A Sigh of Relief

Those of you that see me or talk to me often know my recent stress and craziness relating to my boys. They have been nuts and I feel like a crazy person and a terrible mother almost daily.
Last week was spring break and while I looked forward to hanging out at home, towards the end of the week life became absolutely WILD! The boys were naughty, busy, testing ANY and ALL boundaries and just being overall difficult. We had a rough few days.
I went back to work this week looking thorough parenting and discipline books and trying to find one I hadn't read yet. Seriously, we have every book imaginable in our library at work and I've read them ALL. I have to so that I can recommend them to others as part of my job, but I use them frequently for my own life.
In any case, life was nuts. To top it all off, I had a busy week at work and wasn't home for bedtime 3/5 nights this week. Again, feeling terrible about it, but not being able to do anything about it.
Then a wonderful thing happened.
One week after the naughty started, it was over. Those 7 days were tough, but all of a sudden my nice, sweet boys were back! Daycare was good - no timeouts, no hitting, no biting or pushing friends (yes, this happens almost daily). Tami (the daycare lady) was amazed.
We went out for dinner as a family on Friday and the boys were ANGELS! They were polite and quiet. They visited with us and each other and had me laughing with all of their "interpretations" of what was going on (L:"mom, look fan! A:"No, fan. Helicopter" L:"oh, yep. Helicopter").
This weekend we had company and the boys were FANTASTIC!! Nice and helpful. Good to each other and us (and company too). Honestly, I haven't broken up a fight in 4 days! (it really is a new record)
And last night, Adam broke out his old home movies looking for some college antics (awful movies that should be destroyed before my children EVER see how crazy boys in college are), and we found a tape I had started with the babies on it. We saw Andrew's first day of talking "da da da da". We saw Luke rolling around the room like a lunatic! We saw the boys eating for Beth and Nicole.
I had totally forgotten all about all of it - but looking back made me remember how far we have come and how my life was calmer at one time (back when these boys couldn't move as fast!), but reminded me that I really wouldn't have it any other way.
Funny how fast your view on life changes, huh.
Have a fabulous week!

twins

This had Adam and I cracking up!

Eck-a-size

Lately I've been trying to work out more, but never seem to have the time...

So, in trying to be a good mother and still work out, the boys and I have been exercising (together) in the living room. Is it a good workout? Well, no. But, it's better than nothing!

Luke helps me put Jillian in the dvd player.

Jillian has since been broken.

For some reason, the boys think that they need to be shirtless and sometimes pants-less to "eck-a-size". I swear, I don't know where they got that from. I'm usually pretty clothed when I exercise.

The video is Luke asking Andrew to "eck-a-size" with him. Note he's trying to take off his shirt, and yes, those are my running shoes.

what we've been up to...

Now that the boys are so much older, they've been becoming more and more independent. It's a good thing, however, sometimes this is what happens:

Yes, he's ready for anything now.

(I think it's Andrew, but at this angle it's hard to tell.)

The boys got some playdoh for Christmas and their birthday, and have been having fun with it!

They like to open and close the cans and take the playdoh in and out.

The boys do NOT like to wear pants.

This is new. I'm not a fan because when they have their pants off, they want their diapers off. When the diapers are off, inevitably someone will potty on something - either by accident or just for fun!

They LOVE to dress themselves.

They put on their own hats and mittens often inside the house.

Only it's hard to eat their favorite snack with mittens on.

Yes folks, the snack of choice around here is bread.

One piece of bread.

Weird.

Here's Andrew playing piano.

Hat on of course.

Helping mom put away the paper.

Luke dressing himself.

He's getting really good at it!

Coloring.

On paper - this time.

We've had some wonderful wall decorations and window decorations courtesy of the boys' artistic attempts.

Reading books with Dad.

"Pig a Pancake" is the new favorite around here.

And puzzles.

Andrew is some kind of puzzle savant.

Really. He is a crazy person with the puzzles and is really good at them.

So that's what we've been doing.

I was home with the boys last week and it was a week of ups and downs.

Ups: Spending actual time with my kids, playing, and having actual time to get things done.

Downs: FIGHTING! AHHHHH! I can't handle the fighting over everything. yikes!

But, now I'm back at work, and they are back at Tami's playing with their friends, and they are pretty happy about that!

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my wonderful baby boys today!!

I can't believe that they are 2 years old already!

Let's see, what have we accomplished in the past 2 years...

We got to hold our two tiny babies!

(it was actually not the day they were born - that day we couldn't hold them at all)

Lucas (on the right) was 4 lbs. Andrew (left) was 4 lbs. 1 oz.

They had lots and lots of tubes.

We brought them home, fattened them up and made them tell each other secrets

(or try to eat each other...)

We played and played.

We made them sleep outside.

Not really - we thought sledding would be fun. Which, it's not too fun when you can't really walk.

But, they started to LOVE to play outside.

We played outside as much as we could with 2 crazy kids!

And now look at them. All big and stuff.

Happy Birthday Boys!!

mmmm....chocolate

Having twins means entertaining all. the. time.

So, in the spirit of keeping these guys busy, we made chocolate cupcakes.

Vegan, of course.

They were yummy.

Obviously.

games twins play

I got this idea from another blogger. If you have twins, you need to check her out. If you don't have twins, you should check her out anyway. She's funny.

Game # 1: Ready? GO!

In this game the boys take turns getting into running position and yelling "Readyyyyyy? GO!", then run as fast as they can towards the other one. They pause and give the other one a turn. It usually ends when something breaks or falls over or when Luke starts coughing uncontrollably and I make them stop the game. Thanks to my mom for teaching them this game.

Game # 2: Put Away

In 'Put Away' the boys dump all the toys we own in a pile on the floor and then put them away. Sometimes other stuff gets put away too. Cups get put away inside boxes and forgotten about for a few days. That's gross.

Game # 3: Baby Eden Cry

Baby Eden is at daycare. In this game, players shrilly scream at the top of their lungs and then say "Shhh, Baby Eden Cry". And do it again.

Baby Eden Cry gives me a headache.

Game # 4: Do you wanna.....?

This game is played with Daddy. NOT Mommy, only Daddy. Daddy asks the boys if they wanna do things like "do you wanna touch the wall?" and the boys reply "No wall."

"Do you wanna put your socks away?" "No socks".

The game either ends when someone wants to do something or dad says, "Do you wanna get THROWN ON THE COUCH!" and the boys get tossed onto the couch and laugh until it starts again.

Game # 5: Swing from the chandelier

This is self-explanatory, and no, I am not kidding.