Friday, September 30, 2011

Confessions of a M.O.M. (Mother of Multiples)

It was one of those mornings… the kind when you just want to just crawl back in bed and beg for a “do over.” I look forward to Thursdays because it is the one day a week that I get to do something for me, my Women’s Bible Study. Jake and Lilly love it too, because they get a break from Mommy and the church nursery is stocked with crackers, which lately is the clearest path to their hearts.

This morning I tried, I really tried. I tried not to let it get to me that Jake woke up before my alarm (which was set for 5:45 which is ridiculous to begin with.) I tried not to lose it when he knocked the oatmeal out of my hand and it landed with a loud, “Splat!” on the kitchen floor that I spent an hour mopping the day before. I tried to remain calm when Lilly had a screaming, hissing tantrum when I kindly asked her to leave her favorite stuffed animal, Carol and her blanket (that desperately needs to be washed) in her crib instead of dragging them downstairs with her. I tried to accommodate each of my kids as they yelled and screamed at me from their high chairs, suddenly forgetting all of the polite sign language like “more” and “please” that they have been using for the past six months. I tried to understand why Jake kicked and pouted when Daddy left for work, ignoring the fact that no one kicks or screams when Mommy leaves to go anywhere. I tried not to lose my patience when two kids attempted to crawl into my lap while curling my hair… seriously, that happened. I tried to keep my cool when Lilly went exploring in my closet and found a tube of shoe glue I have no recollection of ever purchasing. I tried not to freak out when she put the tube of shoe glue in her mouth. I tried to smile sweetly at Jake as he brought me all six pairs of my flip flops…. or at least the ones he could reach. I tried to look away when Lilly (the little helper that she is) tried to pull out Jake’s dirty diaper from the trash can. I tried to rationalize with my two 14 month olds about what “being nice” looks like as I witnessed Lilly stealing Jake’s board book, and then Jake grabbing Lilly’s pigtail and yanking it with every ounce of strength in his tiny body. Of course, screaming and very dramatic sobbing followed immediately.

At some point during my morning I decided it was best that we not go to church. It’s mornings like these that I fear others will see how my kids truly act and their cuteness will not outweigh their tendency to exhaust. I wasn’t sure I could put another human through that kind of cruelty. But, as I sat in front of my kids, wiping two runny noses caused by all the bickering I realized that I had to go to Bible Study…. I needed to go to Bible Study. As much as the knot in the pit of my stomach convinced me otherwise, I made the decision to do whatever it took to get the kids out the door and in the car.

As I ran downstairs to pack a few last minute items into our overflowing diaper bag that inevitably never has enough room for all of their stuff, I yelled, “God, you gotta help me with these children today! I need You to give me patience because I’m trying and it’s not working this morning!!” Now I am not in the habit of speaking to God, the Creator of the Universe in this manner on a daily basis, but He knows me, He gets me, and it was understood that I needed Him this morning. And it was an urgent matter!

Finally, we got in the car. As I put the car in reverse I realized that my radio station was cutting in and out which happens from time to time on overcast mornings. I knew I needed my music after a crazy morning like the one I just endured, so I mindlessly grabbed the first CD I could find. Glancing at the cover, I realized I had selected my absolute favorite Britt Nicole CD. I listened to it all the time while I was pregnant. Now if you know Britt Nicole, this is the type of CD that you can’t listen to softly. You can’t listen and NOT beat the steering wheel like you are playing the drums. You can’t listen without singing along. So what did I do? I cranked up the volume and completely left my morning behind.

As I was turning left to get on the highway, already feeling better about my decision to stick with our plans, I looked back at Lilly and saw the absolute picture of joy. This sweet little girl who had given me such grief just minutes before was dancing like crazy in her car seat. She had the head bob going on, both feet kicking, and she even threw in a clap here and there. Then, as if that wasn’t enough to totally change my day, I looked in the rear view mirror at Jake, behind me. He, too, was moving his head to the music and grinning from ear to ear. (You'll have to forgive me for not including a photo of this, and even if I was a skilled enough driver to actually capture this moment on camera and continue driving the three of us safely down the highway, I still don't think it would be enough to portray the true feeling I had in my heart as I looked back at my kids.)

In that moment, I tried. I really tried.

I tried to remember how many nights I fell asleep begging God to give me these precious children. I tried to see how perfect they are in His sight. I tried to picture how empty my life would be without these two holy messes! I tried to remember why I had gotten so flustered back at the house, and to my surprise, in that instant, I could not recall. Then I tried to let myself (and the two passengers in the backseat) off the hook and chalked it up to “one of those mornings.”

Minutes later, as I pulled into the church parking lot, I didn't even have to try. It was crystal clear to see how truly blessed I am.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Dress Up

As Lilly has gotten older, she’s enjoyed wearing bows in her hair a little bit more. (Now I’m not saying she loves them in her hair, … she just tolerates them better!) I honestly think it’s just because I make such a big deal about “how pretty” she is! Her sweet little face lights up when she sees herself with “pretty hair” in the mirror! Last week, we got one of her tu-tus out of the closet and let her play in it. She pranced around and posed for the camera, and when it was nap time, she did not want to take it off!




Play Mates

Jake and Lilly have so much energy that I wish I could bottle it up and save some for those days that I am completely exhausted chasing after both of them! They are both obsessed with books, and now actually turn the pages instead of just gnawing on the corners!






We still watch for ducks out the front windows every morning, ready with our supply of bread and bagels to feed to them!

Both kids love to play in Daddy’s study! They have mastered opening the door, and they think it’s a riot that they can see each other through the glass window-paned door. The other day (while Lilly was inside the study and Jake was outside looking in) Jake tried to stick his finger in Lilly’s mouth, and I couldn’t help but giggle when she smushed her face up against the glass like a sucker fish in an aquarium, trying so hard to bite his finger!

Each day with these two holds a wide range of emotions. On any given day, we can go from laughing hysterically, as shown in these two pictures of Lilly pulling Jake in the little red wagon,....



...to crying big fat tears in an instant as shown here when Lilly tried and succeeded to push Jake out of the wagon to take her turn!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

"Daddy, I want a horsie!"

Last night we went to our friend, Mason's birthday party at Clay's Restaurant. The kids had so much fun petting the horses! We could not pry them away from these sweet, furry friends.... not even to eat. It is the only time EVER that Lilly has chosen ANYTHING over food!



Jake was in full "exploration mode." Usually the one who clings to Mom or Dad, he surprised us by taking off the minute his feet hit the ground. He loved watching all the animals and the other kids running around and playing in the sand box.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Little Droppings


Lilly's favorite afternoon snack is a bright red box of Sun Maid raisins, and, yes, they have to be in the box. Dumping them onto her high chair tray or transferring them to her snack holder is unacceptable. She wants that box in her hands so she can meander through the house leaving little droppings as she goes. She is learning to pick up the raisins that accidentally fall out of her box as she jams her hand inside for the next fistful, but she usually loses about five more each time she squats down to pick up the abandoned ones. It never ceases to amaze me where I find these little treats lying around, and I can't stop thinking about how they look as if they belong in the toilet instead of on my floor. But I guess it comes with the territory of having two toddlers in the house! Just the other day I found a Cheerio under my pillow! At least there have been no raisin sightings in my bed..... yet!!!

While on the topic of Lilly and "little droppings," I have to share Cody's experience from Tuesday night. I was out at a meeting, so Cody was in charge of dinner, bath time and bed time. When I got home later that evening, this is the story I heard:

"Both kids were great! They played happily for about an hour before dinner, sharing nicely and enjoying 'Daddy time.' "

I paused waiting for this happy story to go south, but he continued on with a smile on his face.

"Dinner went smoothly. Both kids (even Jake) ate everything on their trays. I was able to sit down and enjoy my leftovers while they ate. It was so easy!"

I was starting to doubt my initial theory of an evening gone awry, but couldn't ignore the unusual grin plastered all over my husband's face. So I listened as he continued his account of the evening. He told me about the wagon ride he took Jake and Lilly on after dinner and all the fun they had in the bath tub. He explained in great detail how he got both kids out of the tub and got everything he would need (PJs, lotion, diapers, etc) and took them into Jake's room to get them dressed. He told me how Jake laughed and laughed as he dried him off, while Lilly waited patiently seated on her towel until her turn.

At some point, Lilly must have decided she was dry and ready to play. She got up and began playing with Jake's puzzle stool in front of his sink. (For their birthdays, my sister-in-law got both kids these great stools that have the letters that spell their names cut out of the top like a puzzle.) Anyways, Cody told me he kept glancing over his shoulder while diapering Jake to make sure Lilly wasn't getting into anything she wasn't supposed to have. I knew by the extensive details I was receiving that this story was about get good!

"After glancing over a few times and finding everything in perfect order," he said, "I did a double take and saw Lilly standing among a small pile of brown stools, and one oddly large one about the size of a small avocado. I panicked since Jake was still on the changing table without his diaper, and suddenly I realized that Lilly badly needed hers!"

At this point in the story I was almost crying I was laughing so hard. I said a quick prayer, thanking God that it happened on his watch not mine! I was dying to know what he did and would have given anything to have been a fly on the wall as this scene played out.

He continued, "So I put Jake's diaper on him as quick as I could, then put him in his crib so he would not be able to get near the mess. But I guess I was not quick enough because in the 10 seconds it took me to slap a diaper on Jake and set him down, Lilly had stepped in her poop and smeared it all over the floor and Jake's stool."

I just have to say I think it is incredibly ironic that she smeared her stool all over Jake's stool!!! With tears streaming down my face, I listened as Cody finished his story of the "not-so-perfect" evening.

"Then as I walked over to her, not sure if I should be yelling, crying or laughing," he told me, "she picked up the biggest piece of poop (and I am not exaggerating when I say it was the size of a small avocado) and handed it to me, as if to say, 'Daddy, I don't think this belongs on the floor. You better clean it up before Mommy gets home!' "

Oh, I cannot wait for potty training!!!! Fun times!!



Saturday, August 13, 2011

King of the Remote

We think Jake is really an old man trapped in a little boy's body! He is always so serious, constantly looking at Lilly with a look on his face that says, "Really?! You find that entertaining?! I am so much more mature than you!" Half the time I want to offer him coffee and the newspaper, and I am quite certain he'd love to wear house shoes if we let him. He would rather play with the TV remote than his toys! (When we went on vacation, he found all four remotes in our three bedroom condo!) Can't you just hear him saying, "Come on, guys, I just wanted to watch Fox News!" ?



Family Vacation

We took a family trip to Orlando about a week ago with Cody's parents, Grammy and Pop. We did not do Disney this year since Jake and Lilly are a little too young to truly embrace the "Disney Experience." We spent most of our time hanging out by the pool, sipping mai tais (apple juice for the kids, of course!) and enjoying summer! I did not realize until we got back that Grammy is in NONE of the pictures since she was our poolside photographer!!

Waiting for our plane at the airport...
"What do you mean I don't get my own seat, Pop?"
Jake and Lilly doing what Cody calls "quick dips!" One, two, three and under they go! They both love it, even though they come up sputtering!
Jake loves his float with built in canopy! It looks like he might be ready for a nap in this picture! Both kids napped great on this trip... I'm sure it had something to do with all the pool time.
Lilly with Pop, her "Pool Buddy!"
Playing in the fountain!
Lunchtime.... Mmmmmmmmmm!