I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE! I remember my mom saying that to us (and now that I think about it she said it A LOT, we must have been B.A. D!). Lately I know EXACTLY how she felt. The babies are driving me insane crazy with the fighting and taunting and hitting and scratching and pushing and screaming and crying and and and. The fighting is at an all time high. The difference now is that they know how to antagonize one another which makes it that much worse. I can already see our future:
Mom: Shenzie don’t put your foot on his side of the couch
Shenzie: Puts her foot on his side of the couch
Heaten: WAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH accompanied by hitting and pushing
Mom: I HAVE HAD IT UP TO HERE!
Who am I kidding, that is not the future, that is everyday around here.
Everything has to be just so or Heaten has a tantrum. If Shenzie stands too close, touches his toys, won’t give up her toy, looks at him the wrong way he has a tantrum that involves either throwing himself on the floor and crying or hitting her over and over again. Shenzie is really good about giving up her toys to the bully Heaten, but when she doesn’t and he hits or pushes her she retaliates with scratching his face and eyes. I swear she goes for the eye area on purpose. I swear all day everyday I feel like I am constantly saying no, don’t do that, stop hitting, you’re going to time out, etc. Today I’ve been super strict with them. The minute they hurt one another it is super time out. I get lax about it all and things seem to get worse so lets hope me being strict will make it a little better. What do you all of you twin moms do with the constant fighting? When does this stage pass? I feel like I should let them work it out on their own, but they don’t understand the concept yet and end up really hurting each other. Help!!! I’ve had it up to here!!!
The little angels that I love more than anything, but drive me crazy sometimes.
On top of all of the fighting they are constantly testing EVERY SINGLE THING. Going up the stairs (which are steep and dangerous) is a fight every day. Getting dressed - fight. Changing diaper - fight. Brushing teeth - fight. Not giving them everything they want - fight. You name it they are fighting it. My goodness, they don’t call it the terrible twos for nothing! Only a year of terribleness to go! =)
Little Shenzie Bear’s first black eye.
I tried to tell her I’ve had it up to here, but as you can see she didn’t listen. Ok, so maybe I didn’t give her the black eye. Maybe Shenzie and Auntie Kristy duked it out….can you guess who won? (Sorry sissy, I couldn’t resist).
Ok, so maybe Kristy didn’t pop her one. This one was pure Clumsy Shenzie, always on the go, so fast that sometimes her feet can’t keep up!!
On a totally unrelated side note…I love this post!
October 30th, 2008 at 7:30 am
Ummmm…. we still have the fighting and craziness! I just think there is something about the twin dynamic that is different than other siblings. We definitely have spurts of more insanity but I really have no idea how to stop the fighting. I keep telling myself they have to learn to fight to learn to get along. HA HA. Fat lot of good that does me.
Actually we did notice a big decrease in their fighting when they could talk to each other and when they truly understand SHARE. One thing I do when they are fighting over a toy is set a timer. When it rings, they have to switch places. That has helped a lot.
It’s really the NOISE that drives me crazy!!!
October 30th, 2008 at 9:15 am
YOU ARE SOOOO DEAD!!! I may have posted it, but my blog doesn’t get read like your blog, I am gonna give you 1 of my shiners:) Poor Shenzie, did she do that at my house? Tell her not to worry her Auntie is clumsy too:) That post was flippin hilarious by the way! Oh, & as far as the fighting goes, sorry that sucks that you are an all day referee!! I can’t help you because I’ve never had 2 2 year olds:) On the fighting you with everything I used to try to give them a special toy while I changed their diaper, or bribery has always worked well for me, all the books say don’t do it, but I tell you it is about SURVIVAL!! Usually my bribes involve something we were going to do anyways, like “Let mommy get you dressed & we’ll go to the park.” Hell, sometimes even a little candy here & there. Be careful though, you can create a monster with that one, I did with Alexee, I have since learned with Braiden. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I have also heard of putting toys in time out. Rather it be what they are fighting over, or their special toy, I’m sure Heaten would FLIP if Mr Dog was in time out. It is about getting a reaction, no matter what the consequence, they have to know MOM MEANS BUSINESS!! Get them Mean Lesley GReen!!
P.S IF i had a picture of you in your striped tights w/ polka dotted converse I would so post it on my blog right now!!!
Wow now I am blabbin, sorry!
October 30th, 2008 at 9:46 am
The pictures of them are amazing. I wish I had half your talent!!!
October 30th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I wish I could help. I’m learning the ropes too.
What I’m finding frustrating is that when I was a nanny I was so on top of everything. The instant someone was doing something they shouldn’t, they got a time out. The kids I watched didn’t mess around with me. But now I’m thinking my tolerance is higher. I’ll listen to them whine for something and then give them something to make them stop whining, rather than teaching them that they SHOULDN’T BE WHINING!! But for some reason I don’t think of it at the time. I’ve got to start cracking down.
I like kristy’s idea of putting a toy in timeout!! I’ll have to remember that one!
October 30th, 2008 at 6:33 pm
I am surprised my twins survived the summer. It was an all out war every single day! They had bruises, scratches, and Kate had two really bad bites. Carson is/was the bully and toy stealer. For some reason, things have calmed down around here in the fighting department (knock on wood). I was so frustrated because the Time Outs didn’t seem to work. We often put toys in Time Out and that seems to work better than putting one of the kids in Time Out. Go figure.
My big complaint right now is whining. The whining is driving me insane. They whine instead of using words I know they know.
October 30th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Jessica S. said it best, she didn’t drink wine until she had kids….
It is really picking your battles, they say if you ignore the tantrums
like leave the room they will quit due to the fact no one is watching.
This is all part of being a mom, now you know why some wild animals
EAT their young.. J/K…well they really do..
You are brave putting that pic of Kristy up, she will get even..
I can see this getting ugly.. Great Pics
hugs,
mom
October 31st, 2008 at 11:30 am
We’ve got the crazy fighting too. My solution? Send them to preschool for eight lovely hours a week and let someone else deal with it. Otherwise, I just grit my teeth a lot. It helps stop the yelling. My yelling, at least.
November 1st, 2008 at 10:53 am
Lesley, I am right there with you. My little “take anywhere” kiddos have suddenly been displaying very 2ish behavior. This is not even getting into the all out battles of wills between eachother and me. Phew…it is a chalenge that is for sure. As I type this, I finally just got my boys down for a nap (an hour after I started the process) and my house, honest to god, looks like a cyclone hit it. I think I can actually feel gray hairs popping out of my head!