You can't force it.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have a twin? I have. When I was a little girl, I read the "Babysitter's Club" and "Sweet Valley High" books and I thought, "I wish I had a twin!" Why is that? Is it the constant companion? Is it having someone who loves you, knowing ALL your flaws? Is it having someone there, knowing, they will be there for you for life? I don't know, but I know that I used to wish I had a twin. Why are people so obsessed with twins??! I've posted in a past entry about how I get stopped whenever I'm out and asked the same questions over and over. I have to admit, I love it when a "twin" comes up to me and talks. They always tell me about the bond they have with the other, and how special they feel. And I always ask them, "how do I instill this in my babies?" They're answer is always the same, "you can't force it. you can't make them love one another.... They just will." SO... I'm trusting all those twins out there that have stopped me. My babies will love each other no matter what. They already do. Check out this video.

http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii118/mbfykes/?action=view&current=20080526175733.flv

I am thankful that I have twins. It's something I've always dreamed of.

Back bend like blue men.

OK, nobody wants to confess to this, so I will..... we sometimes hide from our kids. I'm sure many of you have been in the situation during the day, when you're like, "Yes! Finally!!!" He/she (or in our case, he AND she) is playing happily with that book, but Oh My Gosh! I've never been so thirsty in my life! Problem is, you have to pass by them to get to the kitchen to get a bottle of water. What do you do? Well.. WE pretend we're in Vegas and silently back bend like blue men into the kitchen, but does it ever work? Heck no!! Why is it, that they don't hear you when you say, "It's time for bed." But when you're trying to sneak by them, they stop what they're doing, scream and follow you? Do they have eyes in the back of their heads? Do they just hear really REALLY well? Or do they have both? I was laughing at Brent the other morning because he hid between the pantry and the family room and ate his cereal. CEREAL!! come on! How hard is that? The twins won't let him eat! When did we get to the point where we had to sneak around? I remember being like, "OMG, they're so cute! I never want to be apart from them for a second!" WHAT??!! We're like, "QUICK! HERE THEY COME!! HIDE!!" Is that bad???

Of course there are times when we can't get enough of them! Here are a few recent pictures.

Luke and Ashley having a "twins' conversation". I wish I could understand what they're saying. Then again, they're probably making fun of me anyway...

Ashley Elizabeth

Luke Thomas

Ashley's hair after a nap

Luke, loving the wind blowing through his hair

Sharing Garlic Bread, their favorite

Hanging out on the step. Their latest trick.

I am thankful that we WANT to hide from our babies because that means they are active, and if they are active, they are healthy.

If this doesn't make you smile, then I don't know what will.

My Aunt sent me a YouTube link that made me think of this video clip of Luke that I made a few months ago. Instead of sending this clip back to her through email, I decided to post it here on the blog. I can't help but laugh when I watch this. If this doesn't make you smile, then I don't know what will.
M

http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii118/mbfykes/?action=view&current=200803061707382.flv

I am thankful for having 2 hilarious children, who make me laugh every day.

"How do you do your shopping?"

It's funny, the questions you're asked and the way people act towards you when babies are involved. It starts at pregnancy. I was just talking to one of my good friends the other day who is pregnant. (she's also a drug rep who calls on Psychiatrists) She was in an office and some lady who was clearly mentally sick, just walks up to her and rubs my friends' belly. I couldn't help but laugh, because the same thing happened to me, only it was the garbage man! What?! I turned around, walked back into my house and took a hot shower. Does he have a mental issue? Probably not, because this happens all the time. Not only do people rub a stranger's stomach, but they say and ask the rudest things too! I remember when I was about 6 months pregnant, I got into an elevator after one of my ultrasounds and a man got into the elevator with me. He looked at me like a deer in headlights and exclaimed, "WOW! You look like you're about to pop! you must be due any day!". I calmly looked at him and said, "No, actually I have about 3 more months to go." (he had no idea I was carrying twins) He continued to dig himself in a hole by talking about how big I already was and how big I'm going to be etc. etc. etc. I told Brent about this, and he just laughed and laughed. Laugh all you want Brent, I was the one to laugh in the end, because you ended up sleeping in the upper left corner of the bed with little covers in a frigid cold room with me taking up about 90% of the bed lying on top of the covers.

Now, it's a different story having babies. The questions and comments really start coming. Some are really sweet, others are rude, and others are just, well, kind of stupid. Here are some samples of questions I hear just about every time I go out with the twins.

Are they twins? Uh...No, they're 5 years apart, one just has stunted growth.
Oh, how lucky, you have a boy and a girl. Are they identical? Oh the places I could go with this answer
Do twins run in your family? Yes, but is that your polite way of asking if I took fertility meds?
Did you deliver them both naturally? Do you really want details? Because I can have my husband call you later to describe everything.
Did you nurse both of them? What the?!
Double trouble, You have your hands full... Brent always laughs at me because I hate this one and always respond. "No, double the pleasure."

A question that many of you who read this blog have been asking me lately is:
How do you do your shopping? It's kind of a funny thing to wonder, but it is a good question. How do I do my shopping? Most of the time it's just a blur. I do everything I can to get in and out of the grocery store as quickly as possible. However, this is very difficult when you're stopped every few feet so people can ask me these questions. Luke and Ashley are both going through that stranger anxiety stage and scream everytime someone gets close to them (example: Little old lady with a walker, "OH, look at the cute little boy!" Luke, "AAAAHHHHH!!!) and they love to take each other's socks off and throw them on the floor, so I'm constantly having to stop turn around, walk back and pick them up, meanwhile someone else walks up, and makes Ashley scream. I try to do most of my shopping on the weekend when Brent is home, that way, he can stay home and watch the babies, but when I do have to go during the week, I usually hang the grocery store basket on the stroller handle, fill it up, then stuff the rest of the groceries in the stroller. When I have to do more shopping or get heavy things, I push the stroller and pull the cart behind me. This is usually when I get the, "wow, you have your hands full" comment. ha! You think???





This is a picture that was taken when things went well. Notice neither one has socks on? Notice I'm smiling?? So, my friends, I hope I answered this question. This is how I do my shopping....

Oh, in case any of you are wondering, Why don't I use the cart that looks like a car, but is the size of a semi truck that's made for 2 children? They're parked inside Publix, which would mean I would have to leave the twins in the car, alone, in this heat with all the crazy people down here in South Florida. Not an option. When they walk well, (Or even when one walks well enough, we can do this, but until then.......)

If anyone has any good comebacks to any of the questions above, please let me know. One of these days, I'm going to get the nerve to respond....


M

I am thankful for having healthy twins. With out them, I would never have my stories,

Plastic bags and Tabasco Cheez-Its

I am lucky enough to have a wonderful husband who actually "tells" me to leave and have some alone time. Otherwise, I would never leave my house nor my babies. This past weekend was great. Brent and I went to Target together, then, I went off to the mall by myself. It was just what I needed. I wanted something new to wear to a casino party we're going to in a few weeks. I had such a great time being "alone". It was weird to actually try on clothes! Heck! It was weird to walk around the mall without stuffing goldfish in some crazy baby's mouth!!! On my way home, I talked to Beth and she asked me, "Don't you get nervous when you leave the twins home alone with Brent?" Of course my immediate reaction was, "Heck, no!! I love any time I can have alone!!" Does that make me weird that I don't even think about it? I trust my husband, besides, if he screwed up, not only would he have to deal with whatever the consequences were for his mistake, but he'd have to deal with me! Not sure what's scarier for him. Anyway. I got home, all refreshed and ready for a week of handling the twins while he travels when he "PROUDLY" showed me this video. Although it is funny, he claims they were "PLAYING" with plastic bags and Tabasco cheez-its. Maybe Beth's right, I should worry!!!
* This is a disclaimer! Brent bought the tabasco cheez-its, not me!! Yuck!!
<http://s262.photobucket.com/albums/ii118/mbfykes/?action=view&current=ALlaughing.flv
I am thankful for my husband. I love him more than he knows.

Can I have a beer for the road?

Well, Easter has come and gone. It all really started last week when we went to see the Easter Bunny, or as we like to call him, the Easter Rodent. If you have seen the Bunny at our mall, close up, you would understand why. He looks more like a squirrel than a bunny. Pretty scary. Especially for Luke. He absolutely refused to sit on his lap. I've never seen him so scared! He clung on to Brent for dear life. There was no getting that boy NEAR the Easter Rodent. So we have a great picture of Ashley on his lap this year. I have a feeling that picture is going to be pulled out by Ashley when she's about 16 years old to show all their friends. Poor Luke.

Shannon, Luke and Brent watching tv....

We had so much fun at my sister's house on Easter Sunday. We had 5 kids under the age of 3. The best way to describe it is LOUD! Luke and Ashley have really warmed up to Bailey (my niece) It was fun to watch them interact. Bailey loves them so much, she kept trying to hug and kiss them. There were a few scary moments when she would try to pick them up as well. Sweet little Caitlyn (my other niece) who's almost a month old, just slept the whole time. How she slept with all that noise is beyond me. Between, Luke following my sister Beth around, Ashley screaming if I left her sight, Bailey saying "yes sir" to my sister haha!, and my sister's friend's daughter getting her hair stuck in the tent zipper, it was an eventful day. Brent and I ate so fast, that we couldn't remember if we ate or not! I knew our heads were spinning when Brent jokingly said to Shannon, my brother-in-law, "Thanks for lunch, gotta go. Can I have a beer for the road?". Then again, maybe he wasn't joking.....

I am thankful for having family that makes me laugh, even though they don't know it.

Why don't you start a blog?

I finally got to talk to an old friend the other day. It was so nice to catch up! It had been WAY TOO long since we had talked. She also has a toddler a few months older than Luke and Ashley, so we are both hard to get on the phone long enough to have a conversation. One of us usually has to hang up within 2 minutes! I told her the easiest way for me to communicate with people these days is by the Internet. That way, I can start a sentence, walk away from the computer when the twins need me and finish the sentence when I have time. She said, "Why don't you start a blog?". She's right. It's a great way for me to communicate with the "outside" world, on my own time. So, here I am, starting a blog.....
I told Brent I was going to do this and he laughed. First, because he thought, what in the world am I going to blog about, and second, when will I have time to do this. Well, it's only been 5 days, and I've typed this much! ha!
Hopefully, I'll be able to keep it up. I will try to post pictures of the twins and funny stories of what they're up to. If something funny happens to Brent, I'll be sure to post that too. Nothing really happens to me, I'm too busy to notice if it does. (Well, maybe, being pooped on by a bird and peed on by the neighbors dog all within a week......) Brent of course just laughed, then quickly walked away, he was to embarrassed to be seen with me!
M
I am thankful for my friends, new and old, without them, I would never survive.