Hangin’ Out Edition:

Just Strollin’ Along

Muah!

Hey Brother, look what I found!

I wonder how far down this goes?

Enough with the pictures already! All done Mama!

Update on poor Heaten and dead Doggie. He absolutely refuses Doggie. Doggie is dead as far as we are all concerned. I’ve tried everything to get him to sleep. I’ve tried every animal, blanket, and non bed things that I could find. No go. So after many hours of crying (for him and me) he is finally sleeping. *Knock on wood* There of course, is still some crying involved, especially at nap time, but last night he only cried one minute and slept all night until 6 which is A LOT better than the previous nights of crying and waking at the crack of dawn. We’ve spent a lot of quality time together outside before it heats up for the day, watching sunrises, and watching toons on tv. It has been a really, really ugly week (one of the worst we’ve ever had) and I hope we’re over the worst. All I can say is guard your babies lovey’s with your life!!!!

Pictures from our crack of dawn play.

We’ve been doing story time at the Library for a couple of months now and so far we really like it. We go to the Summerlin Library since it has a story time that fits out schedule. With it being so hot and miserable I thought we’d try out some other libraries in hopes of finding one we liked so we could go more often. The whole family went down to the Aliante Library in NLV one Sunday and found it closed. Ummmm. What library is closed on a Sunday. Lame!!! Apparently the county libraries are different from the City of NLV and they close their library on Sundays. Duly noted. We then went the following week on Wednesday for story time. We got there early at 9:50 and talked to the librarian about where story time was, where we meet, etc. She gives us all the information and we head to the kids section to play for 40 minutes until it starts. Forty minutes later I tell the kids to get ready for story time! Yay! And a lady who had just arrived with her kids tells me there is no story time that day. Oh no silly lady, you must be mistaken. I just talked to the librarian about story time and she for sure would have mentioned something about there NOT being story time that day. Nope. Apparently librarians are not the nice little old ladies you imagine when you think of a librarian at a small library.

Fine then. The Aliante Library hates me so we decided to try the Sahara West Library Story Time which happens to be my favorite. Jeff, the kids, and I hit that place up at least once a month. We get there and I realize I forgot my water and the babies sippies. Ut oh. I make a mad dash to the soda bin thing hoping they have water. Chaching! We’re in luck. We head upstairs, park the stroller, and go play in the kids section for 15-20 minutes until story time starts. Did you catch that….15-20 minutes, meaning we were early. We line up when the bell rings and follow the HUGE line of Mom’s and kids. I notice everyone has a green numbered pass. Everyone except for us that is. The not nice librarian informs me that you have to get there early to get a number, first come first serve type deal. I informed her we’d been there for 20 minutes already, how much earlier do we need to be? Well, we ran out of numbers 10 minutes ago, you must have forgot to pick one up. Nope. Didn’t forget silly lady. I didn’t know! Maybe you should do a little announcement to everyone waiting to make sure they have their numbers. Lame. At least I wasn’t the only one turned away for no number…there were quite a few people leaving with sad looks on their faces just like ours. I ran into a member of our playgroup outside who was headed to a park since she didn’t get her number either, but since we had no sippies and it is a zillion degrees here I didn’t think that was a good idea so back home we came. This is why I stick with what I know, it works out much better and doesn’t make me want to punch mean librarians in their faces! =)

But tell me, how can I stay mad at the Library when I get to look at this all day?

And this:

The Death of Doggie as told by Lesley Barr

See how Baby Bear is wearing a shirt. Shenzie likes to dress her, feed her, and change her diaper. The shirt came off part way and now she won’t let me put it on or take it off, she wants it on part way, just like it is. Weirdo!

Part One

How It All Began

When the babies were still tucked up cozy in my belly a friend had given me a Ty stuffed dog and bear for the babies. When they were about 6 or 7 months we started giving the lovey’s to them and by the time they were a year old they were hooked. Shenzie had Baby Bear and Heaten had doggie. You always hear those horror stories where the parents only had 1 lovey that got lost so like any good mother I bought backups. I ordered 3 more dogs for Heaten, but to this day I cannot find the same Bear for Shenzie. I’ve brought home pink bears and pig bear lookalikes and she just throws them away. So when something bad happens to Bear (crossing my fingers it never does), I’m totally screwed. Like I am right now with Doggie. Screwed with a capital S.

Shenzie letting Baby go potty and below feeding Baby

Part Two

Tales of the Doggie

Heaten loves(ed) his Doggie. He slept with him, cuddled him, kisses him, hugged him, and asked for him all day long. Doggie wasn’t allowed out of the house, but when in the house where Heaten was Doggie was close by. We had a rotation schedule for Doggie since Heaten used his tail as a binky. He would suck on it to put himself to sleep so every couple of days we changed out Doggie, until a couple of months ago when he refused a new Doggie and cried and screamed for Doggie back. Of course I gave him his old Doggie back, softy that I am. Big mistake! Doggie got more dirty, stinky, and general ick. It was even to the point of embarrassment how gross Doggie was. Months of gross saliva on a dogs tail will do that just so you know. But, to keep the peace I didn’t take it away. He loves(ed) Doggie. Doggie and Heaten were best pals. How could I just take him away? And then, something bad happened.

Part Three

The End of Doggie

Friday night Heaten decided Doggie needed a bath so he threw him in the tub. Great! Perfect opportunity to at least rinse Doggie off and make him a little less ick. I throw Doggie in the dryer and before bed give him back to Heaten. He picked him up, smelled him, stuck the tail in his mouth and promptly threw him down pissed off! Somehow, someway he knows that Doggie is different and he wants no part of it. Let’s just say it has been a LONG three nights with Jeff and I up pretty much all night with Crazy Heaten. He WILL NOT sleep without Doggie. The even worse thing is he won’t sleep with us so it’s not like we can lay down and go to bed. He fights, kicks, hits, wriggles, yells, cries, and makes Mama’s mouth bleed, twice. He just won’t be comforted by us, but he refuses Doggie, blankie, other doggies, other animals, you name it he says no. So in the end when all my hair is gray and I’m insane from the crying I hope that he’ll get over Doggie and be able to sleep again. As for now, I’m pretty sad, depressed, tired, emotional, and bummed out for my little boy. Any ideas? Suggestions? Help me please!!!!! Letting him cry is breaking my heart into pieces, but there is nothing else outside of letting him stay up all night long that is working.

Becoming a parent changes everything. I don’t know about the rest of you, but over here it feels like there is a lot of trial and error going on. Your first child sets the learning curve. You make mistakes, you get things right, and by the time you have your second child you are more seasoned. Less trial and error since you already know the ropes. By the time you have your third (if you are that insane) you have it down to a science.
You do not have this advantage when you have more than one child at once. Most mistakes made are made to both. Luckily most things that I get right are right to both as well.

Looking back there are few things I would have done differently. I wish I had known about baby wearing much sooner. I didn’t start wearing Heaten until 9 months (Shenzie didn’t like to be worn so it worked out well that Heaten loved it). I had the Snugli and Bjorn carriers and hated them. I didn’t know about wraps and slings so I like I missed out on a huge opportunity for more bonding. Having twins brought a lot of guilt over never being enough. Never giving enough. Never holding enough. I think baby wearing would have helped some of the guilt I felt. I currently have the Ergo carrier, and while I haven’t used it in awhile it definitely was worth the $$ and got used every day for months and months.

July 2007

I would also have separated the babies into their own rooms much sooner. I had these thoughts of all this twin bonding, laughing at each other and talking to each other at night and in the mornings. And maybe when they are older we will have all of those things, but for now I love the separation. My stress and anxiety level went down considerably when they moved into their own rooms. I did lose an office, but I love having my bedroom back from Shenzie napping in it. They both sleep so much better when separate which means that Mama sleeps better. =)

June 2007

Lastly, I would have forced the binky on Heaten. We took Shenzie’s away at 4 months by necessity. Heaten still took his, but it was more me giving it to him than him really wanting it. At 6 months I stopped forcing it and was so glad that we didn’t have to worry about taking it away later. Enter his lovey ‘Doggie’. After this weekend and the drama we are in the midst of with Doggie I wish he still had binky to give him comfort. I’ve been up since 2:30a.m. and am too tired to tell the sad story of the death of Doggie, so stay tuned and watch the drama unfold. =) or =( Depending on how much humor I can fake right now.

Video Edition:

This video is one of my favorites. The beginning shows Shenzie stealing from Heaten and being feisty. He gives her a talking to and shares his toy with her, sweet boy. She then steals it again. He gives her another talking to. I imagine he is telling her to be gentle and sharing means caring. =) He scoots in closer and she gives him a kiss. My heart was melting. I LOVE when they show affection without any prompting from me.

Brushy, kissy, talky from lesley barr on Vimeo.

Oh, and the BZZZZZZZ you’re hearing is their new electric toothbrushes. They LOVE them. They were always crying to use my Sonicare so we got them their very own Crayola Babycare.

When does a babies privacy come into play? I’m having a tough time deciding if I want to post a couple of pictures for Foto Friday tomorrow where the babies are just in diapers. I know it is personal preference in how much you reveal about your life, your child, and what pictures you choose to post (if any). I’m pretty open (understatement), but I’m having a tough time with this one. For all of the bad people out there who may look at the photos with evil thoughts or simply for my own child’s privacy.

You all know I post a gazillion pictures here, but I try not to post ones where you see nips nips or nekkie booty. In your opinion is that ok at this age? Never ok? What do you think?

*Edited to add…I just realized I posted nip nips the other day in the bathtub…so I guess it is not as big a deal as I’m making it…but I still want to know your thoughts.

*Thank you guys for the comments and advice. I’ve decided not to use the pictures. Like you said, go with my gut and this time my gut is passing.

*Kristy - Don’t worry, I had permission from Stacey to use those pictures. =)
*Jodi - You didn’t leave your email address…leave it next comment and we’ll “talk shop”.

*For Stacey - Yes, the age is my issue. When babies are tiny and babies and not yet walking I don’t view it the same as when they start walking and talking etc. I posted nips of the twins when they were younger too. Also, before ever posting any picture of a child other than my own that is questionable I always ask the parent for permission before doing so. The older the babies get is when the question of privacy comes into play (for me at least). And too…the picture I posted of Haylee was from a professional photoshoot which I view as art, not a random candid. I would have no problem posting the babies if it were from a photoshoot. Again, just my own opinion, crazy as it is.

Dear Shenzie and Heaten,

In the months leading up to your first birthday I would think to myself ‘in 2 months they will be one’ and get all teary eyed and weepy. Ok, not really teary or weepy, but sort of sad in a way that you were growing up so fast. Now that you are almost two I find that I am doing the same thing. Only three more months until my little babies are two. Not so little anymore. Not babies anymore by any stretch of the imagination, but still, always, my babies.

You both are communicating so much more. Whether it is words, signs, or simple head shakes no or yes you are making your needs, wants, and desires know. A lot of the times the needs, wants, and desires are things you can’t have which leads to cries, whines, and tantrums. Luckily *knocking on wood* we don’t have horrid 45 minute long tantrums….more like screaming, crying, throwing your bodies around for 10 minute tantrums. And let me just say that after hearing multiple tantrums from multiple babies all day long is sometimes enough to drive me crazy. Good thing you’re both so cute and I love you so much or it might cross my mind to run and hide. Oh wait! It does cross my mind, daily in fact!! For as crazy as you both are you are just as much fun. This age is so much fun where you’re learning to talk, learning to say no, learning what you like and don’t like. You make me laugh daily with the little things you do.

We have been practicing our ABC’s, numbers, colors, and songs. When we do the ABC’s sometimes you’ll both “sing” along or do a very loose interpretation of the sign. When we count you’ll both yell out after me the number. And when I say yell out the number I mean some sort of sound that isn’t really the number, but you think that it is so we’ll pretend that it is. You both love Pat a Cake and The Itsy Bitsy Spider. You love the way Dada does Pat a Cake. Really fast…so fast the words all blur together and your hands move a million miles an hour. We’re learning new songs at Story Time at the Library which we’ve started going to and you both really like. The Alligator song is your favorite (mine too!). You also love the Bee song and laugh really hard when the bee “gets” you.

With the summer being so hot we’re forced to stay indoors more or find new indoor activities to do. We do music time where you play the piano, keyboard, or guitars. We do art time where we color with crayons or markers. We even do paint time where we paint the bathtub with food colored yogurt. Most of the “paint” ends up in your mouth, or splattered down your belly. Good thing we bathe right after!

Even though most of the day is spent with me refereeing you and keeping you from hurting each other you do play together. Sometimes. You have your favorite game where one of you (usually Shenzie) will run into a room and close the door behind her (the doors have door stops on them so they don’t close all of the way). Shenzie, you then run to the corner and wait for brother to come get you. He’ll sneak up to the door and peek through and then push it open and run away laughing hysterically. You’ll run back to the door and close it and then it all starts over. You play this game daily and each time is as fun and funny as the last.

Dear Shenzie,

You are such a spunky, funny, sassy little girl. You have so much personality and I suspect you may be a drama queen when you are older (like your Auntie Stacey). You are still feisty and aggressive, but at least the biting has stopped (for the most part). You are so full of energy, sometimes it makes me weary just watching you run and run and run and play and run and twirl and dance and run. You never sit still. Even in your carseat you fidget, move, and wriggle. The few times you actually sit and cuddle in my lap are very precious indeed since the rest of the time you are a whirlwind of crazy energy.

You are still a fantastic eater and sleeper. You’re currently getting your pointy teeth (canines perhaps) and I can already tell it is NOT going to be pretty when they finally start to really come through. Stupid teething!!! You love water. You love to swim, play in puddles, take showers and baths, and “help” Mama do the dishes. You help me do the laundry, clean the counters, sweep the floors, clean the baseboards. Life is going to be great in another couple more years when I really put you to work! =)

Even though most of the time you are running around like a crazed loon you do have a very sweet side. You love to give kisses. You love to “mama” your baby bear. You give him drinks, food, and you even make me feed him. You love to cuddle him and anytime you get hurt you ask for baby. When Heaten gets hurt and cries really hard you will come over and pat his back or rub his arm to help him feel better. Every time you do this is just makes my heart melt a little that you love him and care that he is hurt.

Little Buggle Bean. I can’t even put into words how much I love you, how happy you make me, and how wonderful you have made my life.

I love you,
Love,
Mama.

Dear Heaten Bear,

This past month you have really gone through a lot of changes. Gone is my little, sweet cuddle bug (well, not gone, just temporarily misplaced). You have found your independence and you now challenge me at every turn. You used to be very easy going and laid back, and while that is still true for the most part you also want what you want, when you want it and heaven forbid if you don’t get it. It is really kind of funny to watch you test the boundaries. You will look right at me when you are doing something you’re not supposed to be doing with a little half smile, taunting me….like ‘what are you going to do about it Mama?’ Even funnier is when you put yourself in time out. I try to give you a warning before time out….it goes something like “Heaten, if you hit me again you’re in time out”. You will of course hit me and then walk yourself over to the time out corner and sit down quietly. I try not to giggle when you do this since Time Out is Serious Business. See all of those capitals…I mean business. Or not.

You went through a phase (well, really your entire first year and a half) where you only wanted Dada. You were a Dada addict. And then something changed and you wanted Mama, which of course pleased me to no end. But, those moments are gone, baby gone. You are once again Dada’s little boy and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

You are still a very picky eater. One day eating something with gusto the next refusing to even smell it. You don’t like to go swimming in the pool, but do like bath times. You are talking up a storm and love to walk around naming things. Your favorite sign is ‘all done’ and you use it VERY frequently. All done with the potty. All done with dinner (that you didn’t even touch). All done with playing. All done with getting your diaper changed. You have gotten a lot of miles from the all done sign.

Along with your new found independence came a bit of a temper. Don’t get me wrong, your temper doesn’t even begin to compare to your sisters, but it is still new for you. You will hit or push her if she does something you don’t like. You will hit me if I do something you don’t like. You throw your dog and then of course cry for him back the second he plops where you threw him, usually over the gate or down the stairs. A good part of my day is just keeping you and Shenzie from hurting each other. Referee Mama they call me.

You are still my sweet little cuddle bug and I love you to bits and bites and bits. I can’t even put into words how much I love you, how happy you make me, and how wonderful you have made my life.

I love you,
Love,
Mama.

Instead of a three day weekend we made it a four day weekend. Oh how I heart long weekends! We had a fantastic weekend hanging out together with the babies. Weekend highlights included:

Painting in the bathtub with colored yogurt (and eating it too!)

Swimming in the “pool” and ditching the babies with Dada while I went swimming at Grandma’s (and trust me, you’re glad I don’t post a picture of that!)

Photoshoots with Shenzie

Lots of singing, dancing, twirling, shaking, spinning, and running

Helping Mama and Dada clean up

Practicing sitting (and standing) on our new potties

Tantrums

Hugs, kisses, and love

and the best part…..DATE NIGHT!

Old photo since I have no more current ones of us.

Thanks Mom (Gama) for watching the Crazies. Jeff and I went to see the movie Wanted. I was a little disappointed, but Jeff thought it was good so I guess it is all a matter of opinion. Either way it was super fun, relaxing, and wonderful.

Thank you baby (and babies) for a perfect weekend.

Favorite Foto Week:

One of my very favorite photos of all times.

Some favorites from our playdate at The Discovery Park this week