Kids Really Do Come Different

 

Having two kids the exact same age has taught me that kids really do just come different.  I think any parent with more than one child probably knows this, but when the kids are at the exact same stage developmentally, it really is exaggerated. 

For example (and I could list a million), Lilly is a night owl and Maya is a morning person.  It's funny, more than once at night, coming from the twins bedroom I'll hear Lilly say (in a very perky, playful voice) "Maya, are you awake?"  To which a groggy, sleep-filled voice responds, "Lilly, I'm tired! Go to sleep!"  Don't get me wrong, Maya has taken part in her share of after-bedtime exploits....this in particular comes to mind...but for the most part, Maya is asleep well before Lilly.

As you can imagine, Maya also wakes up before Lilly.  Poor Addison is very aware of this.  Lately Maya has been going into Addison's room probably 15-20 minutes before I wake them up in the morning to ask her sister if it's time to get up, if they can play, or if Addison can help her with some problem she's having (such as no more toilet paper on the roll).  Addison, being the saint-of-a-child that she is always helps her sister when needed, or gently sends her back to bed.  But 15-20 minutes before a wake up call is that awful time when you just can't really get back into a deep sleep, especially if you've gotten out of bed.  On a regular basis lately, when I come to get the older girls up, I'm met with a groan from Addison with an exclamation of, "Why Maya, Why???"  Poor kid.  I am going to have a talk with Maya about not walking her sisters up before it's light outside.

Usually Naps are no exception to the late-to-fall-asleep and early-to-get-up pattern that the twins fall into, but this day was an exception.



Hannah woke up well before I expected the twins to wake up, and asked if she could play with her play-doh that she got for Christmas.  Now, my husband is a ceramic artist.  I try to encourage 3D play whenever possible.  But I have to say, I am SICK of this play-doh.   Part of the problem is that the table where they play with it (and really the only place to play with it in the house) is in this awkward place that is mostly on hardwood floor, but partially on carpet.  Which means play-doh ALWAYS gets on the carpet, and is seriously a huge pain in the rear-end to clean up.  Especially when I'm feeling like this. 

But, like I said, I didn't expect the twins to be up for a while, and Hannah isn't too bad about keeping it clean, so I said yes.  Unfortunately, as soon as she had actually pulled everything out and started playing, I saw a hesitant Lilly peeking through the railing on the stairs.  I couldn't tell Hannah she had to clean it up now.  She had just barely gotten it out.  So I accepted the fact that I would have to do some serious clean up and told Lilly she could play too...wondering why on earth she woke up before Maya.

I also figured I had better take some pictures because I really wasn't sure that the play-doh would ever come out again.








In the end it wasn't so bad.  And I realized just how genius the idea of getting the twins brooms for their birthday was.  By the time Maya came up, the play-doh was put away, but when I told them to grab the brooms and sweep up the mess, even she was excited to join in.  The play-doh may see another day after all. 

And as I later pondered the discrepancy in the sleep-wake pattern on this particular day, I realized that, most likely, the reason Lilly was so hesitant to come up stairs was that she hadn't fallen asleep at all, but rather saw her sister quietly exit her bedroom, and moments later, followed suit. 

And I thought they were cleaning...

I haven't been feeling very well lately.  I thought I was over it.  I even worked out Monday and Tuesday.  But then today at about 9:30 it hit me like a train.  My throat started hurting, I started feeling feverish and weak, I sounded like I was trying to cough up a lung, and all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep.

At 12:30 I put the kids all down for a nap (even Addison fell asleep!  Tender mercies!) and I was finally able to lay down.  I vaguely recall Addison and Hannah walking into my room sometime later to ask if they could wake up.  I told them yes and fell back asleep.  Some time later I heard the babies crying.  I checked the clock and noticed that Bart would be home soon, so I called in Addison and asked her if she wouldn't mind getting the babies up.  She said she would and I fell asleep again. 

The next thing I knew, Bart was coming into the bedroom and telling me he was fixing our sprinklers and need to run to Lowes.  He told me the kids were in the back yard and that he'd be right back.  I looked at the clock and it was 5:00!  I still felt exhausted, but I thought I should probably get up.

I felt a little light headed and dazed, but I hoped it would go away and headed to the back.  I noticed how sweetly the girls were playing with each other and ducked back inside to get my camera before they saw me.  I hid behind a bush and took this picture.

In my slightly dazed state, I thought, "Ah, how sweet,  they're cleaning the chairs."  And then I was spotted, so I came out of my hiding place to examine what they were doing a little more closely.

It turns out they weren't cleaning the chairs at all.

When I asked them why they thought it would be okay to color the chairs with sidewalk chalk they told me that dad told them they could color on the rocks.

I turned around and saw this.

Oh well.  Hopefully the sprinklers, or a freak rain storm will just wash everything away and I won't have to deal with it.  For now, I'm going back to bed.

Snow Time!

Yesterday this little lady begged me to build a snowman with her.

I looked out the window, and could FEEL the ice shimmying it's way into my boots and gloves and wanted with all my heart to say no.  But, we had a similar conversation last time it snowed that ended in no ice for me and disappointment for her.  I just couldn't handle that sad face again.  Plus the three other girls had just gone down for naps, so I thought we might actually have a shot at finishing. 

So we bundled up, and out we went. While I was technically helping her, I pretty much just started the snow balls and then let her have at it (until the end when she started to lose patience and the babies began to wake up). 




At one point I got this silly notion in my head that maybe I could actually get some nice snow portraits of her, so I asked her to look at my camera.  This is what I got:



The one on the left is her token "What?" face these days.  Every time she doesn't know what I'm talking about, she gives me this face.  The other is just testament to the fact that I have kids with big mouths...especially when they're missing their two front teeth.

Her boots and scarf got rather caked in snow at one point.


So she took a cookie break


Then she decided there wasn't enough snow in the ENTIRE BACK YARD, so we headed out to the front.



There may have been more snow eating than snowman making at that point.



She also decided it would be fun to kick snow at me.  She was pretty proud of herself. 


At some point, she decided the scarf was too much of a hassle and lost it.



Then she got back to work.



The only thing that would convince her that that head was too small was telling her the carrot wouldn't fit in it...(she was ready to be done at that point).

Then Hannah woke up and decided to come help...but she ended up mostly eating snow and picking icicles off the van. 


For the record, I do tell my kids not to eat snow.  They just don't listen to me...of course, it probably doesn't help that I'm behind the camera, snapping pictures of them eating the snow while I'm telling them not to...note to self, no more snow eating pictures.

In the end, we did finally finish the snowman.



Well, snow kid really...I doubt he was three feet tall.  But naps are only so long. 

He seems like a happy little guy, and in the end I wound up with a happy little girl.



Hopefully this will curb her snowman building craving until next year.  

The Way I View - Summer Life

Well, really, the way I view summer life has been very different than the reality of summer life this year.  But the other day we took a break from packing boxes and spent some time out in the yard playing.

It was a much needed break, but it was also very bittersweet for me.  We will be moving in a few weeks, so we're coming down to our last few days of goofing off in our yard.  I know the move will be great for us, but we just love this home so much.  And considering how much we have to pack and clean, I realized, this may be the last time I get photos of the kids and Bart goofing off in this yard.  I loved it, but it also made me a bit sad.  Change may be for the best some times, but it's always hard.  :)

Anyway, these pictures are really how I view Summer Life...Bart off for the summer playing in the yard on warm summer evenings.  Even if it's not very representative of our summer this year, this is how I want to remember summers in this house.







Lilly was very nervous about the ball being thrown/kicked around.


Dad made sure she got in on the fun though.


Really I think she was just sad that I blocked off her playhouse.  (There are a TON of spiders in it and I decided it was no longer safe to play in until someone (cough cough...Bart) got in there and got rid of them). 

After I took that picture she literally tried to climb in the window.  I wish I had caught a picture of her feet hanging out of the window, but I was too busy keeping her from falling on her head.  Girl loves her playhouse!

After that she decided to sit on the porch and talk on the phone.  I'm pretty sure she was reporting all the shenanigans to grandma.

 







Bart started this game with the girls where they'd run away from him and he'd kick the ball at them...AS HARD AS HE COULD.  He sure knows how to stress this mama out.  And how to get these girls to giggle and laugh like none other.  (Out of focus, I know, but totally worth it.) :)



Yep, this is exactly how I want to remember summer life in this home.



Check back in a few days for a link to some other lovely posts about summer life.  :)

Fourth of July - The Final Episode

The big plan for the 4th was to go up to Stadium of Fire.  I was going to take the older girls, and Bart was going to stay home with the younger girls.  Kind of sad for him, but I think he was secretly looking forward to an evening of doing whatever he wanted.

Unfortunately for us all, the twins and I all got pink eye.  (TOTAL BUMMER!)  I was still thinking about going, but my eyes hurt so bad I finally decided to stay home and let Bart go with the older girls.

So instead of spending the night with the Beach Boys and Scotty McCreery, I got to spend the night playing with the twins and then blogging about it.  :)

After Bart left to meet the older girls (they were in Provo already with my family) the twins and I headed outside.

The twins were happy for quite a while just playing in the playhouse.

Lilly is seriously obsessed with the door bell.

That and kicking Maya out of the house.  I don't think Maya minded much though...

She preferred to eat the smarties she dropped on the ground.

She wasn't very happy when I realized what she was doing and took them away from her.  She recovered though.

These pictures aren't perfect, but dang! This mama sure loves them.

After the play house, the twins decided they wanted to pick some raspberries.

Whether they were ripe or not..

Most were ripe though, and they went to bed with tummies full of raspberries, and their 2nd independence day well documented.  :)

Not your traditional way to celebrate, but I found it rather enjoyable nonetheless.

P.S. If Bart remembered to take pictures of the girls at the Stadium of Fire, I'll post them too, so check back later.