Our Journey

Bye-Bye Binkie

2011-10-03T08:14:00.001-04:00

I am happy and proud to say that Cavan has been binkie free for almost 2 weeks now! It was completely not planned, but the tip of his last one was ready to fall off, so rather than deal with the worry of him biting it off and choking in his sleep, I told him it was broken and had to go to the Binkie Fairy. He didn't like that explanation so I ripped the tip completely off and gave it to him. He tried to put it in his mouth and then threw it and told me it was broke. Well, ok, bye bye binkie then!

All was fine during the day, he really didn't seem to miss it all that much and really only asked for it a handful of times. Night time was a different story. For 18 months this was his nightime soother... or so we thought (but I'll get back to that in a minute). He had a really hard time the first few nights. He fought us on going in his crib and when he would wake in the middle of the night, he was almost impossible to comfort. I honestly contemplated giving in and getting him a new one, but held off. He was in our bed every night and kept us up for most of it.

Then, all of a sudden, it started to get better. He started going to bed a little easier. Then he stopped waking in the night. Let me make a note in here that my son has slept entirely through the night about 5 times in his life prior to this. Now for the last week he has slept through the night every night!

So was the binkie the source of his bad sleeping habits? I'm going to go ahead and say yes based on my own observations with him.

Kaylie, on the other hand, well she's not happy unless she has all 4 of her binkies in sight or hand at all times. We've got a long road ahead of us with her, but the "Binkie interrupts sleep habits" theory I have for Cavan, SO not the case with Kaylie. She has always been an amazing sleeper because of her binkie.

SWINGS!

2011-09-19T15:48:00.002-04:00

Kaylie has a slight obsession with swings. Once she sees one she wants in and as soon as she's in it's almost impossible to get her out!

Exhibit A:

Exhibit B:

Swings at the Fair, Dream Big

No Business Like Showbusiness

2011-09-18T11:08:00.000-04:00

3 Reasons why Cavan should be in showbiz...

1. He can sing!

2. He can dance!

3. He can act!

Phases of Parenting - From a Non-Medical Point of View

2011-09-15T12:47:00.000-04:00

I've decided to share my take on the phases of parenting from a non-medical point of view, you know, because I don't have a Ph.D at the end of my name. Just thought I'd share for any of my friends/family/readers who just had a baby, are pregnant, or thinking about trying. Or for any of you who can relate to any of these, you at least know you're not alone! Obviously these are just from my own experience and are infused with a little humor, but are all 100% true in my case. Enjoy!

Phase 1: Birth - Bliss Phase
Feelings: You're baby(ies) were just born and nothing else in the world matters. They are wonderful and such a little miracle.
Relationship with Spouse: Pure adoration. You can't believe the two of you could make such beautiful and perfect little creatures.
Finance: Woohoo, free diapers and formula from the hospital. These will last us a while right? Life is great!
Big Question: "What the heck is the football hold?"
Looking Forward to: Going home and enjoying the comfort of my own bed WITHOUT a nurse checking my vitals every hour!

Phase 2: 2 weeks - 4 months - Delirious Phase
Feelings: Reality and Fiction are interchangeable. Sleep is no longer in your vocabulary, although your children love to taunt you throughout the day by sleeping away the majority of it. And OMG, did I fall asleep feeding the baby.. Nope that's just the dog laying in my arms (True Story). What do you mean "So-and-so's" baby sleeps through the night? I never liked them anyways.
Relationship with Spouse: GET UP! GET UP! GET UUUUUUUP! It's your turn to feed the baby(ies)!
Finance: What do you mean that outfit doesn't fit anymore? I just bought it LAST WEEK!
Big Questions: "How exactly do you get the onsie off when there is poop ALL the way to her neck?" and "How do I sleep when the baby sleeps while simultaneously doing the laundry, washing bottles, and keeping the house clean?"
Looking Forward to: Sleep... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Phase 3: 5 months - mobility: - Super Mom Phase
Feelings: I can conquer all. My kids sleep between x hours and eat at x times throughout the day. We go shopping at this time, read at this time, and our bedtime routine consists of bath, book, song, bed. DO NOT BREAK MY SCHEDULE!
Relationship with Spouse: Why are you letting them nap at 5:00??? SERIOUSLY?
Finance: No no sweetie, we swallow the mushed up carrots because they cost $0.97 cents/jar and you each need 3 per day. Did you honestly just poop in your diaper after I just changed you? Do you know diapers are $44 per box? I'm deducting this from your future allowance.
Big Question: "What time can we run to the store when it won't interfere with a nap or feeding?"
Looking Forward to: Crawling/Walking! Won't it be so cute when they're mobile? And there'll be SO much more to do with them!

Phase 4: Crawling to Walking - Bubble Phase
Feelings: Can I get that with padding? You also assume the holding a bubble around your child stance. You know the one I'm talking about, arms rounded, legs bent, waddling behind your baby who is learning to stand/walk.
Relationship with Spouse: Teamwork, "You cover that one and I'll cover this one"
Finance: "It cost how much to baby proof the whole house?"
Big Question: Do they make helmets for babies learning to walk? (Yes they do exist, no I did not end up buying one, but thought very hard about it). And "Why won't they just sit still for one minute... just one?Why did I encourage this again?"
Looking forward to: Sitting, just for a minute!

Phase 5: Talking and Toddlerhood - Boundary Phase
Feelings: My child can say 5 words, does Harvard have an early enrollment program because clearly I have a genius on my hands.
Relationship with Spouse: "Did you teach him to say that, because that word would NEVER come out of my mouth!"
Finance: Wooo, milk is SO much cheaper than formula! CHA-CHING!
Big Question: "What's the earliest I can get the kids to bed without them waking up before the sun in the morning?" and "Is my child 1 1/2 going on 13? Did she really just tell me to COME ON?"
Looking Forward to: Potty training and no more diapers!

Toddler Tidbit Tuesday

2011-09-13T08:25:00.000-04:00

One thing a lot of people have told me is that my children speak very well for being so young. At 18 months they can already speak in 2+word sentences. I don't know if this tidbit has anything to do with it, but I don't think it hurt.

Being a stay-at-home mom, you don't get to have too many conversations throughout the day. So from the day they were born I just talked to my babies. I'm not saying we had political debates or anything, but I would basically just dictate everything I did while I did it. For example, when I would change their diaper, I would tell them when I was going to get the diapers, when I was changing their diapers, and when I was throwing away the dirty diaper (I know, what a conversation huh? but hey my topics were limited).

Now 18 months later, I can tell them to go grab their diaper and bring it to me, they know where to go to get changed (although they are not always cooperative), and they know where I throw away their diapers (Side Note - They love to throw things away and it is the first place I look when something is missing).

I've noticed that they have picked up on so much and they completely understand me when I say something. They know where things are when I ask them to go grab them. They even repeat certain things I say (i.e. "It's tubby time" when it's time for a bath or little songs I sing to get them moving to another part of the house).

I don't know if this is scientifically proven or if its the same for all children or if my children are just geniuses ;) but it kept me from becoming mute all day at least.

So to sum up my tidbit, TALK to your kids, from day 1! Trust me, they're listening.

Sleeping Arrangements

2011-09-09T09:44:00.001-04:00

Now this isn't a post on co-sleeping vs sleeping in the crib, just throwing that out there. Every time my son is teething its almost inevitable that he will end up in our bed for the night. He always starts out in his crib and then sometime in the middle of the night, after several trips to his bedroom, I cave and bring him in just to get a "Good night sleep". Why is that in quotations? Because the only one getting a good night sleep is him. My son, folks, is a bed pirate.

We have a queen sized bed and there are already 2 dogs who join us. Let me just give you a diagram of what our bed typically looks like when Cavan joins us...

Totally drawn to scale, art skills at their finest!

As you can see, my son sleeps sideways to begin with. He typically has his head on my belly or wedged in my armpit! Poor Ryan though gets the worse end... the feet. Cavan literally kicks Ryan to the very edge of the bed every night.

I think at this point we have two options, get Cavan to stay in his bed (without waking up Kaylie) or get a bigger bed. I'm thinking we're in for the latter.

Toddler Tidbit Tuesday

2011-09-06T05:00:00.000-04:00

Here is my Toddler Tidbit of the week...

One thing I love to do is to get the twins actively involved in the world around them. So every morning we go into their playroom and on the window we have a color of the week, letter of the week, and then we check the weather and hang the corresponding weather icon (i.e. if its sunny out, we hang a sun, Cloudy we hang a cloud).

It has become a fun morning routine and the kids go running into their playroom as soon as I say, "Let's go check the weather!" They're getting very good at remembering what each icon represents and telling me what the weather is. They are also really learning their colors. They constantly point out different colors they see around the house or when they're coloring.

Some other activities I like to incorporate with these are color scavenger hunts where we'll look for things inside or outside the house that are the color of the week. I usually will give them a new word everyday too that begins with the letter of the week. They repeat almost everything anyways so why not expand their vocabulary while also building their letter recognition.

Is it too much to be teaching my 1 1/2 year olds all this. NOPE! Because I don't expect them to remember the color the first day, or always understand that frog begins with f, but if something does stick along the way, well hey it's better than nothing right?

Always remember my mantra, every situation has an opportunity to teach a lesson so take advantage of young minds eager to learn!

Communication is Key...Until They Learn "NO"

2011-09-03T10:22:00.000-04:00

We start out teaching our children the basics, "Mama" "Dada" "Hi" Bye-Bye". Then we move on to other fun words "Please" "Thank You", animals, colors, objects, etc. Then they pick up that dreaded word. You know, the word you use so frequently with a toddler? That word that when you say, "Cavan, come see mommy" and he replies, "NO!"

via

My children have mastered this word. Although now Kaylie adds to it. She'll say "No, Don't want it" or if she doesn't want to get off the swing at the playground after swinging for 30 minutes "NO, Swing!".

Cavan says it to Kaylie everytime she tackles him and takes his toys (Yes she's a bully, we're working on it). He also says it to the dogs when they bark.

All those times I don't mind. Its the times when I ask them to do something and they say no that we have a little problem. So we're now working on the word "YES" and using that as often as possible.

Now let's just hope they don't pick up any other words that may be uttered on occasion that we would prefer them not repeating ;)

Rocking Horse > Carousel

2011-09-01T09:46:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we took the twins to Roger Williams Park (Not the zoo, just the park). They have the CUTEST toddler playground complete with walk up ramps, small slides, swings (Kaylie's favorite), and a little school bus with steering wheel (Cavan's favorite).

They also have a carousel! We thought, how fun, the kids love their rocking horses and spring horse so naturally they will love to sit on the carousel horse, right? WRONG! Cavan hated it from the second we stepped onto the platform. He screamed and reached for Ryan, so they moved to the bench on the ride, you know the one that doesn't move. Well he still wasn't a fan, so once the ride ended they were outta there!

Kaylie, on the other hand, tolerated the horse before the ride started. As soon as it started up though I literally thought her eyes were going to pop out of her head. She didn't know what to think! And of course, with her short momma, she was going up above my head. Once she saw that, she wanted no part of that horse anymore. So we moved to the bench as well. That she did enjoy. She was clapping and laughing as we went around. So she got a second ride around on the bench with me while Cavan and Ry watched from the fence.

Right before the ride started, before the fear truly set in.

In conclusion, The rocking horse and spring horse are greater than the carousel in the mind of my twins.

Chalk Up Another First...

2011-08-30T11:43:00.000-04:00

The twins experienced their first Hurricane over the weekend. THANKFULLY it was not too bad once it hit our area. We had a couple trees fall and did lose power for 12 hours (very minimal compared to most). We are very grateful to have stayed safe and sound in our home.

Our neighbor's tree fell across their driveway!

Even our little beach cottage survived without any damage at all. Although the beach is now just a pile of rocks! Guess we won't be building anymore sandcastles this summer, but in hindsight if that's all we lose, we ended up pretty lucky.

Boarding up for the storm

This was the day before Irene hit. There were surfers out there but you can't see them in the fog.

The aftermath, Our beach now covered in rocks

We send our thoughts out to all those who were affected by Irene and hope all those without power (including a lot of our family members) get it restored soon!

Interchangeable Phrases

2011-08-28T12:13:00.001-04:00

To lighten the mood a little while Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene is ripping through New England, I thought I might post a few of the phrases I have used on both my children and my dogs...

1. No biting!
2. Please don't chew the furniture.
3. We don't pee/poop on the floor!
4. Stop licking the door.
5. That's the dog's/kids' toy, please don't chew it!
6. Sit! Stay! Lay Down!
7. Don't eat that!
8. Please stop trying to climb on my lap while I pee.
9. Mommy's shoes are not a chew toy.
10. Don't chew that dirty diaper!
11. Stop playing in the trash!

So I guess in conclusion, if you have a dog before you have kids, you've got some phrases already down.

*I hope everyone in the East Coast is staying safe right now!

J-O-B Hunting

2011-08-24T08:05:00.000-04:00

Can you get burned out by job hunting? The answer.... YES!

For those of you that may not know, I am on the job hunt. I have loved spending the past (almost) 18 months home with my babies, but it's time to get back to work.

HOWEVER, the job hunt has been VERY unsuccessful. I've applied to several places and only had one phone interview... which didn't end up working out. So what do you do when you've been out of work for so long and want to get back? No, really, I'm asking.

I've done my homework on each company I apply to and write (what I think are) amazing cover letters tailored specifically to each position and company. All to no avail. The main problem, the economy is tough right now and they say for every position you apply 300 others are applying as well. So where do you stand?

I have tried so many different ways to stand out. Now I'm starting to get burned out and losing a lot of confidence over it. I don't know what's worse, the almost instant rejection email or not hearing anything at all.

So if any of you have any good job hunting tips, please let me know. Or if you're hiring you can let me know that too :)

Yee-Haw

2011-08-22T09:56:00.001-04:00

Ryan and I are known to pack up the kiddos on a Saturday morning and head out to the yard sales, usually with Ryan's mom as well. Always looking for the deals on anything from a table saw (yes Ryan bought one for $20) to a Schwinn Bike for a $1 (also found). But this weekend I think we found the greatest deal of all... A Spring Horse for the kids for $5.00!

Ryan's mom bought it for them and all we had to buy was a wooden dowel for a handle and some rubber covers for the metal part (total $8.00). So for $13 we have a great new toy. And do the kids love it you ask...

All signs are pointing to yes. They were completely rocking out and LOVED it! I'd say it was well worth the investment.

What's Up?

2011-08-21T12:06:00.001-04:00

So here is what we've been up to since the last update... wow almost 7 months ago! Well the twins turned 1, I turned 29, and Ryan turned 30! Now for the more specifics...

Kaylie:

Since turning 1, Kaylie is not only walking, but RUNNING everywhere. Still a dancer at heart, she shakes her little tush to every beat she hears, and is even starting to learn some words to songs. Oh did I mention she is a talker? I don't mean just a couple words here and there. Oh no, she speaks in sentences. Some of her most common phrases are:
"Momma, Where are you?"
if someone leaves, "Where'd it go?" followed by a dropped jaw, wide eyed look, and right hand in an open palm face up position. Yes she's sassy.

She loves singing the alphabet (Getting a few of the letters right too) and Itsy Bitsy Spider. Recently she has become VERY attached to me. I'm working on helping her through this phase (Since that what I've heard it is), but it's not easy when she screams anytime I leave her sight. I'm up for any tips you other moms may have for this.

She's really coming into her sweet personality though. She's quite the little lady, when she's not shaking her finger yelling "No, no, no no, no!"

Cavan:

Well to give you an insight on Cavan's motor skill advances, we've given him the nickname CAPTAIN DESTRUCTO! He is ALL boy. He literally comes running into a room and will have it destroyed in 15 seconds. He loves climbing anything and everything! He's also developed a few dance moves too.
Talking? This kid is a parrot. He will literally repeat everything I say. He's also extremely retentive. He remembers everything I tell him and will repeat it back to me days later. This includes colors (Red, orange, green, purple, blue, pink, and yellow) and the weather (Sunny, cloudy, raining). He points out objects in the books we read and will tell me what they are. A pro at animal sounds, he can recite them off without even thinking about it.

He is also a cheese ball. He puts on this cheesy grin all the time and imitates his sister and cousins no matter what they do. If they fall down and get hurt, he will pretend to fall next to them and do a fake cry followed by his cheesy grin. This kid makes me laugh everyday, which I guess makes up for him pulling all the folded laundry off the couch right as I'm about to put it all away.

Me:

I'm embracing the fact that this is my last year as a "Twenty-Something". I've actually come to the decision that it's time for me to go back to work. As much as I love my babies and am extremely grateful that I was able to spend the first year and a half with them, I think it's time for me to get back in touch with some adults and start bringing in some dough. So far I've applied to several positions all to no avail. But as the saying goes, I'm just going to Keep on Keeping on.

Oh and I'm a Pinterest.com ADDICT! Love it. If you don't know what it is, you MUST check it out. Let me know if you need an invite too.

Ryan:

Ry turned 30 last month and we celebrated the best way we could... We went to VEGAS BABY. The first time for both of us, I surprised him by having a bunch of our friends come along with us. It was a blast and we broke even so I'd say it was a win win.
He was recently laid off from his job, but we're staying optimistic that new work will be coming along soon. For now the twins are just trying to soak up as much "Daddy Time" as they can.

So that's what we've been up to lately, hopefully you are all caught up. I'll try to keep you all caught up along the way :)

Reunited and it Feels So Good...

2011-08-18T08:26:00.003-04:00

I'm back folks! I've decided I miss blogging too much to stay away. That and I've had a few people tell me they miss keeping up with me and the twins. So I made the executive decision to come back.

A few things will be different though. I'll be writing about more than just the twins. It'll truly be an insight on OUR Journey.

You'll still see pictures of the twins, how could I not post those?

I hope I can find the time to blog, but per usual, my babes are my number 1 priorities... And with toddlerhood comes VERY little ME time. So we'll see what happens, but hopefully I will provide you all with enough of a good read to keep you coming back! So how about a little incentive?

You know you want to see more of them :)

So for now I leave you for the weekend (Summers are good for long weekends away) and I will return next week with a full update on what we've been up to!

PS. Please excuse the design. Although I am going with a more simple design, I will be adding a pretty header in the near future :)

"Wuss Dat"

2011-02-23T14:07:00.000-05:00

This is the phrase Kaylie has been using for about 5 months now. Her inquisitive little mind constantly craving knowledge. Eager to learn anything and everything about her surroundings. Now the same phrase is spoken by Cavan... ALL THE TIME!

It's still in the cute phase so I just keep telling him "Dog", "Dog", "Still a dog", "You say Dog" (Which 95% of the time he will say the word he just learned). He is catching on though because when I ask him later, "Where's the dog" he knows where to point.

It just amazes me how much the little wheels in their heads work on a daily basis. Simple things to us, like looking at a balloon, are new experiences for them. They want to know what it is they're seeing for the first time; what's it called; what does it feel like, sound like, taste like... yes they would like to know this even about the dog. To watch them take in their surroundings and begin to understand what it is they are seeing, well I'm just happy I'm here to witness it all.

Their receptiveness is unbelievable and what they take away from just a quick question, something they'll etch in their brains forever.

Another example is Cavan's favorite book, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom. I just have to start singing the first phrase and he crawls right over to the book shelf and pulls it right down. Or if I turn on the music and say "Let's dance" Kaylie start wiggling her little body to the beat. Just the beginning of their education, but wow, what a start.

The mind is a beautiful thing.

11 Months!

2011-02-09T10:59:00.000-05:00

The twins are 11 months! Time to start the birthday planning! I've already begun thinking about themes and decorations, now it's time to get this show going! It's absolutely amazing to see the bond these two have formed even more so in the last month. They love to play together and even have there own little language to communicate to each other.

Kaylie has become SO much more mobile! She crawls on her knees and no longer army crawls. She pulls herself up onto everything and now even lets go to stand on her own. I'm convinced she will start walking before Cavan! Her vocabulary continues to grow each day with her repeating so many words. She still has her sweet personality, but don't let her fool you, she has a nasty temper when she's told no. I'm really in for it with her, haha. She has two more teeth slowing coming in and that has been making her sleep patterns not so great. Hopefully this is just a phase since her brother is making a lot of progress with his sleep.

Cavan is still working on that confidence to get himself walking. He'll walk with a walker, and will sometimes let go for a second, but does not want to stay up on his own for too long. I would like to report though that I believe we have see a white flag in regards to the crib wars. He no longer fights us to go in his crib and I have The Sleep Lady to thank for that! Crying it out just didn't work for us so this was a much gentler option.

I can't believe it's almost been a year! These two have grown way too fast!

Crib Wars...

2011-01-24T15:13:00.000-05:00

So I mentioned in the 10 month post that Cavan is pretty much at war with his crib. I know its mostly my own fault because of the sheer exhaustion I had been pulling him into bed with us. Now I wouldn't mind him sleeping there if he actually slept. But with a queen sized bed, things are just a bit too snug for all of us resulting in a lot of tossing and turning resulting in not a lot of sleeping.

Now we're just desperate for a good night's sleep. But unfortunately for us and Cav, this place scares the dickens out of him...

Or so he'd like us to believe. Gone are the days of my perfect little boy who I could lay in his crib wide awake and watch him doze off in to dreamland. It really got bad when he learned he could sit up in his crib. Then worse when he learned to stand in there.

We resorted to rocking him to sleep, which worked for a while, then he decided the arms were where he preferred to sleep. The second we put him down in his crib he'd roll over sit himself up and scream. I'm talking you would have thought we just laid him down on a bed of nails scream. Mind you he'd be sound asleep and snoring when we laid him down.

My first thought, it HAS to be an ear infection. So off we went to the Doctors. Nope completely healthy. So I blamed teething and hoped this phase would soon pass. Well 8 teeth later, we're still in the same rut. To which I responded with another trip to the Doctor, because it has to be an ear infection this time, right? WRONG! Clean bill of health. Just fighting his crib. The Doctor tells me to try the Ferber method.

So here we are starting off with a modified version of crying it out where I wait the intervals and when I go in I give him his pacifier, lay him down, say goodnight and place my hand on his back. Well, we've had a little progress, he's stayed in his crib all night for three nights. So I plan to do this for a week and then move in to REAL Ferber method of not laying him down and letting him do all the self soothing.

I know it'll be a longer process, but I'm hoping it will eventually lead to a much better night for all of us.

As a side note, we did something right with Kaylie because she will go in her crib, talk to her dolls for a minute and is sound asleep for the night. I wish she'd teach her brother her tricks!

2011-01-11T21:25:00.003-05:00

Oh my, my babies are almost babies no more. This is definitely a hard pill to swallow. 10 months are gone and where they're at now is well beyond where I thought they'd be. Cavan is ready to just take off walking any day now and Kaylie's vocabulary is astonishing.

Cavan is officially into EVERYTHING. He is quick too. I will go in the kitchen for just a second only to come out and find him across the room climbing something. Oh and does he love to climb things. He loves his little scooter and can climb right on and scoot around the house. He also loves to push things around the house to help him get to where he wants to go.

However, he does have a new habit that I'm not thrilled with. His war with his crib. So far, the crib is winning. I try to be Switzerland and try to help him make peace with his crib, but his safe haven eventually becomes our bed. Which let me say I don't hate him being there because I know he won't be this little and snuggly forever, but that being said, we have a queen sized bed with 2 dogs already taking up my half of the bed. So as you can imagine, a little boy added into the mix does not help, but it sure beats getting up and having him scream every 20 minutes. Crying it out is tough when you know your husband has to get up at 4:30 for work, so for the sake of saving some sanity, for now he'll start in his crib and then join us when he wakes up.

Kaylie is literally like a little parrot. Although she not only repeats, she knows what she's saying. How do I know this? Because she will point to herself and say, "Kaylie" then point to her brother and say, "Cavan". I kid you not! If only she would let me catch he saying it on film but everytime I turn the camera on she just laughs. But Ryan and my mom have both witnessed it so I'm not crazy. She is also very inquisitive and is constantly asking, "Who is that" or "What is that".

This girl is destined for the lime light though. Once she gets over that little stage fright. She is always a performer for me. She is constantly dancing to any beat she hears, even some I don't hear. Now she has a toy with a microphone so she can sing AND dance... which she does. I mean she's not singing Ave Maria or anything...yet, but she puts the microphone in her mouth, yells and shakes her little booty.

She is also destined to give me grey hairs. oh does this little girl have a temper! If she has something she's not supposed to have, she knows it. And when I ask her for it she'll reach it up to me and when my hand gets close she whips it away and laughs hysterically. When I do eventually get it, she shakes he entire body, bites her fist and throws herself either onto the floor or, if I'm sitting with her, onto me and bites me. Thankfully she doesn't have that many teeth yet!

I just can't believe that I need to start planning their 1st birthday! That is crazy to me!

Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas...

2010-12-26T12:46:00.001-05:00

Christmas this year was hands down the best Christmas I can remember. Not for the presents but for the true meaning of Christmas... the joy of spending it with family.

The pure innocence of Christmas. One that is lost amongst most of us. During this time of year we forget how Christmas was before we knew Santa brought gifts. When just the thought of Santa alone was enough to bring joy. Before the stress of holiday shopping lines or how much money we're spending. When singing Christmas carols was fun even if we started in November. This is the innocence that was returned to me again by my two little babies. Innocence I hope we all hold on to forever.

I continue to wonder how it will all be next year. Will Kaylie still love to see and call Santa by name. Will Cavan's eyes still light up everytime we turn on the tree lights? Or will it all be overshadowed with gifts. I will certainly do my best to keep the true meaning alive because without it, the magic of Christmas will be lost.

Now don't get me wrong. It was fun to watch them dive into their toys under the tree. They were certainly blessed by family, friends, and of give the man in red this year.

Now my only question is now that Christmas is over, how will Kaylie cope with Santa being gone for a whole year? Perhaps we will keep one little one out all year round :) We hope you all had a very merry Christmas and look forward to the new year!

From our family to yours, may you all remember the magic of the holiday season.

Evil Kineival in Training

2010-12-18T18:38:00.001-05:00

He gets around easier this way!

Someone get my Son a Safety Helmet Please!

2010-12-13T08:29:00.001-05:00

Kaylie's the talker and he's the mover. He's just not satisfied sitting anymore. Although he's not quite stable on his feet and as much as I try to cushion his falls, sometimes I miss. Those times are not pleseant, but like a trooper he keeps on keepin on!

Guaranteed he will be walking shortly after the new year!

Kaylie on the other hand will just learn how to say "Move me" and that'll be her preferred method of transportation.

Santa!

2010-12-11T20:13:00.002-05:00

He's Kaylie's new obsession.

Everyone Has a Wish...

2010-12-10T12:12:00.000-05:00

So I typically try to keep my work separate from this blog, but I wanted to let all my readers know about a fundraiser I am having for the month of December. I'm calling it the "Everyone has a Wish" fundraiser.

"Everyone has a wish. This month Snips and Sugar wants to help a deserving few get the wish of a lifetime. We will be donating 10% of all proceeds to Make-A-Wish Foundation and hope to help make a wish come true."

I am donating 10% of all my proceeds for the month of December to the Make-a-Wish Foundation. My goal is to donate $100 and I am on my way there! So far I am at $10.70. If any of you are interested in donating, watching our progress, or just seeing what I've been up to please visit my website http://snipsandsugar.blogspot.com/

Also, anyone who donates (any amount, even a penny) will receive a custom design of their choice! I thank you all in advance!

Happy Holidays!

Fine Holiday Fun!

2010-12-08T06:00:00.001-05:00

9 Months!

2010-12-07T06:00:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a difference a month makes (or 9 for that matter). Cavan is crawling like a mad man and keeping me on my toes. Kaylie is now at the point Cavan was a couple of weeks ago where she army crawls and can sit herself back up. So I can only assume she will be crawling in time for Christmas. Thankfully they did not reach this milestone at the same time so I could dip my feet in and slowly acclimate rather than jump right in!

They are 100% on table food and formula now. They get their 3 (very occasionally 4) bottles a day and 3 meals. They pretty much love anything I put in front of them. My favorite food they eat? Cheerios! I don't know why, but ever since they were born I have looked forward to the day of giving them Cheerios to snack on. Maybe it's watching their tiny little fingers push them around until they get them just right. Maybe it's all those heartfelt Cheerios commercials I always saw growing up. Or maybe it's just one of my many personal milestones that mean nothing to anyone but me and make them that much more special.

Kaylie is still hanging strong with 2 teeth while Cavan, well I've kind of lost count. It seems like everytime I look in his mouth he's sprouting a new tooth. I believe he has 8 (6 fully in and 2 sprouting through). Let me tell you how much fun he's been. And guess what? I get to do it all again when Kaylie starts getting her teeth.

They are babbling all the time with each other, with their dogs, and with anyone around (or not around). They both say "More" for more food and "All Done" when they're done eating. I swear!

They are happy pretty much all the time (Well besides Cavan's little teething pain meltdowns). I envy the way they live their lives. So innocent. Every day is an adventure. Every sight is spectacular. Every taste is refreshing. Every song deserves a dance.

Thankful for So Much..

2010-11-30T10:31:00.000-05:00

I have so much to be thankful for this year and was overjoyed this Thanksgiving. I loved watching my two little bundles as they feasted on turkey with all the fixings!

So here are a few of the things I am thankful for!

I am thankful for Kaylie's dance skills that always put a smile on anyones face...

I am thankful for my future weight loss now that Cavan does these two maneuvers...

I am thankful for the only 2 teeth Kaylie has, as she continues to use my shoulder and her fist as a chewie (Cavan has 7 for the record!)

I am thankful for happy, healthy babies this holiday season...

Most of all, I am thankful for being blessed with such a wonderful family and close friends who mean the world to me.

I hope your holidays are Merry and Bright!

For Your Entertainment

2010-11-18T23:00:00.000-05:00

This is just a hodge podge (modge podge?), well it's a just a bunch of random things rolled into one post complete with pictures and video!

First off, we recently went to Cleveland to visit my sister-in-law and brother-in-law. I was a little nervous about how they would be on the flight, but I must say, they were absolutely perfect! Look at my big girl enjoying the plane!

Cavan fell asleep right before take-off and Kaylie waited until we hit some bad turbulence to let that rocking put her to sleep. But neither of them fussed once!

Now onto hair. Yes, Kaylie's hair. It is SO long now and I love it! This is what I have looked forward to since she was born...

Pig Tails and Pony Tails!!! How cute are these?? She loves having her hair brushed too although she's not always cooperative when I'm trying to put an elastic or bow in. But I keep on doing it because she looks way too cute!

Last weekend we too them to the park and put them in the swings. They weren't too thrilled. There was no laughing with excitement or joy.

Then I took Kaylie over to the slide and she was not impressed. But this is how they are with everything the first time around. Very hard to read, but then the next time they love it! Except when it comes to lemons...

So I'm sorry for the extremely random post, but it's 11:00 at night and I haven't updated in a while. So I think we're good with playing catch up.

Oh and for those of you who may remember I started my own custom photo creation business, Snips and Sugar, it is starting to take off and between that and the babies I have been very busy so I apologize if I don't get to update as much, but I will try to at least post pictures!

8 Months!

2010-11-12T10:21:00.000-05:00

Ok so it's a little late, BUT I have a good excuse. We were traveling all weekend to Cleveland and Ryan and I BOTH ended up with the stomach bug! Needless to say, pictures on the exact day they turned 8 months, well they just didn't happen. Anyways I'm rambling, so cue the picture...

There is so much going on now that the twins are 8 months. Cavan is army crawling. He can get up on all fours but just rocks, but if you put something in front of him, he will army crawl to get it! Kaylie on the other hand has decided that rolling will continue to be her mode of transportation. But don't let her fool you, she if quick! They are also trying to pull themselves up and are stronger than I thought!

They are both saying "Mama", "Dada", and "Baba" and Cav also says "Gaga". They love to just talk and talk to me and anyone who will listen (or most of the time, themselves).

They are also really getting into table foods. I've been trying new things with them and here is the breakdown; Likes: Pancakes,pulled pork, chicken, soup, noodles, puffs, yoghurt and yoghurt melts, and carrots.
Dislikes: Bananas (I think it's the texture), ground beef, and peas.

We're still experimenting with different things, but they love to feed themselves and its so fun to watch them do it. Kaylie never misses her mouth and Cavan gets the food in about 50% of the time, haha.

We ended up having to bring up some of my nephew's old toys because they just aren't interested in their old baby toys. We'll have to get them some of their own soon! Thank goodness for Christmas. I think Santa will be VERY good to them this year! I mean just look how well they play together...

The Terrible... 8 Months?

2010-11-04T07:29:00.000-04:00

I know I like to think my babies are always advanced with everything, HOWEVER, they could have held out on this one. I'm pretty sure they think they're going on two because Kaylie has learned to throw a fit like the best of them and Cavan has become a maniac on the changing table!

A few examples, she likes to take Cavan's binkie away from him, pretty much whenever she can. Well he used to tolerate it, but now cries when she does it. So I've started taking it away from her, which she used to be fine with... until recently. Now when I take it away from her she responds by throwing herself back, kicking her legs, and screaming. Really, a temper tantrum at just about months? How is this even possible?

Another fun thing is she ONLY wants to be with me. Now don't get me wrong, I love her to pieces and love the fact that she feels safe and comfortable with me, but it breaks my heart when Ryan tries to hold her and she screams. I know the pediatrician said this would be a phase she would go through, I just hope it's not a long one. This is also the case when I try to put her down to, I don't know say, change her brother's diaper. She refuses to bend her legs to sit and arches her back and screams. She just wants me to hold her which wouldn't be as hard if I only had her, but Cavan needs attention too.

Now it's not only Kaylie who has been having all this fun. Cavan has become a little pill when getting changed. The second I lay him down he's trying to flip over, kicks his legs, wiggles his arms, and tries to take nose dives off the changing table. This has resulted in few diaper changes that end very poorly with both of us needing a bath after. I have also mastered putting a diaper on him while he is on his tummy. Needless to say, I'm pretty much sweating after every diaper or clothing change!

There is definitely a reason they make babies so cute! I mean how can you be mad at these little people?

Happy Halloween

2010-10-31T15:04:00.001-04:00

2010-10-29T13:53:00.000-04:00

Ok first, Thank you so much to Jess over at Taking it One Step at a Time for featuring me this week on her Follow Friday segment! You should check it out!

And now... Let's Dance!

This was Kaylie last night breaking it down for all of us. Unfortunately she has not only inherited her Daddy's bed head hair, but also his signature dance move. At least she's still cute doing it! She cracks me up sometimes!

All in a Day...

2010-10-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

Things are still busy over on this end! I mean just look at all we have to do during the day:

Brother/Sister Playtime

Dance parties

Smiling

Practicing good oral hygiene

LAUNDRY!

Not to mention teething, coloring, and SO much more! They are too much these days. Kaylie claps at everything except when she's having a moment and wants nobody but me! Cavan is still teetering on crawling, I think he's holding out to save my sanity! They are slowly starting to eat table foods. They feed themselves Puffs and yesterday tried pulled pork and LOVED it!

Also, in case you were concerned, I'm not trying to jinx myself, (Got it universe?) but the twins seem to be feeling SO much better! I think part of Cav's fussiness was also the fact that his top tooth is breaking through! Those hurt!

Oh and a little news on my end. I'm sure many of you are familiar with The Pioneer Woman , if not, you need to check her out. She is absolutely amazing! Well she has these photo editing contests every so often and I will usually enter just for fun. Well get this, one of my photo edits was chosen as a semi-finalist! I KNOW! Check it out here, mine is the one that says by Lilibaby221. I am beyond excited. Mind you there were over 131,000 entries which she has narrowed down to about 50 semi-finalists. The winners usually get a gift card to a photography store, which would be amazing to win, so keep your fingers crossed for me :) Also, I've really been working hard to get my business going, so please check it out and tell your friends!

That's all for now!

The Universe is Against Me...

2010-10-21T08:44:00.000-04:00

So it happened. I jinxed myself. That same day I told you all the twins were doing better, the universe decided to throw a wrench into that idea. We took them out to dinner and as soon as we got home and I took Cavan out of his car seat, he started projectile vomiting all over me and the floor. It was lovely. Thankfully it was a one time deal and he seemed ok after.

Now I would love to tell you how they are doing, but I'm afraid if I do it will just be the opposite later on. So for now, it's a mystery!

I Hate Socks...

2010-10-18T15:14:00.000-04:00

So its been a while since I've updated and I couldn't think of a title that fit the full update so I put exactly what I'm thinking at this moment... I hate socks, baby socks that is! They NEVER stay on between them just falling off or my babies pulling them off themselves, they're pretty much rendered useless in this house!

Anywho, I digress and move on to the update!

Well the reason I've been a bit MIA is I've actually started up my own photo editing and custom photo creations business! I'm very excited about it and have been working really hard to get it exactly where I want it. It's a lot of work so between spending every second my babies a re awake with them and working on the business while they sleep, you can imagine how my time has been pretty well filled! If you get the time, please visit my website at http://snipsandsugar.blogspot.com and my facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/Snips-and-Sugar Thank you!!

Last week was also a crazy week for all of us. We were ALL sick! It was absolutely no fun at all. AND to top it off, they were teething as well. So the chaos was at a level orange last week teetering on red. I'm feeling much better this week and the twins, well they're getting there. It's really only a cold for them, but I think the runny noses are driving them crazy (mainly me sucking the boogs out every chance I get)! So far they seem to be in better spirits, so I'm just hoping I'm not jinxing myself by saying it!

Let's see, what else has been going on? Well in a couple of weeks we will be taking the twins on their second plane ride! We heading off to see their uncle, aunt, and cousin in Ohio! Hopefully we learned some tips from the first flight to know how to be even more organized and in control this time around!

Oh I almost forgot! Not only does Kaylie say "Mama", but she says "Dada" too! AND Cavan says Mama too now, just not for the camera!

So I think that catches you all up on the goings on of this house!

Mama....Oooohhh..

2010-10-12T07:44:00.000-04:00

So this weekend Kaylie said her first word. Just watch!

MAMA! This time there is no mistaking it, she said mama! Although I'm wondering if this is how she will say every word, with an Elvis lip curl and a touch of growl. Either way, I still think it's the sweetest thing to hear your child call for you.

Also the twins went to their first parade yesterday! They had so much fun, although they both slept through pretty much the whole thing! Well Cavan did sleep through the whole parade, Kaylie woke up for the last 45 minutes! The weather was perfect and the crowd let us get right up front so the twins could see! Their cousin Ben came with us too and it was his first parade. He's a couple years older so I think he may have enjoyed it a bit more. He stayed awake for it all at least! All in all it was a great time we got to spend as a family!

A Solution and a Winner!

2010-10-08T07:01:00.000-04:00

First off, congratulations to Julie! You won the Little Ette Designs giveaway. I tried to email you, but it wouldn't go through so email me at Lilbumpkinblog@gmail.com to claim your prize. You have 48 hours to claim it or another name will be drawn!

Now onto the topic of the week, food! I think we may have found a happy medium to the 3 meals a day routine now. Thank you to everyone for the input! So this is what seems to be working for us now, in case you all were wondering ;)

6oz bottle at wake up
cereal + Fruit for breakfast & a 4oz bottle
1 stage 2 meal and fruit for lunch + water
4oz bottle before nap
1 meat and 1 fruit or vegetable + water
6oz bottle before bed

There was very minimal spit up yesterday, which was fabulous! So hopefully this will keep up and continue to work out until the next change up... table food!

7 Months!

2010-10-07T11:59:00.000-04:00

7 Months have come and gone so fast. I can't believe every milestone they've reach, every new thing they experience, every new thing they learn each day. Now sitting, almost crawling, with two teeth to gnaw on each others feet with!

They play together most of the day and are each others best friends. They are trying to communicate and I swear I hear a "Mama" (For real this time) come out of their sweet little mouths from time to time.

They're on the move, rolling to wherever they want to get to (almost crawling!) which is the reason I have incorporated baby jail...er, I mean baby fun play space in the pack-n-play. They love to sit in there and play together. Although their ideas of playing are very different. Cavan likes to pick up toys, eat them, and play with them. Kaylie likes to take whatever Cavan has and eat it then drop it on her side and grab whatever he's picked up to replace the toy she previously stole.

I can't wait for all the holidays coming up and watch them go through their first Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years! Although once those are through they will be that much closer to being ONE!! Ok, maybe the holidays can come slowly this year so I can have some time to really soak in each passing day!

My Children are Auditioning for Exorcist 2

2010-10-06T22:10:00.000-04:00

Ok, no I'm not putting them into an acting career, but I swear based on the amount of spit up going on around here you'd think they were channeling their inner Linda Blair.

Recently I had mentioned that the pediatrician suggested bumping them up to 3 meals a day and since then we've had a hard time finding a happy medium. Majority of the time they eat to much and a screaming until they spit up about half of what they ate. I've read books, searched the interwebs, and asked friends and family how much to give. Most of what I've heard is to feed them until they turn their heads. Well, side note about my almost 20lbs children, their mouths don't typically turn away from food. Well my daughter primarily. So they'll eat until they puke, for lack of a better phrase.

I've tried giving them less formula more solids, less solids and the same amount of formula and no matter what I do, we all end the day drenched. So now I turn to all of you. I need advice on how much solid and formula I should be giving them and maybe any tips on what you did. Also, what is the time frame in between that you feed your children? Anything is very much appreciated!

Oh and did I mention that they will be 7 months tomorrow?!? AHHHH!

Little Ette Designs Giveaway!

2010-10-04T08:11:00.000-04:00

Lisa over at Little Ette Designs recently sent Kaylie some ADORABLE bows and a beautiful headband. They are too cute! Look!

Perhaps an unknown fact: Kaylie's nickname is Boo, so this bow is just that much cuter!

Cavan likes the headband too!

He needs something to tell his shrink when he's older!

So as you can see, the pictures speak for themselves, these bows are SO CUTE! She has so many to choose from and they are all just as cute if not more so! You can tell she puts a great deal of thought into each creation she makes as each bow is so unique.

Now for the best part, she is giving away one item of your choice to one of my lucky readers! Pretty sweet deal if you ask me! ALSO, for my readers only, she was generous enough to offer you all a 10% discount off your entire order! All you have to do is email her your oder and say you came from my blog and she will send you an invoice with the 10% off! So here's the lowdown to enter:

Mandatory Entry:
(1 Entry) Visit Little Ette Designs and tell me what item you'll pick if you win
(1 Entry) Must be a follower of my blog

Extra Entries
(1 Entry) Like Little Ette Designs on Facebook here
(3 Entries) Tweet/blog/facebook about this giveaway
(5 Entries) Purchase an item from Little Ette Designs

This contest will run until 12:00am Thursday October 7th and the winner will be announced Friday October 8th! Good Luck to you all!

__________________________________________________________________________________
Disclaimer: I was sent the bows from Little Ette Designs as a complimentary gift. However, my opinions are my own and I would never endorse a product I didn't like. Therefore you can count on this review as being legit. I truly do love these bows! Thanks!

6 Month Appointment and a BIG Fear

2010-09-29T20:20:00.000-04:00

The twins had their 6 month appointment today and I took them... by myself! This was VERY interesting, especially when it came time for their shots. But I must say, I love my pediatrician because she was so great about it. She even fed Kaylie for me! Anywho, on to the details!

Kaylie is now at (drumroll please) 19lbs 7oz, 25.5 inches!!! Cavan is my "peanut" at 18lbs 4oz, 25.25 inches! They are both growing wonderfully according to the pediatrician, so I'm happy! No starving babies here! And get this, she wants me to start adding a 3rd meal to their day! We tried it today and they certainly didn't protest.

Now on to a new fear that has entered our lives. Well, not all our lives, just Kaylie's. The tub! Now I know it's not the duck tub we just got, because she plays in it without water (Yes I stick them in there to play and they love it). But then the second I bring her into the bathroom and she sees the duck in the big tub, she freaks! Screams so loud and cries so hard (with real tears!) I'm almost tempted to just let her keep stinking just so she's not scared.

I've tried taking the duck out of the tub and put it next to it and she still screams. I can kind of distract her with bath toys for a quick minute to soap her up, but I have to move very quick. It's not the water temp because it's the same as I've always had it. Does she just not feel secure in the world of big tubs. So I'm at a loss on what to do. Any Suggestions?

Down on the Farm

2010-09-25T17:15:00.000-04:00

We took the twins to the farm today and they LOVED it! Although it was really strange to go picking pumpkins in 80 degree weather! In any case though, we had a really good time seeing pumpkins and apples for the first time! See!

Rubber Ducky, You're The One...

2010-09-24T12:00:00.000-04:00

So the twins have outgrown their infant tub. Sad, I know. My little munchkins are munchkins no more. Now they aren't exactly ready for the BIG tub yet since they're still a bit wobbley sitting up. So I had to find a transitional tub. Well, we have certainly found it! Thank you to Krista from The Cameron Chronicles, she recommended the Duck Tub.

I got mine at Target for under $12

If you haven't seen this and are in the market for a transitional tub, this is awesome. Best part, it QUACKS! And the twins LOVE it! We let them sit in it at first to try it out before putting it in the tub:

Second best part about the Duck tub? It doubles as a play area...a CONFINED play area!

Bath time, and play time, just got a little more fun thanks to this rubber (er...vinyl?) Ducky!

We're Dating...

2010-09-23T07:15:00.000-04:00

Play dating that is! A few of my sorority sisters and I have started a little playgroup and a couple of us met up on Tuesday for a great trip to the zoo (Shelby from First Comes Love Then Comes Baby? was one of them)! The twins had so much fun meeting new friends and Shelby's daughter, Emma, was definitely the leader of the pack (she was the only mobile one). She showed us all the animals!

Including this Llama who doesn't let you get the food out of the machine and just help himself when you lift the latch.

He had his eye on Shelby hoping she'd come put more money into the food dispenser!

The weather was perfect, the company was great, and the kids were adorable. It was also nice to get together with other moms to just have adult talk! I love the twins, but sometimes you want to have a conversation where you can understand the response, haha. It was also fun to see the twins interact. Needless to say, we had a great time and can't wait for the next play date!

Top 2 Tuesday - Hair Products

2010-09-21T08:15:00.000-04:00

Link up folks!

Oh man, this is tough. I'm awful when it comes to product loyalty with hair products. Fun fact, I am a licensed cosmetologist. However, I've never been one to load my hair up with product. These days I'm lucky if my hair gets dried! So I guess I will go with what I'm using now?

1. Redken All Soft Shampoo & Conditioner: This is actually one product I typically go back to. It does exactly what I need it to do and leaves my hair shiny, clean, and, well, soft.

Source

2. TIGI Rockaholic Born to Rock: My hair has been a bit neglected since the twins came along and has become ridiculously long! With long hair come TANGLES! I hate tangles and I was constantly ripping the comb through my hair after my shower. So I decided I should just get something to help. This is a leave-in-conditioner and detangler. It has helped immensely! I have learned though that a little bit goes a long way.

Source

Now don't forget that I've started up my Project 365 so be sure to check out the daily pictures everyday!

Brusha, Brusha, Brusha...

2010-09-20T07:05:00.000-04:00

We've got teeth! No longer just a tooth. The two of them each have two teeth, one in and another coming in, on the bottom for both! Letting them chomp on my finger is becoming a little more painful these days so I try to opt for the teether instead.

So with teeth comes oral hygiene! We started brushing the babes teeth and... well, this is what happens every time:

Kaylie thinks its food at first and is strongly disappointed after

Cavan is not fooled and quickly turns away

Then reluctantly lets me brush

This is the same routine every time we brush. I'm hoping they'll get used to it soon because they'll be doing it for the rest of their lives!

In other news, the twins have blown through all the stage 1 foods and are now on to meats! They've had chicken, turkey, and just tried beef last night. They're favorite was definitely the beef. I don't know why since it looked and smelled like something I'd give the dogs, but hey, they don't know much different. So they are now eating a fruit and cereal in the morning then a dinner at night with meat and either fruit or vegetable. I'm very interested to see their weight gain next week at their appointment! All these solids have to be packing it on. Although they are becoming a bit more mobile. Cavan is almost crawling! Yes you read right, CRAWLING! I'm done for when this happens.

SITS Back to Blogging Day 5 - Why I Blog

2010-09-17T07:27:00.000-04:00

Today is Day 5, the final day, of the SITS Back to Blogging Challenge and the topic is "Why I Blog". As always before I get into it make sure to visit the sponsors of this event! Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances I'm trying to win these beauties since we're wearing out my Mom's with every load!

Well if you've been reading my posts this week you all know why I started blogging, as an outlet to help me cope with my miscarriage. Now? Now it is so much more. My main topic is and always will be my two precious little babies. I write to chronicle every tooth, milestone, and well poop explosion! I do occasionally have a post about myself to a) Connect more with my readers and B) Sometimes you just need a baby break. I also have the VERY occasional giveaway, because I love my readers and want to give back!

A lot of my family and friends can't always see the little ones and always want to know how they're doing. They want to see how big they're getting. They want to know what they're up to. So I blog for them.

My babies may want to look back one day and see how they got to where they are. What's their story? You know, in addition to their baby books, they may want to know all the knitty gritty details of their life. So I blog for them.

I've met so many wonderful women here in the blogosphere and kept in touch with old friends. I love when people tell me that they have done something because of what I wrote, like the 101 in 1001 challenge or the Project 365. So I blog for them.

Lastly, this blog is my outlet. My place to come when I need a break, have something to say, or am just ever so proud of something my little ones have done. I share what is important to me. I never write just for the sake of writing or trying to "Up my stats". I write for a purpose. This week has really helped me to remember that, by uprooting some old posts and getting me back to my prior state of mind. Although I never really strayed. It has definitely been nice though to see how far I've come. So much has changed in the past year and I have the SITS girls to thank for helping me see that again. I don't know if I would have realized it as much if I hadn't blogged about it. So, for this reason, I blog for me.

SITS Back to Blogging Day 4 - Inspirational Woman

2010-09-16T07:13:00.000-04:00

Day 4 of the SITS Back to Blogging Challenge is to write a post about a woman who inspires you. So before I get into it make sure to visit the sponsors of this event! Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances

Here goes...

When I think of inspirational women, there are so many who inspire different aspects of my life everyday. Since this is a back to blogging week, however, I have chosen the woman who has inspired my blogging.

When I was still finding a way to cope with my miscarriage, I joined a social networking group where I met several women in the same boat as me. Women trying to get through the day by day activities still carrying the weight, both mentally and physically, from their babies they'll never see grow up.

As I became more involved in the online community, I started noticing blogs people were writing. One really stood out to me. She had been through a loss, fought through it, and was then pregnant again. It gave me hope. It gave me peace of mind that I may someday have that too. So I read, and read, and read. Instantly captivated by her open and honest writing style. Here I was, relating to someone I don't know, never met, but yet laugh and cry through many posts with her.

So I thought, if this has helped her, maybe blogging is something I should do. I didn't want to keep retelling my story to everyone over and over because I didn't want to push everyone away. I didn't know any other way to get out what I felt. So I wrote. I wrote my first entry, unedited, wholeheartedly, unjudged. I hit publish and told no one. I was afraid to take that step to show what I had been keeping so deep inside my heart. I didn't have the courage this other woman had. Then I went back and reread her blog from the beginning. The more she wrote, the more I wanted to write. So when Ryan and I decided to start trying again, I decided I wanted to document this, just like she had. So I could look back and see how far I came, just like she had.

I still read her blog regularly and feel the same as the first post I read. She now has her beautiful family and has overcome so much including Postpartum Depression, not an easy task. And she took us all with her along the way. She's read by many, and I'm sure has inspired several other women like myself. This woman is "Blair" at http://theheirtoblair.com/

She doesn't know me, and she probably doesn't read my blog, but she is the reason I started. And it has truly been a wonderful journey for me. So for this, I thank her and can only hope that her inspiration has seeped through my blog and helped others find an outlet as well.

SITS Back to Blogging Day 3 - Title I'm Proud of

2010-09-15T06:30:00.000-04:00

So here is Day 3 of the SITS Back to Blogging challenge. I am to re-upload a post with a title I am proud of. Now this post, though I am proud of the title mainly because it was what I had to do and really just summed up the situation, the situation itself was not pretty. So without further ado, I give you...

When you Must Hose Down Your Child...

Ok, so I didn't technically take my daughter outside and crank up the hose, BUT I did go with a more gentle approach to "Hosing" down my child. I stuck her under the faucet. What caused me to resort to such things? Oh that would be the epic poop she decided to use as a moisturizer.

Let me bring you back to Sunday, the day of said epic poop. We were driving home from the beach and I knew she was doing something in the back seat. She was grunting and groaning and her face kept getting red. Then she spit up EVERYWHERE! So when we get home both the twins are screaming for food so I decided to feed them before we changed them. Ryan took Cavan and I took Kaylie. When I tell you the odor that came from my child, it was just toxic. Of course at first I thought it was just the smell of her spit up all over her (which I should mention was part of it). Then I got a whiff of something a little more foul permeating into my nose. I lifted up her cute little dress only to see one of the most horrific sites EVER! Her little once white onsie was now greenish brown!

Now I've had my fair share of diaper changes, but I honestly had no idea where to even begin with this one! How do I get the outfit off without getting poop all over her? Will the wipes really clean this mess up? The only thing I could think to do was hose down my child, but I'm pretty sure you're not supposed to hose down an 11 week old. So I thought, the faucet, similar concept, more acceptable, right? It was off to the tub for us. I carefully rolled the outfit off her, and successfully got it off without spreading the monstrosity. Then I started running the water and check the temp. I then just stuck my daughter under the faucet and just rinsed and rinsed and rinsed. Then I soaped her up and rinsed again...and again...and repeat.

I think the funniest part of the whole thing was the look I got from Kaylie when I stuck her under the faucet. It was a "What in the world do you think you are doing to me" look. Looking back it was pretty funny, but at the time, I was horrified! I'm sure it won't be the last time either.

Make Sure to visit the sponsors of this event! Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances

SITS Back to Blogging Day 2 - Post I Wish More People Read

2010-09-14T07:53:00.002-04:00

Ok I'm caught up now! Here is my "day 2" of the SITS Back to Blogging challenge!

This was posted on New Years Eve 2009. I really think it summed up my year pretty nicely. It really showed that without the bitter, the sweet just isn't as sweet.

Ever since I was younger I've always tried to look for the positives that come out of negative events in my life. My ability to do this was strongly tested in 2009 with the loss of our first pregnancy early in the year. I will admit, it was not easy, but with the help of family and friends I was able to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now I look at it with a whole new perspective in that our first baby was not strong enough to do all they wanted here on earth. But God works in mysterious ways because he has blessed Ryan and I with two little miracles. Words cannot describe the excitement and joy running through my heart everytime I feel a little poke in my belly. I don't know if it's because of everything that happened early in the year that has helped me appreciate this precious gift or if I would feel the same if I was blessed with twins the first time around. I feel no worry, no fear because I know these babies will be born with so much love surrounding them that they will be stronger than they'll ever know.

In looking back through the year, there have been so many wonderful events. I have seen family and friends marry the ones they love (12 weddings to be exact) and I couldn't be happier for all of them. Marriage is such a wonderful gift and it always finds the soft spot of my heart when I see someone I care about find that person they want to wake up to for the rest of their lives. So many new babies have entered the world this year including a new baby niece, Ava, for Ryan and me. Ryan and I were fortunate to keep our jobs this year and we are both very thankful for that as well. We are both looking forward to all the excitement 2010 will bring to our lives!

All in all, I think 2009 was a year of tests of strength, courage, and love and I wouldn't change a single day. Here's to a Happy and Healthy 2010!

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!

For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne. We'll take a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne."

Make Sure to visit the sponsors of this event! Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances

SITS Back to Blogging Day 1 - My First Entry

2010-09-14T07:36:00.003-04:00

I'm participating in the SITS Back to Blogging Week. Go visit their site and link up if you want to do it too!Also, Make Sure to visit the sponsors of this event! Standards of Excellence, Westar Kitchen and Bath, and Florida Builder Appliances

Ok so I'm a day late, but I think this is a great thing to kind of go back and see how far we've all come. It's amazing how different life was when I first started this blog. Well here is my first entry back on June 25, 2009.

Some of you may already know my story and some may only know parts of it. Ryan and I first found out the news in December that I was pregnant. We were shocked, scared, and excited all at the same time. We told our family and friends and they were all shocked as well and happy for us. As the time went by, I had the waves of nausea, food aversions, and all the other glories that come with the first trimester. I went to my first appointment and got to see our little bean on the big screen. Heartbeat was strong. Second appointment Ryan got to see our little baby too. He said the baby looked like a teddy graham and well that's what we ended up using as a nickname.

I hit my second trimester and was ecstatic. That is when they say that you are least likely to have a miscarriage. A relief in my eyes. Then I hit 15 weeks, primarily 15 weeks 2 days. I started to have a little spotting. Nothing major so I didn't think too much about it and just took it easy that day. Then came 15 weeks 3 days on March 9, 2009, probably the scariest and worst day of my life. I woke up to blood. Bright red blood. I panicked. I went into work and immediately called the doctor. They sent me to get an ultrasound. Ryan came and picked me up to take me. I was hoping and praying that our baby was ok.

When we got to the waiting room I started to feel a little cramping. Off and on, but not too strong...yet. We got called into the room and the tech went to check our baby. No heartbeat confirmed. There was my beautiful, lifeless baby on the screen, still in my belly, and there was nothing I could do but cry. Ryan held me in his arms and we both just cried and cried.

I then had to go back to my OB's office and get checked out to schedule the D&C. On the way to the office my "cramping" became stronger and more frequent to the point where I couldn't even scream anymore. I immediately ran to the bathroom after checking in and threw up. The nurse came to check on me and brought me to the room. I told her about my cramping and she said she was going to the waiting room to get Ryan and bring him in. It was at the moment I felt a "rush". I stood up and looked down. The entire table and floor was now covered in blood, my blood. Again, panic.

The rest is a rush of events, Doctor telling me I "Passed" the fetus, sending me to the hospital for another ultrasound. It hit pretty hard to see the second ultrasound, an empty ute. The place that once carried a life was now just an empty space. Confirmed that no D&C was needed and I was able to go home. The next few weeks were very painful and very hard. I had the greatest support from my husband, family and friends. They were my strength.

We later found out that our baby had what is called Trisomy 18, a chromosome disorder where there is an extra chromosome in the 18th strand. Only 5% of babies that have this disorder make it to birth and the ones that do typically do not make it past the first year. Our baby was sick and God knew. He was looking out for our baby. He took our baby to a place where s/he could be stronger than we could ever dream. And though I may never hold you in my arms, I forever hold you in my heart.

An angel wrote in the book of life, the story of our baby's birth. Then whispered as she closed the book, too beautiful for earth.

Top Two Tuesday - Things You Want To Accomplish

2010-09-13T20:27:00.000-04:00

Well I have my list of things to get done in the next 2 years + a couple months on my 101 in 1001 page, but here are 2 things I want to accomplish this year!

1. Set up the Twins Christening: Yes I know they are 6 months old and we still haven't set it up. I really want to get this scheduled for February (two of the Godparents live in Cleveland half the year and we really want them to be there). So if I get it all set up in the next couple months, we should be good to go come February!

2. Spend an entire day with just my dogs: This is really important to me. They've been really good adjusting to the babies and are so good around them. However, as you can imagine, they're not getting as much attention as they used to. I really try to interact with all of them (babies and pups) but the babies always take priority. So I want to take an entire day and just take them to a park or for a long walk and special play time. I mean look at these little faces!

12 Months? WHAT?

2010-09-13T09:15:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if you've noticed, but over to the right I post the twins clothing sizes. Yes you read correctly, they're in 12 month clothing! WHAT? They're only 6 months old! Well I do always say they are very advanced, but whenever I look at their clothing sizes I can't help but feel like time is going too fast! I know that's not their true ages, but it's still crazy to see it every time I put an outfit on them. Although they do still have a little room in the 12 month clothes, I'm hoping that they'll stay in this size for a while now. I want them to stay little a little while longer.

I Love This Sound

2010-09-11T13:58:00.001-04:00

Learning to Sit is Like Bumper Bowling

2010-09-09T23:18:00.000-04:00

When you think about it, it's definitely true. Learning to sit is like Bumper Bowling. You start off with a little padding (Bumbo or Boppy pillow)

You continue to practice, all the while favoring the left or the right.

Until finally, after all your hard work... you get it just right.

6 Months!

2010-09-07T09:07:00.002-04:00

6 Months ago my babies looked like this:

So innocent and pure. Such little exposure to the world still starting to form their opinion on it. So tiny. Learning to do the necessities to survive: sucking, breathing, spitting up in Kaylie's case. Two little people who just minutes before were in my belly, now here in the flesh for me to hold in my arms. I never thought I could love someone so much when I first met them. Love at first site, it does exist.

Now 6 months later, although they are much bigger (about 3X their birth weights) and much more mobile (scooting and almost crawling), so many of those things from the beginning still hold true. They are still innocent and pure, still have little exposure to the world and all it entails (although more than just hours after birth), and I still love them more and more with every snuggle. From belly laughs to high pitched screeching fits, these two little people mean more to me than I could ever put into words, but they know... they know.

In 6 months, what have I learned about being a mother? To stop worrying about what I'm learning and just enjoy every "first" these two precious babies experience. Cherish each moment and remember there is always time for a snuggle.

PS. This picture also kicks off the restart of my Project 365. Check it out!

Top 2 Tuesday - Favorite Things about Fall

2010-09-06T22:18:00.000-04:00

1. PUMPKINS: I love all things pumpkin in the fall. Pumpkin patches, pumpkin soup, pumpkin seeds, pumpkin candles, but most of all I love the Pumpkin Muffin at Dunkin Donuts!

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Honestly in the fall if I see anything pumpkin related, I HAVE to have it! If you've never had the pumpkin muffin at Dunks, you are truly missing out!

2. Are you ready for some football?: Sundays will forever be my favorite days in the fall. We all get together to watch the Pats and Cleveland games, setting up two tvs when they're on the same time. Yes we root for both the Pats and the Browns and in November we're heading out to the Cleveland/Pats game! Obviously, if you know me, you know we'll all be rooting for Cleveland that game. Anywho, I'd just like to plainly say, I love Sundays in the fall (well and winter too).

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STUFF!

2010-09-05T10:52:00.000-04:00

One of the networks I belong to is Multiples...and More! They are a wonderful resource and a great place for Mom's of Multiples to meet others. I have linked up to a few blogs through this network and it's been great to see how other's twins progress compared to mine. So anyways, one of the things they do is a question of the week each week. This is the first time I've actually participated, but I thought it was a topic I can certainly relate to, so why not?

What are your favorite products for your multiples?
Their Boppy Bouncers! Honestly they do just about EVERYTHING in these and have since birth. They eat, sleep, play, and poop in here! They make it easy on me when I have to feed them both at the same time and they really just enjoy being in them. Although now that they are getting a bit more mobile, they prefer to be on the floor or their Jumparoo more for playtime, but these still serve the purpose for eating and relaxing!

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Do you have one for every child?
Yes we do! We have the pink one for Kaylie and the blue one for Cav! Lifesavers!

What types of products can you get away with just buying one of?
Toys! The twins are getting more and more inquisitive these days and we want them to try to build their motor skills, both fine and gross. However, we don't buy each of them the same toy. We really don't buy them each individual toys. If we buy 2 toys, guess what? They both get to play with them. It's just easier that way.

If you have boy/girl multiples do you buy gender neutral so they can all play or do you stick with pink and blue? Does it matter?
Well, with the bouncers, we went pink and blue, but sometimes they get put in the other's bouncer. With our swing we went neutral because it was cute. Their Jumparoos were hand me downs so we just happen to have one pink and one blue (although they jump in both). Their walker car is pink and Cav doesn't mind. Kaylie plays with the toy screwdriver we bought. So really it doesn't matter either way for them or us right now. I say as long as their happy, who cares what color or gender specific the item is supposed to be.

What product did you buy that you wish you didn't?
The BundleMe's.

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I know so many parents have raved about these, but honestly, we NEVER used them. When they were born, we really didn't go many places and if we did it was usually just from one house to another. They weren't really outside much at all. We decided to trade in the winter ones for the spring lightweight ones, well we never even opened those either. If it was a little chilly we just tossed a blanket on them and made sure they had long sleeves on. Maybe we'll use them in the Fall, although, they're getting a little big now and like to kick their legs a lot, so we may just stick with the blankets.

How do you keep everything organized?
Ha, organized? To be honest, we really don't. They really don't have too many toys, so those pretty much fit into a little canvas bin and gets tossed in the corner along with floor blankets and Bumbos! Their bouncers get left in the living room and their Jumparoos and walker get put in the dining room. It works for us and I swear doesn't look as cluttered as it sounds!

Dream a Little Dream...

2010-09-04T15:12:00.001-04:00

Do you ever watch your sleeping baby as they make tiny little smiles or flap their legs up and down? Do you ever wonder "what are they reliving"? What are they dreaming about? I'm constantly wondering what is going on in those two little noggins all day. As they begin to express themselves even more during the day I have to assume they are absorbing so much more as well.

Did you know babies dream? They DREAM! That is amazing to me that they do this so young. However, did you also know they have night terrors? What on Earth have they been exposed to that they would be afraid? This is what I questioned the first time Cavan had a night terror. He began screaming the most God-awful scream I have ever heard. I ran to his crib, picked him up and started trying to console him while also trying to figure out what was wrong.

Was he hurt? No. Did he need his diaper changed? No. Was he hungry? No. He was still asleep! So I just rocked him in my arms and told him I was their. He slowly calmed down and went back into his restful sleep. This happened a couple other times since so I asked about it and come to find out, they can have night terrors. Who knew?

I'm glad he knows that when I tell him I am there he knows I mean it and that it will always be the case. No matter how old either of them gets, if they ever have a night terror, I will be there to rock them until they feel safe again. That is an amazing feeling, to know that they have so much trust in me and they've only known me for almost 6 months!

Trust is a wonderful thing.

Harvard, We have a Future Student For You

2010-09-03T12:29:00.001-04:00

We are learning our colors and look who is so smart...

Still not convinced? Check this out...

Oh yes that would be my little genius. Cavan's napping so he didn't get to play yet, but maybe later.

A Big Thanks!

2010-09-02T12:40:00.000-04:00

So recently I won a giveaway over at Taking it One Step at a Time, check her out! She has a hilarious (well maybe not so much to her) story about her fear of caterpillars today! Well the giveaway was for an adorable headband of my choosing from 25 Design!

Well I chose this adorable little number and got it yesterday!

I mean, come on? How cute is that? The great thing is that I can wear it with ANYTHING! I will be sure to order some more soon. Look who else is loving the new headband:

So thank you again to Torie at 25 Design and Jess at Taking it One Step at a Time! I LOVE my prize!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-09-01T08:31:00.001-04:00

Cursed with her Daddy's case of bed head everytime she wakes up.

This Deserves a Double Post

2010-08-31T20:45:00.002-04:00

I've completed another goal on my 101-in-1001 Challenge! It was one I REALLY wanted to get done sooner than later! Want to know what it is? Click Here

Top 2 Tuesday - Favorite US Cities

2010-08-31T06:56:00.000-04:00

It's that time of the week again where I get to ramble about stuff I like. Well 2 things I like at least. Hey I don't get much "Adult" conversation throughout the day so this shall be my outlet once a week :) So without further ado, my 2 favorite US cities!

1. Little Compton, RI: Ok so it's not technically a city, but it's still one of my favorite little towns so I count it. It is a beautiful little place across the pond from Newport. Everyone knows about Newport, and yes Newport is gorgeous, but this little place is a little less known, but gorgeous all the same. It is my home away from home and is where I met my husband a short 22 years ago! The twins have already become accustomed to the weekend getaways!

2. Hermosa Beach, CA: I've only been there once, but it was enough to fall in love. All it took was this sight:

If you now me then you know of my love for palm trees. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw an entire STREET of them heading straight for the beach! Although it will only be a dream that I live there one day, it's still one of my favorite cities I've ever seen for the palm tree lined street alone!

And because this is my babies' blog, here they are trying carrots for the first time (not for teething this time)! They LOVED them!

Phone Blogging and a New Beginning

2010-08-30T08:32:00.002-04:00

So as many of you know not only did my laptop turn into a large paperweight, my phone did too. Since I didn't feel like having another blackout, I went to the store yesterday and got a new phone. I got the LG Ally and I LOVE it! But this isn't a tech blog so i won't go into too much detail, except that I can now blog from my phone with ease!

Which brings me to my next announcement, I'm going to start up my project365 again. Now that I can upload pictures right from my phone, I'll have no excuse! I plan to start when the twins turn 6 months September 7. Now do I start where I left off or start all over from day 1?

Oh and look at little miss independent:

Sweet Potatoes... Good Times Never Seem So Good..

2010-08-27T19:12:00.000-04:00

So Good, So Good, So Good!

The twins tried sweet potatoes tonight and they were a BIG hit. I really should have filmed this one because every time I'd spoon it in they both would say "Mmmm". It was hilarious.

In other news, Ryan and I are leaving the twins OVERNIGHT! AHHH! We have a wedding to go to and my mom is going to watch them all night. This is a big step and I have been mentally preparing for this. It's not that I don't trust my mom to watch them, it's that in the almost months since their birth I haven't been away from them for more than a couple of hours. I know the day had to happen eventually, but it doesn't make it any easier. Perhaps after a couple glasses of wine at the wedding I'll be just fine.

Out of Order...

2010-08-26T21:45:00.000-04:00

So my laptop cord has literally fallen apart :( It was a replacement for the other one I ran over with my car. Ryan bought me the replacement off of Ebay and it had a good run of about, oh 9 or 10 months. I guess you get what you pay for though as it only cost $11. So I think I might just have to get the actual power cord from the manufacturer. Bummer to this since it costs about $50.

So in the meantime I am stuck using Ryan's computer (formerly my own), that has none of my websites saved, none of my music, and no memory card reader for the camera! I will try to take some pictures of the twins using my phone so I apologize in advance for any poor quality photos. Although, I do have to say even with poor cell phone quality pics, these babies are still the cutest, no?

Prunes, Oh Boy!

2010-08-25T06:44:00.000-04:00

The twins tried prunes yesterday for the first time and they LOVED it! I would have taken a picture, but they were yelling at me so I couldn't. So far the diapers haven't been bad, but it was just day one so I guess we'll see if day two brings on some more interesting diapers.

Also Kaylie and I both have a little cough now :( It is not fun! Add that with both babies unhappy from teething already and you can imagine the sanity roller coaster I'm on, haha. CVS brand Tylenol and Little Teethers gel have been great, but I'm trying not to over medicate. I've tried the cold wash cloth and they hate that. The carrots work ok, but they get bored with them and then it's back to square one. It's kind of the same thing with the cold teethers, regular teethers, and anything else I give them. If anyone has any other tips that have worked for them, it would be much appreciated!

Monday night Kaylie was VERY restless and then was wide awake at 2:30! I tried everything to get her back to sleep, but do you know what FINALLY got her back to sleep? I laid her down next to her Daddy, she snuggled up with him and was out! Perhaps Ryan needs to stay home and she won't be so fussy! A Daddy's girl to the core I guess!

Top 2 Tuesday - Biggest Indulgences

2010-08-24T07:00:00.007-04:00

It's that time of the week where I share a little about me :) So here are my top 2 indulgences (If you want to know what this is all about, click the button above to visit The Undomestic Momma's Website!)

1. Sephora! I have a huge obsession with this store both online and in person. I mean I ALWAYS end up spending more than I need because I think the color is great, the product sounds like something I need, or the packaging is too cute to pass up. Then I get 3 free samples and another deluxe sample because I'm a "Beauty Insider". This obsession has left me with about 4 mascaras, countless liners, 8 brown shadows, and a box full of sample perfumes and moisturizers. Lately I have not been able to get anything because of my lack of income, but I'll still go on their site and add stuff to my cart to pretend I'll get it. This is one thing I REALLY want right now,

More browns, go figure!
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but I also need to get diapers, formula, and baby food. So this will sit in my online cart for now.

2. Ramen! Yes, you can send me back to my college days, but that sweet little bag o' noodles is something I could still live on day in and day out.

Yes this is about how many I have in my pantry at all times!
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Chicken flavor is my favorite and I add in a little Frank's red hot to give it a little more kick. Maybe it makes it more of a sophisticated meal since I add in more spices? Either way, I don't care how bad it is for me, I love it and will probably be eating it well into my old age. As long as it stays around, I will eat it!

Bananas, Carrots, and Rock & Roll!

2010-08-23T18:28:00.001-04:00

So over the weekend the twins tried bananas for the first time, and they were a BIG hit. They actually get mad when they run out so I let them chomp the spoon!

I also now have TWO teething babies! Cavan has the starting of a tooth breaking through now too! They are both chomping on anything they can get in their mouths so I wanted to test out a tip my pediatrician gave me, give them carrots! Not baby carrots, obviously, but large, washed, and peeled carrots. Well they worked great! They could really grip them easily and just gnawed away! And hey, if they get a little Vitamin A in the meantime... Bonus!

When they were over this fad, they tossed them to the ground and were gone forever:

Teether and Dog treat all in one! And if you're skeeved to see them eating the carrots covered in baby drool, they also eat their spit up and try to roll in the poop diapers when I change them on the floor. Drool doesn't sound so bad anymore, does it?

We also rocked out today. They seemed bored with their normal toys and since my paycheck comes in the form of whatever I find in the laundry, I improvised... spoons and tupperware! They loved it. Although I'm pretty sure Kaylie is going to be a baker instead of a drummer... See!

What's in My Diaper Bag?

2010-08-20T08:59:00.000-04:00

So I'll admit it, I'm addicted to beauty channels on YouTube. If you've never seen one, but love to keep up to date with makeup and hair latest trends I suggest starting with AllThatGlitter21, she's definitely one of my favorites. I have a point, I swear. Well a lot of times they'll have videos on what essentials they carry in their purse and I thought it might be fun to do the same with a diaper bag. Although I'm not doing a YouTube video because I sound pretty lame on camera, so you get a write up instead :)

First things first, here is the diaper bag I own. It's by Carter's and yes I only have ONE diaper bag that I can fit everything in for both babies!

This I carry in my diaper bag, but have never used it. It was actually something Ryan picked out, and the only thing he keeps in his "I have to have my own" diaper bag. Which by the way, he never takes ANYWHERE! It has organic diaper rash cream, natural aloe Vera gel packs, organic face & body moisturizer, latex free jr. bandages, natural tush wipes, a one time use thermometer, organic shampoo & body wash.

I always have a change of clothes, you know, just in case. Right now it's just extra onsies since it's been so hot out. I don't have this onsie, but it would definitely be handy (It says Yes we're twins. No, we're not identical.)

Desitin is a must carry! I would feel awful if they had a red bum and I didn't have anything to help!

Bottles! depending where I'm going I usually only carry two bottles that I prefill with water before I leave the house. This way I can just throw in the powder and feed quick if I need to. These are the bottles we use. Cavan uses the VentAire and Kaylie the Avent.

Extra Pacifiers! Or as I sometimes refer to them as the mute buttons. Typically the twins are content whenever we go anywhere, but there are times when they have their moments. They also like to drop their pacifiers on occasion so I make sure to have extras on hand!

When I tell you Dreft gets everything out, I mean it! This is a wonderful little tool. Basically the same as the Tide pen, but with Dreft instead.

These are great! Their the Munchkin formula containers. You pre-measure the powdered formula into the container slots and then when you're ready to use you just pop open the top and mix! Very convenient and a lot less messy than trying to scoop out of the container on the go!

You can never have enough wipes! I carry a small travel case in the diaper bag, but then I also have backups in my glove box in the car.

Diapers, duh! I don't really need an explanation on this, do I?

This is actually something a friend of mine gave me and has been wonderful! It reminds me of the dog poo bags, but it's for dirty diapers on the go. So if we're say, at the beach, and they frown upon throwing the diapers in the ocean, I just toss them in these bags and throw them out when we leave. They're scented too, but not overbearingly. Just enough to hide what's inside!

Lastly, I always carry around a baggy of medication. It has Tylenol, Benadryl, Thermometer, saline, Gripe Water, and basically anything else you can think of for a "Just in Case" moment!

So that's everything I carry on a daily basis. Obviously there are times where I may toss in other things depending on where we're going, but these are the essentials.

What is your "Must Have" item that you carry in your diaper bag?

Ever Wonder What Twins Do Together?

2010-08-19T07:13:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday... Apples!

2010-08-18T11:36:00.000-04:00

Peaches and a Hayride...Sounds like a Country Song

2010-08-16T10:54:00.000-04:00

This weekend the twins went on their first hayride... On the beach! It was so much fun. Look how much fun they had...

Ok, they fell asleep, but I swear they were dreaming about how much fun they were having! They did wake up at the end and transformed into a little cowgirl and cowboy:

They also got to try their second fruit this weekend... PEACHES! The verdict is in and...

Peaches are GROSS!

They were not fans and still today are not thrilled when the spoon comes close. I don't blame them though, the smell of it just from me feeding them is disgusting! Thank goodness we only have one more day to test these and then can take a break. I'm thinking next will be apples then prunes. Not exactly looking forward to prunes, but it must get done eventually so why not after they have binding apples, haha!

PEARS!

2010-08-12T09:47:00.000-04:00

This morning the twins had a special treat with their cereal... PEARS! Well here were the results!

Kaylie was a bit indifferent and then ended up loving it!

Cavan was not a fan at first, but later came around.

Now if you'll excuse me, I believe my daughter has just left me some of her pears in her diaper!

4 Month Appointment...Er, A Month Late

2010-08-11T17:59:00.000-04:00

The twins had their 4 month appointment today. Yes I know, they are well into their 5th month of life, but it was how they scheduled us. Anyways here are the updates!

Cavan now weighs 16Lbs 9oz (56th%) and is 25.25 inches (31th%). He is progressing so well and she couldn't believe that he could roll so fast!

Kaylie now weighs 17Lbs 4oz (90th%!!) and is also 25.25 inches (58th%). She is also doing very well and was all smiles and giggles for the doctor! What child laughs at the doctor's office?

Well they weren't laughing when they had their shots, that's for sure! Although they didn't scream and cry nearly as much as the last time. They said that thicker thighs help ease the pain. Well it's a good thing for these then!

Sad little band-aid

So it was a good appointment and now we can start them on the "P" fruits (Pears, Peaches, Plums, and Prunes). I predict fun diapers in the near future! Oh, also just an interesting thing my pediatrician recommended for teething. Give them a big, cold, peeled carrot! The can grasp it and it feels good. Since they have no teeth yet, they can't bite any pieces off. But DO NOT use baby carrots (duh)!

She also mentioned to start a self soothing method. Oh boy! This should make for an interesting few nights, but hopefully will pay off in the end. Ok, so I think that's everything for now. Here are some cutsie faces to end your day!

Top 2 Tuesday

2010-08-10T07:30:00.000-04:00

So I am not an avid meme doer, I always forget when they are, haha. Anyways I decided to participate in this weeks Top 2 Tuesday with The Undomestic Momma, Check her blog out by the way, super cute! So this weeks Top 2 are Tips. So here are mine:

1. Learn to use your Camera: Since I've had the twins I have really put a lot of effort into learning the features on my camera. I think any camera can take a good or even great picture if you know how to use it. Also if you can, get a good photo editing software. If you do it could save you tons because you could take your own pictures and not have to pay someone. Get creative and have fun!

2. Couch to 5K: If you are like me, you have tried workout routines and quickly given up due to them either being to long (and with twins, 30 minutes is too long) or too hard, or just boring. I started the Couch to 5K and am now on my 3rd week. It's literally 25-28 minutes and it takes you from basically doing nothing to being able to run a 5K in 9 weeks. So how do I stay motivated? I told my friends I was doing it and that we should all do a 5K in the fall. They were on board so now I can't disappoint! If you're interested here is the lowdown and here is the music I use. The music is a no brainer, it chimes when you need to change your pace. Easy right? Oh and did I mention it's only 3 days a week? I can't make up excuses for this one. It's just too convenient. Maybe I'll lose the last of that baby weight in the process too!

5 Months!

2010-08-09T15:13:00.000-04:00

The twins are now 5 months and boy have they grown! They actually go Wednesday for a checkup so I won't have their official stats until then, but I can certainly give a little update on them!

Cavan is a rolling man! For a baby who despised tummy time just 2 short months ago, he sure has a different opinion now. Anytime I lay him on his back he flips himself right over onto his tummy. He wants to move so bad and really tries. He can kind of scoot a little bit, but I wouldn't necessarily call it crawling. I'm also pretty sure we've reached the teething stage as he is becoming a little more fussy and chews everything in sight! He's also a jumper still. LOVES the Jumparoo and will stay in it usually for an hour at a time!

Kaylie is not as interested in rolling over. She's done it a couple of times now, but if I lay her on her back she'll just go on her side and stay there. She does however scoot a little more then he does when I put her on her tummy. She'll tuck her legs under, lay her head down and push off. She usually ends up moving in a circle. She's definitely more inquisitive than Cav. She wants to grab everything, including my hair at every chance. She plays with toys more, although I should say that her playing means she grabs them and puts them in her mouth!

They are both on rice cereal now and after their appointment Wednesday we will be starting them on some other foods! I felt no need to rush this as you can see they're not lacking in calories! They are both "talking" a lot more these days and laughing out loud which is the cutest noise you'll ever hear. They are beach bums already and now really love the sand and the ocean! I may be in for it next summer when they're mobile and fearless! But let's not rush that, so for now I'll just keep cherishing all the little moments as they come and love every second of these two sweet babies!

A Story on the Beach

2010-08-08T22:16:00.000-04:00

"Um, Hey big brother. Whatcha got there?"

"Oh this is my amazing giraffe."

"I would like a giraffe."

"No, step off. This is my giraffe!"

"Maybe if I just pull it right here I can see it a minute."

"You're on thin ice sis."

"Let me see it!"
"No, let go!"

"Haha, success!"
"Goodbye giraffe. I'll miss you."

5 month pictures and updates coming tomorrow!

Ahem... Cavan Has Something to Say...

2010-08-04T21:08:00.000-04:00

From A Mommy's Point of View

2010-08-03T08:00:00.002-04:00

Ok, so originally I was going to say this was a twin Mom's point of view, but then I think any mom can definitely relate. So here goes!

Iced Coffee

Brewing a cup of coffee and by the time you are able to drink it, it's cold! Drop in a couple ice cubes and a straw and voila!

Exercise

I put my son in his bouncer and go to make his bottle, then must run back to him because he has decided his bouncer is NOT where he'd like to be and is scooting himself out of it! Time to buckle him in!

Mopping

My babies are "Happy Spitters" and therefor spit up a lot! Sometimes it gets on the floor and I can't exactly stop feeding them to mop the floor. No worries though this guy has no problem helping! (**Warning, this next picture may gross you out as it usually does me, but hey it works!)

Sanity

Now, not only is it the fact that they are both sleeping, at the same time, but also just look at those little faces. How could you not forget all your troubles, at least for the moment?

Hot Meal

A what?

Sharing

Sometimes you just have to choose your battles. I mean do I really want to take this away from her when she just looks so cute? The twins need to learn to share sometime right?

Ego Boost/Time Delay

Taking the twins out in public! I must plan an extra 15 minutes if I need to get things done since we get stopped several times. I need to make a sign that says: Yes they're twins, no they're not identical, they are boy girl, names are Kaylie and Cavan, 6lbs 6 oz and 5lbs 10oz at birth, almost 5 months old. But then it's always an ego boost because they tell me how adorable they are (duh!) and that I look great! :) I think they have to say it, but I don't mind hearing it!

Haircut

Consists of my children gripping my hair and not letting go. I guess they're giving me a layered look.

What makes it all worth it

Because I Know you Miss These Faces...

2010-08-02T11:29:00.000-04:00

You're welcome!

Notice Anything Different?

2010-07-26T17:16:00.000-04:00

Look up! See my pretty new banner? Scroll down and look at the right... see my new button? A little while back I won a new blog button design from M9Design on a blog giveaway over at Slutier Nation, check out her blog if you've never seen it before, she's great!! This was the first and only blog giveaway I have ever won!

So I worked with Mat, the artist, on coming up with the perfect new button for my blog. I think he nailed it! And because he is so awesome, he also designed a new banner for my blog to match the button! So I just wanted to give him a formal thank you because I absolutely love it! Definitely check out his website at http://mnyen.com/ because he is truly talented and the proof is in the work I got!

Pink Cadillac

2010-07-24T08:50:00.001-04:00

The twins inherited their cousin Ava's Pink Cadillac and LOVE it! So I thought I'd share some of their adventures with you. Enjoy! (Yes I did speed it up a bit, I think it makes it even funnier!)

What A Difference A Year Makes...

2010-07-21T16:04:00.001-04:00

Can you believe it has been a whole year since we saw this:

Ryan and I couldn't have been more happy to see that "Yes" I was pregnant! With everything we had gone through in the months leading up to that moment only to later find out that God had a wonderful plan for us. TWO babies would soon enter our lives! And now we went from looking at a positive stick to this:

It has certainly been a great year for us and I wouldn't change it one bit!

Post It Note Tuesday!

2010-07-20T08:17:00.000-04:00

I thought this might be fun! If you want to join in, click the button above and check out Supahmommy! Then make your own Post its! Here goes mine!

Rollie Pollie

2010-07-19T22:20:00.000-04:00

So I just have to share that Cavan was rolling back and forth today. He would roll from his back to his tummy and then back to his back. It was so funny to watch him. Then he must have worn himself out because he rolled himself on his tummy and fell asleep. It was too cute I hated having to move him to his back, but he stayed asleep so it wasn't bad.

And on another light note... tomorrow, July 20th... Is my BIRTHDAY! Yes I will be the big 2-8 at midnight!

Oh Hai 3AM, I have NOT Missed You...

2010-07-14T11:22:00.000-04:00

Can somebody please inform my daughter that once you start sleeping through the night it is not nice to go back to NOT sleeping through the night. WTH? This is true, for the past 2 nights now Kaylie has been waking up in the middle of the night. I try to put the paci back in her mouth, change her diaper, let her fuss for a few all to no avail. She just wants to eat! I thought once you started them on cereal they became LESS hungry. Apparently Kaylie has heard otherwise.

Cavan is making it through the night still, but has very restless sleep. I don't know, maybe I'll lay off the rice cereal tonight and see if it makes a difference. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go unpack the bags under my eyes.

Mmm, Rice Cereal...

2010-07-12T21:13:00.001-04:00

Yup, the twins have started eating rice cereal! The first night trying it was interesting. They were crying for their bottles and I thought I'd try to give them a little cereal. They quickly let me know that they had specifically asked for their bottle and not the other junk I was trying to give.

So I gave them their bottles and then gave them the cereal. This seemed to please them a little better. They're really doing well with it now. Like I really had any doubts that my little pork chops would have trouble with food, haha. So now they get their one tablespoon serving of rice cereal on a daily basis. It's a good thing they like their Jumperoo or I may have two 30 lbs babies by the time they are 6 months with the way they love food!

4 Months!

2010-07-07T14:28:00.000-04:00

**Blink** 4 months have gone by! That's exactly what it feels like. I know everybody says to cherish these days because they fly by. Well, guess what... they're right!

The twins never cease to amaze me these days. Learning new things everyday. Whether is be Kaylie learning to click her tongue, or Cavan chewing on a teething ring! It's these little moments that fill me with the most joy. Why? Well everything else seems so planned out, when they fit into clothes sizes, when they begin rice cereal (which they will begin this month), when they change diaper sizes, etc. But these moments, the little things they learn on their own, or with a little help from they're surroundings... that's amazing. Their little brains are processing so much now and everything they do is still so innocent and that is the greatest thing I have learned in the past 4 months.

Kaylie is definitely going to be a little chatty girl, that's for sure. She will sit there and have a whole conversation with anyone. Granted you may not understand exactly what she says, you can't help but talk along. She will then give you the biggest smile just to melt your heart. A girly girl for sure, wearing pretty bows and girly clothes everyday. Just watch out for her burps!

Cavan has the sweetest personality. A Momma's boy to the core, he LOVES to snuggle. He'll make a sad little face with his bottom lip pushed out and as soon as you acknowledge it he drops his chin and gives you one of the sweetest little smiles. He is very soft spoken when he speaks, I'm sure his sister will influence that more as the days go by.

I look forward to many more of the little moments that will continue to make me the proudest mommy.

Singing and Talking... It's What We Do!

2010-07-06T20:41:00.000-04:00

So what have we been up to lately? Oh just a little singing from Kaylie and a little talking from Cavan. Kaylie's favorite song is "If all the raindrops are lemon drops and gum drops". Watch!

And what has Cavan been chatting about lately? Oh, well if you listen closely, mainly at the end, you can hear him saw Mama... I swear! Ok you be the judge.

I'm Back!

2010-07-05T21:34:00.000-04:00

I'm back from my little Blackout! Visit my 101 in 1001 page to see how it went, or click here!

So I know I said I was going to go a week without cell phone, internet, or TV, but I quickly realized that going without my cell phone with two babies was just not going to happen. So I nixed that part out of the plan, but I did follow through with the other two!

So how was everyone's week?

It's been a While

2010-06-25T17:42:00.001-04:00

I know, it's been a while. I'm sorry I've been an awful blogger and next week is my blackout week so I won't be posting at all either! Well to give a quick update, the twins are really coming into their personalities. They are little chatter boxes! They talk so much now! They are starting to sit up on there own now!

Also, we have recently introduced them to the jumparoo. It is hilarious to watch! Take a look!

We had a couple of our friends come out to visit us from Wisconsin this week and they brought cute little finger puppets and the cutest little blocks that the twins LOVE to play with. See...

So this will probably be my last post before my blackout so I will post again after the 4th (my anniversary by the way!). Hope you all have a great week and a Happy 4th! I'll leave you with a few more pictures to keep you occupied! OH and check out the twins first ocean experience on my 101 page!

Winner Winner!

2010-06-18T09:00:00.009-04:00

The winner of the It's Sew You Coffee Sleeve Giveaway is... Drum Roll Please.....

Kara from Keeping up with Kate

Congratulations Kara!! Just email me your info at Lilbumpkinblog (at) gmail (dot) com and I will send you your coffee sleeve!

Thank you all for participating in my very first giveaway! I know I had fun with it!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes...

2010-06-16T11:39:00.000-04:00

Ok, first off, if you haven't entered my giveaway yet, click here and enter now! Who doesn't love free stuff??

I can't believe how big the twins are getting! So much has changed even in the last couple of weeks! Well first off, they are officially in size 6 month pajamas! Yes 6 months! And even those are starting to get a little snug. Not so much width wise, but the length is a bit tight. All of their regular clothes though are still 3-6 months. Do pajamas typically run a bit smaller?

Next on the list of ch-ch-changes, both the twins have officially rolled over for the first time! Kaylie did it about a month ago when she got so fed up with tummy time and just rolled herself onto her back. Cavan just did it yesterday. I was changing his diaper on the couch and he kept rolling onto his side. So finally once I had the diaper on him I just let him do his thing and within minutes he flipped himself right over.

They're also both trying so hard to sit up on their own. They no longer like to be held in a laying down position. Every time we do they go into ab crunching mode and try to sit themselves up and fuss until we sit them up. They sit great in their little Bumbos and when we sit them up on the couch with the back behind them. I'm thinking it won't be all that long before they are sitting up by themselves!

Next, the twins have officially turned on the spicket in their mouths. Constant drool keeps flowing! I've heard that this is only to become worse as their teeth start coming in. Good thing we have about 500 bibs to keep them dry!

Lastly, they talk...and talk, and talk, and talk! Lots of cooing going on in this house! I swear a couple of times actual words have come out. True story! Ok, maybe they weren't intentional words, but they sure sounded like it to me!

I'm absolutely LOVING all these milestones, but will say it's kind of sad to see them growing up so fast! I guess all I can do is absorb every milestone and just keep encouraging them through life. After all, that's one of the best parts of being a mom!

My Very First Giveaway - It's Sew You!

2010-06-14T07:00:00.014-04:00

Are you excited as me? My very first giveaway! As a thank you to all my lovely readers for all your constant support I am giving away this adorable and economically friendly coffee sleeve made by my friend Kirsten at It's Sew You!

Isn't that so cute? Well if you're like me, a big coffee drinker, and have Dunkin Donuts put a hot cup around your iced coffee or use the cardboard sleeve at Starbucks, then this is perfect for you! Not only does it keep the sweat from iced coffee off your hands, but it also keeps the hot coffee cups from burning you. All while providing a more earth friendly option! It's reusable and since I've bought mine, I have used it literally every day!

So here's how you enter:

Mandatory Entry: Visit It's Sew You by Kirsten on Etsy and browse all the goodies she has to offer (including the cutest baby onesies), then come back and leave a comment on what your favorite item is! (1 entry)

Follow my blog (1 entry)

Follow me on Twitter

Become a Fan of It's Sew You on Facebook (1 Entry)

Follow It's Sew You on Twitter (1 Entry)

Tweet about this giveaway and leave me your twitter name (3 entries)

Extra-Extra Entry:

Purchase an item from It's Sew You (10 entries) **Leave your name and what you purchased**

Leave a comment for each entry you do. The contest will run until Thursday June 17th. I will use Random.org to pick the winner and will announce the winner on Friday! Good Luck to all and as always thank you for reading!

No Babies for 5 Years...

2010-06-10T11:10:00.000-04:00

Yes you heard right. We are content with two babies at this point in our lives. So unless I have a slight lapse in sanity, no babies for at least the next 5 years. I went last Friday and got Mirena put in. The procedure itself took about 5 minutes and really wasn't all that painful. I mean there were a couple points where it didn't feel great, like when they measured my uterus... the inside of it...yeah not fun.

One thing that was a little strange, they sprayed a numbing spray and it oddly enough smelled like cherries. Why? I'm not quite sure, but ok. Then they inserted the IUD and that stung a bit, but was literally like 10 seconds worth of pain. Then they cut the strings and I was on my way.

I really was expecting a lot more pain for some reason. I thought I'd be keeled over in bed with a heating pad and box of midol, but I only really had a slight back ache for a couple hours then nothing.

So far so good other than a little breakout on my chin. Although I would like to say, if Mirena insists on giving me back my skin from my teenage years, could it at least bring me back to that weight as well? Would be a nice trade in my opinion.

Attempting a Major Challenge...

2010-06-08T20:33:00.001-04:00

Update: I am going to start this challenge June 28-July 4th. Ending on my Anniversary, how sweet, lol. Email me if you want to be a guest blogger. If you've already contacted me about it, just send me you post anytime before June 28th! The topic is "One thing I can't live without"!

I am going to go without a cell phone, internet, and television for one whole week! Am I insane? Technology is a way of life! This will be like losing my right hand! Well they are all things on my 101 in 1001 list so I thought I might as well group them all together and get it over with.

What do I hope to gain from the experience? Well to be honest, I'm not sure. Some more quality time with my family? Of course. A more active lifestyle? Maybe. Or maybe just less dependence on technology. Whatever it will be, this will certainly be a challenge.

I am currently looking for some guest bloggers to keep my readers entertained while I'm on my technology vacation. If you're interested leave me a comment or email me at Lilbumpkinblog at gmail dot com.

I'm looking to do this either the last week in June or the first week in July. I need some mental preparation for this!

What I Used my $100 Mother's Day Check On

2010-06-08T09:32:00.000-04:00

I mentioned that my mom gave me $100 to spend on me for Mother's Day. So what did I spend it on? Stuff for me of course! Here is what I bought:

Aren't these so cute? Very "Green" too. They are coffee sleeves from It's Sew You on Etsy. I have literally used them every day since I got them. They're good for hot coffee to keep from burning your hands, or iced coffee to keep your hands dry when you iced coffee sweat!

Then I needed some summer clothes because I still have a pesky 5 Lbs that won't go away. I opted for a few summer dresses from Target:

Also from Target, because of those pesky 5Lbs, some suck-me-in underwear! Yes I admit it, I wear them. I refuse to buy all new pants over 5 Lbs that I know I can lose if I work at it. So my solution, $10 for 2 granny panties!

It was nice to spend some guilt free money on myself and I think every Mom deserves a little treat now and then. Go on, you're worth it!

3 Months!

2010-06-07T19:56:00.001-04:00

Updated with pictures!!

The twins are 3 Months old today!!! I can't believe how fast these last three months have gone by. It is absolutely amazing watching them grow. They are so responsive now. Always laughing and smiling when we talk to them and sometimes when they're just sitting in the bouncers, haha. They are holding their heads up so well now and even trying to sit themselves up! They're also working on rolling over. Kaylie did it once from her stomach to her back. They are also getting very close to consistently sleeping through the night. Mostly when we're at the beach they will sleep from 9 or 9:30 to 5! Then they'll eat and go back to sleep for another 3 hours. At home it's more like sleep at 9:30 or 10 and up at about 4 for Cav and 5 or 5:30 for Kaylie.

Here is what I have learned about parenting in the last three months:

Don't always rely on the books to tell you what is "normal" for a child.
It is possible to take twins out in public by yourself.
A baby's smile, coo, and laugh can melt your heart and brighten any day.
Schedules are becoming a bit more realistic.
If your baby wants more food, they WILL tell you.
When traveling with twins, bring extra people!
Sometimes you will need to give your child a bath after they explode out of their diaper.
Sleeping more at night = more awake time during the day = finding things to entertain them
Bibs are key if you have a spitter.
Babies LOVE the beach! It's soothing for them and your sanity!

So how did we celebrate the twins turning 3 months today? We took them to the zoo!

It was so much fun, more so for me and Ry, but I think the twins had a good time too.

We've decided that Cavan has the same expression as a Lemur, haha (well not in this picture).

We want to take the to Roger Williams Zoo hopefully in the next couple of weeks so the twins can see even more animals!