The Face Toucher

Those of you that know me well know that my sister and I were raised by a Mama that likes for things to be clean. Therefore, we grew up to be people that do not enjoy a public restroom, restaurant, doctor's office.. well.. a public place period, really. There are just so many germs. With that being said, I am not a germaphobe. I just try to take the necessary precautions with myself and my children to keep us all from coming into contact with a scary amount of public place germs. That includes the hands of a strange person I do not know in Walmart. My family laughs at me because I still have the little stop sign on the stroller that we got when the babies were still doing Synagis shots last winter. It says, "Please wash your hands before touching mine." I know people think I am psycho. And guess what? I don't care. You wouldn't believe the number of people that approach you in a grocery store or at the mall when you are strolling twins! For some reason, people feel the need to TOUCH. Today, Sydney Frances and I had a little girl time at the local Walmart. You all know how I feel about Walmart already, so I won't even go there. We had been having a pleasant time and had made it all the way to the checkout counter without incident. In fact, Fran hadn't made a peep. I chatted with her the whole time, but she just stared at me and smiled every once in a while. So, I am standing in line, minding my own business when I notice someone basically about to put her head on my shoulder to get a look at SF. I jumped back in surprise at the random stranger getting ready to head prop. Then she said, "I don't mean to be rude, but she is SOOOOOO cute!" Of course, I thought to myself, "How is that rude?" but I just said, "Thank you!" I smiled and pushed forward just a little. I think I must have been feeling a little mother's intuition or something. Surprise, surprise... head propper moves up with me and proceeds to bend toward SF telling her how adorable and cute she is. Of course, I agree with her whole-heartedly, but I don't need her in our faces to have her get that fact across. And then, horror of all horrors, I see her hand go out. Imagine it... it was in slow-mo... and before I could shove the cart forward again, her public, God only knows where it has been finger touches SF's nose and then slides down her cheek. At this point, I just had to step between them. I couldn't help it. I wasn't rude. At least not compared to what I could have been, but I definitely sent the get your hands off my child vibe right on over to her. I just don't understand. I would never think it is OK to just touch someone else's child's face in the middle of Walmart. My only consolation is that Sydney Frances currently has a cold herself, so maybe the face toucher is learning a little nose-running lesson from all of her shenanigans at "the Walmart" today!!!

P.S. On a much more pleasant note, I am gonna be an aunt sooner rather than later!!! I will keep you posted!! Can't wait to meet baby Kate!!!!!

I feel that I would disappoint if I didn't post any photos, so I just found some completely random, totally not related to the post photos to share.

SF enjoys trying to use the dipaer box to climb into the chair.


Rush is very sad about something. Quite obviously this was before his haircut and more proof that he did need one. (Confession: I miss the long hair.)Phil says he already needs another one.

Dear Aunt Ivy

Dear Aunt Ivy,
My Dad-dee has taught me to say aardvark just for you. Yes, seriously. I will perform next time I see you. I am currently in training to learn to say Kate. I will also attempt to blow you a kiss when I see you next time. Rush said to tell you that he said apple tonight for the first time. He also said to tell you what sound a dog makes because he learned that, too. See you soon!

Love from your favorite niece,
Fran

Our First Haircut!!!

Well, I finally bit the bullet and took the babies to my hairstylist for their very first haircut today. I really struggled with this decision because it is no secret that I LOVED Rush's curls. So, I must admit that I wouldn't let Deborah completely cut them off today. His haircut helped to shape things up and get the curls somewhat under control. I think he looks very handsome with his new haircut. Sydney Frances really just needed a little trim, so she got her bangs cut and got the "scragglies" cut off the back. She is absolutely precious with her new do. :-)

Deborah has cut (and now colors) my hair for MANY years. She is really the only person that I clearly remember styling my hair. So, she knows all about the events of my life because most of us women sit in that chair and talk about everything in our lives. I have always said that you better hope your hairstylist isn't a gossip because she hears it all! So, since she has celebrated the joy the babies have brought to our lives, it was important to me that she be the person to give them their very first haircut. And she was thrilled to be the one to do it!! She was fully prepared with M and M's and two bowls full of toys. Sydney Frances was a HUGE fan of the M and M's. They have never had any kind of candy before, so in the pictures you will notice that she has chocolate drool just about to drip out of her mouth. That would be because she FRANtically stuffed her mouth full of about four M and M's! She LOVED them. Rush wasn't interested in trying one even when Papa tried to give him one. Oh yes, speaking of Papa... he along with Gigi and Aunt Julia joined us! I was so glad that they did! These babies have so many people that love them and well, OK, SPOIL them!!

How about some pictures??

Sassy

Hi, this is Frantastic, here. Whenever my Mama makes me sit in the Pack and Play so she can bathe my brother, I don't really like it too much. In fact, I hate it. So tonight, I cried and screamed at the top of my lungs and then I got really quiet. Guess what I was doing? Being sassy that's what. See, I just take every single toy out of the Pack and Play and fling it into the floor. That way I don't have a thing to play with. That'll show that Mama of mine not to leave me sitting in here.


So then, I just watch America's Funniest Home Videos.


Then, when Shish gets done with his bath, he will come in and give me back some toys.


Sassy.

Seventeen Months

I know I say this every time, but HOW is it possible that our babies are seventeen months old???? Where has the time gone? It really does seem to be flying by these days. I have been wanting to do a "what they can do now" post for a while because they change so much. So, I know Granddaddy has been checking in on us, so he deserves a new post!! (Hey Granddaddy!!) I will understand if the rest of you don't want to read the little details about my kids. I want to remember them, though, and their grandparents read every word. ;-)

I will start with my oldest this time... Rush. OK. So he's only a minute older but still...
* Rush is walking and running all over the place. He loves to run and have us chase him. He will laugh so hard!
* He loves to be tickled. He starts laughing and almost loses his breath when he is just anticipating it. It makes me laugh.
* He eats like a machine. Just a few months ago, he wouldn't pick anything up and we were talking physical/occupational therapy with the pediatrician if he didn't start using his fingers to pick up things. Now he is an expert with using his fingers to pick things up, and he uses them to frantically put food in his mouth.
* His current favorite foods are sweet potatoes (prepared by Gigi), hot dogs, shrimp, sweet potato fries, green beans, bananas, and peaches.
* He is very kind-hearted. Just the other day when Sydney Frances fell and hit her head on the tile floor, he went and got her two stuffed lambs and brought them to her as she lay crying in my lap. Then, he bent his head over and laid his head on top of hers. (So sweet!)
* His favorite toys are his bat, ball, blocks, and guitars. Yes, he is his father's child.
* He has just recently (like in the last two days) really started to say many more words. He was just basically saying "Mama" and "ball", but now he has added "Da Da", "gone", "duck, "quack", "baby" and "bat". He will also throw a "Papa" in there when he thinks no one is listening. We have been amazed at how quickly he is acquiring language. I have to admit I was a little worried about his speech in the past couple of weeks. Of course, as usual, he has proven to me that he will do everything in his own time. I think I had better get used to that with him. He has a little mind of his own.
*He loves Sydney Frances.
* He needs a haircut and is getting one next Wednesday. I plan to make my peace with it by next Wednesday. Of course, there will be pictures.
* He loves to play outside and in the sandbox at daycare.
* He loves all things related to music. He will dance, play his guitar, sway his head to the radio, play the piano at Mama's, and he stands by Phil's Guitar Hero guitar and jumps up and down like a rock star.
* He makes us laugh every day.
*He does not like to have his teeth brushed.


Now for Sydney Frances...
* She has really been showing us her personality lately. She loves to snuggle and rock, but she also likes to be independent and do things by herself.
* She LOVES and I mean LOVES books!!! She is always willing to sit and listen to a book. If you are sitting in the floor, she will walk up and back herself into your lap and hand you a book. She will also "read" the book to you which is my favorite. She has the cutest little jibberish. It can be very animated and full of expression. It makes us smile to listen to her.
* She is a little on the clumsy side. We may need to invest in some dance lessons in the next few years to increase that coordination.
* Her current favorite foods are hot dogs, popcorn shrimp, sweet potatoes, and sweet potatoes, along with a few more sweet potatoes. If she doesn't want something that you put on her tray, she will shake her head and very sweetly say, "Eh- noo." At least she says it sweetly.
* She loves Rush. She hugs him and pets his hair. They chase each other and wrestle on the floor.
* She does not mind having her teeth brushed. I think she has really pretty white teeth. They match perfectly with her huge smile.
* She is talking up a storm. She can say, "Mama", "DaDee", "Papa", "Gigi", "up", "sock", "shoe", "cup", "no", "eh-nooo", "I love you too" (only we can decipher this one), "duck", "baby", "apple", "ball", "bat", "Shish" (which we think is Rush), "thank you", "brown bear", "aardvark", and lots of others that I can't think of right now. I will add to this list when others come to me. It is late. By the way, just kidding about "aardvark". That one was especially for Aunt Ivy. :-)
* Her favorite toys are books, stuffed animals (see picture below), and anything that Rush has.
* She is getting her "bangs" trimmed next Wednesday.
* She is learning to share and say thank you when she is handed something that she wants.
* She is very loving and craves attention and for someone to talk and play with her. She was meant to be a twin, I believe, because she needs the constant playmate that Rush will always be for her. I love that she needs me and wants me to help her, but I also see an independent person that likes to do new things on her own, too.
* She is currently in training to learn to blow kisses.


Loving their sippy cups!


Rush driving the coupe


Remember the favorite toy part from above? She gathers all of them up into a HUGE pile in her arms and then puts them all around her like a nest on the couch.

Don't stand so close to me

This is the new hairstyle SF gave Rush when he walked by her high chair while she finished her banana and cinnamon toast for breakfast today.

Changes

It is so difficult to believe that we have started a new year!! 2010! It seems that 2009 slipped by so quickly. I think I will always remember 2009 as being a year of many changes. Lots of stuff changed in 2009. Of course, the things I noticed changing the most were these babies. I have been simply amazed as I have watched them grow and change over the last year. They have gone from babies that rode around in carriers just grinning and rolling around to toddlers that are walking and beginning to talk. AMAZING!!!

Tomorrow.. my students come back to school, and life goes back to "normal". I have enjoyed the two weeks off. We accomplished a lot. The biggest achievement was that my children are no longer bottle drinkers. What, you ask? Bottles? Aren't those babies 16 months old? Yes, my friends, they are. Frantastic had named her bottle "Ba-ool", so it was TIME!! It turns out it was really more me than anything. I was afraid it would throw them off. They might have refused to go to bed or something. Have I ever mentioned that I love me some bedtime? Is that bad to say? Well, do you see me not caring? Don't care... LOVE BEDTIME! Ask any mother of twins... or just any mother, for that matter, if they don't love bedtime. They are lying if they say they don't. Anyway, since she had named and could refer to Ba-ool as he sat on the counter, it was time. So one night, we just told her she was going to drink out of cup before bed. She said "Eh-nooo." But, we said "eh-yesss". So, she did. And it was that easy. So, like I said, it was me, not them. Now, can I also say that I was a little sad? It is just one more thing that is sending my babies into toddlerhood. Of course, there was no big send-off for Ba-ool or anything. That is probably for the best. I don't deal well with "this is the last time we will ever do this." So, it is better that Ba-ool just hung out on the counter until I cleaned up my house, and then I just put him in the pantry. It was that easy. P.S. Rush was totally mature about moving to his sippy cup. He could not have cared less. When I said, "Here is your cup of milk,"... he said, "OK. Whatev...". He's really cool like that.


So, farewell, Ba-ool. We're moving on.



The babies also helped Aunt Ivy open presents at her baby shower. Aunt Ivy is a good sport, too, because we all know how easy it is to open presents while seven and half months pregnant holding a sixteen month old. She loves her Fran and Rush. Apparently, Cousin Kate is going to have to figure out someone else that will be willing to hold her when she arrives because Fran is constantly in Aunt Ivy's lap with a book. She just backs up and sits down.



P.S. Rush fell asleep every day before he could finish lunch because it is hard work being a baby and stuff.