I Voted!
Tonight after dinner we took the boys with us to go vote. They charmed all the poll workers and ran around the church like crazy. (It was pretty empty, sadly another low turnout.) The boys had a great time at their first voting adventure.
We didn’t take a camera with us, so we tried to take a few pictures of their “I voted” stickers when we got home. As you can see they were not so happily cooperating.
Fun with video
The boys love to vacuum. Here’s a little clip of the fun:
Vacuuming from Stephanie Adams on Vimeo.
Yes that is Noah playing in front of the vacuum and screeching with delight, so hard to believe just a couple of months ago he was terrified of the vacuum.
Daddy wrestles with the boys before bed to get them good and worn out and, of course, they love it.
Bedtime Fun from Stephanie Adams on Vimeo.
Rainy Monday Morning
If there is one thing worse than a rainy Sunday, its a rainy Monday. Mondays are the hardest day of the week for me, simply because I am spoiled over the weekend with all the extra help. This morning it was rainy and wet outside, so we stayed inside, because we live in Arizona and we don’t know what do to in the rain and we don’t own any rain gear. The boys decided they would work in the kitchen this morning and this is what it looked like just before nap:
Sorry it’s blurry I didn’t realize Matt had used a setting on the camera that I am clearly not ready to use. I could not walk in the kitchen with out tripping over something, toddlers, toys, pots, bowls, tupperware. The floor is now clear and the sun is starting to break through the clouds, we might just get to play outside this afternoon.
Rainy Sunday
This afternoon was rainy and the boys woke up from nap cranky. We needed something different to entertain them. We decided to set up their giraffe tent. We all had a great time and a lot of laughs. The best part, we ended up with two exhausted, happy boys at bed-time.
Helping daddy set it up
Playing in the tent
Crawling through the tent
Checking out the net sides
Carter "killed" the giraffe
Ezra realized he could crawl in the neck when the giraffe was down
First Flag Football Game
Today the boys had their first flag football game. Our church was having a game for moms and sons and Matt was volunteering and well I am a mom with sons, so we went and had fun. We went out for pizza afterward, which the boys loved.
Noah eating some graham crackers on the side line
Ez was confined because he is a runner and really liked the looks of the lake
Clapping for his team
Noah and his daddy
Photo Saturday – 03.06.2010
Ready for some hockey
Noah was a little confused on the proper use of a hockey glove
Playing with Grandpa
Looking all grown despite the cheerio on his face
Trying to escape through the window this time
Dog toys are great for teething babies
Grandma is here!
Noah picked the ball up with his feet, brought it up, then back down
So happy
Sharing with Taffi
Just Ez
Banging some wiffle balls together
His man bag
New bike helmets!
Great for running
Ez needs a little adjusting on his
Story Time
I took the boys to their first story time at the library today. It was a wild, fun-filled adventure. Upon arrival Noah began screaming (I guess he assumed I was ditching him there), once he realized I was staying he became wild. He found the door and kept taking off. Then Ezra realized what we were doing (running around) and got in on the act. It was finally time for story time and the door to the room was closed, thank goodness! At this time my lovely children discover there are cabinets in the room, fun. So I blocked them off with the stroller, Noah voiced his opinion on the act, at which point I was informed I was free to come and go as I please. Yea I was embarrassed, but I didn’t think they were being all that bad for 15 month old boys. It was a story time for 0-2 year olds after all, so I thought there would be other children who were a little rambunctious. All the other children seemed to be in the under 1 crowd or the over 2 crowd. Oh well, we still had fun and Ezra loved when they did “if your happy and you know it” between stories. I also know that someday very soon they will sit and listen to stories, for now I am happy to chase after them. :)
*During actual story time they continually checked the acoustics of the room by banging on every surface possible.
You don’t look worn out!
Apparently it is shocking to strangers that I don’t look absolutely exhausted. Yes caring for toddler twins can be tiring work and I am worn out each and every day and I sleep good at night, but I am not some bedraggled mom who can hardly make it through the day. While there are days I do look exhausted, and I hardly make it until Matt comes home, I am glad to say those days are few. This got me thinking that maybe I should share what I am doing and why it works for me and my guys.
This is my view on parenting infants/toddlers and in no way do I think your particular style of parenting is wrong (well unless you are abusive or neglectful). This is what works for us and I believe all parents should do what works best for their family. I don’t have it all figured out, just what works for us right now.
1. First win the luck of the draw and marry a great man like my husband. He gets up with the boys for any midnight feedings. (yes they are still happening, hoping they end by 18 months) I do occasionally have to get up at night when someone is sick or inconsolable, sometimes mommy love is best, but for the most part I get to stay in bed at night. My husband offered to do this, because he is awesome and he understands the fact that he can get by on less sleep than I can, it’s just the way our bodies work.
2. I take care of myself. I exercise and I attempt to eat right. I jog 3-4 times a week, do yoga 3-5 times a week, and ride the exercise bike 1-2 times a week. I know that might seem like a lot to some but it’s not as bad as it looks, running is with the boys in the stroller from warm up to cool down it is 40 minutes and we even take a trip to the Post Office during the run, yoga I do very basic programs that last 25 minutes during nap, exercise bike I get up early 2 days a week and ride for 15 minutes. For eating I try to eat lots of fruit and veggies, some lean proteins and whole grains. I am not too perfect in the eating though, I have a soft spot for chocolate.
3. I don’t schedule a lot of activities for the boys. We do one thing a week (sometimes none) and one grocery store/bank run. Dragging two toddlers to something and then chasing them around is what really wears a momma out and makes her cranky. I think I am a better mom if I am not cranky. I understand there are a lot of wonderful, enriching activities for toddlers, but I believe that what they really need is quality time with their parents. We spend our days playing, gardening, and doing chores together (by doing chores I mean things like me hanging laundry on the line while they eat dirt in the back yard).
4. I have found a cleaning/house work schedule that works for me. I do 1-2 loads of laundry every day, and I do 1 cleaning project a day. I clean the bathrooms one day, dust another, etc. The most on any day I spend cleaning is 1 hours. My house is not perfect this way, but it is clean enough.
5. If I am having one of those exhausting days I allow myself to do nothing during nap-time. It is best to understand those days happen and you just need to take a little break.
Photo Friday – 02.26.2010
Bucket heads
Who's under that bucket?
Hanging out underneath the grill
Tending to the carrots
Prepping the garden beds
Sleeping, one leg escaped
I showed Ez how to use a step stool to reach stuff in the kitchen
Playing his xylophone
Think he is trying to tell me something? "mom let's go OUTSIDE!"
Big Ez in a little box
Looking at pics of mom and dad
It was seriously captivating
Nothing but the safest play area for our little ones
Air guitar?
Playing the piano with the cat
I think I will just lie down
Totrags Full Coverage Bibs
Remember back in January when the boys were in that messy child contest and you all voted so wonderfully for my guys? Well Noah won and we are now sporting two wonderful Totrags full coverage bibs. Christine was even so thoughtful in making them in the boys’ colors.
We took them for a spin today and so far our clothes are clean, well clean from food, dirt and mud not so much.
Picture Proof
After the way today ended I am so glad I snapped a few photos this morning. It enabled me to remember that we did have some fun today, that it wasn’t all cranky babies and drool (teething really stinks, Noah is getting four at once and Ezra is getting two more and he just hates teething.) We had a great morning playing and I will choose to remember that part of today.