... and babies make four: Our life with twins. : Sweet Summer time

Every month I set out with the goal of writing a “better” blog – or at least keeping up so I am not racking my brain to remember all that I have done in the last month. Here we are again though, one month later, and I have no idea what I have been doing since I wrote the last update. These kids keep me busy and I keep them busy in return. We have done approximately one million different things since summer started and June isn’t even over yet. We have been to Bounce U, Carowinds, water park, the library, Lazy 5 Ranch, the Schiele museum, splash pads, the aquarium, festivals, a movie, crafting at Michaels, the White Water Center… the list goes on. No wonder I feel so exhausted!

Riley started dance class this month and she is in love. She loves to put on a twirly skirt and spin around the house. She shows us what she has learned after each class and I think she truly enjoys in because it is something that is just for HER. The Hubby and I make it a point to take the kids out separately and give them some alone time with each of us. We want them to have their own interests as they have ENTIRELY different personalities and I want to ensure they are each able to grow in their skills. An added bonus of Riley’s dance class is that Landon gets some alone time with both parents – something that rarely happens. We have taken this opportunity to teach him to play Checkers at the coffee shop next door to the dance studio and he is now hooked. He has picked up the game very quickly. We are really enjoying this “small town” life. We go to the Farmers Market on Saturday mornings. We visit the coffee shop weekly. We attend the festivals and the Friday night concerts. We are starting to recognize people and be recognized. This morning, when I was driving the kids to preschool, they were setting up downtown for the Fireworks Festival tonight. City workers were putting out hundreds of tiny flags, lights, and decorations and waving at cars as they passed. I love it and I am so happy that we made the decision to move to a smaller town.

The neighborhood pool.

Landon talks… and talks… and talks. He is constantly asking questions and I do my best to answer them to the best of my ability. (Thank you Google and YouTube) Yesterday we went to the aquarium and I had to read about many different fish and animals, so he could learn about them. This morning we talked about speed limits, the pedals in the car, and the results of turning the wheel all on the 8 minute drive to preschool. He challenges my brain before 9am. He thinks that he “knows” Spanish, so we have been working on that one. He informed me the other day that “starving” was Spanish for “hungry,” so we are working on it. I don’t know much Spanish myself so we are learning together. I work second shift so I miss bedtime a lot. When I leave for work around 2 I try and give him a hug and kiss. I am told, daily, that “kisses at night, hugs at night” but I do it anyway. He has started telling me that he loves me frequently and that just makes my heart smile. He likes to snuggle up in my lap on the couch and watch TV together. His current request for show is “Teen Titans Go” which I know nothing about, but he likes it and I haven’t seen anything too crazy yet. He isn’t as big of an eater as Riley, but he does have his favorites. He loves cereal and chocolate milk in the morning, and for lunch, and dinner as well. He likes his “soft cookie” snacks (soft granola bars) and “white cookies” (Special K crispy bars) and pouches. Peanut butter and jelly is still at the top of his list as well. Landon loves to read and have books read to him as well. He loves going to the library every week and picking out new books. He is not as into the arts and crafts as Riley, but he does love dress up and imaginative play. It was pirate week at preschool summer camp this week and he has been running around with a hook on his hand and a pirate hat on his head. He has recently developed an interest in Legos, so looks like I will make sure I am wearing shoes at all times now. He loves his Superheroes and finds it difficult to name his favorite, but recently told me it was Black Panther. He still plays with Rescue Bots and his Mickey Mouse and the Roadster Racers playset.

Riley is snuggly and hangs on me in public and it may be my “fault.” They both had a habit of running away from me in public and it was making me so nervous. (Social worker background can really alter your feelings in public settings.) I sat them both down and talked to them about how there are lots of different types of people in the world and not everyone is nice. I told them that there may even be people that want to take them away from mommy and daddy and that we just want them to be safe and in order for them to be safe they need to stay with mommy and daddy. Well, Riley took our talk to heart and is very vigilant when we are out in the community now and wont let us or her brother out of sight. When we took them to Carowinds a few weeks ago she held on to Landon whenever they went into a ride together and reminded him to stay with her. It is such a fine line… I obviously want them to be safe, but I don’t want her to be scared either. We are going to have to work on a balance. Riley eats non-stop. She will tell me that she is having a “hungry” day as she opens up snack after snack from the pantry. Luckily, I can run interference and add some fruit and vegetables in there. She is still super active and runs everywhere and spins constantly. She has learned to pump her legs on the swing and our world has changed as we no longer have to stand there and push. She runs and plays with the neighbors and uses sidewalk chalk and blowing bubbles. She has taken to having a neighborhood full of kids nicely. She loves to read and have books read to her. She has shown a lot of improvement with her writing and has gotten pretty good with her name. She loves arts and crafts and making projects around the house. She has been doing better with staying in the lines when she is coloring and I now have 10 layers of pictures hanging in my kitchen.