One of those days!

Everyone has those days. The kind of days that nothing seems to be going right. Today started out as one of those for me. I started my morning out eventfully--- I cleaned out my fridge. Got it all shining and then... spilled orange juice all over! Little did I know, Logan was watching from the gate seperating the kitchen from the dining room. Instantly he started laughing! Thanks buddy--- here I thought I was safe from pointing in laughing when your dad walked out the door 5 minutes ago--- but never fear, Logan has A LOT of his daddy in him. Including laughing at mom! I proceeded to try to pick up some toys-- got them all put away, and moved on to the next room... To turn around and find the previous room in it's previous state... Thanks again boys! The afternoon comes, the boys and I are heading out to the car and I put Landon in his seat, and go to put Logan in his--- and somehow Landon is now in the seat I intended on putting Logan in... What seemed to have happened was, I put Landon in his seat, walked around the car--- got side tracked and walked back around the car again to put Logan in.

 I've got my hands full everyday, but today I obviously had my mind full too! Tonight I came home from town and found the boys out of control--- crazy!!! They were SO happy, so we played a little more before bed time and they both just laughed and laughed, it was at that moment I realized... No matter how many things in my life has or will go wrong, I look into the eyes of my kids, and with the sound of their happiness--- I know that I got something perfectly right. Once again, at the end of the day, that's all that matters! 

Children's Museum

Today the boys and I adventured to the Children's Museum for our second time. For all of those who wonder age wise what is appropriate I'd say crawling stage to maybe 1st grade. Last visit we played in the infant area, and had a lot of fun-- but this time we are at the walking stage, which made EVERY area fun. 

Today brought a special event at the museum. Santa was visiting! Along with his jolly elf and good friend the Winter Queen-- Santa landed in Omaha. We first had to make it snow with our magical powers, and with the help of the Winter Queen. So fun! It snowed inside!! Next Santa came down the chimney! Really-- straight down the chimney. (Video posted to Facebook) we waited in line and got to visit with Santa one on one. (or in our case 2 on 1) photos were taken and we got a special package for "our first visit with Santa".

From riding the carousel to crawling in the metro bus and semi at their special exhibit--- today was full of adventure. The best part about it... It was safe, not too overwhelming for the boys -- and we were able to stay for just few hours, not the whole day. So everyone if you haven't before, you must go check it out. Pretty inexpensive, and sooo much learning fun!

Wired Boy = Exhausted Mom

I have NEVER seen a little boy with more spunk than Landon had today. He woke me up this morning with a very loud "Woah woah woah!!!" I open his bedroom door and standing in the corner of his crib is the ornery little boy with his hands in the air. What was he doing you might ask.... Same thing he does every morning--- Trying to wake up Logan! On a typical day I will find his lullaby bear thrown out of his bed--- and half way to Logan's crib.... Today was no different, but he also was playing the drums on the side of his crib! And this was at 7:30AM...

As the day went on he just got more and more 'wired'. (You would think we had swapped out his milk for his daddy's Dew.) Tonight really put my day into perspective with how crazy he had been. I finally caught ahold of Landon after he took off across the house with his prized possession--- Moms glasses! Pinned him to the ground to find the source of my burning nose... Logan took over the silliness and was spinning circles around and around and around. At the same time I spotted the smell and Landon's diaper was getting changed. He was rolling rolling rolling... Unable to lay still. Just then Logan lost his balance and on to his brother he came. Someone was watching over me though--- 2 seconds sooner and we'd have had a BIG mess to clean up! 

Both boys are in bed now--- if they don't sleep good after that day, it's hopeless! This Mom is going to bed--- having twins is just plain exhausting some days. Today was one of those days.

2013

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Come to think of it our entire year has been wonderful... Some exciting times. 

2013 brought our wedding in July, and Landon's first unofficial marriage ceremony. For those who missed it-- Landon married us. Really! He was being held by his Uncle (the best man) and pulled on his daddy's tux collar to get a better view... Choking his Dad and putting his two-cents into the service. This was after the little turkeys went through a growth spurt and couldn't fit into the dress shoes we bought them. So, they wore socks. ( I was kind of jealous to be honest) A question I was asked was, "how did you get married with two 9 month olds?" 

My mom was 100% on top of planning, and I did most all the decorations and flowers during nap time everyday. Nap time is the trick to get anything done in this house. We had a few other tricks that worked for us the day of the wedding--- that made it go so smooth. 

1) The boys "uncles" held them up front during the ceremony, and both of the guys had their tux pockets full of puff snacks. Great idea!

2) my in laws kept them the night before and made sure they had a nap before they came to the church. A nap is a necessity! 

3) at the reception we had a babysitter who pretty much just chased them around. They were passed around a lot by family and friends, but this girl saved us... She had her eye on the boys at all times. She and her sister also took the boys home from the reception and put them to bed. Couldn't have done it without them!

4) when you get married with young kids, you've got to set your mind to the fact that something is probably not going to go as planned... Once I had myself convinced of that, the little stuff didn't bother me. 

Our boys are the best examples of the love we have for eachother. What a big year! 2012 was the year we became a family, but 2013 was the year our house truly felt like a home. The "Tibken" Home. 

Then came August......... 

Christmas

Christmas is upon us, and since I sent out 50 cards-- most of which went to close family, I thought I would share with you all my Christmas letter. Merry Christmas!

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through our house… not a child was sleeping – both were screaming about! The stockings pulled down, from the shelf with great cheer… knowing Santa would come whether they’ve been good or naughty this year. The boys were nestled, under piles of toys and making a whole lot of noise! And I in my shirt covered with “crap”… while dad dosed on the couch—taking a little nap. When out in the kitchen, arose such a clatter… Jax and Mia were both a pitter patter… I sprang from the floor to see what was the matter! The baby gate wide open, the child had escaped!!! Oh me oh my, this must be a mistake! Away to the back door, I flew like a flash—in hopes I could catch him before he dashed. With a wink of his eye, so ornery and quick… I knew rightaway Christmas would be a trick. More rapid than eagles they’ve grown this year, and bring us more joy and even some tears. God gave us a gift of two to enjoy, two brothers, but also two ORNERY little boys! To the top of the stairs they can already climb, who knows what they’ll be able to do in time. So onto our knees we pray everynight, that God looks over our family with a guiding light. As for all those around us, this Christmas season… we remind you to make Christ the reason.

 

 

From our family to yours, Merry Christmas and God’s greatest blessings for 2014!

Touchdown!

This weekend has been a busy one... Thanksgiving, and a lot of family time spent with my sister in law who's in from out of town, oh and a certain football game that happened to occupy a good majority of our Friday afternoon. *go hawks*

My father in law, (with his never ending wisdom) has taught our genius children a very important lesson in the great game we call life. We live on the better side of the "Missouri" and with that comes a great amount of pride, respect and dignity for the game of football. This my friends, is a Hawkeye State! This football season, the boys are getting really into Dad and Grandpa hollering at the tv. They know cartoons don't belong on the tv Saturday mornings... Saturdays, they watch Gameday with Dad during breakfast --- and most afternoons are spent clapping when Dad does, and our newest trait... throwing our arms in the air when they hear touchdown! Compliments of Grandpa. Logan would make a great referee. With all his might, those arms go straight up above his head, and Landon says "TOUCHDOWN!" Smart boys -- this weekend they got a really good workout as Iowa trampled all over Nebraska. We had "touchdown" arms non-stop! Iowa boys, born and raised... (so proud)

Oh, and by the way -- I'll say it again --- Go HAWKEYES!

Dumbest things

Parents say the dumbest things. It's true... I have caught myself saying some of the most bizarre things lately. Some topics that I'm not real sure parents of singles would catch themselves saying, on a daily basis at least.

 -- "It's time to go to bed, lay down and go to bed" -- yah, okay mom... like that's going to work... Here we sit (actually it's usually standing) talking back and forth about all things under the sun. The thought of you thinking we would just magically fall asleep is one of the craziest ideas that could have entered your mind. *dumb* 

-- "Landon James!!! Your brother is not a step stool!" Just because Logan is the "bigger" brother Landon seems to find it acceptable to use his build to climb onto things -- places he's not suppose to be. For instance, just the other day Landon used Logan to climb up onto the couch. Mural of this story: nothing is EVER baby proof with twins!

-- "Logan, your brother is not a toilet!" Yep, you heard me right, this little turd has gotten a reputation for soaking his brother after getting out of the bathtub. I wish I could say that it was just water... but to put it politely, if I don't get that "thing" in a diaper within a minute or two of being out of the bath -- Landon goes back in the bath tub for round 2. Compliments of his brother giving him "a shower".

And to think these are just a few instances! My list will continue....

New Shoe Delight #2

New Shoe Delight #2

Just the other day the boys got a new pair of shoes that were ordered offline. Two pair actually, but one pair in particular has really cause a riot at our house. Great joy in the little things... I mean, yes -- who doesn't get excited about new shoes, but these boys were beyond excited. They could hardly contain themselves seeing what had arrived. The shoes I am talking about are a dark gray color with neon orange accents -- made by Carters, and they light up! The commotion began when the boys discovered the shoes would light up when they dropped them on the ground. SO, of course that began a nice shoe throwing contest... we had shoes thrown across the room and coming from every direction. They would throw one shoe, run over-- pick it up, and proceed to throw it again. This went on for a little bit, but the real fun wasn't until the next morning.

I was getting the boys ready to leave the house, so I put on those shoes. The little turkeys proceeded to chase each other around the dining room watching each others shoes light up! Pretty soon, I saw Landon drop to the floor. He then picked up his foot and took a nice good look at that shoe... the look on his face was one of disappointment and confusion -- it wasn't lighting up anymore. I thumped the bottom of it, and once again excitement light up his face.

I love seeing their little minds working so hard to figure out the concept of what was going on... I wonder what new discovery will take place today...

Their Own Language

Wowza! 4,000 page views! I can't believe everyone finds this so interesting... I really just began this due to someone who still to this day wishes he could have had twin boys. Actually, he got 3 sons, but he REALLY wanted twin boys! So, to you sir.... I started this for you, and now I've gotten 4,000 people reading my funny/chaotic life with twins! In honor of this big milestone I will write my greatest blog yet..... here goes, your laugh for Monday ---



All the research you read on twins having their own language tells you that "no" they do not... I'm here to reassure you all that yes, ours do! Now, I'm sure you all want some cold hard facts--- well, I've been attempting to get just that but until today, all attempts have been unsuccessful. Notice I say "until today"....

The boys go to lay in their cribs at 1:00pm every afternoon. It's a habit I have instilled in them for awhile, and until today -- it's gone very well. I can't rock them both to sleep, and to be honest... I really feel like making them put themselves to sleep is the greatest thing I have ever done for myself! Last week I recorded the monitor while I sat and listened to the boys yelled for "dadda dadda dadda" for 15 minutes straight! I just laughed and laughed, they were fine, not at all upset so I let them be. They eventually laid down a took their naps. Today however, was different. It was a full moon last night, which made for an eventful day today! I put the boys down for naps, and went back downstairs... it was silent for a few minutes then I hear some conversation pick up on the monitor. So, I very silently grabbed my phone and went to check it out. The door was cracked up, and I started to record them carrying on a conversation... not sure what they were talking about... but it was sure funny. You can hear them giggle non-stop! Pretty soon, Landon caught me! And his "ohhhhh" brought their conversation to a complete hault.

Take a look at my Facebook video--- and then you tell me they don't have a language?! (If you read this and don't have Facebook -- email me at kimtibken@gmail.com and I would love to share it with you!)

Happy Monday All!

Compliments of a Ditzy Mom -- Volume 2

I'm sure you can all about imagine how hectic our house is during the day. Well, after one "not so common" mistake I made the other day... I'm a bit shy to try my hand at multi-tasking while the boys are awake. Let me give you your giggle for the day, in that latest episode of "Compliments of a Ditzy Mom" Volume 2.

First of all, I would like to say that yes... I have color treated my hair numerous times -- but at this moment it is literally growing back in blonde! My recent actions have more than reassured me of the blonde moments I truly do experience on a daily basis.

I decided to get a head start on my Christmas cards this year... the holidays come so fast, so why not?! I sat down and created a few cards online, they happened to be on sale that day -- So of course I hurried along and got them ordered. I could not decide which design I liked the best, so I order 3 separate ones. On Saturday they finally came in the mail... much to my surprise, they actually looked pretty good (considering I did them so fast) UNTIL, I noticed on one of the cards it said "Merry Christmas from The Rogers Family! *pardon my french* but oh shit!! Not only did it say the Rogers family it also listed a family of four names that were not even close to those whom live under this roof. Hello! In the process of creating these I neglected to change the family name in the layout design... oh jeez. Now, I know most of you are laughing at me -- let me tell you that is the response I recieved from not only my "loving husband" but also my in-laws... and worst of all... my parents. The people who gave birth to me, the ones who were suppose to be suportive at all times and what did I get ----- nothing but a big 'ole "oh wow Kim" followed by a flow of laughter. THANKS ALOT Mom! I'm pretty sure if the boys could read they would also be laughing at me... and from here on out, I WILL NOT attempt such important tasks in the midst of morning chaos.

So, in short. If any of my wonderful friends would like a cards from "The Rogers Family" let me know.... I will even take a Sharpie to it and write our name instead of theres.

So, Happy Holidays All!
-From The Rogers Family

Compliments of a Ditzy Mom.

We're going ridin' ridin' ridin'...

One day with the boys and you'd have no doubt they are every bit like their daddy. 100% farm boys. This past weekend we adventured to another farm for an open house to view some show cattle. Of course the little cowboys came along. Once we "unleashed the beasts" Landon instantly went out the shed on a mission. Closely followed by his brother, out to the fence they went to see the calves. Once there--- the little stinker stood and hollered at the heifers standing dumb-founded on the other side of the fence. Now, I'm not sure what he was saying, but from the sounds of it-- he knew cattle! 

They also love to "riiiiid-em cowboy... Saddle up and let's go!" That's what the pony at grandpa's house says. They adore that rocking horse. A typical riding session consists of one boy riding, and the other close by dancing to the song... (I'll post the video on my Facebook) 

Two funny little farmers... and I wouldn't take them any other way!

A bugs life....

After the boys go to bed at night, I finally get a little relaxing time... And some good 'ole husband time. No boys climbing on our legs trying to get on the couch. No boys crying over a spoon they took away from Mom... just a nice quiet time. 

Tonight however, we spent awhile doing what every great parent does--- picking up toys. Just so that we don't step on a puzzle piece at 6am, or stub our toes on a set of cars. 

Speaking of puzzles--- Our boys have become very interested in puzzles lately. Logan especially. He sits and plays with puzzles often throughout his day--- very tediously putting puzzle pieces in stacks and moving them around to different locations. Landon loves to just throw things, including puzzle pieces! Soooo, to sum things up, we had puzzle pieces everywhere! 

My lovely husband and I spent our night under the couch and table--- moving pillows--- and unpacking toy boxes; all in search for a cow, duck, and caterpillar that went missing today. But, have no fear... All the animals have been returned to the barn puzzle. Sadly, Somewhere in this house tonight lies a bug... a bug that has lost its way. A bug that belongs with all the other Melissa&Doug bug puzzle pieces... That bug's had a rough day-- a run in with a ornery little boy, possibly thrown numerous times, then landing who knows where in this house. Say a little prayer that this little wooden bug was lucky enough to land safe and sound somewhere, and that he managed to avoid a trip over top the baby gate...with two always hungry dogs on the other side.

Halloween

I love holidays! All holidays! Christmas Eve dressing our family in matching colors for church, then taking 500 photos with the hopes of 1 turning out... Or Easter, waking up and pulling the family out of bed in time to make the 6am sunrise service. He has risen, so we must also! BUT one of my favorite holidays is and always has been Halloween! 

Since I was little, I have always went to great lengths to find the perfect costume. Now that I have the boys --- Halloween has become so much more fun! Last year they were itty bitty, so I went simple and ordered the greatest animals on earth. Yes, they went as cows! Cutest little cows, but this year -- this year I had lots of ideas! Of course you could go with the typical twin costumes: thing 1 & thing 2... Ketchup & mustard... But they've all been done. I had finally come up with the idea of making their wagon into a ship--- and the boys would be a pirate and a parrot. Only problem was, the parrot costumes weren't too cute. So, my overly creative mind went back to work, and with the help of my dad.... Halloween 2013 will be great! Stay tuned.... Photos to follow!

Something to ponder on...

I'm convinced that behind every great inventor is a busy mom! Those who come up with the simple things that make life easier. Hands free bottles, boppys, baby swings... Genius! Well, I have come up with a few things I feel someone needs to invent, to make MY LIFE easier! Hold on to your seats folks; prepare to be amazed!

THINGS THAT NEED A GENIUS:

1) Let's be honest, why can we be tracked using our phones, and dogs can be micro chipped--- yet no one has figured out what I feel is the #1 greatest loss of family income--- missing socks. My solution, tracking devices! Not sure how to do it, but with the amount of money thrown away from missing mates, surely it is a logical request...

2) okay, onto my next genius invention...

How many times should I vacuum the carpets in our home? More than I already do I'm sure... But how do you go about doing so with two little 14 month tornados following you around?! I have come up with the perfect solution--- take their little car and attach it to the front of my vacuum! Better yet, make vacuums with seats! Grocery carts have them, why should trash-picker-uppers  be any different? Come on Dyson, use your head! Make a product that appeals to the one who uses the machine--- the busy

Mom! 

So, as my list would go on and on, these are just a few of my problems I have pondered on the past few days. If anyone would be willing to fabricate my vacuum, let me know... As for now I will continue to hold Landon as I pick up the toys his brother throws in the path of the vacuum. Hmmmm... Maybe that's another good thought, boys don't pick up their toys--- my vacuum does it... Interesting---ponder that for the night......

Never underestimate the power of two!

Oh, ornery boys... Boys will be boys, and mine are full of you know what! Those little monsters have figured out how to get on my couch, I've told you all that... Well, with great "reward" came lots of hard work! I have figured out what "reward" those turkeys wanted!

To paint a picture for everyone, our living room has a shadow box cut out in the wall. I have it decorated with picture frames and pretty green vine. It also happens to be within reach from the couch! Logan has been wanting so bad to get his hands on those pretty green leaves... And he knows, Mom says "NO!" (I say it awfully stern too)... Well, the other night Landon thought he'd try his hand at snagging the leaves.... I told him "NO" probably about 10 times! Finally I got up... I walk over to the little turd, and he looks at me--giggles and grabs at the leaves again! This time I said "NO!!!!!" Directly at him. (I thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and make sure he knew that "NO" was directed at him)

Once again, he giggles and up goes his hand to grab again!! This time I tapped his hand and said no...

Meanwhile, sitting behind him on the couch is his brother. Logan's just watching intensely--- happier than crap that it's not him getting in trouble! With every "no" I said, Logan smiled more and more... Then when I got up and walked over to Landon is when my "oh gosh moment" happened. Logan started getting all excited and pretty soon he was jumping up and down AND flapping his arms! Wow, that's when our "great" parenting tactics kicked in--- Neither Dad or Mom could keep a straight face... To be honest we laughed our butts off. Great Parenting!

This just goes to show--- yes, I've always thought Logan would give me a run for my money... But never underestimate the power of his identical twin! 

Boys- 1

Mom- 0

Giggle Attack's Back!

I've said it before, and I'll say it 100 times more --- every day is a new adventure with these two! Today, we had an event occur that caused quite the stir at our house. Our day began normal, pancakes and milk for breakfast, with a few bananas on the side.... but as the boys begun playing-- something new happened. From the dining room, I could see Landon's shoulders go up in the air, followed by a loud gasp. Logan then started laughing. Now, as I have learned the hard way... when a giggle comes from Logan it usually means someone is up to no good! To my surprise, this however was something that could not be helped. It seemed Landon had caught the hiccups and he had himself in quite the predicament! I sat back and watched as he hiccupped and then Logan would laugh.... pretty soon Landon began to laugh also. With each little "hicc-upp" it became funnier and funnier! The giggle attack was back! Pretty soon Landon would hiccup and fall backwards laughing so hard! It was seriously one of the funniest things I have seen these two do! Landon was in complete awe trying to figure out what was going on, Logan was just laughing his little butt off! I tried to get video of this, but I was laughing so dang hard, I had tears coming down my face. After about 5 minutes of dealing with the hiccups, I got Landon some water. But, it didn't end there...
He chugged that sippy cup full of water, and I thought maybe they had passed. Out of no where, he hiccupped again and out came a whole mouth of water! That put the boys over the edge, not only were they laughing uncontrollably, the sound of little snorts could be heard clear across the house!

You see, kids really put it into perspective: you have to take great joy in the little things in life. Find something that makes you laugh everyday, for me today-- this was it! And that's what I love about being a Mom.

Some of Mom...

The boys are discovery so much these days, and they continue to blow us away with what they do! At this exact moment Logan is walking around the room, and Landon is trying to stay away from him. Logan has a sock in his hand that after a good 5 minutes he finally managed to get off his foot. He is holding it straight up in the air and screaming jibberish at Landon across the room! As if they aren't funny enough--- Logan has put his sock in his mouth to carry it across the floor to Landon. In true brotherly fashion, he hands it to Landon just to take it away from him again! All these toys in the house and a sock is the best toy tonight?!?! (Christmas is going to be cheap this year) 

The newest orneriness that has occured in our house is the want to sit on the couch! Landon loves to just sit. Usually covered in blankets and a pillow he has placed behind him. Well great minds think alike and we have now figured out that our little cars make great steps to get onto the couch all by themselves. 

Another awesome discovery is peek a boo. The boys have played peek a boo for awhile but now Landon has become a pro! He will squat down in front of Dad's recliner and then stand up and giggle giggle giggle! He also grabs a blanket and puts it up and down over his face. Logan however doesn't really understand the concept. He puts his hands over his ears and then pulls them away, and proceeds to giggle. Like any good dad would, Daddy still shouts peek a boo! 

Just when I thought he was 100% his daddy, Logan does something like that and reminds me that these poor kids do have some of mom in them :)

Confessions of a Ditzy Mom

After a challenging day of packing up outgrown cute clothes and seeing what shoes still fit... Here's my title and hint of what embarrassing little story I'm about to tell you all--- I've titled this entry:

Confessions of a ditzy Mom...

I've got to admit I truly am as blonde as you can get some days! Some days it's a wonder I remembered to even comb my hair... And I'd be lying if I said I'd be surprised if I put my shoes on the wrong feet and wore them that way all day. Yes my friends--- I admit, I'm a ding-dong in every sense of the word, but today's find takes the award of "all time greatest mommy DUH"!

As I said above, I packed up some outgrown clothes of the boys today, and proceeded to do the same with their shoes. I stumbled upon a set of their cowboy boots... they had socks shoved inside them, so I pulled those out to be washed... And that's when I realized what I had done. The boys never liked to wear those boots, and it honestly broke my heart because they are so adorable! Well--- it seems there was a reason they didn't like those boots, and a reason why Landon use to cry when I put them on... Yes, "mother of the year" forgot to take the cardboard piece out of the foot! Jezzz! A part of me feels sooo terrible for trying to squeeze their feet into them all those times, but another part of me is so relieved that they didn't just hate cowboy boots! Actually, so relieved by my findings that I feel the need to get them another pair to try out.... 

Until next time... If you need me, I'll be online shopping, Winter is coming and I've got boots to buy!

Twin Mom Fail!

Well, after an eventful night, I should be napping--- but I find myself driving home from a diaper run in the city. The sudden change in temperature has brought the wicked runny noses to our house, and with it came an all night party with yours truly! Last year at this time Dad was doing the late nights with the boys watching "west coast football" all hours of the night... Last night Landon and I just chilled singing my off pitch-half asleep versions of any nursery rhymes I could think of. After singing countless versus of "Grandpa and Daddy had a farm---- e-i- e-i-o-----and on the farm they had a..." it's been brought to my attention that we need a wider variety of animals on our farm! We can only say cows so many times.... So we sang calf, bull, cow.... And when we were sick of that song--- I glanced down and wide eyed little man starring right up at me! Darn it...still awake. Next song! On we'd go to "there was a dog who had a boy and Landon was his name-o... L.a.n.d.o.n." Well, you get my point, BUT then I accidentally mess up and say Logan instead of Landon and.... Straight up Landy sits looking around for Logan all excited. TWIN MOM FAIL! *sigh* onto the next song.....

Outsmarted by 1 year olds

Today the boys got to see their Grandma Pam after she has been gone for two whole weeks... So, I feel it only right to talk about some of the differences between grandma Pam and mom.

My boys get away with any and everything at Grandma's house! For example: we went for supper tonight at her house--- Grandpa had made the comment earlier that day how nicely the boys sit in their high chairs and wait for mom to get them some food. Grandma gets home and those patient little men all of a sudden become these little monsters! Both start squawking, demanding food NOW by slamming hands on their trays! Grandma of course caves and within seconds, food appears! Next, Logan's got his foot up on his tray--- and there are potatoes somehow in between his toes! Flash over to Landon's high chair and that little turkey has his plate clear up to his face licking it clean like a little piggy! Grandma is just laughing and laughing.... So, now that they are both covered in mashed potatoes, it's time for a bath... Remember that I told everyone how much my boys LOVE water and LOVE bath tubs--- congrats Grandma, you've been outsmarted by 1 year olds... welcome home!

Miracles...

I love having happy kids! The boys are happy about 95% of the time, and their smiles are contagious for all who see them. Tonight I was given another reminder of how two little boys already have such an amazing impact of those around them. 

A dear friend stopped by to visit the boys when we were spotted outside playing this evening. His comment was "I'm never to busy..." So up he came to see the little men. Watching our boys instantly put a smile on his face-- without saying any words... put it all into perspective. Smiles are contagious. Those smiles can make any heart smile... Even if for just a moment-- nothing else matters. In today's case all the worries in the world were taken out of his mind, and nothing remained but those never ending smiles. It's a hard week for this friend, filled with uncertainty, but as he left our yard-- he carried a photo with him of the boys. A photo showing those unending smiles, but more than that--a photo of two little boys who show us that miracles happen everyday. 

God gave us these boys when he knew not only we needed them but some very important people around us too. We need those smiles, and the happiness that they bring to a world that seems so unfair. 

Mirror twins

At the boys' 12 month appointment our doctor had asked if we had noticed any certain traits that would make us believe they are "mirror identical twins"... We had heard of this term from my specialist early on in my pregnancy-- but he said it was a slim chance, but could happen... Below is a brief summary of what "mirror twins" are----

Mirror image twins occur when the egg split later on --like a few weeks after conception - the twins can develop reverse asymmetric features. This term is not really a type of twin, just a way to describe their physical features. For example, they may be right and left handed---have birthmarks on opposite sides of their body, or have hair whorls that swirl in opposite directions. In theory, if the twins faced each other, they would appear to be exact reflections of each other. About 25% of identical twins are mirror image twins.

Okay--pretty cool, right? So I said early on how awesome that would be! 

Update: we have recently noticed that the boys' crown on the back of their heads are on opposite sides... And just today we noticed a birth mark has developed on Landon's tummy on the opposite side that Logan's is on!!! As far as right hand left hand goes, we will just wait and see... Landon has a signature trait that has created a special bond with his GREAT Aunt (she sucked her fingers just like he does) and she happens to be left handed, time will tell.... But, I'm going to put it in writing right now---

"If Landon turns out to be left handed such as his Great Aunt, she will then be responsible for paying full tuition to a college of his choice" ***disclaimer: this includes undergraduate studies AND vet school***

Best start saving Aunt Laurie--- these boys have already and will continue to beat all odds...

The Pumpkin Patch

Wow! It's been an awful long time since my last blog... we've been so busy!! A little extra busy for mom especially... let me give you a quick run down...

My mother in law is currently in California going through the bone marrow transplant procedure... she is a match for her brother who is in the process of kicking some leukemia butt! He is the strongest person we know, and we are certain that he will kick this and be able to come visit the boys soon. (or maybe we should vacation mmm... Brian -- prepare yourself for company!) With Grandma gone for two whole weeks, mom hasn't gotten much time for breathing  --- believe it or not these two are non stop go!

We have been on a few adventures this week... here's what the boys have been up too...
On Tuesday, we loaded up and made a last minute decision to head to see our cousins in the city. We found our way to the big pumpkin patch out there and spent the day. With four kids in car seats... we shifted my niece and nephew to the back seats and my boys were in the middle. As soon as that happened --- bam! God threw me another "hey kim, be glad I gave you boys" card... my niece went into total meltdown about wanting to sit by one of the twins. I'm talking inconsolable drama queen breakdown! Good thing her mom is use to the drama of having a girl, and out the driveway we went. No musical chairs was going to take place in that mom's vehicle!

 We made a pit stop at a gas station to get some snacks and a couple individual sized whole milks for the boys. (Yes--- both boys are on 100% whole milk!!!) *insert happy dance* I have a backpack that has a side pocket that is insulated... great investment! Shoved everything in the backpack, and arrived at the patch just in time to enjoy the afternoon. I brought my double stroller, and a good friend met us with her little girl -- she had brought her stroller also. The two older kids would be fine walking, right? WRONG-O. My nephew decided he wanted to either be carried or ride in the stroller... you would think my sister would just carry that 3 year old all day.... no. That turd ended up in the double stroller and Aunt Kim got to carry one of the twins!  After awhile we opted to try and fit Landon in with our friend's little girl.... success! All I can say is mom's hold close to your girls-- we've got ourselves a ladies man. 

Okay--- that's all for now. Nighty night from one tired momma!

...on the farm...

Raising children on the farm is a must after being around some "city folk" today. Today we adventured to see Thomas the Train... At 8:15 I decided we'd tag along with my sister's family--- and so 1 hour later we were on the road! 

Fast forward---While on the train ride, the family sitting across the isle from us pointed out the "horses" in the pasture we were passing by-- hello! That was NOT a horse, that's what we call a donkey-- or a Jackass to be perfectly correct. I bit my lip to not explain to those kids--- BUT as I looked at my little "city" niece and nephew, I DID make sure they knew! 

Suddenly it dawned on me... it seems to be kind of "out of norm" to raise your kids on the farm these days. Our boys will learn responsibility the best way possible, in the barn. They will learn the hard part of life when they have a pup hit on the road. They will see the greatest things in life are not things... It is the passion to be able to love an animal with all of your heart and form a bond with them--- a bond so strong that even if the world has turned it's back on you, the barn will always be the sanctuary. Their safe place... That my friends is something that can only be found raising kids on a farm.

Embrace the silliness...

Best Friends Forever! That's the greatest part about having twins. Today Landon was pushing Logan around on one of his ride on cars... as a mom, that just makes my heart melt! 

But the highlight of the day came first thing this morning---

Giggling came from underneath the table, and so of course not knowing what was going on, I had to go undercover! I crawled under the table to find Landon with a banana slice off the ground---stuck on his head! (Left over from breakfast)... That boy is so darn funny! The other day he was balancing a puff on his head and was walking his few steps, stopped checked to make sure it was there still and then crawled on.... This went on for awhile, and Logan just sat and laughed his little butt off! Where does this kid come up with this stuff!!!! He's also been known to stuff a wet one in his mouth while you're watching--- and just giggle.... That my friends is proof that they DO have a little bit of mommy in them. Not that I've recently balanced snacks on my head or smashed a banana on the forehead, but I have been known to be a bit off the wall at times...

What would this world be without someone who can just make you laugh? My promise to the both of them is that I will embrace their silliness, I will always laugh, but most of all--- I will teach them that it's okay to be themselves because everyone else is already taken. 

How it really was...

As the boys get older, I can now truly express how the first few months with them went... Warning: if you are expecting more than one baby--- do not read. (The unknown is best)

When I say we were up every half hour, I'm not even kidding. I can recall looking at the clock praying it would say 4:00am--- I told myself at 4:00, it was okay to start the day. For us, their was no trick to get those babies to sleep. We tried the co-sleeper approach, putting them both in 1 crib -- that didn't seem to matter. We also tried lullaby music, swings... You name it! I actually could be seen in my reclining sofa with two little boys on my chest, those few hours were fantastic! 

We went through about 500 diapers in the first month... My days consisted of diaper changes, feedings, and no sleep haha! 

SO...

When I hear: "oh, just wait--- that was the easy part"... They definitely are only a parent of singleton babies...

No mother of multiples would disagree when I say that if anyone went through the first few months a mother of mutiples does--- they'd never again say something so foolish! 

This is a HAWKEYE State....

As the "big game" approaches this weekend, I'd like to talk about how important it is to think, rethink, and triple think about the people you choose to surround your children with. Are the people you have around a good influence in the most important growing years of their lives? Well, at the time we thought the boys' god parents were perfect... Then it took a turn for the worse---

You see, both their godparents were born with a birth defect... One that is hard to over look, and will alter the boys their entire lives. Both are Cyclone fans. Sad, I know... Not everyone can be born with the mentality to be awesome. One of them has even marked my children with hate --- cyclone tattoos on their lower backs after I so kindly let her play with them one afternoon. 

As for my boys, they will learn lessons early in life due to this unfortunate event:

1) love others even if they are "different"

2) red and gold do NOT go together

3) always remind everyone, this is in fact a HAWKEYE state! Go Hawks!

Exhausted Mom...

Wowza! What a day... As of right now both the boys are in their cribs for naps, only 5 hours later than when I first attempted to put them down. A big shout out for those teeth coming at the same time and with many coming in at once! That makes this house a whole-lotta-fun! 

Let's see... My day started at 2:24am. That's according to that clock I've come to hate hanging on the wall of the boys' room. Come to think of it--- I might just take it down, I only look at it when the "moments not right" --- and I end up cursing it.... So, what do I do at 2:00am......... I hold a screaming baby that really isn't even awake. Logan will wake up in the middle of the night (screaming) and it'll take me a good 5-10 minutes sometimes to get him to open his eyes to see that it's even me... I'm not sure if he gets growing pains, his teeth hurt, or maybe he has a bad dream--- but it breaks my heart. Last night he snuggled with me until he fell back asleep so I could put him back to bed. 

Short entry today, dishes need cleaned, laundry needs folded, and I need a nap... Rock, paper, scissors--- nap wins out! Nighty night everyone! I've hopefully got a good half hour, no door bell--- phone on silent. If anyone wakes those teething monsters, you WILL face the consequences. 

Respectfully,

One Exhausted Mom of Twins....

"how do you survive twins..."

We have been blessed beyond words. I can not even begin to express how grateful I am for the family we have. It's because of our family that these past few years have been as smooth as they possibly could be.

For example: Landon and Logan have the greatest grandparent's in the world! Both grandma's were around as much as possible when we brought the boys home from the hospital. My mom would come up after she got off work for the first few weeks, and just do whatever needed done. More recently on her days off, you can find her going to doctor's appointments with us, or helping me to "find my house". My mother in law stops by often to check in on us. On her way home from work, mostly just to make sure I still had my sanity. The boys will spend a few hours here and there with Grandma and Grandpa... they enjoy taking naps with Grandpa, and usually getting spoiled by Grandma.

I honestly can say that it's because of my parents and my in-laws that we have the happy boys we do today. Our boys have only been to a babysitter 1 time... all the other times we've needed someone to watch them, they just headed to grandma and grandpa's house! I could never thank our family enough for all they have done for us, and all they continue to do.

So the answer to a very common question I hear "how do you survive twins"... family. Plain and simple. We have the greatest family in the world, and THEY are the reason I "make it look so easy".

My other position...

I've slowly begun taking over a new title in our household... not only am I mom & wife, I have recently became the house referee. It is mind blowing that at only 12 months of age I have already begun splitting up wrestling matches, mending broken hearts, and icing down boo boos.

Those little wooden blocks are great toys for single children... but for twin boys they become flying projectiles that eventually end up colliding mid air with the other brother's head. Tragic! The cars that can be rode or pushed, those have also been the cause of many tears due to one brother driving over the others foot. With two boys any simple object can turn on you and become an issue -- like baby wipes for instance. Those darn container are great for pinching fingers... and if you think strapping them into the stroller stops the madness, think again! The stroller is the #1 cause these days of tears in our family. I have a double decker stroller that the boys sit stacked, one down low and the other stacked behind him a little higher up... That seating arrangement provides a perfect position to pull hair --- sometimes I just can't win.

All in all, I'd have to say I'd take my boys ANY DAY over a couple girls... I can be the referee, I can put on band aids... I'll scrub the dirt out of clothes, I'll buy the tractors instead of dolls..... I'll chase them out of trees... and the best part of it all, between grandpa and dad -- there's room for them both in separate tractors.

Nursing Two

I've been asked to discuss a little bit about kind of a personal topic, but one that I truly do get lots of questions about.  

Nursing two ---

I was bound determined that I was going to give my boys the best start possible coming into this world. Please, before I begin please take no offense to my beliefs. I went into my last few months really unsure if it was even possible. One day my specialist asked "are you planning to nurse?" My answer was of course I'd love to if I can... he made one little note and said to me, absolutely possible! I had wonderful wonderful nurses in the hospital. Without going into many details, I'll explain how I managed to successfully do it.

After the boys were born, their blood sugars were low, so they instantly had a small bottle right away in the recovery room. Many people told me to NOT let them feed them with a bottle right away, but honestly I needed that time to just relax and celebrate the fact that they were here! Within about an hour of getting back to my room, I had two nurses come in and they helped get me started nursing the boys. I had a set of what is called "Itzabeens", they were hand held devices that told me how long it had been since the boys ate and diaper changes and stuff like that... they also told me which side each of the boys had nursed from last. So, when it was time to feed the boys, I would push the call button and I had a nurse come assist me. Every single time. I also had a WONDERFUL twin nursing pillow that made life a lot easier... Logan instantly caught onto nursing, Landon on the other hand had a lot of troubles figuring it out -- but eventually both were pros!

I honestly believe that a high stressed person would have lots of trouble doing it. Thankfully I am a very relaxed mom, I don't get too worked up about a lot. I had great friends, an amazing husband, and wonderful family that was around the first few weeks until I got a hang of things. Without them--- I would have never been able to do it... 
 

"What goes around comes around"

So, the other day I went into a bit more detail on my "Baby A" so today, I'll go a little more in depth on my "baby B".

Logan was our extra little surprise... he was called Baby B throughout my entire pregnancy because honestly, we didn't have his name picked out. Landon was decided right away, Logan took ALOT of convincing. His Dad wanted Cooper, I wanted Langston... I'm a big believer in naming twins close to the same name. See, growing up I use to play house and I had twin girls named Tara & Kara. Cute Right? That's what I thought... Looking back now, thinking of naming him Langston was a TERRIBLE idea. Landon and Logan just flows, Landon and Langston would have been horribly confusing.

Logan was hooked into the SIDE of my placenta, so every doctor's visit we focused especially close on his growth. We knew that a time may come when the boys might have to come early if Logan wasn't growing properly... lucky for us-- our little man grew perfectly on target with his brother and life was good! When the boys were born, the nurses did their normal "check them overs" and it was discovered that Logan had a dimple where his spinal cord ended. The next morning they came in to get him to do an ultra sound to make sure that his spinal cord had fused shut, and thankfully it had. At the time we had no idea what that little spot could mean. In twins especially, that could have been a sign of spinal issues... it was a long hot summer but I was so thankful at that moment that I was able to carry to 38 weeks, because if he would have come any sooner, we might not have gotten so lucky.

Logan has always been our little fighter! I 100% believe that he has fought for everything his whole life. And this is why he had such an amazing immunity when he came out. He instantly caught on to nursing, had 0 issues switching to formula, and automatically took a liking to whole milk. He also tends to pick on his brother a lot. There is NO way he's going to let Landon get off easy. 9 times out of 10 Logan is the one to antagonize. Taking toys away, wrestling... and when he's up to know good -- you know it about 60 seconds BEFORE he gets into trouble. Example - He will stand with a toy at the tv table at his grandma's house... he knows he's not to slam that toy on the wood, he'll look right at you--- grin and giggle then turn around a boom boom boom! Oh buddy, watch out world--this little boy's going to give us a run for our money. He is every definition of ornery but I wouldn't want him any other way!

If any saying comes to mind it's this one...
"what goes around comes around..."
(and I'd say his Dad has had this coming for a lot of years...)

Groceries

It's been awhile since I blogged... So here was my adventure for the day!

Today we needed groceries--- I mean, out of everything --- need groceries. I put the boys in the basket of the cart... That was after I managed to scrambled them into the store one per hip. Usually I park next to the cart corral and grab a cart right away, but today they had their 'A' game working carts--- and they were already all taken inside. Bananas were the first things I picked up. My boys love bananas! If the saying of "you are what you eat" were true, my boys would be bananas! Soo, instant squeals were heard clear across the store as those bananas found their way in the cart. By the time we left the store, they had bite marks in them and one was opened... 

The bananas marked by Landon were nothing compared to my milk with a tooth puncture -- compliments of Logan...

 But the important thing was, I got what I needed! I also managed to get out of the store with two smiling babies and zero broken eggs! Winning!!!

Mom of Farm Boys!

Last night I think I found worst time of day... And maybe one of the biggest downfalls of having boys. Let me paint you a better picture...

It's 4:00am and you know who wants his bottle... I come downstairs to get it, and instantly went down--- I repeat "mom down!" My sweet and loving baby boys decided to leave the farm animals out on the carpet last night instead of putting them in the barn. You'd be amazed what horrible pain a plastic Little People Piggy causes on a bare foot. That's it... That's the big down fall--- if they were girl's it may have been a dolly. BUT in our farmhouse there's a 50/50 chance... 50% chance it'll be a cow, pig, horse and the other 50% could be a tractor, baler, combine.... Ah, raising farm boys--- ain't life great! 

Speaking of my "farm boys"--- is our house the only one that the cow doesn't "moo". Yep, in our house we have a stuffed bull and a baby calf. Both make different sounds... Thank you politically correct farm dad. I look forward to our boys going to preschool and arguing about what sound a "cow" makes :) and better yet, I would like to apologize in advance for the day they will explain the difference between a cow and a bull.--- quite possibly it'll be in front of the whole class. BUT--- I have a plan for that too. EMERGENCY CONTACT will be listed as Dad or Grandpa, they can explain. 

That's today's trials and tribulations: being a mom of farm boys... And it's only  just begun. 

Celebrate life's little victories...

Celebrate life's little moments. Moments that tell you that everything is truly in God's hands... Tonight my blog is going to be expanding a little bit on my 'baby A'...

Landon was attached perfectly throughout my pregnancy (to my placenta) so honestly, he was what I considered my "easy" baby. However, when he was born-- that all seemed to change. I nursed my boys exclusively in the beginning, and Landon had troubles figuring that out. The big concerns came as he got older and we started supplementing with formula. Landon was throwing up, a lot. I saw many local doctors, and heard many times that it was: "normal" or a "virus"... But watching my identical boys grow further and further apart size wise... I knew something wasn't right. 

 Finally I had enough, shed some tears (alot of tears) and after many phone calls, loaded Landon back up and took him to the city once again. I was seen by our peditrician who reminded me that, I'm the mom, and I will always know what's best for my baby. I knew in my heart, something was wrong with my little man, and I was NOT going to shut my mouth until someone helped. We were referred to a gastrologist, and finally I heard that "no, it wasnt normal". First off, an upper GI... it turned out good. After a few months of trying different formulas, and medicines... Landon was diagnosed with MSPI. (Milk Soy Protein Intolerance) this meant that the formulas that had soy, were making him sick. We crossed our fingers, and hoped that at about 12 months he might grow out of it. 

Fast Foward

12 month appointment was today:

Landon is only a few ounces less than his brother, and is back on the growth chart... at a perfect weight for his height! Yay!! I'm also happy to announce, we are 100% medicine free! Small steps now, trying to introduce milk back into hos diet. Tonight he had a bottle with 1 oz of whole milk mixed with his 7oz of formula--- and--- he didn't get sick! Yay!

I understand that this is really early, but for me this was the greatest sign that we are maybe on the right track! After months and months of blaming myself, I have finally realized that everything is in much bigger hands than mine. But, God  choose me as his Mom and it is my job to protect him and be his voice. 

Moral of this blog:

Celebrate the little victories in life everyday, those little things add up to big things! 

Teething Babies

Teething babies!

Another glorious moment as a momma of twins, teething! Fortunately for us, our boys were late getting teeth... I sure hope the old wise tale is true, that the longer they wait to get teeth, the better & healthier they will be! Well Mr. Tooth Fairy, sign us up! 

Logan got his first tooth at 11 months old. That tooth made him fussy, he had a fever--- the whole works! And after that, Sir Logan has decided to just get all of those things in at once so, not only are we cutting our top tooth, we are getting BOTH our top teeth AND our second one on the bottom! Our day was great, but tonight-- he wanted to be held, and wouldn't eat a thing, and don't even think about trying to touch his gums. For a person with just one baby teething, sure you can hold him... but when you have a brother the same age teething--- that is when a daddy comes in handy! A pedialite popsicle seemed to do the trick at first (it will also be at the top of the list for cleaning tomorrow, sicky sicky everywhere!) But, ultimately a little tylenol calmed him down enough to get him to bed! 

As if one baby isn't "fun" enough teething, don't forget we have the pleasure of having a second little boy teething too! Landon thus far is the exact opposite of Logan. He has a top tooth just in, and another on the top coming AND one on the bottom. However, you would NEVER suspect it. He is just so happy go lucky! He ate steak tonight, some potatoes.... mmmm mmmmm... life is good. (Yes, I knocked on wood)

So, as their daddy pointed out tonight, a few down... only about 40-some to go! Wowzy... this is just the beginning :)

Running errands...

I'm not one to stay at home just because I have kids. Actually, I'm a firm believer in taking the boys out and about often, the only way they'll learn to act good in public is to take them in public.

Since they were a few months old I have taken them along to grocery shop, run errands, and for dinner out. How do I do it... Here's your answers:

Grocery Shopping:

1) I do a lot of shopping at Sams Club (cheapest diapers & bulk formula)

The glorious part about SAMs is that they have double seats in their shopping carts! Hallelujah! Simplest place for me to shop... 

2) when shopping local: I take my double stroller in, what I can't fit in the bottom of that stroller, I don't buy!

3) I take backup, grandma usually... She takes a boy, and I take a boy. Divide and concur!

Eating Out:

1) pretty simple, put the boys across the table from each other and they'll entertain   One another. Oh, and bring lots of snacks to get by til dinner is served! 

Actually, come to think of it--- snacks is the answer to everything... Just feed them snacks, they're happy doing anything!

It's all in how you look at it!

There are a few advantages of having twins... I mean, yes... we do get to be the lucky ones to buy double the formula, and double the diapers.... BUT, when it comes to buy one get one free sales-- they were made for our family! Another big advantage of having twins is our bedtime routine.

Having two babies, I wasn't able to really rocking them to sleep for very long. You see, they've never been to big on being held together. I guess they think they just had way to much quality snuggle time for 9 months that they're just not interested. They learned at a very young age to soothe themselves... Landon sucks on his middle finger & ring finger, Logan is a thumb-type of kid. Landon also puts his free hand on the back of his head at the same time... the great thing is, at 8:00, my boys get put down for bed. I literally put them into their cribs (yes, they are in separate cribs) and walk away. 99% of the time I don't hear a word. THAT is fantastic!

Another "advantage" about having two is when one gets sick, the other gets sick... BUT, the way I see it, I know it's coming! So, unlike parents of just one baby, I get a forewarning. It's all in how you look at things!

But by far the biggest advantage of having two is the number of volunteers I have to babysit! I kind of figured it would be hard to find sitters when we had 2... that's not at all the case. SO, if you have volunteered --- I haven't forgotten about you, and I'll be calling just as soon as "more of their daddy" comes out in them.

Once again, it's all in how you look at it!

What a year...

What a year! I can't believe it's been a year, nor can I believe we have officially survived 1 year. One year of total chaos... but a good chaos!

I still look at my boys every morning wondering how I got so lucky. How'd God choose me to be the Mom of not only one healthy baby but two?! Honestly, in the beginning of this whole journey I felt selfish about having two. I was sad because there are those women who want a baby so bad and for reasons we can't explain they just can't... And here I was with two 'surprise' babies, perfectly healthy.

I also had a moment while pregnant that I asked myself how would I ever have enough love for two babies...Thank You, for a very special person telling me to relax, thank you for reminding me that God has a plan... and although it doesn't seem possible--- you can and will love both of them! My heart has never held so much love as the day the boys were born. Every day while pregnant and the long long days once they arrived, I told myself a few things day in and day out...
1) Everything happens for a reason...
2) If he brought you to it, he'll bring you through it...

This year has been pretty tough for our family as a whole, and I firmly believe God gave us these boys when he did because he knew we'd need them. No matter what life would throw at us, as long as we had each other -- we'd figure it out! As long as we had two little boys to make us smile at the end of the day.

This year has tested my patience, has made me laugh, lots of memories and a few moments of tears...

All in all, I'd never change a single thing! Those long nights, those moments of doubt, none of them mattered when I saw my babies smile. So, when I say cherish each minute... Do. They grow so fast. It seems like just yesterday that I was up ALL night long, and now I'm up only once (thanks a lot Logan)... Who knows maybe by this time next year I'll sleep ALL NIGHT. 

As for this mom, I'm going to hold them close, put a book on their heads (to slow down the growing a little) and pray to God that the world treats them right. 

Happy Birthday my most amazing surprises, you two are loved more than you can ever imagine. 

Never be out numbered! Doctor Appointments with two!

Turning a year old means another round of those fantastic shots that every baby loves so much! So, my topic for today... doctor appointments with two...

The first doctor appointment I really can't remember... I had practically 0 sleep, and was a walking zombie! Having two little guys that need shots is the not-so-much-fun part of having multiples. The first few go arounds dad came with.... On the "normal" growth chart my boys have always been in the lower percentages, but it's really not a fair comparison....(40 week, 8 pound baby compared to 38 week 6 pound twins---not even close) If you compare them to other twins, they are growing perfect. Our peditrician is a mother of twins also, so she knows exactly what we're going through. Because we doctor in the city, they have the staff to do all shots at one time! Two nurses, shots go in each leg at the exact same time... Which is great, however that also means two babies crying at once. So, I NEVER go alone! That's the key, never be out numbered!! 

So, the funniest thing that has ever happened to us during a doctor appointment: (read cautiously)

The boys were young, maybe a month old... The first thing you have to do is get weights, so you gotta strip them clear down.... Diaper was off--- then a little toot came out, then the explosion happened!!! All over the room, Super Dad had deflected it with his hand, and... Wait, something was on my neck. Yep! You guessed it, Landon - 1 Mom - 0

The nurse came in as we were frantically using wet wipes everywhere, and of course she said "oh, that happens all the time"........

At 1 month we knew our lives were just beginning to get interesting..... 

I was born for this....

As the boys' first birthday approaches, I'd like to take a minute to give a quick run down on my pregnancy. Many have wondered, so if I get long winded - my apologizes.

A quick summary of reactions when we found there were two...
Tucker, laughed --- Kim, said nothing. Simple as that.

A few quick things to know about having identicals that we learned along the way:
-- Identical twins have nothing to do with genetics (yep, that was all my egg's fault)
-- You do have the option to have them naturally, but it is up to the mother
-- 0.33% of all babies born in a year are identical boys...
(our doctor said that for some reason most twins are boy/girl or girl/girl)
-- Oh, and any one who can carry full term with twins is a rockstar... you just don't find it much... (okay, so maybe I added that one....)


The next few weeks went REALLY fast. Lots of doctor appointments, and a referral to a perinatologist in the city. I began to see the regular doctor every two weeks, and once a month I went out to see my specialist. The amazing thing about carrying two at once, we got to see our babies every single appointment! My diet was a low sodium diet, to decrease the risk of me retaining water... the goal in the beginning was to get me to 32 weeks. That's the magic number! 36 weeks is perfect, and 38 weeks is considered full term.

Identical twins (1 placenta) run many risks, but the big one is the risk of one growing faster than the other. So the plan was, get as far along as possible -- and just pray that the boys grow at the same rate. Month after month, we drove to the city every month to hear that our boys were doing great! Perfect pregnancy! Time and time again I went in for that nasty horrible orange drink diabetes test, and time and time again it came back just fine!

32 weeks came really fast. I finally was able to breathe a breath of fresh air. The doctor reminded me that we didn't want them yet, but if they came... they'd most likely be okay. 34 weeks came, and I began to have some strong pains... simple fix at that time was to put me on a low dose of medicine to stop any contractions I may have been having. 36 weeks... I was more than ready for those babies to be OUT! I went to the doctor in Omaha all excited, and nope-- he sent me home! At 36 and on I spent a lot of time hooked up to the monitors at the local hospital, just to be sure nothing was happening... Nothing! At 37 weeks, they took me off all medicine --- and yep, they were going to let the boys come any time------ YEAH RIGHT! 38 weeks came around...... and this is how it all went down that day...

I had some strong pains in my back, and after talking to Tucker, decided to call the doctor. After much discussion with my local doctor, I was to call my specialist. They told me to come out to be checked, AND I QUOTE (the nurse) "don't worry... no rush... if you were in labor, you would know..."

I waited for my other half to shower, we relaxed for a bit, loaded the truck... got to the city, got a bit to eat (Milkshake and Double Cheeseburger)...... got to the hospital at 3:00pm. They checked me in, opps! Off to the O.R. we went! (Side note: all twins are delivered in the operating room, just in case of complication) Yes, I had a C-section. That was my personal preference, that way if anything were to happen, they could get my boys the help they needed immediately. Wham Bam...The boys were born at 4:34 & 4:35!

The next morning my doctor made me feel like a million bucks... I'll never forget when he came in and said to me... "Honey, you were born for this!" I had carried identical to exactly 38 weeks on the dot. That was the happiest and proudest day of my life. 4 days later, we were released to come home.

Each and every day I think of what he said, and I tell myself over and over again. I got this... because I was born for it!

"How do you get anything done?"

After my last post, I thought I'd answer the question crossing your mind...
"How in the world can you get anything done?"

WELL...For the first few months, I had a trick up my sleeve... a little cleaning fairy that would zip around my house every few days. She specialized in picking up burp rags, cleaning bottles, vacuuming the floor, and still managed to snuggle babies. My mom would come up after work, or on her day off and without being asked she just snapped her fingers, and somehow the house was clean!

That was then, this is now.......
The boys both nap at the same time. So, Mom gets some time to do all the little things she can't do with two little boys under her feet. Some days their naps last 15 minutes and other days I get a good 2-3 hours worth of silence. On the days of long naps, I am a mad woman cleaning! Laundry, Vacuum... dishes... and anything else I can think of. It is truly amazing how much a person can get done in such a small amount of time. The trick is..... after the boys go to bed, I do another sweep of the house, and hopefully between the two times it looks presentable. 

With two babies born at 38 weeks in perfect health... You get a big reality check on what really is important. Someday my house will be perfectly clean, but not today. Today this house will have toys all over the floor, and next year a feedlot operation---complete with fencing and lots of little plastic cattle will take over both the dining room and living room... But that's okay, my boys are making memories. 

Listen for the Laughter....

I am so fortunate to be able to stay home with my boys everyday. Each day I wake up knowing that today's going to be great! The first wrestling match, saying "dada" for the first time, rolling over... I get to be the one to see it all, first! Which brings us to the next part of our day..... PLAY TIME!

One thing's for sure, we do a lot of playing. If I don't get laundry done, I don't get laundry done. If the sink is full of dishes, so be it! My boys and I play. On a typical day you can find us playing with a singing barn, dancing with Mickey, splashing at the water table, or crawling thru the tunnel. (Yes, I know what you are wondering, of course I get in the tunnel) There's nothing in the world greater than seeing the boys learn and discover new things every single day. Example: Landon went in the tunnel from the North, Logan headed in from the south.... they ran into each other in the middle and the giggles were hysterical. Landon gets to laughing so hard his nose wrinkles up, eyes squint, and he snorts! Logan has this deep deep little belly laugh... as a mom, that's music to my ears--- I must be doing something right!
They are so fortunate to have each other to play with. A few months back, I was approached by a lady who said to me, "Two babies, how exhausting"... the truth is, when I went home that night yes, I was exhausted; However I kind of felt sad for singletons. My boys will ALWAYS have a friend, they will always have someone to go on adventures with. When they want to play hide and seek, they will have a hider and a seeker. It's already been proven, sometimes being a brother IS better than being a superhero!

So, next time you're in the area... stop in. Look past the dishes, step over the laundry... and listen for the laughter, because in the end--- that's all that matters.

Fake Tators... Feeding two

Onward and forward, that's the goal throughout the day with twins. Meal time has gotten much easier since the boys can feed themselves. Little garbage disposer Landon will eat anything you put in front of him, and anything you put in front of you too! Logan on the other hand has a lot of his Daddy in him. Steak & Potatoes everyday would be just fine with him. Unless the potatoes are "fake tators". He will NOT eat fake potatoes, they go in his mouth but they usually end up either in his hair or mine! Ornery little turd. Then, to add insult to injury he just sits there and giggles about it! 

Today he had food in his mouth and I told him to swallow it... out of the mouth of my 1 year old comes "NO" clear as day. All we could do was laugh, you see truth be told, I wouldn't eat that crap if my life depended on it. Logan wins another round...

Mom fail of the day.