Catching up...

I have fallen behind on my blogs lately, I do apologize... These girls keep me busy busy busy... Let's see since the LGs birthday we have done allot.

We went to our cousin Cameron's birthday party. It was very fun. Cameron got a few vehicles and a helmet for his rides. Avery like the helmet and decided to wear it for almost the whole day. She looked like she belonged on the short bus. When she finally took it off her sister proceeded to put it on.

Avery Locked me out of my car two days in a row. Sad, but true. The first time it happened she was in the front seat playing while I buckled her sister into her car seat. I had already turned on the car and the A/C. As I closed the door I thought, "Oh, God. I bet she has hit the lock button." Sure enough it was locked. I tried to get her to unlock it but she did not understand what I was asking her to do. She kept pushing the side of the door where we were pointing. After a little bit of this game she proceeded to climb into the back seat and get into her car seat...I had already called the police. You see if there is a child locked in the car they will send out the police and "Pop a Lock" to unlock your door for free.

This lady who was parked in front of me said she just could not leave me and asked if I thought that Avery would come upto the window if she saw a toy? I said, "I have no idea." So she whipped out a toy and we started calling Avery to the front of the car. She came like a we were holding up a piece of bacon for a dog. So we started again with the "Push the button, Avery" talk again and she reached out and pulled the handle of the door, opening it.

The next day I took them to the park and as I was wrestling them into the car Avery went to the front seat and JUST. LIKE. THE. DAY. BEFORE. I closed the door thinking, "Oh, God. I bet she locked the doors." Sure enough she did. Only, this time she climbed right into the seat. She did not spend any time in the front seat at all. So, I called the police and tried to coax her to the front. She did not go to the front. Instead she climbed into the floor board in front of her sisters feet. She tried to open that door like she did the day before but it was child locked and did not open or unlock the doors. She got frustrated turned around and threw herself on the floor hitting her head on the way down. So now there was NO. WAY. she was gonna get up. She was hurt and frustrated so she stayed there crying till pop a lock got there and opened the door. As I drove away (after turning a few corners) I looked out and say my wallet sitting on the hood of my car. Yep, the same wallet I have lost about a dozen times.

About a week later I was putting Avery in her car seat after a fun day at the Aquarium and as I closed the door I heard the "THUNK" sound of my doors locking. My heart sank as I realized it had happen yet again, only this time it was Emerson on the other side of the window. I started to panic. Then I stopped and thought she pushed that button with purpose. I can get her to do it again. "Emerson, can you unlock the car?" she hit the clock side. So I said, "the other side of the button sweetie." And she did it. She unlocked the car.

Two weeks ago we (me and the LGs) took Julie for her birthday dinner. We went to Columbia restaurant and the girls loved the flamenco dancers. We all had a blast!

Avery's restaurant

Over the Thanksgiving weekend Avery made up her own game where she served us food at her restaurant. Sometimes she wanted to be served but mostly she ran the show. When she wanted to play she would "EATS!" and point to her table. It was a little confusing because she would also do this when she was hungry.

Here is her at the beginning of the day and the service is superb!


In this episode of "Avery's Restaurant" Mom does the serving:


In this next episode you can really see the service going down hill FAST!
Everything grandma asked for was greeted with a "NO!" and then a maniacal laugh. She did eventually allow grandma to have some bacon and milk...

The kindness of strangers...

Today I took them to the park...it was a little late and I knew I was pushing close to nap time. I did it anyway. What can I say, I'm a glutton for punishment.

On our way there I stopped and got us lunch so I could let them eat, then play, then home for a nap. It went pretty much like that except there were interjections of temper tantrums like every ten min.

One of the problems is that they both LOVE. LOVE. LOVE to swing. That is ALL they would do at the park if I would let them.

So, the first time they asked to swing I let them. I pushed them (actually on the big kid swings!) and they did great and were loving it. I told them that swing time was over and uncurled the death grips off the chains, plopped them on the ground and walked away. Avery followed and went to play on one of the jungle gyms. Emerson chose to stand by the swings and cry. I decided to ignore her, and went back to fighting the squirrel with the cleft lip for my iced coffee and cheese burger. (anyone that has EVER gone to Kate Jackson park knows how freaking annoying those squirrels are and the one that was viciously trying to get our food today was missing part of his lip!)

After a few minutes I no longer her the plaintive wails of my oldest. I look over to the swings and see 3 toddlers, a little boy and two girls, probably no older then 5 years of age trying to figure out how to get E into one of the little kid swings. It was about the sweetest thing I have ever seen. I went over and gave in. How could I deny the child a swing when these little children were trying to comfort her and give her it. So I put her in and we swing for a bit then I end it. This time I tried to give her more notice and let her get prepared for the end of her ride. It did not matter. She had another fit. So this time she ended up getting a time out. She sat in her time out and cried like she was being beaten.

As I sat their yelling at the squirrel I see the little boy going over to E and trying to see if she is ok. (How sweet is this little boy???) After her two minutes were up I went over and talked to her and we agreed that she would stop crying for me to swing her. She trots off happy as can be over to the....swings. She stands there, pointing and grunting. And there goes the little boy. He goes to her and holds her hand.

I looked around and said, "who does he belong to?" His mom said, "me." "OH. MY. GAWD. your little boy is about the sweetest thing I have ever seen."

If you don't have it... GO GET IT!!!!!!

We now have the answer to the question, "what was the best birthday present to the girls got???"

The LGs had their 2 year well baby check up this morning. I was NOT looking forward to it. Most Doctor appointments pretty much go the same way. The girls are excited to be there till the Nurse shows up to get the party started. Also, Avery has been...lets just call it moody lately. This particular apt. was off to the same start.

When leaving the house I decided it was a good idea to put the mail into the mailbox on our way out of the house. I head toward the street and as I step toward the mailbox my left ankle rolls off the curb. Hurt like hell and now I'm limping... GREAT!!! this should make the appointment all the more fun...

We get there and my ankle is hurting more and more. I was actually having a problem putting any pressure on it. I choose to not put them into the stroller cause I did not want to lift it with my ankle hurting like it was. We get into the building and I get them into the waiting room where we eat some snack and read some books.

The nurse comes and gets us. She measures E and A's head. They are not happy about it but are being pretty good. Then she weighs them they are acting the same: reluctant submission. THEN she wants to lay them on the table to measure them. That's when they start crying like someone is trying to kill them...This is the usual M.O.

The nurse sends us into the next room to wait to see the Doctor. They stopped crying cause no one was poking at them. Doc comes in and chats with me and talks to them. (I Love my pediatrician!)She asks about their development and then tells me that she needs to do their exam and she can do most of it with them on my lap. We started with Emerson. I put her on my lap and the Dr listens to her chest, her back, looks in her nose her eyes, her ears, lays her back on me and checks her pulse, and makes sure all her girly parts are ok. All the while E does NOT CRY ONE TEAR!!! she actually seemed like she was having a good time as the doctor chatted with her about what she was doing. Then we did Avery and she was just as good as Emerson.

So, the Doc and I are totally impressed with the behavior the girls had just displayed. I told her that I think it is the Dr kit that they got from their friend Anna on their birthday. They play with it and sometimes I take it show them "Here's what the Doctor does..." and do to them what the Doctor does to them. I also give them a shot with the fake needle. They actually LOVE that part and ask me to give them many many many shots. Which, brings us to the last and usually the most dreaded of all pediatrician appointments.... THE SHOTS....

I decided to get them the regular flu shot and the MMR shot (I had delayed that one due to not being in daycare) So, the doc leaves and the nurse comes in with the shots. She takes A first and puts her one the table. As she is doing this I tell Avery "she's going to give you a shot like I did this morning but it is going to sting for a few seconds and that's it. The nurse then does some sort of judo maneuver and gives her the two shots in her arm. Avery did....nothing. She did not cry. at.all. I started praising her like she just wrote the Magna Carta, and got her a treat from my bag.

Now it's Emerson's turn. The nurse turns to E and says ok it's your turn. She hid behind the chair. Then she suddenly ran to the nurse and asked her to pick her up. The same thing happens....no crying. She did do the turned down lips that is the start of a cry. She maybe cried for a second. But, I was so busy telling her how brave she was and getting her her treat that the tears stopped in their tracks.

If you do not have one of these and your doctor appointments are dreaded GET ONE NOW!!!!

Sandboxes and Bounce Houses

The LGs b-day was on Halloween. They turned two and I am in denial! I don't waaaaant my babies to grow up! Anyway...enough of my wining....here's what we did! We had their party on Sunday so they could go trick or treating on Saturday. The first exciting thing that happened was Grandma bought them a sandbox for their birthday. They LOVE it!!! They get sand in places I had no idea sand could get. The issue with the sandbox is that it gathers dirt, yes dirt not sand and the dirt is black and it looks like cat poo! It came with a cover so I know that it is not, but it's still disturbing.

For Halloween they were fairies and I must say, I think they were about the cutest fairies I have EVER seen! They were so crabby before I dressed them and the minute they saw themselves in the mirror they were giddy. We just went down our street but they were saying "triii o trree" It was so cute. They also would just walk right into peoples houses. Thankfully we had already introduced ourselves to the neighbors so they weren't too shocked! Here's a video of them soooo excited to go trick or treating:

True to forum Avery "vagrant style" took a rest on someones porch.

We had a party for them with just some family and friends. I cant believe my babies have friends!!! I got a steal on a bounce house for the day. It was a huge hit. All the kids jumped their butts off. Instead of a cake I got them cupcakes and we had pizza for lunch. One of the pizza's I got pineapple on it cause that's the LGs favorite topping. I was surprised at how many kids asked for that pizza!

For their birthday they got a Kitchen, some food for the kitchen, two dolls and strollers, a Doctor kit, and some books. They also got a gift certificate for Build a Bear. Im sure they are gonna love making their own bear. They really love one of the books and when I read it to them they ask for "more". It's the I Love You Book.

Here is the chaos that ensued during the party.

The kids loved the pizza and of course the cupcakes!

Here is the bounce house I rented. The kids loved it. It was such a deal too. If anyone in Tampa area needs one ask me for my guys number!

A video of the bounce house fun: