye-bye, and watched the movie. That was it. We walked out of the house, and not a tear was shed! We were so proud of the boys...and Uncle was relieved!
The actual open house:
We arrived at open house right on time. We watched some video of the kids doing various activities (eating lunch, singing songs, playing outside, etc.) for the first 10 minutes or so, then we checked out the artwork and things on the walls in their classroom. The director of the school was there, and she came over to talk to us. I explained that Brian hadn't ever been to this part of the school, so she gave us a tour of all the classrooms, and shared with us the differences for each level. She walked us through a typical day for the boys too - explaining circle time, the stations, outside play, meal times, and nap time. It was a lot of information, but definitely helps a parent feel better about leaving their child at daycare.
Brian and I had some questions for her as well, based on things the boys have told us.
1) Breakfast - we get the boys up at 6:00 each morning, put them on the potty, feed them breakfast, then get them dressed for the day. About 2 weeks ago, Jackson made a comment about helping Miss Sally (the school cook) clean up breakfast. He's a helper, so I didn't think anything of it. However, then Lincoln made a comment one day about having breakfast with Miss Sally - "she gives me muffins"!
I was a bit shocked and concerned. How much ARE my boys eating each day? Plus, we are supposed to pay extra for breakfast!
So, we asked the director how breakfast works. She first of all told us that breakfast is now included in the tuition price (a change I evidently missed....so no worries on the extra money thing). However, she was concerned that we didn't WANT the boys eating breakfast there. We assured her that its fine, we will just ensure they are getting lighter breakfasts at home!
The director and the boys teacher both assured us that the boys are GOOD eaters. They often times ask for a second serving of most things, but eat almost anything.
Guess this explains why we are buying 4T pajamas!
2) TV time - the past few weeks, Brian and I have been a bit concerned about how much TV they are watching at daycare. Each day they were telling us about shows they had watched that day - sometimes listing 5 or 6 shows! So, we asked the director, and the boys teacher last night how much TV they watch at school. They were a bit dumbfounded by our question, but told us they have "movie time" on Friday afternoons where they watch videos, and that kids there after 6:00 at night watch videos to allow the aids to clean their classrooms for the night.
When we told them the boys tell us they watch it everyday, they were blown away! Evidently our little guys have quite the imagination! However, we are confused as to how they know some of the things they know - must be their friends singing songs or telling them things!
3) Potty training - the ultimate goal is to have the boys potty trained before they move into their next room (when they turn 3). We discussed what the boys have been doing potty training wise at home, shared with them that the boys are talking more about it (they know which kids at school wear "big boy pants", and last weekend Lincoln watched Knox), and inquired about diapers vs. pull-ups. Since the boys are showing interest, they will start trying to work with them at school more now, and Miss Monica gave us some suggestions for how to help the process along at home too. So, today we took in both diapers and pull-ups. Anxious to see how it goes today!
Summary:
Overall, I believe that our boys must be pretty good kids. In the video, we could see they were paying attention most of the time, singing along with the songs, and doing what they were asked. At lunch, they were sitting in their chairs and eating like they are supposed to. They were patiently waiting in line to see the firetruck, and so happy when they were swinging outside.
We asked the teacher about their behavior - they mention how much the boys wrestle at school, and I just want to make sure they are only beating each other up. They assured me that it's really just Jackson picking on Lincoln - they don't bother the other kids, but if that changes, they will definitely let us know.
I think the people at daycare enjoy our boys. Everyone knows who they are, and it still cracks them up that they spend SO MUCH time together. They know they are good eaters, and they know their personalities. Last night, Miss Monica commented as she was buckling the boys in the van that she just loves how they giggle EVERY day on their way out to the van. They are happy to see us! She said they giggle throughout the day with each other, but it is a different giggle when they know mommy and daddy are there to pick them up. They are excited to see us and go home. I thought that was normal for kids, but evidently not!
I'm a very happy and proud mommy today....and I love my boys immensely. I hope the giggles are their way of telling us that they know how much we love them, and that they love us too!
Friday, October 12, 2012
Bedtime has changed....
Overall, bedtime is pretty easy in our house. Most of the time we are able to take the boys up to bed, give them a hug and a kiss, tell them good night, and leave the room. We've had a few spells (including the last month or so) where the boys have asked for us to rock them, or to lay on the floor with them for "2 minutes". Sometimes we oblige, sometimes we don't.
Lately, bedtime has seemed very chaotic to me. We try to say a prayer at night and thank God for all the wonderful blessing and fun things in our day....but with two chatty 2 1/2 year olds, it hasn't been easy. They want to rock, but they don't want to sit still anymore either. Chaos frustrates me...so daddy has been doing a better job of putting them to bed over the past few weeks.
But something changed this week, and I'm not sure what it was. We still (try) to say our prayer when we get upstairs, but the boys aren't really all that interested in rocking anymore. Their new thing is to show us how they can crawl into their beds on their own! This is pretty impressive since they are still in cribs. Now, they both go and crawl into their beds, then Brian and I give them hugs and kisses goodnight and tuck them in.
They picked up on something that I hadn't even noticed - I usually tell Lincoln to "sleep tight", and I tell Jackson "sweet dreams" - so now, they yell to us as we close the door those sayings and that they love us (even though they've already told us about 10 times already).
Last night, we went through our new routine, tucked the boys in, and headed back downstairs. When we turned the monitor on downstairs, we could still hear Jackson chatting away. He was telling Lincoln a story, and singing a song, and then all of a sudden we heard him yelling "I love you Mommy and Daddy!" He said it about 3 times, then just went to sleep. It was so sweet.
Keeping my fingers crossed that bedtime will return to being very easy, and the chaos is starting to settle!
Lately, bedtime has seemed very chaotic to me. We try to say a prayer at night and thank God for all the wonderful blessing and fun things in our day....but with two chatty 2 1/2 year olds, it hasn't been easy. They want to rock, but they don't want to sit still anymore either. Chaos frustrates me...so daddy has been doing a better job of putting them to bed over the past few weeks.
But something changed this week, and I'm not sure what it was. We still (try) to say our prayer when we get upstairs, but the boys aren't really all that interested in rocking anymore. Their new thing is to show us how they can crawl into their beds on their own! This is pretty impressive since they are still in cribs. Now, they both go and crawl into their beds, then Brian and I give them hugs and kisses goodnight and tuck them in.
They picked up on something that I hadn't even noticed - I usually tell Lincoln to "sleep tight", and I tell Jackson "sweet dreams" - so now, they yell to us as we close the door those sayings and that they love us (even though they've already told us about 10 times already).
Last night, we went through our new routine, tucked the boys in, and headed back downstairs. When we turned the monitor on downstairs, we could still hear Jackson chatting away. He was telling Lincoln a story, and singing a song, and then all of a sudden we heard him yelling "I love you Mommy and Daddy!" He said it about 3 times, then just went to sleep. It was so sweet.
Keeping my fingers crossed that bedtime will return to being very easy, and the chaos is starting to settle!
Random stuff....
- This week is fire prevention week. On Wednesday when we picked the boys up from daycare, they were wearing red firehats! When they got in the van, they immediately told us that they got to sit on the firetruck! They were both so excited! They wore their hats most of the night....then I think Daddy made the hats disappear, as I haven't seen them since!
- My boys are definitely Harts. They love their sweets. They (like their daddy) think that every time I go to the grocery store, I should buy them donuts. They even remind me that they really like the blue donuts....and of course, daddy likes the cinnamon roll with maple frosting - but only if it has nuts!
- The boys also really love ice cream with chocolate syrup. We were out of ice cream, but I needed to go to Sam's Club to get something Tuesday night, so we picked some up as a special treat since Daddy went to the Red's game. It was supposed to be our little secret, but Wednesday morning, Lincoln asked for ice cream for breakfast. Daddy told him we didn't have any, but Lincoln ratted me out! He told Daddy that he had some the night before, and that Mommy bought more!
- Lincoln stopped to pet "the dog" again this morning. This time, he even turned around to make sure we were watching him!
- Only 6 weeks to Thanksgiving, and just over 10 weeks till Christmas!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Morning funnies....
Some of you get your laughs from the comics. Mine just show up randomly in my everyday life.
Take this morning for example....
I put Jackson in his car seat to go to daycare, and Brian put Lincoln in his seat. Lincoln cooperated and was all strapped in when I was still trying to get Jackson to sit down. It was a bit chilly, so Brian told me he was going to jump in and warm the van up. When Brian started the van, it startled Jackson, and he looked at me and said, "Oh no Mommy! Daddy is leaving you!"
I assured Jackson that Daddy wasn't leaving me, and finished buckling Jackson in. I always get my "goodbye" hug and kiss at this point, as they get the boys out of the van at daycare. This morning, Jackson insisted I do the "kissy face" for him before he would give me a kiss. The "kissy face" is just sucking my cheeks in like a fish kiss, but Jackson thinks it is hilarious right now. So, I showed him, and got my kiss and hug.
I jump in the van (so that Daddy doesn't leave me), and Lincoln exclaims that he wants the "kissy face" too! Unfortunately, Daddy had already shut Lincoln's door, and we were running tight on time (as usual), so I did the kissy face for him from the front seat, and we blew kisses. Sometimes, they are easy to please.
When we got to daycare, no one came out right away to get the boys. Since I hadn't gotten my "goodbye" kiss from Lincoln, we unbuckled both the boys and Lincoln leaned up and gave me some kisses. Then all of a sudden, he exclaims, "I need a hug too!"
Finally, Miss Katie came out to get the boys. We always wait until they are in the building (don't want to run them over) before we leave. So, I'm watching them walk toward the door, and suddenly see Lincoln step over to the side. There is a dog statue (I guess that's what you'd call it - it's made out of like wicker/sticks, but looks like a real dog). Lincoln walked over and petted the dog! I was completely cracking up laughing!
Mornings like today are what gets me through the hard times....
Take this morning for example....
I put Jackson in his car seat to go to daycare, and Brian put Lincoln in his seat. Lincoln cooperated and was all strapped in when I was still trying to get Jackson to sit down. It was a bit chilly, so Brian told me he was going to jump in and warm the van up. When Brian started the van, it startled Jackson, and he looked at me and said, "Oh no Mommy! Daddy is leaving you!"
I assured Jackson that Daddy wasn't leaving me, and finished buckling Jackson in. I always get my "goodbye" hug and kiss at this point, as they get the boys out of the van at daycare. This morning, Jackson insisted I do the "kissy face" for him before he would give me a kiss. The "kissy face" is just sucking my cheeks in like a fish kiss, but Jackson thinks it is hilarious right now. So, I showed him, and got my kiss and hug.
I jump in the van (so that Daddy doesn't leave me), and Lincoln exclaims that he wants the "kissy face" too! Unfortunately, Daddy had already shut Lincoln's door, and we were running tight on time (as usual), so I did the kissy face for him from the front seat, and we blew kisses. Sometimes, they are easy to please.
When we got to daycare, no one came out right away to get the boys. Since I hadn't gotten my "goodbye" kiss from Lincoln, we unbuckled both the boys and Lincoln leaned up and gave me some kisses. Then all of a sudden, he exclaims, "I need a hug too!"
Finally, Miss Katie came out to get the boys. We always wait until they are in the building (don't want to run them over) before we leave. So, I'm watching them walk toward the door, and suddenly see Lincoln step over to the side. There is a dog statue (I guess that's what you'd call it - it's made out of like wicker/sticks, but looks like a real dog). Lincoln walked over and petted the dog! I was completely cracking up laughing!
Mornings like today are what gets me through the hard times....
Leveling the score....
Being a parent is hard. Being a parent of multiples (even more than one child, even different ages) is harder.
I am one of 5 kids. Now that we are all grown, we often times razz my parents about playing favorites.
"You made HER favorite meal. Well, she always was your favorite."
"He got a bigger piece of cake than me - there you go babying him again."
My mom has gotten pretty good at replying to these insinuations over the years..."I baby all my kids, just at different times." or "Of course she/he is my favorite....at least today. Maybe you will be tomorrow."
With twins, I find it hard to really keep things "equal". They have the same birthday, and rarely agree on what they want to eat, so how would we choose who's favorite meal they get? They are learning basically the same things at the same time, so we can't make a big deal about accomplishments without making the other one feel bad. Even on this blog, I try not to post a story about one without having a story about the other one too.
It's hard to be a parent of multiples. Especially twins. Especially twins with VERY different personalities!
From time to time, Brian and I discuss the equality balance. Often times, we feel we have a lot of stories about Jackson. Is it because....
So, I'm just going to share stories, and quit trying to make sure I keep things equal.
I am one of 5 kids. Now that we are all grown, we often times razz my parents about playing favorites.
"You made HER favorite meal. Well, she always was your favorite."
"He got a bigger piece of cake than me - there you go babying him again."
My mom has gotten pretty good at replying to these insinuations over the years..."I baby all my kids, just at different times." or "Of course she/he is my favorite....at least today. Maybe you will be tomorrow."
With twins, I find it hard to really keep things "equal". They have the same birthday, and rarely agree on what they want to eat, so how would we choose who's favorite meal they get? They are learning basically the same things at the same time, so we can't make a big deal about accomplishments without making the other one feel bad. Even on this blog, I try not to post a story about one without having a story about the other one too.
It's hard to be a parent of multiples. Especially twins. Especially twins with VERY different personalities!
From time to time, Brian and I discuss the equality balance. Often times, we feel we have a lot of stories about Jackson. Is it because....
- he's really learning more things than Lincoln?
- he has the more dominant personality?
- he's more of a "momma's boy" vs. Lincoln is more of a "daddy's boy"?
So, I'm just going to share stories, and quit trying to make sure I keep things equal.
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