He was my favorite

I haven't gotten any cute pictures. We haven't had any funny stories. Its been sort of a hum-drum week so far. 

But I am pretty excited about this news from last week.  

Things I've learned so far this morning

1) Donnie and I should have a system- he unloads the dishwasher and I load it. I hate to unload, he hates to load. Why haven't we figured this out before now? 

2) It is true what I've been told. The minute I start putting away "baby toys" to be stored, they become the boys' favorite toys. Guess I'll wait until naptime. 

3)Boys want to do what their daddy does. Even at the brand new age of 2. (i.e. drinking milk from one's cereal bowl) 

(Insert Jaws Music Here)

Another birthday gift for the boys... a shark tent. Its a little bigger than my mom realized, but it will provide lots of fun, I'm sure.  Here are all of the cousins before everyone left last week...

Fun with Mr. Potato Head

Happy Birthday,Babies Big Boys!

You make me smile. You make me laugh. Out loud. Everyday. Sometimes I look at your sweet face and want to squeeze you until I can't squeeze anymore. Reagan, I love your kisses. Your freely given, not-asked-for kisses. I love how you pat my back when we hug. Kiefer, I love your hugs. Your tiny arms around my neck and tiny legs around my waist. 

You are TWO and you are big boys. You run and play and slide and swing and drive your car and color and build and brush your teeth and use forks and play in your tent and buckle yourselves in your seats.  You are becoming very independent and I am very proud of you.  (Please just remember that even though you are TWO, you are still only two.  You still need Mommy and Daddy for many things. And we are happy to be there for you) 

I just looked at pictures from the day you were born. Daddy and Mommy were so excited but also a little scared. We were taking 2 babies home with us. What were we going to do? But we've done it. And I can't wait for another year of big-boy activities and learning and having fun as a family. 

I love you. Forever and always no matter what. 

~Mommy~

Blonde ambition

My heart aches a little when I think that Donnie turned from this 

 to this

(I'm talking about the hair here.) 

Is it possible, and even likely, that the same will happen to this?

(I can't bear it.) 

 

This Wednesday

Good food. 

Good wine. 

Good company. 

(Grandparents getting good time with the grandkids.)

And cute-as-can-be-wanna-squeeze-her-Iowa-girl Shawn Johnson finally grabbing gold. 

Couldn't be better. 

 

Over the weekend

I haven't spent much time in the cyber world over the last 4 days. I've been too busy: 

• hosting and "entertaining" 2 parents, 2 sisters, 1 brother-in-law, 3 nieces, and 1 nephew in town to celebrate (a tad early) my boys' 2nd birthday
• stripping the boys down at Mimi's so they could eat their first Oreo dirt cup (hey, they had on white shirts)
• eating (and savoring) Iowa corn on the cob and BLTs with Iowa tomatoes
• laughing until my side hurt at (naked besides diaper) Reagan and Kiefer playing with a pitcher and the garden hose in the backyard and loving how they knew they were the entertainment for the evening
• laughing even harder when (now, fully naked) Kiefer went potty, standing up, on the patio, and had no idea what was happening but liked the applause he got for "going potty"
• laughing even more when Reagan (also fully naked) realized his brother was getting attention for going potty, and proceeded to push and pull and tug trying to achieve the same potty-result and being frustrated when he came up dry
• baking and preparing and making lists and sorting supplies for the "outside" birthday party that was moved inside due to the threat of rain that ended up being a brief and light shower
• watching Reagan and Kiefer open up tricycles and tents and pots and pans and play-doh and legos and inflatable football and baseball sets and realizing turning 2 makes them big boys
• enjoying the pancake bar and pancake birthday cakes at the party
• huffing and puffing when I looked forward to and then started to prepare homemade ice cream to find out the machine's motor had somehow burned out (and our hand crank was left behind at a friends' house)
  
• watching endless hours of Olympic swimming, gymnastics, track and volleyball events
• clapping and cheering for "the old guy" catching up and seemingly flying out of the water to win the relay for the Americans and being one of the 40 or whatever million people watch Michael Phelps make Olympic history
• secretly clapping and cheering when the Chinese girl fell during her floor routine and watching cute-as-can-be-Iowa-girl Shawn Johnson receive two silver medals
• hanging out on my cousin's porch, again not believing the reality of turning 2 as Reagan and Kiefer all-by-themselves climbed up the ladder and down the slide over and over and over again
• sadly saying good bye to 2 sisters, 1 brother in law, 3 nieces, and 1 nephew but being thankful to have at least 2 more days with the 2 parents 

Chips, really tall kids, and other nonsense

I'm big on customer service. It makes me happy to receive good customer service. Which honestly, should be par for the course, not the unusual event it seems to be. Bad customer service irritates me every time. No eye contact. No "hello." Or somehow making me feel like I'm imposing on you by making you work.  But sometimes there's service that's not bad nor good. Just crazy.  For example, here's part of the conversation with "Adrian" today in the Sam's checkout line. And just imagine her talking v.e.r.y  s.l.o.w.l.y, sort of like Matthew McConaughey for my "Dazed and Confused" fans.... 

Adrian: Oh, your boys are so cute. They sort of look like twins. (they're dressed the same today)

Me: Thanks. They are twins. 

A: How.. old... are... they? (seriously. that's how it was)

Me: almost 2

A: Oh, I have a two year old nephew. But he is really tall. Like up to here. (She proceeds to walk around the register, turns around, and points to the bottom of her bum, indicating how tall he is) But his dad is freakishly tall, like 6 foot. So like, I'm not surprised. 

A: Oh, do you guys like grapes? (as she's putting them in the cart)   What are their names?

Me: Reagan and Kiefer

A: (looking at Reagan) Hi. Are you Reagan? Your mom said your names are Reagan and Kiefer but she didn't tell me which one you are. 

Reagan: blank stare

Me: That's Reagan

A: Hi Reagan 

Me: (Okay, she's sweet. But she probably shouldn't stop ringing up my items to talk to my kids when there are people in line) 

A: HI REAGAN!  

Reagan: Blank stare (and this is, mind you, after saying "hi" and "bye" to at least 6 other people in the store)

A: He must be shy.  (turning to Kiefer)  HI KIEFER!

Kiefer: Blank stare  

A: I have a friend named Kiefer.

Me: Oh really? 

A: Yeah. His name is Kiefer Sutherland.   (no joke. she said it) 

She then proceeds to put 2 bags of chips directly behind Kiefer, where he grabs them, and I take them away and place them elsewhere in the cart.  

A: Oh you must like chips. Don't put the chips by Kiefer. Kiefer likes chips.  (long pause) Sometimes I talk to myself. Sometimes I talk to myself, but I always say it's okay to talk to yourself as long as you don't answer yourself.  (another long pause)  Sometimes I answer myself. 

She hands me my receipt and wishes me a good day.  

(What's a post without a picture?.... No picture from Sam's today, but here's a picture of the boys in the same kind of double cart at Costco around New Year's.  This is how it goes at Sam's, too. )

 

Model behavior

Reagan and Kiefer may not have the "cooperation" level it takes to be the baby models that their faces are capable of being*.  But they are modeling their birthday shirts over on ResaDesign's blog. Check out her fabulous items after you check out my fabulous babes. 

*by "cooperation" I mean, sitting still, not crying, not picking one's nose, not picking out your own props from the shelves, not sticking out your tongue, and not trying to run out of the studio. All of which are exhibited in my last post. 

But, by "their faces"... I mean these precious mugs: 

(Kiefer's)

(Reagan's)

Say Cheese. Come, on. Please?

So we did end up with some super cute pictures to celebrate two years of laugh-inducing, fun-filled, never-predictable life with our twin boys. Like this one here*

But it makes one think the whole shoot must have been fun and games. Not so much. Check out a little of what happened behind the scenes... 

*this is not my ideal "group" shot. But from what we had to work with, it was the winner. 

Are you ready for some football!?

I won't try to be witty or cute or (stinking adorable) here... these pictures do that themselves. 

Babes, they are a changing

I spent the last several days working on a project with baby pictures of Kiefer and Reagan. And with their 2nd birthday quickly approaching, I couldn't believe how time has changed my babes...

(Reagan)

      

 

(Kiefer)

 

Or how times have changed along with the babes...

(Aunt Tricia and Reagan)

    

(Kiefer and me) 

 

Thankful past midnight

I haven't posted in several days and I guess it is just because I've been too busy. With not one thing in particular, just a lot of this and thats. I've somehow become a night owl, not falling asleep before 12:30am the last 3 nights in a row. I am still confused about the first 2 nights, but tonight, I understand. Two friends, good conversation, and coffee. Well, Chai. But apparently there's more caffeine in that stuff than I've realized. (Or I'm just getting too old to handle any leaded drink past 7pm.) So while I am thankful for my dear friends Jessica and Toni meeting me for a little girl talk, I am also thankful for the following:

1) my husband, who will most likely get up with the boys in the morning and let me sleep until he needs to get in the shower
2) my boys, who I know will make me laugh tomorrow. and make my heart melt a little with their kisses. and unsolicited kisses at that.
3) and randomly, free babysitters in the form of Aunts (you need to do more laundry and eat more lasagna at my house! we owe you!)
4) and sort of randomly, but not really because I am always thinking of them... my mom and sisters. just because.

Fall forward

I'm getting way ahead of myself here, but I am blaming it on Hobby Lobby. I ran in to check out the party supplies and had to walk past 4 brand new aisles of beautiful-makes-my-heart-long-for-them fall decorations. What? I am sweating just from the walk from the car to the door and they are teasing me with the gorgeous oranges and reds that make me warm and fuzzy inside?! All the sudden I'm longing for cooler days, football games, and endless bowls of chili?!  I can't have them yet! I can't put out the leaves and the pumpkins and the "happy harvest" signs for at least another month (and even then, I'm way ahead of the game).  The crockpot will still stay chili-less! My sweaters will continue to mock me from my closet as I try to stay cool in shorts and tanks.  My Home Sweet Home Tyler Candle will stay buried in the cupboard until the house can be filled with its lovely autumn fragrance.   

For now, I have to go finish my Jello Strawberry Cake that I'm taking to a pool party this evening and hope it doesn't melt in the 103 degree weather. :( 

Oh, me.

Mom 4 Ever

In my attempt to raise two momma-loving boys, I've made them sport proof on their shirts. I said, "Hey Reagan, let me get a picture of your shirt!"  And he showed exactly why Aunt Kim and the rest of the Wrights have started calling him "Ham" (although he could easily be the "Cheese" of the duo from these shots). 

So then I thought I'd try for a shot with Kiefer. He wasn't up for participating, but at least he let me see his shirt.