Swim lessons!

Brooke finished up a 2 week swim lesson in April. The first day was AWFUL with her crying almost the whole time (hence the first picture). By the end of the two weeks she did much better and 'sort of' enjoyed herself. She still isn't swimming like I want her to be able to. So, we'll be doing it again sometime this summer. Hopefully she won't spend the first day crying again. I know this is just payback for my time as a child doing the same thing to my mother! But, I decided I wasn't going to be the one to take her out and let her "win"...we pressed on and with a little bribery (sticker chart) she made it through. I have to also mention that for her "prize" after her sticker chart was complete she chose a BELT!!! Yeah, you read that right...not a toy, not a movie, not candy, etc... a BELT!! And she's so proud of it.

First Day!

Later the same week... notice her smile! :)

Snow Day!

It snowed at the end of February (the day before my birthday -- early gift, thank you!!). It started just as I was putting the kids to bed for a nap - and I couldn't resist getting them back out of bed, bundling them up and letting them play for about 45 minutes while the flakes were really coming down. I was so afraid it would stop (and be melted) by the time they got up a few hours later. It really snowed quite a bit and when George got home they played outside again. I of course didn't take pictures that time to show how much snow we actually got...but enough to throw snowballs at each other. They had a blast!

Hudson & Hallie's Birthday Party

We had Hudson & Hallie's 2nd birthday party at our house a few weekends ago. We had a full house with about 19 kids and 20 adults! The kids spent most of the time decorating bags that would be filled with their party favors. That seemed to be a hit (at least with my kids). Even after the party they kept asking to decorate bags.

Hallie very seriously decorating her bag

Hudson blowing out his candles - I made two separate cakes this year and we sang "Happy Birthday to You" to both of them.

Hallie blowing out her candles. Hudson's cake was yellow w/ chocolate icing & Hallie's was strawberry cake with homemade buttercream icing. YUM!

We tried hard to get a family shot... even though they aren't looking & Brooke's eyes are closed...they are all smiling!

Had to post this because of Hudson's smile. He was saying "CHEEEEESE!!!!"

One of our big 2 year olds!!

Now that Hudson & Hallie are older....

Now that the twins are getting older, is it getting easier? That’s the question I get all the time these days. I usually pause to think about it and then say some canned response of “yeah, I guess it is”. This past weekend someone asked me that and I gave some lame answer I am sure. Then on the way home from my parents’ house I had a long time to think about it and may have an answer now…

No…it’s not. When they were smaller I had two babies that cried at the same time, wanted to eat at the same time, needed to be held at the same time, had to be loaded in the car at the same time, pushed/carried to and from the car at the same time, changed at the same time, etc. I think you get the picture. Now that they are about to turn two I still have the same issues. Except now when the two cry at the same time they FOLLOW me around the house instead of me being able to put them down and walk away to get a bit of a break. When they are hungry they sometimes help themselves to the pantry and to the open bags/boxes of cookies and chips where I will inevitably find the contents poured onto the floor. When they both feel like mommy is the “only” thing that will do…it’s 50+ pounds to juggle. When we have to load up to get somewhere they now have opinions about which car seat they get instead of them just being glad I didn’t forget them! Getting out of the car poses another issue…who do I get out first? Which one is more responsible to STAY where I tell them to stay when I get the other out? Who will freak out when I ask for them to hold hands and who will say “no, I do it MYSELF?” And the diaper/clothes changing…well now they have opinions about what clothes I put them in and fight me every step of the way if they are just not ‘ready’ to get ready.

So there you have it… it’s not easier, it may even be more difficult. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. These two keep me on my toes. They keep me humble…I mean how can you not be when you have two two-year olds throwing simultaneous tantrums in the church parking lot? They keep me entertained. How cute is it to hear them asking each other if they want one toy or another? Or when I hear them giggling with each other in the morning. They keep me alert… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been at the mall playground and keep counting “one, two, three” just to make sure all three of my kids are accounted for. They make me proud when I hear them concerned for the other when he/she is hurt, crying or sad. They keep me laid back…because you just can’t be another way when you’ve got twins. It just isn’t going to go “as planned” most of the time. But most of all, they love me and it just doesn’t get better than that.