The stuff Sunday mornings are made of

I've got my eye on you

Its a little kept secret that we are fans of sci-fi fantasy in this house mostly of the Tolkien/Rowling variety.

Last night Greg built the dark tower, complete with the Eye of Sauron. Out of large primary colored legos.

They eye has been part of the comic relief around here. I started putting it in my eye and holding it there and Lucy and Harper have imitated the same, but can't quite get the squint down.

Potty Tales

We got potties a couple of weeks ago. I have told them that is where they should pee pee and poo poo. They occasionally sit on them and have (for the most part) gotten past the taking them apart and carrying them all over the house stage.

The other day Harper said "poop" so I ran her to her potty and ripped off the diaper. Two turds rolled out BUT two turds ended up in the potty after she sat on it. And today Lucy went and sat on her potty and did #1 AND #2. Wow. Wow. A potty genius. I gave her a chocolate chip (we don't have m&ms in the house, they would be gone in two days if we did).

I am thinking "this isn't going to be so bad," as I am putting away some laundry in my closet. Sniff. Sniff. I smell poop. I looked down. Harper has left a present in our closet. And they both urinated on the rug in the playroom. So, there's that.

Night Crazies

I have cats. So I am familiar with the night crazies. Basically, at 10 pm things get started in the cat world. My cats who nap 22 hours a day will run around, trill and scuffle with each other from 10 p.m. - 12 a.m.

The girls have picked up on the habit lately. About a week ago, they would go down without a peep. For the last couple of nights they have spent an hour laughing hysterically and apparently throwing everything they can get their hands on out of their cribs. Gloworms. Blankets. Pacifiers. Lovies.

Then they cry. Because they can't sleep without their lovies/pacifiers.

And in the morning. Lucy somehow ends up with all the items in her crib. When I come in she says "Harper, Coco" and desperately tries to hand them back to her sister. Like she's been busted.

Lineup

Here are the twins with their twin friends (McGraths) who are one month older


Kids in birth order. The last 5 were born within 6 wks of each other.

Siesta

Temperatures and humidy is creeping. I am developing a fantasy schedule in my head.

6:30 a.m. wake up. Grab waffle and run to park in jammies (I would wear clothes)
9:30/10 ish - Attend morning class/activity
11:30 - Lunch
12:30 - 4- Siesta
4 - Snack, quiet indoor playtime
5-6 - water play
6:30 dinner
7:00 - after dinner stroll
7:30/8 - bedtime

One problem with this. They don't like napping. Today Jessica was sitting and I returned home at 1:15 or so, less than 1 hour into the nap. They heard me talking and both woke up. And wouldn't go back to sleep.

Yes, we have no bananas

And today's Elmo is about... bananas.

Lucy: "Momma! Nana!"
Mom: "Honey, bananas are all gone. No bananas."
Lucy: "Momma! Nana!"
Mom: *sigh*
Lucy: "Momma! All done! Out!"

I guess this means if there are no bananas, she's not eating breakfast. Going to the grocery today. We're out of waffles too. Horrors.

Summer Fun

Today felt like the first day of summer here. Hot and muggy. Lucy and Harper managed to make the best of it.

A Croc

It was love at first sight. Another toddler left their crocs at our house and Harper and Lucy were obsessed. They carried them around and tried to put them on their feet.

Personally, I think crocs are hideous. I don't care if they are comfortable. They are not meant to be worn outside of your garden. I first saw them several years ago on a hipster acquaintance of mine. Ugh. Are THOSE the newest thing? Now they are all the rage in the preschool set. I think toddlers think they are toys, and they can "do myself". Moms like them because toddlers can put them on themselves. I hate them because toddlers can put them on themselves. Lucy will shed whatever shoes and socks she is wearing and put them on. Sometimes one purple, one pink (she says "pink shoe" btw), sometimes on the wrong foot.

I thought they would make good mucking in the backyard/pool shoes so I got 2 pairs. Three pairs actually - two are real crocs, and one are the knock-offs from Target. The knock-offs are hot pink, and the favorites. This morning we were going to music class where they have to take off their shoes, and Lucy already had her crocs on, so I went and got another pair for Harper. Big problem. Lucy went into hysterics. "MY SHOE!" She was crawling and pawing at them. Full on tantrum.

All the crocs are in timeout in a shopping bag in the pantry. I plan to use them judiciously as bribes.

The offending footwear


After "MY SHOE"

Cloth Diaper Shout Out

Since its Earth Day and all, I'm going to wax poetic cloth diapers.

I was intimidated at first, but I talked to other moms (my SIL Rachel for one), tried different products and read other mom reviews on DiaperPin. I still do use disposables - for outings and at night sometimes. I thought disposables would be more absorbent and better for nighttime, but I have actually seen more leaks with the disposables vs. cloth, so I'm going back.

For most Moms the diapering choice is - Pampers or Huggies. It is not suprising, given the multi-million dollar advertising budgets that the Procter & Gambles and Kimberley-Clarkes of the world put behind disposable diapers.

Why switch to cloth?
1. Environment - Think about the landfills that you are not filling up with each cloth diaper you use.
2. Health - disposables are plastic, and have chemicals in them. Would you rather wear plastic or cotton underwear? My girls don't have skin allergies, but I have heard that some babies do much better with cloth.
3. Cost I haven't done my own calculator but the girls have been wearing the same size cloth diapers (fuzzi bunz) for a year now. They were $17 a piece, but I'm sure they have paid for themselves many times over. And you can use them for Baby #2 or 3, or resell them.
4. Cuter do Pampers come in aqua? Brown with pink polka dots? Didn't think so. They come in Elmo and Cookie Monster. There are some super cute brands out there - including a local one called Poppy Pants.

If you want to read a facts and figures side to these issues. Read this Mothering article.

If you don't like to deal with poop. Read this.
If you object to additional laundry. Read this.
If you think its too late to switch to cloth. Read this one.

Just consider.

A New Day Has Dawned

I was hanging with Harper in her room on Sunday after she awoke from her 30 minute nap. Hoping she might find me boring enough to want to go back to sleep - yeah right, nice try Daaddie. As I lay on the floor trying to ignore her antics, she walked over to the bedroom door, reached up on her tippy toes and pulled on the door handle. This is something I have seen before, but she never had the coordination to reach, pull down the handle and move out of the way to pull the door open. All that changed Sunday. She pulled down and stepped out of the way, the door opened 6 inches, then she looked at me, smiled and gave quite a giggle. I tried to pretend like it wasn't a huge accomplishment as she tittered out the door. Times they are a changing.

Newsflash

Harper has been sleeping for 1 hr and 16 minutes. Whoa. nelly. I don't know what to do w/ myself but blog. There's that counter of dirty dishes...

Earth Day

We visited the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Research Center (whew.) this Sunday. A little pre-Earth Day celebration, and a chance to get some bluebonnet pics before they are all gone.

Greg is a big conservationist. He was an eagle scout. One of the principles of scouting is to be Thrify - "a Scout works to pay his way and to help others. He saves for unforeseen needs. He protects and conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property." This is pretty much true about Daddy. He is VERY loath to throw anything away. You would know this if you've peered into our closets, garage or storage shed. And, he is very careful with his belongings.

He has made me more of an environmentalist, and we want to raise the girls to love nature and respect the environment. They better, since one of our aspirations is to quit jobs for a year and drive an RV around the country visiting national parks and landmarks.

Here are some ways that we try to go green:

- recycle (or die)
- compost
- green energy program (all our energy is renewable)
- organic foods as much as possible
- natural/organic cleaners - phasing out the 409s and windex in favor of myers, 7th generation and homemade (mostly vinegar and baking soda concoctions)
- Cloth diapers
- wash on cold (not cloth diapers)
- turn off lights
- keep it hot/cold - we leave the thermostat up in the summer and down in the winter (much to the chagrin of Auntie Bean)
- Use bar mops and diapers for washing and drying up instead of paper towels or sponges (they are easier to launder)
- Reusuable shopping bags (when they are not sitting in the back of the station wagon and I'm up at the checkout. oops.)
- Buy pre-owned. You know my obsession with eBay and the consignment stores.
- Using scrap paper for art projects
- Water conservation - I am bathing about 50% of what I was before twins, and the girls bathe together.

We are making a few other changes. We just got an electric mower to replace our gas one. Its summer and I plan to hit the farmers' markets more to buy local produce. I could shop less. My desire for less clutter, more than the environment, is driving that. Our cars aren't the most fuel efficient, but I heart my volvo.

Looking for any good ideas to save the world ;) ... got any?

BBQ season

The weather is BEAUtiful here in April, so there are always lots of fun bbqs. Last week the Klanns had folks over to their house. Yesterday we hosted in honor of Bob Gee and Richard Peden (friends of Gregs from Lexington) being in town. Rich lives in Toronto, so we think this was his Spring Break. Bob is about to move to Jerusalem where he will be reporting for Cox.

ToyJoy

I have a love/hate relationship with toys. Love it when they occupy H or L for more than 10 minutes. Hate the plastic. Hate the storage. Hate the chemicals that cause them to go into early puberty (o.k. I just caught a snippet of this on PBS today and ran out of the room). I can't hear you, I can't hear you...

I am now strategizing how to rotate toys in and out. Where to store the "hidden" toys. SuperNanny (my sitter) suggested this to keep things fresh. And Montessori teaching says to let the child play with one item and then put it away. Yeah, sounds good in theory, right?

Some mom friends said they just signed up for BabyPlays. Think NetFlix for toys. I need to read the fine print. What if you lose a piece? There is a place in Austin where you can check out toys(for $5 membership, 5 things at a time). They aren't the toys you find at Toys 'r Us, but I like it. Its like the birkenstock of toys. But, sometimes you need a nice peep-toe pump.

These kids (from the website) look like they are having a blast. With plastic rings. Is that really where the $36/month is going?

Twins3

I went on a triple twin playdate today. It was FUN and not just because we got to commisserate on chasing two toddlers. Cole and Reese's momma (Betty Jean WT) also served delicious mimosas and Em and Roo's momma (Christel) brought delicious buttery shortbread.

I love this picture that Christel caught of H&L in the ballpit with Cole. Playah.

Don't feed the animals

Harper was worried about Lucy eating enough so she's giving her a hand.

Montesososorry we lost your child

I toured a Montessori school today in Hyde Park. I liked it. Montessori is a system that has been around 100 years with the goals of providing independence, responsibility, social sense and individuality. According to the rockin' 70s brochure I got (you should see the outfits. awesome.) the purpose of early childhood education is to cultivate a child's natural desire to learn.

I observed some classrooms. In one a child was working on a block sculpture, two others were working on an art project. One was snuggling with the teacher. And then he did "pretend sleep". (I love this one. This is one of H&L's schticks. They "pretend" to sleep. Baby snores and all. Always funny. I had to stifle a laugh as I was supposed to be a silent observer.)

In the more advanced classes they were painting and learning to count by 10s. And they had a bunny. I started wondering, does the bunny get to go home with someone over Christmas break? Someone who has experience caring for bunnies? In my head I had already found temporary homes for my predatory cats.

I'm ready to get on (yet another) waiting list. By my calculations I am out $300 in various deposits around town to be on four different waitlists. Extortion. I am looking at this and one other school (All Saints. Going next week). I think I can only pick one.

Here is the drawback of this Montessori school. Another mother I met let me know she pulled her kid from the program because they (brace yourself) lost several children. Apparently 4-5 of them escaped through a fence, unlatched the gate and were running amok around Hyde Park. For an hour. When a neighborhood parent discovered them.

Naturally, I asked about it. The first thing she told me was they explained to the children why they should not do this (remember this is hippie preschool, not Hell and Brimstone preschool)and then how they fixed the fence. Hmmm, how about counting your kids? So, I'm a little wary. But they have Spanish classes, bring in a bus to do gymnastics in, have an art teacher and do gardening. And there is that bunny.

one tough bunny

Needy

The girls have seem particularly needy lately. Annoyingly so. Like, pick me up now even though you are carrying a load of laundry with one hand and trying to clip the cat toenails with the other. The last few weeks have been tough. I think they are testing me and while Daddy was gone I was only getting Cs. You know you aren't doing so well when you drop the F bomb in front of them.

I think I turned a corner with a change in my perspective. I realize how much they have changed in the 19 short months they have been here. I looked back at old pictures. Harper and Lucy are still in those pictures, but are sort of caricatures of the toddlers I have now.

Right now I know them fully. I can tell who's who with one "momma" or even when they brush up against my leg. I know their toenails and how their breath smells. In fact, I know I'm a full on mommy because I like their stinky breath and sweaty feet. I can get kisses and hugs almost whenever I want (or don't want). They like me right now. I need to cherish this. Because one day they won't want me.

One day they will tell me to go sit back on the bench at the playground (as I witnessed one preschooler tell her mom today). One day they'll shut the door in my face or have me drop them off at the roller rink 2 blocks away. And when that day comes, they probably won't want me to pick them up and smother them with kisses. Their sorority sisters will totally haze them for that.

It makes me wonder. Do moms still want to snuggle their 30 year olds? Or do they love them in a different way. I can't bear to think of me not having the strong physical bond I have now with H&L. (Who's the needy one?) But then again, the conversations with the over 12 set is probably a heck of a lot more interesting.

This is why

my house is a wreck. I was trying to clean up the kitchen when it was just a little too quiet in their bedroom.



o.k., so maybe its not the only reason, but still...

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Today is Daddy's birthday.

We celebrated a bit yesterday with a family trip to the Austin Zoo.



The girls really seemed to like it. Favorites were the monkeys, parrots (they got to make loud squawking parrot noises) and feeding the goats. Harper would dole out one piece of kibble at a time and tried to hit all the goats. She didn't like to give any one goat more than one kibble. Finally, I was holding her and a goat caught the whole bag. I was relieved. Though it caused a bit of a butting ruckus. And I think they ate the bag as well as the kibble. It kind of reminded me of the girls fighting over snacks.



before the bag incident


Lucy was a little frightened of the tiger. But sh*t those things are big. And close. I am used to the National Zoo where the lions and tigers are below you, far away and usually sleeping. We walked next to a female lion who was standing up. And let me tell you. They are big. L&H would be like a jalapeno popper to those guys. I got to see the lions roar really close up though. H&L didn't make it. Mainly because I ran from the family from the parrot display to catch the action.



Last night we got a sitter and went out for a grown up, civilized dinner. I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself. I kept trying to clean Greg's hands with diaper wipes and cajole Auntie Eileen into eating more chicken.

Today we went over to friends for a fun BBQ, where the girls got a taste of one of Daddy's (and mommy's) faves - chocolate peanutbutter icecream cake from Baskin Robbins. I hit the BK hard when I was preggers. CPB was #1, with Jamoca Almond Fudge a close second.

Harper wearing UVA gear (and showing her funny face) in honor of Daddy's B-day.

Bag lady

Lucy loves bags. Grandma BB brought this cute little one. She likes to carry it arounds with her arm straight up in the air. Just to make sure it doesn't slip off.

On second thought, maybe its not the bag, maybe its just carrying a bunch of stuff around on your arms. Like mommy's unmentionables.

Precious Moments - Uncaptured

Most parents video or photograph all the firsts - first steps, first solid foods, first haircut. I have the post-first-haircut photos. But I wasn't about to manage Lucy running around the salon, entertain Harper in the chair AND snap photos.

She's just checking her eBay bids

Zerberts

Tonight at bedtime I was laying on the floor zonked from the week mostly single parenting when Lucy comes over and lifts up my shirt to expose my belly. She starts (I think) giving me kisses, but then I realize she is blowing at the same time. After a few tries she gave me some really loud and proficient zerberts. Hilarious.

Isn't it ironic?

Harper has been taking only 45 min MAX naps since I got back from San Fran. I blame the Grandparents. ;)

When I go in to retrieve her she is always standing up in her crib and says "Nap" when I come in. Like, I know this is nap time still, but....

Where's Mommy?

Last weekend, I was gone to San Francisco to attend a friend's baby shower. It was held in this amazing apartment with stomach-dropping views of all of San Francisco.

Transamerica Building


The Almost Mommy


We got to tour around SanFran. The weather was gorgeous.

GG bridge


Sea Lions


Beach


The girls were at home with Daddy and BB and Granddaddy who came in to visit. From what I can tell they spent a lot of time stealing food from Granddaddy.





and BB


And getting lots of good Daddy time.