Wednesday, March 30, 2011

I Will Never....

I have found some "Friends" in the world wide world of blogging.  One of them is Julia.  Her blog is called "Pontifications of a Twin Mom".  She writes the most entertaining and beautiful blog posts about her life as a "Twin Mom" and about teaching our girls about real beauty.   

In a recent blog entry she wrote about one thing she said she would never do with her twin girls.  She said she would never dress them alike but after comments about her "cute boys" she caved and bought matching dresses for her beautiful girls.  This got me thinking about all of the things I said I would never do with Ben and Emma.

Before they were born I said I would never:

*prop their bottles while they drank them.  
This one I truly regret.  I miss holding my little babes and watching their perfectly formed mouths turn into an "O" of sucking pleasure.  They still drink out of bottles but they certainly don't need my help!


*let them watch TV until they were at least 3.  
This one I hardly regret.  I truly enjoy watching Sesame Street with Ben and Emma and watching their delight when Elmo, Big Bird or Cookie Monster come on the screen.  Emma instantly yells "MO!"  when she sees Elmo and wiggles in pleasure~a delight to any Mama!  

*let them eat sugar.  
This one I've done well with but will cave every once in a while.  Ben and Emma don't know what candy is but they know what ice cream is!  They have had one or two pieces of candy but could care less~thank goodness!  I figure that while I can control fully what they eat, I will!!

*put them in the back of a shopping cart.  
This one I did just today.  We needed diapers and milk and so we ventured out to Target.  Now I usually con't go to Target but they are closer than Walmart and I wanted to make it a quick trip.  I didn't realize until we were there that I didn't have the stroller in the trunk so in the cart they went.  What a disaster!  Ben almost fell out because he wouldn't sit (big surprise!) and Emma screamed because Ben was standing too close.  I was so happy to find Sesame Street books in the dollar section and thought they would keep them happy but both of them had the books torn to pieces before we could even buy them!  This cave was a mistake and I don't think I will repeat it!

Anyway, I know I will cave many more times but that's OK!

Oh, and Julia, thanks for the laughs and the tears!

Friday, March 18, 2011

The Time Ben Slayed the Dragon and Saved the Princess!

Ben and Emma have always had a love/hate relationship with the vacuum.  There have been days and days where I just could not vacuum because I was afraid of traumatizing my children!  Then there are the days where I could hardly vacuum for fear of sucking up their little toes because they couldn't resist running up to the vacuum, yelling at it and running away. 

Then one day, I witnessed Ben conquering the mighty dragon!
First, he knocked it over and then tackled it!


Securing it, he let it know who was boss around here!


Then the Princess was brave and conquered her fears...


Even without brother to protect her!


Since this day, they barely notice when I vacuum, 
except to roar back at it a bit!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

16 Months

**OK.  I'm lame.  I wrote this yesterday on their 16 month Birthday but forgot to press publish!

Today, at 1:04 and 1:05 pm, Ben and Emma 
will be 16 months old!
When did these sweet little babies get replaced 
by these wildly sweet (gulp!) TODDLERS???

March 2010, 4 months old

The infamous "only sister can make things better" 
hand holding session!
They may be older but they still love 
their first baby rattles!

March 16th 2011, 16 months old

Ben will point to his nose when you ask him too....
but sometimes this happens too, because he's all boy!!
They love to feed themselves and 
make a huge mess every time!



They love to give high fives!


Emma still carries at least three toys at a time all all times!
One in each hand and one in her mouth!
They like to catch up on Facebook!


Ben loves books!  Unfortunately, he likes to eat them, too!
b
They love to play peek-a-boo with towels,

boxes and anything else they can find!

They sit in tubs...

and then takes turns standing on them!



Ben has learned to earn his keep!

And they continue to charm us with these grins!



Priceless!



At 16 months Ben is one wild and crazy dude!  He still gets into everything and is so busy being naughty, he hardly has time to play with his toys!  He would rather play with the vacuum, the garbage, the toilet, the computer and anything else that he knows he is not supposed to touch.  Lately he has started to lick the bottoms of shoes which grosses his Mama out!  I have now found a new place for all of our shoes!  


Ben zooms around on his Mickey Mouse car or Emma's Minnie Mouse car.  He usually prefers to play with Emma's toys since it annoys her so much!  He loves his Chuck Truck and will bring it to me when I ask him to.  He pushes it around making his own version of truck sounds-so cute!!


Ben loves to go outside and play in the dirt!  He also likes to eat dirt!  Now that it's getting a little warm, we walk to the little neighborhood park to swing.  Last fall, Ben loved to swing but now it scares him so we are going to have to break him in slowly again!  


Ben is as sweet as ever!  He has become more affectionate lately giving lots of slobbery open mouthed kisses and sweet hugs.  When I am sitting on the floor with them he will back up slowly to land on my lap.  In my head I can hear the "beep, beep, beep" of a truck backing up!  Makes me laugh!


He is a champion sleeper!  He falls asleep very quickly and sleeps soundly at night for 11-12 hours and takes a 2 hour nap in the afternoon.  All of the mischief and mayhem he causes during the day wears my little man out!


Emma is becoming our little drama queen!  When Ben does something to annoy her, which is often, she will stomp away, shaking her head and mumbling to herself in her own little language!  She is Ben's sidekick when it comes to getting into things.  She will be fully engaged in the mischief until they are caught and then she will look at me like she is saying, 
"Mama, look at what brother is doing again!  


She still loves to dance and gets so excited when she hears the Sesame Street theme song.  She asks for "Mo" (Elmo) and gets so excited to see him on TV.  Thank goodness both Ben and Emma are too busy to watch much TV.  It's all about Elmo, Big Bird and Cookie Monster.  If they are not on the screen, Ben and Emma are  not interested!  


Emma has started mimicking more words and sounds.  I love to hear her little voice! She loves the Little People figurines and will ask me throughout the day to open the box we keep them in to make sure she has all of them out to play with!  She loves her Minnie Mouse car and her legs are finally long enough to push herself around!  She likes to throw balls and like Ben, has a pretty good arm!


Emma likes to tease Mama by standing just out of my arms reach when I need to change her diaper.  She thinks this is soooo funny!  Emma is my little girlfriend!  I love her hugs and kisses, even when she has a runny nose (like now!).  Ben and Emma continue to amaze Patrice and I with just how special they are.  We love them more every day-every kiss, every hug, every little moment is a moment to cherish!  


I am a lucky Mama!!

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

TINEWTF Tuesday

Today, I never ever want to forget 
a Papa waltzing with  his little girl....



and how much they both enjoyed it!


I never ever want to forget how much this Papa is adored by his children and how each gives their own kinds of hugs!  

Emma prefers the shoulder....


\while Ben prefers to drape his body across yours!

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Flashback Friday~ 1st Birthday Party!

We held Ben and Emma's 1st Birthday Party on 
Saturday, Nov. 13, 2010, 
3 days before their actual birthday.  
We planned a fun Sesame Street themed party!

The invitation~


You are invited to

Ben & Emma’s
1st Birthday Party!

Nov. 13th at 2:30
at
Grandpa & Grandma Peck’s home

This special sunny day
is brought to you by the letters
B & E and by the number 1!

We played games ~ Pin the Cookie on Cookie Monster, 
Musical Elmo & Oscar the Grouch Garbage Toss.


 Emma did a little walking practice!



We got lots of lovin' from 
Aunts, Uncles & cousins!





We blew out a birthday candle after our family sang 
the Happy Birthday song to us (kind of off key, as usual!)...



and then we ate our very first cake!
 We were a little hesitant at first 
but then we went for it!!




We like cake!!





 We opened lots of fun new toys!  
Thank you for the presents!








 We had so much fun that we crashed!!!



We love being (almost!) one year old!!