Pictures from our Camping Trip

Well, I was able to share the video now let's share some pictures!

Camping February 13-16 at Giant Rock

Well we almost did even get to go on this camping trip. Emily had a fever and ended up going home early from daycare on Thursday. As soon as I walked in the door that night Surbjit was like take her to urgent care. She has a fever of 102. So I took her to urgent care where they proceeded to help NOT ONE BIT. Whatever. In hind sight, she was probably teething?? Not sure. The Motrin we gave her made the temp go down and she didn't have any ear infections. We were going to attempt to try to rule out a urinary tract infection but alas, she would not pee for us. So I brought her home. The doc basically said it was probably a cold (with a fever??? That's a new one but this is the SECOND time someone has said that us). He said if the Motrin/Tylenol controls the fever, don't worry about it. Maybe make an appt with her pediatrician in the morning. So we went home and put her to bed. She basically slept all night and woke up almost ok. We still were hemming and hawing about whether or not to go and finally around 9am we decided let's go. So finished packing and ended up leaving the house around noon.

All in all I'm glad we went. Connor had a blast! You'll see in the pictures. It was quite cold! No rain but it did snow Friday night (nothing stuck). When we woke up Saturday morning it was 25 degrees outside. BRRRR!!! The twins basically only got out of the motor home Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The sun NEVER came out Sunday and it was pretty windy. But Emily LOVES to be outside. I bundled them up and they got to play awhile. It's a good thing Taylor doesn't mind the dirt because she was crawling EVERYWHERE!!! Yes, she is still NOT walking. But everyone keeps telling me not to worry. A lot of kids don't' walk until 18 or 19 months. We have their next check up April 7th and I will definitely be bringing it up to the doc unless by some miracle she is walking by then. Who knows.

So it was a great trip. Connor LOVES to camp and I'm sure Emily is going to be the same way. Our next camping trip is the weekend of March 13th. We'll be going to the beach so hope for good weather for us please!!

Connor atop the rocks that we camp by. You can see the motor home and our truck down below. He LOVES to climb these rocks. Dad - not so much but he does it anyway!


Connor riding with the girls in our friends sand rail. The girl in the pink is our neighbor Roxanne and the girl in the grey is her friend Bella. Connor LOVED Bella. No matter where she was, he had to sit next to her and follow her around. It was really cute except to her who was feeling a little creeped out by it after about an hour!


Emily riding the quad. When she first got on the quad she was using her left hand to push the button (the button is on the right side). I kept trying to get her to use her right hand but she would refuse. Finally she started using her right and realized it made it so much easier!


Taylor in the Little Tykes Car (gotta love this thing!).

Emily in the motorhome

Taylor in the motorhome.

Taylor doing her favorite past time - reading a book.

Emily sitting in the chair.

Emily playing outside.

Emily and Taylor playing outside.

Taylor bundled up.

Connor in the motorhome.

Emily and Taylor - I finally have a good picture of the two of them together!

Taylor having fun!

Taylor

Video of Emily

Here is my daredevil little girl! This is the same quad we bought Connor for his 2nd birthday - SECOND! He has maybe rode this thing five times and for not more than a minute at a time. This girl jumped on and pushed the button and just kept going! Enjoy:

Brushing Teeth

So now that I get the kids ready by myself in the morning wouldn't you know it's about time for them to start doing more things before we head out of the house?! One of those is brushing teeth. Yes they probably should have been "brushing" since they got their first tooth. Oh well. Anyway, after breakfast and before we head out the door, Connor brushes his teeth with his Thomas the Train toothbrush that sings the Thomas song for 2 mins. So this morning, we head into the bathroom and Emily follows and is reaching for her brush going "Ahh, ahh!" So i hand her toothbrush and she starts brushing her teeth with Connor. By this time Taylor has crawled over (yes she is STILL NOT walking) so I hand her hers too. The three of them brush and as soon as the music turns off, Emily takes the brush out of her mouth and hands it to me. =) She is my smart girl.

And yes, I owe pictures and stories from our camping trip last weekend. And I do have an exciting video to share - - stay tuned!!!

It's Been Two Days . . .

that I have had to get the kids ready in the morning and off to daycare. Surprisingly not too bad - yet. I'm sure you are also dying to know how Surbjit's first day at work went. =) Besides the fact that he said he has no idea what he is doing, it seems ok. LOL. I guess the heavy equipment maintenance is COMPLETELY different from working on cars. Of course I guess this should be surmised since they are big, large and you actually need a special license to drive them. So check that on his to do list. Go to DMV and get permit. Who would have though at the ripe old age of 33 you would be saying you need to get a driving permit. Hee-hee. But I guess the people seem nice. It's not a rigid clock in and clock out atmosphere. He gets the 9/80 (jealous here as I've lost mine in order to get the kids to daycare not TOO early but we may work on trying to get back on it) and apparently I guess the overtime is frequent. He was already asked by his supervisor to work overtime on Saturday. WOO HOO! Well - maybe not for Surbjit - but it is extra money LOL!

As far as me getting the kids ready, it's a clock watching experience that's for sure. I have to make sure I'm out of the house no later than 6:30am. This morning I was actually 5 mins early because Connor woke up early and the girls were up so we got up, ate breakfast, I cleaned up the kitchen whiled they played for about 15 mins and then I started getting them ready to head out. Yesterday, Connor did NOT want to wake up. I told him it was time to get up and he asked, "Can I sleep for a little bit?" I was like, um sorry honey but we got to get going. He is ok for getting ready in the morning. I'm laying his clothes out the night before and he gets excited about wearing them that night so that's working out with no power struggles over clothes (yet). But he is a three year old and my morning is constantly his want and "requests". "Can we play" "Take the freeway" "Can I bring this to daycare" "Can I keep my PJs on". Etc. I think you get the idea. But he is very good and is getting a 'tad' better at listening.

He was up this morning before Surbjit left for work (he leaves a little after 5am) and I was in the bathroom finishing getting ready. Surbjit told him good bye and Connor said "I won't give Mommy a hard time today". I started laughing. And he didn't.

So I drop the girls off first at 6:30am, then I drive over to Connor's daycare and am there by 6:45am. Then I high tail it back to our city to catch the train. The train comes at 7:12am (well today it was early at got there at 7:09am). I have more than enough time to get back thankfully. And there is parking available. It is all the way at the FAR end of the lot but there are about 15 spaces left. Whew! I was afraid that late in the morning I'd have a problem finding parking. Thankfully so far it hasn't been.

It'll be an adjustment but so far it's not too bad. It's just weird because I'm so use to starting my work day earlier that I feel behind when I get to work now. Even though most people at my work don't get in until between 8am and 9am. I'm getting there at 8 which is an hour later than I'm use to. Before I know it, I'll be used to this new schedule and won't even think twice about it.

A Bloggy Award!

Oh my goodness! I've been nominated for my first EVER bloggy award. =) Mrs Fish over at One Fish, Two Fish, Three, Four, Five Fish nominated me. Thanks so much!!! Us twin mama's gotta stick together huh?! So here are the rules:

1. Have to post the smoking cool, fantastic, fabulous Logo (as seen above)

2. Nominate some folks for their blogs (all about sharing love in the bloggy blog world right?)

3. Have to hyper link your nominees....so others can go check them out too...see what all the fuss is about!

4. You must tell your nominee that they WON! Hello? How would they know if you didn't comment on their blog.

5. Finally Hyperlink the blogger who gave you such a wonderful gift.

So the people I am nominating are as follows:

Melissa @ Binkies & Bandaids - a fellow mom to twins plus an older sibling. It takes a lot of work to have three kids under three (well now the kids are getting older -GAH- and it's three under 4) and she does it with ease and grace!!

Mary @ Our Crazy Life with Twins after IVF - another fellow twin raising mom. Her son and daughter are ADORABLE and love to get in lots of trouble. Always fun to see what they are up to.

Sophia & Noah's Mommy @ Gekas Twinkies - another fellow twin mom with boy/girl twins that are adorable and so photogenic!

So go check out their blogs and enjoy!!!

A Quote

A Quote I wanted to remember:

"Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck."

That is so true. If I had gone on this traning that I had to wanted to at work - I would have been in Las Vegas instead of at home on September 11th, 2001. And if I had had my babies when "I" wanted to - they probably wouldn't have been "Connor" or "Taylor and Emily".

Guess What I Did this morning???

I downloaded pictures from my camera! WOO HOO!!! So without further ado -- here are the pictures from our New Years camping trip:

Stoddard Valley - December 31st - Jan 3rd

Taylor & Emily enjoying brothers Christmas present! (I have to say Emily LOVES this thing. More than Connor. Connor loves to RIDE in it not so much drive it. Emily actually saw how you have to push down on the pedal on the floor and kept trying! But her little legs are just too small. =( )

Bigi pushing Taylor in her pink buggy (Bigi was able to join us again out in the desert).

Emily playing the big truck.

Emily on a quad. Do you think I have something to worry about here?!?!

Emily pushing the car.

Curtis and Surbjit hanging out before going for a ride.

Surbjit & Connor talking on the walkie talkies. Connor LOVED the walkie talkies. He doesn't quite have the hang of pushing the button and talking yet but he'll get there!


Braeden, Emily & Connor playing with the toys.

Emily & Taylor eating their lunch.

Bigi reading to Emily

Sisters having fun playing in brothers carseat while we get packed and ready to go home.

Binkies & Bottles

So I guess I forgot to mention back in January when the twins got their 2nd flu shot, the nurse was chastising me for them having binkies. Well, not quite. I guess since they are were only 14 months at the time it was ok but I better not have binkies the next time I come. I guess the new recommendation is to get rid of them between 12-15 months. I don't know (insert shrug here). So then i said well they are still on the bottle and she gave me an EVIL eye.

So I went home and told Surbjit. The next day no more binkies for the girls or bottles. Well, we tried no bottles, we still give them A bottle at night before bed (although I'm pretty sure we could get rid of this one now. They drink maybe 3 ozs now and are playing with the bottle more than anything). As far as binkies, they get it for nap time and bed time only. That actually makes it so much easier to FIND the binkies. Before we would have to scour through the house to find them but now they are all around their cribs.

So my babies are growing up. And in some respects, that ok with me. =) They are getting a tad bit easier to manage.

In other news, Surbjit was officially told of his start date for his new job!! YEAH! We can all breathe a sigh of relief. He will start 2/17. Wish me luck. He starts so early (6am) that I will now be the morning getting ready and dropping the kids off at work person. I haven't had to do that in the almost 3 1/2 years since we've had the kids. Yikes.

Rainy Weekend

We were stuck inside all day on Saturday due to the rain. Did not make for a happy Emily as she stood at the back slider and cried pointing outside. Poor girl.

Well, our weekend actually started out Friday night. Bigi came over to watch the kids so Surbjit and I could go out to dinner and movie. I won't discuss dinner (as it SUCKED - whatever happened to good service?) but the movie "Gran Torino" was good. I did sleep through a lot of it but I got the gist of it. And Surbjit really liked it too. We didn't get home until after midnight.

Woke up Saturday and Bigi ended up staying all morning through lunch. We had the air mattress set up in Connor's room for Bigi although she never slept on it because there is a leak that we cant' fix. Oh well. But it did prove for some entertainment for the kids. Connor loved jumping on it like a jumper. Emily was getting into it too. I would tell her to jump and she would move both feet like she was running up and down in place. Too cute. There was one time she was doing something and Surbjit told her no. She looked at him, started crying and lay face down on the mattress. It was too funny! Taylor wasn't as sure of it but was trying to walk along the side of it. (No she still isnt' walking. =( )

Sunday we had a birthday party for a friend's one year old. We weren't sure if we were going to take everyone due to the weather but thankfully it stopped raining about an hour before the party. Of course, the party was at 1pm which is nap time in our house but we brought the girls anyway. We had them in their stroller in the beginning. Taylor of course fell asleep. Emily never did though. Connor had fun running around. They had a huge puddle in their backyard and Connor saw another kid running through it so of course he wanted to. And did he?? Of course he did. =) He did come and ask if he could run through it though. His pants were soaked up to the knee.

So it was a fun rainy weekend. This coming weekend we are going camping, Friday - Monday. Nice long weekend. So we get Two full days there. Should be fun. It's supposed to be cold though. Low 40's. Brrr. I just have to make sure I BUNDLE the kids up.

Up way too early

So I woke up at 4am this morning to get up and do my exercise video (yes I'm trying. Not succeeding every day but I'm trying.). As I walk out of my bedroom I look in to Connor's room and lo and behold guess who is up (WIDE awake I might add) sitting up in bed? Well of course it's Connor! So I let him come out in the living room with me and watch me exercise. He tries to do it with me too sometimes. It was so cute to watch him try to do the speed bag. LOL. He was saying, I can't do it fast enough. I told him it was ok. He just needed to practice. =)

When I was done I told him it was time to go lay back down so Mommy could get ready. He wanted to lay down in my bed so I said fine and let him sleep on my side of the bed since Surbjit was still sleeping. Of course, he never fell asleep and woke up when Daddy did. Wide awake. I don't know why. He wasn't having a bad dream, nothing. Just wide awake. So I said good bye to him. He looks at me at says" Mommy you are really pretty." Melted my heart. I told him he made my day. =)

And the girls. UGH! What is with them?!?! If I leave their side for like one second they are FREAKING OUT! I mean, I'm not home, they are fine. I walk in the door and they see me and it's like they can't be with me soon enough or long enough. UGH! I can't get anything done. I'm trying to cook dinner and they are freaking out crying and screaming because I'm not near them, reading to them, playing with them, holding them. This stage better not last much longer. =(

5K

I ran my 5K on Sunday. This time the family stayed home and I went by myself. It was too cold to have the kids out there plus it was February 1st which was the first day to make camping reservations for August. Worked out good. I found decent street parking near the start line so that was good. Waited around the cold for about 1 1/2 before the start of the race. Ran the race and then got some goodies and my medal and went home. As soon as I walked in the door, Connor's all I want to listen to your music (my iPod). Well I didn't bring it with me but I showed him my medal. He wanted to wear it so I put it around his neck. He then took it off and said he wanted his own medal. =) Maybe I'll make a runner out of my son yet. ;) I told him we need to practice but we can get him his own medal too. So maybe next year he will run the kids run. There is a 5K coming up next month at Knott's Berry Farm that I'm planning on doing. It also has a kids run too. I'm wondering if he can do it. I just don't see his attention spanning the full 1 mile. I guess only getting out in the neighborhood and having him walk a mile with me will tell. Too bad we are due for rain this coming weekend. =(

Setting A Good Example

You know they always say that you should watch what you do because your kids will want to be just like you. I have found that to be entirely the truth! I've been running again for the last week as my next 5K is this coming Sunday. (I am so NOT ready for it as I've only been running again for a week but at least this course will be all flat unlike the first one I did). Anyway, I got back from running last night and Connor was still up watching Cars. He came up to me as I was walking in the door and asked to listen to my music. So I stuck the iPod headphones in his ears (and turned the volume WAY down). Then I found "Life is a Highway" from the CARS soundtrack and turned it on for him. He got this look of amazement on his face and said "Tractor Trailer Song!"

I went into the living room and sat down to stretch while we finished watching the end of the movie. Connor asked if he could stretch with me. He's still listening to my iPod. I say sure. Then he stands back up and is like "I want to run". And he asked me to put the iPod on his arm like I do (I have an armband for it to go on my arm while I run). So I did. Then he said,"I need a watch too." So I put my heart rate monitor that I use on his wrist too. He then proceeded to run up and down the hallway!! How cute was that?? I so wish I had grabbed the camera but I got a phone call right as he was starting to run. I'm sure he'll want to do it again so hopefully I'll get a picture.

But this just goes to show that you CAN and DO set examples (whether good or bad) for your children.

We Be Like Same!

That is what Connor says whenever he realizes that something is alike. "We be like same". So we were watching Handy Manny last night (his new love - but it is so much better than Caillou!!!). On this particular episode, there was a new character named Mr. Singh (for those that don't know, that's our last name) - so Connor says, "That's ME!" I'm like "What Connor?" Connor say," that's me! We be like same!" Wow, so he really does know his name!

This morning we were getting ready to leave and go to daycare and Connor is in his bedroom asking to take "that' to school. I keep asking him what's that? I can't see what "that" is. He is getting really bad at pointing lately and not using words. I'm thinking it's because that is what Emily and Taylor are doing. But anyway, I'm getting the girls in their car seats and I keep asking him what's "that". And I hear him say "N - N -O - R. That's my name." So I ask him, " you mean your piggy bank?" Because that's the only thing I can think of that has his name on it. And he says no. So I go in there and he is pointing at this box that he got for Christmas from Grandma D. It's got a chalk board on one side and a magnetic board on the other and you can put pen/pencils/crayons etc inside it. Very cute. I tell Connor that it's too big to take to school. But I am impressed he knows when he sees his name. My little boy is growing up.

Birthday Parties . . .

So we got invited to two birthday parties in the next two weeks. Ugh. Part of my New Years Goals this year, I want to make all gifts. I figure I'll save money and people will appreciate it more. So far I'm doing "ok".

Birthday Presents so far this year:

Katrina (3 year old bday): Bought 2 books at a B.Dalton going out of Business and got them for 50% off. Then I made her a book mark. Spent a bunch of money on the ribbon etc at Michaels but now I have ribbon and buttons for another gift. (Will post pic later I did take a pic of it!).

Braeden (6 year old bday): Made a 'Smores Basket. Bought a basket at michael's on sale for 1/2 price ($5) and put marshmellows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers in. Then had dh buy an extra set of these. We already had to buy ourselves another two sets (we only bought one set when we originally bought them to see if we'd like them. Boy do we! And everyone else too! It's so hard to find a good roasting stick!!). Not a bad present if I do say so myself. Darn - I never took a picture of this. Oh well.

So now we were invited to a birthday party for a boy at the twins daycare and then a friend of a friend who's son is turning one. The boy from daycare came to the twins party and got them gifts. The boy who is turning one - didn't make it to the twins bday party. Do I think that means he doesn't deserve a gift? Not in the least. Do I think it means I don't need to spend a lot of money, definitely. And here comes the great question - When you are invited to a birthday party (especially if you are dealing with twins) how do you decided what to spend/buy? Do you get something from each girl? Do you get something more expensive because it's coming from two kids???

This is what I have decided. Remember those great fleece blankets I made for Christmas? Well my coworker went to what I am calling the fabric mart in Downtown LA. Fleece is $2.25 - $3.00 a yard!! WOW! So I went there today and spent $18 and got enough to make a blanket for each boy! But then I thought, I really should get the boy from daycare a little more since he did buy each girl a gift for her birthday. So I'll trek on down to the bookstore and get a book for him (or two) to go along with the blanket. Whew. Now i just need to make the blankets. LOL!

Time for a Change

I know it's not Christmas anymore. I guess I should change up the background and stuff I just LOVE what Ragan did with everything and I'm reluctant to let it go. LOL! But I will. I also noticed I actually had 126 posts last year. WOOHOO! I can't believe I actually blogged that much. Basically all I wanted to do was post at least one more post every month than I had in the previous two years. I was successful! I'm going to try and do the same thing this year. So far, I can do it. I only need like 2 more posts this month and I'll be good. And since I still (yeah I know bad me) haven't downloaded the pics from camping at New Years I think I'll be good. LOL!

Bad Bad BAD Boy

Oh, Connor was in TROUBLE last night. I was getting Emily ready for bed. I had just put her down on the changing table and was changing her diaper. Connor ran to his bedroom and grabbed his stool so he could stand next to me and "talk"/play with Emily. I'm looking at her diaper (making sure she pee'd as she is still not 100%) and all of a sudden she is SCREAMING. I look at Connor and ask him, "Did you bite her?" He looks at me and says, "yes". I was speechless. I had no idea why or what or anything. So he got spanked and put in his room for a time out. Then we made him apoligize to his sister. Then he got ready for bed and went STRAIGHT to bed. No show, no book, no nothing. Was that harsh? Surbjit thinks so.

Connor ended up crying off and on that he wanted to watch a movie and he wanted to play. Finally at 7:45 I let him come out and lay with me on the couch while we watched Real Housewives of Orange County. Before it got a little too much we put him back to bed but he was calmer. However, he did want to sleep with us. I told him fall asleep and when Mommy and Daddy are ready to go to bed we will grab you and bring you into bed with us.

So what did we do wrong? I can see so much we did wrong. Live and Learn I guess. Live and learn. Why did he bite her? The only thing I can think of is she was sticking her fingers in his mouth (as she and Taylor love to do to me) and he decided to bite down. He bit down HARD too. So hard, he almost drew blood. But I don't think he'll be biting anyone ever again. At least I hope not. :Sigh:

Sicko Kiddo

So I have a sick kid. Poor Emily. I went away to Laughlin this weekend and had no idea. I guess she had diarrhea on Friday at daycare. She didn't let Surbjit know until he went to pick them up. She wasn't really eating or drinking and was having diarrhea. So on Saturday, he called his mom up and she came over and watched Taylor and Connor while he took Emily to the doctor. Non-infectious gastroenteritis(sp??). Something she ate did not agree with her tummy. She finally started eating and had a normal poop Sunday night but again on Monday had diarrhea at daycare. So although she did not have milk all weekend once she had the normal poop we started her on milk again, we stopped that again and going strictly to the BRAT diet again for at least a week. Hopefully that'll help. She was fine eating and everything again yesterday it was just diarrhea again. :sigh: I really hope she gets through this quick.

Potty Trained?

Can i actually say Connor is potty trained? We haven't used a diaper since December 20th. We had some rough patches but now, he knows when he has to go and says so. He is mostly dry at night (although we still put him in a pull up at night but not during naps anymore). Can it be?? Can i really say I "only" have two in diapers now. LOL! I think so. =)

I am headed out on a girls weekend this weekend. Laughlin here i COME!!!! WOO HOO!!!! I don't think I've been away since the girls were born. I so need this time to refresh and relax. Good luck Surbjit! No really, he'll do fine. He always does.

In other news, Taylor is still NOT walking. BUT she is getting closer. I can now walk with her. She doesn't immediately sit down now when I try to have her walk while holding my hands. She will actually walk quite a bit before she sits down. She started doing this when we went camping for New Years (yeah I know I still need to download pictures!) with a few steps but now will walk from the living room to her bedroom. So hopefully now that they are 14 months (TODAY!) by the time they are 15 months she will be walking.

Potty Training

I'm sure y'all are wondering how the potty training thing is going. It's going. Well, actually Connor isn't doing half bad. We had a couple accidents while camping and he did poop in his underwear once but other than that, he's holding his pee and occasionally saying he has to go potty. For the most part we are reminding him though to go. I don't think he's had an accident at daycare at all since we started the whole underwear wearing. I'm just wondering when will we get to stop reminding him and he'll just go??

2009

Well, it's a new year! I can't believe that 2008 is over with. We ended 2008 in bed asleep. LOL! We were camping though. Ended up leaving a day early. It was a rough start of 2009 with everyone in our Queen size bed in the motorhome the night of January 1st. Something was bugging Taylor and since it was such small quarters, Emily woke up. Ugh. So needless to say, we finished out the 2nd camping but left after dinner. I didn't want to deal with that again. Of course, that night Taylor cried out once or twice but never needed intervention. Was it because she was in her own bed? Maybe. I guess we'll never know. So we had Saturday and Sunday at home to just relax and chill. I am, of course, happy to be back at work today though. I tell you, I could not be a stay at home mom. Maybe when the kids get older but man! I always said I would love to be pregnant twenty times over but give the baby to someone else and they can give them back to me when they are one. I take it back. Give them back to me when they are two and can COMMUNICATE with me. Geesh!! These girls! They sure know what they want but can't communicate it to me yet. Emily is pretty easy to read. And she points at what she wants. Taylor on the other hand, ugh! She will stop in her tracks and fling herself down. And I swear its arbitrary. She is starting to point now although it's not at things she wants - yet. But I'm sure she will get there. She is starting to stand a lot more and starting to cruise the furniture so maybe within the next month she will be walking. Then I guess watch out right??

Well, even though we weren't camping for all that long, I did manage to take some cute pictures! i should have uploaded them to the computer last night while I was playing around but I didn't. I will try tonight to do it but no guarantees. Not sure when our next camping trip is going to be but Connor is itching to go again. He can't wait. He didn't want us to put it in storage yesterday because he wanted to go camping. LOL! I guess we couldn't give up camping if we wanted to. =) Hopefully the girls will feel the same way as they get older.