BIG weekend

What a big weekend - one that could span many posts.  We hit two major milestones:

1. "Big boy beds" for Cole and Wilson
2. We moved into our new home

Both life changing and both all consuming right now.

First, the biggie - home!  In the end of December we put a really aggressive (read: low) bid on a house in Queen Anne and it was accepted.  Jump forward a few weeks and we were packing and moving.  My uncle loaned us his truck and muscle for a day to move load after load of boxes (we have a ton of stuff) and this weekend movers came for the furniture.  Now we're surrounded by boxes, but we are HOME.  That word has a whole new meaning.

Here's the glamor shot:

The day we moved in we realized we were / are real owners; we had a few mishaps:

• I poked a hole in the ceiling in the bathroom with a shower stand
• The tub hot water handle fell off
• The heater got stuck on 85 degrees (thanks to Cole who turned it all the way up)
• The blinds are all cattywampus (thanks Cole and Wilson for looking for doggies)

But we love it.  And it's a good thing Matt is a good Mr. fixit.

Onto the beds ... the boys love them, and they are definitely testing their boundaries.  Whereas it used to take 10min for bedtime (story + hugs + water + tuck in) it now takes nearly an hour (store + hugs + knuckles + hugs + story + water + tuck in - tuck in + walk around + story + tuck in ... and on and on).

For the love of twins - Mommy Monday

I used to hold Monday's to muse on money saving tips - and I'll come back to that - but today I'm just going to muse on mommy-hood.  Our boys are becoming more lovey, funny, smart, and thoughtful by the minute (and yes, I'm sure all moms say that).  Yesterday when I took them out for a run (then in the stroller) they sang to me and each other the entire way (mainly Ba Ba Black Sheep, but a little Twinkle Twinkle, too).  Today on a drive home, the boys were holding hands singing Wheels on the Bus at the top of their lungs. 

Happiness.

The only problem is now when Wilson is asleep and Cole is not, Cole has taken to yelling "Wilson, WAKE UP!!!" and if nothing happens he yells "Mommy ... Daddy ... I POOPED" knowing this is a trigger word that makes us come running.

SH*T Twins Say

One best things about toddler twins is them finding their voice and stringing together real sentences ... here are my favorites from the past couple days:

(Wilson and Cole sitting at the table)
Wilson: Look what my made Cole!
Cole: I like dat! Dat beautiful!

(Family dinner)
Cole: Daddy?
Matt: Yes, Cole?
Cole: I love you so much.

(After most of the snow melted)
Wilson: I want to go sledding!
Cole: Me too.
Matt: Let's go play outside!
Cole: (putting the sled on the sidwalk and sitting down)
Wilson: It's not working
Matt: It needs snow
Cole: (putting snow into the sled)
Wilson: (sitting down)
Matt: It needs to be on the hills
Wilson and Cole: (putting snow (in pinches - there was hardly any) onto the very dry hill

You know it's time to potty train when ...

For months we've been trying to get into potty training mode.  We have the mini potty (that sings even).  We have the "grown up potty" mini seat that can perch a toddler on the big toilet.  We ask the boys if they have to go potty to which they always reply yes (because they get stories while sitting on the toilet and Wilson gets a laugh out of pulling an oldmanpoopface).  Not enough.

The past two days have been full of NUMBER TWO.  Not in a good way.  The twins (two) who are two - great.  The poop coming from two two year olds?  Not great at all.  Yesterday when I was on a long run during naptime, the boys did a doozy.  I got home to Matt looking frazzled sitting on the couch.  He said to look at my phone where I saw this text message:
"OMG!  Both boys?  Naked in bed.  Poop all over crib."

Apparently while I was out on my long run, the boys plotted to plop and spread.  Matt went to check on them during naptime and both boys were naked from the waist down, both with their own waste (GIANT POOPS) in their crib.  Both with it all over their hands.

GROSS!!!!!!!!!!!

We thought we had taught them how not acceptable poop in the bed was.  Then today happened ... After we put the boys down it was super quiet for about 30-min.  Then, all of a sudden I hear Cole singing "the wheels on the train go ..." (he's in a train mode - so past busses).  I walked into his room ... and ... POOP all over his hands, all over the sheets, and all over the bed.  In his words Cole made a "poop train" on his bed.

Speechless...

So yes, it's time to crank up the potty training.  It's also time to get more overalls. 

What an awesome Christmas

The boys are now starting to get "Christmas" and "Santa" which made this year especially fun.  Yesterday (Christmas Eve) we made our way to the zoo to wish all the animals a Merry Christmas.  We of course had to hop on the merry go round before we could leave.

Last night, the boys watched for Santa, then after we told them he won't come until they're sleeping, they agreed to part ways with the window and come to my cousin Rebecca's to celebrate the season.

Rebecca had an amazing Christmas Eve dinner with her dad and his wife, John's family and extended family, and us.  Kids running everywhere, decorations galore, and the best Christmas food. 

This morning the boys were incredibly spoiled.  Some favorites were musical instruments, books, a train set, and legos.

All in, we were / are amazed at peoples' generosity this year.  Most of all, we've loved watching (and hearing) the boys shriek for joy when they talk to their grandparents on the phone and on Skype - they are so filled with love for their family and friends.  Good reminder to enjoy those around you.

They will be great men ...

We got one of the best compliments on Saturday - we were eating out (at our all-time favorite Mexican restaurant in Seattle - La Carta de Oaxaca) and the boys "struck up a conversation" with the family next to us. At the end of the meal, the man who seemed to be the father of the family looked at Matt and I and said, "they will be great men.  I can tell by watching how you are with them - you're doing a good job."  That felt good - especially since the entire dinner the boys were dancing and talking about their meals with full mouths to the family next to us.

The rest of the weekend was pretty rad too - we visited the zoo where the boys now know the layout, visited the aquarium, walked around Wallingford, and "hung" by the fire (which Wilson is mesmerized by).

Giving Thanks - 2011

What a great Thanksgiving.  Yesterday we enjoyed an awesome, relaxing day with the boys cooking and playing all day.  We had a couple of my co-workers over for dinner - our first time cooking Thanksgiving feast.  As we completely neglected to take pictures of the dinner, here's the menu:

• Fried Turkey
• Candied brussel sprouts
• Sunchokes and parmesan
• Salad with goat cheese and persimmons
• Mashed potatoes
• Home-made pecan pie
• Deviled eggs
• Salmon dip

YUM!

Here's the boys playing away:

Jealousy and love

Usually these two words aren't closely related with feeling between two people (as opposed to external players - e.g. jealousy of a husbands / boyfriends / whatevers cute co-workers). 

Cole and Wilson are expressing themselves more and more every day, and continuing to grow into being TWO.  With this comes a great deal of jealousy and love.  The boys have been sick, so that doesn't help much.  Lately, if I'm holding Cole, Wilson cries to be held.  If I'm holding Wilson, Cole cries to be held.  If Wilson falls and I kiss his booboo, Cole fake falls and asks for kisses.  Here are some of the funnier examples:

• Cole work up from a nap the other day yelling "Wilson pushed me" - odd thing was they were in separate cribs 
• Cole fell and got a band-aide.  Wilson had already been told "no" on band-aides because his phantom ouchies are resulting in band-aide requests all over his body, so instead of faux-falling, he pulled his pants down for quick attention.
• Wilson put on rainboots, and Cole started putting on Crocs.  When they saw each other, they immediately wanted the same shoes the other had

Because of the last point we do occasionally bend to doing matchy outfits ... and it's so cute!

On the flip side, the boys love each other so incredibly much it makes my heart happy.  Sometimes early early in the morning I'll hear them talking across their bedroom.  Cole often brings Wilson leftover milk (given, it was in Wilson's cup) and Wilson often gives Cole his leftover food.  The boys also sometimes spur of the moment hold hands in the car or reach for Matt's and my hands for impromptu ring around the rosy. 

Halloween 2011 - Bob the Builders!

Halloween has come and gone and now it seems like jingle bells, retail swells, and turkey talk have taken over everything.  Halloween is still near and dear in our home, though, as the boys have now taken to saying "trick or teat" and waiting to see what we'll give them.

Matt's parents were in town this past weekend, so on Halloween the 6 of us went trick or teating around the neighborhood.  Poor Coley had a cough so we didn't last long.  Cole was hilarious - whenever we asked him "are you Bob the Builder?" he would reply "No, I'm Coley!"  Cole also struck up a conversation with a ghoast who was about the same size as him for a brief while, while Wilson decided between candy and bouncy balls at someone's house (in the end he got both).  Wilson also thought we were going for a bunch of play dates and kept walking into peoples' houses starting to take his shoes off.

My sweet boys.  I'm a lucky mommy!

Puddle time!

We had an awesome weekend with my dad (roundup to come).  The boys got their first haircuts, and we had a handful of "field trips."  Today, though, the boys were just ... boys.

In true Seattle fashion, it's been raining off and on.  The boys are taking full advantage.

Family

I absolutely love my family.  It's not just because when I'm feeling a little backwards "I am" still in it.  Get it?  Family?  OK, that sounded much funnier before I typed it. 

We just got back from dinner at my cousin Rebecca's house.  My aunts Elsa and Laura came up (Elsa from CA and Laura from OR) along with my cousin Matthew and his clan.  The house was packed with 5 kids and many exhausted adults ... and just relaxing.  On the way home Matt and I were talking about nature and nurture and how that can impact who you like/love.  I love my family not just because they're family - but because we're all a little quirky and we're cool with it.  Matt loves my family not just because he has to (it's my blood) but because they're like me. 

Lego maniac

The boys' favorite aunt and uncle (Amanda and Gabe) gave them a lego set for their birthday and the boys are hooked!  Apparently when I was at work, my "sick" boys (they've been sniffling all weekend) were literally trying to climb the walls. 

Solution?  Legos!  Pure joy.

Weekend roundup: Portland!

Time is going way too fast and I feel like our short but loved summer is almost over.  Last weekend we packed up the car and made our way down to Portland to visit my aunts and mom who were prepping for an amazing looking camping trip (my aunt Laura is a five star camp organizer and had meals planned out and lodging to fit royalty - no kidding).  We couldn't go camping because I already used up my vacation time.

The car trip was ... long, but the boys did a good job.  The vast number of "diggers" and "BOOOATS" kept them entertained for a bit.  At one point on the ride home, the boys were silent for a while, then I heard Wilson cracking up laughing.  When I turned around he had managed to get his froggy backpack onto his head and had been sitting there waiting for us to see.  With Wilson's laughter came Cole's attempt to get the backpack on his head (I say attempt because it turns out Cole is a bit scared of the dark so the pack didn't stay for long).  My boys are hilarious.  I think they should do standup.  No, I'm not that mom that thinks everything her kids do is perfect ... my boys are just perfect.  Heh.

We're all in this thing together

Yes, I'm opening with an Old Crow Medicine Show line.  It's funny, the older the boys get, the more I feel like toddler parents (we) are all in this together, and I'm sure as the boys grow we'll be "in it" with the same set of parents whose children are growing.  It really does take a village ... even strangers. 

Last night after (an awesome) dinner with Lisa, Frank, Lila, Andrew and the boys we were hovering outside saying goodbyes when all of the sudden the boys and Lila started holding hands chanting "wing awound the wosie..." At the moment they started holding hands, another toddler we've never met before toddles up and gets into the circle with them.  I smiled at her mom, she smiled back, and all of a sudden we were all doing Ring Around the Rosie in the middle of downtown Ballard.  Strangers watched and smiled, strangers played, and we were all in it together - having a great time.

Myself

The boys are trying very hard to do everything on their own now which is awesome and challenging at the same time.  Getting into the car now takes at least 5min longer than normal.  Getting shoes on - add another 5.  But the rewards are so great.  When Cole flings himself into his carseat on his own the look of pride on his face is staggering.  Wilson is now trying to get his pants and t-shirts on by himeself in addition to his shoes and sweatshirts.  Pants turned into a mini game of twister and pouty lip yesterday as he got one leg, then proceeded to put the other leg in the wrong side of his pant leg, then get completely tangled up.  The lower lip popped out quivering and all I could do was laugh because he was so friggin cute.

In addition to wanting to do everything themselves, the boys want to pick things on their own.  Both Cole and Wilson were a little overzealous at daycare when the sprinklers were out so had to pick clothes from the "backup" closet.  Cole came home touting a bright orange tank top and Wilson was wearing the shortest red shorts I've ever seen (diaper hanging out the bottom).  Too cute!

Weekend roundup: rainy in the summer

What a great weekend!  The weather was horrible, but one of our good friends, and Wilson's godmother, Ryan was in town and we had a lot of fun.  Ry got in on Friday and we enjoyed a mellow night with takeout. 

Saturday we were surprised by rain but made the best of it by heading to the zoo during a dry spell.  Saturday night Ryan, Lisa and I made our way to a wine bar for a girl night - it's been forever since we had a girl night!  We were all roommates in college so it's funny (and great) going out now vs. how we did then.

Sunday I decided to do the See Jane Run half marathon last minute (and did notsogood) and Ryan went to Church with Lisa and fam.  Mid-morning we met up at Farmer's Market and tried to dodge the rain.  Sunday evening was another grown up night, but this time with the husbands.

All in all, a ton of fun!  I think we exhausted Ryan with all the toddler time - and the boys are now going into the guest room asking for her... oh boy.

Weekend roundup (a very late one)

With the sickness and breathing scare earlier this week, I neglected to post a mini weekend roundup.  Before I do - the boys are both MUCH healthier now, which makes us happier.

Back to the weekend - it was Father's Day weekend so Matt was the king.  Both mornings Matt slept in (to the late hour of 7am).  Saturday was the Fremont Festival here in Seattle which seems to be most well-known for it's naked bike riders and amazing solstice floats - the music, food, and stalls are all quite a site, too. 

In the afternoon we walked over the hill to see the haps (and we were pleased to have missed the nudies).  On the way to the fest, we stopped by the troll for a quick photo op.

Sunday we had a loungey morning in the house, then packed up to head to Ballard.  Matt went climbing and the boys and I enjoyed Farmer's.  Then we all met up at the Locks to watch the ships coming and going.

Sunday night we enjoyed a mellow dinner at home and called it a weekend.  All in all a good time!

Dad time

There are a bagillion blogs for moms and mothers of multiples, I feel like.  Not too many for dads, though.  A reader emailed me a nice article with a list of some blogs for dudes - they cover everything from daddy daycare to dodo and have some good tips.  Here's a post called "Top 15 blogs for first time dads."

Here are some others I'm liking:

• TwinDadBlog - a dad who has two degrees in theater and talks about whatever is top of mind.
• Big City Dad - a single father raising his daughter in NYC.
• Childs play x2 - funny rants from a dad of twins.

Easter egg hunts with the Taylor Twins

Today was a beautiful, sunny day in Seattle.  So it seems the whole city came out to enjoy it - us included.  We met up with Lisa, Frank, Lila, and Andrew at the zoo first thing this morning for an Easter egg hunt.

The boys rode the carousal for the first time ever and loved it.

I squeezed in a short run while the boys took a power nap.  Then we made our way to Gasworks park for time in the flowers before a jog back up to the park to get afternoon energy out.

Throughout the day the boys traded off saying "happy."  I think Matt and I were saying it internally, too.  It was a great day.

Potty talk

Well we had quite a sh*@@y first this evening ... the boys have both decided they LOVE the toilet.  Wilson runs and knocks on the bathroom door so that he can eventually climb up onto the toilet.  During bath time Cole points to the toilet smiling and waving. 

Over the past few days Wilson has had a pattern of grunt, run to the bathroom, and ask to climb on the toilet.  I've been helping him ... sit pants down to practice (although it's usually moments after he goes).  Tonight Wilson did his routine, then it was Cole's turn.  Cole grunted, ran to the toilet, and started pulling at his diaper.  Being helpful mommy, I helped him de-diaper and prepared to sit him on the toilet ... only then did I discover Cole has a whopper IN his diaper which in the process of swinging him up to the toilet landed all over my leg.  Worse still, Cole freaked when his diaper flew off and jetted his legs backward and down ... into the toilet. 

Oh boy.  Oh boys!