And, We're BACK! With Four Year Olds and Some Thoughts on Summer

I suppose the great thing about not blogging forever is that when you DO finally blog, you have a lot to say, right?

Let's just jump right in, shall we?

Last week the twins turned four. FOUR.

Celebrating, a day early. This is the first year I made two cakes.

Ask me how on earth this happened and where the last four years of my life went and I will say I HAVE NO IDEA.


At four, Harry is a highly observant little conversationalist. He is thoughtful, loves to asks questions about how things work and it's safe to say his language has EXPLODED. He is still highly emotional (I've lost track of how many times we've had to threaten to take his Lego blocks away after he crumbles when something doesn't "fit" quite right or a Lego vehicle falls apart). We are working on ways for him to manage his many, MANY feelings (the majority of them involving his beloved Lego blocks). He is still a bit of a stunt man, falling off chairs and practically diving head first into rooms. He can be a real snuggler when he wants to be. He eats apples almost as if they are an obsession and can play quietly and independently for very long stretch (one word: Lego).


At four, Lucy continues to be one of the happiest, smiliest people I've ever known. Ebullient is really the word I would use to describe her. She is strong-willed (highly unusual amongst four year olds, I know-HA HA HA) and independent, which is fabulous when she is doing what she's asked to do (put her pajamas on by herself) but not so terrific when she's decided that she DOESN'T want to do what you've asked her to do (put her pajamas on). Have I mentioned that both she and her twin brother are teaching me a thing or two about tantrums? Ahem. Lucy loves to color, draw and play with anything related to horses. She is definitely able to entertain herself more, lining up La La Loopsy girls and creating complicated scenarios and conversations with them. But her favorite playmate of all these days is her big sister Ellie. When Ellie gets home from school it's as though Lucy's day really starts. Last night I overheard her out in the backyard calling, "Eleanor! ELEANOR! You come here! Because I love you and I want to be with you all the time!"

It's hard to believe a little over a year from now these two will be heading off to kindergarten. They still seem SO LITTLE to me and it seems like they have so much maturing to do. I know that a lot happens between turning four and almost turning five. It really is a sweet age (when it's not maddening), and I'm trying hard to enjoy things when I can and not be driven completely insane when things get, shall we say, frustrating.

The school year ends in a little less than two weeks. Like most parents, I'm looking forward to a slower change of pace and perhaps am a little nervous about making everything work. Trust me when I sway I needed a bottle of wine, a spreadsheet and a bank robbery to figure out camps and schedules for all these small people.

Leo and Harry have summer school in July, then Leo goes to camp for all of August, Ellie is attending a variety of camps (art, science, gymnastics) for one week stints but is definitely going to home more this summer than she's ever been before (we shall see about that--she's promised me that she wants this, that she's ready for "down" time--but the jury is out on how this will play). Lucy's schedule is the only one that won't change, she's still doing preschool five mornings a week (though her school becomes a bit more "layed-back" and "camp-like" during the summer months, with water play and theme weeks (camping week, space week, fairy tale week).

Hopefully it will all be JUST FINE and everyone will be reasonably happy, but if not, I am trying to keep this in mind.

It's my mantra for the summer and really should be, even beyond. Erin and I have a running joke that someone is always not quite happy. Eating lunch outside? Three of them cheer and one pipes up, But it's cold! I need a sweater! I want to eat inside! Watching a movie? Three of them agree but one complains, I don't wanna watch that one! We watched it last week! And ask me how hard it is to make dinner (heck, ANY MEAL) for four children and have them all content. It's just not possible. And for a people pleaser like me, it can be exhausting--that endless, constant feeling that something is always not quite right. So, Summer of 2015. Wish us luck!

3

NOTE: Once upon a time I did birthday posts for each kid. I know it's pretty much only grandparents, some family members and the other three or four readers kicking around the cobwebs and tumbleweed here lately, but for posterity's sake, I like the "keepsake" quality of these little birthday posts. So I'll try to keep them up as best I can. I know that the "multiples" police would be on me about making this a single post. They should each have their own. Well, I'm the Mommy and I'm going to make the rules and for now, at age three they get a package post. Also, we won't talk about the fact that this one is sixty four days late. So in order of appearance, the first birthday of this year was Harry and Lucy's, in June.

I don't think I can find the words to convey how quickly the last three years of my life have gone by. Oh sure, the every-two-hours-tandem-breastfeeding-in-the-middle-of-the-night sure didn't fly, and neither did those dual scream fests when both Harry and Lucy had ear infections. In a hotel room. In the middle of a freak October snowstorm.

This Too Shall Pass.


June, 2011. One day old.

And did it ever.


June, 2014

It will get easier.

It will get fun.

They'll stop being two babies and they'll start being two little people!




That's what everyone told me, from the pediatrician, to the seasoned veteran moms of multiples that chatted up me and my giant double newborn stroller, everywhere we went.

 And you know something? They were right.

Anyone who's read this blog with any frequency will know that I haven't exactly kept it a secret: Newsflash: Having two babies isn't easy! But I've tried really hard to not wish Harry and Lucy's baby days away, to not pine too much for the times when they will be older and it will be "easier."



Because as cliche as it is, it's true. One day you turn around and your newborns are three year olds. (Yes, yes, I know, before I realize it they'll be slamming doors in my face before heading off to college--let's not get ahead of ourselves).





At age three, Harry is rough and tumble and cuddly at the same time. He'll run straight at you with his hard little light brown head and throw his arms around your legs. Then he'll look up and say, "You like that Mommy?" 

It seems like he can play for an hour by himself with the Holy Grail--the "Big Boy" Legos in Leo's room (shhh, don't tell Leo).



His language continues to explode. It's been such a joy to get to know him better and find out what he's thinking about and what's going on in that little brown head of his, these past few months. Preschool, which he started in June, has been wonderful, cracking his little world and mind, wide open. This summer he's marched off the school bus singing nursery rhymes that I didn't even know he knew. He's showing an interest in Broadway show tunes (Ellie got him hooked on "Annie"), could a mother be more proud?



He loves to make silly faces and takes great pleasure in making you laugh.



Harry is both strong and sensitive. The other night before bedtime, during what's become a nightly jumping fest (don't ask, let's just say I'm amazed the cribs are still standing), Harry bumped his elbow pretty hard on the side of his crib. A look of pain washed over his face and I asked him if he was ok.
"The crib hurt my feelings," he said.


First day of preschool, June, 2014.

At age three Harry loves:
-Trader Joe's dried (dehydrated) strawberries and strawberry bars (but not ACTUAL strawberries).
-Anything Batman.
-Legos.
-Legos.
-Legos.



At age three, Lucy continues to be a force. Her loquaciousness both impresses me and exhausts me. With the others in summer school and camp, I have spent quite a bit of time with just Lucy these last few months, which has been both a gift and a challenge.




The Queen oversees the opening of birthday gifts from Grandma Jerry.



I seem to recall having similar feelings about Ellie at age three. I was confounded by her witticisms and adorableness, yet often flattened by her ability to be so frequently downright unreasonable. Here's a perfect example of Lucy at age three:

"MOMMY!! Look at me! I'm going potty!"

[I look at her and even add in some positive reinforcement: "Great job, Lucy! Great pottying!"]

"MOMMY!! Stop looking at me! Leave me alone!"


This is what happens almost any time we try to take Lucy anywhere, outside of the house, for more than thirty minutes (photo taken at the Intrepid Museum in New York City).

To be fair, Lucy is also one of the funniest, silliest, most cheerful people I've ever met (cheerful as long as she is getting exactly what she wants, that is). She just has this, how shall I put it? Very demanding tone. And she likes to do things her way. Erin says she has NO idea where she gets this from (OK, I might be a tad bit of a control freak). Or maybe it's more like a shriek? I think school is going to help Lucy, a lot. I think she's bored. I mean, I try to do things to keep her stimulated and entertained. But I can only do so much. She's just, a force, who needs constant...something.


I had to document these pigtails AND this bow since she lets me "do" her hair about every six months. Also, why don't my curls look this good in the New Jersey humidity?

Lucy likes to know the name of every person and object she meets and sees. When we are out and about or reading a book she'll see a person (the checker at the grocery, a character in an illustration) and ask, "What's he name? What he name is?" The questions come rapid fire--sometimes I don't even have time to answer before she's moved on to the next one. I've even started making up names for inanimate objects since she doesn't like what I call things. (For instance, if I say it's a "piano" she'll say, "No it's not!" So I'll say, "It's Penelope Piano!" And that makes her happy. It's like she's so social and loves people so much that she thinks everyone should have a name.


Speaking of books, this is the work of Lucy. Destroying property to this extent? I have to say this was a parenting first, for me. Oh and of course she blamed Harry. (To be fair I'm sure Harry contributed to this project (based on the placement of the pages) but I am pretty sure Lucy was the instigator).


See? HAPPY. This was Ellie's last day of school. When I was snapping a shot of Ellie's last day of first grade, Lucy was right there and refused to be outdone by her big sister, demanding: "Take MY picture Mommy!" 

At age three Lucy likes:
-Anything My Little Pony
-Fairies
-Dressing up
-Chocolate (she got Ellie's sweet tooth, that is for sure).

To quote that old post of mine from when Ellie was three, 'I love three. I hate three.'





She is his "Loo-swee," he is her "How-rie."

They are hilarious, mischievous, clever, maddening, fascinating, frustrating, boisterous, impossible little balls of fun and love. They exhaust me and bring me and the whole family endless amounts of joy.

Happy birthday, dear Harry and Lucy!

On Autumn Leaves, Daisies (the Organized Kind), Toddler Escapees and Misbehavin' (Charts)

1. I forgot how much fun leaves are.







They are great for burying, throwing, piling onto toy dump trucks...really the possibilities are endless. We broke down and hired the yard crew to help out this year but they didn't come until this week, while everyone was at school and work (and obviously, after these pictures were taken). As well intentioned as I am, neither Erin or I have the time. I tried to rake a little on Saturday while the kids were playing outside and, well, if that's not the definition of a Sisyphean task, then I don't know what is. Someday, we'll have quite the little built-in work crew, but that day is not today.


Leo might enjoy the leaves most of all.

2. Ellie joined Girl Scouts. Well, Daisies. No pictures yet but I'm currently on a mission to purchase the  requisite vest (see above). The store where it can be purchased is only open for three hours two Saturdays a month. I know! I am pretty sure if I do make it to that store I will also need to know the secret handshake. She had her first meeting last Friday and I had to got to leave work early to attend the first parent meeting. There was a lot of squealing and giggling going on at her meeting, which I peeked in on, but that's about all I know of Daisies at this point. Also, there will be cookies to sell (and eat) later in the year. A lot of cookies, so that's something to look forward to. (I had to laugh at one mom at the meeting who made a point of saying she could not be a "cookie helper" because she wouldn't be able to trust herself with all those cookies in her house--apparently "cookie helpers" are required to store the ordered cookies).

3. Did I tell you the babies climbed out their cribs? I didn't? Well, The babies climbed out of their cribs. It happened last week during nap time. I was at work and the babysitter called to tell me she found Harry and Lucy sitting outside of their room, smiling and laughing. And apparently, quite pleased with themselves. Yes, the moment every parent fears, finally happened. I guess this should also be the time that I admit that I believe all children should be in cribs until at least age 20.

Mind you, I would be way less concerned about this if we were only talking about one baby, but two babies? Free reign? In a room with just each other? Oh goodness, NO. I am afraid to even talk about this out loud because I fear that our "solution" (threatening the babies that if they don't stay in their cribs they'll have to go to the doctor and get a shot) will stop working. I'm just not mentally ready for toddlers in beds. Just, no.

4. Ellie is suddenly very focused on behavior charts.



It took me a while to realize the guy on Ellie's behavior chart? Is totally flipping us off (Ellie claims it's supposed to be a thumb's up, but I'm not so sure).


There seems to be a ton of talk about behavior in first grade. Several times since school has started, she's told me that she didn't get to do computers or have free time because of bad behavior (not hers, but someone or "someones" in her class). She is frequently adding and subtracting stars to the above chart and even has Harry and Lucy in on the action. "Do you think I should take one of Lucy's stars away?" Ellie asks (The answer is usually, yes-cough, cough-wait, did I just say that?).


Lucy's version of a "thumb's up." And yes, it makes me laugh, every single time.


Columbus' ship, by Leo
Columbus Day, came and went. I don't know about you, but I did not get the day off.

Oh Yes, We Partied Like Two Year Olds

Morning of the birthday.































The big, bad two year olds, themselves.









































Did I mention the grandparents from Oregon came to help celebrate Harry and Lucy's birthday? All nineteen of us took the train (thirty minutes) into New York for brunch on birthday morning to see if we could blow Harry's (aka Train Lover) mind (not pictured, photographer Erin).


As you can see we made it to the Big City intact (not pictured: my glass of white wine).


Lucy had the worst time of anyone, as usual.

Mutual Admiration Society.

After brunch we returned home for outdoor water play (it was over ninety degrees and fairly humid).

And of course, cake.


 Lucy's reaction to her first ice cream cake: "WOW!"


My reaction: I cannot believe I forgot the matches and have to go back inside the house again (it's a running joke that when there are 6+ of us, no one is ever outside at the same time and something is always forgotten in the kitchen).

But matches were found and candles were blown (of course, no pictures of the actual moment, are you crazy?). I make everyone sing "Happy Birthday" twice even though Harry and Lucy are too little to care yet (as far as we know).

I'd say the presents were a hit.



Test driving the new vehicles.



A little unsure.


That's more like it.

And now, they are two! In other words, we've survived another year! And I have to say, it just keeps getting better.

Fourth vs. First: Hair Edition

I could say a lot about the difference between your first and your fourth child. The other day, for example, I realized that now when I hear a crash, rather than rushing to see what I happened, I wait a beat to hear if anyone is crying before going to investigate. Mother of the Year? Perhaps.

Take first haircuts. Lucy (aka Baby #4), clearly needed one.


Many moons ago, so did Baby #1 (aka Leo). Sidenote: OMG his hair was gorgeous but OMG What Were We Thinking with that hair?

I clearly remember taking Leo for his first haircut. It was at one of those places that specialize in kid's cuts. A lot of pictures were taken (though curiously I can't seem to find any of them). There may have even been a video. Precious, first shorn locks were carefully and lovingly tucked away into a special "commemorative" envelope, sealed for posterity.

Lucy's first haircut? Let's just say it happened around 8 a.m. in our backyard on Sunday morning. I grabbed the scissors on my way out of the kitchen where I'd dashed to grab a bowl of Pirate Booty for the gang to share (what? Isn't that what you crave at 8 a.m.?). I managed to get Lucy to sit for a minute.

Before.

After. She seems pleased, yes?

For the record, I did save those little blond wisps and sealed them in an envelope. I wrote (with crayon of course, because it was there): "Lucy First haircut (Bangs), 4/28/13" (so I don't wonder someday why her first haircut was such a small little swirl). Because you know what? First haircut at Fancy Place? First haircut on the back deck? It's still important.

I may have taken off a bit more than I would have liked but it's growing on me. I look at the new 'do and think: Short and Sassy. Best of all it's out of her eyes. I was a big fan of the long bangs pinned to the side in a barrette. She...was not: "Don't want it! (pointed to adorable purple poodle clip) No!"

Anyway, the new cut seems to suit her. I didn't know someone under the age of two could actually strut, but Lucy can. And she does. Short and sassy, that one is. From head to toe.

Stairs: Check

In other news, it's confirmed: Lucy likes chocolate. (You'll notice she was also offered berries but opted for the chocolate cookie. Good girl).

There I was, yesterday afternoon, mindlessly washing dishes. There were Leo and Ellie, playing Legos in Leo's room. There were Harry and Lucy, wait...where were Harry and Lucy?

I don't know what made me stop and think, in bright flashing lights: "BABY GATE," but I'm here to tell you that mother's intuition is alive and well because "BABY GATE" practically screamed in my head at just the right moment and dash I did.

Yes, I forgot to resecure the baby gate after the twins got up from their morning nap. And so there was Harry and Lucy, the co-conspirators at the top of the stairs, giggling at me in tandem and giddy, visibly bursting with pride (tiny puffed shoulders and grins, oh the grins!) for what they'd accomplished. It seemed like they'd been just waiting to be discovered.

I suppose one could argue that mother's intuition would have had me remember the neglected baby gate before they reached the top, but that would have robbed them of quite the little (thankfully, benign) experience and us of a great family tale to be recalled for years to come.

And in case there was any question? Those two can definitely get up those stairs all by themselves (coming down is a work in progress but thankfully they didn't try that yesterday). Ahem.

In other, other news: Happy twenty-two months, guys! You exhaust me and complete me. How is that even possible?

20

It's taking all my willpower to not post the picture I really want to post here, which included not one, but TWO naked baby tushies. Since Harry and Lucy may want to run for public office someday, I thought it best to hold back on that one. In other news, you may not be shocked to learn that bathing two toddlers who won't sit down in the bathtub is both challenging and a comedy of errors.

Ellie had a wonderful time in the bath with the babies. Unlike me, Harry and Lucy loved being squirted by the various rubber bath animals. There was much squealing and happy shrieking from all three. Until Harry peed (what's that saying? It's all fun and games until someone pees in the tub?) and Ellie was absolutely scandalized and...scene. Bathtime was promptly over.

Ellie is on her way to learning to read. She has quite a few sight words. The babies are her perfect audience.

It occured to me yesterday that the babies twins are now twenty months old. That feels like another "momentous" milestone just as entering the "teen" months was. So here they are, now marching squarely toward two. Gulp.

Lucy is...how shall I say this? The BOSS. Or at least she thinks she is. "Don't want it!" "No way!" "Come on!" "Color!" (meaning, she wants to draw, which she always does when she spies the big kids huddled around the kitchen table, drawing) are just a few of her favorite and frequent phrases.

She knows what she wants, and when she wants it. And Look Out if you stand in her way. Just look at that focus. She's going to brush that doll head's hair and she's going to do it right.

And dear, sweet Harry. I've never known a baby who could amuse himself more than this one. He "reads" books to himself. He is absolutely in love with Leo's train table, whether it's covered with trains or Duplos he is on the case and happy as can be. He also recently discovered Thomas trains (see him clutching his little Thomas in the bath, above). He carried that train around all weekend and was seriously perturbed when he found out he wasn't allowed to sleep with it. He's saying a few more words. This week he busted out with "night, night." Most of his words seem closer to approximations than full words but we can usually figure out what he's trying to tell us.

Speaking of "night night," we have a newish bedtime routine. Rather than just plopping the babies in their cribs, turning on the sound machine and music and turning out the lights, as we did for months and months, we're now finally reading books before bed (add this to my list of things I felt guilty about the twins missing out on, since I always dutifully read to my singletons).

Of course nothing in our house can be simple, so when the twins' bedtime hits, which is usually about halfway through Leo and Ellie's dinner, everyone scrambles upstairs ("Last one up gets a rotten egg!" calls Ellie), fights for rights to the rocking chair, and thus begins a rollicking rendition of "Baby Beluga."

Lucy bobs her head and shakes her hips and Harry bounces and sways and throws himself onto his mattress and rolls around to the beat. I scratch his little head like he's a puppy and he flashes me a grateful smile. Leo and Ellie then each sing their own lullaby, alternating nights (some kind of fight about this breaks out nightly, trust me). And then at some point Ellie's Dreamlite became part of the mix (I know, it's practically a Vegas show, right?).


Or maybe more like a circus act.

And in the End, It Was All Worth It: The Great Trip to Oregon 2012: Part 1

And we were off...

Erin, at the Portland International Airport, shortly after arrival. I'm betting we win the award for Most Carseats in Checked Luggage!

At approximately zero o'clock in the morning we woke the kids and took all seventeen bags and fifteen car seats to Newark airport.

Thirty years later (in case you were wondering, a cross country flight with two fifteen month olds? It's long.) we arrived. Sidenote: there were three sets of twins on our flight to Portland. How funny is that?

Less than twenty-four hours after we arrived in Portland we hit the road for Black Butte, where my family has a vacation home and where we've been going since, well, before I was even born. I have so many memories there, which is part of why it's so special to be able to bring my family there now.

Tired yet?

This is the view you see much of the time at Black Butte.

I think you can see why we make the trip. One look at that, and one breath of that mountain air and I am done. In a good way. Stick the proverbial fork in me. Oh and the readily available and plentiful Deschutes Brewery beer doesn't hurt either.

Prior to Black Butte, we stopped in Eugene to see my aunt and cousins. My family has a food booth at the Eugene Saturday Market.

Leo and Grandpa Rog shared an intimate lunch.

The kids frolicked with their cousins (some of whom they'd never even met, ah the plight of cross country living).

Now, let's be honest. With four kids, two of them toddlers, it wasn't much of a vacation as much as it was a relocation. Keeping the babies safe in a non-baby proofed cabin was exhausting (to say nothing of the sleep--or lack of it-they never quite got on Pacific time, not that I expected them to, but Harry? The waking up every hour thing? That was a bit much, my friend. Ahem).

But as a friend said to me when I told her what we were setting off to do, it was a chance to make some wonderful family memories. And that we did.

Leo fished. (For the first time!)

Ellie and I rode a surrey

The babies, as usual, played hard.

By the way, this picture? This encapsulates Lucy and Harry's personalities To a T. This is it. The end. Done.

The big kids got to do art projects with Grandpa Rog.

Days dawned early, as they do wherever we go.

And I'm pretty sure that we broke Grandpa Rog more than a few times.

There was plenty of time to practice walking. Oh! I buried a lead--Lucy learned to walk on this trip!

Video proof of the Lucy walking that runs a bit long and might only be of interest to relatives but hey--if you want to know why we now call Lucy "Lurch"--well, take a look.

And there was time to sit and rest too.

Harry gave Lucy tips on the old verticle moves.

We took a lot of walks.

To be continued...