They Turned Three And....

want to do everything for themselves.

 

They put their own waffles and toast in the toaster, help spread the syrup/butter/jelly, and then cut it up.

Nolan followed me downstairs to do laundry and he put all the wet clothes into the dryer for me. It kept him busy while I folded the load that just came out of the dryer.

While some of their "help" can sometimes be a hindrance right now, they are learning from it and learning fast. There will be a day soon where they will be able to make their own breakfast and they won't need me.

I'm not ready for that day yet!

Three seems like it is going to be a big learning year. What can I expect this year?

Splish, Splosh, Splash

We ♥ Daniels Park. The playground is a lot of fun, but there is NO shade anywhere to be found inside the fences of the playground. After an hour the twinadoes were sweating and ready to cool off, so we headed down to the river.

A boy and his boat.

Sidearm. Hey, it worked for Bernie Kosar!

Cooling, refreshing, and a sandy mess. Just like kids should be in the summer.

If you haven't been to Daniels Park, put on your water shoes and head over.

What is your favorite Lake County place to play in the sand and surf?

Wordless Wednesday

F-A-M-I-L-Y

The twinadoes birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but I put the parties off for a couple of weeks in hopes of better weather. Of course, I completely forgot about the midge invasion we get every year towards the end of May. Oh well, it still worked out to be pretty decent weather and the midge nuisance didn't get too bad until the sun went down.

The first party, the "kid" one, was at Memphis Kiddie Park. If you have a kid that is under 50 inches tall and haven't gone there yet, what are you waiting for? It is so much fun! The evening party was a BBQ at our house.

I am lucky to have an Uncle I have always been close to. He moved to TX many years ago, but we still get to see him several times a year. Back in my single days, I would go to TX for a week or two at a time and we would have the time of our lives.

A couple of months back, he called to find out about the kids birthday celebration so he could plan a trip around it. That in itself is touching to me, but this is what took the cake for me. 

When UB arrived at Memphis Kiddie Park, my kids ran into his arms with giggles and kisses and tears for me.

My kids never met either of their Grandfathers.It is something that makes me sad on a regular basis, but I am so glad that they have other males in their life that mean so much to them, my UB included.

What was your kids favorite birthday party?

Mommy Tip Monday

Reagan loves blueberries. She is better at eating them, but last summer, not so much. We would have ruined a lot of outfits if I hadn't found this tip:

To get out blueberry stains, soak stain in white vinegar and then pour boiling water onto the stain and scrub.

Works like a charm.

Wordless Wednesday

Mommy Tip Monday

Outdoor toy storage is tough since the toys are such odd sizes and make a huge amount of clutter in the garage. If you leave them outside in the rain, the water gathers in them and then the twinadoes get soaked the next time they use the toy.

We bought two large garbage cans and use those for most of the outdoor toys. At the end of they day you put the lid on and it can stay outside in any weather.

Easy to clean. Neat and tidy. Keeps toys dry.

How do you store outdoor toys?

I can't take full credit for this tip. We saw this at our friends house last summer. Thanks, Amanda!

Step 2 Recall

Step 2 has issued a recall on several items; the Push Around Buggy, Whisper Ride Buggy, Basic Rhythms Drum, and Play Up Gym Set. More info.

When I was a kid, there was a recall on a Curious George stuffed toy I had. I cleary remember having to take him to the store and give him back. I was crushed. I couldn't have been more than 3 or 4 years old. When my kids got their first Curious George dolls, I gave him an extra squeeze for old-times sake.

Anything you can remember having to give up as a child?

Library Programs

Libraries are important to me. They are important to my kids.

Registration is underway at the Willoughby-Eastlake Library System for their summer programming.

Check it out!

What other things do you sign your kids up for to keep their minds active in the summer?

Twinadoes Turn Three

Today the twinadoes are three.

All the cliches are true. Time DOES fly.

They are not babies anymore. They literally seem to grow overnight. Clothes that fit a week ago are too short & tight.

They have huge vocabularies. We get told that at least 5 times a week by strangers.

They can count to 20 in English and to 10 in Spanish.

Nolan is trying his best at the potty.

As for personalities, they are opposites.

Nolan is the sweetest soul I've ever met. He is kind, giving, totally huggable, and a sweet, sweet boy. He is compassionate, shares well (most of the time), and is gentle. If he stays this way, he will grow into a man I will prouder than I ever imagined I could be. He likes people (sometimes too much, which scares me.) He has the hardiest laugh I've ever heard for a little kid.

Right now his career ambition is to be a conductor of a train.

Which brings us to what Nolan likes. Thomas the Train is it as far as shows. Nolan loves to sing and you will hear him process a song while he listens. He picks up the beat very well and after hearing it about 3 times, he will start to sing along. Besides Duran Duran he likes Oasis, Johnny Cash, and a few oldies that he listens to with my mom. Downtown by Petula Clark, The Rolling Stones, and The Beatles.

He is rarely without a smile which puts one on my face when there are days I don't think I can muster one.

Reagan is the leader. Born first, she is in charge. She takes a little more time to warm up to you, but when she does; she will be your bestie for life. She has a stubborn streak a mile wide, but has another side that is a loveable little girl. She has the best giggle. She is funny and likes to make jokes. Reagan gives THE best bear hugs in the world. Without fail that hug can turn my bad day around.

Sometimes Reagan says she wants to be a librarian, but I have my sights set higher for Reagan. She needs to be in charge. Who knows, maybe she'll be President!

Reagan loves arts & crafts. That is probably her favorite thing to do. She stamps, colors, and glues her way through any classes we take and then wants to continue at home. She colors in the line very well and has a clear idea of what color things must be.

Reagan (as well as Nolan) lovse the water. Kalahari is the place to be. She is very brave in the water and I bet by the end of the summer, she will be swimming on her own. She is tall enough to walk the whole pool at the Y. Hard to believe they were only 9 months old when they started swimming classes.

It seems like just yesterday they smiled for the first time, rolled over, crawled, and even began to walk. Now they run, hop, gallop, and march all over the places.

They are Explores. Adventurers. Experimenters.

Best of all, they are mine.

To laugh with.

To teach.

To learn from.

To love.

 

Mommy Tip Monday

I always keep 2 frisbee's in the car. We got them for free at a restaurant on kids nights.

Yes, they are fun toys, but they also make great plates! The curved sides keep food in. The kids can even have ketchup or dip without too much of a mess.

When the kids are done eating, I wash them off and they make a great sturdy surface for coloring in small notebooks. Nice for the kids (and me) that the crayons don't roll all over the back of the van.

Less mess, less waste.

Helps to save the earth. And my sanity.

Happy Mother's Day2

Mother's Day.

The day to celebrate the women in your life that mean the most to you.

They may or may not have been the one that gave birth to you, but they nurture and shape you.

They love you beyond belief.

They have made sacrifices for you.

They put their needs second.

They are who you trust. Who you confide in. Who you respect. Who you love.

Three years ago, I got the best Mother's Day gift ever. I got to walk out of the hospital with my two healthy babies. They were born 3 days prior and were barely more than sacks of sugar. There will never be a gift that could top that. As an "infertile myrtle" getting to take your babies home ON Mother's Day is big. HUGE.

For a long time, all I wanted was to have a child. After many Mother's Day where I sucked it up through brunch with my Mom and MIL, and then cried the rest of the day, it was finally my turn to get the carnation at the brunch.

What lady means the most to you? Don't forget to tell them you feel that way today!

Ending The Sucking

My boy has loved this since Day 1, well ok, maybe Day 3.

Around 1.5 years old, I transitioned  him to use it only at nap/bed and in the car. He bite a hole in his last "car paci" several months ago and he threw it away, so he is down to having it in bed only.

My girl ditched the big green paci around 6 weeks and then picked up another bad habit at around 12 weeks.

She sucks her fingers a lot. As soon as she gets intimidated or tired, in they go. I try to discourage it when we are out, but it is sheer habit for her.

My parenting style is pretty laid back when it comes to these kinds of things. I figure that it is offering them a comfort they need and I'm not going to mess with that. There is enough in this world to mess them up; I'm not going to quibble over sucking some fingers or a plastic nub. In my opinion, they will stop when they are ready and not a moment sooner.

....BUT...

The twinadoes went to the dentist last Friday for the first time and she knew immediately that they were suckers. She mentioned that it is time to stop. Reagan has always said that "on May 10th" she will stop sucking her fingers.  (May 10th is their 3rd birthday.) So, maybe in the name of future orthodontic work, it istime to give a little push toward going suck-free.

I can't wait to see how this is going to go!

Any strategies that worked for you to ease into giving up their vices?

Wordless Wednesday

Pearly Whites

The twinadoes had their first dentist appointment a couple of days ago. We talked it up, read a Dora Goes to the Dentist book a lot, and practiced opening wide and counting teeth.

I was pretty sure they were going to do well, and they proved me right. The only hiccup was when they were trying to polish Nolan’s teeth. He had been really good up to that point, but when she started doing it, he rebelled. He said, “This tastes like sand in my mouth!” He was, however, very happy to operate the water fountain and get to rinse.

They were really nice about it and said it wasn’t necessary to do it on this visit anyway, but I think the precedent has been set. Any suggestions for next time?

They got a bag of loot, a prize from the toy shelf, and a balloon and we were on our way in under an hour. They also got entered into the monthly drawing and we got a message today that Nolan won! He gets to go to the office and pick his prize. Very cool first visit to the dentist, if you ask me.

Since they did so well at the dentist, we headed to the zoo as a treat. We haven’t been since Boo At The Zoo last October so the twinadoes were super excited to see their “animal friends.” We headed up to the Northern Trek and I was happy to get some really good photos (a hobby/future career, I hope) and the twinadoes were happy to get blue icees.

The weather cooperated, the twinadoes cooperated, even the animals at the zoo cooperated. I couldn’t have asked for a better day.

Mommy Tip Monday

To remove silly putty from clothing, use some hand sanitizer on top of the putty and then turn the clothing inside out and use some on the back of the stain. Gently scrap with fingernail to remove. I then used a little dishwashing soap to get any residue out.

Test on a small hidden area first.

Putting it in the freezer overnight does not work. Trust me.

What's your magic tip for removing stains?