I heard a lot when I was carrying twins that we were in for twice the work - twice the diapers, twice the bottles, twice the baths...well, twice the everything. People would say, "It is like having one baby, but double the work." This seemed logical to me because I was carrying two children and that made perfect sense.
Then I gave birth to twins and brought them home from the hospital.
It was during those first three months that I decided that all of these people had no idea what they were talking about. All those people who appropriately spaced out their children so they were able to enjoy each of them individually. Yeah, those people, you know who you are...:)
I remember the first three months were filled with various emotions. I was thrilled that both Peanut & Jelly Bean were healthy and doing great. That was the blessing. I was thrilled because I was the mother of two beautiful little girls which was a huge surprise the day they were born. I was thrilled because my dream of being a mother had finally come true and that God blessed my prayers. No complaints from this twinmama, I am blessed! However, the first three months were also the roughest three months of my life. I was sleep deprived beyond imagine. I was overwhelmed beyond imagine. I was hormonal beyond imagine. I was confused...well, beyond imagine.
The work involved with caring for twin infants is well beyond double the work. Yes, there are double the diapers, bottles and clothing, but it is more than that. No one speaks about the "third" child known as "inconvenience, logistical nightmare and do-overs". Let me explain...
I remember watching my friends who could easily transport their sweet little mobile baby wherever they went. Want to go to the store? No problem! Grab the baby and pack the diaper bag and off you go! Want ME, a mother of twins, to go to the store? Okay, let me grab both babies, hold on, they are getting heavy in their car seats and the diaper bag is crammed full, you know, at least 2 sets of clothes, diapers, 2 sippy cups...wait a minute, I can't carry both car seats and the diaper bag to the car, so I need to take each one to the door and then come back and oh no, Peanut just spit up on her outfit...wait a minute, let me change her, but wait Jelly Bean is already in the car. So I go back and get Jelly Bean because I am paranoid and don't want her alone for more than a minute and then I finally change Peanut and go to put her in the car, but wait! Jelly Bean just pooped in her diaper. Crap. Yeah, that's what's in there alright. Go back for Peanut to bring her back in the house. Change Jelly Bean. I am really tired now. You know, sleep deprivation, right? FORGET IT!! I will just call twindada and have him pick up a pizza for dinner...
It's is more than double the work. It takes some time to figure out how to manage all of the demands, the logistics and emotions that make up the twin life. Each new stage presents new challenges, but it is also amazing how twin parents (and other multiple parents) are able to overcome each hurdle. I figured out how to plan my time better. I learned to not sweat the spit ups and unexpected diaper changes. I learned to recognize that this is hard work and that it is okay to ask for help. I learned that "this too shall pass" and once it is over, I will miss it. And even as hard as those first three months were, I would love to hold my 4 lb twin preemies one more time.
Showing posts with label twins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label twins. Show all posts
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Mamas Everywhere
I have discovered that I am not the only mama living in the house. Sure, I may be the only one that actually has real live children to rear, but there are a couple other mamas around here practicing with their beloved stash of stuffed babies and critters.
Recently, I have been thinking about the differences between boys and girls. I have two nephews and have always seemed to be around boys more than girls until my little duo came along. Before I had the girls, I had ten family members or friends who gave birth within a year's time and eight of those little ones were boys! Needless to say, I was quite alarmed when the nurse told me that I just had two little pinkies. Life certainly was never the same.
I was always frightened by the concept of having girls. According to several women that I know, raising girls is supposedly much harder and more taxing on a mother than boys. Supposedly, we don't worry about our boys as much as we do our little girls. Now, I am no authority on boys since I don't have any and I really am not even an authority on girls either since mine are so little, so I can't answer this question right now. What I can tell you is that many little girls and many little boys have gender roles built right into them. I don't know why this is and why girls and boys pick up on different things even if they are exposed to the same environment, but I have seen it happen time and time again.
Now as my little girls are almost getting to the old age of two, these little personalities have shaped into what I can only believe is their God-given maternal instincts. Of course, those environmental behaviorists can argue that they see me caring for them and they want to imitate me. I totally buy that and from last week's post, you know that I am watching this very carefully. However, it is the sweet little gestures that I am amazed they will do for each other, for me and twindada and for their little brood of stuffed friends.
Peanut especially assumes the role of big sister (by one big whole minute!) quite well. I don't ever treat her like she is older of course, but she just seems to be a little more take charge and affectionate than Jelly Bean. Just today, when I stepped out of the playroom to answer the phone, I turned around and Peanut had found the box of baby wipes, pulled one out and was proceeding to wipe Jelly Bean's nose for her. (Something we have had to do a lot lately.) Jelly Bean giggled while Peanut rested her hand on Jelly Bean's shoulder and babbled something to her that I can only imagine went something like this, "I am going to wipe your nose. Please blow." (Well, this is what I say to her anyway!)
Another example was last night, twindada was laying on the couch and Peanut gathered up a pillow, blanket and some stuff animals and started laying them all over him. Once he was covered up, she looked at him and said, "Night. Night."
Jelly Bean loves to share her sippy cup with everyone around, but she has to hold it. She will walk up to me and stick out her sippy cup making the funniest expression with her face. All I can see is her top lip curled up and her teeth bucked while she sucks in air. I think she is trying to show me how to do it in case I have never used a sippy cup before. I will pretend like I am drinking from it and she gets the biggest laugh from it. I have also caught her feeding her best friend, "Bear", the once white, now unsightly grayish, squished, floppy head bear that is in a permanent headlock under her right arm. (That reminds me that I need to send in a reconnaissance team to take out Bear so that he can get a good washing...)
Many stuffed animals have been put down for naptime and covered up. If I try to ask them what they are doing, they will say, "Shh" while putting their finger to their mouth. What was I thinking? I could have woken up the monkey!
So it is really cool to see them acting out these maternal instinct skills. I have never considered myself very maternal at all really. Before kids, I enjoyed my niece and nephews and friend's kids, but I would say that I have always been more of a playmate than a mother to any of them. (Probably since I am still kind of a big kid myself.) Once I had children, it was amazing how much my perception changed and my confidence grew about raising children. Certainly not because I had all the answers suddenly, but because they were my children and it was up to me and twindada to decide how they were going to be raised and what was important for our family.
I like the fact that the girls are already exhibiting these personalities and I hope that it means they will be more maternal than me. I am so glad that I am teaching them about how to care for others and hope they grow up to be happy mothers of their own little ones.
Recently, I have been thinking about the differences between boys and girls. I have two nephews and have always seemed to be around boys more than girls until my little duo came along. Before I had the girls, I had ten family members or friends who gave birth within a year's time and eight of those little ones were boys! Needless to say, I was quite alarmed when the nurse told me that I just had two little pinkies. Life certainly was never the same.
I was always frightened by the concept of having girls. According to several women that I know, raising girls is supposedly much harder and more taxing on a mother than boys. Supposedly, we don't worry about our boys as much as we do our little girls. Now, I am no authority on boys since I don't have any and I really am not even an authority on girls either since mine are so little, so I can't answer this question right now. What I can tell you is that many little girls and many little boys have gender roles built right into them. I don't know why this is and why girls and boys pick up on different things even if they are exposed to the same environment, but I have seen it happen time and time again.
Now as my little girls are almost getting to the old age of two, these little personalities have shaped into what I can only believe is their God-given maternal instincts. Of course, those environmental behaviorists can argue that they see me caring for them and they want to imitate me. I totally buy that and from last week's post, you know that I am watching this very carefully. However, it is the sweet little gestures that I am amazed they will do for each other, for me and twindada and for their little brood of stuffed friends.
Peanut especially assumes the role of big sister (by one big whole minute!) quite well. I don't ever treat her like she is older of course, but she just seems to be a little more take charge and affectionate than Jelly Bean. Just today, when I stepped out of the playroom to answer the phone, I turned around and Peanut had found the box of baby wipes, pulled one out and was proceeding to wipe Jelly Bean's nose for her. (Something we have had to do a lot lately.) Jelly Bean giggled while Peanut rested her hand on Jelly Bean's shoulder and babbled something to her that I can only imagine went something like this, "I am going to wipe your nose. Please blow." (Well, this is what I say to her anyway!)
Another example was last night, twindada was laying on the couch and Peanut gathered up a pillow, blanket and some stuff animals and started laying them all over him. Once he was covered up, she looked at him and said, "Night. Night."
Jelly Bean loves to share her sippy cup with everyone around, but she has to hold it. She will walk up to me and stick out her sippy cup making the funniest expression with her face. All I can see is her top lip curled up and her teeth bucked while she sucks in air. I think she is trying to show me how to do it in case I have never used a sippy cup before. I will pretend like I am drinking from it and she gets the biggest laugh from it. I have also caught her feeding her best friend, "Bear", the once white, now unsightly grayish, squished, floppy head bear that is in a permanent headlock under her right arm. (That reminds me that I need to send in a reconnaissance team to take out Bear so that he can get a good washing...)
Many stuffed animals have been put down for naptime and covered up. If I try to ask them what they are doing, they will say, "Shh" while putting their finger to their mouth. What was I thinking? I could have woken up the monkey!
So it is really cool to see them acting out these maternal instinct skills. I have never considered myself very maternal at all really. Before kids, I enjoyed my niece and nephews and friend's kids, but I would say that I have always been more of a playmate than a mother to any of them. (Probably since I am still kind of a big kid myself.) Once I had children, it was amazing how much my perception changed and my confidence grew about raising children. Certainly not because I had all the answers suddenly, but because they were my children and it was up to me and twindada to decide how they were going to be raised and what was important for our family.
I like the fact that the girls are already exhibiting these personalities and I hope that it means they will be more maternal than me. I am so glad that I am teaching them about how to care for others and hope they grow up to be happy mothers of their own little ones.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Forget The Self Help Books
It has come to my attention that as I think about my personal goals this week, I realize that one thing that won't be a weekly challenge as part of TLC is that I will never read a self help book. It isn't like there aren't good books out there to read, but all that I really need to know about myself, I can learn from my kids.
I was taken back recently at how much my girls are little sponges and literally imitate my words, mannerisms or actions. This is endearing and frightening all at the same time. It really isn't until we have children, do we really know ourselves. They are two little mirrors running around my house and every time I look at them, I realize how much they are learning from me. And by them learning from me, I am learning about myself.
There is this PBS public service announcement where a mom is frantically running around trying to get dinner cooked while the kids are hanging out. It is clear she is stressed out and gets involved in so many tasks that she ends up burning dinner. At that point, she has a decision to make on how she is going to respond to the stress of the moment. Does she scream with frustration? Does she throw something? Does she walk out of the room? She has a decision to make and she better make it a good one. Why? Because the kids are watching.
...gulp...
Ever make the wrong decision?
I know that have. I have gotten mad and stressed out and about ready to freak out and then see two little pairs of eyes watching me. How I deal with stress is really going to shape how they are going to deal with stress. If I don't teach them to take a breath, think through an issue and re-tackle it with a positive attitude, then they will only learn to stomp off, cry, scream or snap at others. If no one teaches them, how can they learn?
Also, I realize that some of the things that I do are quite annoying. Like for instance, if someone is getting into something they are not supposed to get into, I will lead them away from it and if they resist, I will tell them to, "Go!" Well, this seemed like the right thing to do until one day when Peanut approached me, nudged my knee and said, "Go, Go!" My reply was, "No, you go!" She came back with another, "Go, Go" along with a finger pointed at me. Sigh.
Now the girls are telling the dogs to hush all the time. It doesn't matter if the dogs are barking or not. The dogs get told to "Hush!" and I am sure that is quite annoying for them. Where did they learn that at? Me. When the dogs start barking, I will get after them. Again, it seemed like the right thing to do until Jelly Bean pointed her finger (again, the finger point, ugh!) and told Sydney to "Hush!" when the poor dog was just walking across the dining room.
Okay, so I clearly need to stop pointing my fingers. I don't like it when people point their fingers at me - why would I teach them that? Did I know I was teaching them that? No. But that is the point. I don't know what I am teaching them at any given minute. They are going to pick up the good and the bad.
So, while I am teaching them their numbers, colors and ABC's, this year I have to be more mindful of the little things they are learning as well. I want them to know how to handle a stressful situation. I want them to learn how to communicate effectively with others.
How I handle these things makes the difference as to whether the girls learn them or not. And if I am not getting something right, my girls will let me know.
I was taken back recently at how much my girls are little sponges and literally imitate my words, mannerisms or actions. This is endearing and frightening all at the same time. It really isn't until we have children, do we really know ourselves. They are two little mirrors running around my house and every time I look at them, I realize how much they are learning from me. And by them learning from me, I am learning about myself.
There is this PBS public service announcement where a mom is frantically running around trying to get dinner cooked while the kids are hanging out. It is clear she is stressed out and gets involved in so many tasks that she ends up burning dinner. At that point, she has a decision to make on how she is going to respond to the stress of the moment. Does she scream with frustration? Does she throw something? Does she walk out of the room? She has a decision to make and she better make it a good one. Why? Because the kids are watching.
...gulp...
Ever make the wrong decision?
I know that have. I have gotten mad and stressed out and about ready to freak out and then see two little pairs of eyes watching me. How I deal with stress is really going to shape how they are going to deal with stress. If I don't teach them to take a breath, think through an issue and re-tackle it with a positive attitude, then they will only learn to stomp off, cry, scream or snap at others. If no one teaches them, how can they learn?
Also, I realize that some of the things that I do are quite annoying. Like for instance, if someone is getting into something they are not supposed to get into, I will lead them away from it and if they resist, I will tell them to, "Go!" Well, this seemed like the right thing to do until one day when Peanut approached me, nudged my knee and said, "Go, Go!" My reply was, "No, you go!" She came back with another, "Go, Go" along with a finger pointed at me. Sigh.
Now the girls are telling the dogs to hush all the time. It doesn't matter if the dogs are barking or not. The dogs get told to "Hush!" and I am sure that is quite annoying for them. Where did they learn that at? Me. When the dogs start barking, I will get after them. Again, it seemed like the right thing to do until Jelly Bean pointed her finger (again, the finger point, ugh!) and told Sydney to "Hush!" when the poor dog was just walking across the dining room.
Okay, so I clearly need to stop pointing my fingers. I don't like it when people point their fingers at me - why would I teach them that? Did I know I was teaching them that? No. But that is the point. I don't know what I am teaching them at any given minute. They are going to pick up the good and the bad.
So, while I am teaching them their numbers, colors and ABC's, this year I have to be more mindful of the little things they are learning as well. I want them to know how to handle a stressful situation. I want them to learn how to communicate effectively with others.
How I handle these things makes the difference as to whether the girls learn them or not. And if I am not getting something right, my girls will let me know.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
A Few Of My Favorite Things: My Favorite Posts Of 2008
This week, I am wrapping up 2008 with some reviews and awards. Each post will contain information about twinmama's picks for the year, so stayed tuned for a new topic each time.
On this final day of 2008, I wanted to share with you all my favorite posts from this year. Some of them are mine, but some of them are yours, too! For everyone that reads my blog, I am truly appreciative and there is a big reason that I hang out at your place, too. I am addicted to all of your blogs and enjoy reading about what is going on in your neck of the woods. So please accept my humblest gratitude (grovel, grovel) for sharing in my little world here in twinland.
Now, let the Bringing Up Twins list begin!
1. Our Walk (8/15/08) I think this post was the first time that I finally got into the groove of writing on my blog. I loved the experience of strolling around taking in the sights of my present and reflecting on my past.
2. They Won't Stop Dripping! (9/3/2008) This was my funny little way of categorizing various forms of snot. If you missed it, you just have to go check it out. Next time you have a round of colds in your house, then you will be prepared.
3. Thanks, Dad (12/15/2008) I received my highest number of comments on this post and I have to admit that I cried all the way through writing it. Although it was a recent post, it was one that I really liked.
Now. I have received a few awards over the past few months and I am so thankful for those! I wanted to do something special and do a "Bringing Up Twins" award, but I didn't think that anyone would want a BUT award. Hmm...so instead, I am offering my favorite posts from some of my favorite blogs and at the end I will tell you what you all won. (Hee Hee, brace yourself.)
1.Me....pregnant again? This HAS to be a joke, right? (12/11/2008) Helene at I'm Living Proof That God Has a Sense of Humor is a mother of TWO sets of twins. (That is four kids to those that are mathematically challenged.) Her posts are amazing, so it was really hard to pick just one, but this post literally had me holding my breath and about as nervous as you can get. You just have to read it to understand what I mean.
2. Tales from the Shower (9/2/2008) Jen at Happily-Ever-After-Land is so creative and hilarious. Her take on what it is like to take a shower while your toddler is on the loose is so on the mark! She has a humorous style to her writing that makes every post an enjoyable read. This post made me laugh so hard that I just had to show it to twindada who got a kick out of it, too.
3. Barbie vs. Bratz (11/21/2008) I struggled with what post to pick of Kim's at The Mommy Machine. She has an amazing sense of humor and very witty. She has four daughters and the youngest are twin girls, so she lives in the world of pink, too. Her comparison of Barbie and Bratz dolls had me laughing out loud - check it out!
There you have it! It was hard for me to just pick three blogs because I have a ton of favorite blogs that I frequent. I am looking forward to more entertaining and informative posts from my blogosphere posse.
Now, do you want to know what you all above won? Well...if you stroll on over to Bringing Up Twins you will notice this page is not available. Well, that is because I own it now! Whoo Hoo! I am the proud owner of www.bringinguptwins.com. I couldn't believe that it was available, but alas (there is that word again), it was and I snatched it up before someone else got the chance.
I know you are thinking, "okay, twinmama, what does this have to do with me?" Well, here is the vision. Come mid-late February after I have wrestled twindada to the ground to get it all set up, I plan on going live with my new site and saying goodbye to ole blogger. With the new site will come the same old posts you have seen from me along with some other features that I will talk about down the road. So, winners, you will receive a placement on my website!
Okay, it is not as exciting as you thought, sorry. We run on a very low budget here, we have twins, what do you expect?
So that is my wrap up for the year. Thanks for checking it out and a very blessed New Year to all of you!
On this final day of 2008, I wanted to share with you all my favorite posts from this year. Some of them are mine, but some of them are yours, too! For everyone that reads my blog, I am truly appreciative and there is a big reason that I hang out at your place, too. I am addicted to all of your blogs and enjoy reading about what is going on in your neck of the woods. So please accept my humblest gratitude (grovel, grovel) for sharing in my little world here in twinland.
Now, let the Bringing Up Twins list begin!
1. Our Walk (8/15/08) I think this post was the first time that I finally got into the groove of writing on my blog. I loved the experience of strolling around taking in the sights of my present and reflecting on my past.
2. They Won't Stop Dripping! (9/3/2008) This was my funny little way of categorizing various forms of snot. If you missed it, you just have to go check it out. Next time you have a round of colds in your house, then you will be prepared.
3. Thanks, Dad (12/15/2008) I received my highest number of comments on this post and I have to admit that I cried all the way through writing it. Although it was a recent post, it was one that I really liked.
Now. I have received a few awards over the past few months and I am so thankful for those! I wanted to do something special and do a "Bringing Up Twins" award, but I didn't think that anyone would want a BUT award. Hmm...so instead, I am offering my favorite posts from some of my favorite blogs and at the end I will tell you what you all won. (Hee Hee, brace yourself.)
1.Me....pregnant again? This HAS to be a joke, right? (12/11/2008) Helene at I'm Living Proof That God Has a Sense of Humor is a mother of TWO sets of twins. (That is four kids to those that are mathematically challenged.) Her posts are amazing, so it was really hard to pick just one, but this post literally had me holding my breath and about as nervous as you can get. You just have to read it to understand what I mean.
2. Tales from the Shower (9/2/2008) Jen at Happily-Ever-After-Land is so creative and hilarious. Her take on what it is like to take a shower while your toddler is on the loose is so on the mark! She has a humorous style to her writing that makes every post an enjoyable read. This post made me laugh so hard that I just had to show it to twindada who got a kick out of it, too.
3. Barbie vs. Bratz (11/21/2008) I struggled with what post to pick of Kim's at The Mommy Machine. She has an amazing sense of humor and very witty. She has four daughters and the youngest are twin girls, so she lives in the world of pink, too. Her comparison of Barbie and Bratz dolls had me laughing out loud - check it out!
There you have it! It was hard for me to just pick three blogs because I have a ton of favorite blogs that I frequent. I am looking forward to more entertaining and informative posts from my blogosphere posse.
Now, do you want to know what you all above won? Well...if you stroll on over to Bringing Up Twins you will notice this page is not available. Well, that is because I own it now! Whoo Hoo! I am the proud owner of www.bringinguptwins.com. I couldn't believe that it was available, but alas (there is that word again), it was and I snatched it up before someone else got the chance.
I know you are thinking, "okay, twinmama, what does this have to do with me?" Well, here is the vision. Come mid-late February after I have wrestled twindada to the ground to get it all set up, I plan on going live with my new site and saying goodbye to ole blogger. With the new site will come the same old posts you have seen from me along with some other features that I will talk about down the road. So, winners, you will receive a placement on my website!
Okay, it is not as exciting as you thought, sorry. We run on a very low budget here, we have twins, what do you expect?
So that is my wrap up for the year. Thanks for checking it out and a very blessed New Year to all of you!
Monday, December 29, 2008
A Few Of My Favorite Things: The Gear That Kept Us Going
This week, I am wrapping up 2008 with some reviews and awards. Each post will contain information about twinmama's picks for the year, so stayed tuned for a new topic each time.
So how exactly do we keep those babies washed, fed, clothed and entertained? I wish that I could say it was my amazing charm and talent that keeps Peanut and Jelly Bean in tip top shape, but alas I would be lying...did I just say 'alas'? Okay, so here are my top favorite items that got us through the year...
1. Keeping My Sanity - There are strollers and then there are jogging strollers or "joggers". And yet again there are double jogging strollers. Not all strollers are alike and certainly not all jogging strollers are meant for running. (That is kind of strange, isn't it?) But if you like to run and have two itie-bities to travel with, then the BOB Duallie Sport Utility stroller is for you. It has a 16 inch, stationary front wheel, serious off-roading tires, emergency hand brake, comfortable child straps and well, it just looks sweet. I chose red, but it also comes in blue. Buy one today.
2. Cleaning Up After the Little Ones. How many messes are you cleaning up? I clean up a ton of whatever on a regular basis. I started searching for a product that I felt comfortable using around the girls that would eliminate the mess, but also seem safer. That is when I discovered Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Cleaner. It is awesome. I use it to clean their booster seats, toys, potty chairs, door handles, kitchen counters, anywhere. It eliminates germs, but it safe to use around children, pets and spaces where food is prepared.
3. Keeping Those Bottoms Healthy. There are a ton of diaper rash ointments on the market and they all do a pretty decent job at eliminating red tushes, however I was turned on to a product that few people that I know at least have heard about it. It is called Resinol. The active ingredients in the ointment are petrolatum (skin protectorant) and resorcinol (topical analgesic) and the inactive ingredients are lanolin, calamine, corn starch and zinc oxide. Most brands only contain one of these ingredients, but Resinol has them all. Since it contains calamine, it can only be applied four times a day, but healing begins quickly. No prescription is needed, but you may have to ask your pharmacist to order.
4. A Place For the Kiddos To Eat. Thank you, Fisher Price Space Saver High Chairs. I have recently retired these high chairs, but for over a year and a half they have been essential for our family. They fit directly onto an existing chair, so they do not take up any more room than necessary. I have two concerns about these chairs that I hope that someone at ole' F-P could address: Make the cover machine washable and also make the cover fit over the sides of the seat so food can't slip underneath. Other than that, a good alternative for the cramped kitchen.
5. Keeping Them Busy. When Peanut and Jelly Bean were 12 months old, I pulled out the Baby Einstein Alphabooks box and let them open it and explore. An hour later, yes, you heard right, they were still playing with all the books. This product is amazing! It is a cardboard box containing 26 individual alphabet books. In each book there are three pages with a word on each page and a picture or photograph of the word. To this day, the girls love to sit and look through these books and the fact they come in a box is a total bonus. God love the friend who bought them for the girls!
There you have it, folks! I could go on, but then my list wouldn't be very special now, would it? I hope that I have given you a little glimpse into our past year and I hope next year that I can tell you the Baby Bjorn potty chairs rock, too. (But we will see, we are still in testing mode here at the twinfamily house.)
Stay tuned for my next installment!
So how exactly do we keep those babies washed, fed, clothed and entertained? I wish that I could say it was my amazing charm and talent that keeps Peanut and Jelly Bean in tip top shape, but alas I would be lying...did I just say 'alas'? Okay, so here are my top favorite items that got us through the year...
1. Keeping My Sanity - There are strollers and then there are jogging strollers or "joggers". And yet again there are double jogging strollers. Not all strollers are alike and certainly not all jogging strollers are meant for running. (That is kind of strange, isn't it?) But if you like to run and have two itie-bities to travel with, then the BOB Duallie Sport Utility stroller is for you. It has a 16 inch, stationary front wheel, serious off-roading tires, emergency hand brake, comfortable child straps and well, it just looks sweet. I chose red, but it also comes in blue. Buy one today.
2. Cleaning Up After the Little Ones. How many messes are you cleaning up? I clean up a ton of whatever on a regular basis. I started searching for a product that I felt comfortable using around the girls that would eliminate the mess, but also seem safer. That is when I discovered Clorox Anywhere Hard Surface Cleaner. It is awesome. I use it to clean their booster seats, toys, potty chairs, door handles, kitchen counters, anywhere. It eliminates germs, but it safe to use around children, pets and spaces where food is prepared.
3. Keeping Those Bottoms Healthy. There are a ton of diaper rash ointments on the market and they all do a pretty decent job at eliminating red tushes, however I was turned on to a product that few people that I know at least have heard about it. It is called Resinol. The active ingredients in the ointment are petrolatum (skin protectorant) and resorcinol (topical analgesic) and the inactive ingredients are lanolin, calamine, corn starch and zinc oxide. Most brands only contain one of these ingredients, but Resinol has them all. Since it contains calamine, it can only be applied four times a day, but healing begins quickly. No prescription is needed, but you may have to ask your pharmacist to order.
4. A Place For the Kiddos To Eat. Thank you, Fisher Price Space Saver High Chairs. I have recently retired these high chairs, but for over a year and a half they have been essential for our family. They fit directly onto an existing chair, so they do not take up any more room than necessary. I have two concerns about these chairs that I hope that someone at ole' F-P could address: Make the cover machine washable and also make the cover fit over the sides of the seat so food can't slip underneath. Other than that, a good alternative for the cramped kitchen.
5. Keeping Them Busy. When Peanut and Jelly Bean were 12 months old, I pulled out the Baby Einstein Alphabooks box and let them open it and explore. An hour later, yes, you heard right, they were still playing with all the books. This product is amazing! It is a cardboard box containing 26 individual alphabet books. In each book there are three pages with a word on each page and a picture or photograph of the word. To this day, the girls love to sit and look through these books and the fact they come in a box is a total bonus. God love the friend who bought them for the girls!
There you have it, folks! I could go on, but then my list wouldn't be very special now, would it? I hope that I have given you a little glimpse into our past year and I hope next year that I can tell you the Baby Bjorn potty chairs rock, too. (But we will see, we are still in testing mode here at the twinfamily house.)
Stay tuned for my next installment!
Friday, December 19, 2008
I'm A Mean Mom
The other day I had a conversation with someone who was explaining to me that another mother was having a hard time with her child. After much frustration, she would just give in and give the child whatever he or she wanted. She said, "I just want to make my child happy."
My immediate response to this was, "You should never do that!" Immediately, we started laughing because of what I said. It sounded harsh and funny for me to even go there, but perhaps there is some truth to me saying this.
Now, I absolutely love to see my children happy. I can't wait for Santa Claus to swing by and to see their little faces as they open their presents. (We are having a Dora the Explorer Christmas - so much of what they are getting is Dora that they will probably not like Dora anymore!) And I love to watch twindada play with them and watch them giggle wildly as he gets on the floor with them and flies them through the air or they use him as a big play gym. I can't wait until this spring when we can go to the zoo and see all the baby animals. I know that will make them very happy and because of that, I will be very happy.
The type of "happy" that I don't like is when parents give in to their kids to the point where it is turning them into brats or putting them on a path to an unsafe or unhealthy life. I don't think that it is wise to always allow your child that extra cookie (for example) every time they ask for one. This type of indulgence is setting the child up for a) thinking they can have anything they want at anytime and b) creating unhealthy eating habits.
I am all for picking our battles. I know that as parents there are times when we just break and can't deal with the whining one more minute so sticking a cookie in the child's mouth is the best option at that moment. I get this. I have been there before and know that I will be there again...probably sooner than I would like.
However it's important to consider a question when it comes to parenting and it is this, "Who is running the show?" If a child makes one peep and every person over 5 feet tall jumps, then the answer is obvious. I have heard of parents who are almost afraid of their kids and don't want to see them cry or freak out. Just watch The Nanny on television. I sit there in amazement wondering how parents could let that child get that bad. I know that all families have struggles and kids go through stages where they are unruly and difficult to correct, but I also know that issues have to be dealt with and not ignored which seems to be the common thread for all of the families on this show.
Sweeping things under the rug and allowing a child to get away with anything won't make them happy for very long because they will get bored. If a child is always getting a cookie, then next time, they will know they can cry and get a candy bar or a car or whatever. Of course, it is okay to give our children things, but it needs to be justified or because we think they deserve it, not because they told us they want it and want it now. When we give a child something they don't deserve, not only do they not give anything in return, but they actually lack respect for their parents.
So, I am a mean mom, proudly speaking. My kids are quite young and already the testing of the waters has begun. Peanut asks me all day long for a cookie. She is very sweet about it and I could really indulge her and give her one each time she asks, but we wouldn't have any left for the rest of the week! So, instead, I tell her "no", but then at designated snack times, she is allowed the cookie she waited patiently for all day. Some parents are probably thinking, "Oh, c'mon! It is just a silly cookie! Give it to her!" Well, I say that withholding that silly cookie until it is time to enjoy it is far better and tastier than the 10 cookies she would possibly shovel into her mouth all day. And it is far better for me and twindada that she understands there are rules and we expect her to follow them.
It isn't a perfect science especially with very young children. They are by the very nature of being babies the most egocentric beings on this planet. They truly believe that the world revolves around them. No other child or adult comes close to importance in their eyes. That is why setting ground rules for what is tolerated and what is not is essential for a twin parent. I don't solely love Peanut. I also equally love Jelly Bean. What I do for one or don't do for one, I have to do for the other. I work really hard to be fair to the girls and treat them equally as this is an important part of my mission as a mother of twins. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fall short, but I keep a conscious effort to try.
Being a mean mom means loving my children enough to know the difference between the child that cries who needs something and the child that cries who wants something. I really don't let crying bother me too much. I have had many times over the past couple of months where one of my girls has flopped down on the floor for a good old fashion tantrum and I just walk over and make sure that toys are out of her way and she is safe and then I let her do what she has to do. I don't respond or even let her think she has an audience. In seconds, the tantrum is over and she goes back to normal play. No biggie. Life goes on. And she still didn't get what she wanted.
It's working now...will it work in the future? Hard telling...but one thing that I have learned over the past 22 months is stay consistent. If something is clearly not working, then of course I re-direct my efforts to better ways of dealing with the issue. I do consult moms that I respect and ask for advice, ask my doctor (she rocks) and then I remember who I am dealing with and tailor it around that personality type. However if I don't stay consistent enough, there is massive confusion. Children don't "magically" know the ground rules like you and I do. And we didn't "magically" know them when we were their age either. We were told what is expected of us and it became ingrained into our heads to the point that it is common knowledge for us, but to a little one this is whole new stuff. That is why children test and why when children are shown the boundaries respond better than those who are given a free-for-all.
So, again, I am a mean mom. I love my kids, I want them to be happy, but I won't compromise their development by giving into their every indulgence. When my girls are older and someone asks them to describe their mom, I would love to hear these 3 words - tough, fair and loving.
Tough - "Mom was strict sometimes, but she was reasonable, we respected her and know she did it for our advantage."
Fair - "We never had to worry that Mom loved someone more than the other. She gave her heart equally to us both."
Loving - "She loved us more than her own breath. She cuddled us, kissed us and made sure that we knew how special we were to her every day."
I love them enough to know that the proper placements of "Yes's" and "No's" will only help them to grow into healthy, well manner adults.
Isn't that what we are trying to do anyway?
My immediate response to this was, "You should never do that!" Immediately, we started laughing because of what I said. It sounded harsh and funny for me to even go there, but perhaps there is some truth to me saying this.
Now, I absolutely love to see my children happy. I can't wait for Santa Claus to swing by and to see their little faces as they open their presents. (We are having a Dora the Explorer Christmas - so much of what they are getting is Dora that they will probably not like Dora anymore!) And I love to watch twindada play with them and watch them giggle wildly as he gets on the floor with them and flies them through the air or they use him as a big play gym. I can't wait until this spring when we can go to the zoo and see all the baby animals. I know that will make them very happy and because of that, I will be very happy.
The type of "happy" that I don't like is when parents give in to their kids to the point where it is turning them into brats or putting them on a path to an unsafe or unhealthy life. I don't think that it is wise to always allow your child that extra cookie (for example) every time they ask for one. This type of indulgence is setting the child up for a) thinking they can have anything they want at anytime and b) creating unhealthy eating habits.
I am all for picking our battles. I know that as parents there are times when we just break and can't deal with the whining one more minute so sticking a cookie in the child's mouth is the best option at that moment. I get this. I have been there before and know that I will be there again...probably sooner than I would like.
However it's important to consider a question when it comes to parenting and it is this, "Who is running the show?" If a child makes one peep and every person over 5 feet tall jumps, then the answer is obvious. I have heard of parents who are almost afraid of their kids and don't want to see them cry or freak out. Just watch The Nanny on television. I sit there in amazement wondering how parents could let that child get that bad. I know that all families have struggles and kids go through stages where they are unruly and difficult to correct, but I also know that issues have to be dealt with and not ignored which seems to be the common thread for all of the families on this show.
Sweeping things under the rug and allowing a child to get away with anything won't make them happy for very long because they will get bored. If a child is always getting a cookie, then next time, they will know they can cry and get a candy bar or a car or whatever. Of course, it is okay to give our children things, but it needs to be justified or because we think they deserve it, not because they told us they want it and want it now. When we give a child something they don't deserve, not only do they not give anything in return, but they actually lack respect for their parents.
So, I am a mean mom, proudly speaking. My kids are quite young and already the testing of the waters has begun. Peanut asks me all day long for a cookie. She is very sweet about it and I could really indulge her and give her one each time she asks, but we wouldn't have any left for the rest of the week! So, instead, I tell her "no", but then at designated snack times, she is allowed the cookie she waited patiently for all day. Some parents are probably thinking, "Oh, c'mon! It is just a silly cookie! Give it to her!" Well, I say that withholding that silly cookie until it is time to enjoy it is far better and tastier than the 10 cookies she would possibly shovel into her mouth all day. And it is far better for me and twindada that she understands there are rules and we expect her to follow them.
It isn't a perfect science especially with very young children. They are by the very nature of being babies the most egocentric beings on this planet. They truly believe that the world revolves around them. No other child or adult comes close to importance in their eyes. That is why setting ground rules for what is tolerated and what is not is essential for a twin parent. I don't solely love Peanut. I also equally love Jelly Bean. What I do for one or don't do for one, I have to do for the other. I work really hard to be fair to the girls and treat them equally as this is an important part of my mission as a mother of twins. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fall short, but I keep a conscious effort to try.
Being a mean mom means loving my children enough to know the difference between the child that cries who needs something and the child that cries who wants something. I really don't let crying bother me too much. I have had many times over the past couple of months where one of my girls has flopped down on the floor for a good old fashion tantrum and I just walk over and make sure that toys are out of her way and she is safe and then I let her do what she has to do. I don't respond or even let her think she has an audience. In seconds, the tantrum is over and she goes back to normal play. No biggie. Life goes on. And she still didn't get what she wanted.
It's working now...will it work in the future? Hard telling...but one thing that I have learned over the past 22 months is stay consistent. If something is clearly not working, then of course I re-direct my efforts to better ways of dealing with the issue. I do consult moms that I respect and ask for advice, ask my doctor (she rocks) and then I remember who I am dealing with and tailor it around that personality type. However if I don't stay consistent enough, there is massive confusion. Children don't "magically" know the ground rules like you and I do. And we didn't "magically" know them when we were their age either. We were told what is expected of us and it became ingrained into our heads to the point that it is common knowledge for us, but to a little one this is whole new stuff. That is why children test and why when children are shown the boundaries respond better than those who are given a free-for-all.
So, again, I am a mean mom. I love my kids, I want them to be happy, but I won't compromise their development by giving into their every indulgence. When my girls are older and someone asks them to describe their mom, I would love to hear these 3 words - tough, fair and loving.
Tough - "Mom was strict sometimes, but she was reasonable, we respected her and know she did it for our advantage."
Fair - "We never had to worry that Mom loved someone more than the other. She gave her heart equally to us both."
Loving - "She loved us more than her own breath. She cuddled us, kissed us and made sure that we knew how special we were to her every day."
I love them enough to know that the proper placements of "Yes's" and "No's" will only help them to grow into healthy, well manner adults.
Isn't that what we are trying to do anyway?
Friday, December 12, 2008
Quit Your Whining!
This week, I hereby designated our house a "NWZ". This stands for "No Whining Zone." Peanut and Jelly Bean have decided that even when there is nothing to be upset about, they will whine and fuss. They could be smiling and still whining at the same. It is getting under my skin...but thought I would give it a whirl once and see if it made me feel better. And since it isn't socially appropriate or legal for that matter for me to stand in the middle of the grocery store and have a tantrum, I am going to have a blog tantrum...
Wahh! I have to get out of bed because Peanut and Jelly Bean are up and are yelling, "Mommy!" I want to change my name! Wahh! I have to change two sets of diapers, change their clothes and carry them downstairs for breakfast. Booo-Hoooo!! They actually want to eat breakfast, why can't they fix it themselves? How hard is it to pour some milk and grab the cereal...why do I have to do it? I want to go back to bed....wahhhh....
Sniffle-sniffle...I just want to drink a cup of coffee and relax for a bit before I start my day...but instead I am re-filling sippy cups, making sure that little girls are playing nice and trying to teach them something constructive for the day....
Everyone is settled for now...I could relax now, but I should really do some work...wahhh!!!
I finally get to put in some work and then a poop cloud hits the room. Wahh!! I have to change a poopy diaper....
...WAHH! I just put away the diaper supplies and 5 minutes later, the other girl has a poopy diaper...
Booo-Hooo! Life is so unfair! I have to feed them lunch now...they have to eat again? Wahh!!
Nap time...my time...but wait, no it isn't my time. It is work if I can, then dishes, laundry, sweeping, moping, picking up to do. WAH!!
Give me two hours to get some stuff done...please...I need that time...but wait! Peanut wakes up only after an hour...I try to sneak out of the room with her, but then Jelly Bean wakes up immediately and gets mad because I am leaving her behind....sobbing...
More diaper changes, sippy cups, playing, watching Noggin....wahh! Why can't we ever watch what I want to watch on TV? WAAAAH!!
Now it is time to make dinner, there is nothing to fix....boo hooo...figure out something while girls are occupied by Noggin...the song on Wow Wow Wubzy drives me crazy! Wah!
Dinner is okay, but the girls won't touch it....sniffle sniffle...
While the girls are eating, I make myself a plate and eat wishing that twindada was already home and we were eating together, but he has an hour and a half commute, so that isn't going to happen...boo hooo...
Time to wash dishes, twindada arrives home safely, eats his own dinner and plays with the girls while I clean up the kitchen...once I am finished with the kitchen, I go to run bathwater for the girls. I have to give them baths now! WAH!!
The crazy little girls are splashing me with water. Wah!
Their clean sleepers are downstairs in the dryer...wah!
Finally get them to sleep...whew...
I can finally relax. No wait, I still have more work to do. I will be up late. And then I can sleep for a little bit and do it all over again the next day. WAHH!
Wow, I kind of feel better...maybe I should have that tantrum in the middle of the grocery store...
Wahh! I have to get out of bed because Peanut and Jelly Bean are up and are yelling, "Mommy!" I want to change my name! Wahh! I have to change two sets of diapers, change their clothes and carry them downstairs for breakfast. Booo-Hoooo!! They actually want to eat breakfast, why can't they fix it themselves? How hard is it to pour some milk and grab the cereal...why do I have to do it? I want to go back to bed....wahhhh....
Sniffle-sniffle...I just want to drink a cup of coffee and relax for a bit before I start my day...but instead I am re-filling sippy cups, making sure that little girls are playing nice and trying to teach them something constructive for the day....
Everyone is settled for now...I could relax now, but I should really do some work...wahhh!!!
I finally get to put in some work and then a poop cloud hits the room. Wahh!! I have to change a poopy diaper....
...WAHH! I just put away the diaper supplies and 5 minutes later, the other girl has a poopy diaper...
Booo-Hooo! Life is so unfair! I have to feed them lunch now...they have to eat again? Wahh!!
Nap time...my time...but wait, no it isn't my time. It is work if I can, then dishes, laundry, sweeping, moping, picking up to do. WAH!!
Give me two hours to get some stuff done...please...I need that time...but wait! Peanut wakes up only after an hour...I try to sneak out of the room with her, but then Jelly Bean wakes up immediately and gets mad because I am leaving her behind....sobbing...
More diaper changes, sippy cups, playing, watching Noggin....wahh! Why can't we ever watch what I want to watch on TV? WAAAAH!!
Now it is time to make dinner, there is nothing to fix....boo hooo...figure out something while girls are occupied by Noggin...the song on Wow Wow Wubzy drives me crazy! Wah!
Dinner is okay, but the girls won't touch it....sniffle sniffle...
While the girls are eating, I make myself a plate and eat wishing that twindada was already home and we were eating together, but he has an hour and a half commute, so that isn't going to happen...boo hooo...
Time to wash dishes, twindada arrives home safely, eats his own dinner and plays with the girls while I clean up the kitchen...once I am finished with the kitchen, I go to run bathwater for the girls. I have to give them baths now! WAH!!
The crazy little girls are splashing me with water. Wah!
Their clean sleepers are downstairs in the dryer...wah!
Finally get them to sleep...whew...
I can finally relax. No wait, I still have more work to do. I will be up late. And then I can sleep for a little bit and do it all over again the next day. WAHH!
Wow, I kind of feel better...maybe I should have that tantrum in the middle of the grocery store...
Sunday, December 7, 2008
TLC Coming January 4th, 2009!
As previously posted, in 2009 Bringing Up Twins is kicking off "Twinmama's Lifestyle Challenge" on Sunday, January 4th, 2009. Here are the details once again:
1. Every Sunday, I will post my one new challenge for the week. It will be a small thing that I am either giving up, a habit that I am trying to adopt or a modification to perhaps a previous challenge that needed tweaking (though I hope this is rare.)
2. Challenges will start officially on Monday and continue indefinitely. Even though there is a new challenge each week, the idea is to build on the challenges. Therefore, week 1 challenge continues even when week 2 challenge begins. I am trying to build habits and make small changes that will produce effective results for overall goals.
3. Bringing Up Twins readers are invited to participate in the challenges each week or follow their own challenge. I know my goals may not be the same as others, so if you would like to be a part of TLC, but don't like the challenges, by all means, create your own and go for it!
4. I will share my previous week's results with you all and invite you to do the same. When I post the new challenge on Sunday, I will share my results of the previous week's challenge and any other highlights to past challenges as appropriate. You are free to make any comments about the challenges. Also, if you create your own challenge, I would love to know what it was. It may become a future challenge for me, who knows!
Have you thought about it? Are you in? So, for $19.95 a month, you can be part of this amazing program...Ha! Did I get you? There are NO fees, commitment cards, raising your right arm and promising your first born, nothing. Just join when you want to or read along while I try to make some positive lifestyle changes to get inspired (or laugh at me, it's okay, I am sure it will be humorous.)
So, get ready for 52 little ways to help make 2009 the best year ever! Remember, the challenge starts Sunday, January 4th, 2009! (Hmmm...wonder how many times I can say that....)
1. Every Sunday, I will post my one new challenge for the week. It will be a small thing that I am either giving up, a habit that I am trying to adopt or a modification to perhaps a previous challenge that needed tweaking (though I hope this is rare.)
2. Challenges will start officially on Monday and continue indefinitely. Even though there is a new challenge each week, the idea is to build on the challenges. Therefore, week 1 challenge continues even when week 2 challenge begins. I am trying to build habits and make small changes that will produce effective results for overall goals.
3. Bringing Up Twins readers are invited to participate in the challenges each week or follow their own challenge. I know my goals may not be the same as others, so if you would like to be a part of TLC, but don't like the challenges, by all means, create your own and go for it!
4. I will share my previous week's results with you all and invite you to do the same. When I post the new challenge on Sunday, I will share my results of the previous week's challenge and any other highlights to past challenges as appropriate. You are free to make any comments about the challenges. Also, if you create your own challenge, I would love to know what it was. It may become a future challenge for me, who knows!
Have you thought about it? Are you in? So, for $19.95 a month, you can be part of this amazing program...Ha! Did I get you? There are NO fees, commitment cards, raising your right arm and promising your first born, nothing. Just join when you want to or read along while I try to make some positive lifestyle changes to get inspired (or laugh at me, it's okay, I am sure it will be humorous.)
So, get ready for 52 little ways to help make 2009 the best year ever! Remember, the challenge starts Sunday, January 4th, 2009! (Hmmm...wonder how many times I can say that....)
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Nooooo!!
Here are a series of scenarios for when to use the word, "No."
Mealtime:
twinmama: "Jelly Bean, eat your green beans."
Jelly Bean: "Nooooo!!"
Playtime:
twinmama: "Jelly Bean, please do not climb up on that shelf."
Jelly Bean: "Nooooo!!"
Naptime:
twinmama: "Jelly Bean, time to take a nap."
Jelly Bean: "No."
Discussing Aspirations:
twinmama: "Do you want to be a teacher when you grow up?"
Peanut: "No."
Jelly Bean: "Nooo..."
twinmama: "Do you want to be an astronaut?"
Both: "No!"
twinmama: "Do you want to be a lion tamer?"
Peanut: "(silence)" (...should I be worried?)
Jelly Bean: "...nooooo" (She had to think about it...)
Out of the Blue:
Jelly Bean: "NOOOO!!"
(Nothing happened. No one said a word to her...She just got really mad.)
Disciplining the Dogs:
Peanut: "No, no!" (As she shakes her finger at the dog...yeah...I really need to re-evaluate my discipline style....)
Twinmama sneezed:
twinmama: "Excuse me."
Jelly Bean: "No."
Mealtime:
twinmama: "Jelly Bean, eat your green beans."
Jelly Bean: "Nooooo!!"
Playtime:
twinmama: "Jelly Bean, please do not climb up on that shelf."
Jelly Bean: "Nooooo!!"
Naptime:
twinmama: "Jelly Bean, time to take a nap."
Jelly Bean: "No."
Discussing Aspirations:
twinmama: "Do you want to be a teacher when you grow up?"
Peanut: "No."
Jelly Bean: "Nooo..."
twinmama: "Do you want to be an astronaut?"
Both: "No!"
twinmama: "Do you want to be a lion tamer?"
Peanut:
Jelly Bean: "...nooooo" (She had to think about it...)
Out of the Blue:
Jelly Bean: "NOOOO!!"
(Nothing happened. No one said a word to her...She just got really mad.)
Disciplining the Dogs:
Peanut: "No, no!" (As she shakes her finger at the dog...yeah...I really need to re-evaluate my discipline style....)
Twinmama sneezed:
twinmama: "Excuse me."
Jelly Bean: "No."
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Twinmama's Lifestyle Challenge (TLC)!
Do you need a little "TLC" next year? Are you ready to make resolutions for 2009 and are hoping you can keep them? Are you optimistic that next year just HAS to be better than this year?
I think there are a lot of people that are going through tough times right now. Some people will attempt to make New Year's resolutions while others will say, "Why bother? I never keep them anyway!"
No matter what camp you fall into when it comes to New Year's resolutions, allow me to give you a third, intriguing option. For about two months, I have been pondering a way to kick 2009 off with smart, healthful decisions and making changes to my life that will help me to be the best version of myself. Then it occurred to me that if I chronicle this journey, I would put myself out there thus making it REALLY difficult to slough off. Well, I am all about a little self-inflicted pain.
Then I thought, "Wow, if I post my journey, maybe others will want to come along for the ride."
And that is where you come in.
I am not suggesting that my loyal readers NEED to make any changes, by all means, I already know you are all perfect because you have impeccable tastes seeing as you read my blog. (Tee Hee) I just know as mothers we are quite the busy folk and usually we are the last people that we tend to take care of between the husbands and the children. I have not taken care of myself the way that I need to do for a very long time and I am ready for a change.
I am also not suggesting we come up with a list of New Year's resolutions and all of us try to muddle through them until we fail about early February. Personally, I think that resolutions are a joke and usually people bite off way more than they can chew and are destined to fail. I know that I have purchased a many gym memberships in January and by February, I never take out my gym member card ever again. (But, I still am required to pay the monthly fee that I contracted myself into. Nice, huh?)
What I am suggesting is in making very small lifestyle changes that can benefit our health, emotional well-being, our finances, our families, our faith, our hobbies or professional endeavours. Tiny little "tweaks" if you will, that will help to adjust our lifestyles and help us reach our goals in a much less painful way.
So here is Twinmama's Lifestyle Challenge (TLC) plan:
1. Every Sunday, I will post my one new challenge for the week. It will be a small thing that I am either giving up, a habit that I am trying to adopt or a modification to perhaps a previous challenge that needed tweaking (though I hope this is rare.)
2. Challenges will start officially on Monday and continue indefinitely. Even though there is a new challenge each week, the idea is to build on the challenges. Therefore, week 1 challenge continues even when week 2 challenge begins. I am trying to build habits and make small changes that will produce effective results for overall goals.
3. Bringing Up Twins readers are invited to participate in the challenges each week or follow their own challenge. I know my goals may not be the same as others, so if you would like to be a part of TLC, but don't like the challenges, by all means, create your own and go for it!
4. I will share my previous week's results with you all and invite you to do the same. When I post the new challenge on Sunday, I will share my results of the previous week's challenge and any other highlights to past challenges as appropriate. You are free to make any comments about the challenges. Also, if you create your own challenge, I would love to know what it was. It may become a future challenge for me, who knows!
So, are you in? Okay, you don't have to decide right now. I will give you time to think about it. And you can jump in at any point next year, I am not going to make you sign a gym membership contract, I promise. Also, I will write multiple posts on this subject throughout the month of December to get everyone geared up. (So eat up those Christmas cookies now! Game over in January! Ha, just kidding it won't be that bad, I promise.)
I plan on starting the challenge on Sunday, January 4th, 2009. Mark your calendars!
I think there are a lot of people that are going through tough times right now. Some people will attempt to make New Year's resolutions while others will say, "Why bother? I never keep them anyway!"
No matter what camp you fall into when it comes to New Year's resolutions, allow me to give you a third, intriguing option. For about two months, I have been pondering a way to kick 2009 off with smart, healthful decisions and making changes to my life that will help me to be the best version of myself. Then it occurred to me that if I chronicle this journey, I would put myself out there thus making it REALLY difficult to slough off. Well, I am all about a little self-inflicted pain.
Then I thought, "Wow, if I post my journey, maybe others will want to come along for the ride."
And that is where you come in.
I am not suggesting that my loyal readers NEED to make any changes, by all means, I already know you are all perfect because you have impeccable tastes seeing as you read my blog. (Tee Hee) I just know as mothers we are quite the busy folk and usually we are the last people that we tend to take care of between the husbands and the children. I have not taken care of myself the way that I need to do for a very long time and I am ready for a change.
I am also not suggesting we come up with a list of New Year's resolutions and all of us try to muddle through them until we fail about early February. Personally, I think that resolutions are a joke and usually people bite off way more than they can chew and are destined to fail. I know that I have purchased a many gym memberships in January and by February, I never take out my gym member card ever again. (But, I still am required to pay the monthly fee that I contracted myself into. Nice, huh?)
What I am suggesting is in making very small lifestyle changes that can benefit our health, emotional well-being, our finances, our families, our faith, our hobbies or professional endeavours. Tiny little "tweaks" if you will, that will help to adjust our lifestyles and help us reach our goals in a much less painful way.
So here is Twinmama's Lifestyle Challenge (TLC) plan:
1. Every Sunday, I will post my one new challenge for the week. It will be a small thing that I am either giving up, a habit that I am trying to adopt or a modification to perhaps a previous challenge that needed tweaking (though I hope this is rare.)
2. Challenges will start officially on Monday and continue indefinitely. Even though there is a new challenge each week, the idea is to build on the challenges. Therefore, week 1 challenge continues even when week 2 challenge begins. I am trying to build habits and make small changes that will produce effective results for overall goals.
3. Bringing Up Twins readers are invited to participate in the challenges each week or follow their own challenge. I know my goals may not be the same as others, so if you would like to be a part of TLC, but don't like the challenges, by all means, create your own and go for it!
4. I will share my previous week's results with you all and invite you to do the same. When I post the new challenge on Sunday, I will share my results of the previous week's challenge and any other highlights to past challenges as appropriate. You are free to make any comments about the challenges. Also, if you create your own challenge, I would love to know what it was. It may become a future challenge for me, who knows!
So, are you in? Okay, you don't have to decide right now. I will give you time to think about it. And you can jump in at any point next year, I am not going to make you sign a gym membership contract, I promise. Also, I will write multiple posts on this subject throughout the month of December to get everyone geared up. (So eat up those Christmas cookies now! Game over in January! Ha, just kidding it won't be that bad, I promise.)
I plan on starting the challenge on Sunday, January 4th, 2009. Mark your calendars!
Saturday, November 29, 2008
MDA: Milk Drinkers Anonymous
Back in August, our pediatrician asked me how many ounces of milk the girls were drinking daily. After a moment of calculating the sippy cups throughout the day, I came up with a number over 32 ounces. She politely asked me to lower the amount of whole milk they were drinking down to 24 ounces a day since whole milk is fortified with vitamin D. Excessive amounts of vitamin D can raise the level of iron in the blood and can be harmful. I agreed.
Well, we are still working on limiting their milk intake. I haven't been very diligent in making this happen. The last few months have been so stressful with the move and my jobs that I haven't been following doctor's orders. Unfortunately, my little duo love their milk. They could do a "Got Milk?" ad anytime of the day because they usually have a sippy cup in one hand and are getting into trouble with the other. I do mix water into the equation throughout the day, too, and they don't get to drink fruit juice or soda.
As a result of all the milk drinking has come two little ones who don't want to eat during meal times. I am not unwise to the fact that whole milk is the culprit. After all, whole milk is filled with a good source of protein and fat. One full sippy cup of that stuff and who really would want their dinner? I tried a little swig one time and oh my...I drink soy milk and skim milk if I have to drink cow's milk. That stuff may as well have been heavy cream to me...
Finally this week I decided that it was time to enroll my girls in twinmama's Milk Drinkers Anonymous (MDA) program. I am limiting their milk intake to around 24 ounces a day (3 or 4 - 6 ounce cups). The rest of the time they receive water as normal. The trick to it is they cannot have this milk at mealtime. If given a plate of food and a sippy cup of milk, they will down the milk and then pick at the food. Instead, the milk is staggered between meals and they are served water at mealtime. The only exception to this rule is they are allowed to have a cup or two of milk at breakfast along with their cereal and fruit. This is usually the only source of protein they have in the morning.
The first day there was a baby backlash. I started the day off with a 6 ounce cup of milk along with their breakfast. When they finished this cup, they were offered another cup of milk to drink. At lunchtime, they were given water. When I gave them their cups, they both immediately began drinking. As soon as they took a couple gulps, they realized what it was and sat it down. Peanut tried to hand the cup back to me giving me a look like, "I think you gave me the wrong cup, mom. Try again." Jelly Bean just got really ticked and tried to hand me the cup. When I refused to take either and walked away, sippy cups hit the floor. There were howls of disapproval and cries of frustration. I calmly got their food and laid it down before them. Some food was brushed away as they protested, but again, I calmly got my plate for lunch and my water and sat down at the table with them to eat.
At some point when they realized that twinmama wasn't going to give in, they both started picking at their lunch. After a moment or two, I calmly got up and picked up their sippy cups and placed them back on their trays. They both ate their lunches and had some water. I couldn't believe it. Peanut was always a good eater until lately, but Jelly Bean is horrible about eating and for her to eat her entire meal was proof that their milk drinking habits were getting in the way of them having other important food.
After lunch, they typically play and then settle in for an afternoon nap. After their nap, I allowed them their third cup of milk along with a little snack. They chugged their milk down. Once they finished, they both handed me their cup and said, "More?" while doing the sign language for the word, too. Instead, I got them some water. Again, there was a revolt. Water cups hit the floor and babies flopped on the floor next to the cups sobbing. You would have thought that I was starving these children.
A little while later it was dinner time and we got to experience the lunch stand off all over again. Again, they threw fits over the tasteless liquid that was presented to them, but both girls did decent jobs eating their meals. After dinner, they can have a sippy cup of milk as long as it isn't too late. I stop giving them liquids an hour before bedtime to avoid leaky diapers.
It has been almost a week since I began their "treatment" program and both girls are eating better at meal time. They are getting a healthful and fulfilling amount of whole milk to supplement their diet, but it is not their entire diet. I blame myself for allowing the girls to have too much milk. It was just too easy when one of them would cry. I knew that a sippy cup of milk would calm a crabby baby and I used that method way more than necessary.
I have been thinking a lot about this and I am glad that I am changing this habit. Knowing myself, this is something that I need to do, too. I have often used food as a crutch for a bad day or a sad moment. Sweets are my weakness, but they are also my nemesis because I know they are not healthy for me. I turn to them when I can't seem to cope with something. I have made whole milk into the girls' crutch when they are sad and can't communicate to me what they need.
This has to stop. For all of us.
So, last week, I set out to make my girls' diets healthier. This next week, I need to do the same for me. Time to drop the crutch and find healthful ways to deal with the blues. I want my girls to be healthy and make good decisions so they live enjoyable, long lives.
And it would be good if I do the same so I can see it all happen.
Well, we are still working on limiting their milk intake. I haven't been very diligent in making this happen. The last few months have been so stressful with the move and my jobs that I haven't been following doctor's orders. Unfortunately, my little duo love their milk. They could do a "Got Milk?" ad anytime of the day because they usually have a sippy cup in one hand and are getting into trouble with the other. I do mix water into the equation throughout the day, too, and they don't get to drink fruit juice or soda.
As a result of all the milk drinking has come two little ones who don't want to eat during meal times. I am not unwise to the fact that whole milk is the culprit. After all, whole milk is filled with a good source of protein and fat. One full sippy cup of that stuff and who really would want their dinner? I tried a little swig one time and oh my...I drink soy milk and skim milk if I have to drink cow's milk. That stuff may as well have been heavy cream to me...
Finally this week I decided that it was time to enroll my girls in twinmama's Milk Drinkers Anonymous (MDA) program. I am limiting their milk intake to around 24 ounces a day (3 or 4 - 6 ounce cups). The rest of the time they receive water as normal. The trick to it is they cannot have this milk at mealtime. If given a plate of food and a sippy cup of milk, they will down the milk and then pick at the food. Instead, the milk is staggered between meals and they are served water at mealtime. The only exception to this rule is they are allowed to have a cup or two of milk at breakfast along with their cereal and fruit. This is usually the only source of protein they have in the morning.
The first day there was a baby backlash. I started the day off with a 6 ounce cup of milk along with their breakfast. When they finished this cup, they were offered another cup of milk to drink. At lunchtime, they were given water. When I gave them their cups, they both immediately began drinking. As soon as they took a couple gulps, they realized what it was and sat it down. Peanut tried to hand the cup back to me giving me a look like, "I think you gave me the wrong cup, mom. Try again." Jelly Bean just got really ticked and tried to hand me the cup. When I refused to take either and walked away, sippy cups hit the floor. There were howls of disapproval and cries of frustration. I calmly got their food and laid it down before them. Some food was brushed away as they protested, but again, I calmly got my plate for lunch and my water and sat down at the table with them to eat.
At some point when they realized that twinmama wasn't going to give in, they both started picking at their lunch. After a moment or two, I calmly got up and picked up their sippy cups and placed them back on their trays. They both ate their lunches and had some water. I couldn't believe it. Peanut was always a good eater until lately, but Jelly Bean is horrible about eating and for her to eat her entire meal was proof that their milk drinking habits were getting in the way of them having other important food.
After lunch, they typically play and then settle in for an afternoon nap. After their nap, I allowed them their third cup of milk along with a little snack. They chugged their milk down. Once they finished, they both handed me their cup and said, "More?" while doing the sign language for the word, too. Instead, I got them some water. Again, there was a revolt. Water cups hit the floor and babies flopped on the floor next to the cups sobbing. You would have thought that I was starving these children.
A little while later it was dinner time and we got to experience the lunch stand off all over again. Again, they threw fits over the tasteless liquid that was presented to them, but both girls did decent jobs eating their meals. After dinner, they can have a sippy cup of milk as long as it isn't too late. I stop giving them liquids an hour before bedtime to avoid leaky diapers.
It has been almost a week since I began their "treatment" program and both girls are eating better at meal time. They are getting a healthful and fulfilling amount of whole milk to supplement their diet, but it is not their entire diet. I blame myself for allowing the girls to have too much milk. It was just too easy when one of them would cry. I knew that a sippy cup of milk would calm a crabby baby and I used that method way more than necessary.
I have been thinking a lot about this and I am glad that I am changing this habit. Knowing myself, this is something that I need to do, too. I have often used food as a crutch for a bad day or a sad moment. Sweets are my weakness, but they are also my nemesis because I know they are not healthy for me. I turn to them when I can't seem to cope with something. I have made whole milk into the girls' crutch when they are sad and can't communicate to me what they need.
This has to stop. For all of us.
So, last week, I set out to make my girls' diets healthier. This next week, I need to do the same for me. Time to drop the crutch and find healthful ways to deal with the blues. I want my girls to be healthy and make good decisions so they live enjoyable, long lives.
And it would be good if I do the same so I can see it all happen.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Happy Thanksgiving
There are a lot of uncertainties in the world right now. There are so many people out of work or close to lay offs. People are having money trouble and don't know how they are going to keep their homes. I know that we are concerned about our jobs and hope that we can continue to have the security of steady paychecks.
Despite all of this, this is a day to not dwell on the future or even lament on the past. Today is a day to count our blessings. Look around you. Look past all the worries and find the people that are with you on this very day. We have all made it to see another Thanksgiving Day. And in that, we should cherish this very moment.
No matter what the future holds for us, twindada and I are together and we have two very special little girls. Three Thanksgiving Days ago, they were merely a dream. A pipe dream to even think that I would get pregnant much less have twins. Two Thanksgiving Days ago, they were in my belly. I prayed for them to come into this world safely. One Thanksgiving Day ago, I prayed that we would survive the first year with twins and we did. This year, the girls are so much more fun and we look forward to spending time with family that we don't get to see very often. I am going to focus on today and enjoy it for what it is.
I hope you do the same.
Despite all of this, this is a day to not dwell on the future or even lament on the past. Today is a day to count our blessings. Look around you. Look past all the worries and find the people that are with you on this very day. We have all made it to see another Thanksgiving Day. And in that, we should cherish this very moment.
No matter what the future holds for us, twindada and I are together and we have two very special little girls. Three Thanksgiving Days ago, they were merely a dream. A pipe dream to even think that I would get pregnant much less have twins. Two Thanksgiving Days ago, they were in my belly. I prayed for them to come into this world safely. One Thanksgiving Day ago, I prayed that we would survive the first year with twins and we did. This year, the girls are so much more fun and we look forward to spending time with family that we don't get to see very often. I am going to focus on today and enjoy it for what it is.
I hope you do the same.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Case of The Lurking Poop Cloud
It was a boring afternoon. No cases had come my way. I sat in front of my laptop, cruising around on my favorite blogs. Thank God for creative mothers out there to entertain, enlighten and inform me. You know who you are.
Being a detective takes considerable work. I have had to solve mysteries every day since becoming a mom. My most recent case was the missing sippy cup. It was clear that one was missing because twinmamas don't have odd numbers of anything. So, when I was washing sippy cups that had stacked up in the sink and realized there were five...well, that put me into my super sleuthing mode. I got my magnifying glass out and searched the house.
I scanned the playroom for the obvious spots, but my nemesis - the psyche of 21 month old babies - was making sure that I wouldn't discover it. I looked under the couches, the toy shelf and in the toy bins. No sippy cup. As it got late, this private eye called it quits. The case would be there for another day and it was. After breakfast the girls were playing in the room and as I tidied up the kitchen, I happened check in on the girls only to find the missing cup now in the hands of Peanut while she drank the day old who knows what that was still inside it. Never figured out where it was found, but it was promptly confiscated and taken in for questioning. It never confessed.
So, on this day while I was sitting around commenting on my favorite blogs, I was taken back by a cry from a damsel in distress. A moment later, it was followed by another damsel in distress crying. I got up and went upstairs to check on my little duo, but before I could hit the top step, the strongest, gaseous fume smacked me in the face.
It became quite evident the reason why the damsels were in distress. I was now in distress. No man or beast could breath in the presence of this bio hazard. The dogs wouldn't even come upstairs. I made my way to the girls to find them both hanging over the edge of their cribs. I stopped to check out the crime scene before I entered it. Nothing looked suspicious or out of ordinary, just some stuffed animals. Wait! They are all just stuffed animals, right? It does smell like something died in here.
I knew this was a hot case and it had to be resolved quickly for everyone's sake. I decided to inquire who the poop culprit was by asking, "Who poo-pooed?" Both girls stared at me with blank expressions until Peanut grabbed her diaper and said, "Poo Poo." Ah, ha! I have found the guilty party, this case is solved!
However during the diaper change, I discovered that she must have been a decoy because there was no poop to be seen. She was willing to take the fall for her sister, that was big of her, but now I could get her on accessory to releasing a lethal odor. That carried a harsh penalty of having to endure a diaper change while she wanted to play.
Next, I picked up Jelly Bean and decided to interrogate her. "Did you poopy?" I asked. She looked at me, but wouldn't answer. This is highly suspect because she knows more words than Peanut so she probably could answer. She was playing hardball with me. So, I inquired again and she looked at me and gave me her most maniacal laugh, "Heh, heh, heh!" It was at this point that I realized that I had the right lead to the source of this offensive odor.
I prepared myself for the changing of the toxic diaper, but I really should have called in a HazMat team. It was going to be big and a doozy. As I pulled the diaper off, I suddenly found absolutely nothing in the diaper...what?
The case was building now. If neither baby had pooped in their diaper, where did the poop cloud over the room come from? I knew that I would have to investigate further, but fortunately I didn't have to. As I began to wipe Jelly Bean clean, I see a little poop kernel fall from her bottom. It was tiny...but the deadly source of all the nastiness that was in the room.
"That's it?" I looked at Jelly Bean. She giggled as I wrapped up the diaper. I immediately removed it from the area and took the offensive diapers to the trash can outside. The case is solved and clean air fills the upstairs once again.
So another mystery is revealed. As a mother, I am often trying to figure out how to do something for my kids or how to make a situation or routine better. I think this does make me have to put on my detective's hat and solve the case. Often, I learn what works and what doesn't work and how to approach a certain situation.
And I have learned from this case...my kids really need to potty train...
Being a detective takes considerable work. I have had to solve mysteries every day since becoming a mom. My most recent case was the missing sippy cup. It was clear that one was missing because twinmamas don't have odd numbers of anything. So, when I was washing sippy cups that had stacked up in the sink and realized there were five...well, that put me into my super sleuthing mode. I got my magnifying glass out and searched the house.
I scanned the playroom for the obvious spots, but my nemesis - the psyche of 21 month old babies - was making sure that I wouldn't discover it. I looked under the couches, the toy shelf and in the toy bins. No sippy cup. As it got late, this private eye called it quits. The case would be there for another day and it was. After breakfast the girls were playing in the room and as I tidied up the kitchen, I happened check in on the girls only to find the missing cup now in the hands of Peanut while she drank the day old who knows what that was still inside it. Never figured out where it was found, but it was promptly confiscated and taken in for questioning. It never confessed.
So, on this day while I was sitting around commenting on my favorite blogs, I was taken back by a cry from a damsel in distress. A moment later, it was followed by another damsel in distress crying. I got up and went upstairs to check on my little duo, but before I could hit the top step, the strongest, gaseous fume smacked me in the face.
It became quite evident the reason why the damsels were in distress. I was now in distress. No man or beast could breath in the presence of this bio hazard. The dogs wouldn't even come upstairs. I made my way to the girls to find them both hanging over the edge of their cribs. I stopped to check out the crime scene before I entered it. Nothing looked suspicious or out of ordinary, just some stuffed animals. Wait! They are all just stuffed animals, right? It does smell like something died in here.
I knew this was a hot case and it had to be resolved quickly for everyone's sake. I decided to inquire who the poop culprit was by asking, "Who poo-pooed?" Both girls stared at me with blank expressions until Peanut grabbed her diaper and said, "Poo Poo." Ah, ha! I have found the guilty party, this case is solved!
However during the diaper change, I discovered that she must have been a decoy because there was no poop to be seen. She was willing to take the fall for her sister, that was big of her, but now I could get her on accessory to releasing a lethal odor. That carried a harsh penalty of having to endure a diaper change while she wanted to play.
Next, I picked up Jelly Bean and decided to interrogate her. "Did you poopy?" I asked. She looked at me, but wouldn't answer. This is highly suspect because she knows more words than Peanut so she probably could answer. She was playing hardball with me. So, I inquired again and she looked at me and gave me her most maniacal laugh, "Heh, heh, heh!" It was at this point that I realized that I had the right lead to the source of this offensive odor.
I prepared myself for the changing of the toxic diaper, but I really should have called in a HazMat team. It was going to be big and a doozy. As I pulled the diaper off, I suddenly found absolutely nothing in the diaper...what?
The case was building now. If neither baby had pooped in their diaper, where did the poop cloud over the room come from? I knew that I would have to investigate further, but fortunately I didn't have to. As I began to wipe Jelly Bean clean, I see a little poop kernel fall from her bottom. It was tiny...but the deadly source of all the nastiness that was in the room.
"That's it?" I looked at Jelly Bean. She giggled as I wrapped up the diaper. I immediately removed it from the area and took the offensive diapers to the trash can outside. The case is solved and clean air fills the upstairs once again.
So another mystery is revealed. As a mother, I am often trying to figure out how to do something for my kids or how to make a situation or routine better. I think this does make me have to put on my detective's hat and solve the case. Often, I learn what works and what doesn't work and how to approach a certain situation.
And I have learned from this case...my kids really need to potty train...
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