Earplugs and Cocktails

In talking with other twin momma's, it has become apparent that the time from 18 months until 2 doesn't have a proper name. A brilliant and witty mother named it the "Earplugs and Cocktails" stage. She couldn't be more correct. Everyone talks about the terrible twos. However, at 20 months, Brandon and Colin are figuring out life each day. Every car that drives by is Dada and sometimes that is followed by crying when Dada doesn't walk through the door. Colin has a name for his pacifier, it sounds something like papi. He's only allowed to have it at naps and bed. Sometimes he gets it in the car on the way home at night, in hopes he'll fall asleep. Should he see his paci during the day some crazy sort of crying entails because he wants it so badly. The boys are beginning to "fight" with each other, Colin bites Brandon and Brandon responds by hitting Colin on the head. They are figuring out how to speak with each other and share wants and needs. However, it usually ends with crying. Most of the time if they are fighting over a toy, one will run around the room with the toy as his brother follows... crying.

Do you notice a theme? Hence the earplugs.

If ever you want to embrace the joys of twindom, come to our house for dinner. Usually they are pretty good about staying in their seats. We have been working very hard to teach the boys that we all stay seated until everyone is finished or in Brandon's words "ninishhhhhhhhd". Lately, it has been a struggle to get Brandon to eat anything. He grazes his food for a little bit then takes handfuls of whatever is in front of him and chucks it across the room. He's got a great arm. He'll be a wonderful baseball player. He then tries to get the food off of our plates to play with or chuck also. There is no possible way of keeping our kitchen floor food free. Maisie does a pretty good job, but she's not always into our dinners. The daily cleaning requires a couple of cocktails.

I want that, no, no no no no. More please, more please, more please, no no no no no. What do the children want? They know so well what they do want, however they are still working out how to tell us. They have gotten good at pointing, but it often results in no no no no, once the package of whatever food it is, is opened up. Ugh! Being 20 months is a hard job. They are filled with ideas and wants yet so limited in sharing it in a way others can understand.

It sounds like a bunch of complaints. These are the little moments that make my world go round. Often food being tossed across the room is followed by the best hug or biggest smile. Enough to melt my heart. I guess I would say that all the difficult moments are sweetened by the warmth and kindess each of my boys has to offer. Colin's devilish smile or Brandon's big bright blue eyes that light up as he smiles. Random hugs by Brandon and Colin's determination to be independent. The best moments come when the boys give each other kisses. Oh, my heart is melting thinking about it. Brandon even makes a smacking noise. Eventually I'll capture a picture of it.

Earplugs and Cocktails, the time from 18 months to 2 years.

Banging on the window

Sunday, February 13, B woke up really early at 6:15, I rocked him and put him back in his crib. Then at 6:35, he was screaming again. Glenn got him and Colin who was now awake and brought them to our bed. It ACTUALLY worked for 10 minutes. They never lay down in our bed EVER! Then after a bit they got off the bed and began banging on our window with my hairbrushes. If we weren't so darn tired, we would have stopped it sooner. At around 7:15 someone begins banging on our front door. We have no clue why. I was wondering if there was an emergency with neighbors or something or was someone trying to break in? Glenn goes down to see who it is, and it was a neighbor checking to see if we were ok, because they heard the banging on the window. Clearly it wasn't a neighbor we know well or else they would have thought that we had kids. We didn't know if we should feel good that we live in a caring neighborhood or embarrassed that someone thought we were in such trouble b/c of the kids banging.

Note to self... don't let kids bang on windows.