tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47733718979073023492012-02-13T10:49:02.160-08:00Twins By The Bay BlogModeratornoreply@blogger.comBlogger2101100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-26110721574184948572011-06-29T14:02:00.000-07:002011-06-29T14:19:22.432-07:00It's summer travel time, and as one of TBB's unofficial car safety geeks, I thought it would be a good time to post a few helpful links.<div><br /></div><div>Traveling by car and wondering if your child still needs a booster seat? The helpful certified Child-Passenger Safety Techs (CPSTs) at Carseatblog.com have a nice article on <a href="http://carseatblog.com/3966/the-5-step-test/">the 5 Step Test</a> (with photos!) that shows you how to determine if your vehicle's seat belt fits your child properly without a booster.</div><div><br /></div><div>Found that your kids still need boosters but aren't thrilled at the prospect of bringing them on an airplane for use at your destination? Maybe the new (don't laugh at the name) BubbleBum inflatable booster would make your travels easier - check out the review <a href="http://carseatblog.com/10427/bubble-bum-review-booster-seat-or-flotation-device/">here</a> (thanks again to Carseatblog.com). Or, if your kids are at the well-almost-but-not-quite-ready-for-a-booster stage, the <a href="http://www.ridesafer.net/">RideSafer Travel Vest</a> is another handy and portable option.</div><div><br /></div><div>A good overview of airplane travel tips for families with small children can be found here (yes, more Carseatblog.com links): </div><div><a href="http://carseatblog.com/6599/airplanes-carseats-and-kids%E2%80%94what-you-need-to-know-pt-1/">Airplanes, Carseats, and Kids: What You Need to Know Part 1</a> </div><div><a href="http://carseatblog.com/6635/airplanes-carseats-and-kids%E2%80%94what-you-need-to-know-pt-2/">Airplanes, Carseats, and Kids: What You Need to Know Part 2</a></div><div><br /></div><div>And, if you needed any other reasons to check out Carseatblog.com, there's even a helpful reminder about water safety <a href="http://carseatblog.com/10077/staying-afloat/">here</a> with the author's own personal experience of why she needed that reminder herself<a href="http://carseatblog.com/10302/without-a-sound/"> here</a></div><div><br /></div><div>Best wishes for a safe and happy summer travel season!</div><div><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2611072157418494857?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-19056702893140200512011-02-24T22:57:00.000-08:002011-02-24T23:07:27.471-08:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">Our family has an admittedly peculiar coping mechanism when faced with some exhausting or exasperating event - creating new lyrics to a familiar tune. When our daughters were infants and Christmas was approaching, our late-night soundtrack might feature a solo of "Hark! The Herald Baby Screams" or "What Child Is this, Who Will Not Rest?"</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';">And now that they're elementary schoolers, we have a new set of challenges that occasionally try to drain the laughter out of us, but we're trying to keep our sense of humor intact. Yes, trying to clear our home of head lice is a tedious ordeal of laundering, vacuuming, and "nit-picking" in the most literal sense, but this event won't escape without a commemorative song to the tune of "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"....</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><br /></span></span></div><div><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Super yucky, quite unlucky, bad pediculosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>We know from the sound of it - it’s something quite atrocious</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Giving families ev’rywhere an itchy-scalp neurosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Super yucky, quite unlucky, bad pediculosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i><br /></i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>It started as a little itch, a minor irritation</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Soon it grew into a source of anguish and frustration</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>When we checked our childrens’ hair at close examination</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>We found they were harboring an insect infestation!</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i><br /></i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Super yucky, quite unlucky, bad pediculosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>We know from the sound of it - it’s something quite atrocious</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Giving families ev’rywhere an itchy-scalp neurosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Super yucky, quite unlucky, bad pediculosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i><br /></i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>The presence of those icky bugs just couldn’t be denied, so</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>We headed to the drugstore for shampoo insecticide</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>And crossed our fingers as the goop was carefully applied</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Then washed or vacuumed every place we thought that they might hide, oh...</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS; min-height: 16.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i><br /></i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Super yucky, quite unlucky, bad pediculosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>We know from the sound of it - it’s something quite atrocious</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Giving families ev’rywhere an itchy-scalp neurosis</i></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Comic Sans MS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><i>Super yucky, quite unlucky, bad pediculosis</i></span></span></p></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1905670289314020051?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-26280164807515736582011-02-22T13:41:00.001-08:002011-02-22T13:50:28.999-08:00I've never really felt part of any group or club. I've been in several, but always felt like the outsider or like I was pretending and they would figure it out soon. In high school drama, in business school, or even in the PTA...I've just never really felt part of "it".<br /><br />Until now. Twin parents are in an automatic group. A club defined by how many children they have. You are either in or out. There is no ambiguity. Which I like. Here's an example of how that effects me.<br /><br />I was driving home from Los Angeles yesterday with my three kids in the van. We were in one of the boring parts of I-5 somewhere in between the grapevine and no where. I saw a minivan ahead of me. I noticed that it had a sticker on it that said, "Got Twins?" I smiled to myself, while passing it.<br /><br />Then I remembered I had a pen and some paper with me (to keep the kids entertained in between their Dora episodes) and I wrote, "GOT TWINS TOO!" on it.<br /><br />I changed lanes and slowed down a bit and as they passed me, I held up my sign to the window and as they drove past, the woman (wife?) in the passenger seat saw it and started smiling and laughing. Then I saw her motioning back to us and pointing. I did the same with my kids and we sat there smiling and pointing and waving to each other for a few minutes.<br /><br />I didn't know her and she didn't know me and I will probably never see her again, but we were instantly connected and it was a good feeling.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2628016480751573658?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-17598148234593177012010-11-18T21:34:00.000-08:002010-11-18T21:35:18.753-08:00Someone in the twins club posted this link to an NPR "With A Perspective" about starting a life with twins. It's worth the quick read as it sums it up nicely:<br /><a href="http://www.kqed.org/a/perspectives/R201011180735">Raising Twins</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1759814823459317701?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-77344258092514575732010-04-07T12:28:00.000-07:002010-04-07T12:41:40.595-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Although I've never thought of myself as a math whiz, I did consider myself to be at least above average, having managed to eke out at least a B in all my math classes up through and including 1 year of college calculus.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And then I started looking at the math homework my second graders are getting. One week, the "Challenge" problem (which comes straight from the Houghton Mifflin "</span><a href="http://www.eduplace.com/math/hmcam/problem/prb_2.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">California Math</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">" curriculum) was something like this "The sum of two facing pages of a book is 325. What are the page numbers?"</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My first thought: "What's an algebra problem doing in a second grade math homework packet?"</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">My next thought: "If this is what they get in second grade, I'm not going to be able to help them with math homework for much longer!"</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Maybe I'll ask my kids to check the math on our tax returns while they're on spring break this week.</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7734425809251457573?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-58492602111904414972010-03-25T21:24:00.000-07:002010-03-25T21:46:39.879-07:00One thing all parents of multiples have in common is the attention you get when out and about with twins. Strangers are always coming up to us and making all sorts of comments, the most popular seems to be: "<a href="http://twinsbythebay.blogspot.com/2009/09/double-trouble-does-it-ever-end.html">double trouble</a>." It's usually said with a smile and the belief it's so funny because you've probably never heard any one say that to you before. <br /><br />As my twins got older, I noticed we gradually stopped getting as many twin comments. Maybe it's because it doesn't look as hard to have 3 year old twins as it does to have 3 month old twins, or perhaps because my two are so different in appearance and size now people don't recognize right away that they are twins. <br /><br />Then recently we started getting comments again. What happened? I've had the opportunity to go out more with just one twin at a time. So instead of the "double trouble" genre of comments, we get: "What happened to the other one?" "Only one??" "Did you loose one?". Every time.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5849260211190441497?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-69522836339262018862009-12-27T18:35:00.000-08:002009-12-27T18:44:10.982-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x232/chanjung4/snowy%20day%202009/DSCF3265.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 480px; height: 640px;" src="http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x232/chanjung4/snowy%20day%202009/DSCF3265.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Nature gave us an early Christmas present on Monday morning, December 7: enough snow for the kids to make snowballs and footprints, but not enough to require shoveling or cause any traffic disruptions. Those who live in parts of the country with "real" weather and seasons would probably laugh at the amount of excitement that this little flurry generated (according to one of my girls' teachers, this was the most snow she'd seen in town for 30 years).</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Personally, I was glad it happened on a Monday: for once, I didn't have to tell my kids to hurry up and get ready for school. Once they looked out the front window, they were determined to get out and make snowballs before school. I've never seen them eat breakfast and get their shoes and jackets on so quickly!</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6952283633926201886?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-75424715599277386252009-12-27T16:41:00.000-08:002009-12-27T16:47:51.797-08:00<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(with apologies for the 2 month delay between installments)</span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Have plenty of space for kids to run around.</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> For most early elementary age kids, a lawn with things like hula hoops, bouncy balls, chalk, and jump ropes will more than make up for the absence of a professional magician or other high-priced entertainment. </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Don’t box yourself in to a particular date</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> - if moving the party up a month singnificantly improves your chances of having a rain-free outdoor party, go for it. Trust me, your kids won’t mind having their party a month early.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Find craft and game ideas from online sites or books at the library</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Some books even have actual party theme ideas and simple crafts, games, and snack ideas to match. And you can add “green” credibility (and keep more “green” in your bank account) by finding fun crafts using recycled materials. These </span></span><a href="http://familyfun.go.com/crafts/crafts-by-material/recyclable-projects/cereal-box-sandals-668644/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Cereal Box Sandals</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> were a big hit at our girls’ 8YO party last weekend, as were the</span></span><a href="http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/puppets/paperbag/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></a><a href="http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/puppets/paperbag/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Paper Bag Puppets</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. And the pack of wooden clothespins that I bought for hanging projects up to dry became another project as kids got the idea of decorating them with markers and glitter glue</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Have the party in the early afternoon </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">(after lunch/before dinner) so your food expenses will be limited to drinks, cake, and snacks. I usually make a 13 x 9 sheet cake topped with sweetened whipped cream and one pan of chocolate chip rice krispy treats, set out a few bowls of popcorn and pretzels and grapes</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Keep an eye on clearance bins for party favor ideas.</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> This year I snagged a bunch of boxes of 8-count washable RoseArt markers for 50 cents a box when Target was moving out their excess “back to school” inventory and paired them with “Kids Art Kalendars” (wall calendars with coloring book pictures for each month) from the dollar bins at Michaels.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Use plain napkins, plates, and cups, instead of ones with party patterns</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Seriously, have you ever heard a kid complain that “The party was great except for the boring paper plates and napkins”? </span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Use e-vite instead of paper invites</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. I find that more people RSVP when I use evite because they’re already online when they see the invite and RSVP while it’s still fresh in their memory. I’ll print out the invite info and mail it to folks who are not online regularly (e.g. the classmate whose mom just had a baby).</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Responsible kid-friendly high school students are worth their weight in iPods</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Yes, that oft-maligned population known as the American Teenager can be a huge (and relatively affordable) asset on party day. They’re energetic, more than willing to be a little silly around younger kids, and best of all the party guests find them to be way more cool than the grown-ups are.</span></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7542471559927738625?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-16989464231438331842009-10-28T10:03:00.000-07:002009-10-28T15:28:34.759-07:00<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">One of the biggest worries that came with my kids entering school was the Great Birthday Party Arms Race. You know, that seemingly endless quest of the Alpha Parents to find the newest, coolest, or most expensive children’s birthday party entertainment, while the ordinary parents try to figure out how to walk the fine line between "cheaping out" and "running up a deficit".</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It didn’t help that my girls’ first WEEK of kindergarten netted them 3 birthday invites - one at a dance studio, one a “cheerleader” party at a high-end fitness club, and a “simple” one at Chuck E. Cheese. We knew we didn’t have the budget to enter the arms race, nor did we <i>want </i>to even if we could. Fortunately, the popularity of the countless simple, mostly handmade activities at their school’s annual Pumpkin Patch festival made us feel confident that our kids <i>and</i> their classmates could have a good time without a huge price tag.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">We have now survived hosting three school-age twin birthday parties without either draining their college funds or causing our kids to become social outcasts known as “the kids with the cheapo parents and boring birthday parties”. Maybe it’s too soon to think we’ve got a handle on this process, but we can at least offer a few suggestions of budget-friendly fun that seem to work with the Kindergarten through second grade age group. Details tomorrow...</span></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1698946423143833184?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-57028903291160573702009-10-26T10:16:00.001-07:002009-10-26T10:21:53.396-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The news about the possible H1N1 flu epidemic has parents everywhere worried over whether to vaccinate and if so, where to get vaccinated. Meanwhile a much greater health risk is getting a fraction of the publicity. Fortunately, there are widely available preventative remedies for this health risk - click </span><a href="http://carseatblog.com/?p=4864"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">here</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> to find out more.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5702890329116057370?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-19670734621872644912009-10-17T08:08:00.001-07:002009-10-17T08:33:07.879-07:00TBB celebrated our first ever halloween party last night. It was a great success with kids of all ages enjoying crafts, activities, story time, songs, and tasty treats. Board member Witch Jill entertained the kids with halloween themed stories and her girls jumped in to help with the songs. Special thanks to Kika Rocha for all the prep work, set up, cute crafts and delicious treat bags.<br /><br />Our youngest trick or treaters at 3 weeks! Yay mom for getting out of the house!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne1ugL6jI/AAAAAAAAMt8/XMGBvoxTTYc/s1600-h/IMG_4595.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne1ugL6jI/AAAAAAAAMt8/XMGBvoxTTYc/s320/IMG_4595.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393587043350342194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne0kMbmqI/AAAAAAAAMts/kGV8jgf9i8Y/s1600-h/IMG_4602.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne0kMbmqI/AAAAAAAAMts/kGV8jgf9i8Y/s320/IMG_4602.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393587023403260578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne0GT_KII/AAAAAAAAMtk/lPf5d0NAvdA/s1600-h/IMG_4603.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne0GT_KII/AAAAAAAAMtk/lPf5d0NAvdA/s320/IMG_4603.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393587015381887106" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne1EWM_MI/AAAAAAAAMt0/muU9dq-Y0og/s1600-h/IMG_4601.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/Stne1EWM_MI/AAAAAAAAMt0/muU9dq-Y0og/s320/IMG_4601.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393587032034180290" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngJOVF2aI/AAAAAAAAMuk/Owv3l7XTX1U/s1600-h/IMG_4589.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngJOVF2aI/AAAAAAAAMuk/Owv3l7XTX1U/s320/IMG_4589.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393588477822884258" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngIkNAzNI/AAAAAAAAMuc/xKKeAneaEG4/s1600-h/IMG_4590.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngIkNAzNI/AAAAAAAAMuc/xKKeAneaEG4/s320/IMG_4590.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393588466514709714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngIAUuFoI/AAAAAAAAMuU/vWCtGFMbXPE/s1600-h/IMG_4585.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngIAUuFoI/AAAAAAAAMuU/vWCtGFMbXPE/s320/IMG_4585.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393588456883361410" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngHg_5GQI/AAAAAAAAMuM/7sat8tDe7wY/s1600-h/IMG_4576.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngHg_5GQI/AAAAAAAAMuM/7sat8tDe7wY/s320/IMG_4576.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393588448474503426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngHRsKUrI/AAAAAAAAMuE/T88gjwqxsxM/s1600-h/IMG_4580.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/StngHRsKUrI/AAAAAAAAMuE/T88gjwqxsxM/s320/IMG_4580.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5393588444365214386" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1967073462187264491?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-65949845472318349972009-10-16T16:13:00.000-07:002009-10-16T16:34:58.288-07:00When I was pregnant with my twins, I never thought I would dress them alike or in matching outfits. As I am one of the least girlie females I know, it seemed this type of behavior was silly at best. Especially for one having fraternal twins.<br /><br />But, now that I have them, and pretty much since they were born, I have in fact dressed them in similar outfits and sometimes even exactly the same. Here is some of my rational.<br /><br />1.) I get almost all of my clothes from two places a.) Used from twin moms or b.) presents from Michael's mom. (I've bought some shoes, leotards and some target pants, but that is pretty much it) I hate shopping more than most things so the thought of shopping regularly for little girls clothes makes me ill. Since there are some twin moms that buy nice clothes for their kids and miraculously still have them in good condition, I take advantage of that and just buy their clothes in bulk. I don't even look at them before I buy most times. My main suppliers are a mom who lives in Danville and has identical girls and really good taste. She has mostly matching stuff. The same outfits in different colors. Mostly gymboree and other quality stuff. The other one is TBB Member Amy Wright who sells her stuff at the garage sale. She also has great taste, more identical outfits, and her kids have seemingly unworn clothes.<br /><br />2.) It's just plain easier in the morning to not have to put together two outfits when you can just put together one. Perhaps other moms like to arrange outfits, but I'm not one of them. Quick and easy is my motto.<br /><br />3.) Lately, it seems the girls actually want to dress themselves alike. Elizabeth in particular loves to pick out the clothes and then wants Miranda to dress the same. She gets very confused when I tell her "there isn't a matching shirt for that one."<br /><br />4.) Sometimes, it's just plain cute. Like when I took all the kids to gym class with me. The girls wore matching leotards, Amy Wright shorts and matching piggie tails in their hair. It was ridiculously cute. <br /><br />So, I've learned to never say never, because you never know what life will throw at you.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6594984547231834997?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-60884086221187157662009-10-15T16:05:00.000-07:002009-10-15T16:09:22.111-07:00<a href="http://www.pbs.org/parents/special/article-expectations-goodmother.html?utm_source=Facebook&amp;utm_medium=fanpage&amp;utm_campaign=PBS"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">This article from PBS Parents</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> was posted on another bulletin board that I frequent, and I found it to be a helpful reassurance that we don't need to be a "perfect" mom to be a good one. Hope you find it helpful too.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6088408622118715766?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-40458770431280241452009-10-11T23:14:00.000-07:002009-10-11T23:23:34.969-07:00<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Probably one of the first pieces of advice all new/expectant parents of multiples receive is “Get them on a schedule”. And although it is never an easy process with the infants and toddlers, we might feel like we’ve earned a well-deserved break the first day we get to drop both kids off at preschool at the same time and place. And when they get to kindergarten, we might even be getting envious looks from parents of different-age siblings who are scrambling to arrange car pools so that they’re not making several trips per day to accomodate different drop off and pick up times at one or more schools.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">But a funny thing happened this year - when we received our (now second-grade) girls’ reading group assignments, there was the logistical hassle we were afraid of: A was an “Early Bird” (8 a.m. arrival/1:55 p.m. pickup) and B was a “Late Bird” (8:45 a.m. arrival, 2:50 p.m. pickup).</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">And then a funnier thing happened: knock wood, so far this has been a *good* thing for all of us. Each girl has a bit of “sibling-free time” built in to the day. I get to enjoy a little one-on-one time with each of them, and find it’s easier to appreciate their unique and different personalities when those personalities aren’t clashing with each other. I get more exercise because we've been doing more walking (walking B to school in the morning, and A home from school in the early afternoon - fortunately my neighbor's 4th grader has to be at school from early bird drop off to late bird pickup so each of the girls has a carpool for one part of the school day). And since I'm only walking with one of them, I don’t have to hear B complaining that A walks too slow or A crying because B called her slow. B, who often seems to compete for my attention when her sister is around, seems more relaxed when she gets to start her day with a bit of 'mommy time', and A, who isn't as outspoken as her sister, seems more relaxed knowing she has my uncontested attention for that hour before her sister comes home from school.</span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial; min-height: 14.0px"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Arial"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Of course, I might not be quite so happy about this arrangement when the rainy season and sick days arrive and put a damper on our walks, but for now, I’m enjoying my surprisingly pleasant inconvenience.</span></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4045877043128024145?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-59521819913348957762009-10-08T14:36:00.000-07:002009-10-08T14:47:19.291-07:00Many of here in the Bay Area, with it's expensive housing market and smaller older homes, have our twins sharing a room. On the TBB general forum I've seen several recommendations to divide a room with a simple privacy screen or sheet between the beds to help kids go to sleep at night. One of my favorite kid related home design blogs, <a href="http://www.ohdeedoh.com/">Ohdeedoh</a>, has some neat ideas for shared rooms:<br /><a href="http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/inspiration/creating-privacy-in-a-shared-room-097640"><span style="font-style:italic;">Creating Privacy in a Shared Room</span></a> (I think the bookshelf pictured is from Ikea)<br />and<br /><a href="http://www.ohdeedoh.com/ohdeedoh/inspiration/inspiration-spacesaving-ideas-for-a-shared-room-097251"><span style="font-style:italic;">Space Saving Ideas for a Shared Room</span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5952181991334895776?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-43583501350484269782009-09-27T21:35:00.000-07:002009-09-27T22:01:50.955-07:00My girls are going to be starting preschool soon, so I headed over to the library to get some picture books on the subject. I found two, one of which was an instant favorite: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Llama-Misses-Mama-Anna-Dewdney/dp/0670061980/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254113267&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style:italic;">Llama Llama Misses Mama</span></a>. It's about a llama on his first day of preschool who doesn't want to join in the fun and soon starts crying because he misses his mama so. But then he starts to have fun, sees Mama comes back for him, and realizes he can love mama and school too. <br /><br />The other book has become a favorite too: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/D-W-s-Guide-Preschool-Arthur-Adventures/dp/0316013153/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254112550&sr=8-1"><span style="font-style:italic;">DW's Guide to Preschool</span></a>. If you're familiar with the PBS show "Arther," DW is his little sister. She takes you on a tour of what goes on at preschool and the drawings are fun and colorful. Just what we were looking for and when I start reading it for the first time I'm pleasantly surprised to see there's a set of twins at the preschool. Then I start to get really annoyed. The twins are in just about every scene, and in all except one they are the ONLY trouble makers. Everyone is having fun, smiling, cooperating, sharing -- except for the twins. They are the only ones pushing, grabbing, making a mess, not paying attention and DW even alludes that one of them is a liar (he claims he can count to 100). The twins are the only ones screaming and crying when they are dropped off, and we are told they are still learning to share. Seriously? In my experience twins have to learn the sharing lesson before most of their singleton peers, and any book you read on twins will say their socialization skills tend to develop sooner than that of singletons. This book is perpetuating the "double trouble" stereo type! <br /><br />So like I do with one book we have that mentions hating broccoli, I skip over the trouble making twins sections. No need to put ideas in their heads.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4358350135048426978?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-63132971436622095852009-09-17T15:37:00.001-07:002009-09-17T15:51:50.482-07:00<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I'll admit it - my siblings and I have a peculiar tendency to come up with our own lyrics to whichever song seems to be stuck in our brains.  It's not something I consciously try to do, but once a phrase gets stuck in my head, it lingers until there's a whole set of lyrics having nothing to do with the original song.</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Case in point - a laundry marathon earlier this week, combined with the old Dion and the Belmonts tune </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_Av0rDRLnw"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">"the Wanderer"</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, resulted in this:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Oh, well I'm the type of mom who is always washing clothes</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">From shirts and pants and underwear to socks and pantyhose</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I sort 'em and I load 'em and I try not to complain</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I soak 'em and I bleach 'em if they've got a funky stain</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Just call me the launderer, yeah, the launderer</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The wash spins around, around, around, around, around</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Well, this basket has the colors and the other one has whites</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And sheets and towels is the load I've gotta run tonight</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And when I think I've finished and can take a little rest</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I turn around and see the shirts and trousers to be pressed</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Georgia;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'Cause I'm a launderer, yeah, a launderer</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The wash spins around, around, around, around, around</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And if I didn't wash the clothes, would my family know or care</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">They would notice, I suppose</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">When the look in the closet, and find nothing to wear, yeah</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And someday in the future when my kids have up and grown </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">With kids and spouses and a lot of laundry of their own</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And when they tell me, Mom, just look at all the wash to do</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I'll smile and tell them, sweetie, that's like what I did for you</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Now you're a launderer, yeah, a launderer</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The wash spins around, around, around, around, around<br /></span></div></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><br /></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6313297143662209585?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-73486191977425762312009-09-16T21:05:00.001-07:002009-09-16T21:25:06.490-07:00I remember when I first made a public outing with the twins, it was to Target because I desperately needed diapers and nobody would be home to help for hours. So I ventured out, I had barely crossed Target's threshold when I first heard, "Oh do you have twins, <em>double trouble</em>, ha, ha.". It came from an elderly women, who just had that aura of "sweet grandma" so I found it very endearing. I chuckled with her. No sooner did that exchange end that I found myself having the same exchange about 10 feet further into Target. This time it was a male employee, " Twins, <em>Double Trouble</em>." I smiled with pride as a new mom usually does when someone takes notice of their newborn(s). Still not thinking much of it, I'm now upstairs and no lie, it happens again in the diaper section, I hear those words "Double Trouble" followed by a chuckle. Amazing, 3 times in a matter of about 10 minutes. Well, my boys will be 3 in about 7 weeks, and I've completely lost count of how many times I've heard "<em>Double Trouble</em>" What, maybe a zillion gazillion times. What's even more baffling about it, is the number of times it's been said to me by someone who is so clearly pleased with themselves as if it was so original, and possibly the first time I've ever heard it. I usually respond by smiling politely but usually whats running in my head is thoughts of sarcasm "So clever of you." So I wonder, does it ever end? Will strangers in public ever stop stopping me to tell me "<em>Double Trouble</em>"? Or will I find myself one day, maybe 20 yrs from now having dinner with my grown sons and hear someone from the next table over say to me, "Oh twins, Double Trouble." and snicker as if they were so clever?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7348619197742576231?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Kikahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00785516341504333838noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-47790366929619014542009-09-15T21:59:00.000-07:002009-09-15T22:11:35.590-07:00TBB member Joyce just sent me a link to Funky Lunch after reading <a href="http://twinsbythebay.blogspot.com/2009/06/lunchsnack-ideas.html">my post about lunch/snack ideas.</a> The folks at <a href="http://www.funkylunch.com/gallery.htm">Funky Lunch</a> have come up with the most creative sandwich ideas I've ever seen, such as a grand piano made out of a ham sandwich. Right now the time to make something like this is just a fantasy (let alone two of them for twins) and my kids have an inexplicable ability to sense how much time I've put into something. The more time, the less likely they are to eat it. Go figure, but it's still fun to check out these sandwiches.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4779036692961901454?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-11926575714263350882009-08-31T20:21:00.000-07:002009-08-31T20:58:44.769-07:00My Dad sent me this link to a <a href="http://multiples.about.com/od/familyfun/tp/aatpkidbooks.htm">list of kids books about twins/being a twin</a>, and it got me looking for others on the same topic on Amazon. There are a couple I'm thinking about for birthday presents this year, such as <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Margaret-OHair/dp/0689844948/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251776429&sr=1-1"><span style="font-style:italic;">Twin to Twin</span></a>, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twins-Charlotte-Doyle/dp/0399237186/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251776429&sr=1-6">Twins!</a></span>, <span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Two-Twins-Wendy-Cheyette-Lewison/dp/067006128X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1251776429&sr=1-2">Two is for Twins</a></span>, or this <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Twins-Take-Ready-Read-Pre-Level/dp/0689857403/ref=reg_hu-wl_list-recs">level 1 reading series</a> that includes such titles as <span style="font-style:italic;">Twins Take a Bath</span> and <span style="font-style:italic;">Twins Go to the Park</span>. <br /><br />Does anyone out there have a twin kids book they can recommend? I'm curious to see how my girls would react to one; 2.5 yrs my girls don't yet seem to really grasp what being a twin means. Currently, one of them thinks being twins simply means wearing the same clothes as one's sister (a rare occasion in our house given their radically different clothes preferences!).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1192657571426335088?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-50657366150886871082009-08-25T14:44:00.000-07:002009-08-25T15:15:33.068-07:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3xebVztayqY/SpRiYJNV6sI/AAAAAAAAAAw/6f9lAnTFtI8/s1600-h/IMG_1037.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3xebVztayqY/SpRiYJNV6sI/AAAAAAAAAAw/6f9lAnTFtI8/s320/IMG_1037.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374028422288108226" /></a><br />Cameron gives me trouble. That is what he was put on earth to do. I have had four years to accept this and while at times I strain against these bonds for the most part I have done so. And I love him. Annika and Davin were put on earth to be cute and sweet and nice to Mama, RIGHT? So, why then at 18 months have they gone from docile, sweet, malleable babies, to freakin' monkeys? It is like the pod people came Saturday night and left me with these new, scary beings. Sunday we went with Uncle Yoyo to dim sum and while eating out with the whole fam is a bit of a challenge it can be accomplished; especially when the ratio of adult to child is 1:1. And they did great, ate well, interacted, were mostly quiet and polite, until the last five minutes when Davin discovered his "voice." He's always had a monster sound he makes, but never continually for five minutes loudly enough to be heard over the din of a Chinese restaurant in full swing! And when my husband put his hand over Davin's mouth and said a firm NO, normally placid Davin giggled maniacally and did it even louder. Needless to say that ended our meal and probably wore out our welcome for months to come. If this were an isolated event I would not be ready to pull out my hair. That night while I was using the facilities at home the twins came into my bathroom, not an abnormal event, they like to check on me and usually like to pat my knees and bring me books to read aloud. Not this time! Before I could blink (aka wipe) they had unrolled most of the toilet paper, pulled all of the towels out of the cabinet, strewn my Costco sized box of tampons all over the floor and were banging bottles of nail polish (that they were not able to reach the day before) together while dancing! Yikes! Ok, no big deal, must close and lock the bathroom door from now on, just another stage of life, right? But yesterday while I was quickly checking my email in my room and they were playing nicely together in the toy room, the monkeys reappeared! We have a learning tower (like a step stool with a guard rail) in our kitchen so the kids can watch/help me cook, it stands next to our island, far from any other counter or cupboard. Or it did until Annika and Davin pushed it next to the counter on which the toaster, coffee maker, and various other kitchen-y things reside. From my room I heard a CRASH and thought a toy had been thrown (it happens, not a big deal if not thrown at someone's head, right?), but this was followed by another CRASH which tinkled like glass...shattered glass. I ran (not a normal form of movement for me) to the kitchen to see them standing in the tower laughing and looking down at the two cup Pyrex measuring cup they had just smashed on the floor! The first crash I'd heard had been the four cup, but that one was a little tougher apparently. For a moment I stood stunned. Then I thanked god we had installed a baby gate and I could corral them away from the glass shards while I cleaned up. So I ask you: where did my precious angels go? Will they come back? Should I invest in a padded room? Or perhaps just up my meds?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5065736615088687108?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elizabethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17690913274374966820noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-80027538987990539302009-08-14T12:47:00.000-07:002009-08-14T12:54:13.748-07:00<p class="mobile-photo">Maybe it's because I've been around them since they were born, but I never really thought that my fraternal twosome were hard to tell apart (it helped that at birth, one had considerably more hair than the other).  And it still surprises me when people comment that they look so much alike, even though one has always been at least an inch taller than the other. (To be fair, there are also quite a number of people who are surprised when they find out that the girls are twins because "they don't look alike")<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SoW_enNqMkI/AAAAAAAAABk/TvKO0ezV8N0/s1600-h/DSCF2902-790042.JPG"></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SoW_enNqMkI/AAAAAAAAABk/TvKO0ezV8N0/s1600-h/DSCF2902-790042.JPG"><img src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SoW_enNqMkI/AAAAAAAAABk/TvKO0ezV8N0/s320/DSCF2902-790042.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369908663352439362" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo">But now, thanks to our "bad eyesight genes", one of our girls now has an obvious visual cue to distinguish her from her sister.</p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SoW_fKUttpI/AAAAAAAAABs/elO7SGWujC4/s1600-h/DSCF2907-791617.jpg"><img src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SoW_fKUttpI/AAAAAAAAABs/elO7SGWujC4/s320/DSCF2907-791617.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369908672777270930" /></a></p>Now all you have to do is remember which one of them has the glasses!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8002753898799053930?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-31321262244167480932009-08-06T23:57:00.000-07:002009-08-07T00:16:10.480-07:00Check out this <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/5306898/Indian-village-with-250-sets-of-twins.html">article on a village in India</a>. With a population of only 15,000, there are about 250 sets of twins in Kodinji. That's six times the global average, with 45 twin births per 1,000 births, and scientists have yet to figure out why. One theory, given the village is surrounded by water, is that there is something in the water causing this phenomenon and others believe it may be something in the diet. Other factors have been ruled out, such as fertility treatments (cost prohibitive), advanced maternal age (average marriage age is 18 to 20 yrs old), and unknown pollutants (majority of births are without deformities).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3132126224416748093?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-27879971918525884012009-06-01T14:29:00.000-07:002009-06-01T15:32:18.489-07:00My 2.5 year-old toddlers are probably pretty typical in how much they fluctuate in food likes and dislikes. One week avocado is in, only to be soundly rejected the next when hummus is suddenly the favorite food with no prior warning. They also appreciate opportunities to exercise their power of choice, as in “I want this, not that.” Given this, I like to offer a little variety and let them pick and choose what they want to eat. (The operative word being "little" and not an endless menu of choices.)<br /><br />So I've found these bento box style food containers work great for snack and lunch. The girls each get their own and can pick and choose what they want. And it's only one container to wash for each of them. I got these for $1.75 each at <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/ichiban-kan-el-cerrito">Ichiban Kan</a>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SiRSmD8PGaI/AAAAAAAAHrY/7VjhALKxOYw/s1600-h/IMG_0919.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SiRSmD8PGaI/AAAAAAAAHrY/7VjhALKxOYw/s400/IMG_0919.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342485871814711714" /></a><br /><br />Ichiban Kan (which means "different things") is a Japanese dollar store on San Pablo in El Cerrito. This store carries all sorts of ridiculously cute and practical <a href="http://www.ichibankanusa.com/tomotomo.asp">food containers</a>, from plastic tupperwares to tiered bento boxes and <a href="http://www.ichibankanusa.com/sub-category.asp?cID=0&scID=57&mID=-1&SortBy=&pgID=0">food decorating items </a>like the little fake plastic “grass” food dividers you find in take out sushi or food cutters to make silly shapes out of a sandwich or lunch meat. The possibilities are endless, and I have recently been inspired by this blog I came across, <a href="http://wendolonia.com/blog/category/bentos/">The Week in Bento</a>, where a mother records the bento box variations she packs for her son’s snacks. She often uses just a container with a silicone muffin tin liner to divide the food and food coloring markers to decorate rolls and rice:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SiRTkGjv9bI/AAAAAAAAHro/DC4AA5rVtCM/s1600-h/3576081253_31e9f786c7.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 270px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SiRTkGjv9bI/AAAAAAAAHro/DC4AA5rVtCM/s400/3576081253_31e9f786c7.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342486937669203378" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SiRTkIMT8QI/AAAAAAAAHrg/OtqmxwlVHrc/s1600-h/3548923183_d2fa1a57c1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 286px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SiRTkIMT8QI/AAAAAAAAHrg/OtqmxwlVHrc/s400/3548923183_d2fa1a57c1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5342486938107769090" /></a><br />The star and teddy bear were made out of left over rice using a Japanese food mold like the ones you can find at Ichiban Kan.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">(photos courtesy of http://wendolonia.com/blog/category/bentos/)</span><br /><br />What kid wouldn’t love opening up their snack to see this?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2787997191852588401?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-41413859534227943202009-04-29T10:10:00.000-07:002009-04-29T10:10:02.897-07:00<div class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SfiDj5k4LcI/AAAAAAAAAAU/mkrp4l0vu5w/s1600-h/DSCF2631_dryer-775468.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330154811767139778" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SfiDj5k4LcI/AAAAAAAAAAU/mkrp4l0vu5w/s320/DSCF2631_dryer-775468.jpg" /></a></div><br /><br /><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">A belated Earth Day tribute to one of my favorite inexpensive, easy-to-use devices for reducing one’s carbon footprint: the <a href="http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/(hlcwvs45tiqyfje0u4gg0055)/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=63854">collapsible clothes dryer</a>&nbsp;.&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Things I appreciate about it:</div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">1. Portability.&nbsp; I can set it up indoors and load it up with laundry before moving it to wherever the prime drying spot is in the backyard.&nbsp; Or, in the winter time, I can strategically locate it near one of our forced-air heater vents.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">2. Collapsibility.&nbsp; Folds flat easily and takes up little space when not in use (a big plus for houses stuffed with twins and their belongings).&nbsp; And since I can store them indoors when not in use, they stay cleaner than clotheslines that are outdoors all the time.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">3. Cost and Energy Savings.&nbsp; Even in the winter time (with our thermostat set at 58 degrees), clothes left on the drying rack overnight inside the house require 10 minutes or less in our gas dryer.&nbsp; And those of you who dislike the ‘crispy’ texture of drip-dry laundry can still net substantial energy savings by what I call “Hybrid drying” - drip dry the clothes until they’re just a little bit damp and then spin in the dryer for about 5-10 minutes. &nbsp;And the reduced drying time means less wear on your clothes, less lint in your lint screen, and less of your money going to PG &amp; E.</div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">4. Space-efficiency.&nbsp; The racks’ multi-level set up allows you to hang more laundry in less space than a clothesline, and also provides some ‘privacy’ for those who don’t like the idea of having their underwear out to dry in full view of the neighbors (in the photo, the t-shirts provide a ‘screen’ for the underwear).&nbsp;</div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"></div><div style="font: 12.0px Arial; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;">Granted, this system may not be feasible in tight quarters with curious toddler twins, for whom a rack of dangling laundry would be what attorneys and insurers call an <a href="http://www.nolo.com/definition.cfm/Term/9501915B-CA16-42DA-9108FE98965C0AAB/alpha/A/">‘attractive nuisance’</a> &nbsp;.&nbsp; But now that my kids are elementary schoolers who see a rack of clean laundry as “chores waiting to happen”, my laundry can air dry undisturbed.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4141385953422794320?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-48289167070285737602009-04-22T11:53:00.000-07:002009-06-03T10:56:37.869-07:00Our family is fortunate to have immediate family within driving distance, so we've never had to take our 7YO twins anywhere by plane (given our difficulties with being punctual and packing light, this is a good thing).  But I've seen enough questions on the TBB discussion forums to know that many club members would appreciate any useful references on the subject of air travel with small children.<div>Many folks have asked about the safety and ease of use of the <a href="http://www.kidsflysafe.com/">CARES (Child Aviation Restraint System).</a>   So here's a link to a <a href="http://carseatblog.com/?p=1909#more-1909">review</a> by a Certified Child-Passenger Safety Technician that was just posted at <a href="http://carseatblog.com/">http://carseatblog.com/</a></div><div>For a more detailed and extensive overview of tips and recommendations for flying safely with children (written by a mother who worked as a flight attendant for 13 years) click <a href="http://flyingwithchildren1.blogspot.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">here</span></a>  </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4828916707028573760?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-30484150595049946292009-04-03T14:01:00.000-07:002009-04-03T14:03:07.561-07:00Want to make more room in your closets? The Twins by the Bay Garage Sale is coming up June 12 and 13 – it’s a great chance to get rid of no longer needed baby, kid and maternity items. Only members can sell at the sale (details are on the TBB website), but any one can donate items in gently used to new condition. My first experience with the garage sale was as a buyer, hauling my 5 month-old twins with me to get clothes, gear, and toys at can’t-be-beat prices. Friday is members only night -- it’s fun to shop and chat with other parents of multiples, who are more than willing to give you an understanding hand if your babies get fussy. <br /><br />This is will be my second year selling at the garage sale. I'm looking forward to seeing the boxes of stuff I've been storing leave my house. Going through everything to tag has brought back some good memories, and it makes me happy to know that others will enjoy and get good use out of it all too. My older son also loves the garage sale, albeit for other reasons. He LOVES helping to put the clothes on hangers, filling out the price tags, and attaching the tags to the clothes with a tagging gun. The other day he happily busied himself with these tasks for close to an hour. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SdBTnTUYzsI/AAAAAAAAHMw/Z10BEHQ01sE/s1600-h/IMG_0428.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SdBTnTUYzsI/AAAAAAAAHMw/Z10BEHQ01sE/s400/IMG_0428.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318843094590344898" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3048415059504994629?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-83567335355118129282009-03-31T15:52:00.000-07:002009-03-31T15:53:54.917-07:00Since this topic comes up a lot for new twin parents, I thought this article might help...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.examiner.com/x-5177-Rochester-Parenting-Examiner~y2009m3d30-Tuesday-twin-talk-Choosing-a-stroller">http://www.examiner.com/x-5177-Rochester-Parenting-Examiner~y2009m3d30-Tuesday-twin-talk-Choosing-a-stroller</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8356733535511812928?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-56598353372797977962009-03-15T14:33:00.000-07:002009-03-15T15:00:47.813-07:00While I'm pretty happy with the selection of playgrounds within walking distance from my home, sometimes I like to give myself a change of scenery and drive to try a new park out. We'll definitely be checking out some of the places listed in today's <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/">SF Gate</a> article on <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/03/15/PKQH169H42.DTL">"The Bay Area's Best Outdoor Playgrounds."</a> Readers of the SF Gate blog "<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/index?">The Poop</a>" sent in their votes and six playgrounds from San Francisco to Moraga up to Santa Rosa were winners. While some of them sound like they would be headache inducing to keep my 2 year old twins safe and always within eye shot, they all look like they would make any kid very, very happy.<br /><br />For a more multiples-friendly take on East Bay playgrounds, members can check out the parks list on the Resources page of the Twins by the Bay website. And some of those reviews even mention if you can get a coffee near by!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5659835337279797796?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-35862718167949719092009-01-29T16:11:00.001-08:002009-03-15T15:01:27.398-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SYJGVPyL1PI/AAAAAAAAK_0/4e0R1-w6kAk/s1600-h/IMG_1410.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SYJGVPyL1PI/AAAAAAAAK_0/4e0R1-w6kAk/s320/IMG_1410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296873442569344242" /></a><br />From left to right: Carrie, Jill, Amy, Elaine, Lisa, Sue, Kim and Julie.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SYJGVTTWVhI/AAAAAAAAK_8/1FOQyXNr0Qc/s1600-h/IMG_1412.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SYJGVTTWVhI/AAAAAAAAK_8/1FOQyXNr0Qc/s320/IMG_1412.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5296873443513751058" /></a><br />Sarah Jones, prior TBB President answers some questions about Oakland schools.<br /><br />Our first (hopefully annual) school panel discussion was held on Tuesday evening. With 9 panelists and over 30 twin parents, it was a great success. Panelists were informative, engaging, and sometimes funny. The discussion focused a lot on whether to separate or keep together twins, whether to hold back children with fall birthdays, and what to do when one twin advances academically or socially more quickly than the other. Thanks to all our panelists and guests for a great evening and thanks to Susan, our fearless leader for the tasty food.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3586271816794971909?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-32484579252380149862009-01-26T18:28:00.000-08:002009-01-29T16:45:27.020-08:00When my girls were little and breastfeeding they had very distinct nursing styles. Elizabeth would take a little bit to latch on, but once latched, would suck and suck very persistently until she would pass out from nursing exhaustion. She would drink about 6 ounces or so in what seems like seconds.<br /><br />Miranda, on the other hand, would latch on right away, but then pull off and look around. Then latch on, pull off and look around. This went on for 20-30 minutes each time and it drove me a up a wall. Her sister would be snoozing in my right arm and she would be dawdling in my left arm.<br /><br />So I suppose it isn't very surprising that this is exactly how they eat now. Elizabeth tears into her food, eating everything on her plate regardless of what it is very quickly, announcing "all done, I'm full" proudly while pushing back her plate. Miranda picks and plays with her food, asking questions about each bite, stopping to chat or look around or sing a song. Elizabeth is done with her dessert and Miranda is still contemplating her dinner.<br /><br />I wonder if they will still be like this in high school...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3248457925238014986?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-32935150688459914932009-01-26T12:26:00.000-08:002009-01-26T12:28:24.147-08:00Every time I see a mom with a single stroller walking down the street, I wonder where the other baby is. Intellectually, I realize most people only have one baby at a time, but my mind still searches for the second one. I wonder what that is about?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3293515068845991493?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-72757855745994630812009-01-20T14:38:00.000-08:002009-01-20T15:08:22.688-08:00I bought my current car when my son was about 5 months old. I had always wanted an SUV and thought I had better do it before my environmental side (what small one there is) talked me out of it. So I got a used Pathfinder and I have loved having it. I feel like I am on vacation every time I get in the car.<br /><br />When the twins came along, I thought for sure I would have to ditch my SUV to get a more useful minivan. But then, when I determined all three carseats fit across, I was thrilled.<br /><br />Then when my son started preschool and I realized field trips and carpooling would soon become a big part of my life, I got scared again that a minivan was in my future. <br /><br />Then I found this place: <a href="http://www.littlepassengerseats.com/">Little Passenger Seats</a> in Modesto and was delighted that they could custom make a third row for my Nissan. I spent about $800 for the new seat which was about $28,000 less than I would have spent on a new car.<br /><br />I drove out to Modesto today (rather than installing it myself, which is very possible), and picked it up. The kids love sitting backward and people seem to get a kick seeing them in the "trunk". Two carseats fit nicely on the seat which means I can now I can drive 5 kids around and still feel like I am on vacation. I highly recommend Little Passenger Seats!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7275785574599463081?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-67754819625037460592009-01-19T07:20:00.000-08:002009-01-19T07:22:58.363-08:00When my twins were babies, I had wished I had a triplet stroller to make getting around with newborns and a 2 year old a bit easier. So if you are in that same situation or have triplets, here is a link to some nice strollers.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.baby-guide.com/triplet-strollers.html">Triplet Strollers</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6775481962503746059?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-63988522024873453452009-01-15T14:56:00.000-08:002009-01-15T15:22:11.537-08:00Our fabulous newsletter editor, Leslie, will be highlighting fun places to go with your twins during these winter months. Of course, if today is any indication how the winter will continue, we'll all be at the beach!<br /><br />Photos: Isaac and Owen Top and Elizabeth and Miranda below<br />Fun Location: Read the next newsletter to find out!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_EhRDG-gI/AAAAAAAAK1E/taQLeXoUDVY/s1600-h/IMG_1310.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_EhRDG-gI/AAAAAAAAK1E/taQLeXoUDVY/s320/IMG_1310.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291664162974792194" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_BpYIbr-I/AAAAAAAAK08/QgXSmqgvLLc/s1600-h/IMG_1309.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_BpYIbr-I/AAAAAAAAK08/QgXSmqgvLLc/s320/IMG_1309.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291661003780239330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_AsLQuSZI/AAAAAAAAK00/JjxhMdMswIg/s1600-h/IMG_1301.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_AsLQuSZI/AAAAAAAAK00/JjxhMdMswIg/s320/IMG_1301.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291659952353331602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_EiX2KFxI/AAAAAAAAK1U/1ouTELpq610/s1600-h/IMG_1296.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_EiX2KFxI/AAAAAAAAK1U/1ouTELpq610/s320/IMG_1296.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291664181979387666" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_EiPGn7wI/AAAAAAAAK1M/YAf42AIqFN0/s1600-h/IMG_1299.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_EiPGn7wI/AAAAAAAAK1M/YAf42AIqFN0/s320/IMG_1299.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291664179632533250" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_Ar1FaFNI/AAAAAAAAK0s/DjV14b8XIz8/s1600-h/IMG_1284.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_Ar1FaFNI/AAAAAAAAK0s/DjV14b8XIz8/s320/IMG_1284.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291659946400290002" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_Arlk9OSI/AAAAAAAAK0k/f76DnCcDsOQ/s1600-h/IMG_1280.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_Arlk9OSI/AAAAAAAAK0k/f76DnCcDsOQ/s320/IMG_1280.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291659942237649186" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_ArLc-UAI/AAAAAAAAK0U/DkJYbJn6ZEc/s1600-h/IMG_1273.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_ArLc-UAI/AAAAAAAAK0U/DkJYbJn6ZEc/s320/IMG_1273.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291659935224844290" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_AreDB95I/AAAAAAAAK0c/h9hjvxczNYg/s1600-h/IMG_1276.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SW_AreDB95I/AAAAAAAAK0c/h9hjvxczNYg/s320/IMG_1276.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5291659940216305554" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6398852202487345345?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-6064585342849139582009-01-04T00:13:00.000-08:002009-01-04T00:51:20.648-08:00<a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/index?blogid=29">The Poop</a>, a <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/">SFGate</a> blog on parenting, has published the results of it's <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/detail?blogid=29&entry_id=34112">2008 Santa Tantrum Awards</a>, and quite a few entries are twins (there's even one set of quads). Long time followers of this blog may remember that <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/detail?blogid=29&entry_id=23006#readmore">TBB Vice President Rachel Long's twins were first runners up in 2007</a>. The contest is for the best screaming-kids-on-Santa's-lap photo, with "bonus points if the department store Santa looks like he's in physical pain." Check out the blog for some hilarious photos of screaming twins.<br /><br />Here's our 2008 screaming-on-Santa's-lap photo, taken at the TBB holiday party. The funny thing is my husband was Santa this year and despite his trying to tell the twins it was him, they weren't buying it. I couldn't even get the other twin in the picture. We told our older son not to tell any of the kids that Daddy was Santa, so he thought calling Santa "Francis" (his first name) would hide his true identity.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SWB0chtGJ3I/AAAAAAAAGv0/YXQGorjHL-Q/s1600-h/IMG_0053_Fixed(1).Jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SWB0chtGJ3I/AAAAAAAAGv0/YXQGorjHL-Q/s400/IMG_0053_Fixed(1).Jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287353995965638514" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-606458534284913958?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-92165699109398993842009-01-02T19:33:00.000-08:002009-01-02T19:58:32.711-08:00When people find out that the two toddlers accompanying me are actually my twins, I usually notice the wheels start spinning in their heads as they try to comprehend that these two kids who look so different actually came from the same batch. Their eyes bounce back and forth comparing the two: different eye and hair color, different body and face shapes, several inches difference in height and 7 pounds in weight, straight hair versus curly, the list goes on. Our joke is they look more like neighbors than sisters. <br /><br />So it really sparked my interest to read about a couple in England who have given birth to their second set of twin girls. While that is not very common, even more against the odds is that in each set of twins one takes after the father, the other after the mother. The father is black, the mother white with blue eyes and red hair. According to one English doctor, the chances of this occurring twice is 2 in a million.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SV7e_SGQ-5I/AAAAAAAAGuk/q-GbW0aeYuI/s1600-h/uk+twins.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 180px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SV7e_SGQ-5I/AAAAAAAAGuk/q-GbW0aeYuI/s400/uk+twins.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286908191350782866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SV7e_sI522I/AAAAAAAAGus/ioiMd6DfkZQ/s1600-h/uk+twins_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SV7e_sI522I/AAAAAAAAGus/ioiMd6DfkZQ/s400/uk+twins_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5286908198341172066" /></a><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />photos courtesy of <a href="http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Black-And-White-Twins-Born-Dean-Durrant-And-Alison-Spooners-Second-Set-Of-Different-Coloured-Twins/Article/200812415195720?lpos=UK_News_First_UK_News_Article_Teaser_Region_0&lid=ARTICLE_15195720_Black_And_White_Twins_Born%3A_Dean_Durrant_And_Alison_Spooners_Second_Set_Of_Different_Coloured_Twins">SkyNews.com</a></span><br /><br />For more pictures and details, check out <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article2082429.ece">The Sun</a>.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-9216569910939899384?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-64531523532658504642008-12-08T19:47:00.001-08:002008-12-08T20:00:44.580-08:00The TBB Holiday Party was last night. There were over 180 parents and kids there (not including babies) but from what I saw, it seemed people were having a good time. The little kids made gingerbread houses while the older ones did crafts with Elaine and her kids. There was plenty of food, if not space, for all and the kids were especially happy when Santa showed up. All we need next year is a bigger hall! Happy Holidays everyone!<br /><br />BEFORE<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sBBIgc9I/AAAAAAAAHvU/vdHZQ7ZDnPs/s1600-h/IMG_0390.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sBBIgc9I/AAAAAAAAHvU/vdHZQ7ZDnPs/s320/IMG_0390.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277633840576230354" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sBss0vbI/AAAAAAAAHvc/vBHZYGTxUOs/s1600-h/IMG_0392.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sBss0vbI/AAAAAAAAHvc/vBHZYGTxUOs/s320/IMG_0392.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277633852271279538" /></a><br /><br />DURING<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sAiC7FNI/AAAAAAAAHvM/-3FcHdkDlCo/s1600-h/IMG_0388.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sAiC7FNI/AAAAAAAAHvM/-3FcHdkDlCo/s320/IMG_0388.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277633832231310546" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sClDUJXI/AAAAAAAAHvs/sjjLaT2W1LQ/s1600-h/IMG_0407.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sClDUJXI/AAAAAAAAHvs/sjjLaT2W1LQ/s320/IMG_0407.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277633867397997938" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sCC74NQI/AAAAAAAAHvk/dmGfHtB1k9c/s1600-h/IMG_0401.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3sCC74NQI/AAAAAAAAHvk/dmGfHtB1k9c/s320/IMG_0401.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277633858240001282" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3s_a_vq7I/AAAAAAAAHv0/q6RvmIN6p90/s1600-h/IMG_0415.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/ST3s_a_vq7I/AAAAAAAAHv0/q6RvmIN6p90/s320/IMG_0415.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277634912670690226" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6453152353265850464?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-19000664730937543692008-12-04T10:26:00.000-08:002008-12-04T10:29:08.813-08:00This just crossed my email. It's a Best Buy ad from Canada for the holidays. Since holiday shopping in some form is likely on everyone's mind, thought it's a fun diversion.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/c6sooaVRKfY&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/c6sooaVRKfY&amp;hl=en&amp;fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1900066473093754369?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachel D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053200302074789764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-6458441265711374522008-11-30T09:47:00.000-08:002008-11-30T09:48:41.128-08:00Check it out!<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://howdoyoudoit.wordpress.com">http://howdoyoudoit.wordpress.com</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-645844126571137452?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-53989309717371428902008-11-26T21:44:00.001-08:002008-11-26T21:54:35.984-08:00The other night as I was checking on my 23-month old twin girls before going to bed a couple of thoughts ran through my head. <br /><br />I thought about National Geographic’s documentary <a href="http://shop.nationalgeographic.com/jump.jsp?itemID=3545&itemType=PRODUCT&path=1%2C2%2C105%2C128%2C1063"><span style="font-style:italic;">Life in the Womb: Multiples</span></a>* (which I highly recommend). It’s a fascinating look at multiples in and out of the womb. One thing I found amazing is that twins have been observed interacting in ways similar to how they behaved in the womb. An example was two sisters who enjoyed standing each on one side of a curtain and touching the other’s face through the fabric. When they were in the womb, sonograms would show them doing the same thing through the membrane separating them.<br /><br />My other thought was about something I had read in a baby development book. That is, some babies like to sleep with their heads jammed up against the side of the crib as it gives them a sensation similar to that of being positioned head down in the womb. <br /><br />So as I watched my sleeping daughters it struck me how these two tidbits of information were reflected in how they sleep. They were in their usual positions: Fiona, twin A, had rolled over on to her tummy to fall asleep as soon as I put her to bed. She hadn’t moved and wouldn’t until she woke up. She was transverse in the womb the last several months of my pregnancy and didn’t move as much as her sister. Twin B, Allison, had moved around before settling to sleep, so much so that her blankets were in disarray and she was at the opposite end of the crib from where I had put her. As usual, she was asleep with her head against the side of the crib and in a fetal-like position on her knees, with her three “babies” (a doll, a dragon and a Teletubby) jammed under her belly. It’s amazing Allison can sleep like that, but in the womb she was head down, very active and probably draped herself over her sister much like she was now doing with her dolls. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SS40OBW05gI/AAAAAAAAEwY/-p7Cz5tNFrw/s1600-h/DSCN5321.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SS40OBW05gI/AAAAAAAAEwY/-p7Cz5tNFrw/s400/DSCN5321.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273209629184419330" /></a><br />Does anyone else have an experience of twin behavior that is similar before and after birth?<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">* You can also get this video through the Alameda County Library or Netflix.</span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5398930971737142890?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-37801411249994175892008-11-19T11:32:00.000-08:002008-11-19T16:32:18.348-08:00At our Board meeting earlier this week, we recalled experiences of responding to the question “Does it (parenting) get easier?” Usually the person asking is a weary-eyed parent of newborn twins looking for reassurance that someday these precious little tyrants will actually sleep for more than 2 hours at a time, communicate in some method other than “WAAAAH”, and even be able to handle the “input” and “output” ends of the digestive process with minimal assistance.<br /><br />Unfortunately, when the question is asked of a parent whose slightly larger tyrants are louder, more stubborn, wearing jammies to preschool because they wouldn't get out of bed on time, and using their verbal and food-handling skills to throw tantrums and generate messes of epic proportions, said parent often has to try (sometimes unsuccessfully) to suppress the response of “NOOOOOOO!”<br /><br />So what’s the healthiest way to perceive parenting? Is there a happy (or at least, hopeful) medium somewhere between the two extremes of denial and despondency?<br /><br />Perhaps it’s helpful to view parenting the same way we view things like education and exercise - even though the curriculum gets progressively more difficult, our prior experience helps prepare us (however imperfectly) to face the new challenges. And just as we’d never want our kids to be permanently stuck in wanting to do things that are easy for them instead of learning from new challenges, Mother Nature seems to have decided that we parents also need to continue to learn and grow. Perhaps this constant feeling of struggle is just confirmation that we're still active in this thing called life. After all, as the saying goes, only the <span style="font-style:italic;">dead</span> fish swim downstream.<br /><br />So instead of longing for a day when things will be “easier” (and feeling shortchanged because that day never seems to come), perhaps we’d be better off looking for evidence that things are getting “better” (e.g. a child’s new accomplishment, or the realization that you’ve successfully stifled the impulse to yell and scream because that accomplishment has left a trail of watercolor paint across the kitchen floor.) Author Beth Moore, in her book “Living Beyond Yourself”, comments that one of the most valuable things she learned was the realization that “good” does not necessarily mean “easy”, and that some of the most worthwhile things in her life were also some of the most difficult to accomplish.<br /><br />So parents of newborns: while we can’t guarantee that the process gets <span style="font-style:italic;">easier</span>, I think we can honestly say that it does get <span style="font-style:italic;">better</span>. And if you need assurance when a parent of older multiples tells you it doesn’t get easier, ask them if they would like to turn back the clock to their kids’ infant days.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3780141124999417589?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-47972722302702513982008-11-07T13:25:00.000-08:002008-11-07T13:29:25.278-08:00My kids have a favorite book right now. It's called "Charlie Parker Played Be Bop". It's a book written similar to how a jazz piece might go. No real story or melody, with slightly strange lyrics ("never leave your cat alone") that sort of come up out of the blue. My kids just love it. They know all the words and really dig the interesting sounds like "Fisk, Fisk" and "boppity" that are part of it.<br /><br />Lately, one of my girls started called it "Sammy Parker Played Be Bop". I kept correcting her not really thinking about why she couldn't remember the first name. Then it occurred to me. She has some twin friends named Charlie and Sammy. I'm not sure if she was being cute or she just thinks the names are interchangeable.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4797272230270251398?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-25886487644427856822008-10-29T13:58:00.000-07:002008-10-29T14:14:03.682-07:00Since the birth of my son, I have taken many, many baby and child classes with him and his twin sisters. Starting with prenatal yoga and <a href="http://www.babybootcamp.com/">Baby Boot Camp</a> and then moving to <a href="http://eastbaymusictogether.com/cgi-bin/page.cgi?name=home">Music Together</a>, Gymboree, <a href="http://services.housing.berkeley.edu/VillageRecreation/gymnastics_plus.htm">Gymnastics at</a> UC Village, soccer classes at <a href="http://www.bladium.com/">Bladium</a> and even toddler classes at <a href="http://www.ssreg.com/mcpc/">MCPC</a> and <a href="http://www.aquatechswimschool.com/">swim classes</a> in alameda, I've done a lot in a short period of time. We've had a large number of different teachers with different skills and talents. <br /><br />One thing that has stood out in my mind since having the twins is the correlation of the quality of the class and the ability of the instructor to remember who is who. It seems that there is a direct relationship between them. The faster the teacher can remember their names AND remember which girl is Elizabeth and which is Miranda actually tells me very quickly how good the class will be. <br /><br />For example, the Music Together teacher than learned all three kids' names on day one and never got them wrong was outstanding. The one that has yet to learn to tell which girl is which, not so great. The make up teacher than remembered after just 40 minutes was superb! The swim teacher that has to ask each time what my son's name is, has far less talent than the one that greets him in the hall with a "Hi Parker!"<br /><br />The Gymnastics teacher who immediately could tell the difference between Elizabeth and Miranda and could remember who was who was much better than the Bladium coach that always had to check his clip board before saying hello. In fact, the Gymnastics teacher is so good that he remembered all 14 twins in the class very quickly and always gets them right when singing the good bye song. Very impressive.<br /><br />Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily criticizing the ones that don't learn them or can't remember who is who. It's hard. (I still can't remember who is who sometimes with some of my twin mom friends who I see less frequently.) I just find it an interesting observation and wonder what, if anything, that is about.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2588648764442785682?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-61236237737279024662008-10-23T19:08:00.001-07:002008-10-23T19:13:55.033-07:00Habitot in Berkeley is hosting a support group for parents of twins once a month. They provide coffee, pastries as well as toys, art projects and fun for the kids. One staffer entertains the kids while the other one facilitates a discussion with the parents. Today 8 parents came, which means 17 kids (16 twins plus my older son). They had to get another staff person to manage them all. All the kids did great. My daughter got a kick out of playing with an older girl. It was great to get to know twin moms I had met before and super to hear from other people with older kids or with three kids just like me. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for something to do or hoping to feel normal with other twin parents. My pictures came out a bit fuzzy for some reason...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtr-mfsKI/AAAAAAAAHZM/7p5qhjxz-ME/s1600-h/IMG_1943.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtr-mfsKI/AAAAAAAAHZM/7p5qhjxz-ME/s320/IMG_1943.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260536073307533474" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtrRU4moI/AAAAAAAAHZE/Zdk-t1535e8/s1600-h/IMG_1939.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtrRU4moI/AAAAAAAAHZE/Zdk-t1535e8/s320/IMG_1939.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260536061154073218" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtrCnrpZI/AAAAAAAAHY8/Lxnb37z332E/s1600-h/IMG_1938.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtrCnrpZI/AAAAAAAAHY8/Lxnb37z332E/s320/IMG_1938.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260536057206384018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtq0js8nI/AAAAAAAAHY0/6KasSoUxkiM/s1600-h/IMG_1937.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtq0js8nI/AAAAAAAAHY0/6KasSoUxkiM/s320/IMG_1937.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260536053431595634" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtqaaSKOI/AAAAAAAAHYs/CzmH5HQYzaA/s1600-h/IMG_1936.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEtqaaSKOI/AAAAAAAAHYs/CzmH5HQYzaA/s320/IMG_1936.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260536046412769506" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvDajYUeI/AAAAAAAAHZs/eUy3tjwmJpQ/s1600-h/IMG_1933.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvDajYUeI/AAAAAAAAHZs/eUy3tjwmJpQ/s320/IMG_1933.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260537575459279330" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvDPuiiwI/AAAAAAAAHZk/S8L2bM5Zyyc/s1600-h/IMG_1934.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvDPuiiwI/AAAAAAAAHZk/S8L2bM5Zyyc/s320/IMG_1934.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260537572553296642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvC7VTfNI/AAAAAAAAHZc/KnkwmYqthjw/s1600-h/IMG_1946.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvC7VTfNI/AAAAAAAAHZc/KnkwmYqthjw/s320/IMG_1946.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260537567078743250" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvCWH-9CI/AAAAAAAAHZU/JdVZxjxxGVo/s1600-h/IMG_1944.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SQEvCWH-9CI/AAAAAAAAHZU/JdVZxjxxGVo/s320/IMG_1944.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5260537557090759714" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6123623773727902466?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-61240339585640286152008-10-18T13:01:00.001-07:002008-11-26T22:03:09.266-08:00<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SPpAi6JCt0I/AAAAAAAAAAM/3OxC93FoTqw/s1600-h/DSCF1422-773720.JPG"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__L1WCEC3aiQ/SPpAi6JCt0I/AAAAAAAAAAM/3OxC93FoTqw/s320/DSCF1422-773720.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5258586483375388482" /></a></p><br />Confession time: I do get a feeling of environmental smugness as I take my kids to school in one of the smallest, most fuel-efficient cars in the lot (‘97 Honda Civic sedan with manual transmission). And now that we’ve found a safe way to transport another classmate in the back seat (allowing me to split the dropoff/pickup duties with a neighbor), I might become insufferably smug.<br /><br />The funny looking thing you see on Deborah is a RideSafer Travel Vest <a href="http://www.ridesafer.net"></a>, which uses the top tether anchor and a few seatbelt guides to do the job of a belt-positioning booster. It’s a little more work than buckling/unbuckling a booster, but easier to install/move around than a 5-pt harness seat. And since it’s hardly any narrower than the child wearing it, it can fit in much smaller spaces than a booster. And unlike conventional boosters, it can be used with a lap-only seatbelt and it doesn’t have an expiration date. It’s admittedly a bit odd-looking but so far it seems to be an odd look that appeals to first graders (at least one classmate we’ve transported has asked to use the vest instead of one of the boosters).<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6124033958564028615?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-56369520174981137212008-10-16T20:55:00.000-07:002008-11-26T21:56:25.796-08:00Having twins means having fights over, well, everything. My boys fight over toy trains where somehow one green train is the train to have, and the other green train that seems the same is no substitute, they fight over nearly identical cups of water, cheese sticks, etc. I met a twin mom that has 5 year old twin boys and she suggested designating fought over items with the boys names (or an initial or symbol to represent their names) and show them to look for "their" item. <br /><br />She said it really helped with fighting and made it so that they could even get un-matching items. <br /><br />I've tried this and have to say it has worked 70% of the time so far. They actually seem to enjoy knowing that they have their own things. Of course they still want their brother's item, mostly in addition to their own.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5636952017498113721?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02979453717089750887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-90605477928248416832008-10-07T14:01:00.000-07:002008-10-07T14:16:14.825-07:00Before I became a mom, I read all sorts of parenting books. Books about what to expect the first year, the second year, and the preschool years. When I was expecting twins, I read the twin books, the sibling rivalry books, the potty training books, and many more. I learned a lot and wondered what all those moms did before these books were around.<br /><br />But even with all that book reading, some things have still surprised me and I find myself doing things I never would have expected. For example, I find myself sticking my hand in the toilet more often than one would ever want to stick their hand in the toilet. Before I had kids, I think the only time I had to reach into a toilet was when I dropped my cell phone in at work. Lesson learned: Never go to the bathroom with your cell phone in your pocket.<br /><br />These days, reaching into the toilet to retrieve one thing or another seems like a regular part of mommy life. The first time was to retrieve a marble for my son. Sure, I could have flushed the marble, but the look on his face and my fear of what the marble would do to our very old pipes made me stick my hand in there to get it out. Unfortunately, he had already peed when the marble drop occurred. No parenting books prepared me for that.<br /><br />The second, third, fourth and fifth times were to retrieve wipes that my girls had so diligently put in the potty after peeing. Again, I had to retrieve those wipes because plunging was also becoming too regular an activity (so regular in fact that the girls reach for the plunger after going potty now). It is super hard to explain to two year olds that toilet paper goes in the toilet but wipes do not. They are both white and square and used to wipe. And again, when a wipe was already in the toilet, it usually means something else more yellow or brown is in there too.<br /><br />The last time I stuck my hand in the toilet was today. My son, already tired and not feeling well, went to pee holding a small cup of grapes he was snacking on in the car. From the kitchen I heard the screams of terror. It sounded like he sliced off his own hand. I ran to the bathroom where the girls were staring into the toilet and Parker was hysterical. I looked in and sure enough, there were the grapes. At the bottom of the toilet. Once again, I could just flush them down and hope for the best, but also once again, he was so devastated that I had to just suck it up and get the grapes out. It took several times to get them all and their stems. Parker demanded we wash them off and eat them so I took them into the kitchen and when he wasn't looking, dumped them in the sink and replaced them with similar looking clean grapes. Too bad I couldn't do that with my hand.<br /><br />Maybe I should write a book called, "What they don't tell you about being a parent." Or maybe it is best left unsaid. And if that is the case, my apologies for this post.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-9060547792824841683?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-7670912955860365902008-09-24T07:43:00.000-07:002008-09-24T07:53:19.223-07:00When my kids were younger, the most consistent piece of advice I received was "nap when they nap". So I did. Whenever the girls took a nap, I did too. It made the night time wakings more manageable.<br /><br />It's hard to give up those naps as the kids become better sleepers. But after a while, you take their nap time to catch up on bills, read the paper, clean the house, take a shower or do one of many things you have been ignoring for days or weeks.<br /><br />I've got about an hour and a half window between when all three kids go down for nap and when the first wakes up. I usually use it to catch up on emails, have lunch, straighten up, or sit and stare at the wall.<br /><br />But yesterday, I was tired. Very tired. I was so tired, I decided to forgo lunch, emails and anything else. At 12:30, I went to lie down on the couch, but for some reason couldn't fall asleep. Then I heard one of the girls crying, so I sighed and gave up on any hope of a nap. Then I looked at my watch. It was 2:00pm. So apparently, I had napped. Lucky me. :)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-767091295586036590?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-49192334205774451642008-09-21T20:53:00.000-07:002008-09-22T13:47:58.065-07:00As I enter my 2nd year as a member of Twins by the Bay, I’ve noticed there are certain questions that get posted more frequently than others on the General Forum. Sleep and eating issues (be it at the breast, bottle or table) top the list. A strong contender for 3rd place is airplane travel with twins. There are well-traveled twins in our club, some having made it as far away as Australia. The furthest my two have made it is Mendocino, but should we ever get on a plane we will be well prepared with the tips TBB members have shared. Today in <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/index?blogid=46">The Mommy Files</a>, a <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/blogs/">SF Gate parenting blog</a>, I found another great idea to add to the list: have your kids wear superhero capes at the airport. To find out more, check out <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfmoms/detail?blogid=46&entry_id=30506">Rule #3: Always travel with a superhero.</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4919233420577445164?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-10889840661288653782008-09-15T17:07:00.000-07:002008-09-15T17:12:06.558-07:00Check out what is available to borrow from the Halloween Closet. They'll first be available at the General Meeting on the 22nd. Hope to see you then!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SM75m5U2_3I/AAAAAAAAG-Q/HNWHMoRx4WM/s1600-h/IMG_1413.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SM75m5U2_3I/AAAAAAAAG-Q/HNWHMoRx4WM/s320/IMG_1413.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246405062551863154" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SM75nBgewwI/AAAAAAAAG-Y/-CnMtQoHOtA/s1600-h/IMG_1416.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SM75nBgewwI/AAAAAAAAG-Y/-CnMtQoHOtA/s320/IMG_1416.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246405064748090114" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SM75nawdrsI/AAAAAAAAG-g/ObJg3-6nqLc/s1600-h/IMG_1419.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SM75nawdrsI/AAAAAAAAG-g/ObJg3-6nqLc/s320/IMG_1419.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246405071526014658" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1088984066128865378?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-70567859419731638402008-09-15T13:41:00.000-07:002008-09-15T13:46:37.626-07:00Ebba and I were at the park today after music class and we saw a woman with a double snap and go. Ebba stopped to talk with her. Boy/Girl twins. Doing well. Yes, a member of the club. Etc, etc.<br /><br />Then we saw a Dad with a snap and go and two other kids. Ebba and I, who both have older sons as well as our twins, were impressed. On many levels. This dad was at the park alone. He seemed extremely calm. And none of the kids were screaming.<br /><br />When he got closer to us, we chatted with him for a bit. We told him how impressed we were and confessed we only had one older child, not two. That's when he said, Three! I have three older children. And sure enough, there they were. A 4 year old, 3 year old, 18 month old and 5 month old twins. Oh. My. Gosh. The oldest was a girl and the rest were boys.<br /><br />He was a nice guy and we talked about bedtime routines after Ebba left. He even let my girls share his snack. What's two more when you have five????<br /><br />I felt like a total slacker mom after his experience.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7056785941973163840?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-51734007929840134442008-09-12T12:50:00.000-07:002008-11-26T21:56:48.977-08:00Habitot's kids museum in Berkeley is having a twin related event. Check it out.<br /><a href=" http://www.habitot.org/hab/classes_parenting_cafe.htm"><br />http://www.habitot.org/hab/classes_parenting_cafe.htm</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5173400792984013444?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-81941824380796789862008-09-10T15:13:00.001-07:002008-11-26T22:03:56.848-08:00Looks like twins magazine is giving away a guide to the first year of twin life free.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.twinsmagazine.com/guide-first-year"><br />http://www.twinsmagazine.com/guide-first-year</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8194182438079678986?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-15049023162109788782008-09-09T07:54:00.000-07:002008-09-09T07:58:56.666-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SMaOw9qNvtI/AAAAAAAAG4s/RDVhPVGNum4/s1600-h/IMG_1304.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SMaOw9qNvtI/AAAAAAAAG4s/RDVhPVGNum4/s320/IMG_1304.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244035787956010706" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SMaOxIWfbTI/AAAAAAAAG40/NIZ23TapIkY/s1600-h/IMG_1305.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SMaOxIWfbTI/AAAAAAAAG40/NIZ23TapIkY/s320/IMG_1305.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244035790826073394" /></a><br />With more than a month before Halloween, we are ready with our costumes thanks to the costume closet. Last year we borrowed the cutest pumpkins. This year we stuck to the orange theme and went with Tigers. The girls can't decide which one is better so they keep taking them off and putting on the other one.<br /><br />If you are looking for a costume, please join us at the General Meeting on September 22. We'll not only have the costumes available, but we'll have free chair massages and pizza!<br /><br />And if you have any costumes that no longer fit your kids, please consider donating them to the costume closet so others can use them for years to come.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1504902316210978878?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-18809979055837103122008-09-06T18:51:00.000-07:002008-09-06T18:56:43.044-07:00<span style="font-weight:bold;">Six first time twim mom’s give their top five pieces of advice for parents expecting twins.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Peggy: Mom of Fraternal Girls 2 ¼ years old. Due with #3 in one month.</span><br /><br />Plan ahead & get all your baby gear ready ideally a couple of months before the baby comes in case the baby makes an early arrival (ie. set up the crib, go to a class to learn how to install your car seats because you don't want to be figuring that out the day you are trying to leave the hospital). Cotton & Company on College ave can fit you for a nursing bra. Breast-feeding twins can take awhile to learn. If it is at all difficult hire a lactation consultant. <br /> <br />Join a twin group so you will have the day to day support of people who are in a similar situation. New singleton moms can do things like put their babies in a bjorn and go for a walk which doesn't work with twins so it's good to know some other twin moms.<br /><br />Don't sweat the small stuff. It won't be perfect, your babies will cry, and that is just fine.<br /><br />When people want to help, suggest they bring meals over. It beats eating cheerios for the first month. After having a c-section I was really glad my Mom was able to stay with us for 2-3 weeks to help us cook & clean. My husband took 5 weeks off which is obviously not possible for everyone but really helped us get our act together. <br /><br />After a few weeks try to take you babies out on your own. This made me feel independent and free again which was wonderful. We ate out alot after about a month because the babies were so portable at that age.<br /><br />Having twins is alot of work but mostly it's wonderful. The best part for me is watching how much they enjoy playing with each other. It's so fortunate to be born with a little buddy to go through life with.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Monika: Mom to Fraternal Girls. 2 years old in October</span><br /><br />Pre plan while pregnant: gather resources like 1-2 hour local drives you've always wondered about, have maps printed & ready to go - you'll use them I guarantee it! Get take out menus ready, have a list of all local parks, museums, indoor activities (for when it's raining), etc. Have maps, hours, prices, etc. Actually, do the same for meal planning (easy yet healthy meals you can make fast. ALL this may seem obvious while pregnant but trust me when you're sleep deprived you'll forget it all).<br /><br />If you plan to nurse have at least 2 nursing pro friends ready to come over and help and a lactation consultant ready just incase (and use the free one at the hospital every day!). Be prepared to consume more meat that you ever thought you would in your life for those first 2 months while your body produces enough calories to feed babies & heal your body. Freeze meat stew now or prepare your friends/family to cook it for you!<br /><br />If you can get relatives to come help, make sure they know they will mostly be cooking and cleaning in support of you and the babies (surprisingly many think they will be able to come and just hold the babies and that's about it...). <br /><br />Prepare yourself mentally as much as possible to feel totally overwhelmed and unlike yourself and accept that everything may feel "not how I wanted it or expected it" and it's OKAY and it really will someday get easier, better, and it WILL be what you wanted and expected. It just takes awhile. But things really do someday feel totally normal, totally doable, and totally fun. If you're lucky, you'll be like Susan and it will happen almost instantly ;0. If you're like me it will take you 6 months. But you'll get there!<br /><br />If you're a perfectionist get ready to cry a lot. And know you'll come out the other side and strangely your life will see imperfectly perfect.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Mari: Mom to Boy Girl Twins 2 years old</span><br /><br />Accept help!!! <br /><br />Let a friend set up a "meals on wheels" schedule and give her all your email addresses to solicit!<br /><br />Stock your freezer with food - my sis made me buy an extra freezer for downstairs and it was brilliant.<br /><br />Get the lactation consultant to visit you every day you're in the hospital and continue to go to one after you go home until you feel like breastfeeding is under control (if you want to breastfeed)<br /><br />Get your husband to take as much time off work as possible. it helps with the solidification of his bonds with the kids and his feeling like he knows what he is doing (at least as well as you will) will go a long way towards his willingness to help. along those lines let him do things his own way. Better him do it his own way rather than you having to do it yourself. in the long run, he's happier, you're happier, and believe it or not, sometimes he comes up with a better way!<br /><br />If you can get relatives to come help, make sure they know they will mostly be cooking and cleaning in support of you and the babies (surprisingly many think they will be able to come and just hold the babies and that's about it...). <br /><br />As best you can, leave the kids to sleep in their crib rather than holding them. They'll figure it out eventually and you'll get much needed baby-free time to eat, sleep or shower or whatever.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Susan: Mom to Fraternal Boy Twins 20 months old</span><br /><br />Get out early and often - to achieve this a. get yourself ready first so as soon as you feed/change babies, you can go. (when your partner is still there, before you have it down alone b. pack the bag the night before (keep the car packed with a box of diapers/wipes, a few outfits, water/snacks for you, plus a brush, lip gloss and powder)c. newborns don't have to change clothes unless there's poop or massive amounts of spit-up, so they just go in pjs, not outfits<br /><br />Take advantage of going out when babies are really little and can sleep anywhere in their infant seats<br /><br />Know that other people will do things differently (hold/feed babies, fold clothes, whatever) but sometimes it is more important to not do it yourself than have it done your way.<br /><br />This especially does for your spouse, but if you let them figure out their own way and be as much as an expert as yourself, it'll provide you with a lot of freedom, especially later.<br /><br />Take out, take out, take out. We didn't use it nearly enough.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Leslie: Mom to Identical Boys just over 2 years old.</span><br /><br />Time with the Grandparents. Accept help from your parents around the clock, if they offer, no matter how badly your ego will be bruised or personal space violated.<br /><br />Feed Your Twins, Feed Yourself. Find extra money for take-out. Live off leftovers and don’t feel bad about it.<br /><br />Maternity and Paternity Leave. Get more time off from work than you think you will want or need. Nothing is worse that watching your sleep deprived husband stumble onto the bus only two weeks into the madness. I felt like a helpless little girl wanting to yell, “Don’t leave me here alone with them!”<br /><br />Supply Stock. Be well stocked up on diapers, formula, wipes, blankets, burp cloths, clothes, socks, and little hats before the babies arrive. Sending people out for supplies adds to the stress.<br /><br />It’s Not the Same. Forget the advice you get from singleton baby books. You are not going to “wear your babies” all day long. You are not going to sleep in bed with them. <br /><br />It’s just different having twins and singleton parents/authors don’t get it.<br />Schedule = Sleep. Get them on a schedule, the same schedule. Sleep training is a beautiful thing. Find Community. Join a twins group. You will love the support and comradery you get from other parents with twins. National Mothers of Twins Organization is a great place to start. Meet some locals with twins and start your own playgroup.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">And a few tips from 2nd time moms Rachel, Kika and Ebba who agree with everything else said above…</span><br /><br />Read Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child<br /><br />Does stress if breastfeeding doesn’t happen right away. Keep at it and it will. Or stop and go to bottles. Don’t be ashamed either way you go. It’s your life, not someone elses.<br /><br />Starbucks drive-thru saved my life in the early days. You can't pop in for coffee like you can with one kid.<br /><br />Having one is not like having two, so if you’re a second time mom, don’t think you know it all.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1880997905583710312?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-56403933555221549102008-08-29T13:59:00.001-07:002008-08-29T14:05:30.777-07:00A NYC friend of mine just emailed me about <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/nyregion/28nanny.html?sq=craigs%20list&st=">this New York Craigs List ad, </a>posted by a woman looking for a nanny for her 4 kids, including 6 year old twins. Her post caught the attention of parenting bloggers and other folks who forwarded it their friends, and next thing you know it's being written about in The New York Times.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5640393355522154910?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-78219829948761046402008-08-24T19:33:00.000-07:002008-08-24T19:38:45.626-07:00One of our twin playgroup moms is moving to Los Angeles for the year. We planned a cake eating send off for her at our last get together, but she was too busy packing and missed out. So, we took a picture of all of us having fun. As you can see these playgroups are equally important and fun for moms and kids alike. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SLIaTitgs0I/AAAAAAAAGyM/qOLXCe6hwzg/s1600-h/IMG_0004.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SLIaTitgs0I/AAAAAAAAGyM/qOLXCe6hwzg/s320/IMG_0004.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238278239622837058" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SLIaAJQwTII/AAAAAAAAGyE/3t9ZSxuO1kA/s1600-h/IMG_0006.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SLIaAJQwTII/AAAAAAAAGyE/3t9ZSxuO1kA/s320/IMG_0006.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5238277906373823618" /></a><br /><br />Pictured: Monika with Sammy and Charlie, Susan with Sebastian and Fletcher, Mari with Cole and Sydney, Rachel with Miranda and Elizabeth and Parker, Peggy with Sophia and Juliana and Leslie with Owen and Isaac.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7821982994876104640?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-65591657149642901442008-08-18T23:58:00.000-07:002008-08-20T23:21:48.707-07:00Check out this <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/online/culture/2008/07/01/vicky-ward-angelina-post.html">sweet essay on the challenges of being the parent of twins</a>, written by a mom of twins.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6559165714964290144?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-68563580374593042312008-08-11T14:57:00.000-07:002008-08-11T14:59:12.924-07:00Our fearless leader Susan reads to the kids at our co-op.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SKC11ucYUJI/AAAAAAAAGqs/dbCkjKudJ48/s1600-h/IMG_0948.JPG"><img style="cursor: pointer;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SKC11ucYUJI/AAAAAAAAGqs/dbCkjKudJ48/s320/IMG_0948.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233382701609275538" border="0" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6856358037459304231?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-31118102411608589592008-07-28T13:30:00.000-07:002008-07-28T13:39:12.261-07:00After a year of sharing our bedroom with our son, now 3 1/2, we decided that we were ready to have our own space back and moved all the kids into one room. The last time we tried it (when the twins were about 10 months), it was a total failure, resulting in sleepless nights for everyone. Unfortunately, this time, it has not been any better. We've only had two nights with this arrangement so far, but it's not good. Not good at all.<br /><br />The first night, everyone just wanted to play. Since the girls have been out of cribs (due to excessive climbing) for about 4 months, they just got out of bed to hang out with Parker, or play, or do anything besides sleep. When we finally did get them to sleep 2 hours later, they woke up every couple hours confused and disoriented.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SI4tANIl04I/AAAAAAAAGXs/0Qd1roN7gFs/s1600-h/IMG_0590.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SI4tANIl04I/AAAAAAAAGXs/0Qd1roN7gFs/s320/IMG_0590.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228165698972668802" /></a><br /><br />The second night, the play time was eliminated, but the crying and whinning was in full force and they were essentially awake for most of the night. Which meant, I was too. <br /><br />The girls are pretty twitter-pated to be in the same room with big brother and they all crawled into bed with him this morning. Sure, it was cute. But it would have been cuter with about 5 more hours of sleep. Let's hope tonight is better. Or let's hope we win the lottery and can buy a house with more than 2 bedrooms.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SI4s_k_osdI/AAAAAAAAGXk/NqicadfZOUI/s1600-h/IMG_0595.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SI4s_k_osdI/AAAAAAAAGXk/NqicadfZOUI/s320/IMG_0595.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5228165688197689810" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3111810241160858959?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-51737559216654410222008-07-21T22:31:00.000-07:002008-07-21T23:12:52.924-07:00For so long my energy was focused on nursing the twins.  When they were small, when one ate, the other ate, for the most part it was a 50/50 split.  Each baby ate equal number of days, I switched feedings for the "good" boob, I tried to make sure they had equal bottle feedings.  They were pretty equal in size so this worked out well.  I never thought about weaning, I was so focused on getting them fed day to day.  I had no long term goal, just thought about the short-term.  Then we got towards a year and the boys were still nursing 8+ times a day, they were eating like champs, and while I'd grown to really enjoy our nursing relationship, it also drained me (emotionally, mentally, physically).  As we passed a year and they began eating enough (amount and variety) and were climbing (albeit slowly) on the chart, I started feeling like I was ready to cut back, but not ready to give up nursing all together.  We started cutting down on nursing sessions and after a couple of months were down to 2-3 a day.  One baby had an easier time with this than the other.  <br /><br />I hadn't thought about how they would wean.  Or that it would be different from one another.  Up until this point, I hadn't thought of having each unique breastfeeding relationship with each twin, I'd viewed our breastfeeding relationship as a triangle, something the three of us started and shared, and I suppose that we'd end together.  When I thought about weaning I thought about weaning them both and that it would be the same, but of course, that isn't the way it is...Each of the boys is a unique being and I'm having to rethink the weaning process.  I'm having to think in terms of each boys nursing needs/wants and evaluate as individuals.  <br /><br />One has mostly self-weaned and only nurses once every couple of days and only for a couple of seconds at that.  The other is still going strong and I'm faced with whether I want to lead the weaning process a little more or wait for him.  I suppose it is the perpetual challenge of raising twins.  Facing that both babies won't need or want the same things at the same time, battling the guilt of these "inequalities", trying to calculate the how these differences might affect one or both long-term, balancing the different wants/needs while managing a realistic schedule and allocation of resources. I honestly didn't think it would be so difficult emotionally to wean. I didn't think that I'd be so torn. <br /><br />I know there are no easy answers and we all do the best we can, and luckily I've got plenty of twin mom friends to share my concerns, which even though it is not an answer, it helps.  A lot.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5173755921665441022?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02979453717089750887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-36903670307768600632008-07-09T13:24:00.000-07:002008-07-09T15:08:39.135-07:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SHUfVs28cTI/AAAAAAAADms/wLm4sMsLROE/s1600-h/DSCN4521_Fixed(1).Jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SHUfVs28cTI/AAAAAAAADms/wLm4sMsLROE/s400/DSCN4521_Fixed(1).Jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221113800685285682" /></a><br />You won't find this out on their website, but you heard it here. On the second Tuesday of every month, twins are admitted 2 for the price of 1 at <a href="http://www.studiogrow.com/">Studio Grow</a>, a fun indoor play space in North Berkeley. When I went this past Tuesday, I saw SIX sets of twins, including mine, five of which I know are members of TBB. It's great when there are other moms of multiples around, as they'll quickly step in and give you an understanding hand if you're needed in two places at once.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SHU2jEw-DXI/AAAAAAAADpU/RprQQ0ycnFc/s1600-h/DSCN4493.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SHU2jEw-DXI/AAAAAAAADpU/RprQQ0ycnFc/s400/DSCN4493.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5221139319208414578" /></a><br /><br /><em>Top photo: Twins Fiona & Allison, and Miranda & Elizabeth put shoes on after a fun morning at Studio Grow with their big brothers.<br />Bottom photo: Twins Miranda & Elizabeth play with twin baby dolls.</em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3690367030776860063?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-24514219793990981432008-07-08T13:52:00.000-07:002008-07-08T14:23:10.989-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SHPXpu9skYI/AAAAAAAADmk/UroJLoB7XCI/s1600-h/human+mirror.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SHPXpu9skYI/AAAAAAAADmk/UroJLoB7XCI/s400/human+mirror.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220753505033949570" /></a><br />Looks like a mirror image, doesn't it? It's actually peformance art by Improv Everywhere. Eight sets of identical twins filled a New York subway car: each set was stationed across from each other, and each twin had to copy what the other was doing. They were told that if someone asked them what was going on, to feign ignorance and act like they didn't even notice their twin sitting across from them. For a video of the performance and people's reactions, more photos, and a diary of the event, check out <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MBBr-a2KnM">Improv Everywhere's </a>website.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2451421979399098143?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-66613415877926679812008-07-02T22:01:00.000-07:002008-07-02T22:07:19.099-07:00<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SGxdbPKLFXI/AAAAAAAAGCI/UKJRfP58Dxo/s1600-h/IMG_0209.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SGxdbPKLFXI/AAAAAAAAGCI/UKJRfP58Dxo/s320/IMG_0209.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218648790722614642" /></a><br />One of the great things about TBB is the friends you make. Twin moms are, despite being surrounded by chaos and being doubly busy all the time, extremely generous. When I need to work at my son's preschool, a twin mom friend watches my girls. When I need to go to a doctor's appt, same thing. So when twin mom friend Ebba needed to take her dad on some errands today, I was more than pleased to watch her girls. We played around, had snacks and even took all five kids on a walk up and down the block. <br /><br />Had I not gone to the New and Expectant Mom support group, I never would have met Ebba and her family. I can't even imagine!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6661341587792667981?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-24300776757930349012008-06-26T13:00:00.000-07:002008-11-26T21:57:33.096-08:00The Chronicle did an article on <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/25/SPOO11DPO8.DTL">good swimming locations</a> in the Bay Area. Since we are all looking to beat the heat this summer, I thought it would be good idea to share it.<br /><br />I'm definitely going to try Cull Canyon!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2430077675793034901?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-57245604289014481232008-06-21T18:42:00.000-07:002008-06-21T18:48:23.741-07:00A mom in NC (my home state) gave birth this week to twins weighing over 20 lbs! The boy, 10 lbs 14 oz; the girl, 12 lbs 3oz. WOW! That is a lot of baby. I remember how big and stretch I felt and mine together weren't even as big as one of hers. It is amazing what a woman's body can do, especially a twin mom's body...<br /><br /><br />http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080620/ap_on_fe_st/odd_big_twins<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5724560428901448123?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02979453717089750887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-66718372005942525652008-06-17T14:19:00.001-07:002008-06-17T14:19:17.021-07:00As a SAHM mom of three age 3-years old and under, many things have caused me worry. Will I be able to handle all of them? Will I neglect one of them? Is my lap biggest enough for all of them to have a seat? Will I compare them? Will I label them? How many of each toy do I get? From the serious to the mundane, I've had a lot of questions that I've either figured out as I went or asked the great wealth of knowledge and experience at TBB.<br /><br />A recent worry of mine has been how I will manage my oldest son's preschool drop off and pick up with the two little ones tagging along. His preschool starts this Fall and it's not the most twin friendly building. Lots of stairs, doors, parking far away, and other obstacles. I'm thinking a double stroller might not be possible, but I haven't fully scoped it out yet to know 100%.<br /><br />I'm getting a little practice this summer. I've enrolled my son in a preschool camp at another local preschool co-op. It's every day 9 to 11:30. On day one, I had a fellow twin mom watch the girls so I could ensure he was settled and comfortable. But when I went to pick him up, I brought the girls. I left the stroller in the car, and we all walked in. The girls thought they had died and gone to heaven when they saw all the cool stuff at the preschool. And the outside play area was even better. One of them (the climber), immediately shot up the rope latter (for kids 3-5) and her sister tried unsuccessfully to follow. Then they tried the see-saw, tire swing, and other age-inappropriate play things.<br /><br />Today, when we went to drop him off, they ran to the outside area. They were quite disappointed when I brought them inside to get my son settled but happy again when I let them play a few moments before we left.<br /><br />It's a much more accessible spot then his future preschool, so hopefully I can get good at corraling the children this summer, leaving me an expert come fall. Hopefully.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6671837200594252565?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-90882867594578456002008-06-11T14:11:00.000-07:002008-06-11T14:16:16.336-07:00My girls seem to have a love/hate relationship going on. They want the other one around and follow each other everywhere, yet at the same time, they bug each other constantly.<br /><br />I sometimes think about what they will be like when they are older. Will they be buddies in grade school? Best friends in high school? Most of the time, I doubt it. But when they act like this, I think there is hope. <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SFBAN8vNetI/AAAAAAAAF1A/cEDffUbAbTU/s1600-h/IMG_9821.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SFBAN8vNetI/AAAAAAAAF1A/cEDffUbAbTU/s320/IMG_9821.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5210735377254283986" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-9088286759457845600?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-36334234529301455132008-06-09T19:22:00.000-07:002008-11-26T22:14:07.993-08:00Well...we all survived the great garage sale of 2008. With 30 sellers, hundreds of buyers, and what felt like thousands of things for sale, it was a smashing success. Garage Sale co-chairs Mary Grace and Amy did a fantastic job planning every last detail and the generous volunteers did a great job executing it all. The raffle and bake sale were equally successful and even the clean up went better than expected. Thanks to everyone who participated, shopped, ate, bought raffle tickets, and volunteered.<br /><br />We're already looking forward to next year.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3633423452930145513?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-9482550916403354732008-05-28T14:06:00.000-07:002008-05-28T14:10:49.578-07:00For the 2008 Garage Sale?<br /><br />I know I am! The purple tags have long been gone. The hangers have all been snatched up. The raffle items have been carefully grouped and wrapped up in lovely baskets. The lasagna is about to be cooked. And the baby gear is going to leave my house soon!<br /><br />Please join us Friday at the Member Only Pre-Sale from 5:00 to 8:30. You can shop, eat dinner, win fabulous prizes and hang out with other parents of multiples. Although all the best stuff is sure to be grabbed up Friday evening, if you can't make it, stop by on Saturday where everything left after noon is 1/2 off! And if you are even more patient, you can walk home with bag of soft items for just $5!!!!<br /><br />For more information on location, time, and raffle items, check out www.twinsbythebay.org.<br /><br />See you there!!!!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-948255091640335473?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-68826777739337704582008-05-22T15:17:00.000-07:002008-05-22T15:19:22.869-07:00I’ve often heard it’s important that we parents need to periodically stop and see something from our childrens’ point of view. Recently I experienced how this advice can be valuable at its most literal level.<br /><br />I had just finished escorting Lydia’s kindergarten class back from library time and was leaning over to give her a “see you later kiss”. She chose that same moment to launch into her “mommy I’m happy to see you” bounce. Result: two well-intentioned expressions of affection collided, and instead of enjoying a happy see-you-later moment I was trying to calm and console a crying kindergartener, kissing the “owie” on her head and nursing the slight gash on my lip. <br /><br />Lesson learned: failing to see things from a child’s point of view, even when both parent and child have the best of intentions, can result in painful experiences. So now, whenever I give one of my girls a “see you later” greeting, I make sure to drop to one knee and establish eye contact first!<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6882677773933770458?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-6528895101468558722008-05-21T13:41:00.000-07:002008-05-21T13:43:06.492-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SDSJI3FpadI/AAAAAAAAFs4/iKgkBq9D7Zo/s1600-h/IMG_9537.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SDSJI3FpadI/AAAAAAAAFs4/iKgkBq9D7Zo/s320/IMG_9537.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5202934254839359954" /></a><br />My son potty trained a bit late...when he just turned 3. We tried at 2 1/2 and he basically told us to shove it.<br /><br />But the girls seem to love the potty and toilet. I'm taking wagers that they will be potty trained by 2 (in 4 months.) God help me.<br /><br />When did you twins potty train?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-652889510146855872?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-16062552398821672942008-05-20T13:51:00.000-07:002008-05-20T13:58:12.991-07:00A couple months ago, my delightful and charming twins turned clingy, whiny and all together unpleasant. I figured it was teething, a growth spurt or any other mythological behavior explanation since it couldn't be "just how they are". For the most part, with some exceptions from Miranda, it's pretty much faded back to "normal". Meanwhile, I started talking to other twin moms about it. Three of them reported the same behavior issues right around 18 or 19 months. Lots of crying, clingyness, stubbornness, and more tantrums if they don't get there way. I remember reading a book called the Happiest Toddler on the Block by Carp that said discussed this exact same topic. That 18-24 month olds are far worse than 2-year olds. Since my older son didn't show any of those terrible two's until he was actually two, I figured Carp was full of Crap. But now, I see what he was saying and I am going to go read that book again.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1606255239882167294?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-25833116629267846512008-05-08T15:01:00.000-07:002008-05-08T15:26:33.430-07:00Why is drinking water from mommy's cup infinitely better than from a sippy cup?<br /><br />Why is looking at your sister from behind a glass door that is open so much better than just looking at her?<br /><br />Why is jumping on the couch so irresistible when there is a trampoline three feet away?<br /><br />Why does a kiss from dad solve all kinds of ailments, real and imaginary?<br /><br />Why does one twin sleep through screaming and crying, but not the tiny cracking sound of the door opening?<br /><br />Why does a dress sitting in a laundry basket waiting to be folded call out to one girl to be put on but not the other?<br /><br />Why is a toy that has been neglected for weeks suddenly a prized possession worthy of all out brawls and knock down fights?<br /><br />Why must I be notified of every tunnel, airplane and bus we see?<br /><br />Why does going down for a nap sometimes take longer than the nap itself?<br /><br />And why do they wake up when they are obviously still tired???<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2583311662926784651?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-53258167586356807672008-05-07T15:48:00.000-07:002008-05-07T15:56:26.084-07:00My twins are just over 17 months old. Although it’s gotten much better since my days with the double snap-n-go, I still hear silly comments about twins. That is, after people realize I'm not the nanny. A while back TBB blog writer Elaine posted some very, very <a href="http://twinsbythebay.blogspot.com/2008/01/witty-come-backs-6-years-late.html">funny comebacks </a>she would invariably think up after the offending party was long gone. Today while flipping through <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Raising-Multiple-Birth-Children-Survival/dp/1886284350/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1210200380&sr=8-1"><em>Raising Multiple Birth Children: A Parents’ Survival Guide</em></a>, I came across a couple of more comebacks I thought I’d share:<br /><br />Comment: “Are they natural?”<br />Response: “No, they’re man-made.”<br /><br />Comment: “Did you have twins on your own?”<br />Response: “No, my wife/husband helped.”<br /><br />Comment: “Did you take fertility drugs?” <br />Response: “Yes, but I didn’t inhale.”<br /><br />Comment: “I can’t image how you do it.”<br />Response: “It’s easy, we’re excellent parents.”<br /><br />I'm still waiting though, to hear a good comeback for when people say "My kids are 18 months apart, it's just the same as having twins."<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5325816758635680767?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-43592971744882085982008-05-07T07:58:00.000-07:002008-05-07T08:02:31.173-07:00This morning in exercise class, it was bring your kids to the gym day because they had an obstacle course set up for us. Although I contemplated bringing my son or even one of the girls, I decided against it since I figured my entire work out would be running after them, which I do enough of at home. One woman brought her two kids. She said she left her twin 5-year olds at home. When I heard she had twins, I had to say something. So a while later as we were running around the track (as twin Dad Norm and husband to TBB President Sarah passed us by), I said, "I have twins too and so does he (pointing to Norm)." She said, "How old are yours?" I responded, !9 months. She said, "Oh, the dark time. Don't worry, it gets better. Much better."<br /><br />I laughed and muttered thank god under my breath.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-4359297174488208598?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-14576338168866193582008-05-04T19:33:00.000-07:002008-05-04T19:36:24.343-07:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SB5yh8PXS7I/AAAAAAAAFkA/lqT0vXzuxHY/s1600-h/img_9219.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SB5yh8PXS7I/AAAAAAAAFkA/lqT0vXzuxHY/s320/img_9219.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196716947463949234" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SB5yisPXS8I/AAAAAAAAFkI/hO_pEu7howQ/s1600-h/img_9231.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/SB5yisPXS8I/AAAAAAAAFkI/hO_pEu7howQ/s320/img_9231.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5196716960348851138" /></a><br />While most of my time is spent mediating spats and sometimes outright brawls with the girls, from time to time, they actually seem to enjoy eachother's company. And in the rarest of moments, they may even help eachother to a bite of food or a difficult task (like putting on their brother's shoes.) Will they one day actually be friends???<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1457633816886619358?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-79928960416748552572008-05-02T10:56:00.001-07:002008-11-26T21:57:55.267-08:00One of our favorite “Travelling Art Supplies” is the twistable crayon. If you haven’t noticed these in your local source of arts and crafts supplies, it’s the crayon equivalent of a mechanical pencil - a plastic tube with a crayon insert that you twist to extend or retract the crayon. A relative introduced these to us when our girls were about a year old (she found them to be a great distraction for her toddler on long airplane flights because he hadn’t figured out yet how to extend the crayon, so he could pretend-draw with it and not mark anything up). Since then, we’ve kept a set as our “away from home” crayons and given several packs as gifts because of the following advantages:<br />1. they’re break-resistant. Less risk of having a frustrated child artist with a broken-crayon meltdown, and less chance of leaving small broken crayon bits behind, <br />2. since they're pencil size (much longer than a typical crayon) they’re easier to find when they fall under the seat of the car. And they'll still be in one piece when you find them.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7992896041674855257?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-29964196486602698282008-04-22T23:44:00.001-07:002008-11-26T21:58:13.355-08:00Under my desk is a box of stuff that frankly looks like it should go in the trash. I call it my arts and crafts box. In it are pictures from an old calendar, crumbled up tissue paper from the holidays, colored pasta, funny shaped pieces of plastic, pieces of foam and other miscellaneous odds and ends. Just things I throw in the box thinking they might come in handy one day. Which they did a couple of weeks ago when the weather was foul, the twins were napping, and their older brother was looking for something to do. I pulled out the box, watered down some Elmer’s glue, and brought out brushes, a plastic bottle and some paper plates. This is what we came up with:<br /><br />Lincoln made a wreath on a paper plate<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7bZetNOII/AAAAAAAAC9k/KOfAJ80wpn0/s1600-h/DSCN4051.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7bZetNOII/AAAAAAAAC9k/KOfAJ80wpn0/s400/DSCN4051.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192328651190646914" /></a><br />Grandpa chose to make a face out of his paper plate and a cut up picture of parrots<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7bZ-tNOKI/AAAAAAAAC90/3iBPPcl58yw/s1600-h/DSCN4054.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7bZ-tNOKI/AAAAAAAAC90/3iBPPcl58yw/s400/DSCN4054.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192328659780581538" /></a><br />And I made a jar with decoupaged tissue paper and pieces of an old map<br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7bZutNOJI/AAAAAAAAC9s/9JolrpaGwvw/s1600-h/DSCN4053.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7bZutNOJI/AAAAAAAAC9s/9JolrpaGwvw/s400/DSCN4053.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192328655485614226" /></a><br /><br />For fun and easy kids activity ideas, check out this blog, <a href="http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/">The Crafty Crow</a>. There you can find great ideas for arts and crafts projects, cooking with kids, and games. You can search for ideas by age group (as young as 18 months!), type of activity, or medium, and most of what I’ve seen can be done with stuff you probably already have laying around the house. Some of the ideas are so brilliantly simple, like cutting up fruit and having the kids make <a href="http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2008/04/fruit-kabobs.html">kabobs </a>out of them.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7cretNOLI/AAAAAAAAC98/b7pL0mHK340/s1600-h/blog_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7cretNOLI/AAAAAAAAC98/b7pL0mHK340/s400/blog_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192330059939920050" /></a><br />Here’s one I want to try when the twins are a little older and won’t sample the goods: <a href="http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/2008/04/cloud-paint.html">cloud paint</a>, made out of shaving cream and Elmer’s glue<strong>*</strong>. The clouds dry puffy!<br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7crutNOMI/AAAAAAAAC-E/vhs3FL7p5sE/s1600-h/blog_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_doWQs0e1g8o/SA7crutNOMI/AAAAAAAAC-E/vhs3FL7p5sE/s400/blog_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5192330064234887362" /></a><br /><br /><em><strong>*</strong> FYI the cloud recipe takes 1/2 c. of glue. You can buy Elmer's glue in gallon size jugs at Home Depot. It comes out way cheaper than using regular sized bottles. And you can make <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/134095">flubber </a>with Elmer's too!</em><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2996419648660269828?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-2258747862861569822008-04-14T14:05:00.000-07:002008-04-14T14:19:22.289-07:00Many new parents get baby monitors. These days they come in audio, video and both. We've never really needed one because our house is so small. It has come in handy when gardening outside where the noise of the world blocks out baby cries.<br /><br />But just yesterday, we bought a video monitor. Why, may you ask, did parents of 19 month olds get a video monitor for their still small house? So we wouldn't get played!<br /><br />Both of our girls have taken to waking up at night and screaming bloody murder. If we go in to see what is going on, they think this means we will stay (not that we ever have). If we don't go in, we worry it is one of those times that they have pooped in the middle of the night (not that that has ever happened), or thrown up (which has happened) or throw their blankie out of the crib (the most frequent happening.) And one of the girls has taken to screaming right before naps and bedtime. I'm talking top of the lungs screaming. Crazy, glass breaking shrieks. And every time we go in to see what kind of pain is causing this noise, she quiets up only to return to screaming as soon as the door is closed. <br /><br />So, we realized we were being played. These girls are not in any pain (at least not a physical one). I said to my husband, "If we just had a video monitor, we could watch them without going in, which would allow us to go in when we really need to." So, the next day, without any further discussion, he bought one.<br /><br />So, now, as I type, I can see the girls sleeping soundly. It's not a bad image either. A little grey, but I can see things well...even in the dark. I hope we break them of the screaming habit soon. Maybe soon enough that I can sell this recent purchase at the TBB Garage Sale, allowing some other mom (new or not) to take advantage of technology at bargain prices.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-225874786286156982?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-75499196435290768352008-04-03T20:46:00.000-07:002008-11-26T21:58:42.676-08:00<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BJ0zqPHymeU/R_WqiQerAVI/AAAAAAAAADA/xDB_4kESx2U/s1600-h/IMG_2410.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BJ0zqPHymeU/R_WqiQerAVI/AAAAAAAAADA/xDB_4kESx2U/s320/IMG_2410.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5185238051502883154" /></a><br />I like to get out and about with my boys, and we're always looking for places to go where they can play. Of course sometimes we have errands to do, and we always need to eat. It's great when we can combine any of these activities. <br /><br />About twice a month, I take my boys to Ikea for breakfast. They have great family parking that offers easy access and the restaurant opens at 9:30, half an hour before the store. You can get a small breakfast which includes scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, and 2 pieces of bacon along with a cup of coffee or tea for .99 cents. For another dollar they will give you more of everything, plus french toast sticks. I don't particularly like their french toast, so we get 2 small breakfasts and we share them. We all enjoy the view of the bay, then the boys enjoy the "play area" , we change diapers and get cleaned up if needed, and then can either look around the store or often we just leave and it puts us in perfect timing to hit the opening of Costco at 11 am where sometimes mama treats herself to a churro to eat in the car on the ride home. <br /><br />It's a perfectly delicious productive fun morning all rolled into one.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7549919643529076835?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02979453717089750887noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-11853513807116807042008-04-03T07:39:00.000-07:002008-04-03T07:46:51.759-07:00I took a walk around the block yesterday with the kids. My son wore his rain boots despite the fact that it was not raining. The girls toddled along stopping to admire a rock or flower or nothing in particular. Some neighbors came out to see the cuteness. One older woman who spoke only Greek told us, through her daughter, that we were blessed. Another one saw us and said, "Are they all yours?" (We have two family day cares on the block so it isn't a strange question.) I said Yes. Then she said, "Are they triplets?" As I thought, "God No!", I answered, "Nope, twins and an older one." Now, granted, they are only 21 months apart and in some matter of speaking they were all conceived on the same day. But Triplets? I think not.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1185351380711680704?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-77351463623939511052008-04-02T19:43:00.000-07:002008-11-26T21:59:04.550-08:00Not sure if you read "The Poop", the chronicle's parenting blog, but I check it out from time to time. Today they listed some kid friendly restaurants and referred to the previous East Bay list. I'll have to try some of them...in 3 years...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/detail?blogid=29&entry_id=11730"><br />http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/parenting/detail?blogid=29&entry_id=11730</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7735146362393951105?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-89907632866367677592008-03-31T14:58:00.000-07:002008-03-31T15:08:45.644-07:00I just got back from a week long trip to Los Angeles to visit my family. My son loves playing with his older male cousins and the girls love playing with their same age female cousin. And everyone loved Aunt Amy's house where jumping on the bed, taking things out of the cabinet, and playing with marbles are all OK. The best thing about the trip was how well they slept. The girls, with one exception, did great. They went down without a peep and then stayed asleep until the next morning. Considering they were in pac n plays, in a strange room, in a strange house...this was wonderful. But the last day, they screamed bloody murder. One of them, Elizabeth, just kept crying all night. She ended up in bed with me (which has never happened...ever and which made for a tight fit considering my son was already in there). The day I got back, the same thing happened. Screaming, crying, whining. For hours.<br /><br />The next morning my husband was telling me about the night (I slept in our in-law unit in the back yard to make up for the night before). I said, "Maybe they were hungry. OR had a tummy ache. Or maybe a diaper rash. Or maybe they are teething." <br /><br />"Maybe they are teething" is the thing we say when we have no idea what the heck is wrong with the them and we want to ignore the most likely explanation (that they are just kids). I think our girls will be 16 years and having a boyfriend meltdowns and I'll say, "Maybe she is teething." Or our son will get mad that we aren't going to let him go to that rock concert and I'll say, "Maybe he is teething." Or they'll be 22 and depressed about life and the world and I'll say, "Don't worry, maybe you are just teething." It's always good to blame the teeth.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8990763286636767759?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-79938508114746321992008-03-27T09:59:00.001-07:002008-03-27T10:01:39.574-07:00Anyone who thinks that stay-at-home moms aren’t using their college degrees probably hasn’t had the challenge of fielding questions from inquisitive six-year-olds. My memory of the various biological science classes I took in college is being tested more now by my kids than it ever was in my pre-motherhood job in pharmaceutical quality assurance.<br /><br />Last weekend one of our girls, looking at her hard-boiled Easter egg, asked why the eggs we get from the store don’t turn into little chicks. <br /><br />Me: “Because they’re not fertilized”<br />Her: “What does ‘fertilized’ mean?”<br />Me: “It’s the animal equivalent of pollinating. You know how plants need to be pollinated to reproduce. Animal eggs need to be fertilized to make baby animals.” (This daughter has a lifelong fascination with bees so the answer made sense to her)<br />Her: “How does the rooster pollinate the eggs?”<br />Me: “I’m not sure, actually. I guess that’s the rooster’s business!”<br /><br />And the brief biology lesson was enough to satisfy her curiosity, for now at least. She hasn’t asked yet about how humans “pollinate” but I’m planning on answering it from the biological standpoint.<br /><br />Or maybe I’ll tell her “That was Daddy’s business” ;-)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-7993850811474632199?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-88795585986655549522008-03-24T14:45:00.001-07:002008-03-24T14:56:27.794-07:00I babysat for a friend the other day. She has a 3 month old and needed some help for about 4 hours so I said Sure. I mean, after twins and a toddler, one little tiny baby would be easy huh? Not so much. She was asleep when I arrived and despite her mother saying she would sleep for another 2 hours was awake 20 minutes the door closed. She wouldn't take a bottle and after a good hour of trying, she fell asleep exhausted in my arms where she stayed for another hour or so. When she awoke, I tried, again in vain, to get her to eat, but she just wasn't having it. I took her to where her mom was and boy was she glad to see her.<br /><br />All of this reminded me of a few things:<br /><br />1.) With all due respect to you new moms, little babies are a drag. They can't walk or talk or point or dance or do much of anything. They need to be held all the time and spit up a lot. <br /><br />2.) Even though it was just 15 months ago, I have little memories of my girls as this age. I certainly don't remember carrying them around all the time or even doing too much sleeping in my arms. When they weren't nursing, they were enjoying their various sitting up and lying down options.<br /><br />3.) I have no idea how I did it. Just 4 hours with one little baby was exhausting. How did I do it with 2?! And a 2 year old too! I literally have no idea.<br /><br />I wonder if I'll forget this stage too. When they are 3 or 4, I'll look back at say, "Wow...how did I get through that toddler time???"<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8879558598665554952?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-33532164677081639852008-03-19T20:55:00.000-07:002008-03-19T21:13:09.696-07:00Seven twin moms and their kids took over Gymboree in El Cerrito this afternoon. We thought it would be fun to let our (mostly) toddlers enjoy the fun equipment with the comfort of familiar faces and with helping hands all around. When I was watching someone's kids, someone else was watching mine. All the kids, from the 9 month olds to my son, a 3 year old, loved it. Complete with a parachute, songs, and bubbles, a good time was had by all.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-HilIlXN8I/AAAAAAAAE8Q/bnmYzng8n2g/s1600-h/IMG_8445.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-HilIlXN8I/AAAAAAAAE8Q/bnmYzng8n2g/s320/IMG_8445.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179670174040012738" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hil4lXN9I/AAAAAAAAE8Y/nTXWN0yFaD0/s1600-h/IMG_8448.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hil4lXN9I/AAAAAAAAE8Y/nTXWN0yFaD0/s320/IMG_8448.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179670186924914642" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-HimIlXN-I/AAAAAAAAE8g/aTX2xHS40wQ/s1600-h/IMG_8452.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-HimIlXN-I/AAAAAAAAE8g/aTX2xHS40wQ/s320/IMG_8452.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179670191219881954" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-HimolXN_I/AAAAAAAAE8o/vIQEbimH9SY/s1600-h/IMG_8457.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-HimolXN_I/AAAAAAAAE8o/vIQEbimH9SY/s320/IMG_8457.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179670199809816562" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Him4lXOAI/AAAAAAAAE8w/Ab715cDNAMg/s1600-h/IMG_8478.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Him4lXOAI/AAAAAAAAE8w/Ab715cDNAMg/s320/IMG_8478.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179670204104783874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj9olXOBI/AAAAAAAAE84/TyZnKT8b87E/s1600-h/IMG_8481.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj9olXOBI/AAAAAAAAE84/TyZnKT8b87E/s320/IMG_8481.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179671694458435602" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj-IlXOCI/AAAAAAAAE9A/cvp7rpMEvYo/s1600-h/IMG_8485.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj-IlXOCI/AAAAAAAAE9A/cvp7rpMEvYo/s320/IMG_8485.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179671703048370210" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj-YlXODI/AAAAAAAAE9I/ZMLO2O6_D38/s1600-h/IMG_8487.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj-YlXODI/AAAAAAAAE9I/ZMLO2O6_D38/s320/IMG_8487.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179671707343337522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj-olXOEI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/xtBEu3nhkXo/s1600-h/IMG_8488.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj-olXOEI/AAAAAAAAE9Q/xtBEu3nhkXo/s320/IMG_8488.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179671711638304834" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj_IlXOFI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/dAYUtN4V0gs/s1600-h/IMG_8475.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R-Hj_IlXOFI/AAAAAAAAE9Y/dAYUtN4V0gs/s320/IMG_8475.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179671720228239442" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-3353216467708163985?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-25439067151779123642008-03-17T07:55:00.000-07:002008-03-17T07:56:39.383-07:00Interesting <a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/355062_reality17.html">article</a> on some new research...<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2543906715177912364?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-86939768765355376642008-03-13T21:42:00.000-07:002008-03-13T21:55:15.036-07:00When my husband and I found out we were expecting twins, people gave us all sorts of advice. The most common suggestion was that of a night nanny. And although we considered it, in the end, we did not get one. For two main reasons: I would be breast-feeding exclusively meaning getting up to feed them or pump or both for months and our house was so darn small, I would hear any little peep out of them anyway. Sure, we didn't get much sleep for a few months, but by month 5 or 6 after some sleep training things started to settle down.<br /><br />But now, at month 18, I think I want one. Both girls and even our older son have started unpleasant late night rituals from needing to pee every couple hours for the newly potty trained one, to deciding that screaming for hours on end at 2am is fun. And of course, just when we sucked it up and went back to do the 3 day sleep training stuff again, they all start to get sick. Meaning all bets are off and they win. At least for now. I suppose we won't get a night nanny just yet. <br /><br />Maybe when they are teenagers, we'll consider it again. :)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8693976876535537664?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-21632685880313207452008-03-12T17:35:00.000-07:002008-11-26T22:12:53.521-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fXH8ZvgDr-E/R9h3ceoHwCI/AAAAAAAAAB0/7SZy-9pCtNw/s1600-h/snowbib.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_fXH8ZvgDr-E/R9h3ceoHwCI/AAAAAAAAAB0/7SZy-9pCtNw/s400/snowbib.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5177019102803771426" border="0" /></a>Actually this advice applies to any toddlers or young kids, but came via twin mom and TBB member Sasha Keller. If anyone has additional pointers please leave your comments here! I’m going to try and compile all of the tips to post on <a href="https://twinsbythebay.clubexpress.com/content.aspx?page_id=188&amp;club_id=243472&amp;module_id=33458">the snow closet</a> main page.<br /><ul><li>Definitely get ski MITTENS (not gloves… too cold)</li><li>Put the mittens on first and then the jacket afterwards so the mittens are held on by the jacket sleeves.</li><li>Bibs are the perfect things to wear.</li><li>Make sure to borrow (or, if unavailable, it’s worth it to invest in) snow boots or rain boots</li><li>Hat with ear flaps is very important</li><li>Sunscreen is KEY, also LIP protection</li><li>And saucers are a great activity for toddlers since it’s fun and keeps them fairly dry.</li></ul><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2163268588031320745?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachel D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053200302074789764noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-51855988428134296112008-03-08T16:49:00.000-08:002008-11-26T22:12:20.448-08:00<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R9NKW6gqV1I/AAAAAAAAEuA/p-1R1iRWjT0/s1600-h/img_8231.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R9NKW6gqV1I/AAAAAAAAEuA/p-1R1iRWjT0/s320/img_8231.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175562154302658386" /></a><br />We took the kids to the snow today. Sure, it was a lot of hours in the car for only an hour or two of fun, but I think it did just the trick. Our son LOVED it! The girls weren't as thrilled but had fun nonetheless. And boy were they cute!<br /><br />Many thanks to TBB for providing the suggested snow park, giving the jacket and bib for Parker as well as bib and boots for Miranda from the Snow Closet, hooking me with up twin mom Nagisa who provided the boots and gloves for Parker, helping me get to know twin mom Peggy, who loaned me bib and boots for Elizabeth, as well as twin mom Monika, who loaned me the sleds.<br /><br />We would have been a bunch of freezing, naked people without sleds had it not been for TBB. We much preferred it this way. So thanks.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-5185598842813429611?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-68982784298969610192008-03-07T08:09:00.000-08:002008-03-07T16:10:38.428-08:00These days, my 18 month olds spend a lot of time grabing eachother's toys, fighting for lap time, pushing eachother out of the way and generally being less than friendly. <br /><br />So it was a nice surprise this morning when for a brief moment, all was quiet. My son was playing with his trains and the girls were silent. So I went looking for them and found them like this. Sitting nicely and reading. It was too sweet.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R9FpnKgqVxI/AAAAAAAAEts/HS0xOZw-1-I/s1600-h/img_8224.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_tEVaqe5bWrQ/R9FpnKgqVxI/AAAAAAAAEts/HS0xOZw-1-I/s320/img_8224.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5175033568382572306" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6898278429896961019?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-23089961117545063402008-03-04T23:21:00.000-08:002008-03-04T23:28:02.933-08:00There’s an interesting article on <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/">USAToday.com </a>that should touch a nerve with all of you out there. It’s titled <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-03-03-momnesia_N.htm?csp=34">“Babies can cause ‘momnesia’”</a> – their term for that sleep deprived, stress induced mental fuzziness we experience while living with infants. You know what I’m talking about. In my case it was such things as putting a pot of water to boil and completely forgetting about it. To the point that the pot would burn, and I’d turn it off, alarmed that I didn’t even remember putting the pot on the stove in the first place.<br /><br />It’s no surprise one gets a little ditsy when dealing with infants. According to Cornell University's James Maas, a baby's primary caregiver loses 450 to 700 hours of sleep the first year, with nursing moms losing the most sleep. That translates to 18 to 29 days of sleep lost! I'm sure with twins the numbers are higher.<br /><br />Do you have a momnesia story you’d like to share? That is, if you can remember it?<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2308996111754506340?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Ebbanoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-80277735629324161432008-03-03T14:23:00.000-08:002008-03-03T14:32:05.311-08:00This weekend, my husband and I had a chat about when to move our girls to toddler beds. In preparation for the arrival of the twins, we moved our singleton son at 17 months, and despite the fact that I was freaked out , it was a smooth and easy transition. Our girls are now 17.5 months and my husband is apparently terrified about moving them to beds. He thinks that they will just get up and run around all night. From discussions with other twins moms and dads, this seems to be a common fear. In fact, only two twin mom friends that I know with under 2.5 year olds have moved to beds. The general consensus seems to be "Keep them in there as long as possible." Some even resort to crib tents to keep those early climbers safe.<br /><br />Our early climber was what prompted our conservation. At 17 months, she could already throw one leg all the way over the side of the crib. (It probably doesn't help that big brother showed her how to do it.) We had to either move the crib down to the lowest level and hope for the best or move the beds in. <br /><br />Although I agree that the girls will most likely run around like crazy little monkeys for a few days, I think this will happen at whatever age we move them to beds. I don't think a 2 year old, or 3 year old will necessarily handle the transition any easier or with more maturity.<br /><br />So, after two full days of hemming and hawing, weighing pros and cons, we opted to move the crib down and wait until our daughter shows signs of climbing over that one.<br /><br />I give it 2 weeks. :)<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8027773562932416143?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-5120763095009783522008-03-02T20:10:00.000-08:002008-03-02T20:24:02.793-08:005 months until the annual Twin Convention in where else? Twinsburg, Ohio. The first weekend in August over 2,000 pairs of twins convene in Twinsburg to laugh, play, and meet. There is a talent show, golf tournament, 5k run, raffles, field games (try 3-legged races with your twin), food, a parade and a slew of "twin contests", including categories for most and least alike in various age ranges, awards for oldest, youngest, those traveling farthest (within and out of the US), and theme outfits. Of course if you attend a few years in a row (which many people do!) then you can be considered for roles in the Royal Court and lead the parade. www.twinsdays.org for more photos and details. If you haven't made summer vacation plans, it's something to consider. Afterall unless someone from Hawaii attends, you've got a good chance for the farthest traveled.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-512076309500978352?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>susanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02979453717089750887noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-29960960354578413992008-02-25T09:22:00.000-08:002008-02-25T09:25:52.450-08:00I saw <a href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215121214.htm">this release</a> about a new genetic study on identical twins. I found it very interesting, and I'm sure a parent of identical twins would find it even more so! <span style="display: block;" id="formatbar_Buttons"><span class="on" style="display: block;" id="formatbar_CreateLink" title="Link" onmouseover="ButtonHoverOn(this);" onmouseout="ButtonHoverOff(this);" onmouseup="" onmousedown="CheckFormatting(event);FormatbarButton('richeditorframe', this, 8);ButtonMouseDown(this);"></span></span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-2996096035457841399?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachel D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053200302074789764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-64973970586891067382008-02-21T13:33:00.000-08:002008-02-21T13:36:06.314-08:00A mom on another bulletin board for parents of school-age multiples recently posed the question “What do you think your child would do if he/she heard a knock on the front door?” (This mom had gone out the back door to take out the garbage and decided to try knocking on the front door to test if her 8YO’s would remember their safety rules about opening doors). A few days later we had our own unplanned test.<br /><br />Just like most weekday mornings, Dave had run out the door to catch the bus, pushing the button lock but not the deadbolt on his way out. I had just started my morning shower and then heard one of my girls trying to talk to me.<br /><br />Me: “What is it?”<br />Her: “There’s someone knocking at the door. It’s Daddy”.<br /><br />By the time the info registered in my still-waking up brain and I turned the water off, I could hear Dave knocking on the bathroom window saying “I forgot my keys!” I put on my eyeglasses (because I’m horribly nearsighted and don’t feel like my brain is fully functional until I can see better than a blur), wrapped myself in a towel, and ran to the front door to let him in. <br /><br />Funny thing is, I don’t think it ever occurred to my daughter that she could have opened the door for Daddy herself, nor did it occur to me to ask her to. Afterward I complemented her on following good safety rules about not opening the door unless a grownup was there with her, but added that if she could see and hear that it definitely positively was Daddy that it would be okay for her to open the door for him. <br /><br />So it worked out well all around: I’m more confident that at least one of my girls won’t open the door unless instructed to by an adult inside the house, and in spite of the delay Dave still managed to catch the bus on time.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-6497397058689106738?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13176613102491756515noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-18438364291195693902008-02-19T10:12:00.000-08:002008-02-19T10:15:22.832-08:00I’m going to visit a friend in Boston this winter. The girls will be 15 months at that point. Ever since the plan was hatched, my husband and I have been trying to decide whether to have them stay here, or to split them up and each get some one on one time with them. We’ve both noticed that parenting them that way feels qualitatively different… even when the ratio is 1:1 (two adults, two children) it’s very different than how we interact with them when it’s 1 adult and one child.<br /><br />In the end we decided I’ll go alone. I’ll get a break, and -- we think -- it would probably be tough for them to be separated at this point. I definitely think they would have a harder time being away from each other than having me away. <br /><br />That got me thinking that at some point they’ll obviously go on play dates and sleepovers separately. And I wonder how that will all play out. I could see it going either way: no big deal, or them having a hard time getting used to that new world order.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-1843836429119569390?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachel D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/16053200302074789764noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4773371897907302349.post-87803607757477985652008-02-18T14:24:00.000-08:002008-02-18T14:33:11.925-08:00As a second time mom, I find that I am more relaxed about stuff. Behaviors I exhibited with my son (checking to make sure he was breathing, documenting every tooth growth, freaking out about a runny nose), I'm just not doing. In general, I feel that I've learned many lessons that I can now use with my twin girls.<br /><br />One lesson, however, that I don't seem to be able to learn is what I call the, "if it ain't one thing, it's another" lesson. This means that I still find myself thinking about getting to the next level and how everything will be 'better' then. When they were sitting, I wished they could crawl. When they were crawling, I wished they could walk. When they were walking, I wished they could walk up stairs. When they were pointing, I wished they could talk. I keep thinking that just around the corner is a better, easier life. When they can sleep through the night, all my worries will be over. But you know what? They've been sleeping through the night officially since they were 5 months old and I still don't get 8 hours of sleep. And now that they can walk up stairs, life is suddenly harder, not easier.<br /><br />You'd think I'd just give in and stop hoping for something different than what I have. But I don't. Just today, I thought...if they were just sleeping in beds rather than cribs, it would be better. I have to remind myself that this is a process... a journey without some end goal. It's a hard lesson to learn, but I'll get it someday.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4773371897907302349-8780360775747798565?l=twinsbythebay.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00727981145766269630noreply@blogger.com0