COPE

This year, I decided that I needed to get more involved with my twin's group, so I decided to be the COPE co-chair.  COPE is a monthly informal support type group.  We get together to help with issues that we are facing or just to get out and be with other moms.  I haven't quite decided how things are going.  Part of me is concerned that I am not doign enough and that I should do more.  Then this month's meeting in in West Newton, which is just too far of a drive for me after work.  By the time I got there, it would be almost time to leave.  These things have got me wondering if I should step down and see if someone else wants to be the co-chair, or if things are going ok as they are.  I guess I should probably talk to the other co-chair to see how she is feeling.  I should make sure that this isn't just all in my head. 

Sometimes, I wonder if I am active enough, or friendly enough, or just too quiet.  I would love to have more playdates for the kids and for me, but somehow my schedule or somethign else seems to get in the way of getting out there and being with other moms and kids.  Ireally need to get to the library in town.  Actually, tomorrow, I am going to try to get there in the morning, so that the kids can play.  I also want to sign up for their story time so that we can start meeting more people in my town.  Also, I think I should maybe I should put myself out there and see if people want to come over our house.  Our house is just so small and cluttered, that I sometimes wonder if it's even worth having people over.  But, maybe that's part of the problem.  Maybe I don't invite people over enough.

Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive and I just need to stop over thinking things.  Life's too short to worry about stupid things.  I just need to be a little better at putting myself out there and I need to stop being so introverted at times!

Amy

Crafting With The Kids

I am trying to get the kids into crafting.  I know they are a little young, so I am trying to go with their abilities and do simple projects for short periods of time with lots of help from mom!  So far we have some gifts for their cousins and the start of gifts for their godparents.  I still need to figure out what I am going to have them do for their nonna and their papa.  If I can get them interested in crafting, I may be able to amke time for me to craft, and I'll hopefully help to support their imaginations. 

Amy

Feeling Somewhat Better

I posted a few days ago that I was starting to wonder if it was worth conintuing to write this blog.  Mainly this was do to my lack of followers and people who comment.  I totally realize that this blog is for me and if people read it and comment on it great.  If there are not a ton of followers or coments made so be it.  I got a few comments from people saying that they to don't always get coments or have the biggest following, but they write for them.  I need to remember this.  Also, people have reminded me that just because people don't comment of follow, doesn't mean that they don't read your blog.  The funny thing is, after I wrote that post and got some of those comments, a friend mentioned that she reads my blog often.  She has never commented, but she reads my blog!

I think part of these insecurities come from never really having a ton of friends.  I have always had a couple of very close friends and a bunch of aquaintences, but never a huge friend base.  I guess, I thought that maybe as an adult things would change.  I thought, maybe I'd be more likely to open myself up and be more friendly than she and quiet.  I thought having kids would make things easier.  Unfortunately, none of these are true.  I have met some great people/aquaintences between grad school, work, and being a mom, I just haven't really made the friends that I thought I would.  There are a lot of these people that I would consider a friend, but unfortunately I don't think that the feelings are mutual.  I know having 3 little ones so close in age may be making things a little more difficult.  I know that my shyness tends to be a major limiting factor.  I know that people's busy schedules play a huge role.  But, I also know that there are plenty of people in my situation that have made friends, close friends, not just aquaintences.  Maybe as I get more comfortable in my own skin and I open up and become a little more extroverted, maybe then I'll be able to make soem close friendships and not just have aquaintences!

Amy

Way Back When-esday: Thanksgiving

I'm playing with http://twinfactuation.blogspot.com again.

Thanksgiving 2009 (Michael 20 1/2 months and the twins 10 months)

Even though the kids are still teeny weeny, it's amazing what a difference a year makes.

Happy Thanksgiving,
Amy

Potty Training

So, I am starting to work with Michael on potty training.  I think it's going to be a long road, and we may try it for a few days and then stop because I'm just not sure if he is ready or not.  He is 2 years 8 1/2 months old and I figured it's time to at least give it a real shot.  I don't think that I'm up for potty training boot camp.  I give those mom's who can do it so much credit.  I don't think that I could do it.  Thanks to the suggestions of my twin moms, I went out and bought the potette plus potty chair.  We already have 3 potty chairs from IKEA (1 for each kid) and a potty chair that is a Summer brand and pretty traditional.  I like the idea of the popette plus for sitting on the regular toilet and also for travel.  I'm not going to plan on being out of diapers for a while, but I think it's worth giving it a try.  So hears to hopefully having one out of diapers sooner than later and if Michael isn't ready, I'll move on to Eva Rose, who may actually be more ready than Michael even though she is 10 1/2 months younger.  Oh well, every kid is different.

Any potty training tips are very much appreciated and welcome here,

Amy

Makes My Monday: New Pictures!

I'm playing along with Cheryl at twinfactuation.blogspot.com for Makes my Monday.  These are some of the latest pictures.  I haven't been really good at taking pictures lately!

Everyone wanted yogurt

My climbers

 Eva Rose and Thomas sharing a swing at the park

Enjoying the park on the swings!

My latest craft project

As an update to my last post, I am certainly changing my way of thinking when it comes to blogging.  My blogs are for me and if I get followers or comments, great, if not, oh well.  My blogs are my stories and I will enjoy writing them and reading them.  I do still have some insecurities about people wanting to be friends with me, but I'll get over it and I'm sure as the kids grow and I meet people, I'll meet people who want to be friends and it will all be good.  

Amy

A Little Insecure?

I didn't start this blog to get followers or have the most comments written, but still, I'm wondering if it is even worth writing this anymore.  I have all of 31 followers and I get 1 maybe 2 comments, and on a good day, I may get 4.  I know that I don't probably spend enough time out commenting on others blogs, but I try to do what I can.  Maybe there is a different or better way to meet people through blogging?  

The main reason I started this blog was to document the craziness of everyday life with 3 kids so close in age.  I guess on some level, I wish that I had more followers and more people to comment on the things I write.  Maybe, it's because I don't write things that are interesting enough, maybe it's because I'm not interacting with other bloggers enough,  maybe it's just because...... who knows and I probably shouldn't care but I do.

I guess I just need to get over it and realize that this blog and any other blog that I write is just for me.  Again, I never intended to have crazy followers, but it always feels good to have people follow you and comment on things you write.

As I write this, I am wondering if I should even actually post this, but one other thing that I wanted from this blog was a place to be honest about my feelings.  So here it is, do I need to just change my way of looking at why I blog and focus it more for me, or do I change how I write and what I do with other bloggers and hope that I get more followers and commenters?  A little bit of both?

Amy

Sleep Issues Again

I can't believe that I am, yet again, writing about sleep.  Over all,  the twins are great sleepers.  They go to bed on the later side, but it works for them.  They sleep through the night and I can usually get them to sleep til around 7am with a bed time of 8pm.  Not ideal, but it works!  That being said, there is then the issue of Michael.  I swear he is a teenager in a toddler's body.  He has no desire to go to bed before 9pm.  It is a struggle just to get him to settle down and rest at night.  He then likes to sleep in late in the morning and does not liek to be woken up til he is ready.  I totally realize that this is probably mine and my husband's fault.  With one child, we took him everywhere with us.  He never really had a schedule.  Once we had the twins, we needed to have a schedule to survive, not realizing that even a loose schedule is really helpful.  Now that Michael is 2 1/2 on his way to 3, trying to get him on a schedule and get him to sleep on his own can absolutely try my patience.  I know that part of the problem is my working til 7:30.  My husband is good, but he waits for me to come home to get them into bed.  I think that the schedule that has worked for us in the past has been for the twins to go to bed at 7:30 (any earlier and we found that they didn't sleep as late in the morning, meaning like 5 am wake ups) and then for Michael to go to bed around 8:30.  I know this is much later than most people put their kids to bed, but it really does work for us.  The problem becomes when the twins go to bed closer to 8:30 then Michael's time gets pushed later and he gets a second wind.  My goal is to get the twins in bed right when I get home or even before I get home, and then get Michael back on his schedule.  Unfortunately, I think we are at the point where we may need to CIO again.  This morning, Michael started crying at 5:10am,  I actually started to get up and my husband and I agreed to let him cry for a little bit.  He ended up falling back to sleep and I had to wake him at 8:30 so we could get to our EI group.  I am probably the reason for his sleep regression, since I hate to let him CIO.  I have even made the mistake of letting him come to my bed to sleep.  I start off doing really good and then I back slide.  I need to be much better at keeping myself in check and not giving in!  As long as all of his needs are met he will be fine sleeping in his room, in his bed!

This post seems a little crazy as I look back over it, but I think that is partly because that is how I am feeling with this whole sleep thing.  We just need to get back on track and we should be fine!

Amy

Spare Time and Teaching Kids About Giving to Others

Not that I have much time, if any, but I really want to start making things to donate.  I am hoping that if I get myself in the habit of donating things more than just my old clothes, as the kids get older, it will become something that they also do.  When the twins were born early, granted it was only five weeks, the hospital had little fleece blankets that the babies were swaddled in and we got to take the blankets home.  The twins still use their blankets, though now they use them as blankets to sleep with not as blankets for warmth.  These blankets mean so much to me and they are just simple fleece material with a simple edging.

Recently, I bought a book with different projects and different potential agencies to donate them to.  I have a few other books like that and have gone on line to find projects to create and donate.  Recently a facebook friend posted pictures of some crocheted prayer shawls that she made.  She talked about how these types of shawls gave her niece comfort when she was dying.  Her nieces mother responded how that shawl is now providing her comfort now that her daughter has passed on.  After reading that, it made me want to donate my projects even more.  With the holidays fast approaching, and my goal of making certain gifts, I don't think that I'll get to start projects to donate til after the holidays are over, but I will start and I will make this a tradition that I will pass on to the kids.

There are so many different agencies out there that can use donations and I know that I for one can't afford to give money, but I have enough crafting supplies that I can make things and donate them.  As much as I know hat agencies need money, I like the idea of donating something that can be directly used.  I know that my kids are way too young to understand what donating things to others means, but again, if I get myself in the habit of making things and donating them, maybe once they are old enough, it will be a tradition that is built into our family, not one that needs to be built into our family.

If there is anyone that is interested in joining in, either by creating and donating to a charity of your choice or by sending me a project to donate, please join in!

Amy

Getting Ready for Santa

Christmas is fast approaching and I am getting really excited this year.  I think the kiddos are getting to an age where they may get it a little, at least more than last year.  Te twins will be almost 2 and Michael will be close to 3.  I really want to take the kids to do different Christmas type activities this year.  My husband mentioned taking them to the Stone Zoo for Zoo Lights.  My husband and I used to go and see them all the time before they moved to the zoo.  this year we want to introduce the kids to them.  I would also love to take them to see the lighting of the Christmas tree in Boston, or at least take a walk through the Boston Commons and the Public Gardens to look at the lights.  This is something I used to do as a kid and would love to pass that tradition on to my kids.  There is the tree lighting in our town, but I don't know if I'll get to go since I will most likely be working.

I can't wait to start playing Christmas songs and read Christmas books to my kids.  I really want to get int he spirit this year and really look forward to sharing this with my kids.

Amy

Food

So my kids aren't the greatest eaters and their weights truly reflect this.  At one of the doctors visits I recently had, I think my visit (my pcp is the kids' pcp) we talked about getting in more veggies.  My pcp suggested "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld.  I had heard of the book, but never really paid much attention to it.  So far I think I have made 2 recipes from the book, so I can't truly review it, but the pancake recipe with pumpkin puree and the meatloaf recipe with carrots, onions, and celery were the bigg hit with my kids so far.  Unfortunately these are the only recipes I've made, but I am certainly going to try more.  My husband said that more than half the meatloaf is gone and that is not from them throwing it on the floor.  I can't tell you how excited I am that my kids ate so well.  The other big food item lately is hot dogs.  I've been making freaky franks from weelicious.com.  I really like the website for good healthy foods for kids.  I bought some beets today to try out the beet cookies.  I have a friend that really liked them, so now it is my turn to try them!

Hopefully I can get my kids to eat moer food by finding more recipes that they like and figuring out how to make it for me and my husband also!

Amy

Way Back When-esday: Our First Baby

Our first baby (an american eskimo dog) turned 8 last month.  We have had him since he was about 4 months old.  A dog added to 3 little ones so close in age is crazy, but he's such a sweet dog.  We named him Takoda which means everyone's friend in Sioux and his name totally fits him.  He is a great dog with the kids and other people.  He gets excited but once he meets you and gets used to you (very quick), he loves you!

Takoda 8 years old 10/21/2010

Makes My Monday: Halloween

So, this year, we were actually able to go out and trick or treat around the neighborhood (all 5 of us).  It was a blast.  I was a little stressed right up til we went out, but everything ended up perfect.  I made 3 of the 5 costumes, yes even mom and dad dressed up, and was sewing right up til the last minute.  I was so stressed that I was thinking I was not going to be sewing again for quite some time.  Once everything was done and all costumes were on,  I was so psyched with how everyone looked, that I decided I loved to sew and will not be putting it off (in fact I am going to partake in an apron swap, my first sewing swap!).  All 3 kids started off slow, not really sure what they should be doing, but soon after, they were running up to the door to get their goods!  By the time we went to visit family and friends outside the neighborhood, we had been out for almost 2 1/2 hours.  The kids were exhausted and ready for their last milk of the night and then off to bed!

Here are some pictures of our latest Halloween!

Michael

Eva Rose

Thomas (I made his costume)

Family photo (I made part of my costume, all of Tom's costume, and all of Thomas' costume)

Happy Halloween Everyone (a little late),

Amy