Random Stuff To Remember

OK, well I am just going to start with this morning. It seems there is always some big mess to clean and this was today's, I hope. I came in to check my email to see if my ticket for my cousins wedding went through and I come back out to this. Two bags of chips all over the living room floor and Livy telling me she was feeding Pebbles. If only Pebbles would have ate it all! I guess I have to pay attention a bit more now that they can reach the shelves in the pantry.

Yesterday in my attempt to get them to eat anything for dinner I gave them a yogurt to eat outside at their picnic table. I hear them laughing away and I go out to see and they have finger painted the whole table and some of their bodies in yogurt. Lovely. We went right in the pool to clean off!
I finally got a picture of them with some of their favorite crafts.

Fishbowls, caterpillars, sheep, and shapes. Livy loves hers and Rachel likes to rip hers apart.

Quoting movies. They are definitely part of our family and maybe spent too much time with Rich and Erin (true movie quoters). They already quote Max and Ruby like nothing. Good thing I have heard all the DVDs so many times I know them too otherwise I wouldn't know what they were talking about. They act out the episodes they watch, they learn lots of new words that I didn't teach them (stretcher, scone), and they use the scenes in everyday life. Livy's favorite is calling people and telling them she missed the bus (like Ruby), needs to get her ticket and will catch the next one. Rachel now says "bad egg" when she doesn't want to eat her food. Max has an episode when Ruby tries to get him to eat an egg and he keeps pushing it away and saying bad egg. So now she uses that for everything she doesn't want. Although sometimes frustrating, initially funny.

Seasoned travelers. They now like to pretend they are going to NY on the plane. They pack their important stuff, duck and cat, and put their shoes on and say we are going to the airport to see Grandma and Grandpa. They have flown a bunch already so I think the idea of flying is setting in.

After NY my brother Rich, his wife Erin, and my sister Hannah came back to TX with us for a few days to help us move and get settled. I can't tell you what a help it was to have them here and so much fun. After we dropped them off at the airport the girls were making me cry in the car. They kept saying, "Turn around, I want to go back to the airport, I want to go see Grandma and Pop Pop. Where's Hannah and Richie and Erin?" I was emotional already, always am after I get back from NY and miss my family a ton. It just made me feel worse that they felt that way too. We all got over it but miss them terribly. They ask for some in NY everyday. Can't wait to see everyone again!

I was trying to get some parenting/teacher advice from my mom on getting the girls to listen to me better when I ask them to do something. She said to ask them to do something and then before they ignore you or do it say, "thanks for listening" and they are more likely to listen to you. Seems it has worked for her at home or school. So a few days ago I tried it out and it didn't go as planned. We just finished playing memory and I wanted the girls to help me clean up. Rachel was helping and Livy was crawling around on the floor. So I asked her to come over and help us clean up, followed by the thanks for listening bit. She stops crawling around, looks at me and says "but I'm not listening." Uh.....now what do I say! So that plan didn't work this time, maybe I will try again soon or maybe she is just too smart to play that trick on!

A picture of the belly at 25 weeks. Kind of larger than I was thinking it would be with one and everyone keeps telling me I look bigger than 25 weeks or bigger than a singleton. Thanks. But I know its true. I am so dreading potty training. Last month I felt great and could move around fine. Now it hurts and is a pain to bend over and it is steadily growing!

Speaking notes (just so I can remember for later):

Livy:

1. Has a certain way of asking for something and then making it sound like it was your great idea. She says "lets go in the playroom." I say "OK you want to go in the playroom?" She says excitedly "OK." Like you came up with that great idea. It is pretty funny when you hear it.

2. She likes to answer you with "yes" no yeah or uh-huh. Full yes and then full sentence answer which just sounds adorable from some one her size. "Do you want an ice pop?" "Yes I want an ice pop." So cute and proper.

3. She also is more honest and trustworthy still. She tells me whats going on, believes what I say and takes it how it is. Rachel is starting to veer away from that......

Rachel:

1. Has new words everyday that surprise me.

2. Knows she doesn't have to do what I say anymore. It drives me nuts. She gets out of bed all the time and tells me she doesn't want to sleep and that's how it is. She doesn't care if I say it's nap time or night time which would work for Livy. Unfortunately she is starting to realize she has a say and I am not the law like she used to think I was. Sad.

If anyone has any ideas on how to keep them in bed when they get out 10 times a night just let me know. I am up to bribing with candy now and that doesn't always work.

But after all that they are extremely entertaining and tiring. I am exhausted each night but so grateful to have them. I know I will really miss this age when it is gone because of all the funny things they say and how sweet they are. I love them so much and love watching them grow and learn new things.