Life keeps on going

I feel like every time I post I should have a few pictures. I think it makes it more interesting, I guess… So i got my pictures downloaded and while I have at least one sleeping twin I thought I would try to keep my life of pretty much the same old stuff updated.

Also, I guess it should be noted and updated that since the last blog of Cori pooping in the tub and Peyton screaming in the middle of the night, we had Peyton poop and Peyton shift from screaming in the middle of the night to right when we laid him down. I'm not sure which is better since both still involve full on screaming, but I think right at bed time is better because at least it's not my bedtime. The other night he was going at it and Tim and I kept debating about going in to check on him. And just to note, we do usually check on him, it is just that he is the type of baby that will either scream and eventually fall asleep or you have to hold him for like half an hour to calm him, and rock him to sleep and then lay him down and I am not about starting that habit! So, on this particular night he had been going for awhile, and I did check on him after about 15 min, by about 40 min we heard Cori wake up and start to fuss a little, then they both promptly stopped and went to sleep and slept all night! It was so crazy and we really think it was Cori's way of telling him to stop and go to bed! I'll take it! Maybe next time she can try that after just 10!

 

We did end up painting! Shyler was excited to try out the color wonder paint set she got. Cori missed most of the painting because she was just too cranky, I had to put her down for a nap at like 10. Shealso didn't seem to like these paints because they were clear and she didn't think she had anything on her brush. It would appear on the paper, but it wasn't fast enough for her!

Peyton seemed to be tired of the paintbrush so I pulled out the paint. I realized we didn't have finger paint and that he would probably do better with finger paint, it washes better that's for sure!

I remember last time I posted about Shyler and the figurines that she wanted for…gasp…full price, well we held to our promise and last week we ventured to the mall and had Tim meet us after work. I had a great time shopping the clearance at old navy (2 regular shirts, a drift work out shirt, and pj pants for $15!?!?! I was pretty excited and happy to shop!) and then the kids loved walking through the Disney store. The funny thing is she was so set on a Jake and the Neverland Pirates set and she saw the frozen sets and completely forgot about Jake. when she decided she wanted the figurines Tim tried to point out the difference between what she wanted at Kohls and what she was getting at the Disney store, but I think she was too excited to have frozen dolls! I think she gets it a little, but she is almost 6.

Adam was pretty excited to get figurines from the movie Planes. We walked around the Build a Bear store and they both wanted bears, of course, and we were like sorry, you don't have any money and you don't really need another bear right now. They were pretty good about that and then we were on our way! On our way home I was going to stop at Target, but as I was driving and looking at the beautiful day outside we decided to stop at a fun park by Tim's sister's house. The wind was blowing and you could feel the cold front coming in, but the kids didn't care and had such a blast playing and running around! Little miss c and mr p loved climbing up the steps and riding down the big tall slides! 

I couldn't get enough of the sun rays reflecting on the eastern horizon as it was getting close to sunset! It was so pretty to me!!!

And then it snowed!!! And got cold!!!!

Shyler and Adam spent an hour playing the snow! It was nice, and I can't wait for the babies to realize playing in the snow is fun! 

I really like the sun… but I couldn't believe how crazy it looked a few mornings later as the sun was trying to break through the fog and clouds! 

Such a big helper! She loves that she has her own vacuum. Actually, Peyton and Cori, both got a vacuum for Christmas, Peyton's even came as a part of a whole set and so there are many fights over the broom and mop and dustpan. I just hope they remember how much they love to clean and help!!!

Cori is little miss independent. She wants to do what everyone else is doing and to do it for herself. So when we were eating animal crackers for snack and she saw me dip… she had to dip. When I put peanut butter on top… she had to have some too. When I had fajitas with queso and chips… she had to have a chip and to dip it in my queso. She is very insistent too. When it comes time to go somewhere she wants to pick out her shoes and jacket, and she also likes to pick out her own pajamas and outfits for the day. 

This picture is from today. I was unloading the groceries and she decided to sneak around the car. Somehow she found a blow pop, took the wrapper off and thought she was so sneaky! She wasn't too happy when I took it away though! Both babies were pretty cute at the store though… they insisted on helping the checker by handing them items from the cart! Cute! They are getting so big!

Lucky for Peyton I think he is getting better at his screaming, or he is finally letting his exhaustion get the best of him. he only cried for a few min last night! Now he needs to do a better job of napping again. He went right to sleep today, but only slept for 1 hour! Then after he wakes up he screams! There is no point in leaving him in there to fall back to sleep like Cori would, he just stands in the corner with his blanket and his sippy and whatever stuffed animal he has and he screams! I really think it is crazy how she seems to need more sleep and usually has always napped better and slept longer. I wish I would have had the two girls together so I could get a nice consistent long nap together… oh well, at least I still get nap time! 

Tomorrow is Tim's birthday! I can't wait to celebrate! We get to go out to dinner with a special thanks to my mom for babysitting. He gets to go skiing on sat and then on sun his family is coming over to watch the Broncos game and have his favorite, beef stroganoff! And then I may go crazy because he has a business trip, yay! 

New Year, New Goals

Hello out there if anyone still checks this. If you have lost faith we understand, it has been almost an entire year! I always had good intentions of blogging. I even thought it would be great to remember the ups and downs and craziness of our life with newborn twins… well, here it is Jan 2014 and they are 17 months old…17 months??? I can't even believe it! I can clearly look back and remember all that was happening in our lives when Adam was 17 months, maybe that was because Tim packed up his little car and took off for Ohio for 6 months… We had so many trips and adventures during that time, and I remember specifically going out to California on a family trip to see my brother and Tim telling me how much Adam had changed and how much he was talking. I say that because that is the one thing I am waiting on for the twins to start doing a lot of. 

At 17 months they run, climb, cling to their mother (peyton) or cling to their father (cori) and they point and have a few signs. They have a couple of words that I have interpreted, and to most it sounds like they say mama, dada, and adaaaaa a lot. Occasionally we will hear a sound come out and think, did she just say that? But so far not too much else that we can remember hearing as words. Let's be honest… things are a lot different when you have two babies and two other kids, in comparison they do get a little shafted in the department of receiving every min of mom's attention…. 

I came across the book I put together for Tim, and let's be honest, for me, of our blog and I really wanted to get back into it. I wondered where I should start, after all, we have 17 months of catching up to do…. I thought I could do a super quick over view, but really I think we will just start where we are right now :-)

Playdoh fun!

Today was a great day to relax. After a super fun, and busy holiday starting from most of December through the New Year, it was needed to sit at home and not do too much. And that is what we did! I did decide, and remind myself this quite often, that when the kids ask to do something like Paydoh, you should just say, yes. A lot of times I want to just say no right away thinking that it will be a huge mess and I don't want to deal with it, blah, blah, blah, but, in reality, it is a great distraction and great entertainment for the kids. The babies even had fun, Peyton only tried to eat it once! Maybe tomorrow we will get real crazy and paint! I also taught the kids monkey in the middle. I feel like I have tried it before, but today it actually worked and they had so much fun, and so did I! 

Adam really enjoyed cutting up his playdoh with the pizza cutter

I think Cori just was excited to be playing with big kid stuff!

Shyler amazes me with her imagination and finally getting creative on her own

Peyton didn't even know what to do with so many new toys!

I have a new philosophy in life, well, newly rediscovered philosophy in life… A lot of times I feel like I should always be around the kids and either cleaning up the house doing normal chores or watching them play or playing with them. I guess I don't want them to feel deprived. But, what I realized is that I do need time to do the things I want to do, and I do not have to spend every second with them. I am a stay at home mom, which I love, but I spend all day everyday with them. The reason why I think I need to remember this is because when I sit around with them all the time I usually want to be doing something else so I just sit around semi- paying attention to them checking my phone. Facebook can really be a time waster! But I have found if I give myself the time to run on the treadmill (oh yeah, I love having that thing) while the kids run around the basement, I am more excited to spent 20 min playing monkey in the middle. It hasn't happened like this everyday, but that is my new years goal! I really want more quality time for myself, and for my kids! Here goes nothing!

Pajama fun! They really enjoy having pajama days!

Yesterday was the first day of this new year. We tried to convince the kids to sleep in, which of course didn't happen, but we enjoyed the annual Rose parade! I really enjoy watching it every year. It brings back memories of childhood, and let's face it, it is way better than the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade! I also was excited to go buy some new running shoes!!! We all got a little Christmas cash from Grandma and Grandpa Miller and Tim and I decided we needed new running shoes (and by need, I mean it was probably even before Tim went to Ohio when we last got new shoes, partially because Tim is too cheap, and partially because I didn't run while pregnant or nursing for that whole first year.) It was fun because the kids were also excited to spend some of their christmas money as well. We had a few returns, and Adam got a glow pet in place of the tent that ripped. So with their amount they had they went around the toy section searching for the toy which caught their eye. Shyler found a cute My Little Pony purse and Adam was content with his glow pet. Shyler also found this little figurine set that would have been $12 and I could just not let her buy it. I know she really really wanted it, but I couldn't let her buy something at Kohl's that was not on sale! So, I finally convinced her that we could go to the Disney store and get even more figurines in a different set for pretty much the same price. Phew! I am not a super cheap person, but over the years I have learned what is a good deal and what is not and for the most part I am good at searching out a deal (without going to any extremes), and it is just so hard to think of buying something that is not a good deal when I know it could be. She was happy when she did get to buy the soft and fluffy purple elephant conveniently placed at the checkout and Adam was excited to pick out a dog that was supposed to be from the book Go Dog Go, which is one of his favorites! 

Watching the Rose Parade

So, here is to the start of hopefully something more regular and at least I can keep up with the life of toddler twins! That might be even more exciting! Oh the stories we will have! See, I almost forgot about the poop I had to clean out the tub just last night and the transfer of Cori to the bathtub in our bathroom with the boys and getting Shyler to run into our shower… Poor little Cori, she was so mortified that there was poop floating around the tub, she barely would get in with the boys, but she hadn't been washed yet… She finally did and enjoyed the rest of her bath with her brothers in the bog tub.  Or there is the story of Peyton who may be teething and how he woke up screaming at 1 am and wouldn't stop unless I was holding him (as mentioned above, he very much prefers his momma) and by hold, I mean cuddling with me and his blanket, teddy bear, and sippy cup while standing up and rocking. I tried to sit and he would squirm and fuss so then I would have to stand back up, finally I put him down and he screamed and then he woke up Cori, so we let him scream and Tim took his turn rocking her. Finally when she got restless in his arms we both said we give up and we let them scream together. Eventually she fell asleep (which luckily, she does pretty well even with Peyton screaming) and at some point he did too. I think the two big kids have learned to zone it out because they didn't even make a peep, but poor Tim can't sleep through the screams. I was so happy when this phase was over before, but it is always so bad when it comes back! Tonight they went right to sleep with not a peep and it has been 2 hours, already its a better night! Wish us luck!