It Began with a BBFT: 2010

Big Girl Beds, the follow up story

Posted on 12:39 PM - by Heather

So project 'big girl bed' was a success last night--for the most part. Early in the evening, the girls said 'bye-bye' to their cribs which we captured on an adorable video and then the real work began. Ryan gets most of the credit since he had to tear down 2 cribs, assemble 2 beds and clean up after it was all done. My part was to create custom made bedspreads, flat sheets and blankets since the beds we chose are 'junior' beds from ikea that are larger than toddler beds but smaller than twin beds and the only bedding that they sell is a fitted sheet that truly fits the bed--It really tested my very crafty side which is nearly nonexistent to begin with. The finished product from both of our efforts combined (building and sewing) was pretty darn cute (see pics below) if I do say so myself.

The girls loved the beds and were quickly climbing on and off and on and off their 'big girl beds'. About 1.5 hours after their usual bedtime we were finally tucking them into their new beds. They have never used blankets so that was new territory and frankly they didn't really get it. Also the standard orientation of how one is to lay in a regular bed was sort of lost on them too--I'm curious as to when they will start consistently figuring it out. These are things that you don't really think about--I mean, it's a bed, you just get in, get under the blankets and lay your head on a pillow, but apparently it's a learning process.

I just put them down for their first nap in the new beds which will be the real challenge. I threatened them multiple times with confiscation of pacifiers, blankets and sneetches (lydia's stuffed bff) but after that I really am not sure what I'll do to reinforce the 'stay in your bed' philosophy. So far things are quiet, but it has only been about 2 minutes :).

Big girl bed assembly

Grace was our quality control girl checking things out

Testing them out

Finally asleep! (the under the blanket thing was done by Ryan)

The finished product after making the beds this morning.

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Moving out of the cribs!

Posted on 3:59 PM - by Heather

Ok, so I've been resistant to this one. We bought them 'big girl beds' a couple of months ago but haven't transitioned them yet but we plan to tonight. I have cited many reasons for waiting on moving them to a crib. Mainly because many a nap often begins by putting them in the crib against their will--how do you do that with a bed??? Also, with two in there I don't know what kinds of things they'll get into!
Anyhow, Baby #3 is coming and needs a crib so we need to move forward. So this is the 'ode to the cribs', written while they are taking their last nap in their cribs. I shouldn't be so sentimental about it because, A: It could be terrible and we might be putting them back up tomorrow night and just buying Baby #3 his own new crib and B: If we are successful the crib will be filled with a new little bundle in about 6 weeks--what could be better than that? However, I've never done well with change and I can't say that I'm not a little sad about seeing the cribs come down. I can remember renting a truck and driving super fast to pick them up (we only had the truck for 1 hour) and then sweating through the summer heat as we put them together. Well, Ryan put them together, but I broke down and recycled the boxes which was no small feat with my bulbous twin infested belly. When we brought them home from the hospital they looked so tiny in their cribs--I almost felt bad about leaving them in that big thing all alone. Over the last 2 years though they've spent a lot of time in their cribs--sleeping mainly but also jumping, laughing, babbling/talking with eachother, chewing on the sides (until we finally found some good covers), looking at books, snuggling with sneetches and blankets (see pics below) --and a little crying too :). So tonight we start the big bed experiment--and in about 4 years when they outgrow their oh so cute ikea junior beds I'll be blogging and misting up about their transition to 'big, big girl beds'.

Carrying in the cribs with some help from Jeff and Ron

Putting the cribs together

Grace's first time in the crib

Twin time in the crib. They used to sleep in one crib until the started scooting dangerously close to one another

Grace

Lydia

So much for crib bumpers :)

Lydia

Grace

1 comments

Second Birthday

Posted on 10:31 PM - by Heather

A little over a week ago Grace and Lydia turned two! In some ways I feel like the time went fast, but in other ways it feels like decades ago that they were little babies in their matching swings. This last year has really moved them from infanthood to toddlerhood. They are now little people with clear preferences (Grace: "No birthday!"-in reference to us singing happy birthday to her. Lydia, from her bed: "Pac, Sneetch!" demanding her pacifier and her ratty stuffed sneetch) and personalities. At this point Grace is a talker and quick with a laugh. She repeats everything and loves saying the words of objects (especially body parts) nearby. Lydia is more pensive and loves figuring out any type of puzzle, buckle or clasp. She's the first to figure out child proofing devices and master them. For example, when the girls got some bristle blocks as a gift, within a few minutes Lydia was deftly making tall stacks and the instant Grace saw them she brightened up and promptly started coming her hair with them. She still can't be convinced they aren't hair brushes of all shapes and sizes. It is so much fun to watch them learn more and more every day. I think watching their language develop has been really fun. You can't get much better than when they run to the door and yell "mommy home!" when you walk through the door. It's hard to imagine that we ever had a life without them!

Grace enjoying the first few minutes of her first day as a 2 year old

Birthday Breakfast as a Family

I don't know why but I just love this pic. So not posed but so great.

Getting better at blowing out the candles.

Lydia did much better with her cake this year as she is now a well seasoned eater. She would like to thank Costco pizza for really helping her progress.

Grace

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A Toddler's World

Posted on 2:25 PM - by Heather

Figured I'd give an update on the girls latest adventures since this blog is really for posterity's sake, not to entertain the masses.

The twins have reached a new stage that so far is my favorite. They are real little people with their own personalities and quirks. They are learning about their world by leaps and bounds. I'm pretty versed in developmental milestones, but to see it in action is another thing. Both of the girls are learning new words every day, but Grace at this point is the word champion. She loves to just point at everything and exclaim it's title "Bocce!" "Shoes!" "Diaper!" "Pee-Pee" (to clarify: as in peeing, not referring to a body part. that one is funny because if she hears anyone going to bathroom she immediately stops what she is doing and runs to the bathroom door yelling pee-pee). She's excited about everything she can put a word with. Lydia is working on her words too, but she is more of a quiet thinker. I don't think she feels the need to prove herself :). She loves doing puzzles which Grace doesn't have as much patience for and she can figure out most of our childproofing gadgets.

They are interacting more with eachother which is a double edged sword. I have to go into their room at naptime some days multiple times to remind them it is 'nite nite time' and put all of the objects back into their cribs that they have chucked out. If Grace wakes up early she starts yelling over to Lydia's crib "Lydia, Lydia, Lydia" until Lydia wakes up. So great.

Spontaneous twin kisses are common now.

Lydia's sporting her first ponytail.

Random hat during dinner.

They love to be wrapped up in their towels post bath or pool.

Backyard splash time. This usually occurs in the nude but this is a G-rated pic.

Grace loves her towel swaddle compliments of daddy.

Grace's first ponytail. It was short lived.

1 comments

Father's Day 2010

Posted on 4:48 PM - by Heather

Quick blurb on Ryan's second father's day with some pics to go with it. The twins decided that we should start the day extra early and woke up in the 6 range which is rare so we hit a local popular playground before it got busy with starbucks in hand. As the morning unfolded, we made our way to Northstar Cafe for breakfast which is a weekend tradition for us anyhow, but Ryan got his own order of cloud nine pancakes (we are usually splitters to justify NS on a weekly basis) which I highly recommend to anyone in the Columbus area. The girls both had their "I heart my Dad" T's on which was adorable. Back home for a nap and then off to Cosi together (the museum, not the restaurant) for the first time and promptly became members. in the evening we just relaxed at home together with a meal at home. What did we get him for a gift? A plant. Not just any plant. A fancy tropical plant. Still sounds lame, I know but you have to understand Ryan's love of all plants, especially tropical and my aversion to lots of plants cluttering the house. It was an act of love from his girls (but not unselfish love because I strongly suggested he take it to work and put it on his nice big desk!).

The girls wanted me to be sure to thank their dad for all of the things he's done for them this past year, such as: lots of baths and bedtime prep while mom is at work, throwing us up in the air dangerously high, making forts, feeding us costco pizza, showing us videos of animals on u-tube, coming into pick us up when we're crying at night even when mom says not to, changing our stinky diapers, singing silly songs, coming up with funny names for us (grizwald, professor click and snort, etc), taking us to work to see mom, taking us to the library and the park, and lots of other things!

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Frolicking at Mom's

Posted on 9:10 PM - by Heather

Ryan went to San Francisco for a conference for a few days. So, naturally I high tailed it out of there to my parent's house since a zone defense against the girls is not pleasant for an entire week. My mom's house is a place that has always been a mecca for kids. It has a big yard, lots of toys and a neverending supply of tasty treats (especially mom's homemade bread). The best part of the week was that their cousins were there too. At times it was chaotic (I am a little too neurotic about order and organization, I'll admit) but the girls (including bocce) had a great time playing in the yard, fighting over toys and stuffing their faces with 'mom's bread'.

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Mother's Day 2010

Posted on 1:56 PM - by Heather

I had a perfect Mother's Day. Breakfast at Starbucks (we did Northstar the day before as part of 'mothers day weekend' and I had the pancakes as a splurge), church, relaxing while the girls napped, family lunch made by Ryan, the zoo, dinner again made by Ryan and then just relaxing in the evening. During church my caffeinated mind started to wander back to my own mother's day memories growing up (corsages for moms, having all the moms at church all stand up, reading proverbs 31 at church--every year, brunch or lunch for mom, etc) and I started to think about how weird it is that now I am on the other side of that fence. Don't get me wrong, I love it, but sometimes it's just weird that I am the mom. I think I am starting to feel more like a parent too. When the girls were first born, it seemed a little like babysitting or even having a pet (just gotta keep that thing alive.). Of course I loved them in an indescribable way, but they just don't give much back in return in those first few months. Then the smiles come, but they are pretty free and loose with those--even with strangers, so I still didn't quite feel 'it' yet. I think some of my favorite moments as a parent are when they really start to show preference for you--you are their comfortable place, where they feel safe. They reach for you, climb up your legs when they are scared, are excited when you come to get them out of their cribs in the mornings or when you come home from work. My very favorite is when I pick them up from the daycare at our gym (mind you, it's two hours max). First I just like to watch them playing before I get their attention, and then when I say their names, their heads snap up and they squeal and laugh and come running for me. As simple as that experience sounds, I have to say that nothing else has compared to it yet and it really feels like I have 'arrived' and am now an official mom. One of the best blog posts that my friend Rachel Elek has written included a video of picking Norah up from daycare and it was same experience (except Norah first threw her toy hamburger and then ran)--so now I truly identify with that and I love it!