Conversation With My Kids

Girl Twin has always been the kid we knew we'd have to worry about. It's no secret; she's always up to something. I'm also fearful that the child doesn't have a filter. I've already apologized in advance to her kindergarten teacher, just in case.

She also is guilty of filling up my phone with selfies. As you can see, she loves the camera.

One thing that has surprised me is that Girl Twin has been letting me snuggle and rock her before bed again. One night when we were snuggling, we had this lovely exchange--

Me:  Sis, I sure love you.

Her:  (looking deep into my eyes) Can I touch your eyeball?

Ummm, no.

Then, when she got off the bus after school I noticed that her face was super red and flushed.

Me:  Why is your face so red?

Her: I attacked a kid.

WHAT?  I never did get the story on that one. Sheesh.

At least we aren't bored around here, right?

Conversation With My Kids

I realize that I haven't written a post in over a month. I guess things got a little crazy at the Bramell house in October. The twins took their first kindergarten field trip and got their first report cards, then Halloween! There's a lot to catch up on.  All in good time...but first:

 

 

 

 

 

On the way to school the other day, Girl Twin wanted to talk about music.

 

Her: Sometimes songs on the radio make me cry.

 

Me:  Why?

 

Her: They are so beautiful, I cry.

 

Me:  Which ones? (I really wanted to know!)

 

Her:  Not the jammin' ones. Just the ones that sound like whistling.

 

OK then.

 

 

That girl. Sometimes she's still such a baby, and sometimes, she's so grown up. I am glad that she appreciates the beauty and emotion in music, even if she couldn't really articulate it.

School Is Cool

This week marks the 4th week of school for my kids, so I thought it would be a good time for a quick update on how it's been going.

 

For me: It's going surprisingly well. This mama shed no tears at all when the littlest ones went off for their first day in the big, scary school. This was a relief, after spending all summer in a tizzy about the "to separate, or not to separate" internal tug-of-war concerning the twins. I discussed it so much with them, that when drop off day finally came, I hardly even  got a wave from either of them. I comforted myself knowing that they could play together at recess every day to soothe their lonely, broken, separated hearts. HA! That lasted all of ONE DAY. For real, I've asked them every single day if they play together at recess--and every single day the answer is "No." So, what shall I worry about now?

 

For Boy Twin: After the 3rd day of school, he retreated to the couch to cry every morning because he didn't want to go to school. His complaint: "School is too long. Why do we have to go EVERY day?" That pity party didn't last long when I told him that's the rules and I don't make the rules. Why else would I go to work every day? For fun?  By the 3rd week of school he was excited to tell us about all the new words that he'd learned to spell in kindergarten; words like "P.E." and "D.J." (his new friend in class). 'Atta boy!  Also, not to brag or anything, but he's been blowing me kisses every morning as he walks up the sidewalk to school. I'm sure the other moms understand and are not mad at all that we hold up the drop off line every day.

 

For Girl Twin: This girl is like a steel vault; she won't give us any information about what she's doing or learning in class. Either she's really bored, or she is running the show and doesn't want us to know it. (I think I know which.)  Either way, we are thrilled that she has the same teacher that Big Sis had in Kindergarten! It's a little different, though, because she is teaching a K/1st split class this year due to enrollment being high in both grades. Yes, the class is half kindergarten and half first grade. Girl Twin is doing great in there and we're excited to see her learning. I guess hanging out with the first graders is really advancing her skills because last week she told me: "2 + y = 30" in a very factual manner. I had no idea they were learning algebra already! She also instructed me to stop putting "love notes" in her lunch box, which nearly broke my heart.

 

Big Sis:  This girl is loving 3rd grade. She's in the class with some of her favorite kids, and seems to be doing great. This year, they have to read five chapter books per quarter and be tested on each one for a reading grade. Challenge accepted! The kid just finished her 3rd book last night. Now, if we can get her that fired up about math...

 

We are in a great place right now. We love our school, love all of our teachers and love learning all the new things. There is a strange peaceful feeling in our home that I haven't felt before. Is this what it feels like to not have babies anymore? Big kids rock!

 

 

 

Holy Bike Riders, Batman!

I just need to take a minute to brag on my kids. Over the past few months, they have all upgraded a size on their bikes and really gotten good at handling them.

Back in the fall, when we knew Boy Twin was ready, I found a used 12" bike at the Goodwill store for $5.00. This was his first move to a real bike with pedals and he mastered it in no time at all...at just over age 4. That little red bike was the best five bucks I've spent ever. Girl Twin was still using her balance bike but didn't like it at all that brother had one-upped her. It didn't take her long to catch up, when he would give her a chance to practice on his bike.

Also in the fall, Big Sis decided she wanted to move up a size. I found a used 20" bike for $15 at the Rhea Lana sale and she was all set! By spring time, Boy Twin was ready to move up to Big Sister's old 16" princess bike and Girl Twin was riding the Goodwill bike.

I'm so proud of the little ones riding big bikes before age 5; it took Big Sis until almost age seven to ride without her training wheels. With the little ones, we skipped training wheels altogether. And I'm so glad we did!

At Lee's insistence, we bought both little kids a Strider balance bike when they turned two. He did a lot of research that led us to the purchase. The bikes have no pedals--kids just push with their feet. The concept is that they learn to balance quicker and not rely on training wheels. Thus, we were able to skip training wheels and just go to a big kid bike. Now, I'm not getting anything from Strider for this post. I just want my friends to know that the price tag of a balance bike is WELL WORTH IT! I was hesitant mostly because of the cost (of course, we were buying two), but we found a great closeout sale on them and saved a few bucks. The bikes are durable and they rode them for over two years. Overall, it was a great investment for our family and a great learning tool for the kids. I never dreamed they would be riding bikes in preschool with such ease!

  

Now we are at another crossroads. We are shopping for Boy Twin his own 16" bike so Girl Twin can have the princess bike. We have to get something "for boys" he says. 

I got my first bike for Mother's Day and I'm ready to hit the trails with my family this summer!

Goodbye Tonsils!

This week has been pretty hectic for us. Girl Twin had her tonsils and adenoids removed on Tuesday. We've known for quite a while that she needed the procedure done (see

this post last year), but it was something we kept putting off.  Frankly, I was terrified for my baby to go through surgery and a painful recovery.

 

I'm happy to report that she was a total rock star for the surgery! Of course, she couldn't have any food or drink after midnight on Monday...and she never even asked for anything when she woke up prior to surgery time. I was prepared for a fight! Whew.

 

She was very brave during the whole ordeal. We are so proud of her! She's mostly slept for the past four days, but finally woke up ready to eat last night. She is eating and drinking like she should, and we are on the road to recovery.

 

Here's a photo of her right after surgery. It wasn't easy for this mama to see her like that.

Conversation With My Kids

I had another fun bedtime conversation with Girl Twin last week that I want to share.  I'll be honest, bedtime is not always fun for us simply because we are outnumbered and we have three kiddos who require a lot of assistance and attention.  Mainly, the little ones like me to lay with them (in separate rooms, of course) while they fall asleep.  While there are about eleventy million other things that need to be done during that time, I put them aside and lay with my kids.  This is when we have some of our best chats.

 

This particular night I was with Girl Twin and we got to talking about vacation.  Of course, she requested a trip to Disney.  I told her about the time we went when she was a toddler and promised a return trip when she's a little bigger.  We talked about the trip we are planning to "the lake" this summer and about swimming.  I then told her we might even try to go to Tulsa a few times.

 

Her:  "I like Tulsa dip."

 

Me:  (confused)  "Did we have Tulsa dip?"

 

Her:  "Yes! I like the red dip!" 

 

Ahhh, salsa dip!  Haha.

 

 

 

 

The same night, we laid in bed talking about school.  She said, "Why is it taking so long to get to Walker?"  (That's Big Sis's elementary school).  The kids are so ready for kindergarten!  I told her that she had to be able to spell and write her name before she can go to Walker.

 

So, I asked her to spell her name for me...which she did, flawlessly.

 

Then, I asked her to spell brother's name.  Again, easy peasy.  Then, I asked her to spell Big Sister's name.

 

"B-E-R-L-E-Y!"  (I think she thinks everything ends in LEY!")

 

 

I love that kid.

 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Twin Tuesday: Broken Bone Edition

Well, after six+ years of parenting, it has finally happened.  I have been expecting this; I have waited for this day.  We have our first broken bone, people....I just didn't expect it to belong to Girl Twin.

 

We were at the Naturals baseball game on Thursday night, sitting on the grassy hill behind the outfield fence.  The kids were rolling down the hill, running and generally acting like wild heathens.  They were having fun, but the worry wart that I am, I fussed at them to "Stop!" and "Slow Down!"   As the kids were running down the hill for the umpteenth time, I turned around to look back over my right shoulder. That's when Girl Twin was THERE.  Right on me, and crashed into me, shoulder to shoulder.  I immediately saw stars had watery eyes, so I knew she was hurt.  Not to mention, she hit the ground and thrashed around screaming.

 

After we got her calmed down, we could assess the situation. I figured her arm wasn't broken but she still wasn't moving it at all.  We went home, got a bath and got her Tylenoled up.  Then we debated on going to the ER or waiting for office hours on Friday.  Long story short, she rested well overnight so we headed to the pediatrician first thing in the morning.  After X-rays, he told us it was a clean break on the collarbone.  No activity for 3 weeks, then we have to repeat the X-rays.  Poor kid will miss the start of soccer, but she's doing OK otherwise.  There's no treatment other than ibuprofen and rest.  And lots of cuddling from mom and dad over the weekend.

 

Here's a picture from last week.  We got some lollipops in the mail and these kiddos were in Heaven!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Twin Tuesday

This week's Twin Tuesday goodness is brought to you by Girl Twin.  Twice in one week, she's had us laughing our heads off.  This girl.  I tell ya, she's a mess.

 

The other morning I was getting the kids ready for daycare.  It's always a frantic time, and this was no different.  Boy Twin was eating a waffle and apparently laid it in the floor when he came into the bathroom to get his hair brushed.  When he went back to get it, it was gone and he was crying.

 

Me:  Fergie!  Did you eat that waffle???  This, as the dog is walking out of the room with her guilty face on and her head hanging low.

 

Girl:  Fergie can't talk.  Only kitty cats can talk. (well, duh)

 

Me:  What do cats say?

 

Girl:  Meow!

 

 

Over the July 4th weekend, Girl Twin ran through the yard barefoot and bloodied her pinkie toe.  After a band-aid and much fuss, we got it to quit bleeding.  Then we realized the toenail wasn't going to survive.  Now, a week later she lost it.

 

We were spending the weekend at Grammy's when it happened.  I took her into the bathroom for yet another band-aid.  As I'm getting it on, she very seriously asked me if the tooth fairy was going to come get her toenail.  I said no.  Then she dropped it on the carpet and we never found it.  Have fun with that, Grammy!

It's Twin Tuesday: Girl Twin News

Seriously, how is it Tuesday again already?  Oh, how I need some sleep.

And that is something we aren't getting much of around here lately...so we made a visit to the pediatrician today to check it out.  We got exactly the news I thought we would, and it's not that great.

Girl Twin has always snored.  As an infant, I thought it was cute. I mentioned it once at a doctor's visit and was told that she'd probably grow out of it.  She's almost three now, and it's not cute at all.  And it's getting worse.  Much worse.  I've been up most of the night for the last two nights because she is waking herself up snoring, and of course, coming to wake me up.  The not-so-fun part is that she goes right back to sleep but I cannot because she is snoring like a grown man, or worse, a grown grizzly bear.  Then I lay there listening to her gasp for air and wonder if I should take her to the doctor.  Then I talk myself out of it.  Finally, a whole fifteen minutes before my alarm buzzes, I fall asleep.  *Sigh*

One of the hardest parts of being a parent for me has been those times when we suspect something is not right and yet we flip-flop on going in to see the doctor or not.  Because, let's face it, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" when it comes to running to the pediatrician's office for three kids.  I sure don't.  I belong to the "dirt don't hurt" camp when it comes to minor sickness and boo-boos.  Thanks, Mom!

So our good doctor took one look at Girl Twin's tonsils and immediately referred us to an ENT.  It took him less than one second to change his tune from, "we could treat it with nasal spray for a few weeks" to "ummmm, yeah...here's the name of the ENT."  So my baby girl is likely on the road to getting her tonsils and/or adenoids out very soon.  This is scary because she's not yet three, and she'll be having surgery (!!).  But I know it's the right thing to do, to help her rest at night and get rid of the Darth Vadar thing for good.

Conversation With My Toddler

There is a house with a pasture right next to our daycare.  In the pasture is one lone brown horse.  Every day since July, we've seen the horse and talked about the horse. We talk about what the horse eats (grass) and if the horse is hot or cold, and where he sleeps. It's riveting conversation, let me tell you.

 

Recently, we named the horse Bullseye (Toy Story).  It's really fun for us to wave and yell "good morning" to Bullseye as we drive past. Every. Day.

 

This morning I said to the kids, "What does Bullseye eat?", and I hear this reply from the back seat.

 

"Bullseye eats CHILI!"  Thanks for the laugh, Girl Twin.

It's Twin Tuesday!

Who's been playing around on Pic Monkey again?  Guilty!  Look at what I did:

Last week I told you about Boy Twin and what shenanigans he's been up to.  This week, it's Girl Twin's turn in the spotlight. Being in the spotlight is where she likes to be; in fact, her new nickname is "Sassy" these days.  I'm afraid that she has inherited her mama's smart mouth, which I know I'll regret for many years to come.

Don't believe me?

Me:  Girl Twin, come over here so I can change your diaper.
Her:  NO!
Me:  Come over here NOW!
Her:  (With hands on hips) You have to say please!!

******************************************
Me:  Girl Twin, what do you want Santa to bring you?
Her:  Presents.
Me:  What kind of presents?
Her:  Christmas presents!!

******************************************
Last night, playing chase with Boy Twin:
"Bubby, get my butt!"