My life is weird, but good.

Potty training has stalled. All I can tell you is M is great at keeping dry, but doesn't get number two in the potty. N had 4 accidents Saturday and I was brainstorming a blog post called "progress, Regress," but then life got crazy. Hubs has been under the weather most of the weekend, so a sweet neighbor came to watch the boys last night so I could take a friend to an awesome women's ministry event at our church. Then if was freezing-raining, but we went anyway.

Everything was great while we were there and I was quite enjoying myself, knowing it was my last night "off" since Hubs was supposed to be going to JFK all week. Little did I know. In an hour's time:

My van battery died.
Friend's mom came to church to jump it.
It didn't jump.
Key stuck in ignition.
Hubs texting asking where medicine is because he's worse.
Another friend found church maintenance guy "Bill" who helped jump with his truck.
Hooray! Van starts!
Hubs textx again because he's even worse.
Roads are bad going home.
Poor neighbor stayed till 10:00 because he heard how bad Hubs was feeling. (need I go onto the details? Let's just say he was SICK.)
Find hubs white as a ghost and covered in hives.
NYC trip cancelled.
Wake up nurse M for consultation.

Everyone sleeps through the night.

I showered at 7am , lest I find myself taking Hubs to a clinic with 3 day old greasy hair.
N is whiny clingy and doesn't finish breakfast.
Taking care of Hubs and surreptitiously running to Target for meds while boys watch PBS, I come home to find N fevering.
Consult nurse M again.
Give N albuterol treatment, tuck all 3 in and go back to Target for more meds.
Did I mention our neighbors snowblowed our driveway so I'm trying to bake thank you cookies and make cute cards with the boys? No? We did that, too.
Toss more laundry in because sick people make more of it.
Sit down to eat a yogurt and check my email and blog this to you.
That's why potty training is at a standstill.
And, why my life is weird, but good.

Day Five: Celebrate!

We seem to have made it past the hardest part, so we made today a celebration day!  Daddy has MLK day off, so we applied Pull Ups after a successful morning of pee-pee-ing in the potty, and headed out to the MN Zoo for a day of family fun.  Besides going to church yesterday and for a short walk down the block, it was the first real outing we were taking with our potty trained boys!

And I did NOT take the diaper bag.  Nope, just one oversized purse with 2 diapers, 5 wipes, 2 juice boxes, 2 granola bars, and hand sanitizer.  I'm livin' on the edge here, people!

The boys were in heaven and so were we!  I haven't been out of the house much in the last week, so to re-emerge (victorious?) in a very public place - more public than church, at least, was simply exhilarating. 

N's photo of me at the dolphin show

 N was refusing his photo this morning, so in an attempt to get one, I allowed him to hold the camera for a moment.  The above shot resulted.  I almost deleted it and then I thought, gee, I should show the world what I look like with make up from my kid's point of view.  Not my best angle, but kind of cute because N took it and it's in focus, better than most of mine!  (It's the Sony Handycam, if you're wondering.  They're not allowed to touch the Nikon.)

M's first public pee! 

 I was SO EXCITED that M went pee pee in the little tiny potty at the kid's play area in the zoo I asked Hubs to take a pic.  For the first time in my life, I understand why Kate Gosselin took pictures of her kids' first poos in the potty - I used to think it was disgusting, but now I understand it's a monumental accomplishment (we're still working on that one - prunes will be our snack this afternoon). 

N busy as a bee in the honeycomb

 He still wasn't digging my photography here, but was so happy collecting "pollen" (yellow bath poufs) in the "beehive" I couldn't help myself.

M and Daddy reading a bumblebee story in the "hive"

We visited the dolphins, the penguins, the Tropics Trail, made a penguin picture, and visited the potty again (of course) before heading to McDonald's for our celebratory lunch.

M is very very proud of his penguin picture. He hasn't let go of it all day!

Absolute JOY!

What it looks like to eat out with us! 

N is simply in heaven!

McDonald's still holds its magic.  When we were kids, we thought it was awesome, too.  Back then they had Ronald and Grimace walking around and dangerous teeter totters and merry go rounds outside, so things have changed a bit.  They could barely eat their favorite food, so excited they (okay, N was) to get on the "playground."  M chose to spend most of it on my lap finishing his cold nuggets and fries, but N was climbing, screaming, and sliding with the best of them.  He was the smallest on the play set, but was having the most fun! 

Just when I thought it couldn't get any more perfect, Daddy took each boy to the men's room, one at a time, and they BOTH went pee pee on the big big potty! 

Seriously wonderful. 

Day 4: Progress Report

If we were only training M, I would have no idea why potty training is a big deal. However, I do not have a big head with his quick success because I have twins.

M has taken to potty training like a fish to water. He's also highly motivated by M&M's and the faucet. Bingo! He feels it coming and runs to the potty, he cooperates when I tell him it's time to try-he loves his big boy underpants and says repeatedly, "I'm a big boy!". He's a model student. On days 2 and 3, he only had one accident, when he had a number 2, and today he kept his Mr. Incredible underpants dry all day! He's making our job easy.

N. He's got an iron will and a loose cannon. Yesterday he had me in tears and ready to throw in the towel. After the poop debacle he and M delivered- a triple punch - and his refusal to even try, resulting in multiple accidents, as well as getting sprayed myself sitting on the floor in front of him on the toilet ring...it was just too much. Only after they were asleep and I was eating Culver's chocolate custard could I begin to feel better about undertaking the monumental task of potty training.

Today was day 4, though, and I knew we were past the point of no return. N and I had it out in the bathroom this morning, but rather than giving in, I stood my ground and made him "try." wouldn't you know? He went! Tries 2, 3, and 4 were also met with initial resistance, but quicker secession and rewards, until by the end of the day, he was finally trying with just a reminder. Yes, there were still accidents, but just two, and the big news is he stopped when he realized he was going! Here's where I have to say we do underpants during the day in the house. Yes, it's messy, but I know my kid and that a wet diaper doesn't bother him. A wet pull up doesn't bother him, either. But wet underpants DO! I'd rather clean up accidents for a few days than buy pull ups for 6 more months. I'll use them for outings for a bit.

P.S. I don't recommend this method unless you're married to a Mr. Incredible like I am. Without Hubs, I would have quit midway through Day 2.

Day Two: Holy Crap!

Potty training twins is not for the faint of heart.  I'm not sure who it is for, though - maybe Super Nanny?  This is insane.  It reminds me of learning how to tandem nurse twins: nobody can prepare you for it, only a professional or another twin mom can even begin to teach you, and it's painful like all the bad words I cannot publish, making you think - there must be another way!  Is this really worth it?

Yesterday exceeded my expectations.  Here are a couple of cute pics from then:

N drinking juice, waiting patiently for the pee pee

In the above photo, you can see the back side of the book, "Everybody Poops," a gift from Aunt P.  My nephew S was reading it to the boys at Christmas, screeching, "This is inappropriate!  Who wrote this for kids!?" much to our delight!

N and M, watching a potty video, waiting for the big moment

By the way, I have an enormous master bath, in case you're wondering about my brilliant idea to lock ourselves in there (more coming on that).  Embarrassingly huge, actually.  That's why I did it - room enough for all of us, two potty chairs, a basket of toys, a DVD player, and best of all, a heated tile floor, making it a very toasty space!  So the boys and I, and for quite a bit of it, my wonderful Hubs, were in there all morning, drinking, peeing, and basically "getting" it!  Much dancing, singing and M&M consuming happened after each score and I was feeling pretty stinking awesome, albiet, exhausted.

Pull Ups for naps, and back to the lock in, but it was clear at 4:00 that it wasn't working anymore.  Hubs took them and the potties to the playroom so I could fix dinner, which was interrupted by not one but BOTH of them filling their undies with a big load of poo.  I should have seen it coming.  We cleaned them up, ate dinner, and the rest of the evening was uneventful.  (By the way, they're wearing overnight diapers until they start waking up dry - I'm not even going to begin tackling that!)

However, we did make it through the entire day in underpants with only Pull Ups at nap, so I was very, very happy.

Today - totally different story.  We started out the same way, this time with Elmo, who, I've been told, is the master when it comes to potty videos.  They are less impressed than they should be. 

Begin Day Two: Cheese!

However, after just an hour locked into my brilliant potty training bathroom, it was very evident we weren't going to make it.  I was about to throw them both out the window!  So we moved back downstairs to the playroom like last night.  But here's what's different: we introduced the toilet ring.

The problem with normal bathrooms is there is just ONE toilet that can be fitted with a toilet ring.  Never mind we have multiple bathrooms - we are always all together for this.  So, we've had more accidents today because they both are in love with the toilet ring (hooray, right?) but cannot "hold" it while his brother is on the ring!  

Today I'm feeling less like the Super Toilet Training Mom that I thought I was yesterday.  But they are still "getting" it most of the time AND they like the toilet ring, SO I think I'm still on the right track. 

Correction: WE are on the right track.  I couldn't do this without my supportive husband and I'm not just saying that to be nice.  He ran errands yesterday so we could have Elmo and smoothies for more training today, he's right there showing them how to hold their pee-pee's down, and pretending it's totally normal to be wiping up pee and answering a business call at the same time.  Seriously - BEST. HUSBAND. EVER. 

Floater or Sinker?

I had just finished with N's pj's, Hubs was finishing M's bath, and I was about to run out the door, late to a meeting before even leaving.  I kissed N and stopped in the bathroom to kiss my handsome Hubs and wet little fishy, M. 

"OH!  Gross!  OH!  OH! OH!" I heard Handsome Hubs cry out as he lifted said little fishy out of the water.

Huh? Before I even opened my mouth to ask, he said, "I can do this!  I'm a parent!  I can't believe what you just did!  M said poo-poo in the tub, but I didn't know he meant he was doing it! How long has it been in there?  I can't believe I just bathed my kids in this!"  He set a sopping wet boy on the floor, reached into the bathwater, and picked out a tootsie-roll turd.

  I laughed all the way to my meeting.

Mall Fun

A mall closer to our home has a kiddie play area, so Grandma A and I tried it out today.  N wanted only to play in the blue car.  He seemed to think it was HIS car.  He tolerated his brother being in it with him, but that's it.  When I took him out to let other kids have turn - because they were swarming it and he'd been "driving" it for quite some time, he wasn't upset - he was just done with play land.  While M bounced around the kiddie play land like a live action pinball machine, N just kept making a beeline for the exit!  Like if he can't play in the car, he might as well leave.

Cool Cat

Where to, Bro?

Cab!  I need a cab! 

Funny story about this play land - this was the boys' second visit.  Their first was last month when I was flat on my back with the flu and my fab Hubs took the boys out on his own for a guys' night - so I could rest in a quiet house.  (What a doll!  He's taken, ladies!)  God bless him - I would never take them to a place like this without help.  He said, "I couldn't keep track of both of them at the same time!  They were both going opposite directions and N kept running for the exit and it was really busy with lots of kids!"  (*Smirk* I could have told him that would happen!)  But my eternally optimistic husband caught them both and herded them to the food court to feed them Chickwich (the closest thing to Chick-fil-A we can find up north).

Cruisin' in the Convertible

Play land was fun and I'm glad they enjoyed it because it may be a while before we get back.  Grandma's flying out tonight. 

Daddy's Back!

And just in the nick of time!  Last weekend, he was teaching them horsey back rides.  N really got it when Daddy taught him to hold around the neck while Daddy crawled around the living room, the boys holding on for dear life.

Because N's been trying to "ride" his brother all week.

What I thought was N "hugging" his brother (and encouraged it), was not.  This became apparent as the week progressed.

Every time N went to hug him, it was from behind.  He's wrap his arms around his brother's neck. 

But M hated it and walked away, complaining.

N wasn't going to take no for an answer.

So he took him down. 

He'd sneak attack him: come at him from behind, wrap his arms around his brother's neck, pull him to the ground, and hopefully, M would land facedown.  When that happened, N would crawl up onto his back and try to "ride."

In reality, this is very funny.  Well, N thinks it's funny and I did.

But poor little M looks at me like I've betrayed him, so I've intervened.  Not that it helps much, but, ya know.

Hubs is going to playing a LOT of horsey back this weekend.   

This is not a hug.  It's a horsey back "ride-" well, an attempt at getting one, anyhow!

Anticipating

Guest blogging is the hubby, Steve.

More often than not, we use the blog to share pictures and keep family and friends up on fun, momentous or exciting adventures we have. The blog is also a good way to share tiny, perceived inconsequential moments that our 13 (nearly 14) month old twin boys can teach us.

At our house, we have stairs that lead up from our garage and we have a railing that the you can look over (or through if you're 2 feet tall) and see who is coming up the stairs. Kim has shared pictures of this in the past. Yesterday, I came home from work and for whatever reason, had my head buried in my phone, reading the news or an email. As I came up the stairs, to my surprise, I heard a very sweet little 13 month old voice say, "hi". There was Matthew, a big smile on his face, standing there at the railing.

...my son was prepared, excited and anticipating me, I was not anticipating my son...

This fleeting moment, was and is a reminder to me that I always want to be prepared, excited and anticipating seeing my family and everything else associated with jobs, responsibilities and the world need to be left at the door.

I'll be ready today.

 "Hi!" 

(March '10 photo added by me, a wife who feels very loved today)