Rocking and rolling

Wow...what a fun filled weekend!  We had a picnic for a group I am in on Saturday and that was a fun time.  Kept the boys busy and us out enjoying the sunshine and awesome weather.  Then yesterday we took the boys to see Sesame Street Live!  They really enjoyed it.  I had to crack up at some of the comments the boys made.  At one point Noah turned to me and said very excited, "Elmo is real!"  He was just in awe which cracked me up.  The funny part to me is my kids haven't really been big Elmo fans or anything like that.  But that and Oscar the Grouch were the two they were most excited about seeing.

So I finally heard back from the school this afternoon.  They are allowing me to leave Noah at the school he is currently attending for next school year.  I am SO thankful!  They did put the stipluation that I have to provide transportation because it is not the school that is closest to us but I already take him and pick him up as it is.  No biggie to me!

This is Noah's last week of school for the year.  So we are starting to try and make the shift to summer routines, etc.  Oh my...summer is not fun for me.  The boys get so out of whack when their routine is changed and this has been a hard one for them the last 2 years (since they started any kind of "school").  I just keep praying this summer will be better but Cameron has been out the last 2 weeksand I have to say it hasn't been easy.  Hopefully he will level out just in time for me to deal with Noah going through it!

Tonight as I was putting the boys to bed, Noah was so very chatty.  Which is not the norm for him.  He kept telling me he wanted me to tell him a story using my mouth.  We had been talking about his day and so I didn't really catch what he was telling me.  When I sat up to read a book to him he told me, "No, tell me a story with your mouth!"  I finally figured out he wanted me to make up a story for him.  Well, I started off and he kept telling me no, and would start making up the story for me.  It was the cutest thing ever!  That kid has an imagination...just wish he would talk more!

May I please have a spoon?

This was the simple request for the gal at Chick-fil-A this morning.  Probably not such a strange one but what we were using the spoon for was pretty funny.  And she thought that was the funniest request she had ever gotten, I could hear the whole staff laughing as we rolled up the window. 

I was taking Noah to school and it had snowed a little over night.  He wanted to eat the snow.  And being the accommodating mother than I am, I got a spoon from the sweet gal at Chick-fil-A while getting our breakfast and stopped the car to get him some snow.  I know, I am a dork.  ;)

Four years old

My babies are 4 years old today.  I can't believe it has been 4 years since these wonderful, amazing little guys came into my life.  And do you know what they got for their birthday today?  Snow.  And lots of it.  They had a ball!  I think if they didn't get a single present they would have been happy with just being able to go and play out in the snow.  Luckily it will still be around tomorrow as well so more snow play!

I have been down...

And I mean in bed down.  For 2 whole days just about.  Wow.  I don't know what hit me but I couldn't even stay awake.  It has been crazy!

I have been meaning to share this for a while so here goes.  I wish, oh how I wish, I had time to edit more of my photos.  Just a few minutes of changes makes such an amazing difference!  These are 2 shots from when we went to the beach last month and I knew immediately these were 2 of my favorites.  A few tweaks and voila!  What do ya think?  You have to love how easy Photoshop Elements makes things!

Before

After

Before

After

My little guy

Yesterday morning Cameron decided to wake up at 6:40ish. Lovely. I had already taken a shower and was getting dressed but this is getting crazy. It seems the earlier I get up and get dressed the earlier they get up. Do they hear me getting ready or something since we move their rooms? Strange.

I did manage to take this cute video of Cameron though before M left for work. I am still amazed every time I look at them on film or in a video. They still look like little babies when I look at the each day but when I see them in something like this I realize just how big they really are getting!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

My growing boys

Cameron is quite the little artist. He decided it was time to try his little hand at coloring the walls, door and window. It was pretty funny actually. I had to restrain myself from laughing right in front of him when I discovered this. And of course I had to go and grab the camera but haven't downloaded the pictures yet. So this is him coloring at his easle. He decided his comfy chair was in order that day both to stand and to sit on while coloring. He just cracks me up.

I just finished cleaning out separating the boy's clothes in their closets. I had a few things in Cameron's room before but hadn't really finished it yet. Basically he was running out of clothes in his room so I was forced to do this today. Ha!

I always thought I had a ton of clothes for the boys. When you split them up it really doesn't look like much. I guess having two people's clothes in one closet makes it look like way more than what you have in reality. Wow. I am kind of shocked. I also realized I have one sweater for them. One. It is 34 degrees here today and only the first of December. Guess I need to go shopping. And I think we are about to graduate to 4T jammies and even some 4T clothes. Cameron is definitely in a growth spurt. He finished off two waffles this morning and asked for another one. He has been eating like crazy. It just all kind of snuck up on me how fast they are really growing. Sigh. It is just strange for me because they stayed in 24 month and 2T things for over a year and then just all of the sudden, wham, they almost skipped over the 3T stuff.

Blessed

I am really and truly blessed. Lucky, whatever you want to call it. I call it blessed. I have had so many sweet moments with the boys this last week I can hardly recall all of them at the moment. One of the ones that truly stands out to me is the other night I was putting Cameron to bed. He has really started to love having us read his Bible to him every night before bed (a while back I got them their own Children's Bibles) and it is really something that makes me feel so very blessed every time he asks for it. We read it for a while and then he falls asleep, usually with it open, a while later. I love this picture every night when I go in.

But that is not the sweet moment I had with him the other night. We were reading about Zacchaeus and I told him I knew a song about Zacchaeus and asked if he wanted me to sing it to him. He, of course since he LOVES music of any kind, said yes. So after I sang that several times he asked for another "Bible song" over and over again until I had exhausted every "Bible song" I knew.

Then last night when M and I were going to bed he told me that the night before when he had Cameron on the changing table Cameron said "I am God and you are Jesus." It cracked me up of course. He has really been into pretending he is other people, things or animals these days. So this statement caught me way by surprise. And I couldn't help but fall asleep being thankful last night for a little guy that is already, at the age of nearly 3, wanting to learn so much about God.

Changes ahead

I don't know if I am ready for this. We are going to move the boys into their own rooms this next weekend/week. I have been going back and forth in my head as to if I should put them in toddler beds at the same time. You know, just get it all over at once. Hmm...

When I first started asking the boys about sleeping in their own rooms they both said yes. But now, that I have explained it a little further Cameron is saying no, he wants to sleep with Noah. One night he even went so far as to say he wanted to sleep in Noah's bed. Hmm...

So am I crazy for doing this? Cameron is the one who can sleep through anything (he gets that honestly from me I think, I even slept through a fire one time as a kid with everyone running around screaming "fire"). Noah on the other hand. He is provoked by Cameron but then get so wound up and can't fall asleep. Once asleep all is well. But man, some nights he will lay in there for an hour and chatter away. Hmm...

My hope is that not only will this give each of them their own space and help each to sleep better, but also to give me some more one-on-one time with them. Allowing me to cuddle with Noah when he needs the extra time without feeling like I am short changing Cameron. It is truly a "monkey see, monkey do" craziness around here these days and I always feel so guilty when Noah is having a rough time and I hold him and Cameron stays in his bed. I have taken to picking each one up and rocking them while I read a few books. That way they both get a turn. But some nights this just isn't enough for Noah. So hoping that by separating them it will help this as well as the initial getting wound up. Hmm...am I crazy for doing this now?

Things the boys said today that made me crack up: We were driving along and I noticed Noah's head down like he may be asleep so I said, "Noah are you awake?" His response..."No." Then later in the afternoon shortly after Cameron's meltdown (or maybe it was during), I said "Everything for you has been so tragic today." To which Cameron exclaimed in a tearful voice, "I am not tragic!" I had to walk away from the car (I was putting him in his car seat at the time) because I was laughing so hard and he was crying. I didn't want him to see me laughing at what he had said.

I can't get over the fact the boys will be three in just two months. It still shocks me every time I think about it.

I was sick for for a few days and still not back to 100%, although I am so thankful to be feeling better! I was reading a blog last night (and I wish I could remember which one) but it mentioned that as a twin parent you often find yourself asking the "What if" and the "If only" questions a lot when you have multiples.

I have found myself asking this a lot the last almost 3 years and have felt much guilt over this. The author went on to say that instead of asking yourself these questions why not count your blessings. Instead of asking "If only I had one baby I could spend so much more time with just them and life would be so much easier because we would have just one to deal with." Why not say "How exciting our life is because we have two beautiful children to share this life with and they have each other."

So today, in the midst of all the craziness I found myself really and truly enjoying my children and playing with them. The housework could wait, heck, everything else could wait. I wanted to savour that moment and truly study my children in these sheer moments of happiness. Oh my what a difference it made in my day. Now I just have to think about this every day and remind myself how truly blessed I am to have twins. I have always lived by the philosophy (He never gives you anything you can't handle" but I will say these last three years have been very trying in so many different ways. Ways I never imagined. I guess that is called growing.

Be careful what you say...

The boys rocking out.

Once again this afternoon it was proven to me that you have to be really careful what you say in front of my children. Cameron had fallen from the couch and M had gone over and picked him up before I got over there. Of course I have to check him out and make sure he is okay and I kept asking him questions and finally my hubby said rather huffily "Here, you just take him." Um, that sounded mad to me so I of course got huffy back and said something about him being "pissy." Of course Cameron looks at his dad and says "Dad, you all pissy?" I had to hold my head down and laugh hysterically while I was putting on my shoes. What else can you do? Just praying he doesn't use that word again...especially at school!

Scrappy days

Well, I decided one of the ways to make me scrap more is to join in on a contest or two. Always guaranteed to get me scrapping again. I loved the kit for this weeks round and the only thing I would change about this one is the lettering for the title. I still don't have everything loaded on to the new computer so my font choices were limited and I wasn't able to use an alphabet from another kit. But this turned out cute in my opinion so I was happy. Cameron was thrilled to get this little orange car finally! You can check out my layout if you want over here for my entry.

Credits: Kit was A New Day by Christy Skaggs

Fonts: Impact, Times New Yorker, and VT Portable Remington

Fun kit to work with and I can see me using this a lot for pictures from this summer. Has some fun colors and of course Cameron's favorite orange in it. That is actually harder to find than one might think. But it was the perfect match for his new favorite shirt. :)

First day of school

This was the boys their first day this year.

This was the boys last year for their very first day of "school" last year (and ever). Wow what a difference a year makes!

They carry their own lunch bags and backpacks in now and put their lunches in little cubbies. I still hang their backpacks for them since it is too tall but man how different things are between this year and last. They are growing up way too fast! They are both getting so very tall and talkative. Cameron carried on an entire conversation with me yesterday. I had to jot it all down it was just too cute. They are amazing little beings to me and I feel so very blessed each and every day.

Progress...

Slowly making progress on their 2008 book. Was hoping to be further along by now but I'll take what I can get at the moment. Napping woes are still in our lives and so I have no free time several days of the week now. Sigh. And one of my children (who will remain nameless other than saying his name starts with a C) is one grouchy child who is VERY demanding when he doesn't nap. So nothing is getting done around my house these days. I should be used to this but just not. Ugh!

Oh, I forgot, today I hear Cameron saying he needs help, he is stuck. I run upstairs and into their room (remind you both are supposed to be sleeping) and Noah is totally undressed except for his socks and Cameron has his shirt that he can't get off and is stuck with it on his head (he can't unbutton the button so it got stuck but he had socks and all off). Oh lovely. And I was praying last weeks episode was just an isolated incident. Sigh. Oh well, the adventures in motherhood!

Is that the paparazzi?

I came across this word today and thought it was funny...Mom-a-raz-zi. Kind of like a paparazzi but a mom who runs around stalking their kids taking pictures. Hmm...that would be me. Hopefully some day they will thank me for it. This has become Cameron's face whenever he sees me coming with the camera.

So today I decided Cameron was going to learn how to have quiet time if it killed me. He has decided if he doesn't want to be in his bed he will start screaming. I call it scream talking, not really screaming but not really talking, kind of a mix of the two. The last few days of it I have gone in and attempted to get him to be quiet. Today I decided to take a lesson from the cry it out method and let him scream it out. Praying it works! He did it for what felt like FOREVER, which in reality was probably more like five minutes. He stopped and when I finally went in a few minutes ago he was snoozing away.

I know he still needs a nap. He is GROUCHY when he doesn't take one. So we'll see what happens over the next few weeks. Still praying this is all a phase because they really do need that nap to get them through the day. I would much rather move their bed time later if I have to than deal with the little crazy boys I have had the last two weeks from lack of sleep.

So now I am downloading the 169 pictures I took the last two days and doing laundry. Fun, fun. But thankful I am able to do that and praying for happy little boys when they wake. :)

So I am attempting to at least make the boys stay in their cribs for some quiet time and today Cameron was chattering away. I started listening to his conversation with himself and he started talking about taking his diaper off and then talking about how much he has grown. Then I hear him say how much his wee-wee has grown. Um, Houston we have a problem is the thought that came to mind.

Neither of the boys have ever taken their own diapers off just to take them off...yet. When he first started talking about it I thought he was just chattering, I hadn't heard anything. Then when those words came out of his mouth I knew something was up. Of course, I went in his room to find him in only his shirt. Oh my. So many changes in such a short time.

I don't think I have had a chance to mention Noah jumped out of his crib last night. M and I both had our backs turned (him putting in the night light and me closing the blinds) and all of the sudden we heard the thud I have been anxiously awaiting. I look back and Noah is laying on the floor and starts to cry. I think it scared him more than anything else and it scared the crap out of me as well. So he hasn't really stood up in his crib since, kind of hoping we don't have a repeat performance of either incidents any time in the near future. And I thought the no napping thing was enough to deal with! Guess we will be thinking about that toddler bed a little sooner than we anticipated. Thank goodness I had ordered the rails for their beds a few months ago so we already have them waiting!

I feel so very blessed to have these two little guys in my life! I am such a lucky Mommy!

I have truly come to realize that motherhood is not for the faint of heart. It has been over a week now since the boys have taken a nap and I am so at a loss of what to do all day long. Before we played hard in the morning and in the afternoon because they got all rested up at nap time. Now I am searching for the balance yet again. If we play too hard they are exhausted and cranky. If we don't play hard enough they start fighting with one another. Hmm, must learn to be a preschool teacher or something because those gals got it going on. They keep those little ones just busy enough with quiet times sprinkled throughout. Just can't seem to get anything accomplished around the house because I spend every minute it seems entertaining the kiddos. I know, I know, it will get better and I will figure it out. Just in time for them to change on me again I am sure. :)

So, this past week has been interesting. We have done a lot of stuff we probably wouldn't have done otherwise if they had been napping. But I know I can't do this every day of every week. So now we have to find a new routine and fast. Our old bed time is slowly creeping earlier and earlier. They are falling asleep in the car if we drive anywhere in the late afternoon so I know they are exhausted. Just refusing to nap in their beds. So what else can I do? They have quiet time in their beds for at least an hour and that's about it. I do wonder if this is a phase or if it is a permanent thing. I guess I am dreaming that it may be a phase. Ha! Oh how I am missing those naps already!

My sweet little one brought me flowers tonight. Hubby and Cameron came home with a beautiful bouquet of flowers this evening after a particularly hard dinner out with Noah. We (Noah and I ) came home while Cameron and M went to look at plants like I had promised Cameron we would do after dinner. It was a wonderful surprise and much needed cheering up for me. In kind of a fun the last few days. I am sure it has a lot to do with the feelings from trying to readjust the boys' schedules. Sigh.

Chugga, chugga choo-choo!

Here is March! Woo-hoo! Just chugging along. So nice to feel like I am getting things done again with the scrapping.

Rambling once again...

Two more pages I managed to get done last week. Oh the joy of scrapping again! It has also been a lot of fun to go back and read my journals from the last year. Working on getting 2008 all finished up within the next month and hopefully get a head start on 2009! My goal is to keep up with each month or two as they go by. Oh what a lovely thing that would be to do. Loving these templates by Katie Pertiet. They make short work of this to say the least!

So I found out yesterday that my test results came back positive for rheumatoid antibodies. It explains a lot but it kind of has me a little anxious about what lies ahead. I knew I was in a lot of pain this last year especially, but didn't think it was anything like this. Just praying for some answers to so many questions I have at the moment.

Roller coasters

That is what I feel like I am on. A huge roller coaster at times. This last week was tough. No other way to put it. The boys were way out of sorts and just cranky. So of course I was cranky. The beginning of the week was horrible. Just plain horrible. It did get better. The weekend was a little tough but we survived. I am still scratching my head trying to figure out what in the world is going on with them. Noah won't sleep for anything again. There is always something going on when he does this. And it always seems to take me a while to figure it out. Haven't so far. Can't see any new teeth. He is eating well and acting fine other than antagonizing his brother half the day.

I am beginning to wonder if I need to really find a way to spend some serious one on one time with them each week. The tough part about that is I can't seem to leave one and not the other or maybe I should say to take one and not the other. The one left behind usually throws a fit. Cameron is also going through some serious separation anxiety issues at the moment. So what's a mom to do?

We went to the fair this morning. Just a smaller local one. They had a ball but of course Noah was really ready to go just a little ways into it while Cameron was NOT wanting to leave and started to throw a fit. It is just becoming increasingly difficult to find the balance between the two. I know we will get there but I want what is best for both of my children and myself and at the moment it has been very difficult to find a happy medium for everyone involved. Daddy included.

So back to the fair. The boys got to pet baby chicks, a goat, pigs, cows, sheep, and llamas. It was very interesting for me too seeing as I am a "city girl" and haven't really ever been around animals myself. I think the boys are much more brave than I am when it comes to touching the animals. It didn't help they had signs all over the place saying the animals may bite. That kind of freaked me out. And of course Cameron has no fear so just walks right in and jams his hand in their faces. To be 2.5 years old again! Noah loved it and we could tell by his squeals (literally) of delight. He was very gentle with all the animals. We have actually if often wondered aloud if he would grow up to be a vet. I guess only time will tell.