Our two are two!

We had a mini celebration for the boys on their birthday.  We always have to convince them to try these kind of things, then they love them.  We are having their actual party this weekend in Iowa, so that will be fun!

We had their two year appointment on Tuesday.  I'm thinking the shots are going to get harder and harder as they get older.  They are usually pretty good about them, but cried pretty hard this round.  I always laugh at these stats with the two of them, because half a pound completely swings the percentile.

DYLAN

Weight:  28.6 lbs, 58%

Height:  35.5, 78%

Head:  19.6, 78%

CARTER
Weight: 29 lbs 13 oz, 72%

Height: 35, 66%

Head: 19.3, 59%

What's happening at 2??

• I think these two have been growing, they have been eating a lot
• Still won't touch veggies along with many other items
• They have been interacting quite a bit lately
• I feel like they really notice if I am paying more attention to one or the other now and then sometimes act out because of it, so that is something I try to be really careful of!
• They really like sidewalk chalk, markers (not really crayons), playing outside, climbing, puzzles
• They love jumping, Carter hops around all the time
• Saying lots of things and stringing a few words together
• Obsessed with bananas
• Dylan is Mr. Helper!  This weekend he helped Keith carry boards for the shelves into the house, he always helps sweep the floor and hang up shirts
• They can't get enough blanket time
• Working on breaking the pacifiers, I will take any tips!
• They love Elmo and Thomas the train
• Stickers are a huge hit
• We pretty much say "bye" to everything, bye stella, bye Target, bye Thomas.....
• Carter spots any pumpkin in sight and says "pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins" and always wants to go look at them on the front step and they say "squirrels ate pumpkin, squirrels, squirrels" 
• Battling pushing, biting and hair pulling
• Dylan is a total mamma's boy
• Dylan is going through this phase where he takes my hand and drags me somewhere, then quickly tries to think of something as to why I had to go with him.  So it usually turns into an attempt to get more snacks
• Carter loves letting Stella in the house
• They both really like the light switches, they bring their little stools to them and flip them on and off
• Dylan is really into flushing the toilet

• They would be so happy if I would let them go up and down the stairs all day
• We still go potty at bathtime, but haven't attempted total potty training
• Carter loves books and brings them to us to read all the time

Those first few moments....

Happy birthday to our beautiful little boys!  I can't believe our two are already two!  The first months were such a blur, I barely remember them!  But at the same time, it seems like yesterday that we were finally meeting our little guys.  I can't say things have gotten significantly easier, just different.  Always exciting of course! 

I couldn't imagine life without these two.  I miss the days where we could snuggle up and cuddle, but it is also a lot of fun watching them turn into such little boys, talking so much and saying or repeating the funniest things and giving us lots of great hugs and kisses! Wishing both of them a healthy, fabulous year full of lots of fun and excitement.

A rough couple of years....

Overall, we are lucky to have a couple of healthy boys!  However, these two have been to the doctor way too many times the past two years and have been through a lot!  Especially Dylan!  Here is the list....of what I remember.
Too many ear infections to count - tubes for both (so glad we did the tubes)
Thrush, they used to get this every time they had antibiotics, which they would have every time they had an ear infection
At least 10-15 rounds of pink eye between both of them
Clogged Tear Ducts, I think we will be have a second surgery for both boys within the next two months
Pneumonia - Dylan, this was probably one our scariest illnesses.  Poor guys was just four months old at the time.
Too many neb treatments!!
RSV- both boys
Torticollis resulting in physical therapy and helmets
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease- both
A few ER visits with high fevers
Either the Thanksgiving flu (me, Keith, Carter) or was it food poisoning from Arbys...you may want to take that as a word of caution
Molluscum - Dylan (most annoying thing we have had to deal with!)
Dylan's broken arms - day of was really bad, since day one he has done great!


So you name it, we attract it!!  Well, we dodged a few, but still spent a lot of time at the doctors hitting our deductible in February!  Hopefully now that we are on the frequent shopper program at the doctor's office, we will have an extra healthy year two! 

Always Amazed....

I'm always amazed by all the little things the boys are watching us do without us even noticing it and you come to realize it the minute they imitate you.  I'll be in the bathroom putting lotion on my face and look down to see a little boy rubbing his fingers on his cheeks.  

Yesterday Dylan was in our bedroom with me and he watched me pull out a pair of socks and put them onto my feet.  We left the room and a few minutes later I hear him whining at his dresser.  I thought maybe he was looking for a pacifier, but when I lifted him to show him there weren't any up there, he pulled at his top drawer.  He was looking for socks!  I don't even know how he knew they were in that drawer! 

The good and the bad of entertaining twin toddler boys!

Even though I miss the boys a lot during the day, I am OK with them going to daycare, otherwise they would be trapped within our house all day long!  The bad thing about two wild boys is I really can't take them many places on my own unless they are trapped by shopping cart or stroller and their patience for that is short.  So I doubt we would be able to get out and do all the fun mom things like library story hours, play dates at the park or playtime at the pool.  They do listen to Keith better than me, but he wouldn't trust them at a park or pool by himself either. Even if they are being good and not trying to runaway, they may each be trying to go up different ladders at the same time.  I think things like parks will get more manageable by next summer when we don't have to always be behind them making sure they don't miss a step.  I do sometimes wonder if I had been home with them since they were born if they would listen better than they do now.  Of course I realize I need to be more strict with them as well.  There is a set of girl twin their age at daycare and they just follow their dad in and out, no fuss and he doesn't have to hold their hands.  I guess these two just seem to be extra curious. 
The good!   A lot of moms told me you will love it when they get older because they will play together.  This I am really finding to be true.  They are always playing together and entertaining each other and it is a lot of fun to watch. I just told Keith last week that if we had only had one we would probably need twice as many toys because I bet they spend about half the night chasing each other around the house.  Or if one thinks something looks fun or gets a big idea, the other is always right behind. 
I'm lucky Keith is around quite a bit and pretty good about wanting to take them to parks and places on the weekends so we can take them together.