Because there's 2 of them we have smartened up about bedtime routines. When it's time for bed, they are laid down in their cribs. We say good night and walk away. Sometimes they cry for a few minutes, sometimes they don't make a peep, but generally all is well by the time I'm crawlimg into bed with their big sister and watching Cinderella for the millionth time while I wait for her to fall asleep.

Yes, we have FINALLY smartened up.

Slapped cheek virus

This is what my little Miss has, according to one of the dr's at her pediatrician's office. Her face is bright red- more like a sun burn than a cheek slap, but none the less, she's got this rash and could have it up to 2 weeks. I couldn't get a picture of her rosy cheeks today since the new memory card I got for my camera doesn't work (not a problem, really, I find it pretty easy getting to the store with 3 kids and a full time job), but here's a picture of her taken yesterday after getting cheek slapped (just kidding)...

6 months old today!

My boys are 6 months old today. I can hardly believe it. I remember this time last year it was just confirmed that I was having twins. I remember saying "this time next year" I'll have TWO six month old babies. Happy 1/2 1st birthday boys!!

Freedom!

Here are my boys! I'm so proud! And relieved! I will finally have some hands free time!

Stairway to heaven!

Finally, access to our basement. I will no longer be hauling my dirty laundry down the icy, hill in our side yard to get to the basement. My neighbors must think I'm heading down to the river to wash my clothes.

Oh and the builder is not done- he's going to finish it with real wood (oak, I believe) and a real banister and real balusters! Can you feel me trembling??

Edward Scissorhands

My poor little baby. He can't seem to stop clawing up his face. I know, I know, I should put some mittens on that kid, but they get so nasty, especially now that he's got his hands in his mouth all the time. I just keep thinking he'll figure out that scratching his face like that hurts and he'll eventually stop. And I keep trimming his nails. I should really just take xianfern's advice and stop dragging him facedown across our gravel driveway..

Spring Clean up

The snow has finally melted and cabin fever is about to break! I can not wait for the warm weather so all the kids can get outside. There's something about being outside that makes life more tolerable. I honestly don't know why I live in the northeast... probably because I'm afraid to live anywhere else...

Addendum to previous post

I have to say I felt like a heel for most of the day for posting so negatively about my little miss last night. Really, I should have been sleeping instead of complaining about how difficult it can be to raise a toddler. I am afterall very sleep deprived (one day I'll bitch about her brothers and how they keep me up at night.) But I feel like writing a retraction of sorts- to clear my guilty conscience, I guess. Not that it matters to anyone but me, but I feel it's necessary to say that she's the reason why we felt compelled to procreate again. She's why I can't wait to get home at the end of the day. There's no way to describe how it feels when you walk through the front door and are greeted by a screeching 3 year old who seems like she's been waiting all day for this exact moment. It's love, pure and unconditional.
It's still hard being a parent to a toddler, but I wouldn't change my life or the little people in it for anything else in the world. I would like to get a decent nights sleep, but I'm pretty sure there's no one I can bargain with to make that happen.
There I feel better.

The terrible 2's- what they don't tell you...

For me, the ages between 18 months and 2 were about keeping my daughter safe from herself. She had this new found independence and skills. She could walk, her language was emerging, she was becoming a unique individual. But what she didn't have was common sense. She didn't know that she couldn't walk off the couch and not get hurt or jump up and down in the bath tub and not suffer any consequences. That's what I was there for- to watch her every move and make sure she didn't end up in the emergency room for stitches.

As she's grown, the need for me to watch her every move is no longer necessary. She's got a certain amount of "street smarts." She's comprehending actions and consequences. She's building a catalog of common sense. This is a relief. It's exhausting to watch someone every moment of their life to make sure they're safe. I can let her play alone in her bedroom while I'm downstairs without worrying that she's going to chug toilet bowl cleaner or fall down the stairs. That's not to say I don't leave myself open to other mishaps, just look at the picture to the right- I wasn't sitting next to her saying, sure, give yourself a unibrow with that pink lipstick- but these are the chances I'm willing to take to have 10 minutes without the burden of being responsible for someone.

What I have found is that the terrible 2's have nothing on 3. If 2 is about keeping them safe from themselves, then 3 is about keeping them safe from me. Because while she's learning how to remain safe in her world, she's also learning how to drive me nuts in mine. I don't know what 4 will bring, perhaps she won't want to push me to the edge of madness everyday just for fun, but I figure there have got to be some good years in between her becoming a teenager and now. That could start at 4... sure, why not.

Roll over little man, roll over (and crush that horrible purple dinosaur!)

The littlest of my twins rolled over today (he's the littlest but the oldest- by 2 minutes- which will someday, undoubtedly get him the front seat.) I wasn't there to see it :( as I'm paying other people to raise my children, but the caregivers are kind enough to share their milestones with me (I'm very lucky and grateful to my caregivers and in no way mean to sound like I'm not)...

You can see his big little brother watching in the background- probably thinking, damn it, that should've been me!