We’re moving back to Oregon! It’s a long story, but the plans are now being set in motion for us to relocate – again – back to our home and family. Since we decided to do it while we were on a visit up here to Oregon, the boys and I have already been here in Oregon, staying mostly at grandma “oo-wee’s” house (as the boys call my mom, Susie), for 2 months. It won’t be long, however, until daddy heads up here with all of our things from AZ in tow. He’s come up to visit a few times, but we sure miss him a lot!

The boys are doing well so far with the transition, and have been exerting their “terrible two-ness” with mom and grandma any chance they get. They’re sleeping in makeshift big boys beds (one queen bed that they share) since we couldn’t wait until their cribs got here. The pack and play cribs just couldn’t hold them anymore, but they surprised mom by doing a good (not great, but good) job of staying in their bed.

Carter is talking all the time, though he still leaves a few key letters out of most words, requiring a translator for most people.  He thinks it is hilarious when mom makes up words to songs he knows – he says “dat not ight ong mommy!!!” Logan is also starting to talk more, though his favorite word is still “NO.” In the last few days, he’s started to respond to one of mommy’s reasoning statements (since she knows that reasoning works so well on 2 years olds – ha ha!) with a simple “Oh.” Last night he was getting ready to launch in to a full tantrum when mom drove past the mailbox (he wanted mom to get out of the car to “get mai!”) when mom said, “Grandma already got the mail.” He stopped mid whine and just say “Oh.” That was all it took! If only it were always that easy. J

Here I sit again, looking at the date of my last entry and wondering what I do with all my time. Aren't I an efficient enough mother to take care of my children and keep up on the blog of them growing up? HA HA HA. No, I'm not. Therefore, if you are one of the few disappointed followers of this little blog, I'm sorry. There probably will never be regular entries. (Though I do hope sometime soon to fill out the boys' baby book...or at least start it.) :)

That being said, here is the latest. Both boys are talking all the time now, and turning in to very big helpers (whether I ask for the help or not). They are becoming very independent and can do more and more things on their own. They still keep me very busy, and both take turns with some pretty great tantrums, but we're surviving day to day, and sometimes that's all you can do. The boys are almost always dirty now (which is something I haven't quite gotten used to), and their favorite game is still chasing mommy, being chased by mommy (while I try to catch them for a diaper change or to get clothes on) or being chased by each other. They love horsey rides as well on anyone's back whose willing to gallop around the living room on their hands and knees. If you make the mistake of sitting for too long, one or the other will inevitably try to climb up and yell "ee-yah, ee-yah!" (What's really funny is when whichever boy who is not up on the "horsey" crawls under the horsey's legs on his hands and knees and trys to keep pace just underneath the horsey's head. The boys crack up hysterically when they do that, though it makes "galloping" a little difficult.)

Carter is telling me all about his world; about the things he and his brother do, and about what he wants (and wants me to do). He will stand in his crib holding a book out yelling "mommy put book away!!" or "mommy put banket on me!" His speech and pronunciation are not perfect, and sometimes he needs a translator (me), but it amazes me already some of the things that come out of my baby's mouth. He tattles on his brother sometimes, which I hate to admit, but is hilarious most of the time. If I chastise Logan for something and say, "this is your last warning; if you do this again you're going to get a time out," Carter will say, "Bubba need Ime ouww." (He puts emphasis on the "www" and makes an "o" with his little mouth - also hilarious.) A few times after Carter has said this, Logan will hang his head and silently walk over to sit in time out! (I hardly ever leave him there!)

Carter also really likes to read and/or look at books. He will sit and turn the pages, one by one, until he's finished a book, and then quietly sit and "read" it again. 

Logan is doing everything he can to assert his independence. He wants to put his shoes on himself (which he's getting pretty good at), walk up and down the stairs himself (and he does walk, even on his little short legs), and climb up in to his car seat himself. He likes very much to play with his ball sets, including golf, baseball and basketball (all of which he got for his birthday), and if a new person comes to the house he pretends he's shy for a minute and then runs to get a ball so he can show them how well he throws it. He grunts sometimes when he's trying to throw the ball, and it is absolutely adorable to see the effort he puts in to it.

If he wants to play with me, he now comes in to the kitchen, takes hold of my hand and literally walks me into the other room, then points to a space on the floor by his toys and says "it down." He can open the refrigerator very easily, and any door he'd like to (except the ones we've put locks on), and has gotten very good at reaching up to turn the light switches on and off.

And a quick story to wrap things up...

Last Friday, (the 3rd) I went up in to the boys' room to lay them down again, since they were supposed to be taking a nap but were playing and laughing like hooligans instead. When I walked in, my heart stopped for a minutes, because both boys were out of their cribs running around. I recovered quickly from my heart attack, tried not to laugh from hysteria, and laid them down, back in their cribs with a stern talking to. They went to sleep shorty after that (which was more than an hour after I laid them down originally), so they didn't do it again that day. The next day, after Evan (who doesn't work weekends) and I had laid them down and were sitting and listening to them laugh and yell in their room, we heard a door slam shut upstairs. We looked at each other with the "Oh Sh**!" look and both bolted upstairs. Evan got there first, and gave Logan, who had climbed out of his crib, opened the door and then shut it again, a firm verbal reprimand and his mean daddy look. They haven't climbed out since.

Man I cant believe how fast this kid raising thing goes! The boys are going to be 2 this next weekend and it seems like yesterday I was pregnant!! Crazy...Well, aside from growing up at the speed of light, the boys are actually getting cuter everyday. They are so funny, each in their own way, and most of the time I have a hard time not laughing at the things they do. They are both really in to music and dancing right now, and will play a little song on one of their toys (seems like every one has a little tune) and will dance around in circles to it. When it stops, they stop, and then one of them will press it again while the other waits.

I know it's been a long time since I've posted pictures, so here are a few from the past few months (from my phone mostly - sorry for the quality!) to show what they've been up to.

Logan.

 Logan loves hats, and will insist we all wear them when leaving the house. It works out kind of good, though, since the Arizona sun has started to beat down on us again, and the hats offer needed protection for the boys' little white heads. Sometimes his hats fit the situation, sometimes they don't. He doesn't seem to care.

He was also really in to the little potato heads for a little while, but I think he's getting over that a bit. He no longer asks for them to sleep with.

Carter.

 Carter has really started talking this past month. He is saying full sentences now, and is getting very good at handing out directions. "Mommy, pick it up" was his first full one, but now there's also, "put it back," "wipe it up" and lots of others. He tries to say almost anything he hears (which is how Evan gets him to say "Gangsta Roll" as daddy rolls him on to the changing table at night), and it's still a little surprising some of the things he can get his little tongue around. He is very helpful, and loves to get the broom out anytime anything spills. It's a little frustrating at times, since he is not quite aware of the items he knocks off the counter with the long handle. 

More Dooties

The boys are just starting to put phrases together, and their pronunciation is often times hilariously adorable. Their comprehension of what I say also astounds and suprises me, but also delights me at the same time. This morning, before I could get the gate up at the bottom of the stairs, both of my little explorers escaped up the stairs in a flash. They've gotten to the point where they're fairly confident on the stairs, and I'm not too worried about them going it alone, so I didn't jump to go get them right away. I listened to their squeels of glee as they chased each other around our bedroom and bathroom. Since it's Monday, and I'm feeling extra lazy, I decided to try just calling them down. Since I know that "Boys! Come down!" is just ignored, I added a "Boys! Come down for a cookie!" As it turns out, that was the magic word. Instantly there was a little scuttle at the top of the stairs and I heard Logan say "Dootie, Dootie" (he doesn't quite have the "K" sound yet for that) and was down as fast as he could slide on his belly. Carter took a minute, since he was busy taking stuff off our bathroom counter, so by the time he got down his brother already had both cookies (I'd set out one for each) in his hands.
Logan gave me the "I'm not going to give him this cookie - he was too slow and I got it fair and square!" look. I bribed him to give his brother the cookie by offering Logan another. Nice parenting: Cookies for breakfast, bribery... But it worked!! (And it was a small cookie, with nuts for protien.)
*As a side note, I also learned the extent of their reach this morning after I waited a minute too long to respond to the "more dooties" request. Instead of waiting for me to say "we're all done with the cookies," Logan (and then Carter and minute later) pulled the bag closer to him on the counter and grabbed out his own. And I had pushed it back.

Peekeeboo

This was an uncompleted entry from a while back...I'm posting it near the time it was written instead of today, since it was a few months ago.

Carter started to say Pee-kee-boo yesterday when Logan held his hands in front of his face. Now they are playing with each other when in their high chairs, taking turns covering their faces and saying gleefully "PEE KEE BOO!"

The "Touchdown"

In an effort to get the boys more excited about sitting down and watching football with daddy, (and because, as parents, we just can’t help teaching the boys to do silly little tricks because they are ADORABLE when they perform), Evan has been teaching the boys to hold their arms up in the air when we yell “Touchdown!” We repeat it a few times for emphasis, and I don’t even need to say “clap, clap, clap” at the end anymore. They just do it.

 As I mentioned in a previous blog, the boys have developed another habit, all on their own I might add, of rummaging in the panty (if I mistakenly leave the door open) and pulling out things they might want. They then bring the item to me and say “peez.” Although sometimes they bring me a box of cornbread mix and try and convince me this is the best snack for them, usually it’s something like crackers or something they really do get for a snack. The other night, in this constant pursuit of trying to get mom to give them what they want, when they want, Logan brought me a box of crackers and said “peez.” (I should add here that there is always a big sweet smile to go with the request.) Since it was 5 minutes before we were going upstairs to go to bed, however, I was not about to give in to his charm, and so said “no crackers now.” Did I mention that both boys are also good at taking the bag that boxed products now commonly come in out of the box and opening it themselves?  Well, in an effort to help his brother, Carter did just that. As I turned around, (they’d been running around the kitchen while I was rushing and dodging them, trying to get dinner put away so we could go up to put the boys to bed), in slow motion I see Logan snatch the bag back from his brother – upside down. Whale shaped crackers exploded out of the bag, covering the floor and Logan. The smile never left his face as his arms went up in the characteristic “Touchdown!!” gesture. Then, he clapped and started eating crackers off the floor. In all fairness, Carter did add an "uh oh" or two as he happily munched crackers and we all cleaned them up.  

Carter the Helper

Carter and Logan were enjoying some orange slices at their picnic table this afternoon and Carter once again showed his helpful side. Logan was so happy about the “appas” (what he calls just about everything in the produce section that resembles an apple in size, shape or color), he started leaning over and eating them with his mouth. Being the mom that I am, I tried not to laugh and said halfheartedly, “Logan, use your hands!” A minute passed while Logan chewed with his hands resting on the table, and then Carter collected all the remaining orange slices and stacked them, without a word, on the back of Logan’s hand. He was helping Logan “use his hands.”

Some people ask me how I stay fit after having twins. Well, I do obstacle courses all day long. My boys are very sweet to set them up for me (see below). When we go to the park, they also encourage me to do cardio by running in two different directions. Their favorite game is to be chased, but I know that they're only trying to keep me healthy.   

I’m raising a Monkey and a Lion

My sons are adorable. I just want to throw that out there. As they are starting to talk more and communicate more clearly, they crack me up every day.

For example, Carter likes to run around beating his chest and saying “Oowh Oowh AAh,” just like daddy told him a monkey does. When asked if he’s being a monkey he proudly shakes his head “YES”. He repeats words you ask him to say about 50 % of the time, although they still sound a lot alike (or nothing like the word). My favorite is his Thank You. It comes out as “Ding Dong.”

Yesterday, Logan decided he could talk. He said “bubbles,” “Please” (which sounds like “Blee”), “Uh-oh” and “diaper” (which was clear as could be). On this same day he found he could talk consistently, he also decided the best way to get my attention was a deep throaty growl. He will say blee if prompted, but he starts with the growl.

They got a train table for Christmas from their grandparents, and they stand around it (or point from across the room), and Carter says “Vroom vroom” and Logan say something that sounds like “tickle tickle.” I think he means “chicka chicka chicka” like a train, but who knows. It took daddy three hours to build it and painstakingly set up each little strip of track, and it took them about 12 minutes to completely dismantle it. I now have track upstairs in my bathroom, as well as under my couch. I think there may be a strip in my pantry as well, but since I try to keep that shut while the boys are up (because they like to take all of the boxes out and hand them to me to give them whatever’s inside, and I don’t think they’d like bread crumbs), I really haven’t checked.

The boys also have a tent  that their Aunt Cara got them a few months back, and Logan loves to point inside it, and then at me, letting me know that he wants me to sit inside it. He will also pat the ground inside the tent and growl at me. Yesterday, we were all sitting in the tent (which is quite small really) and Logan pulled the tent flaps closed. Since the boys like to hide from mom or dad in there, I said, “Oh, are we hiding? Ok, lets be very quiet.” And putting my finger to me lips I said “SHHH.” That was all it took. I am now often requested in the tent, where both or one of the boys points a finger almost up his nose, sometimes both fingers, to let me know what game we’re playing.  Adorable.  

It’s been a while. I know. I’m okay with it. I’ve been chasing two tornados, and they keep me pretty busy. We’ve been in Arizona for five months now, and things are going well. I’m starting this new year full of resolutions, and I think I may even get a few accomplished. (Hence, the blog entry.) I am sad that we are so far from family, and that they miss all those silly little things the boys do every day that I miss with the video camera.  I am grateful, though, that we were able to go home for the holidays and visit almost everyone, even if it wasn’t for as long as they all wanted. Although the boys were sick with all sorts of stuff the entire time we were gone, it was still nice to see everyone and hang out for a bit.

Being in Arizona, I am a full time stay at home mom, which is what I always wanted, though it still surprises me how little I get done during the day. We did swim lessons in November at my new gym, and though we haven’t continued them since we were gone for most of December, the boys are starting to get comfortable in the water. I’m not planning on dropping them off at the community pool for the day yet, but it’s a start.

 

The boys have mastered stairs and ball kicking, and Carter is talking all the time. What’s really exciting is that we can actually understand some of the things he’s saying too! Logan talks a little less, but I know he’s just saving up all his comments for a personal journal he’s going to write soon. You should see him with his crayon – he’s so serious! Logan is getting better at blowing bubbles, and Carter is still mostly content to chase them happily. It helps that the weather is so mild here, staying in the mid 60s even though it's January. All we usually need is a light coat to go play outside, and sometimes not even that.