Babies

How to Play “Rock-Thank-You”

While visiting with my parents on Christmas, the twins reminded the family of a game that I’m sure many moms have played before. We call it “____Thank-You”. The blank can be filled in with whatever item the baby is handing you. Recently I’ve had the pleasure of joining a rousing game of “Pacifier-Thank-You”, “Spoon-Thank-You”, and even “Cheerio-Thank-You”. As you can see, the front yard at my parents’ house has plenty of rocks adorning the walk. The twins were brought out front for some fresh air after opening presents and instantly “Rock-Thank-You” was born.

Rock Thank You 2
Here’s how the game works: You are handed a rock. You tell the baby “Thank you!”, and the baby takes the rock back. Then she gives it to you again. After you smile and say, “Thank you!”, the baby again takes possession of the rock. Repeat. And repeat, and repeat, and repeat…
Rock Thank You
The best thing about “Rock-Thank-You” is that there are no winners or losers. Anyone can play with the baby, as long as you have enough manners to say, “Thank you!”, otherwise you are given a confused look and will be passed over for a more polite participant.

See Ya, Bottles, the Twins Are Weaned!

The general rule at daycare centers is that you wean your baby off of a bottle when they are 12 months old. Well, the girls hit the 12-month mark in September, so it’s about time to get them off of bottles. But I haven’t really been in a hurry to get rid of them yet. I kind of like that they are getting those extra calories from all that milk they’re drinking. My poor twins are so eensy-beensie. At their one-year birthday they were still fitting into their 9-month size clothes! I’m sure it is because they were small at birth (they were each 5 pounds and some change). Their doctor has never said that their weight was a problem, so I guess they’re just little girls. It would be nice if they could pack on a few more pounds so they could sit forward-facing in their carseats, though.

Here’s how it all went down. We ran out of milk on Saturday. And we just decided not to give them a bottle before bed. Weaning became a reality.

The girls were extremely fussy that day. We had been running around getting the Big Boy to the town Christmas parade, returning his pop warner equipment, picking out and setting up a Christmas tree, and had already made a trip to the store. We still have some formula left over that we’ve been saving for emergency situations. But the girls had missed their nap and were just flat-out tired, so we skipped the night time bottle.

In the morning we still didn’t have any milk, and we had to rush out the door for Sunday School. So we skipped the bottles again. It was starting to look like we might be able to do this. And just like that, the twins are weaned.

The twins were pretty cool about weaning off of bottles. They’ve been using sippy cups for a while now, and we offer them a cup at meal times. Since quitting bottles, we just make sure that they have plenty of liquids throughout the day and get some calcium at each meal. Thankfully we were able to get them off of bottles before they became too dependent on them. I’ve heard that the night time bottle is the hardest for babies to give up, and I’m glad we don’t have to go through that struggle.

I am really, really, really, really, really, really (not sure if that is enough reallys) happy to be done with bottles. Like, I’m almost ecstatic about it. I shall explain why:

We have less annoyingly awkward dishes to wash and store. Man alive, washing bottles for 2 babies was a pain.in.the.rear. It takes forever to scrub each one’s top and bottom. They were everywhere, too. On the counter, in the sink, in the dishwasher, in the cupboards, and often on the floor somewhere. I have just been given the gift of SPACE. *Insert enormous smiley face emoticon*

It was an extra expense. Formula was really expensive, and switching to milk was only slightly easier on the pocketbook.

The bouncers can finally be a thing of the past. These cumbersome things have been taking up a chunk of my living room for over a year now. I’ve posted before that if you have 2 babies taking bottles, you can only hold one of them at a time. Bouncers are a great way for the other baby to get her bottle while one is being held. And I’ll admit, I’m a mom on the go-sometimes I just prop both of them in their bouncer at bottle time so I can fix my makeup before work or make dinner. I can’t wait to get rid of those things. Again, the gift of SPACE. *BIG SMILEY FACE*

Don’t be surprised if you get an invitation very soon to my “over the bottles” party. It will be kind of like an “over the hill” party only everyone will wear their big-girl panties and drink from red Solo cups. I think weaning your child is just a step below getting their driver’s license. I’m pretty sure that is the only thing that could be any cooler.

Redeemed by 9 Seconds of Cuteness

Did you miss me? I haven’t been able to write much lately(or sit down, for that matter). This holiday season has been keeping my busy. Actually, it’s been mostly the big kid and his insane social life that’s got me running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Somewhere in between driving him to parties, youth group, and to and from his friends’ houses, I’ve also had to work and take care of a home. In the middle of all this, my husband has been trying to study for finals in any spare time he can find. And then there’s this little angel, who has been miserably teething the last few days.

Don’t let that cute face fool you. She can be a monster. A drooling, hollering, clinging-to-your-pant leg monster.

Of course, all children redeem themselves with fleeting moments of cuteness. Like when they are sleeping like angels, clutching their teddy bear with their chubby, dimpley-knuckled baby hands. Or when they sit on the kitchen floor while you are doing dishes and brush their sister’s hair. Tres cute. Here, I got a quick snippet for you. It’s only 9 seconds because that’s how long they were playing nicely together.

Happy Tuesday, may there be many 9-second-cute moments awaiting you.

A Steamy Weekend!

If you follow me on Facebook, you already know that I had Monday off due to Christopher Columbus Day. Apparently that’s a big enough deal that teachers in our school district get a holiday. Hey, I’ll take it!

So, what does a busy mom do with all that extra free time? Spend the morning steaming baby food, of course! The twins have recently gotten a few more teeth and we’re trying to get them to eat less and less “baby” food and more of the table foods that Mommy, Daddy, and big brother are eating. Some meals we eat are acceptable for the babies. Most of the time, however, the girls are perfectly happy munching on a simple meal of steamed veggies or fruit and toast. So they hubby and I worked together and peeled and steamed a BUNCH of different foods for the babies.

We steamed squash, carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, and yams, putting half of each batch in the freezer for a later date. It’s relieving to know that, through planning ahead, we’ve got baby meals covered for the rest of the week (when they’re not dining on big people food). I guess I could have spent the morning getting a pedicure and sipping mimosas. Can you blame me for being a foodie?

How do you use your free time? Are you like me, where you buckle down and get house stuff done? Or do you kick up your feet and relax all day?

Crazy Busy-ness

I’ve been pretty absent from the blogosphere lately, and I’m starting to really miss writing and reading posts! I have a great excuse though- well, three excuses, in fact.

This guy is keeping me on my toes. I don’t know where he finds his energy. Lately the fad in our neighborhood is playing marbles. Yes, you read that right- the super old-fashioned game played in a circle in the dirt. All the kids at school are obsessed with marbles! It’s weird.

Then there’s sports, friends, sleep-overs… I love it but I am burning out trying to stay involved in all of this kid’s stuff!

But our big event of the ~~month~~ year was our twins’ first birthday! Yee-haw we made it a whole year! My hubby and I still like each other, we’re relatively sane (oh, if you only knew…) and our kids are healthy! I think that’s a lot to celebrate over.

The girls’ first birthday party was a low-key, family event. We had simple pink and purple decorations (these are their “colors”, since we got their ears pierced at 2 months).

I found cute purple butterfly decorations to hang about, along with these pink eyelet lanterns and some accordion lanterns. They were a pain in the butt to get to stay in chandelier shape, so I made it a point to get several pics under them.

My husband found this recipe for a “baby smash cake”. It turned out pretty yummy!

The cake ends up tasting like a really healthy banana muffin. We made enough mix for 4 small cakes, and the next day Daddy and I enjoyed the leftovers for breakfast!

Of course, Mommy and Daddy went overboard on enormous and overpriced presents. We basically bought them a door, but they love it. 🙂

It’s really a cool toy that lasted us several years and was even passed on to their little brother! This is the newer version of the door toy.

The twins also received some thoughtful and fun gifts from friends and family. The dresses they’re wearing in the pic were from Grandma .

We have more busy chaos coming up, when we “get away” (is it really a vacation when you’re traveling with twin babies?) for the weekend. Not sure I’ll have time to post on that, but I’ll take pics just in case!

*Update* Want to see what their big toy was for their third birthday? It’s at the end of this birthday post!

As always, thanks for being a loyal reader! Leave a comment if you feel compelled and don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list to get my newsletter!

Great Toys for Newborns

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Your newborn will be busy experiencing and learning about the world around them. For new babies, parents’ faces and anything with bright colors will interest them. At this stage, the toys that stimulate babies may have bright colors, reflective surfaces, faces, and things that baby can shake or that make soft noises. Below you will find some of the great toys for newborns that our babies loved.

I like the Wimmer-Ferguson Crawl and Discover Playmat for the early stages. It has bright, primary colors and, because it has neat fabric flaps, a mirror, and crinkly sounds, it will work great for tummy time as your baby grows.

Sassy Baby’s First Books
are an affordable first book set for your baby that include a book for you to put family pictures in, a book with pages that make baby-appealing sounds like crinkling, and 2 other soft plastic books. My babies enjoyed these books for over a year, and I highly recommend them.

The First Years Star Teething Blanket is another value-priced toy that also has bright colors and makes baby-appealing crinkling noises. Plus, isn’t it cute?

We got the Bright Starts Grab and Stack Block Toy
for our babies and they have really enjoyed them. These are a great toy for twins because there are 2 blocks that crinkle and 2 blocks that don’t. So, when your babies are in their “I want whatever toy she has” stage, you have one for each. I love toys that come in doubles. J The blocks all have some little ribbon or detail that the babies get highly interested in.

Check back soon for 6-12 month toy recommendations and 1 year baby toy ideas!

What Will Baby Play With?

Before snatching up that next baby toy, make sure that this purchase is something your baby can get use out of and you won’t regret buying in the future. Family and friends looking for baby shower gifts-these are for you too!
Here are a few things to consider:

Make sure the toys are age-appropriate. The age range of a toy is usually pre-printed on the packaging. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is a government agency that regulates the safety of products in the US. The commission has toy safety standards that children’s toys must meet safety standards and be third-party tested.
Provide a variety of toys. Babies are learning about the world around them through their senses. Keep in mind that the way things feel, sound, and look are all very stimulating to babies.

Manufacturers know that new parents are suckers for buying up any and all toys for baby. But what toys will babies really play with and use? You don’t want to waste your money on a ton of baby toys that are just going to sit, neglected, in a toy box.
With this in mind, these are some of my top choices for baby toys based on the baby’s age:

Birth-6 months

Check back soon for 6-12 month toy recommendations and 1 year baby toy ideas!

9 Months of Pure Busy-ness

The girls turned 10 months recently. Oh.my.goodness, they’re getting so big! Looking back, that 9-months marker was when we really started to see their little personalities develop.

Both babies have only 2 teeth. They’re the front 2 on the bottom row. They came in almost 3 months ago and inspired this post. I think it’s hilarious that for 3 months, these are the only teeth that have come in. They’re big, huge front teeth, too! My big boy is worried that his sisters will have buck teeth. I guess that’s a big concern for a ‘tween?

We are starting to have some serious sibling rivalry between them already. The major issue is that babies just don’t get the concept of sharing. One baby will want something that the other one has, so she will just go and take it. They’ve been yanking each other’s pacifiers out of their sister’s mouth, swiping each other’s bottle- you name it! It is getting a little frustrating. Almost every time one baby has a toy, the other one is soon taking it away. I’m always close by and I know that ‘she took my toy’ screech, so I usually return the toy and offer the thieving baby another toy. My mom said that when we were younger she handled sharing issues by distracting the baby with another item, since babies are too young to know that they can’t have something that someone else is using. This pic shows pretty clearly who the major toy thief is.

Ok, so this is kind of an older photo… But it serves my point! It was originally posted on my Facebook Fan Page. Not a fan yet? Give me a like here!

Would you believe that they are getting into everything? It’s definitely keeping me on my toes. I’ve dedicated 2 drawers in the kitchen to baby-safe items for them to explore and unpack while I’m working on meals. The rest of the cupboards are off-limits.

But their favorite place to play is, of course, in the bathroom. Babies would choose the least sanitary room in the house as their favorite hang-out spot. Here they are playing a game of open/shut the door.
They are so vocal now!
I’ve had to keep finding new places to store the broom because out of all the expensive and thoughtfully-chosen, developmentally-appropriate toys, they will do anything to get to the broom. I thought the bathroom was a great place until I realized that they never miss an opportunity to get in there.
Oh, and these things? Not helpful in our apartment. The girls can pull them right out of the electric sockets.

I can’t wait to see what they will be up to next month!

Airline Flights With Little Ones

Every November we spend the Thanksgiving holiday in Northern California with my husband’s family. I’ve been thinking a lot about this trip and how we can best make a long-distance trip with twin babies. We usually drive, but this year it might be more convenient to fly. It’s at least 16 hours to my father-in-law’s house, and I’m not so sure I want to be in the car that long with two babies. I have only flown on a plane a few times myself, and always as an adult. So if you are in a similar situation, I have a few tidbits that I’ve learned that may be helpful to you.

Did you know that airlines don’t charge you to check ANY baby items? Strollers, car seats, Pack ‘N Plays, diaper bags~you name it. They also don’t count towards your one carry-on item either, so you can bring a diaper bag (or two, if you want to! One for each baby) and a carry on bag for mom, dad, and older brother.
If you are going on an airline flight with two small children or “lapbabies” (ie, twin babies), you and daddy will have to sit in separate rows. Try and get seats that are across the aisle from each other if you want to sit together. 2 lapbabies aren’t permitted in the same row because there is only 1 extra oxygen mask per row.
You can check your car seats and bring your double Snap ‘N Go. This would be the ideal way to get through the airport.

Best of luck to you!

Can I Get Some Relief for the Teething Twins (and Their Mommy)?

It feels like these girls are growing up so fast! I wish I could pause time and live with them in slow-motion. And yet, it’s a blast to be there while my baby twins change and develop-almost daily!

The girls started teething at about 6 or 7 months, and it was not nearly as bad as I’ve heard it can be. First, Emmy had a little white spot on her gum, which turned into a tooth. While her first tooth was coming in, Maddie got a little white spot on her gums. They both got their first tooth at about the same time, and it all went so smoothly. I’m not saying that real, miserable, teething unpleasantness won’t settle upon this household in the future. But at least for now we’re all pretty happy, although the babies may be a bit fussy and want to chew on everything.

We did our best to offer toys that help a teething baby. Like these teething rings. They are seriously the best teething rings I’ve found. They’re good for cooling down on hot afternoons and also good for soothing irritated gums. Plus, the girls prefer these rings to others. I’ve handed one baby this teether (unfrozen) and the other baby a different kind of teether (also unfrozen), and I kid you not they fought over this one. I think it’s the bright colors.

These sippy cups that I posted about earlier were also good for teething. The girls still don’t drink a ton of water, but this kind of sippy has a rubbery spout that they just love to chew on.

Being that it is summer right now and getting to be pretty warm in San Diego, we’ve also given the girls these frozen fruit teethers just about every day. Maddie loves to suck on frozen honeydew melon using one of these. Emmy prefers frozen strawberries.

Those are the teething solutions that we’ve come up and that work for us. How has teething gone for you? Did you have teething twins? I’d love to hear your story, share in the comments!

Disclaimer: This page contains affiliate links.

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