Chill... that's my fro yo!

We went and walked around in our downtown area, or "town" as SF calls it. {Are we going town, Mama? Are we going town after nap, Mama? Town? Are we going town? We get ice cream tweat in town, Mama?}Just imagine that repeated about 30 more times because I accidentally made the mistake of saying we would go downtown for ice cream after they took their nap today... before they took their nap. :-) She was a little excited. Ice cream is a big treat around here! The weather has also been incredibly beautiful, and we wanted to get out and enjoy it.

So, we broke out the double stroller and went to a new frozen yogurt place that is one of those self-serve deals. {Although I didn't say anything to Phil, I had to move past a few germy features of the self-serve portion of the afternoon, but we all survived... so far.} Anyway, the only two choices for yogurt cups were extra large and freakishly gigantic. There was not a kiddie cup to be found. I have learned many lessons on thinking that my two could share a cup of yogurt with two spoons, so we got them each an extra large cup with a child size portion of vanilla frozen yogurt inside the giant cup. Then, we added sprinkles and mini-MandMs. It was HIT to say the least. They had never really had their own cup of ice cream before. They had really only had it at their birthday parties and then at Kate's birthday party a few weekends ago. So, getting to eat/hold their own cup was kind of a big deal. Unfortunately for Rush, he ate his a little too quickly and could not for the life of him understand why he couldn't also have Frannie's yogurt. He was giving her the stare down as seen in the following photos...




Do you think she looks a little too happy to show him how much she has left in the last picture?

Sweetness

Caught these two snuggling up in the nursery the other night.Yes, SF is the little Mama and always takes care of Wush. I need these sweet times to keep me sane when they are hollering at each in their carseats all the way home. :-)

Today, SF "tattled" on Rush. Once again she was talking to him...nonstop.

Her tattle went like this...
"Mama, Wush tell me SHHHHH."


My response:
"Syd.. I think that means he wants you to stop talking to him for a few minutes."

Her response:
"Why, Mama, Why?"

I just kept driving.

Happy Birthday, Kate!

Rush and Fran wanted to send a special birthday wish to Kate Elizabeth on her birthday.

Happy FIRST Birthday, Kate!!! We love you!

Getting along

Sometimes these two have just had a bit too much of each other. SF is becoming somewhat famous for her efforts to get Rush to communicate with her. She is like her Mama and loves to talk. Rush is like his Daddy and would prefer to basically be left alone to enjoy the peace and quiet (most of the time). In the above picture, Frantastic felt very strongly that she should be able to play "purple purse" in the recliner. On the other hand, Rush thought that cars and a Thomas train were much better choices for recliner time. It didn't have a good ending.

Recently heard from Frannie:
{Side note... she doesn't currently pronounce any l's or r's, so if something doesn't translate from toddler-speak below, try putting an l or an r as the initial sound.}

Sydney Frances {in her bed in the dark bedroom... should be sleeping}:
"Hey WUSH! What you doing? Wush? What you doing? Wush? What doing? Wush? What you doing?

Rush: "NOOOO!!!" {as he actually tries to sleep}

Sydney Frances: "Wus wong, Wush? You want me stop talking? You don't wike it?"

And then this afternoon on the way home while riding in the car:
Sydney Frances was once again attempting to engage Rush in a conversation. He was not interested. So, he began to groan and whimper some. He really just wanted a little peace so he could look out the window for tractors, airplanes, and lellow {yellow} cars... his favorite activity. SF, finding that response to be unsatisfactory, looked at him and said, "Wush, you a cwanky pants." Then she proceeded to laugh like crazy and call him "cwanky pants" for the next five minutes until I told her to stop because that probably wasn't a very nice thing to call her brother. I have no idea where she might have heard cranky pants. No idea at all...

Thankful

For the past week, we have been the parents to cranky, snotty, crusty, whiny, no nap taking, refusing to eat, fussy toddlers. We have been to the doctor. We have used Mentholatum (yes, even on their feet). We have stayed in our pajamas all day. We have stayed with Gigi and missed daycare. Other days, we have missed work. They have coughed. And then coughed and then coughed some more. They have refused to sleep and then coughed some more. It has been quite unpleasant. As I speak there is a screaming toddler in her bed that is supposed to be napping. My shoulders are tight with anxiety because I just really need a little peace. For just a few minutes. Because sleep was at a minimum last night...And then, I remember my drive home from Gigi's by way of Chick-a-Way {Chick-Fil-a} on Thursday. As we were taking our exit off the interstate to head home, I saw an ambulance coming from the opposite direction. They always stop me in my tracks just a little, but then I saw the Angel One Neonatal Unit sign on the side. I am not sure there will ever be a day that I am not reduced to tears when I see it. I know when I see those lights swirling and sirens blaring that someone is feeling those same feelings that I felt that night just over two years ago. Some one's baby will not be with them when they wake up the next morning. He, She, or They will be in another hospital, in another city being taken care of by someone other than their Mama. It breaks my heart, and it pulls up these memories that are precious and overwhelming at the same time. I love my babies. I love that they are healthy {relatively speaking} and that they can chat with me on the way home with the front seat full of Chick-a-Way, asking if they can have juice instead of milk with their chicken and french fwies, pwease?

I am thankful that this little girl has decided to sleep on her pillow with a blanket {well, sometimes}...


And that this little man loves to keep everyone laughing...


And that this little princess has finally decided to wear her princess costume. It only took me wearing it myself a few times to convince her it was well worth it.




P.S. I thought it had gotten quiet on the other side, but I don't think there is any napping in my future today. Must go rescue a toddler...

WAR EAGLE!!

Some of you that read this won't understand this post, but for those of you that do...it was a win like no other. So much fun. It was one I will not forget.

A Choice

I made a bad choice today. At the street next to our house, I told two toddlers to "keep going". They were riding their four wheelers and it was a cool, sunny Sunday afternoon. It seemed like a good idea at the time. My neighborhood is one giant loop, and when you are walking it takes about 15 minutes to make it around the loop. Guess what? When you have two year olds on four wheelers, it takes about 4 hours to get around it. I thought we would never get home. Along the way, we met a kind gentleman that I have talked with a couple of times before, and he asked me how old the twins are. When I told him "two", he told us to wait while he went inside to get something for them. I was expecting a lollipop or something similar. Meanwhile, he comes running out with a GIANT box. Inside was another four wheeler... almost identical to the two that were already making the four hour journey around the loop. It was a gift for someone that ended up not working out for them, so he wanted to give it to my kids. There was no nice way to say no, so away we rode. No, I wasn't riding the new four wheeler. I wished it could have held me because I was tired of dragging around the loop. I would have gladly ridden the mini-wheeler if it had been possible in any way. But alas, I had to carry it. Meanwhile, the temperature has dropped at least 20 degrees, and Rush keeps telling me he is cold. SF was a pretty good trooper and continued to ride. Rush, on the other hand just stopped about 3/4 of the way around, and said, "I not wide {ride}. I hold you, Mama. {Pick me up, I am tired.}" I told him to keep trying to push on because of course, I am already carrying a four-wheeler. I could not add a two year old to the load. He said, "No." And, then he just sat there. I tried to just keep walking thinking he would follow SF and me, but he didn't. Just sat there on his little green four wheeler.... He was done. I finally got him to make it to the corner, and we took a rest. Then, when I told him we had to keep going, he got off the four wheeler and left it sitting there. He walked toward me, and then turned to cry out.."MY CYCLE" while bursting into tears and wailing at the top of his lungs. I couldn't help it. I just started laughing. If any neighbor caught a glimpse of us out the window, they were laughing, too. When we finally got to where we could see the house, we left Rush's "cycle" and got the other two into our yard. Then, I picked Rush up and we walked back to get his cycle.SF rode it home for him because he was completely beside himself by this point. I was laughing hysterically by the time we got home. It was one of those laugh or cry situations, so I just chose to laugh this time around.