Got Cute?

Here's my little man who refuses to wear his new short-sleeved shirts because they are unfamiliar. He is a chip off the old block in his resistance to change. I call him Lt. Cable, like the guy in "South Pacific" when he has his shirt off like that. He just cracks me up.

Here are the boys eating snacks before their haircuts last week.


Cooperation station. I got out the hose on the first warm day last week and let them get soaking wet. Hey, it cleaned the popsicle off of the patio and kept them busy while I made lunch! We are loving having a backyard! It's very sunny and bright in the morning, but it's shady and perfect to run around in while I make dinner or after dinner. They love to come up to the window by the kitchen sink and say hi to me. I can listen to their conversations and dares through the window and keep and eye on them. It is so much fun they never want to come inside! It's a good problem to have.

Coming soon, pictures of our house.

Seventy Times Seven

Chef Samu-el

I think I have two remarkable toddlers, but today Sam stood out for something special. Today Sam taught me about being like a little child and forgiving over and over again.

Michael has been hitting Sam for months. It started because Sam inevitably had something that looked better than what Michael was playing with. You all know how that goes. Lately, though, Michael has been hitting to emphasize that what he is playing with belongs to HIM and he doesn't want anyone to take it. It doesn't make sense. No one is trying to take things from him, he just goes up and hits people and says "mine!" so they will know where he stands. Occasionally he will repeatedly shove Sam's head against the wall or hit him on the head with hard toys.

I wouldn't expose this little trait if it weren't to illustrate how Sam deals with it. It hurts his feelings and he is getting a little bit scared of Michael, but for the most part, Sam forgives him. Sam tries to fight back and gets the giggles. He thinks it's a game! We went on a little bike ride tonight and Sam noticed that the bucket on the back of Michael's bike was hanging down. He got off of his bike and went to fix it. "There, Michael." He said. "All better."

Tonight at bedtime Michael was already in his crib while I had to change Sam's pajamas (long story). Sam wanted to get into Michael's crib and give him a kiss goodnight. He loves his brother so much and harbors no ill feelings for all of the times he's been pushed and beaten on the head today (and every other day).

I, on the other hand, lost it this morning and really yelled at Michael, followed by a long cuddle in the rocking chair. My approach didn't work as 15 minutes later he was hitting Sam on the head with something else. I just can't stand to see Sam cowering away from his brother every time he raises a toy in the air. I want them to love and trust each other. I know this is part of growing up, but I was so much younger than the rest of my siblings that I think I kind of missed this part of sibling rivalry.

It's just a lesson to me that Sam forgets his injuries so quickly and continues to show great love. I know Michael will learn to communicate better and to play fighting without really fighting, but in the mean time, I can learn a lesson from Sam and give him a little more slack for being a two year old. One on one he is an absolute angel, so I guess this is just his attention getting device. It works.

Here's the picture Sam took of us after we made muffins together during Michael's nap. He had so much fun and went to get the camera to take a picture to remember it by. If he could do a post today it would read: Today I got hit on the head a lot, Michael got in trouble for it, Mom and I made muffins, we went on a bike ride, I love my brother.

Now I will keep my promise to Josh and go to bed.

Sunday Afternoon

"Ricco*la!" For months now Michael has been making all kinds of household objects into horns. Now, with both vacuum attachments put together and the upholstery brush on the end, I think this one bears a striking resemblance to the Swiss long-horns in the Ricco*la cough drop commercials. I had to take a picture. He is so musical. Today he was "playing" choir director up on a stool while I sat on the floor and sang "He Is Risen."
Since the boys have been sick and had sore mouths/ throats (see below) I've had a hard time getting them to eat. I didn't know what to make for dinner for just the three of us today and came up with creamy potato soup. I thought it would be easy for them to swallow and feel good on their throats. Did you know it calls for 2 sticks (or should I say cubes, I am in California now) of butter? Did you know it makes so much? This picture was taken AFTER we had eaten! I can't eat this all week. Did I mention it has 2 sticks of butter in it? It was, however, a huge hit with Michael and Sam. Sam said, "Yummy!" And Michael said, "Delicious! It's good!" and finished his whole bowl.


After cleaning up some toys in the dining room, I came into the family room tonight to see Sam reading his copy of The Book of Mormon. He got a copy for Christmas and loves having his own book. I kept the boys home from church today where the nursery lesson was on loving the scriptures. I guess it was a good one for him to miss since he apparently loves them already.

Now, here's to sleeping through the night for the first time since last Sunday night. Wish me luck!

Drawing a Blank on Activities

I think the boys have Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. Eeew.

They've had high fevers, Michael's hit this morning, and now Sam has a sore in his mouth and a tiny red polka dot rash. We've had Sam in bed with us the last 2 nights and I am just hoping they'll both be better by Sunday so I can take them to church with me. Josh will be out of town and I have primary class that is just getting under control that I don't want to miss.So, while we've been house bound because the boys are sleeping on and off, never at the same time, mind you, we've been doing some fun projects. This is Michael wearing his new penne collana, or pasta necklace with soda straws! He's working on his first collage with pictures cut out of the Friend magazine. It's the first time he's used a glue stick. Doesn't he look excited? That's the face of a sick kid.
Earlier, Sam converted the kitchen table into a train depot. Unfortunately, he could only reach half of the track so Mommy had to constantly stop cleaning up breakfast in order to move the train around the track, back into his reach. He is feeling better today, over his fever, but now the rash is here. He's struggled at night and could only fall asleep with me holding both of his hands. We never let them sleep with us so it's actually been kind of fun.

Any more ideas for crafts for toddlers to help me pass the time tomorrow?

Twins

I think about things like this every so often but I try not to because then I feel like a spoiled, ungrateful child. But, I've thought about writing a book called "Confessions of a Mother of Twins" and including things like this in it:

Tonight one of the boys (we won't use names) has a fever - wipe your tear away and continue reading. The other boy got treated to dinner alone with mom and dad. I haven't had such a relaxing meal since they were born. Seriously, is that what all of you parents of singletons experienced with your first? A quiet dinner with actual conversation between husband and wife and loving looks and occasional input from your adorable child? Without two to prevent from falling out of their chairs or spilling their food all over the carpet we hardly knew what to do with ourselves. In fact, a child who normally constantly tests our limits and patience was a total delight.

We had Teddy G*rahams for dessert, dipping their tiny heads into glasses of milk before decapitating them with our teeth. Then Josh got out his guitar and I felt a tap on my leg as I did the dishes. My boy wanted to dance with me while Josh played the guitar. All of this took place by the glow of twilight due to the onset of Daylight Savings Time. We read the scriptures together, read a story together, sang a song, then Josh and I didn't know what to do. We usually each take one boy to put down but tonight neither one of us wanted to leave and let the other one put the him to bed. So I left, Josh sang him some songs and then he asked me to come in and I sang him a couple more.

I said, "We had a nice night together, didn't we?" And he replied, "Yeah. I go to bed now." It was as easy as that.

I think I actually tasted my dinner tonight. I didn't feel the need to relax tonight with TV and a treat because I was already relaxed! I am so grateful that I have two children and that they are out of infancy, feeding themselves and generally entertaining themselves for long periods of time, but every time I get a taste of what it's like to have just one child to take to the grocery store and fit them into the cart instead of piling stuff into the stroller basket, to have just one child to read a story to, just one to chase down in a parking lot, just one to talk to during dinner, I just about die.

We are thinking about when to try to have another baby. For us that means planning at least 3 months ahead of when I would actually want to get pregnant, researching facilities' success rates, and saving up or taking out loans. It means a chance of having twins again and a chance that it won't work at all. I would have twins again and be happy to have the children any way I can get them, but after nights like tonight I really hope to experience having just one at a time.

Am I allowed to say that? Will I have to delete this from the hard record so my boys never see it and never doubt my love and gratitude for them? They are each so precious, so special, so adorable that sometimes it hurts I love them so much. They have my heart wrapped around their little fingers and I wouldn't want it any other way. So, I don't want them to think they ever caused me any unpleasantness, but, um, sometimes they do. What do you think?