obsessed

They are obsessed with green beans. 

And looking out the window at the big kids.

While wearing crocs.

They are obsessed with their Crocs. They want to wear them with their pajamas. They want to wear them when they're naked. They want to wear them over their other shoes. They want to wear them whether they go with an outfit or not. Let's hope they get over that before Easter. 

They're obsessed with sleeping...They sleep sometimes...but not in their cribs and not at naptime and not for an appropriate naptime length. Anyone who has ever read Babywise or Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Twins or The No-Cry Sleep Solution or any other miraculously sensible sleep book is probably dumbfounded by this. I am, too. I have read everything and tried everything. I can't talk about it. Unless, you're willing to borrow a baby to teach her how to nap. Then we can discuss it. But I doubt that would even work. And I can't complain. Remember when they didn't sleep through the night?! For(almost)ever?!? If sleeping through the night's all I get, I'll take it. 

Logan's new obsession is the stuffed dog the girls got from Auntie Noney at Christmas. Not nearly as portable as her other obsessions. 

Still obsessed with reading. My teacher heart just sings over this. 

And with peek-a-boo.

Another new obsession...the iPad. How is it that they are only 16 months old and we are already dealing with  the appropriate time/use of technology?! Lord, help me when they start nearing the teenage years. I seriously already pray about this. It strikes a certain amount of anxiety in my heart. But for now, I hide the iPad and my phone throughout the day but let them have a little bit of time on it. {So, now, if I don't text you back, it's not me just being absent-minded or losing track of my phone. It's that too many awkward/embarassing things have been 'liked' on Facebook and my phone is thus safely somewhere out of reach. Or I lost track of it...Side note: I used to not really believe parents when their kids would send text messages or like things on Facebook. But I was wrong. Apparently, God has seen fit to show me my judgemental ways. So, I'm sorry if I didn't believe you.} On a positive note, thanks to Peekaboo Zoo the girls  know a whole menagerie of animals and their sounds. Yes, I know. Technology can be a good thing. These two also know their Grammy loves her some iPad. And that she just can't say no. Oh, Grandmas. 

They're also obsessed with being half-naked as often as possible. In case you hadn't noticed, I thought I'd point it out. They get it from their uncle.

today, the girls agreed

 Today, the girls agreed to wear their hair bows. {Or more like, I kept putting them in until they got sick of me.} 

But only if Howard did, too.

Poor, Howie. Sorry, pal, you're out-numbered. Whatever dignity and pride he had left is for sure gone now. 

the days

Oh, babies...

I've heard people say how, being home with little ones, the days are long but the years are short. And that might be true. Some days are loooong and routine and nothing special and 'what am I contributing to society?! Oh, that's right, I'm raising people' that are suddenly over a year old. But, really, one of the things I love about being a mom is that almost every moment is memorable in some way or another. The days may seem routine now but they are filled with moments that are worth remembering. Moments I feel blessed to witness and capture and treasure. 

How you insist on including your monkey in every activity you do--eating, sleeping, 'vacuuming,' jumping. And how I had to hide him today to wash with your sheets. Because sleeping with a cheese covered monkey is gross. 

How you can climb in and out of chairs that are just your size...over and over and over again. Never gets old. 

How you said 'Elmo' plain as day today when you saw your Elmo toy in the toy box. But then when I asked you what you said, you answered, 'Dadadada dog da-guy da-gum daaaaaa.' 

How your favorite word is 'Whoa.' Coffee grinder turns on? Whoa. Fed Ex guy rings the door bell? Whoa. You 'drop' your spoon? Whoa. You find your belly button? Whooooooaaa. 

How you love to stir things all day long. 

How you thought you were going to eat all those blueberries. {Sorry, I don't think so.}

How you make an elephant noise and reach your one little arm way up in the air. 

How you were humming with me on our walk. How you were screaming for no reason later on our walk. 

How you napped at the same time today. {I need to remember this because I may not see that happen again for a few months or ever.} 

How you 'help' unload the dishwasher. And how you then reloaded it with our Girl Scout cookies. 

How I gave you plain Greek yogurt to dip your quesadilla strips in but you decided that's all you really wanted and then went to town on it. 

How you you have a whole, big bathtub but always end up smushed together in one end of it. 

How tomorrow will be the same. Breakfast, chores, chatter, lunch, naps {or maybe not. You know, whatever...}, tears, laughs, dinner, baths. It will be the same. But it will be nothing like today. 

a year with twins: our valentines

Remember these tiny babies last Valentines Day? Oh my word. Remember how we thought Logan was the crazy one at this point? Oh, how times have a-changed. 

Logan and Charleigh

And remember when they used to leave bows in their hair? Those were the days. 

Charleigh and Logan

Except these, these, are really the days. And it's better and harder and easier and sillier and more tiring and more joyful than we could have ever predicted a year ago. 

And I think these pigtails make them look like they are at least five. Are pigtails a little ridiculous at this point? Yes. But were their baby-mullets even more ridiculous? Definitely. 

Also, our washer is broken. Which means no cloth diapers until it's fixed. Which means their jeggings fall right off. What a problem. 

Remember when they used to stay in one place? 

snow day

Two weeks ago Charlotte had a real life, honest-to-goodness snowfall. One where you could actually see the flakes without looking just right in the light of a street lamp or squinting your eyes while imagining you see flakes. And this snow actually stuck around for 24 hours. Must be some kind of record. Which means it definitely should be documented so these southern babies know it actually happened. My former snow-boarding, pond-skating, thermal-clad self is laughing her tail off right now. As are any people still residing in the great state of New Hampshire. But, down here, this is a big deal. Huge. 

Needless to say, we were not prepared with snow attire for the girls. I don't think I've ever even seen snow pants for sale here. I'm sure places must sell them because every kid on our street was decked out from head to toe in snow gear like they were headed out in a blizzard. But I've never seen them anywhere. Our neighbors were all bundled up and water-proofed and we're like, 'Gosh, I hope their Stride Rites don't get soggy.' Parent fail. Except not really because why would you buy boots for a kid to wear ONE time.  Plastic bag over the shoes, rubber band at the ankles, done. Just kidding. {Although, that idea came from somewhere in the recesses of my childhood memories so it must have happened at some point.}

The girls weren't sure what to think at first. They had fallen asleep in the car and woke up to blinding whiteness. Note their confused, groggy, and less-than-impressed faces in the above photos. 

But then Logan discovered that you can eat snow and it was a whole new story.

Charleigh took a little more convincing. But once she learned her sister's ways, we had another convert. 

Welcome to the 'I love snow' club, kid. 

You might have missed him but Howard was there, too. He's sneaky when it snows.