We've come along way......

Most of these posts are always about the kids and how much they have changed, but I feel the need to reflect a little bit as Alex and Olivia's 3rd birthday is quickly approaching......

Although it was more than 3 years ago, I can very vividly remember the moment at our 7 week ultrasound visit when the ultrasound technician told us we were having twins. I also remember sitting in a chair int he hallway of the doctor's office waiting to see a doctor after the ultrasound to discuss twins. I had so many thoughts swarming my mind, and I can only imagine the thoughts that went through Ben's mind. Having a math background, my thoughts beyond the "oh my goodness thoughts" focused on the financial aspects including the idea of needing 2 cribs, 4 car seats, pay double the amount of day care, which all culminated into a single thought that I was so glad we had waited until we were in a good financial position to have children. And there are still some days that I think "I can't believe we have twins - this happens to other people, not us", but then there are days that I am SO reminded that we have twins whether it is a bad day or an extra special day where you see the bond between Alex and Olivia shine.


We are almost 3 years into being parents of twins and boy what a ride it has been. We have definitely had our ups and downs but if there is one thing I have learned is that Ben and I make a great team. I couldn't do it without him. It hasn't always been easy but at times we have had such a rhythm and routine that we didn't think it was too bad. Then came 2 - 2 1/2 came and that involved a move from Connecticut to Kentucky....it was a rough time for all of us between getting settled, getting molars, not behaving, etc. but in the end it has all been worth it as I really do believe Alex and Olivia have become so much closer because of the move and the experiences they have had. We changed a lot in their little lives, but they have always had each other.

But as I loo back, I am amazed at how things have changed over time with going through this experience as a first time parent, and two children to learn the ropes and practice on rather than just one.

Bath time - We used the kids' infant tub until they were 9 or 10 months old which is probably crazy because once they could sit up it probably made the most sense to put them in the regular bath tub together. But Ben and I had such a routine to bath time, so much that we wouldn't have ever wanted someone to help us out because we had it down pat. Then we moved into the bathtub when they weren't fitting any longer in the infant tub which involved both of us washing the kids. And I don't remember at what point this happened but we eventually went down to just one of washing - - not sure why we tried to squeeze two of us next to the bathtub when one of us could handle it. Now the other gets some free time during bath time (although it isn't that long but long enough to decompress from work or to get the dishes done).

Taking the kids into daycare - Super easy when they were both in infant car seats, that is if you classify "easy" as carrying two 10 lbs car seats each with a baby inthem. We finally grew out of them at around 9/10 months but neither could walk. So my choices were to set up the stroller every morning or put one in the Baby Bjorn and carry the other. The stroller would have beena pain, and Ben can attest to the fact I have never been good at pushing the side by side stroller in close spaces, so I opted for the Bjorn. It worked great! And some people would say to me "I can't believe you put that on every morning" but in all honesty, what else was I suppose to do? Then they got too big for the Bjorn, so I had to have them walk, but they didn't always want to hold my hands, so it was NEVER easy! It seemed to always result in someone throwing a temper tantrum or someone running away in the parking lot. But now we are in such a better place. They both love to hold my hand, and they even enjoy holding each others hands. So typically you will see us in a parking lot with me holding one of their hands while they are holding their brother or sister's hand. We do still have some days though where it feels like I a herding sheep.

Weekend morning routine - Since they have been born we have both always gotten up every Saturday and Sunday morning when they woke up. When they were younger they both needed to be fed which was easier when there were two of us and as they got older we still did it so that someone could take care of the kids while the other takes care of Dudley. And we have always been luck with our kids sleeping in on the weekend as typically it isn't any earlier than 7:30 and sometimes as late as 8:30. We still complain it is too early, but we always have to remind ourselves that we are blessed with kids who are not getting up at 6 on the weekends (not sure I could function with that). One morning a few weeks ago, Alex woke up before Olivia so I got up with him and let him play until Olivia woke up. I made sure to take the monitor with me so Ben could get some extra sleep. I ended up entertaining the kids until 9 and let Ben sleep in. I think he truly enjoyed the extra sleep, and so now we have tried to make this a regular thing. We take turns we each get to sleep in one day each weekend.

Going out to eat - this use to involve high chairs, booster seats, bottles, sippy cups, bibs, their own silverware, diapers and everything that goes along with diapers. This is so much easier......no highchairs as they sit in boosters now, and soemtimes they get to sit without boosters if they are being good, no bottles, no sippy cups, and no diapers. It is WONDERFUL! Since most places give kids a cup with a straw we just use that and they are starting to use regular sized silverware and are both potty trained (we are down to just 1 pullup each day just for Alex!)!!!! It is truly WONDERFUL!!!

And being home with both of them is not so overwhelming and daunting as it once was, well unless you have to put them down for nap. But they play with each other and typically really enjoy each others company which makes the job that much easier. But I do enjoy any time that I get to have one on one time with them since it is so infrequent but yet so special.

Thanks Ben for being a great teammate!!!!

Olivia

In one way, Olivia is a lot like Alex....she likes to talk. She has energy but not as much as Alex. She instead is extremely good at entertaining herself with her vivid imaginiation and can stay focused on one thing for quite a long time. Being at home with just Olivia is a really easy job because she will entertain herself and doesnt' have to go to the bathroom very often which helps me because I often forget to remind them to go! Since Ben and I started taking road trips together several years ago I have often referred to the "Krausman Bladder of Steel"; which refers to my bladder and my ability to drink all sorts of liquids and not have to go to the bathroom for a very long time. Olivia may not look like me but she has definitely inherited the "Krausman Bladder of Steel"!

Although she likes to talk like Alex it is a whole different kind of talking. She doesn't peg you with questions like Alex and she isn't always thinking about food. Instead, she is thinking about why things are, making comparisons from one thing to another, and really trying to formulate her own thoughts and opinions about things while trying to learn and soak it all up. She amazes me sometimes with some of the conversations I have with her or that others have with her. Sometimes I really wonder if she is really just about to turn 3. She has had a lot of curiosity about her brother's "man parts" that she doesn't have. She has tried to hold "her's" to go to the bathroom only to realize she didn't have one. She tries to push "it" doewn like Alex does when he goes to the bathroom. And now she has brought it to a whole new level learning why she uses toiler paper and Alex doesn't when they go to the bathroom. In fact, here is a conversation she had with my dad when he was in town:

Olivia: "Papa, do you use toilet paper?"
Papa: "Yes"
Olivia: "Dudley doesn't because he has a penis. You use toilet paper, so you don't have a penis?"
Papa: "No, I do have a penis, and I don't use toilet paper."

Blows my mind that she has put that all together and make sense out of it. I think my dad never expected to have that kind of conversation with his 2 year old granddaughter. When she is in a good mood, she can be such a funny little girl.

Olivia's speech has always been next to perfect....unless she is mumbling (which does happen from time to time). I have never had any problem understanding a single word that she says. She enunciates so well with every word that she says. Although she initially had trouble with her "v"'s and pronounces them like a "b" instead. But we have figured out that she can say "v" but just likes to be called "Olibia". But her speech has always been so good that we sometimes ask her to translate what Alex is saying and a lot of times she is very successful.

She has recently started making up her own songs. It is so adorable. Out of nowhere she will start singing a song about anything whether it be the new bookcase we got or something else in the house. I often will ask her where she learned the song and she replies "just me". It is very sweet. She is also my big helper. She loves to be included in anything that we do and is always looking for ways to help us out. She has started to bring her stool in the kitchen and help me when I am cooking or baking. I sure this is something the continues to enjoy as she gets older as well, as it is always nice to have a partner in the kitchen.


And my once bald little beauty has turned into a little girl with a whole lot of hair (okay she still doesn't have a LOT of hair, but it is long).She got her first hair cut shortly after we moved to Kentucky. She had been watching Alex get hair cuts for about a year and would always say "boys get hair cuts, girls wear pretties in their hair". That is always how we explained it to her. But in August, we finally figured she had enough hair and it made sense to get her hair trimmed to even it out. Here are a few snap shots of her first hair cutting experience:

BEFORE:
AFTER:
She doesn't get her hair cut every time Alex does, but whens he does she loves sitting in the little cars watching Dora.

And there isn't anyone else in this world that she cares more about then her twin brother Alex. I think she will be keeping a close eye on him for many years to come! In fact, we have always said that once in school we will split them up into different classrooms because if in the same class we see Olivia doing Alex's homework for him and he having absolutely no problem with that situation. And sure enough in their preschool class earlier this year, the teacher accidentally sat Olivia next to Alex during art (the teacher makes an effort to split them up since she is a twin as well), and when the teacher looked over she found Olivia doing Alex's art project for him while he was chatting away with his buddy next to him.

Olivia may always be trying to figure everything out and outsmart us, but she is one very loving and caring little girl who loves to laugh and she shows us every day as she plays mommy to her baby dolls!