A Brown Car and A Blue Truck

I could not be more proud.    Adam and Nathan had their first chance to tell Santa what they wanted for Christmas.    Adam went first and stated that he wanted a baby brown car.    Nathan stated that he wanted a big brown truck.    As you can see by my face I am in awe at how well they could articulate their wishes to the big guy.   They did explain to me that they did not want to sit on his lap, because he was scary.   We did high fives, and I am so proud.

I learned after the fact that at daycare they got to decorate stockings with pictures of things they wanted for christmas and....sure enough on Adam's was a little blue sports car and on Nathan's was a big brown truck.   How cool is that?  I sure hope Santa was paying attention.

I don't know who is more excited for this Christmas but it has to be a toss up between me and Steve.  We are biting at the bit to see their faces and hear their giggles.

Festival of Lights.

The boys are so sick of taking pictures... standing still stinks...

Ellie, Audrey, Adam, and Nathan hugging to pass time before the parade.  (I swear Adam is in there somewhere)

Token picture of Adam to keep things even.

Much Delayed Halloween Pictures.

My little Dragons.

Patiently waiting to go get candy.

The Dragon Duo.

A Moment by the Super Cool Pumpkin with Clayton and Kaya

Hot Chocolate to warm the cold Dragons.

More Poop Stories.

We are potty training.  It is hit or miss (literally).    We have some great laughs.   I take a lot of deep breaths.   All in all they are doing pretty well, except when it comes to nap time.

Today they did not go down for a nap.  They got oh so quiet.  I thought that we were close to having  a successful  nap.  Then the laughing started.   It sounded  a little evil.  I tried to ignore it.  Then I walked up the stairs.

I swear as I came up the stairs they started to whisper to each other.  I walked in and I saw two naked boys staring at me.  I smelled poop.  WHO POOPED?  WHERE IS YOUR POOP?

Nathan "I Pooped"  "Adam took it"
Adam "I Put it in here"  (POINTING TO THE AIR VENT)

I remove the cover , and like any brave mom who has touched worse, I  picked out the terds.

DO NOT PUT YOUR POOP IN HERE.  POOP GOES IN THE POTTY.

Nathan "Underwear all clean"

Yes Nathan your underwear is clean, BUT DO NOT PUT YOUR POOP IN HERE.

They giggle and run naked down the steps.   I go to get the clorox wipes....

Another day, another poop story.

Ready Set.

JUMP!

Why We Scream/Why We are SOOO Cute.

The boys have those eyes.  You know those eyes that are so cute that they melt you at first glance.    Adam has that smile that cuts right through to my heart, and even as I type about it tears form in my eyes.  Nathan has that laugh, that laugh that makes you happy no matter what else is going on.   They have to be this cute.  They have to be this cute or I would have kicked them out of the house when they turned 2.

The boys have those screams.   You know the screams that make you feel like your ears are bleeding.   Adam has a scream that would make even the most experienced Mom wince.  Nathan has a scream that makes even grown men run.   When they start screaming together,  it is just down-right torture.   They have to scream, because they are so cute that if they never screamed they would not yet to be able to walk, because I would never have let them out of my arms.


They have to be so cute.
They have to scream.

Heaven.

Mom:   We are going to the eye doctor.

Nathan:  You hurt your eye again? (This was a follow-up we were there yesterday)

Adam:  I hurt my eye, too.  I show doctor.

(Now we are in the car)

Nathan:  Eye doctor too far (It is 30 minutes away)

(Now we are at the doctor's)

Adam:   Mom sit in big chair.  

Mom:  Do you want to show the doctor your eye?

Adam: No my eye's all better.

Nathan:  Mom, is she fixin your eye?

Mom:  yes.

The doctor thankfully was a mom, so she was patient and the boys' loved her.  I just crack up at what they say.   After all that excitement we all needed a nap.   How boring going to the doctor used to be.

Let Them Be Little

I can't imagine sitting in the stands watching the boys graduate from high school. I can't imagine helping Nathan with his tie before he says"I do." I can't imagine holding Adam's newborn in my arms. But until now I never imagined talking with the boys about their day. Until now I never imagined those little hands wiping my tears when I am sad. Until now I never imagined what wonderful, caring people the boys would be.




They make me laugh everyday. Because of them I run through sprinklers. Because of them I dance. Because of them I believe in the healing power of a kiss. Because of them I believe in the joy of make believe. I never imagined the journey that we are on being this fun. I never imagined the journey that we are on being so blessed with giggles, wiggles, dirt, and funny smells.




I used to be unable to comprehend having a dirty car. Now as I entermy smelly car, I smell their childhood. As I walk over hotwheels, wet spots, and crushed cheerios, I realize I am walking through their childhood.




Before the boys were born I tried and tried to imagine what they would look like. Before the boys could talk I tried and tried to imagine the sound of their voices. I am learning to stop imagining, because each breath they take, each smile the give, each silly sentence they utter they completely surpass anything I have imagined. So today I will enjoy. Today I will listen and look and know that in a couple years my babies will be teenagers.






But for now they can sit naked together in a laundry basket, and this makes me giggle.

Elliot and the boys.

Nathan Golfing

Where the Summer Really Went.

1. Stand-up Diaper Changes

2.  Cooling Off Cheese Burgers with Vents in the Car

3.  "You can have an M&M if you eat your chicken"

4.  "Wow you ate a whole Dinosaur Tree!"

5.  "Don't sit on your brother"

6.   Rolling down the windows in the car while going 60 mph to drown out two-year-old chatter or screams. 

7.  Telling myself I am "letting them work it out"  when they fight, when really I am tired and lazy. 

8.  Loving the phrase "boys will be boys"

9.  "Don't pee on your brother"

10.  "Don't touch your brother's pee pee"

11.  Mommy does not have a pee pee.

12.   "Go ask your father"

13.   Never underestimate the power of a Barney or Elmo DVD. 

14.  Hiding my chocolate donuts. 

15.   Going out of the house after making sure the boys' look cute, realizing I forgot to even look in the mirror. 

16. Picking up pizza off the floor and putting it back on the plate (at a restaurant no less) 

17. Doing the Hokey Pokey at Borders Book Store during story time. 

18. Endless numbers of "time outs"

19.  Being outsmarted by 2-year-olds. 

20.  Speed grocery shopping. 

Where did the summer go?

Ellie, Audrey, Adam, and Nathan

Petting Zoo fun, I kissed this pony multiple times to try and get the boys to kiss her, but all I got was a dirty mouth 

Elliot teaching the boys how to golf. 

The boys and Elliot at the pool in Lake Geneva. 

Adam, Nathan, and Steve climbing the steps at the Arch. 

Where did the summer go (cont.)

Adam petting the baby frog. 

Four little frogs swimming in the water....Four little frogs doing what they oughta...

Nathan and Adam at The Lincoln Park Zoo.  I am pretty sure there was a sign that said no climbing on the rails...

Great-Grandpa giving us a tractor ride.

Adam, Mommy, and Nathan at the Mississippi River in St. Louis.  

Spilled Milk (Okay Dumped Milk)

Amazing is the only word to describe my boys.   Amazing.   I was driving home with them after a long day at work, and there was no room in the car for silence.   The boys alternated from screaming at each other to laughing all in one breath it seamed.  I had a headache.   I was tired.   I need some Excedrin and a nice soft bed.  

Then I look in my little handy dandy built in child view mirror (love you Toyota Sienna)  and I  see it.  I see the two little bubbles of life in my back seat.  I see the billions of times that those cells had to divide to get everything just right.   I see my brown eyes, I see Steve's dimples, I see my moodiness, I see Steve's amazing concentration, I see my empathy, I see perfectly formed fingers and hearts, and yes I hear those amazingly strong vocal cords.  

I get a lump in my throat as I think of my patient who so politely told me he had had brain cancer, although he had used a long technical name with such ease my jaw dropped.   As this beautiful  little 10 year-old-boy told me about his illness,  I felt a tear on my cheek.    He was so strong and wise.   Bless him.   Bless him for telling me his story so today I am a better mom.  

Life is not fair.  Life is unfair.  But boy is it an amazing gift.   Millions of things can go wrong, and sure hundreds of things have gone wrong in mine, if not thousands.  But just today as I see Adam with tears in his eyes from laughing so hard at Nathan pouring milk in his brand new shoe...and then on to my freshly shampooed car  mats....and I do realize that millions of things are going right.  

Summer Fun.

Nathan trying to get at least one drop out. 

Adam trying to entice the frog into playing with the ball. 

Nathan after a long day of playing outside

Adam's big cheese for the camera

The Boys and a Frog

Steve caught the boys a frog on Father's Day.   To see them play and hear them laugh was their gift to him.   

Fun with Markers.

No.

Stop that.

Don't touch. 

Get that out of your mouth. 

It seems like these days I am more of a referee and a fun blocker than anything else.   I have those days where I feel like I have not said or done anything except give my children boundaries, boundaries that they need to be drawn ever so close and hard these days.  

This weekend as we were away from home with my parents, I did get a chance to shift my perspective.   Although these boundaries are important, so is letting your children fly, and telling them that they can.   They need us to set limits and rules, but we also need to give them the confidence to challenge, and dare I say it, break the rules.  

So as they sit in my arms for a entire two seconds, before they are off to jump off the furniture or open the drawers, or throw things off the loft, let me whisper in their little ears, "You can do anything"  "I love you so much it hurts"  "You are so special"  "You have the world by the tail"  

I pray they have the confidence to break the rules....but let them wait until tomorrow....(it is Dad's day to watch them on Wednesdays)

A Day at the Beach

Steve and I took the boys down to a beach on Lake Michigan one lazy Sunday afternoon.   It was sunny and warm.  The water was cool and calm.    The boys had so much fun throwing rocks into the water.    They even enjoyed splashing their little toes in the cold cold waves.   I enjoyed sitting with my hubby on the beach watching the waves, and listening to the giggles of the boys as they played.   

       The best part was people had brought their dogs to play, and the boys got tons of wet doggie kisses.    One man brought his Irish Wolfhound, which even as a young pup stood about 4 foot tall on all fours.  Nathan kept saying "Horse, I see horse"

Job Preferences.

Little sticky hands. 

Little runny noses.  

Hair that won't lay down. 

Goldfish by the pound. 

Dirty floors.

Bikes inside.

Sandbox with no sand. 

Matchbox cars. 

They never ask about these preference's  on the "What job should you have?" questionnaires.

I just ventured up to peek at my sleeping babies....and Adam was fast asleep on the floor next to the door. Nathan was all tucked in his bed.   I heard heaven in each inhale and exhale.   

Say it

Scene:  A play date.

Nathan crying with his hands up. 

Mom:  "Nathan use your words.  Say something."

Nathan (ever so sweetly with a s-h-i-*-*-y grin)  "Something"

Much wiser Mom Friend: "You deserved that"

Mom picks up child in defeat.

Words Worth More Than a Million...

Big Boy Beds and Peeing in the Potty

We converted the cribs to toddler beds.   They crawl up into their little beds as we read stories of moons, rabbits, and various other tales.  As we close the door we hear whispers of little voices, surely exchanging stories of the day.   

Stories of toys lost or broken.  Stories of the amazing feat of peeing in the potty that has been accomplished.   Stories of silly mommy trying to keep the house clean and noses wiped.    

Hold on tight to the bottles and the midnight feedings.  Hold on tight to sleepless nights spent with crabby babies.   Hold on tight to diapers and footed sleepers.  

I am holding on tight, but boy are they squirming. 

  

Girls and Cars (Hot Pink Barbie Cars)

A moment I will treasure forever  was watching Adam driving with his cousin Kaya.   Kaya had been giving Adam a ride in her hot pink Barbie car.    She had  wandered off to better things,  so Adam decided to take a stab at driving.   He did very well for his first time, although steering was an afterthought to how hard he could stomp on the gas peddle.   

So there he was cruising in his pink Barbie car....when the charm came.   He stopped right by Kaya, opened the passenger door, and patted the seat.....She climbed in and Adam smiled his little Adam smile, and off they drove into the sunset....well okay off they went in circles.   

Are you kidding me?   He is already learning to pick up chicks?    I picture him in a red convertible mustang with a blond bombshell beside him   Oh Adam. 

 

Blue Skies

When I was pregnant with the boys I freaked out one night that the boys might ask me why the sky is blue and I would not know what to say.    I mean, as a mom, I need to have these cute concise correct answers down pat.   

Internet to the rescue.  I searched for the answer, read all the sites I could.  Then I came up with my own little concise answer.  Okay now I could rest.  No.  Pregnancy hormones must have been in overdrive, because I took the blue sky quest to the next level. 

Steve must know the answer too.  I sat there ignoring what was probably a really good game or show of some kind that he was watching.  I read him a couple sites, told him my answer to the sky blue question.   Proceeded to ask him what he thought he would say.   Sweetly he said that sounded good....or you could always look it up with them on the internet.  

I am still holding on to my answer....what if they ask me in the car...or when we are camping....

I can't let them know that I have no friggin' clue until they are  much older....

EWW STINKY Makes My Monday 2

Thank goodness for pampers!  

Nathan's skin reacts to everything.  We can only use the regular pampers, not huggies, not pampers cruisers, not Target brand....or his little bottom becomes a a red hot bum. 

He has had four explosive diarrheas this morning already.  His bum is only slightly red.  And we have only gotten one little drop on the carpet.   I have my handy helper, Adam, to get plastic bags and lots of wipes.   The entire time the are both holding their noses, saying " EWW STINKY"

If my little Nathan bean can smile while he is having the runs and the pukes, I can surely smile while cleaning it up.  

Visit Cheryl for more Makes My Monday postings....

Twinfatuation: Makes My Monday: Laundry List

Twinfatuation: Makes My Monday: Twin Love

Nathan is very sick, but Adam is being the best brother in the world and bringing him toys and playing so nice and quiet.  

Brotherly love makes my Monday. 

Trade.

Adam: " trade, trade" (referring to trading the green sippy for the blue one)

Nathan  crying

Mom: " He does not want to trade.   Just drink out of the green one."

Adam:  "trade trade"

Nathan:  "NO"

Mom:  "Adam you always want the green sippy. "

Adam:  "TRADE!!!"

Mom: " Adam.  Stop." 

Adam crying.

Nathan: "Trade Trade!"

Adam: "NO"  (smiling)

Nathan giggles.

Mom ...just walking a way...deep breaths....

Food.

One evening an old cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside of people. 

He said "My son, the battle is between 2 "wolves" inside us all.

One is evil.  It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. 

The other if Good.   It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith"

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which one wins?"

The grandfather simply replied, "The one you feed."

-Anonymous 

2-year-old pictures

2-year-old pictures

Dirty floors.   Dirty Counters.  Dirty Dishes.   Crying children.  Bad Day?  No.   

We all get a gut check every once in a while.  Last night mine was Tuesday.  I was reading some mommy blogs and stumbled on Tuesday's story.    All I can say is we need to live each day.  We need to hug and kiss our kids each day.   

Each day is a blessing.   

For a gut check please visit Tuesday's blog by clicking on the picture above.  

Way Back When-esday: Starbucks!

Starbucks Fix.   The sound of two happy babies drinking.  The taste of a carmel latte.  

To participate in Way Back When-esday visit Cheryl's site:

Twinfatuation: Way Back When-esday: To The Rescue!

762 days

The boys have been learning and growing (outside of me) for 762 days.    I remember the first time I held them.  I still can taste the first time I kissed their little heads.   My heart flutters as I remember the first time 10 fingers curled around mine.  

As they age I am sure birthdays, zoo trips, and first days of school will be remembered.   I am sure pictures of catching frogs, chasing bubbles, and first water slides will be captured.   In my memory, though, it will be days like today that are forever tucked into the category "priceless."

This day, 762, we colored at the kitchen table.  We watched "SuperWhy."   This day we sat on the couch and read for the 418th time the little people picture book.   They name things from ambulances to frogs.  I laugh at the thought of reading it when all the could say was bird and ballon.  I would go right to those pages to point to what they knew again and again.  Now I try to stump them with pictures of trash cans, cabbage, and potato salad.   

As we sat down to lunch and all shared three peanut butter and honey sandwiches I felt it.  I felt what we only feel at certain blessed moments in our life.   I felt pure love.   I looked into four little brown eyes and teared up at all we have been through over the past 762 days.  

I laughed at the days when I would call Steve in tears telling him to order chinese, and to be home as soon as possible.   It was hard the first couple months for me and Steve.  We really did not have any outside help since we lived so far from our family.     We just went day by day.  We read parenting books, I cried, we laughed.    Looking back I would not change a thing.  

We have gone from carrying two infant seats up three flights of stairs, to two toddlers crawling in and out of their car seats, and walking up and down the stairs all on their own, many times not even holding on to the rails.  

What is it about this 762nd day that has got me so mushy.  Well as I type, my little princes are sleeping in their cribs for the last time.   When they wake up I will take pictures, and shed some tears, then the cute little white cribs will become cute little toddler beds.   

This sappy music is not helping to fight the tears.   Lord help us on their first day of school.  

Crazy Happy Boys Having Fun

Adam all cuddles after his bath,  was enjoying pinching my cheeks and posing for the camera. 
Nathan was trying to be just like Dad as he climbed all by himself up three rungs of the ladder.  Too cute, my little daredevil.