Feel me better!

When the twins were toddlers, they would say things like

"I need a barmaid to feel me better"

("I need a band aid to help me feel better")

Some times it was a hug, or ice cream, or a kiss, or a trip to the park.

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The other day, Doodles woke up a few minutes before I was ready to leave.  So, he had to just be grumpy while I packed the car and got ready to leave.  While I was strapping him into his car seat, he sobbed through tears, 

"Me need mine Daddy make mine day better"

("I need my Daddy to make my day better!")

Don't worry Mr. Baby, we are on our way to see Daddy! 

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And then, last night, Doodles had been asleep in the car, I picked him up and started carrying him.  Coolio was walking next to me, when Doodles said

"Me need mine Coolio feel me better"

Did you notice the Barmaid on his knee, too?

They held on tight to each other - long enough for me to get my phone out of my purse and take this picture. 

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This morning, Doodles woke up and happily ran to the top of the stairs and yelled

"BOYS!!  ME HERE!!"

Mr. B. Responded instantly and started up the stairs to get him.  When he didn't see Coolio, he yelled after him too

"Where mine Coolio?!"

 I am so fortunate that I have 2 great big brothers that love their little brother and a little brother that thinks the world of his big brothers!

Changing Diapers

Doodles was at the dance studio this evening.  He and I were in my office and he was just finishing having his diaper changed - something he loves to talk about!

Mario was out in the ballroom teaching a group class (Yes, he actually does do that sometimes!)  Right at that moment, he said "and Change!" [to have everyone change partners].  And what does Doodles say?

"Daddy change dancing people's diapers????"

ah-ha-ha - I love that kid!  :)

Nipple Chasing

There were times when nursing twins that all wanted was a little break - not for me and my sanity (well, sometimes that, too) - but for the nipples!  One day, one of the toddlewins was whining for milk (gasp - can you believe that could happen?) and, in shear frustration, I suggested he get some from his brother (who was more than happy to oblige!)

  


We all know how entertaining it can be to watch a dog chase his own tail, right? Well, if you have or know a nursing toddler, I highly recommend you tell said toddler to 

"Have some of your OWN milk"

I guarantee the ensuing minutes of nipple chasing will be totally worth the entertainment!

Child Labor

In a discussion about chores and 'allowances', I asked the boys two questions: "what happens when you work?" And "what happens when you break the law?"

I was looking for the answers "you get paid" and "you get fined". 

The answers I got? "You have to do things you do not like to do" and "you get to spend time alone in your room." . . . . Where did we go wrong??

Now, on another note...  I highly recommend the system of parents paying commissions to children for work  completed and receiving fines from children for bad behavior and/or work not completed.

I have a tin can (momma's bank) that has dollars and quarters in it.  The twins have a joint jar (where goes the money for all their chores at the beginning of the week - before they do anything at all).  And they each also have their own jar for their personal savings (and from which they pay me fines for their bad behavior).  

So, here is how it works.  On Sunday, we get all the jars together.  The boys take the contents of their joint jar and split it evenly between themselves and put their money in their own jars.  If there is an extra quarter, they just leave it in the jar for the next week.  Then, they get $5.00 put in their joint jar for the next week's chores.  If the twins do not do a chore they are supposed to do, they pay the fine (for not doing the work) out of the joint jar.  If one or the other of the twins gets fined - for misbehaving, lying, etc - that fine comes out of their individual jar.

Since they don't get a lot of money each week, it takes a long time to save up money for something special (have you SEEN the price of a large set of Legos lately?!)  So, if there is something they really, REALLY want, and they can save over half of the total, we'll chip in the rest. 

And that is exactly what Twin A just did.  Well, and that $5 dollar bill he found in the bushes at the park.  He had $34 dollars saved and a $4.89 balance on a gift card at Toys R Us.  So we went to Toys R Us and they didn't have the Alien Conquest Mother Ship!!   (Enter crisis mode.)  

He held back tears while we went up to the front to ask if they had any more or could order it. Not only are they are not carrying them in the store anymore, but the price had gone up $7 dollars online. 

My husband and I got on our phones and found one at a nearby Wal-Mart.  When we got there, it was on clearance for twenty bucks less!

Here he is right after finding it!

Kissing in the dark

I was driving through a construction zone (we have LOTS of those here) with 27-month old Doodles the other night and from the back seat I hear him say something...but I was not sure what.  So I asked him if he said ...

"People kissing in the dark?"

What?!  That doesn't make any sense, and he tried again...

"People eating in the dark?"

Nope, still not what he was trying to say.   OH wait!  We just went through a construction zone!  Did he say...

"People digging in the dirt!" ?

Success!!  Ahhhh - Toddler Talk!  We have a great sometimes frustrating time figuring out what he says or means!

Conspiracy Theory

My husband left last night for an out of town for a dance event, leaving behind the three boys and I.  The boys were great last night and all went to bed, as usual, without a fuss.

This morning, Doodles came into my bed for some milk and went back to sleep.  A while later, I heard the big boys making a bunch of noise and, most unfortunately, so did Doodles.  He got up to go play with them and left me sleeping.

A few minutes after I woke up, around NOON, the big boys came in and said they were very sorry to wake me up, but Doodles really needed a diaper change.  They later told me that they already fed him breakfast and tried to keep him entertained so I could sleep in.  

Then they filled me in on their plan for today, which apparently all three of them were in on...

"Me go Chuckee!"

Not only had the boys decided that going to Chuck E. Cheese was in order, but Coolio sorted and counted out the Chuck E. Cheese Tokens.  So I wouldn't have to spend my money to take them there... 

116 Tokens!

And Twin A let me in on another part of their plan...

Pancakes for lunch!

How could I not?  They took care of Doodles in the morning AND let me sleep in!

Pancakes it is!

After lunch, it was time to visit Chuck E.  

Did you know that 116 tokens will last 3 children (two 9 year olds and a 2 year old) 2 hours?  SO thankful to Mark (who works at a coin bank) for arranging to have the tokens given to the boys!

Total cost form our trip to Chuck E Cheese?  $1.93 cents for a drink.  :)

On the way home, we stopped at a park for, even more, a little more fun!

Doodles, Twin A and Coolio at the top of the double twisty slide!

Love these boys of mine!