The Box

We all know that kids have more fun in a box than with the toy that came in it. Apparently, it goes for adults too. :)

 

Talk about quality father-son time!

Mine!

Jack (in orange) and Ian (in stripes) both had toys. Jack took Ian's first toy away from him...so I ran to get the camera! Sure enough, Jack wanted Ian's new toy.

Isn't it a bit early to want what the other has? (Although it is a litle cute at this age!)

Flying Jack and Playing Ian

This is a video of Jack "flying." While laying on his belly, he'll spread his arms out above the ground and pick up his legs (very talented...I'm not sure that I could do this). Then he rocks on his bulging belly.

Ian was also laying on the floor playing. He pulled the toy up to his mouth and is trying to chew on it. They're getting big!

In the background, you can hear Seth asking to listen to WonderPets. Then in the next video he is asking for the charger (I think he means the speakers).

Boys Will Be Boys: How to make them not to?

Although I did not grow up with any brothers, I feel like I kind of 'get' boys. I let Seth make his mistakes so that he will learn from them. I let him be adventurous. I let him watch daddy hunt (as he and his brothers will have to join daddy someday so that we can have enough meat to feed a family of four boys!).

I understand boys are rough, and I do not wish to make any of our boys too 'soft.'

However, it is not okay to go around pushing or wrestling or jumping on people or 'play' hit or anything else rough. (Even though he tells me, "momma, I was just trying to play with you!")

So, how do you teach boys that it is okay to embrace (for lack of a better word) their 'boyness' but know when it's okay and when it's not acceptable?

Last Wednesday we went to a play date. Seth pushed a little girl down. Awful, isn't it?! I know he was only trying to play and he did not do it to intentionally be mean, but that little girl and her mother probably didn't know the difference!

I am getting so tired of saying "Seth, be gentle; Seth, don't be so rough."

I have thought before about what a great team moms and dads make. I feel like moms teach their boys that it's not okay to hit, etc. and dads teach them to take up for themselves. Although those are mixed teachings, I hope to raise boys that can gain a little from both perspectives and have a good understanding of when certain behavior is and is not acceptable.

Happy Birthday Aunt Jenny!

I finally got my camera issues sorted out. So expect me to be playing catch-up for the next couple of days!

This is to Aunt Jenny who had a birthday on July 16. Happy late birthday!

Today Show Request

I have not been blogging long (nor often as of lately), but still many of you know about the twins message board I talk about frequently.

The women that I have met through that board have helped me and been with me in a way that my other friends and family were not able to as they have never experienced this. I know it was kind of a "blind leading the blind" thing most of the time, but we've all managed to make it this far.

So we got the great idea to meet each other! However, having babies (especially two at a time) puts a strain on your finances. So we have decided to ask a television show to have us come on.

I finally sat down today and wrote a letter to the Today Show. I hope that they considerate. We would all love to meet. Plus, who wouldn't want to watch a bunch of mothers who have never met and their adorable twin babies?

Here's what I wrote:

Hello and good morning!One year ago in September I found out I was pregnant with twins. What a complete shock this was for my husband and me! And it has been a frantic blur ever since.

Shortly after finding out I was pregnant with twins, I found a message board forum (http://forum.twinsmagazine.com/) full of mothers and mothers-to-be of multiples (mostly twins and the occassional case of triplets!). These ladies have been my saving grace over the last (almost) year!The forum is divided into birth months. While pregnant, you find the birth month you fit in and form bonds with these women who you will, more than likely, never meet in person.

During pregnancy, we all shared our fears, excitments, dissappointments, milestones, and complaints - and there were many of these! A twin pregnancy is nothing like that of a singleton - I can speak from experience. So having a group of women who were going through the same things at the same time was such an inspiration and encouragement.

We had women on bedrest for most of the pregnancy all the way to women who were able to work up until the time their babies were born. We have women who had to deal with pre-mature births and extended Neonatal ICU stays. We had women who suffered the loss of one twin during pregnancy and shortly after birth. We also had women who were able to experience a wonderful birth that ended with two healthy babies!

Through all of that, we formed a bond. We wept for the losses of those who never had and we experience joy with those who shared their wonderful news.

I am part of the March/April 2009 board. All of us have had our babies - some healthy, some that are now angels, and some that are still struggling with different needs. Our forum has now moved from "Pregnant with Multiples" to "Your Twins' First Year."

We are now able to lean on one another for advice, support, and understanding. I live in a small town that does not have a support group for moms with multiples; so I heavily rely on my friends on the internet.

The things that us and our babies are going through right now, they say, is the hardest. It has been difficult on our marriages, relationships with family members, our bodies, emotional difficulties, financial difficulties, lack of sleep and 'me' time - but in the end, we all have precious babies to thank God for!

The stresses that we all have experienced during this last year has been unimaginable. But, so they say, as the babies get older, life is so neat being a parent of multiples! We shall weather that together, too.


I come now asking to meet these incredible women and their babies. As babies (especially when they come two at a time) puts a financial strain on things, we as a group do not see how it would be possible to ever meet in person. We have invested almost a year in each others lives and have relied on each other to get through tough times. It would be amazing to be able to hug their necks and smile into their babies eyes!

I appreciate these women and their encouragement tremendously. It would be such a wonderful thing for us all to be able to meet!

I encourage you to view our forum. http://forum.twinsmagazine.com/forumdisplay.php?f=175 (We have also joined each other on facebook in order to keep up even more often.)

If you and your producers see fit, we would love to be able to meet on your show. I want to be able to share my story and thank all of the women that have helped me through this! And, honestly, who doesn't love babies? :)

We appreciate your consideration in our request.

Krista Sanders

The Alligator

First of all, let me give you a little background on the alligator.

Seth was staying at my parents house. My mom wanted him to stay on the bed for a few minutes. In order to get him to do this, she told him that there was an alligator that would get him if he got off. (In hindsight, maybe this wasn't the best idea!)

So, the other day Seth comes to me in tears. He was holding his fingers. He was crying so much that he couldn't tell me what was wrong. I asked him if he hurt his fingers and he shook his head yes. I looked at his fingers and couldn't find any marks on them and he could wiggle them for me. So he went and got the bear out of the freezer to put on his fingers.

Later, after he had calmed down, I asked him again what happened to his fingers. He clearly told me that the (imaginary) alligator got them. So I asked him to take me to where he hurt his fingers. In mine and Jeremy's bedroom, Seth had laid two pillows on the floor along with his blanket. He points to that and says that the alligator got his fingers...but "he's not there anymore."

I laid Seth down for his nap, and he was still talking about the alligator. I told him that I would take care of the alligator and it would be out of the house. Seth gave me very specific instructions on how to dispose of said alligator. Showing me with his hands, he told me I was to pick it up and drop him outside. "But don't squeeze him, Momma, because he'll poke you!"

Apparently, istead of having an imaginary friend, Seth has met up with an imaginary alligator. And I'm sure there will be more stories to come!