First Dentist Appointments!

On Monday Sam and Anna had their first dentist appointments.  Our dentist recommends waiting until age 3 until bringing in kids, so that's what I did.  Although I did not need another thing on my to-do list in the midst of packing our house, solo-parenting two small children 5 days a week and working full time, I wanted to get it taken care of before switching insurance in a few months, since I know that it is fully covered under our current insurance.

 

Sam and Anna did GREAT.   We watched a little app called Ed's Dentist about a bunny that goes to the dentist for the first time (it was free when I found it) to prep for their first visit, along with reading several books and talking about it.  The app also has an interactive section where you can do all the things a dentist does:  move the chair up and down, turn on the light, take an x-ray, polish the teeth, wash the teeth, use the thirsty straw, use the explorer to check the teeth, and even paint on fluoride.  I highly recommend it.  Sam and Anna were very excited to go to the dentist mostly due to the fun things they got to do on the app.

 

While at the dentist, Sam and Anna sat incredibly still, cooperated every step of the way, and patiently waited while it was the other one's turn.  My silly Sam turned down the raspberry flavored polish in favor of mint, and did the same for toothpaste.  Anna chose raspberry polish and cherry fluoride.  Both loved the thirsty straw and giggled that it tickled them.  X-rays were not part of their check up.

 

When the dentist came in he noted that both have a slight overbite.  We had noticed Anna's, but not Sam's.  Nothing to do about it now, just something that will be watched.  Sam also has plenty of space in his mouth for teeth, just like his mama (I get to keep all of my wisdom teeth).  Other than that, he just remarked that both had very healthy teeth!

 

At the end of the visit, Sam and Anna were able to chose a new toothbrush- with dolphins for Sam, butterflies for Anna, and a toy.  They were extremely excited to tote home their bags full of goodies- new toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste, and a truck (Sam) and a bouncy ball (Anna)!  Both told Daddy it was the best part of their day!

 

 

(Silly girl kept holding her arms up.  She'd put them down when we told her to, but then they'd just keep popping up like in the picture above.)

 (I tried to keep my picture taking to a minimum to avoid being that crazy mom taking photos left and right, so these are the only ones I took during our visit.)

Questions At 3 Years Old

I asked Sam and Anna these 21 questions at 2 and a half years old.  My plan is to ask the same questions every birthday from now on and see how the answers change.  Answers in black were what was said at 2 1/2, answers in blue are what Sam and Anna told me when I asked them the same questions on their 3rd birthday.

1. What is your name? Sam [last name] Sam Jacob (last name), Big Girl Anna [last name] Annabel (last name).
2. How old are you? Sam- two, three, Anna- I two, three.
3. What is your favorite color? Sam- red, orange Anna-red (keep in mind I did not ask both of them at the same time), purple
4. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Sam- bacon, oranges, Anna-fruit, dinosaurs (we sometimes use a dinosaur cookie cutter when we have french toast)
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Sam- bacon, grilled cheese, Anna- mac and cheese, mac and cheese
6. What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner? Sam- bacon (notice a trend?), noodles, Anna- no response, spaghetti
7. What is your favorite snack to eat? Sam- apricot (fruit strips from Target), gummy bears, Anna- apricot (same thing), grapes
8. What is your favorite fruit? Sam- watermelon, oranges, Anna- apricot, peaches
9. What is your favorite vegetable? Sam- corn, carrots, Anna- french toast (?), corn
10. What is your favorite thing to drink? Sam- water, milk and water, Anna- water, milk
11. What is your favorite animal? Sam- elephant, lion, Anna- lion, polar bear just like you (mama)
12. What is your favorite toy to play with? Sam- elephant, lion stuffed animal, Anna- mama (she likes to pretend everything is a mama, including pinecones, pieces of food, etc.), trains
13. What is your favorite book to read? Sam- duck book (Little Quack), lots of animal books, Anna- Monkeys Jumping Bed, Curious George (and Friends)
14. Where do you like to go? Sam- Grandma's, library, Anna- Grandma's, Grandma and Grandpa's
15. What is your favorite song? Sam- Grandma (? Maybe he meant singer?), animal song (I made up an animal alphabet song), Anna- Jesus Loves Me, alphabet
16. Who is your best friend? Sam- Anna, Anna, Anna- Sam (everyone awww all together now), Sam
17. What is your favorite thing to watch on tv? Sam- watch Thomas on tv, Animals Help Rocket (Little Einsteins episode), Anna- Thomas, Bambi
18. What do you want to be when you grow up? Sam- in the dirt, Daddy, Anna- no response, Grandma
19. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Sam- play basketball (we don't have a basketball or a hoop), build a snowman, Anna- play in the sandbox, go to the playground
20. What is your favorite thing to wear? Sam- diaper (on the second day of potty training, hahaha!), animal shirt, Anna- shirt, dancing shoes (dressy shoes she calls her "dancing shoes")
21. Who is your favorite person? Sam- me, you (pointing to Mama), Anna- ... (then Sam interrupts: "Sam is!"), Mommy... and Daddy!

I'm Probably Jinxing Myself...

I can't help it, I just have to say it- although I am fully aware that putting this is writing will inevitably completely reverse all of it tomorrow and I'll think it was all in my imagination. 

This will come across as a brag post, but all mamas are proud of their kids and everyone has a right to profess how proud they are of their children.  Someday, I want Sam and Anna to read the words I wrote about them growing up and know though my words that I was proud of them.

Simply put, I am really loving this age.  This 2 and a half stuff is awesome.  Sam and Anna are such fantastic kids, I am in awe daily at how well they interact with each other.  They know so much- it astounds me what they retain on a daily basis, especially when I have more than one student in my kindergarten class that knows less colors, less shapes, less numbers, letters, sounds, etc (the list goes on and on) than my two do... and the kids in my class are twice their age.   Their comprehension of stories we read is superior than more than a few kids in my class- I can read the same book in my classroom that I read to Sam and Anna for bedtime, and in my class I get a few blank stares and unrelated answers to questions that do not make sense, while at home Sam and Anna can answer my questions(the same ones!) appropriately.  Keep in mind that they are 2 and a half, and the kindergartners in my room are 5 and 6 years old. It seems like every day I am shocked at what they can do or know when I'm working so hard to get those 5 and 6 year olds to get it.  (For example, Sam was pointing out that I had 3 As on my shirt, and 2 Ms.  He said that big M's are for Mama, and little m is in his name.  Then he said- A is for Anna, but where's S?  Oh there it is... pointing in the correct location.  Or when my FIL was trying to stump Sam and Anna on shapes, and tried asking them to identify a octagon- you bet Sam told him that one too!  Ask them what planet they live on, and they can tell you Earth.  Ask them who the president is, and they say Obama. They can correctly identify their right from their left, etc.)

For the most part, both Sam and Anna listen really well and rarely test their boundaries anymore.  We've got a discipline system that works well for us, and I'm thrilled.  Sam and Anna respond wonderfully to choices and counting- a mere counting to 20 will hold off any impatience for toy sharing, or wanting to do something they can't right then (plus, they've gotten very good at counting to 20!).  It makes things so much easier when you don't have to exert your parental power in a power struggle all day long, and then we have more time for fun things!

I also love that we can take them just about anywhere and they will behave well.  I really cannot remember the last disgruntled child I had in a public place.  I think my children must be extroverts, because it seems like the busier we are, the more places we go, the better and happier they are.  They love going on "adventures" and often ask us, "What are we doing today?  Or "Where are we going?" I took them 7 different places on Saturday by myself, without a fuss.  But yet, they can play for hours at home too, together and on their own without needing much adult attention too.

I adore talking with them, having grand conversations about the world around them- seeing what they know and understand, what they are trying to make sense of, what they want to know more about.  Seeing the world through fresh eyes (like when I told them they were "cracking me up," and they touched my arm and said, "Crack crack!" because they had no idea the meaning behind my words and thought I was telling them they were literally cracking me!).

And how they are together is just icing on the cake.  They play together like pros (of course, they have had their whole lives to practice, haha!).  They say please and thank you to each other unprompted, kiss each other's bumps, help each other other, and selflessly give up their things for the other one most of the time.

This week, my husband went on one of his longest work trips since Sam and Anna were born, and may even possibly his longest work trip since they were born.  Regardless, it has been pretty easy this time around.  I keep flashing back to what it was like to solo parent 7 month olds when he went on his first work trip since they came into our lives- the waking during the night, the baby food feeding, the bathing, and all the other stuff that required toting two not mobile babies everywhere something needed to be done, including to daycare at 7 am.  Now, they go to the bathroom on their own, put their clothes and shoes off and on with minimal assistance, walk where ever we need to go, eat with no extra effort required that what I do for myself, and of course, sleep through the night...  I can see why people often have a second child when the first is 2!  This is so much easier than life with twins before the age of 2.

Mostly though, I just spent time each day feeling so blessed that these two wonderful children are mine and love me almost as much as I love them.

* of course, last night BOTH of them woke up once- Sam hit his head against the wall and woke up crying for a minute, and Anna woke up (I think she was cold) and needed to be recovered by her blanket before quickly falling back asleep.  Oh well, I still think my kids are fabulous!

*They are normal kids though, don't get me wrong- Sam likes to push Anna's buttons sometimes like a typical brother and she'll yell back at him.  Sam still gets up out of bed twice before falling asleep even though our rule is that they stay in bed.  Anna is a picky eater, which can be frustrating because she's the one who could use a little meat on her bones.  Still love 'em to the moon and back though!

Potty Training Reflections after Day 3

More information just to clarify some things:

No, I am not doing a sticker chart or giving stickers.  Sam and Anna can earn one mini gummy bear or chocolate chip for each time they keep their underwear dry by going potty in the toilet.  They earn two for each time they keep their underwear clean and dry by going poop in the toilet. (This modification was made when Sam seemed unable to poop on the toilet and needed an extra nudge but it was not what I had originally planned to do.)  I made the distinction very clear that simply peeing in the toilet will not earn them anything... that they must have dry underwear AND successfully eliminate to earn it.  We have told them that if they have zero accidents in a day, they will earn a new toy of their choice.  I will phase out the treats when I think we are at that point.


I did not want a visual reminder of their success  with a sticker chart because I did not want one child to get discouraged if they didn't have as many stickers, or make it too competitive.  With the special treats, Sam and Anna are not able to keep track of how many they are each getting.  Sometimes they get one at the same time, and sometimes they don't.  After 3 days of that, they are now accepting that their sibling might earn a special treat when they don't.  On day 1 they didn't quite get why their sibling did and they didn't.  It didn't take long for them to figure that out.  They never get sweets so I am okay with a few mini gummy bears and chocolate chips a day for now.

We use the terms underwear (not panties) and toilet (not potty) for what they are sitting on.  We use the word potty as a verb; as in going potty on the toilet.  The actual stuff is not potty in our house; we call it pee.  And there are our distinctions.

I do not do a regular timed interval of having them sit on the toilet.  While I do have them sit  on the toilet before and after times when they cannot go on their own free will- like when they wake up, before and after meals, before going to sleep, and before and after we go somewhere, I am not timing them and making them go at certain points- not every hour, 30 min or whatever.  I am asking them if their underwear is dry often right now and that is to encourage them to tell ME when they have to go potty, rather than the other way around.  I wanted to potty train my kids, not potty train myself. :)  It did not take long for both Anna and Sam to let me know when they have to go, but the time it takes us to get there is usually what's resulting in accidents.

I know different people have different opinions of what constitutes as "potty trained" but to me, right now, Sam and Anna are almost there during awake time, after only 3 days.  They tell me when they have to go, and the are successful almost all of the time.  Both of them have pooped on the toilet.

Seriously, today was crazy.  Like crazy GOOD, not what I expected good. 

Anna?  ZERO accidents all day, did all her business in the toilet without being told and just being asked periodically if her underwear was dry.  One time she popped up from playing and said she had to go, high tailed it into the bathroom and I got there a little after her.  She had already pulled down her underwear, and started peeing.  I call that successful potty training, don't you????  I am so thrilled by her success because she was the one I didn't think it would go easily for if we had issues because she hasn't expressed interest in going much and had never gone on the toilet successfully before we officially began potty training.  Sam's issues with pooping have really surprised me because he's gone poop on the toilet of his own accord off and on for months.  I really think it has been the added pressure of keeping the underwear clean and dry.

Well today, Sam jumped right up when I went into their room in the morning after they woke and said "I have to go potty!" and off we went.  He had a really good day of potty training- no pee accidents and two poop accidents.  Which really, not too shabby for it being only the third day and me not telling them to go most of the day- I stuck to asking every 30-45 min or so if their underwear was dry and going before sleep, after sleep, before meals and after meals, and when leaving the house (times around periods of wen going to the toilet isn't an option.)  The first poop accident was a partial and the second one we were outside.  BUT he did poop after that in the toilet, so I'm hoping we're over his anxiety about it.

The connection has definitely been made and they both understand what to do.  Funny side story- I put some books in the bathroom for them to read if they get bored trying this weekend.  We ended up putting Sam's beloved collection of Thomas stories from the library in there with the explanation that I will only read the stories to them in there while they try because, well, we can all recite all the stories word for word now, and it's a library book.  Extra incentive, plus a break of reading them for me, you know?  Well, the last story is about Henry and the Elephant.  In the story Henry the train tries to push the elephant out of the tunnel, but the elephant pushes back, then they both push harder.  That story has been our pooping anthem.  We push right along with the train and the elephant.  These are the moments I'll still remember when they are 20 years old... and I may just remind them of when they are potty training my grandchildren.

So here's been my experience in short:

Day 1:  THIS IS HARD.  Potty training twins- not for the weak hearted.  Anna= 10 accidents or so Sam= less than 10 accidents but a handful.
Day 2:  Going better but tiring.  Hoping we don't develop any issues over certain aspects of the whole thing.  Anna= 1 accident Sam= a few
Day 3:  Holy crap- this 1 day method (although it took 2 days for my twins probably because I wasn't strict in following each part) works.  My twins are pretty much potty trained because hello, zero pee accidents after 2 days and that's without me telling them to go and without used timed potty breaks.  I'm feeling better.  Marveling at how far we came so fast. 

Can I just say how proud I am of my big, grown up kids???

Anna and I went shopping tonight before bedtime so she could pick out her toy for no accidents all day while wearing underwear.  She immediately picked this furry cat when she saw it: hugged it and exclaimed, 'I love it!"  When the cashier asked her what it's name is going to be, she replied "Purr."    (Last week our daycare got a new baby kitten that they found outside their house.  While Sam and Anna were visiting one day while I was finishing up my graduate summer coursework, Anna fell in love and wouldn't put it down.  I had to tear her away.   My daycare provider's family tried to get me to take it home with us.  This kitten that actually purrs is a perfect substitute, in my opinion!)

The big girl and her self-selected toy

Two New Changes

We made the switch to booster seats during meal times within the last few weeks.  I actually resold our Space Saver high chairs (which are able to be used as boosters generally, but our table was not high enough for it to work) within days of making the switch, so there's no going back now!  I may have had a little remorse of getting rid of them so quickly, because we have so many memories of Sam and Anna eating in them, but oh well.  I got a good offer that I couldn't pass up! 

Anna and Sam have been sitting on regular chairs during meals at daycare for months and we started having issues getting Anna to sit in the high chair at home.   (Picture temper tantrums at the start of every meal.)  The boosters seemed to work better and still have buckles for the containment factor so we went with it.  I can say it is very nice not to have to wash two trays after they finish eating, but they seem to get a little more messy now overall.

We also switched their car seats around in our vehicles this week.  Sam and Anna rear-faced until past the age of 2.  I realize that generally the suggestion is to rear face as long as possible, but we made the choice we feel is best for our family.  We rear-faced for a lot longer than most people I know.  It is amazing how much more happy and agreeable Sam and Anna are now getting into their seats, getting buckled in, and riding while forward facing!  I'm actually looking forward to seeing the difference it makes during our next long road trip.  And who knows, maybe this will be the trick to getting Anna to be able to sleep in the car again.

Big Weekend

First, our weekend started out with Sam and Anna napping in real beds at daycare.  I had given our provider my blessing to start if she wanted to, because Sam was starting to climb out of his pack n play during naps frequently, even with his sleep sack on.  Oh well- the sleep sacks bought us over a year more  of crib/pack n play sleep anyway, as it was at about 9 months old that he first started climbing out of the pack and play.  I'd say it's amazing that we got this far to have him still sleeping in them 14 months later.

I guess it went well.  Both took regular length naps in the beds, and Sam still called for her when he woke up instead of climbing out on his own.  I will admit, because I did not know that she was going to do it specifically that day, that I had some issues with it happening when I wasn't prepared for it.  I still have some times where I feel like I miss out on my kids because they go to daycare.  I missed out on the first time they slept in real beds.  I wasn't there to make a big deal about it, and celebrate their success in doing well the first time.  I'm still not planning on transitioning them to real beds at home anytime soon though.  First, because I think nighttime is a different story than naps.  Secondly, because we'd probably be tying in the transition to real beds to separating each into their own rooms and I definitely don't want to do that yet.  And thirdly, because I want some time to put thought and effort into decorating their rooms and I don't envision that happening until I'm not working over 40 hours a week outside of our home.

Pictures from daycare

Moving on... Sam also pooped in the toilet for the first time this weekend.  I'm also not really planning on making the big potty training step any time soon- but I am not going to discourage either Sam or Anna if they request to use the toilet.  My current plan is to just put them on the real thing when ever they ask to, and celebrate any successes.  We'll see if I can hold out until this summer to commit to potty training both of them.  We have quite a stash of diapers right now, due to the end of Amazon's good diaper deal, so I'd like to think that I won't have to buy any more after we use these up, but we will see.

Finally, we made our last attempt to become a pacifier-free household.  I used the word last because we are in it to win it this time- regardless of the effect, the pacifiers will no longer be in Anna's mouth after this weekend.  That's because we went to Build-a-Bear at the mall on Saturday and put Anna's Nuk inside the bear she picked out.  She watched it go inside and didn't mind as the bear got stitched up.  I didn't expect it to bother her though, becuase she has only used it for sleep at home for over a year and having it during the day wasn't usual for her.  Sam got his own build-a-bear, although he didn't have a pacifier put in.  I saw this idea on another twin blog, and thought it was perfect.  It just seemed to be the way that made the most concrete sense to explain it to a toddler- you can't put it in your mouth anymore, because it is inside your bear and we can't take it out.  But it can still give you comfort and be near you, even if it isn't in your mouth.  Logical, right?

Picking out the animals at Build-a-Bear

Stuffing Anna's bear

 Putting the heart in Sam's stuffed dog

 "Washing" their new animals

Trying to wrangle two toddlers with boxes almost as big as they are on the way out

At bedtime when she asked for her Nuk, we reminded her that it was inside the bear and that she could feel it inside and hug the bear instead (after reminding her that she was a big girl, and big girls don't have Nuks).  She demanded several times that we "Open!" the bear to get it out, but we just ignored her requests and put them to bed.  With minimal fussing, she was quiet and we had a pretty normal night, with a normal-for-her-lately waketime the next morning at an early 6 am (but waking and going back to sleep off and on for awhile after that). 

Night two was similar- requests for her Nuk, reminders to hug her bear, and minimal fussing before their room was silent at bedtime.  I don't imagine that it will get any tougher, so I am relieved that this time has been so easy, compared to the other attempts we've had in the last year or so!  Like her swaddle, we just had to realize and accept that when she was ready, she would be ready- and no attempt we made before that point would work well.

With her track record, I'm assuming potty training and transitioning to a real bed will be the same way- if she's ready, it will be a piece of cake, and if she's not, then it will be an epic failure.  I guess only time will tell!

Am I Holding Them Back?

Getting rid of the bottles was an easy one for me.  Although we didn't do it early, I was more than happy to say adios to our collection of bottles, nipples, drying racks and the hefty formula cost the week before Sam and Anna's one year old birthday.  We had a long struggle with bottle feeding due to reflux, and I was eager to put that as far behind us as possible.

The remaining signs of Sam and Anna's babyhood have been a little harder to let go.  Anna still uses her pacifier ("Nuk") while sleeping at home, albeit not at daycare.  I know it is time to drop that habit, but I'm not up for the bad sleep that we'll inevitably get for a while to make it happen.  It's crazy to me that Sam's been done with any form of pacifiers for over a year but she just keeps hanging on.  I vow to not have a 2 year old with a pacifier, so that means I've got about 2 months left to get that thing out of our house.

Then there are the cups.  I guess Sam and Anna don't use sippy cups at daycare anymore, they are just drinking out of regular cups.  At home, we still get some droppage of cups at times, so that's not something I really want to do full-time here yet.  We still use our space-saver high chairs too, while at daycare Sam and Anna have been sitting on real chairs for the past 4 months.  I like the containment factor honestly.  I know that when they are strapped in, I can usually get them to eat a little bit more before letting them go play again.  

I have no plans on using toddler beds if I can help it either- and Sam and Anna still sleep in their sleep sacks in their cribs to make it happen.  I'd rather buy twin beds this summer and skip the toddler bed step, but am I holding Sam and Anna back by keeping them in cribs for so long without pillows, blankets, etc.?  My daycare provider keeps sending me links to toddler beds on craigslist so I've gotten the impression that she wants us to make the switch, although she hasn't actually said so, because then it will be easier for her while they are with her at daycare.  She did mention once considering taking them out of their pack and plays during nap to see how they do, but she hasn't yet.

And then there's the potty training issue.  Apparently Sam requested to sit on the toilet at daycare this week saying he had to poop.  He wasn't successful, but then Anna of course wanted to sit there as well.  This was the first time my children have sat on the potty.  I'm not ready to potty train.  Maybe my kids are, but I'm not.  The news that Amazon is ending their nice diaper deal tomorrow is a good motivating factor, but I just don't want to tackle that times two yet. 

Am I holding them back from the toddlers they are ready to be?  Is it just that I don't want them to grow up faster than I am ready for?  I prefer to think that it's no big deal, and the pressure I feel to be doing these things are just a product of our society's need to make kids grow up to fast.  What's the harm in waiting a little longer for these things, especially since they are experiencing some of them, some of the time, for practice?

It's not like I treat them like babies in other ways.  I think my children have high expectations set for them in other areas.  They help take off their clothes (and in Anna's case, put them on too), as well as put them in the laundry basket on their own or put their outside clothing away in the right place.  They are expected to clean up, and they have a good handle on sharing even if they don't always want to.  They do puzzles with multiple pieces, and know some things that sometimes kindergartners (5-6 year olds) in my classes start the year not knowing.

In short, I guess I feel like we're doing just fine, even if my almost 2 year olds still sleep in cribs with sleep sacks (one with a pacifier), after drinking from sippy cups in high chairs, with no idea that they can wear something other than diapers if they go in the toilet like big kids.  After all, it's not like they still drink from a bottle.

I'm In No Rush

Since Sam and Anna were born, there have been just a few stages I was excited to leave behind.  One was ending our bottle feedings days.  I was more than happy to pack away the lingering memories of bottle refusal and spending so much of the first 6 months of their lives trying to get Sam and Anna to drink. The other thing I can remember (besides the frequent night wakings, obviously) was growing into new sizes of clothing.  I know many mama wistfully pack away the small baby clothing sizes and have a hard time letting go of the newborn stuff.  Me; I was excited each time Sam or Anna sized up in clothes, because not only did it mean they had new stuff to wear, but that they were growing, and how hard we worked to get them to drink was worth it.  Everything else I miss.  I miss middle of the night feedings, I miss holding sleeping babies in my arms.  I miss wobbly babies and I miss that newborn baby smell.

Now I've realized that the tables have turned a little bit.  I find I'm dragging my feet a little about some things that to me really signify the end of what little baby-hood is left in Sam and Anna- but other people are already doing or have done with their children the same age as Sam and Anna.  They may be toddlers, but it still feels like they were still babies not that long ago!  It's hard for me to come to terms with the fact that in only 4 short months my "babies" will be 2 years old already.  I get asked about potty training and big kid beds all the time, when really those two things aren't even on my radar yet. 

Most parents are probably itching to potty train their toddlers to save $$ on diapers, but I am in no rush.  I have no plans to attempt any time soon, and we don't own a single potty chair yet.  Sure, the extra money not spent on diapers would be nice, but when they aren't in diapers anymore, they really won't seem very baby-like anymore.  Have Sam and Anna shown readiness signs yet?  Some of them- they tell us when they are "dirty," they show signs of understanding what the toilet is for, and show that they don't like having a soiled diaper on, etc.  But I don't think they are anywhere near being ready to potty train easily and quickly at this point- so it'll wait for now, until I think we get to that point.  Plus, Anna especially needs a little extra fluff on her tush to help hold up her pants!

I also want to hold out as long as possible for "big kid" beds.  If my duo needs to wear sleep sacks until they are over 2 years old to make it that far to keep them from climbing out of cribs, then so be it.  My goal is waiting until at least next summer (when Sam and Anna are 2 1/2) to make the transition.  I know many people have their 18 month olds in regular beds or toddler beds, but honestly I can't fathom it with Sam and Anna.  That is something I know they are no way ready for yet... or maybe I am in no way ready for the mobility that will give them when they are supposed to be sleeping!

Molars Stink

Molars are much worse than I thought they'd be.  We never really had issues with the first 14 teeth that erupted around here, but that first molar is causing quite a ruckus.  Sam is miserable.  He won't nap for longer than an hour.  He is waking up off and on all night, and was awake (miserable) from about 2-4 am last night.  And all that is with generic Tylenol.  Combine that tooth discomfort with the lack of normal sleep and we've got one cranky little boy around here who won't let me set him down (sorry Anna) and doesn't go more than 30 second without fussing when he's awake.  I really hope we don't have to go through this for all the other molars to come.

In other more happy news, it's our 8th anniversary today.  We celebrated this weekend when my Mother in Law came to visit and babysat so we could go out.  We went out to dinner and a movie.  the last time we were able to go to both dinner and a movie was the month before Sam and Anna were born.  (We saw Avatar that time and I was so proud of my 8-month-pregnant-with-twins-self for only one bathroom break during the extra long movie!)  Tonight we'll just have a special dinner at home.

Other latest happy things: Anna's newest thing to say is "good girl" to our dog Bella.  Most of the time, she'll start petting her too.  I told Sam "good job" yesterday afternoon, and Anna then said "good girl" to him.  Adorable.  She's also started to say "thank you" after I say thank you to her.  My husband also got Sam to say "I love mom" last night- punctuated with a hug.  Heart bursting, tears forming all sorts of ridiculous cuteness to hear that for the first time in his little voice. They are growing up at lightning speed.  Where did my babies go???

Mini Babies R Us

Now that we have toddlers, there is quite the collection of stuff Sam and Anna have grown out of growing in our basement. Just this weekend, I retired our jumperoo and exersaucer from our living room. Now our living room seems huge! We were only really using them to contain babies for a minute or two and Sam and Anna have been so over them for a while now. We have baby clothes from preemie to 9 months boxed up in our basement (both boy and girl wardrobes; from summer to winter clothing), all our bottle paraphernalia (two drying racks, oodles of bottles, nipples, formula pitcher, etc.) and baby food making stuff, my extra large pregnancy pillow is taking up residence in the corner along with the infant car seats and 4 bases, bags of infant toys, and a play mat the size of Texas. I have pregnancy books, Bella bands, maternity bras and a few leftover maternity clothes. We have Bumbos, bouncers, swings, mobiles, car seat covers and snowsuits among other things I am sure I am forgetting. After hauling the jumperoo downstairs, I remarked to my husband that it's starting to look a little like a mini Babies R Us down there.

Because we are not planning on trying to have any other children, I don't foresee any of the stuff being used by us again. Because it took 4 years for us to become parents, most of our friends are past the first baby stage. I also don't foresee anyone we know having a first child in the near future to give some of our stuff to. Since the possibility of relocating to another state because of a job offer is very real right now, it seems like this is the right time to start purging the unused stuff out of our basement. Plus, as Sam and Anna get older, I know they will grow out of more and more things and the pile in our basement will grow and change with them.

I started posting a few things on craigs.list yesterday evening... and already got 6 emails about our rainforest jumperoo. (side note: I got the thing for $20 off of the same place in excellent condition. The same thing was listed for $40-$50 multiple times when I checked, so I posted the price as $30. It looks like we'll be making money off of that used rainforest jumperoo!) Almost everything I had started posting had at least one interested person. Whatever doesn't get sold there can go to the local consignment shop just a few blocks from our house.

My mother is a pack rat and so I usually have the opposite problem and have a hard time holding onto stuff unless it has a very clear purpose. So it surprised me when I hesitated in replying to the emails. I'm thinking that this is probably because I have so many memories tied to the things in our basement. Maybe I'm beginning to understand my mother's need to keep almost everything, just a little bit more.

Ack! This Time Next Week...

... My babies will be ONE.

Tonight I couldn't help reminiscing about our life a year ago from now. Looking through pictures on the computer, I can't believe how BIG I was and how little they were! I am amazed I fit behind the steering wheel and I am surprised we didn't break any of their fragile teeny bones.

How on earth did I get from this:

(Seriously, even these pics really don't do the 70 lb gain justice. They also maintained residence in the belly for over a week after these pictures, until forcefully evicted. Please consider yourself privileged to view the never-shown-before 36 week bare belly photo. I had dropped big time. It looks smaller than it really was. )

...back into my old work pants and jeans???

How on earth did Sam and Anna get from these skinny-minnie babies at one week old:

...into these almost toddlers?

(The Picky Sticky stickers from both shots are the same size. Really.)

This turning-one-year-old stuff is harder than I thought. I thought I'd be eagerly awaiting their first birthday with all that Yeah! We made it through a year! mojo, but I'm all woe is me, I want to keep my babies babies forever instead.

Growing Up and Letting Go

We're in a time of rapid changes. They both have one tooth at last. Sam and Anna are crawling all over the house, and making me fear the day they both are walking all over. Sam is pulling up/climbing on everything in sight, cruising the furniture and doesn't want to sit or be held still for a second. They interact for longer periods of time while playing together - hearing them laugh at each other's antics is one of the best perks of twins. I will have to imprint these memories in my brain to recall when toy stealing and temper tantrums punctuate their playing together more often than giggles.

Both are adding words to their vocabulary- they will say Mama and Dada, and repeat some words we say. Anna's first and most frequent word to say independently is "Bella" while Sam's is "Anna." Anna has learned how to drop food off of her tray to feed Bella. While I miss the days when this was purely accidental, it is cute (right now) to hear her call "Bella" and then uncurl her tiny fist to drop a yummy goodness from the heavens (as far as our dog is concerned) into a waiting mouth. Both babies are starting to show an increasing disinterest in eating "baby food" i.e., the pureed stuff, so our plan is to start moving towards 100% table food once daycare starts back up again next week. I am concerned that they won't be eating enough once we do that since their weight has never had any "wiggle room," but I think it is a step that Sam and Anna seem to be ready to take.

When Sam and Anna hit 9 months, we finally stopped tracking every single bottle amount throughout the day (anal of me, I know- but soooo hard to keep track for two babies at the same time when eating enough has always been one of our biggest concerns). Now this week, we are attempting to wean them off of their 3 doses a day of Prevacid (via Buffer Babies) to see if they have outgrown their severe GERD. To say that this has make me scared is an understatement. I never want to relive the days of uncontrolled reflux for two babies at the same time ever again. But I know that if we are ever to finally move on from their reflux, we need to be willing to see if the medicine is not needed any more. We successfully dropped one dose, and are now attempting to drop another. If all goes well, we'll try to stop the final dose soon, as well.

Sam is now too tall/big for quite a bit of his 9 month clothing. This is the first time that some baby clothes are too small to come in his size. This is somewhat of a milestone to me, because for so long I could pick out anything in the baby departments and it would come in his size. I want to know, though, why is it that it is so hard to find lots of footie pj options for 12 month + sizes? Why all of a sudden do the pjs come without feet at 12 months+? It's not like I can cover him with a blanket yet. While our babies sleep in sleep sacks, I still wonder if his feet will be warm enough at night without the footie pjs this winter. I wonder if I should put socks on his feet when he's wearing footless pjs?

We decided that Sam and Anna's New Year Resolution is to give up their pacifiers for good. The AAP recommends not using them after 6 months, but since our babies didn't have any teeth until this month, I figured it couldn't possibly mess up their bite. They've never been hugely dependent on them- we have just used pacifiers to make bedtimes and naptimes easier to transition to sleep. They haven't used pacifiers at daycare at all. Recently, pacifiers seem to be something that they are more interested in at any time of the day whenever they catch a glimpse of one, so we figure now is a good time to toss 'em, before they get too attached. I definitely don't want 2 year olds walking around with plugs in their mouths! I don't think it will be that big of a deal to them- I just hope that they don't decide a thumb is the new alternative.

I May Be Jinxing Myself...

I hemmed and hawed about sharing this already, but I am just too darn elated to hold it in despite the worry I have that I may just be jinxing myself:

Anna is now swaddle-free.

Wohoo!

Yes, she is over 7 months old. Yes, we tried several times to wean her of the swaddle. And yes, we gave in every time after a few days. But now I am so glad we did.

You see, Anna has always been our better night sleeper. For a long time until recently, we put her to bed and didn't see her open eyes until we woke her in the morning. (Of course there were a few glitches here and there but overall- she was a superb night sleeper.) We stopped waking her to eat after Sam was fed at night pretty early for a family with twins, but we suspected that since we were always waking her up, that she could go a lot longer than her brother- and she could and she did.

When we first attempted to de-swaddle, she was sleeping basically around 12 hours straight through. We chose to go cold turkey so that (like ripping off a band aid) it may just be more painful at first, but it would be over and done with sooner instead of having long drawn out poor sleep from taking one arm out first, then the other, etc.. We never got past 3 days of torturing Anna to try to sleep without her swaddle, because instead of sleeping 12 hours in one stretch, she was waking every hour- and often waking her brother with her shrill screams too. It didn't get better, even on the third night. 3 days was all I could take of that sleep deprivation/hearing your child scream-cry torture. De-swaddling attempt #2 a month later had the same results. Because we both work, we felt that we could only attempt this beginning on the weekends, so this weekend ended up being a perfect scenario for attempt #3 because I had off of school Thursday and Friday. Two extra days could give us a head start.

Just like before, we were determined to see it through no matter what it took. I was hoping that her lack of good sleeping recently was a sign that maybe she was letting us know she was finally ready, but fully aware that that was probably wishful thinking.

And guess what- I think it really was a sign! We put her in a sleep sack like her brother last night, and initially she did have a little trouble falling asleep. However, she did sleep a nice big chunk of sleep last night, and just woke up a little early this morning- with no intervention all night long (except to change a soiled diaper). I might even say that it was a better night for her than some we've had lately. I was amazed!

I put the swaddle away and didn't look back- she took both her naps in a sleep sack today and both naps were their typical length. I didn't expect that either! Tonight is following the same pattern and I am optimistic that I'll get a good stretch of sleep tonight too.

I know that a lot of people might think she was swaddled too long. Our pedi advised us to not swaddle after 6 months. (Another pedi in her practice said his thoughts on swaddling were that you would know when they were ready to quit being swaddled, however.) I definitely felt pressured to break her of it a long time ago. I maybe even felt a little mommy shame that I was still allowing her to sleep swaddled well past 6 months and we couldn't get her to be okay without it. However, now I am glad we let our own child be our guide- not a book, nor someone else's preconceived notion of what a baby should or should not be doing at any given time. I think this way was the least painful for all involved.

Sam was swaddled until he didn't need it anymore. Anna was too. She just needed to be swaddled a few months longer than he did.