They're creepy and they're croupy...

They're altogether goopy...

Yes, that's Ryan and Kaylie I'm talking about folks. We have croup in the house. It started with Kaylie and now it is on to Ryan. Recognizable by the fever and barking cough that goes with it. Lots of tissues being used. Lots of Tylenol and Motrin. Humidifiers. Ryan is very phlegmy but doesn't quite have the barking cough (yet!) so maybe not croup for him, but a bad cold nonetheless. This makes for some pretty grumpy kids and one worn out mommy. To top it off I wasn't feeling too hot either but I muddled through. Hope we get through this fast!

On Being Two

This was something I wrote up on August 3rd...I don't think I ever quite finished it. I wish I had. I was going to do another write up about what they are up to now so I figured I better just publish this one, seeing that this is my only vehicle for preserving my memories of them for them. I can see so many changes already, especially with speech.

Kaylie: Kaylie has really blossomed in the speech area. We are hearing a lot more mimicking and her vocab has grown. She's become quite a drama queen around the house demanding she gets what she wants. Sometimes I give in and sometimes I don't. Pick your battles right? Everyone I tell this to doesn't believe it because she looks so sweet and innocent. In fact Kaylie can be quite bossy, pushy, and DOES NOT share well at all!!! We have also entered a phase most kids go through. One minute I have to do something and the next minute Daddy HAS TO be the one to do it. At the same time she is quite a helpful and loving girl.

Likes: Dora, coloring, playdoh, chalk, dressing up, playing with dolls.
Dislikes: real cars/trucks/loud sounds, the ocean

Ryan: has also blossomed in speech this past month. He started shaking his head yes and has picked up mimicking and will fill in words that I leave out of a song. I just discovered this a few days ago. Who knows how long he could do it. His word list is growing by the day. For this, I am grateful.
Ryan likes anything he can manipulate--puzzles with hinged doors, trains, toys that light up and make noise/music. He loves to open and close things and try to figure out how they work. He enjoys being chased and tickled. He loves books and just started showing a real interest in coloring. Before that he would just eat the crayons or last about 30 seconds. He likes being outside. Jumping on the couch is a favorite too. He loves TV and demands that it be turned on. Again, sometimes I give in and other times no.

Dislikes: being told no, vegetables, ocean,

Potty Training 101

Well the first attempt at introducing the potty didn't go over so well. Try, try again.

Here's Ryan's reaction to the potty.

Ok, just kidding...but it was close. He would just sit and get up, take the bowl out, move potty, put bowl back in, repeat over and over. He of course wanted to be naked, but no real interest in the potty.

Kaylie had interest. She sat for a bit, then would get up and move the potty and do the same over and over like Ryan but she had a genuine interest. Nothing happened on the potty for either of them. Someone peed on one of their books but I don't know who. I am thinking it was Kaylie because it was a perfect circle and not sprayed everywhere. We watched Once Upon a Potty at least a dozen times and read through a few potty books. Hey, it's a start.

Then Kaylie thought this toilet ring made a good pool or hot tub I guess.


I think I need to wait a little bit more. Not all the readiness signs are there yet. I think I am going to focus on Kaylie first though. It's hard because Ryan wants to be in on the action too. Training two at the same time is a lot to handle. Have any of my readers with boy/girl twins potty trained before? Leave a comment with some tips PLEASE!

Brighton Beach Memoirs

We were on a family vacation last week. We rented a beachfront house at Brighton Beach on Long Beach Island, NJ. We stayed with Nana and Pop-Pop, Aunt Amy & Uncle Steve, and cousins, Rachel & Emily.

The weather was great until Friday and Saturday. We were able to enjoy the beach each day. Ryan and Kaylie did not like the ocean at all! They wouldn't even go halfway to it. By Thursday we were able to carry Kaylie and let the water hit our legs, but she wouldn't let us put her down. Maybe next year. They preferred the pool and playing in the sand. Throwing things in the garbage can was high on the list of things to do at the beach--go figure!

We had a first on this vacation, although I have no pictures of it. Kaylie and Ryan slept in twin beds! I bought bedrails and was really nervous about how it would go. I wondered if they would stay in them and if they would sleep well, etc. etc. As usual, worry for nothing. They did great! They never tried to get out and slept well. (One night Kaylie woke up, but otherwise was fine.) I'm not ready to make the switch at home however. In the cribs they stay until they are ready.

One evening we went to Fantasy Island Amusement Park in Beach Haven. The kids got to enjoy the carousel, a train ride, and a bumble bee ride. They had some cotton candy and a funnel cake. Daddy won them some stuffed animals.



We went to see Barnegat lighthouse. It's also called Old Barney. We took some family pictures there. It's not so easy to get toddlers to sit still for the camera and smile. Trying to get all 4 kids to look at the same time is even harder! (Those pics will come in a later post since Bob is still figuring out how best to "develop" them!)

On Friday, it was an overcast day, but we were able to go to the beach before the rain hit to fly a kite. The orange kite was not a success, although it looks like way in the pictures. It was not. We had purchased a striped one at a shop and that was more successful. I don't think Ryan & Kaylie cared too much about it. Maybe next year.

It was a nice, relaxing vacation. They really enjoyed playing with their cousins and being spoiled by Nana. When not at the beach they were painting shells, coloring, playing princesses/mermaids, and eating elephant ears among other junk.

We're already looking forward to next year, talking about things we want to do with the kids, like renting a 4 person bike, and possibly going for two weeks!

Here is the house:

Here is the view from the deck and the sunrises that greeted us each morning.