I did some soul searching over the weekend and came to this conclusion: parenting twin toddlers is very hard. The boys go in and out of tough phases and this week, they've both been in a very tough phase. It has been an emotional and physical challenge. I know this will pass... that is certainly something I've learned in parenting... but knowing it ends doesn't always make it easier.
Here are some highlights from this week:
* Tuesday night Jon was gone and I thought it would be fun to make obstacle courses with all the cushions and pillows downstairs. The boys laughed and had a great time for exactly four minutes before a fight broke out (over one tunnel) that resulted in a mega Alex tantrum that lasted 30 minutes.
* Alex goes to bed whining anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes after lights out and wakes up whining. When we tell him to use his words, he whines, "No whining."
* The combination of Nate getting molars and Nate's opinions on everything (what we wears, how he walks down the stairs, how to fix his hair, what to sing, on and on) defines the phrase 'Terrible Twos.'
* Wednesday night Jon was gone again so I took the boys to get haircuts and out to dinner. When it was time to leave, Nate took off running (laughing and looking over his shoulder) so I grabbed Alex's hand to drag him while I ran after Nate. I ran Alex face-first into a door. Alex was in hysterics and Nate was crying because I was carrying Alex.
We got to the car and Alex was still in hysterics. We were right next to the store so I offered to get him a band-aid. I drove to the store, put them in the stroller, and an enormous bumblebee kept buzzing around Alex's face and landing on his ear. I kept swatting it away but it was following us. Insanity ensued - I was pushing Alex's head, swatting the bee, running with the stroller, and Alex was screaming "Walk away buggy!" and crying.
Inside the store, I let Alex pick band-aids and he picked Nemo band-aids. I gave one each to Nate and Alex. This was my first experience with the "tattoo" band-aids and I learned through a double tantrum later that night that tattoo band-aids are nearly impossible to take off without scissors.
* Thursday night Jon got home and we were both exhausted so we thought we would go out to dinner. Stupid idea. I had to take Nate outside for a timeout for throwing things on the floor. The boys got into fights over very stupid things. We jammed food in our mouths like they were newborns again.
We needed a couple of things at Target so we thought we would go to Target then hit a park nearby as a treat for the boys. The completely dumb part of this idea is we should KNOW by now to quit while we're ahead. And if things are already going downhill, they're not going to miraculously turn around.
The item we needed was near the toy section, and the boys asked to get out and look at toys, so we let them. In the past, this happily entertained the boys for up to 30 minutes. Last night was a disaster. I will spare the details but it ended with me carrying a seriously tantruming Alex out the door, and Jon carrying a crying Nate because Nate wanted "mommy carry!" The one consolation of this experience was the previous two days it was all me. At least Jon was with me on this one!
The reason I bind this blog into a book is because I consider this their baby book. Reading through all those "attitude change" posts made me feel guilty thinking about the boys reading this as adults. After all that soul searching, I know I need to keep my honesty on this blog, both for me and for them. And I will honestly say this has been a very tough week, one in which I needed to see cute pictures of my kids to remind me this too shall pass.
By the way, I bribed them with M&Ms to get this picture.
11 comments:
Oh man, Laura--what a rough week! I feel bad for laughing, but oh my goodness--the scene where you're swatting a bumble bee? That's funny stuff. (But only as an observer, and if you're the mommy, than maybe only in hindsight.) I think the boys will be fine with reading how hard it was at times and they will probably laugh and hopefully appreciate you and Jon even more! The blog reveals how thoughtful you are when it comes to parenting, and I think that's important. Hang in there sista!
You know, the boys may wonder a little about attitude change talk when they are teen agers, but they will completley get it when they are older and have children of their own. (Hopefully twins boys for each of them. Or would twin girls be better?)
I think honesty is very important whenit comes to parenting. And that means for both the good and the bad. It's easy, especially in blogging, to focus on only one side of it, but the reality is that somehow, being a paretn manages to both suck and rock at the same time.
I also think honesty helps the rest of us realize that what we are feeling is normal and expected.
Yikes, what a week! Hope the weekend goes more smoothly.
I agree that the honesty is important for everyone. Important for you to put it in writing. Important for other twin moms (and moms more generally) to know they're not alone. And important for Nate and Alex one day to know that you loved and adored them, but that also, sometimes it was rough. I don't know how you do it so often with Jon away, I barely survived my 1 week.
I so know what you mean. This weekend we've got back to back birthday parties and next weekend I'm on my own for two baby showers while Albert is out of town. Ugh... maybe it will go well, but I have this nagging feeling that I'll be very cranky by the end of next weekend!
I was nodding along with your entire post. when i got to the end I actually laughed out loud. I'm glad to see that bribery worked :) hope things smooth out soon, at least for a little while
with you on "when it going downhill, things will not turn around". sending you some toddler love as you start the weekend.
The M&M's were worth it! Cute pic!
Sorry that you've had one crappy week! I hope that the weekend is better and that the bumblebees stay away.
Which program did you use for your blog book? I started one awhile back for their 1st year baby book and also because my blog was 25% full. The book is not done (the photos didn't transfer) and my blog is 50% full.
I appreciate your honesty and I have a feeling that your kids will too (one of these days).
Hang in there!
Dude! Bees! What is it with them? Matt had Wyatt in the pool yesterday and he started coughing - Matt thought he had swallowed water. NO - there was a LIVE bee in his mouth! Matt scooped it out and it stung his finger. Thank God! Can you imagine if it stung the inside of Wy's mouth??
And tattoo band-aids are the Devil. I forbid my girls from buying them anymore. They are super cute - but create a bigger tantrum than the owie did when it is time to SCRAPE them off! HINT - put olive oil on a cotton ball and rub around the band aid. They come off a little easier that way.
The part where you run Alex face first into a door had me laughing out loud. SORRY!
Love your blog. It is so nice to know I am not the only one who has "those" days. We are transitioning to one nap, while weaning from bottles and someone had the nerve to bring up getting rid of the pacifier! Anyways thanks for the reality post :)
Hang in there. They don't call them the terrible twos for nothing. It is terrible. And then at about 4 they are so fun and adorable you could just die of happiness.
Great bribe shot at the end.
Are you using blurb? Maybe write a post about that process and how it works out?
You sweet dear, you. While it is always encouraging for me to read about similar attitudes your two-year-olds are giving you that I deal with daily, I canNOT imagine it times two.
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