Crayon on the Wall

Oh Boy, its been too long since I last posted! So much is going on so I should write! The Easter Bunny hopped through our house on Sunday and brought the girls a variety of things, including a coloring book each and crayons. They have tried scribbling a little, but it is definately a supervised activity because otherwise there is crayon in the mouth. (Which we still cannot avoid even if I'm watching!)
So, right now EG is still sleeping and SK has been awake for the last hour. I got out her crayons and coloring book so I could go online. She colored, did get some crayon in the mouth, and then I heard something 'strumming' the heating vent. Oh yeah, it was a black crayon. It of course slipped off the vent onto the wall while she was strumming. I have a bad habit of thinking 'sassy' things are hilarious, so I think this is adorable, but I must keep a straight face. Luckily I distracted her without making her want to continue (TIP, telling your child "no" or pulling them away from something-like pulling their finger out of their nose and saying no-will only make him or her want to do it more!)
Any tips for getting crayon of my wall???

The worst is FINALLY over! (Hopefully)

Well, I think it has been 6 weeks since the girls first got sick, and I think they are finally better. In the process of it all, EG and SK successfully gave the stomach flu to their dad, 2 grandmas and 2 grandpas. Miraculously, even after being thrown up on (sorry for the details for those of you with weak stomachs!) I survived it all only with a bad head cold and loss of sleep! I joke that moms aren't allowed to get sick. Who would run the fort?? It was very stressful though! The flu period (there were also weeks of RSV, high fevers, rashes, and head colds) was definitely the worst. In addition to keeping a towel on my shoulder at all times to protect my clothes, the girls cried when you set them down, cried when you held them, cried when you fed them, cried when you didn't feed them, and cried in the middle of the night. I felt so sorry for them, but I also wondered, "Will they ever be happy again? Will they ever smile and laugh and play by themselves again?"
So, as stated above, they are getting so much better; their appetites are almost back to normal, they play again, and they are just so darn cute, walking, smiling, babbling. I think the best thing to do while your child is sick is just try to get some time to yourself and have a lot of patience...and take help wherever offered (though I still feel bad about everyone else getting sick!)
And it will pass!

A Big Shout Out!

We're still working on getting over illness, and it sure has been stressful on me! (As indicated in rant below :) I am very fortunate however to have great family nearby to help me out! I'm sure I would've missed a lot of work (of the few hours I work a week) without them. So a BIG THANKS to grammy and grandpa KG and DG, grandma and grandpa KR and ER, and great aunts SG and BA. I really appreciate all of you!

Sick Babies

Sorry, no advice here...just ranting about the last few weeks. First EG got sick...coughing, runny nose, low fever. When the cough lasted through the night, we brought her to the dr and was diagnosed w/ RSV (don't know exact explanation, but I know it is a respiratory problem) Not bad enough to be hospitalized, just had to watch it. A week later, she's getting a little better, then SK gets it. We weren't going to take her in because we knew they couldn't do anything for EG, but then SK started wheezing :( So we took her in and they gave her medicine for that (in an inhaler~very expensive and then we only used it about 5 times!) So everyone was finally getting better when last Friday, out of the blue, EG got a fever. No other symptoms, just a fever above 102...ahhh! All she wanted to do was be held or sleep, which was difficult because SK wanted attention too! Saturday night she was up to about 103.4 (a new high for us ever!) and we took her in Sunday morning to find out it was really nothing...maybe a sore throat. This morning she seemed a lot better...YAY...and then I noticed the rash...all over her stomach, back, neck and around her ears. I'm thinking, "we just went to the dr YESTERDAY and I don't want to go back today!" Luckily, it didn't seem to bother her and according to the dr's office (which said they didn't need to see her again unless it got worse) then a baby can break out in a rash sometimes after a fever breaks. So whew! What a hectic last couple of weeks! I can't wait till we're all better!

Laundry and Dishes: Will they ever be done?

The answer to the above is: no.

Other than the clothes on our backs, last Friday all the clothes in the house were clean. You think I'd be used to it by now, but I'm not, and I was SHOCKED that our hamper was overflowing by Monday! Though I've never counted, I think I do about 6 loads a week! Granted winter clothes are bulkier, but parents out there expecting twins, I say invest in a nice washer and dryer. As long as there are no 'pee throughs' at night, we generally get away with having the girls wear their jammies a few nights before washer, but there is no way with daytime clothes, they are just too messy! We fortunately bought a great front-loader set about a year ago and it definitely was worth the money! It's funny as you turn into an adult you get excited about boring things...as a kid, all you ever wanted was toys, but when that washer and dryer was new, I was so excited that I brought everyone who came over into my basement to see them! haha.

I was also thrilled when the girls started eating all 'people' food instead of baby food because it is cheaper and easier to put it on their plate and not feed them! Plus, I am finally learning how to cook and CA and I are eating healthier! The downside? Other than the horrible smelling diapers, making 'good meals' certainly takes a lot more dishes than frozen pizza and TV dinners! Another tip-if you don't have a dishwasher, get one! (Unless you love doing dishes, and if so, you're weird!) I think I run mine everyday and yet I still have too many dishes to fit in one load most of time!

So, I think I'll end this post...I have to go switch laundry! (Seriously!)

Walking after midnight...

So yay, SK is starting to let go while standing and EG has been taking steps...but the odd thing is, EG really only walks at night. Not really after midnight as I imply (though she could be and I just don't know it!) but it seems she may try a little during the day, but BAM! 5 PM hits and she's trying to walk to everything! I think we're up to maybe 8 steps at a time, but she has turned around and walked the opposite direction already!

EG and SK play nice in public

I met a co-worker at the Y today to go over a few lesson plans. As I waited, I set the girls up at a lego table in the lobby, complete with two toddler size chairs. We decided to hold our meeting there because the girls were being so cute! I sat EG and SK in the chairs and showed them how to stack the legos. SK sat there the entire time, holding the legos and trying to stack them. There was a hole on EG's side with a net in it, so she kept putting the legos in the net and kicking the net to hear it rattle. She then got off the table and walked around it, even taking a few steps from the table to the couch (for those of you who know me from blog only, EG started walking on Saturday night-just a few steps at a time) It was so cute and I was so happy the girls sat so well! I think I need one of these tables for home now!

Parenting Tip: It's ok to love your newborn and not like them

Every mom is supposed to love their children, no matter what...right???
When my daughters first came home from the hospital (they stayed in the NICU for 2 weeks) all we were to do with them was feed them, change them, and put them back to bed. They were already on a schedule of eating every four hours, but between feeding both of them bottles, plus pumping (physically nursing them didn't work for me) I was lucky if I got a straight 2 hours of sleep at one time. My husband would take middle of the night feedings on his days off and my mom often came over and stayed until 1 AM to help me get more sleep, but it still wasn't enough. Besides being sleep deprived, I just didn't feel like I was bonding with them. I knew I loved EG and SK, but did I like them? I wanted to, but I just felt like a horrible mom because I didn't. I went and saw a counselor when they were about 6 weeks, but unfortunately there were no words of comfort. Finally, about a week later, I went to Barnes and Noble (CA insisted I get out a little by myself) and I picked up a copy of "Chicken Soup for the New Mom's Soul"
This book made me feel totally better. It was filled with stories of how new mom's felt physically, mentally, and finally, stories about mom's who felt like they didn't bond with their children and felt isolated as a new mom. That was really all I was looking for...the reassurance that I wasn't a horrible mom because I didn't bond with my girls right away, and that there are many moms out there that felt the same way.
I am writing this because if there are any moms out there who are feeling they don't really like their new baby either, IT IS OK! You are not a horrible mom! For me, I just continued to plug through taking care of EG and SK and trying to take care of myself, and eventually, it got better (especially once they began sleeping through the night!)
Now, I can't imagine life without them, wouldn't want to, can't wait to see what they'll do next!

Walking?!?!

At 14 months, EG and SK are great at walking along furniture and walking on their knees (has anyone ever seen a baby do that? The girls do it, all the time and very fast, and most people say they have never seen a baby do that-it is very cute though!)
So last night, EG actually started walking! She was leaning up against the couch and took a few steps into my arms. And she did it over and over! It was incredibly cute, but of course she won't do it today! :( Just like the day SK was letting go and standing by herself all day, and then forgot. Oh well, I know I shouldn't rush it!

Posting Comments

Hello all~ I hope that you are enjoying my blog so far...I'm having a lot of fun writing it!
I would love to hear your feedback on what you think or even a story about your own child! I have heard that some people have been having trouble posting to my blog, so here's the way to do it (and it took me a few tries to get it too!) Enter comment, choose how you're going to sign it, and then, instead of hitting post, hit PREVIEW. It will then ask you to copy a word (to prevent spam) and then you can hit post. It should then come to me for review and then I will post it (as long as they're aren't any words in it worse than 'fanny' or 'hinder' :)

Hope this helps and I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Parenting Tip: Buying clothes for your children

Let's face it...baby clothes are adorable. And in my opinion, especially girl clothes...all the little dresses, bows, patterns, cute little kitty faces, I could go on forever. If you are a bargain shopper like me, you won't believe the prices on some of these too! I love Jumping Beans (sold at Kohl's) and did you know that even without a sale and my additional % off for Kohl's MVPs, you can get a pair of jeans for $5?? FIVE DOLLARS?!? The only place I think I could get a pair of jeans for myself for $5 would be on a clearance rack, would be two sizes to big, and be the weirdest color of denim I have ever seen (or have some strange pattern on it!)
Seriously, it can be really easy to over-buy. Especially if you find out the sex of your child before he/she is born. I found out in August 2008 that I was having two girls, just in time for all the summer clothes to be on clearance...so I bought some, my mom bought some, many of my baby shower attendees bought some. Then, they're born, I go through so many diapers and late night feedings I forget about all these clothes, come spring the new lines are out...all so cute...and I buy more. Finally their first summer is here! I look into all the clothes I have...WHOOPS, I have a lot of clothes. I wanted to see how many days I could go without them wearing the same outfit twice and it was 27. Hmm...if I ever have another girl, I guess she can go the entire summer without wearing the same outfit twice (well, twice because I normally dress them in the same outfit, but not physically the same one :)
WINTER CLOTHES TIP-EG and SK were in 9-month size clothes in Fall but when I started buying them long sleeve outfits, I opted for 12-months so they could wear them longer (I live in the wonderful state of Wisconsin, where it's cold from October to March/April) One thing I didn't think of...I bought them many sets where the pants were made out of thin cotton-fine for fall/spring, but not so good for the middle of winter (For those of you lucky enough to live in the south, we are often in single digits/ below 0 here-although it's a heatwave today-high of 34 degrees!) I found myself mid-December going out and buying more pants-jeans and sweatpants this time. So if you live in cold climates, I suggest buying less cotton pants that will match the shirt and more mix-and-match jeans and sweatpants...you'll save a lot of money this way :)

Oh, it's fun to be sassy!

So the girls are at a stage that they know when I don't want them doing something, which makes them want to do it even more! Whether it be playing with a lamp that's on, or their new thing, picky their noses (ewww!) I say no, correct the behaivor, and all I get is a devilish smile and she's right back to it!
This morning, I let EG and SK play in my bedroom, which I don't normally like because CA and I often have things in places they can reach that I don't want them to have (such as a book on my nightstand.) So I leave the room for a minute, and when I come back, they start crawling away from me as fast as possible...OH NO...what did they do this time?? Ahh, the tissue box...again :( Crumpled, wet tissues all over the room. I have to wrestle pieces out of their little hands. Well, at least they didn't empty the entire box this time!

Parenting Tip: Well Behaved Children in Public

On New Year's day, my husband CA and I took the twins out to dinner with his parents. Waitresses were stopping by our table to admire the girls and about 10 minutes after we got there, an older gentleman came up to our table and said, "Excuse me, but these are the best behaved children I have ever seen. Whatever you're doing, keep doing it!" WOW! What a confidence booster! As a first time mom, I always wonder if I'm doing a good job raising my kids, so it's always good to hear positive feedback!
Now, my children are not always angels in public (read my jewelry store post) but here are some things I do to try to make outings a little bit more pleasant.
1. I always schedule appointments and errands around their schedule. A well fed and well rested baby is a happier baby! Even if I'm taking them out to dinner, I give them a snack before we leave the house or make sure it is well before their normal eating time.
2. I always bring snacks and toys with me. You never know when you're errands are going to take longer than expected. Even just having cheerios is a good idea. The toys I bring are ones I always leave in the diaper bag, so it seems like a new toy to them. Even having 'emergency' objects with you is a good idea. My girls love to chew on cardboard (whether it be a book or a box of diapers) so the cardboard from a 2 pack baby food container is also always with me.
3. When going out to dinner, I always order the children's food when the adults order their beverages. This has two advantages...A your child will have to wait less for their food; B you have time before your meal to cut up all their food so you get a chance to eat before the check comes!
I'm sure there will come a day that my tricks won't work anymore, but hopefully then I'll have thought of something else! If anyone reading this knows someone else pregnant or with children who thinks they would benefit from this article, please feel free to e-mail them my link!
Thanks!

Bringing twins to the jewlery store

So my twins cannot walk yet (though crawling all over and pull themselves to stand on everything) but even if they could, its not like I could depend on them to walk into a store or of course follow any direction in a store that I give them. (Which I should know, they are only 14 months old after all!)
I am a primarily a stay-at-home-mom which means if I need to run an errand during the day, the girls come with me, whether it be grocery store, chiropractor, or jewelry store (which really never happens, except this once.) I went to the jewelry store a week or so ago, because my mom bought me a charm bracelet and I needed to exchange it for a smaller size. I parked right in front, and thinking, "I'm only going to run in for a minute" I decided I could just carry them both in and leave my stroller (which is a pain to get in and out of stores-especially ones without handicapped doors-and to maneuver in smaller stores) in the car. BIG MISTAKE. It was packed in there so of course I had to wait. I had some books for the girls to look at but they were not interested. I can't hold both of them for long periods of time, to heavy, so they're on the floor, both crawling in separate directions....is it really 1000 degrees in this store? I'm chasing after them, being 'that mom' who is yelling at their kids in the store (like they know what I'm saying!) and trying to guide one by the arm because I'm already holding the other one. And hoping they don't get to far away that someone will walk away with one of them! Finally a clerk is free, and someone else goes up to her....OH NO! I politely, or not politely, explain, "I was here first", get the help I need, all while EG and SK are still crawling in separate directions, and hightail it out of there (more like a turtle crawl considering I have to get all the contents back into my purse, grab my coat I ditched and attempt to pick up both girls from the floor).
Moral of the story, I will never go anywhere by myself without my stroller again! (at least for the next year!)

Welcome and about my blog

Hello All~
My name is Jill and my husband CA and I have 14 month old twin daughters, EG and SK. With a suggestion from my friend Donna, I've decided to start this blog about my experiences raising my daughters. They are my first children and I have no professional background in child development or anything of significance in child rendering, just babysitting, reading books about children/twins and advice from friends. With nothing really to compare it to, I'd like to say that EG and SK are relatively well behaved (for their age of course) and I'm not shy to give advice on what's worked for me in various situations! (or hasn't worked) So sorry if I offend anyone or come off as a know-it-all, that is definitely not my intention! I just want to help other parents out there just like people have helped me and maybe entertain a little with the funny things they do!