Funniest things part who knows?

I love when the kids say cute things and I have a few to share. When we were driving to Julie's the other day we were talking about Christmas. Maddie says "can we go boganning in the red bogan-thingy?" Yes Maddie, of course. Then Emma says "will we put out celery and carrots for Santa's rein-goats?" Yes Emma. So cute. Today we were getting dinner ready and the girls help me by getting things from the cupboard. Emma grabbed something and had to move a bag of peanuts. She says "mummy, are you allergic to penises?" I laughed so hard and said "you mean peanuts?" It was hysterical. I also have a pimple on my chin and when I looked in the mirror I sighed because it was still there and Emma says "well just don't look in the mirror, mom." Sigh. Out of the mouths of babes.

Tomorrow is their kindergarten observation so John and I get to go in and see the girls in their classroom and then get feedback from the teacher. I can't wait and they are super excited to have us in their class. Their teachers were flexible and kind enough to accommodate so I can see them on the same day one after the other. It helps that I am a teacher and we communicate through the board e-mail. Looking forward to it!

Royal Winter Fair

We took the girls to the RWF. It's neat to see them change from year to year as this has become a tradition. When they were little they fed the animals at the petting zoo without fear. Last year they wanted nothing to do with feeding them, as they were scared, but they were still very interested in looking at the animals. This year they were back to no fear and fed all of them from the palms of their hands. It was very cute to see their faces light up especially when they fed the llamas. The other highlight of the fair was a cow pooping and a honey stick. Emma brought up the yummy honey stick today! They were able to partake in the interactive games for kids for the first time. One game was to spin a wheel and then tell the employee what sound the animal in the picture made. Both girls got them right (and they were hard, they were snouts of a pig and a bunny's nose). They won an apple. lol. There was also a fake cow they could milk (it was water) and a memory game of the Ontario Wildlife. They are so good at memory; much better than me! All in all the trip was great and we will go again next year.

Gain an hour? Not with little ones!

Clocks went back on Sat. Each year John and I devise a plan to keep them up an hour later in hopes that they will adjust to the time change. Well the time change cannot compete with their little internal clocks and they've been up at 6 the last two mornings. It takes about a week for them to sleep til 7:30 again. Oh well! I love the mornings when they snuggle into bed with me and tickle my face. Emma is the best cuddler. Maddie will sometimes, but has to be in the mood. She prefers to watch tv out in the nook. Needless to say they were pretty cranky when I picked them up from Julie's today but didn't sleep in the car, surprisingly. They are still loving school and Maddie asks me "where are we going after bed" meaning where are we tomorrow, school or Julie's? They love both places equally. They went to Church for the first time with Julie and her family and loved it. Emma especially loved Sunday school. John and I aren't religious but we don't mind the girls going as they can decide for themselves as they get older. For now they love it. I will try and be better at updating more often!

Halloween is a comin!

The girls are well-adjusted at school and loving every minute of it. The teacher in me wishes the kids would channel this well past grade 6! Their teachers are lovely. Very different but both offer them something. Apparently at recess they run to each other and hug. Sometimes Emma has asked to be in the same class as Madison, but overall I think they are ok with being in different classes. I am happy with this decision.

Halloween is coming and they are super excited. They are being princesses, again. This is their 5th Halloween and they have been princesses all but once and only because John and I made the decision for them because they were only 9 months! lol Oh well perhaps they will outgrow this once they are in high school! ha ha! They have had fun picking out pumpkins and apple picking and all the other fun Fall things that are offered. They get along well most of the time and i overhear the sweetest conversations between them. Today Emma got really angry at Maddie over a toy (it's always over a toy) and then later she went over and said "coochie (term of endearment they made up) do you forgive me?" and Maddie said "um, I will have to think about it" but then a minute later she said "I forgive you coochie" and they hugged. All without my intervention, so it was authentic. Love when that happens!

I hate my sister!

Yikes, I've been a referee all morning between the girls. Emma crumpled one of Maddie's fairy pictures and Maddie growled and screamed at the top of her lungs "I hate my sister and I will never ever be twins with her again!" I knew I shouldn't laugh but could barely contain myself. It was just so cute and funny! 5 minutes later and they were best buds again. Ah the life of a twin mummy!

I bet the girls' teachers at curriculum night. I left my school right at the bell, dashed to meet up with their teachers and then back down to my school as our curriculum night was on the same day. Crazy! The girls are in good hands. Their teachers are quite different, one is very new and the other is a teaching vet but they both bring a lot to the table, which is great. I made sure not to ask the dreaded question that I cringe at during my own curriculum night and that is "how is my child doing?" Way too early to assess, the point of the evening is to review the curriculum, not give a parent-teacher interview. So I didn't ask but they did volunteer that both girls are fine and part of the zipper club (one of the few kids that can do up their own zipper)! lol THey can recognize letters and colours etc and there are no issues at this point. Phew!

An Actor in the Making?

Madison is quite the character these days! Tonight John was scooping out some rice for her and she said "I don't want that brown pork stuff on it dad" and she said "it's sauce, it's there because the pork was on top of the rice and I can't take it off." So the kid puts the back of her hand up to her forehead and says "oh the pain, the pain. The pain of sauce on my rice" all dramatic-like! John, Emma and I were on the floor laughing. It was so funny!

Both girls are super tired since school started. We have been putting them to bed earlier than usual and they still sleep right through. It's an adjustment, that's for sure! They are equally excited about getting up to go to Julie's or kinder, so that's a good thing. Tomorrow they have to be up early. John has a meeting downtown so I am dropping them at my friend's house as her son goes to the same school so she will get them there. They will be tired but such is life! The first week and a bit of school has gone by very fast!

Kinder is a big success so far!

The girls love school. They love their teachers (although Emma, at one point wanted Maddie's teacher because she is "prettier" yikes)! They are making crafts and reading stories and they go out for recess. It's really neat hearing them talk like big kids. I am so happy they are enjoying school. They still love going to Julie's on alternate days, which is great. Emma is ready to move up to a booster seat (Maddie needs to gain 10 pounds before she can get into a booster and this has her heartbroken, poor thing)! Meet the teacher night is next week but it's the same night at my own school so John will go. I will meet their teachers the next day. So proud of my grown-up girls!

Kinder is a big success so far!

The girls love school. They love their teachers (although Emma, at one point wanted Maddie's teacher because she is "prettier" yikes)! They are making crafts and reading stories and they go out for recess. It's really neat hearing them talk like big kids. I am so happy they are enjoying school. They still love going to Julie's on alternate days, which is great. Emma is ready to move up to a booster seat (Maddie needs to gain 10 pounds before she can get into a booster and this has her heartbroken, poor thing)! Meet the teacher night is next week but it's the same night at my own school so John will go. I will meet their teachers the next day. So proud of my grown-up girls!

First Day of School!

Well they did it! They made us so proud and ran right in to kindergarten full of excitement and joy. No tears. John said there were a lot of kids crying, but not our girls. He got a chance to speak with Maddie's teacher and she said Maddie is super ready for school and was a great listener. He took pictures of both girls with their teachers. They were only there 100 minutes but they did a lot including crafts and a story. I am so happy they had a great first day. Their first full day is on Thursday. I bet they have just as much fun if not more!

The Night Before Kindergarten!

Well we're here. My babies are going to kindergarten. They are excited. Maddie said she is a little shy but is looking forward to making friends. Emma seems happy to go when I ask. I am floored that they are in school. What a milestone. I don't remember my first day of kinder but some people do. John will take them in since I have to work. Can't quite call in a supply teacher on the first day of school! It's just as well seeing as I would be a bawling, crumpled mess and make them anxious! They only go in for 100 minutes so their first full day is Thursday. I also have my yearly mammogram scheduled at 6 pm so I will have to call them to find out how it all went. I am so proud of who they have become and they are lovely little ladies who I love more than anything! Good luck to my girls as they venture out into the world! Wah!

Kids Say The Funniest Things

Gearing down the end of summer and getting into the headspace that I will soon be at work and more importantly my girls will be in school! SCHOOL! Wow. Unreal. They are so excited and I know they are more than ready. I am so glad John will be taking them that first day. As much as I want to be there for this huge milestone there is no way I can call in a supply on the first day of school and I will be an emotional wreck so it's just as well. They only go in for an hour on the first day. First full day is Thursday Sept 9th.

Yesterday Emma says to me "mummy I want to wear oyster lotion like you so I can have soft skin and smell nice." I said "oyster lotion?" and she nodded. I am usually pretty quick to figure out what they mean by now but this one took a bit longer. I finally realized she meant moisturizer lotion! lol Oyster lotion. Too funny. I shared this with my friends and one of them said her daughter called anti wrinkle cream "uncle wrinkle cream"! Yet another friend said her son said he has to go to the dentist because the navel on his teeth is weak (enamel)! ha ha! So funny!

Promises Promises!

This morning while snuggling in bed with the girls Emma asked why I don't want her to grow up. I said because when you are 15 you will hate me and not want to be around me and say mummy go away. She looked up at me with the saddest face, her huge eyes wide as ever and said "no mummy, I would never, ever say that or think it or say it because I love you so so much." About 10 minutes later when I wouldn't give her a donut for breakfast she said "then I will say go away mummy!" So much for that promise!

Tonight I made spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and Maddie took a bite and said "not bad mummy, you did a great job. Congratulations!" ha ha! So cute. The girls are in camp in the mornings only this week and they really like it. I realize they are ready for school even though I am still in shock they will start kinder in a few weeks. When they are home with me in the afternoons they get along for the most part but their fights are epic! Madison will scream "that's it, you are not my sister anymore. Go away!" And Emma will run to me and tell me what Madison has done, meanwhile they are both culprits! That's not going to end any time soon! So when they do play together it's wonderful!

August 10 2010

Couldn't come up with a better title! lol So the girls are in Kinder Camp all day this week. It's a program through Parks and Rec that gets them ready for kinder. They love it, especially the water games. They make neat crafts, including a guitar made out of a water bottle, empty kleenex box and elastics. Emma's fell apart but she was very mature about it. Maddie has been playing hers all night. Maddie's backpack weighs more than she does and I always think she's about to tip over each time she puts it on. They look like such little girls now, growing up so fast and ready for school. Wah! I am happy for them as they are excited, but can't believe they start school soon (which means I am back in the classroom soon)!

Tonight after dinner Emma says "I wish mom and dad only had one girl" and when we said which one she said Maddie! ha! Not sure where she was going with that comment but it was funny. The girls are getting along well, it helps when they aren't sitting at home all day with not a lot of activities. They are with me for the last 3-4 weeks of the summer so I will be sure to have lot's of activities and outings planned. It just makes for a more pleasant day and minimizes the fighting. The more experience I have with parenting the more I sound like my own parents! lol

Super Summer

Wow, have I fallen behind in my updates! Blame Facebook. I frequently write stories about the girls on there and forget to post them here as well. This one is the imp. one as this is the one I will be able to print for them and put into a book. So, what's been happening? We've been having a great summer. The girls were at Julie's for a few weeks in July and then they went to daycamp which they loved. They have been home with me and next week they start another full day of camp and then will be home with me again. John is taking the last week of August and first week of Sept off and we will do some short trips, nothing fancy. The girls are playing really well together for the most part but they can have some crazy fights and those fights drive me crazy! I guess as adults we can see the solution to most of their fights, but they are not at that level of maturity (sharing, just walking away etc). They can get pretty crazy, with Maddie chasing Emma around threatening to hit her or asking me to please send Emma away somewhere! And Emma will sort of growl at Maddie and it's loud and she gets right in her face. If I had to pick right now, I would say that Maddie is actually the more physically violent of the two and she is also about 10 pounds lighter than Emma! Emma is definately the louder one but not as much of a hitter. Maddie gets consequences right away when she hits and for the most part she doesn't make contact but usually it's because I am there to head her off at the pass. But when they play together it is lovely to watch. Yesterday they built a campfire and had their pillows and blankets out and were pretending to roast marshmallows. The day before they each had binoculars and a flashlight and were on treasure hunts and were rescuing their stuffed animals and dolls from various scenarios! So cute!

Yesterday we went to the grocery store and there was a firetruck and two firefighters in the parking lot. The girls waved and the firefighters waved back. Then they yelled out to the girls to see if they wanted to see the truck. The men were so nice and both girls got to sit behind the wheel. They patiently and thoroughly answered all their questions which included "why are there so many things that stick out on the truck?" (the switches) and "why is your horn so loud", "why is the truck super red", "why are you wearing big yellow boots in the summertime" "where is your jacket" "what are these things" (suspenders) and I could go on and on. He even let them step on his toes and kick the boots to show them how thick they are. The girls were very interested and as we thanked them and walked into the store Emma called back and said "I am going to be a fire girl when I growed up!" Ahhhhhhh!

Island Fun and First Sleepover!

Yesterday we went with our good friends Jon, Nicole and their son Ben to the Island. It wasn't Toronto Island, but an island close to it. Jon's parents have a boat and they go over most weekends in the summer. It was so much fun and the girls loved the boat rides (3 in total). Emma is fearless and wants to climb to the very tip of the boat and look out. Maddie is more cautious but super enthusiastic with a big grin on her face the entire time. Whenever we passed another boat my girls would yell "ahoy" and wave. They always got a wave back. Super cute. We spent all day there and got back to TO around 9. Needless to say both girls were exhausted and fell asleep in the car and didn't even wake when we transferred them to bed (we were smart and brought their jammies with us). This morning they wanted me to make them a map for their pirate ship and they still wanted to wear the lifejackets we borrowed! What a great day.

Today they are at Auntie Julie's and they are having their first sleepover at her house tonight. Julie wanted to take them to Rhett and Kristina's soccer game and she asked if they could sleep over after. She was planning a campfire with marshmallows. The girls are super excited. I miss them, but I know they are in great hands. John and I went to dinner and a movie and I can't wait to get up and get the girls tomorrow! It will be nice to sleep in though! They will be so tired with all this excitement!

Boy crazy at 4

So Em says today "I can't wait for the tadpoles to turn into frogs." I ask why (fully knowing her answer) "so I can kiss me a prince." I explain she doesn't need a frog, she just needs to find someone who treats her well and loves her and she says "but mum there are just no little boys in this town." Good grief, I am in big trouble when this girl's hormones kick in. Should I research some convents now? Yeesh! Maddie just giggled in the back of the car and said "I will marry Rhettsy." At least she is consistent!

Fun in the Sun

It's been a great first weekend of summer for us. We had a bbq on Canada Day, Jenn's b-day party on Sat and today we went to the splash pad for about 3 hours. The girls had fun playing with some other kids at the park and the ice cream truck came and all the kids beelined it over to the truck. It's hard to say no to them when I wanted one too (as did John). Then we came home and the girls splashed around in the kiddie pool in the backyard, played in the sprinkler and fished with their fishing rods. They were zonked and headed to bed early tonight. As I was tucking them in Emma says "mummy, you are the best superhero, not daddy. When I asked why she said because I smell nice, my skin is soft and I save kids from scary cities and really big trucks". Quite the eclectic criteria for a superhero!

Marriage and McDonalds!

Interesting conversations in the car ride to daycare today. First we were talking about marriage (I can't remember how it came up). Maddie said she would marry Rhettsy and Emma said she would marry Kai. I said they could marry whoever they want, as long as they are happy. Emma asked why and I said it's important to be happy. So then she says "then I will make cakes because I'm really happy when I make cakes."! Then Maddie said she would like a Shrek watch because Rhett has a donkey watch and Kristina has a Fiona watch. I said "they got them at McDonalds (the Happy Meal toy) and we don't eat McDonalds" to which Madison responded with "no, no, no, mummy, we don't eat the watches, we put them on our arms!" Thanks for clearing that up, Maddie! lol

Why are you the boss?

This was a funny conversation that occured while Maddie sat on the toiled and I told her it's almost time to get ready for bed.

Maddie: "mummy why do you always get to be the boss, the boss, the boss. When is it my turn?"
Me: "when you are bigger and have your own kids."
Maddie: "yeah, and then you will be little and I will be your boss and I will boss you and boss you and boss you forever!"

Ha! So cute!

Girls and Marriage!

Emma to Maddie "I really want to marry Kai."
Maddie: "he is too big" (meaning old as Kai is 9).
Emma: "when I am all growed I will marry him."
Maddie: "I'm growed now. See? I big."
Emma: "no, u small, you will marry Rhettsy because he is small too."

Ha! Love it. Later they were colouring and Emma asked if I liked her picture. I told her I did and she said "I'm going to give it to Kai because I love him." I asked her why she loves Kai and she said "because he plays games. Big boy video games like Mario and Pokemon." So funny!

Growing up!

Every so often I look at the girls and I realize how fast they are growing. They are such little girls now and can write their names and zip things, do up their backpacks etc. They can even put themselves in their carseats. Do they need me for anything? WAH! But, they still love to cuddle and give hugs and kisses and tell me about their day, so I am still needed for those things! When they have nightmares or are sick they want their mummy. There is something to be said for the feeling I get when the girls scream out for me in the middle of the night in fear, and the mere sound of my voice or pat on the back comforts them. That's what mama's are for, right?

Dad and Dolls

Maddie had a low grade fever today so Emma was playing dolls by herself. She asked if I would play with her, but I said no since I was comforting Maddie who wanted to be held on the couch. I suggested she play with dad to which she responded "I don't want dad to play dolls with me because dad doesn't speak girl!" Ha ha! Ain't that the truth!

Interesting car ride today!

This morning Emma wanted to wear this blue dress that she loves. Knowing it would be 35 degrees out, I told her I didn't think it was a good idea as she would be too hot. She insisted and I decided it wasn't a battle I wanted to take on. After daycare when I was driving her home, the little poppet says "mummy, I should have not worn this dress, I was too hot. I'm sorry I wasn't a good listener." Yes folks, you read it here. My 4-year-old apologised for not listening to me. It might be the last time I hear those words (as well as the first) but they were spoken and I couldn't wait to document them!

Maddie had a rough car ride home. She was super tired and so cranky. At one point she said "mummy, stop bothering me. Everyone is bothering me. I want you to just go away. You are not my mummy and daddy is not my daddy and I don't want anyone to talk to me anymore." Geez Mads, tell us how you really feel! A mere 3 seconds after this lovely exchange the poor thing was sound asleep!

Smashed potatoes

Emma told me today that for lunch she had "smashed" potatoes but she didn't really like them! So cute! We went to the girls' kinder orientation yesterday. We got to go to 4 different rooms and experience some activities similar to what they will be doing in the Fall (yikes, still cannot believe my baby girls will be in school in just over 3 months)! They were so, so excited. Beyond excited. Emma ran in without hesitating and Maddie wanted mummy to go with her because "I'm a little bit shy of the teacher" as she put it. She kept looking for me when all the kids were sitting on the carpet. Hopefully the first day will go smoothly. Both of them answered a question (correctly) during the Read-Aloud and Emma was so excited about one of the books that she practically lept onto the teacher's lap! They got to cut and paste, make shapes out of playdough and practise their letters with magnets. They each got a goody bag full of fun things that can help them learn over the summer. They are bending over backwards trying to prove that they are big girls, and are doing a great job!

"That looks like dad"

We were walking in the mall the other day and Maddie says "that looks like dad." The man she was referring to looked nothing like John so I said "why does he look like dad?" and she said "because he has sharp hair, just like dad." She meant a buzz cut (or bald). So cute!

A Rite of Passage for little girls!

The other morning the girls came in just after 6. Since I don't technically need to get out of bed until 7 on weekday mornings, I told them it's too early and they can either cuddle in bed with me quietly, or go and play. They chose to go and play. I did not fall back asleep but I was resting peacefully and could hear their voices and giggles in the distance. At 7 I get up and start walking to the end of the hall as I know they are in the computer nook. I look on the ground and see a tuff of brown hair. My heart stops and I pick it up and realize it's Barbie hair. Phew. I get to the end of the hall and see two VERY guilty faces with something behind their back and a whole lotta human hair on the chair. I say "oh no, what did you do" and Emma says "we did a haircut." I said "on human hair or on barbie hair" and she says "two of them." I didn't need to ask as it was obvious from the gap on the right side of her head and her uneven bangs, that she did, indeed cut her own hair. When I showed her in the mirror what she had done she said "I want my long bangs back" and I said "well, that's what happens when you cut hair." Gotta love natural consequences. Makes my job sooooo easy! When I told John he said "did you put her in time out?" I proceeded to laugh and said "John, cutting your own hair is a rite of passage for girls everywhere. Find me a girl who hasn't done this and I will put her in time out!" lol So far, he hasn't found one! We still can't figure out if Maddie's hair was cut. Hers is wavier and hard to tell. She pled the fifth when I asked her (went mute, couldn't get her to admit anything)! Smart kid!

Kinder registration, stickers, colouring and AWWWW!

I went to the girls' kindergarten orientation yesterday at their school. I have a great feeling about it. The principal and teachers all seemed very warm and genuine. They have a big focus on teaching through the arts (drama, dance, visual arts) and a lot of hands-on activities and not so much pencil and paper deskwork. We officially decided to put the girls in different classes. I really think it's best at this point and we can always re-evaluate after JK. I asked the girls if they want to be in the same class or if they want different classes and different teachers and they both picked different, so that made it even easier! But they are very different and Emma can be very bossy (which will serve her well in a lot of ways) and Maddie needs to shone on her own with her own friends. I can't wait for them to start as they are so excited, but at the same time they are growing much too quickly! I can barely pick Emma up anymore : (

Maddie got her third sticker and was able to go to the store. She picked out a Hello Kitty tin with gummy candies and she shared them with Kristina and Emma. She was SOOOOOO excited (for those not in the know, Maddie is the only kid at daycare who has not earned enough stickers to end up with a walk to the store! lol She is so stubborn. But she finally got it and was beaming when she told me. So maybe she will be more into the earning reward through good behaviour system!

When we got home from daycare the girls were colouring at the table while I was on the computer. Emma turns to Maddie and says "what wonderful colouring Maddie." Maddie responded with "thanks Emma. You need to colour in the lines!" Gotta love the honesty!

Tonight John and Emma went to pick up dinner. Maddie wanted to go too and John was putting her in the van when she said to him "no dad, I will stay home. I don't want mummy to be alone. I just want to cuddle with her so she isn't by herself." AWWWWWWW! So sweet!

The girls are growing up!

Over the last couple of days I have really started to notice the girls are growing up. Sometimes they will do something and they seem almost mature! Yesterday Emma asked if it's her turn to get out of the car first (Mon/Wed/Fri it's Emma's turn to be first, make dvd or book choices, be the helper etc and Maddie's days are Tues/Thurs/Sat). I told her no, it was Maddie's turn because it's Tuesday. Usually this would create a big whine/fuss/exaggerated sigh etc but instead she said "ok mama, my turn is tomorrow." I looked at her my mouth gaping open and said "thanks for being so mature about it Emma." She then asked me what mature was and I said "when you do things that are responsible like being a good listener." Since then, I have noticed that both her and Maddie are being helpful, good listeners, playing well together! It's been great!

A friend of mine who was deciding whether or not to have a baby used to ask me a ton of questions. We would have these great discussions that would go on for ages as she tried to decide what to do (for the last few years in fact). She once asked me "what if there is something wrong with them (as in physically or mentally) or what if they do bad things and are really bratty with temper tantrums, or are so high energy and break things" etc etc and my answer, after some reflection was "it won't matter" and she said "why?" and I said "because when you have children, you love them unconditionally and everything else falls into place." I'm happy to say that my friend is currently expecting her first child! I guess I convinced her! ha ha!

Maddie on the Mend and Emma writes her name!

Maddie was much better today. Seems whatever it was has passed (I still think it's a dairy allergy or intolerance). She keeps asking why she threw up and wonders if the bug in her tummy has gone home! lol When Emma was sick I told her she had a tummy bug and she thought it was literally a bug running around in her tummy and wanted it to get out and go away! I had a tough time explaining I meant virus, not crawl-around bug! Ha! Maddie asked why she needed a bucket by her bed (so you don't throw up on any more sheets my dear)! She hopes the throw up doesn't come back!

Emma has been going through this emotional blackmail phase, as I like to call it. When I leave to go running she hugs me and says "you can't go running because I want to hug you forever!" Or if she wants something and I say no she will say "if you say no than I am not your daughter and you are not my mummy!" Harsh! The other day she wanted vegetable soup and we were all out of it (and I was cooking something else, I don't cook more than one meal) and she said "then I will never eat anything again!" I tend to just smile when she says these things (or maybe more of a smirk) because I know it would be disastrous if I give in, so I never do. I think she has picked up on this now for the most part! lol

Today Emma wrote out her name in chalk on the sidewalk. Julie says she is super ready for kindergarten. Maddie has a harder time, but her name is longer and a capital M is hard too. She gets frustrated but Julie and I both remind her that her letters are great and it just takes practise. She draws amazing circles! Maddie is better at circles than I am!

Mother's Day 2010

Not the day I expected but such is life. My day started early, at 2:30 a.m when Maddie came in because she had thrown up. She proceeded to throw up all night, and had diarrhea. At 4 John brought her downstairs and I got a couple hours of sleep before getting up to run 11 km (training for a race in 3 weeks). John was going to take them for breakfast thus giving me some time alone, but that didn't happen due to M's illness. So I got home and John took a nap. I proceeded to do 5 loads of laundry as Maddie had soiled all of her bedsheets and clothes. I took both girls to swimming lessons (Maddie was much better this morning) and she napped again in the afternoon on the couch. Emma was very off tonight so I am assuming she will come down with it too, if it is indeed a virus. Oddly enough, Maddie had cow's milk last night, which we don't drink. Same with Emma when she threw up in London. I am becoming more and more convinced that the girls are lactose-intolerant. I will be more strict about dairy and see how things progress.

The girls made me beautiful cards and I got a great one from John as well. They gave me a gorgeous crystal bracelet that was made by a woman battling breast cancer. I also got some pink roses. I am exhausted now and heading to bed (it's only 8 pm)! lol

From the mouths of babes!

Every night I tell the kids a bedtime story. I make these up and some days they can get quite elaborate and the girls get a big kick out of them. Last week we were driving Auntie Julie up to the church and Emma asked if she could tell her one of my bedtime stories. I said of course and so she started. This story, in a nutshell, is about an abominable snowman who wants to eat children but Maddie and Emma convince him he should eat veggies (I try but it turns into cake) instead. So Emma is telling the story. Halfway through I turn to Julie and say "wow, she is really good, she is telling it word for word the way I say it." No sooner do I say that when she gets to the part about what the abominable snowman eats, and instead of saying he eats cake Emma says "and he eats daddy's stinky peanut and mummy's stinky vagina." Yep, the giant hole to swallow me up could not have come soon enough. Thank goodness Julie has a sense of humour and she was laughing so hard tears were streaming down her face the entire car ride. I said "on my children's lives that is NOT part of the story!" She believed me and Emma was giggling in the back as if she had planned the whole thing. Cheeky monkey!

How to Train a Dragon

Took the girls to this movie today. It was in 3D and a cute movie (John liked it more than Princess and the Frog)! They were really into the glasses but Maddie kept taking them off. Every once in awhile Emma would stick her hand out and you could see she was trying to touch the image to see if it was right in front of her.

Yesterday was Wonderland and the girls had a blast. They are like night and day when it comes to rides. Emma will go on anything and everything and Maddie prefers the swans! On the way back we drove past a hospital and Emma said "mum, I never met that building before!" Ha ha! So cute!

Surprise Guest at Auntie Julie's!

We pulled into Auntie Julie's driveway today and I said "Maddie, who's car is that?" I watched her eyes light up in the rearview mirror and she stuttered "I think... I think... Mummy, I think it's RHETTSY! RHETTSY is here!" Sure enough Rhett and Zoe were there today (they are normally in school full time but Rhett had a PA day and Zoe wasn't feeling well. Both girls were super excited I had to remind them to give me a hug and kiss goodbye!

We are going to Wonderland tomorrow and they are very excited. I am curious as to whether Maddie will go on more rides. She tends to want to go on them but once she is on she gets scared. It may be different this year, we shall see!

Advice for my daughters when they are older

This is a great piece of advice that a friend of mine, Angie, posted on Facebook today. I thought I would copy it down for my daughters when they are old enough to (gasp) date!

Find a guy who calls you beautiful instead of hot, who calls you back when you hang up on him, who will lie under the stars and listen to your heart beat, or will stay awake to watch you sleep, wait for the boy who kisses your forehead, who wants to show you off to the world when you're just in sweats, who holds your hand in front of his friends. Who thinks that you're just as pretty without make-up on, one who is constantly reminding you of how much he cares and how lucky he is to have you...The one who turns to his friends with a smile and says, "She's the one!" - Unknown

And never lose yourself in the pursuit of someone else. He will like you more for it. - Angie Evans :)

Pancakes, swimming and skating, oh my!

The girls had a busy day today. They woke up and around 8 went for pancakes with John while I went running. Then he took them to the indoor playground at the mall. They got back around 11:3o and then we headed to swimming at 12. I took the girls to swimming. They were both hesitant about putting their face in the water. At the end Emma was jumping by herself onto the noodle, but Maddie wouldn't. She is still a bit nervous in the water. After swimming, I stayed home while John took them skating. He said Emma skated by herself and Maddie stuck to the push-thingy (what are they called)? They got home and we made dinner and baked some cookies. Needless to say they were zonked and went to bed early. Emma came out of her room a few minutes later and said her belly hurt. I was worried but turns out she just needed to poop. Limiting her dairy seems to have helped as there have been no throw ups or diarrhea this week. Yay!

Emma definately has a dairy issue

So John gave Emma ice cream (forgetting the whole no dairy thing) and she complained about her belly shortly after and had major gas. She didn't have a lot this time which is probably why she didn't throw up or have diarrhea. So that is even more confirmation that she is lactose-intolerant either forever or because of this virus she has had. That's easy to fix and I am not a big fan or dairy anyway, so it's just as well! lol She has a lot more energy, is less clingy and is almost back to herself.

At daycare yesterday as Maddie was saying goodbye and closing the door she said "oh mummy, wait" and I turned and said what is it and she said "keep smiling!" So sweet!

Poor Ems

So Emma threw up again, and this time it was in the hotel in London. We were there visiting Jasmine, Adam and their new 14-week-old baby, Ava (such a cutie pie)! I am thinking that her tummy bug from a few weeks back may have triggered an intolerance to dairy. She had cows milk (chocolate) and ice cream at the restaurant, and we don't normally drink cows milk. Around 6:00 she was complaining of a belly ache (in the morning). I was sleeping in a bed with Em, and John was in the other bed with Maddie. I knew she would throw up as that has been the pattern; she complains about her belly and then vomits shortly after. Her blood work and stool sample came back with nothing, so I am leaning towards eliminating the major allergens and see if there are any changes. This is what the doc recommended as well, so we are starting with dairy and then gluten. If I were a betting woman I would say it's dairy, but time will tell.

Other than that the trip was pretty good. The girls were initially excited about the hotel but did not want to sleep there (which is why they ended up in bed with John and I). It was a pretty restless sleep and Emma is a mover and a talker (I talk in my sleep too). At one point she had her feet at my head, and she flails her arms every which way (usually landing on my face)! lol It was pretty amusing. Maddie is the worst sleeper as she is so restless when she can't sleep. She bangs her head against the bed (or her feet, depending). I could hear John whispering very sternly through clenched teeth around midnight "if you keep moving you will be sleeping on the chair!" John ended up moving to the chair for a bit, that is how bad it was. So needless to say when we came back for John's golf game this afternoon, I was home with two very, VERY tired and cranky girls. It was all I could do to keep it together. I had a mantra going "they are very tired, they are very tired, they are very tired." It kept me from screaming at them. By the end of the night they quieted right down (no more fighting and whining) as they were too drained! That was kinda nice! They didn't fight bedtime at all, and tucking them in was super fast. I hope Emma makes it through the night without throwing up! Fingers crossed!

Daddy John the Superhero

This is more about John than the girls, but they should know what a hero their dad is. John was driving down our street tonight and he saw a 6-year-old boy running through the streets bare foot and in pyjamas. He was expecting to see mom or dad close behind but realizing the boy was alone, John pulled over. When he got close to the boy he realized this was a child with autism and so he called the police. He entertained the boy and held him there (the boy had a silent alarm bracelet but I guess it wasn't activated in the home). The police arrived and apparently the mom had just called in that he was missing, and she was frantic! I bet she is so grateful that John was there and that he was quick to realize this boy was alone and needed help! Emma and Maddie are lucky to have a hero for a dad!

Emma still not quite herself

Emma hasn't thrown up in over a week (phew) but she is still a bit weaker and clingy. She isn't anywhere near listless or lethargic so that's good, but she isn't 100% yet. She wants to be carried a lot, and she normally would walk around and is usually a lot more independent. Hopefully we get her test results back soon and they show that everything is normal! Poor thing!

Maddie can now pronounce her "f"'s! Yay! She usually says "p" in place of "f." The other day she said "can you pass me the movie with Flik on it?" and I had her repeat Flik 4 times! Then I asked her to say fun, friend, Frank! lol At first she went back to "p" but when I modelled it for her and reminded her my lips stay open she was able to do it. She was so proud of herself and we are so proud of her!

Time to catch up

This is the third attempt to post this, so it will be shorter than the last two! I haven't posted in awhile as Emma has been sick for a couple of weeks and we are both pretty tired! She is on the mend and we should have her blood work and stool sample results back. Fingers and toes crossed that everything is ok!

Had a great day with the girls today. It was sunny and we played outside with scooters, sidewalk chalk and hopscotch. Then we watched John play hockey and the girls enjoyed that. They also liked playing video games at the rink. We came home early as Ems was tired and wanted to get them a good night's sleep before tomorrow. After the night time tuck-in which includes me singing them a lullabye Maddie says "mummy, when I grow up I am going to sing that lullabye to my baby." Melted my heart!

Test

Having problems posting. This is a test.

Time to catch up

I have been remiss in posting because Emma has been ill for a couple of weeks. I've been pretty exhausted so didn't feel like blogging! We sent in some blood work and stool sample and her b/w came back with a few things higher than normal. We should know more this week so keep your fingers and toes crossed.

Had a nice day with the girls today. it was sunny out so we played on the scooters, drew with sidewalk chalk and played hopscotch. Then we watched John play hockey. The girls liked watching John and especially liked playing the video games. We came home early so they could get a good night sleep. Even though Ems is on the mend she is still pretty tired from nights of interrupted sleep. After the nightly tuck-in routine which includes me singing them a lullabye Maddie says "mummy, when I grow up I am going to sing that lullabye to my baby too." Melted. My. Heart!

Time to catch up!

So I have been remiss in posting lately. Lot's going on, including a sick Emma, who was throwing up off and on for over two weeks. She would be fine in the day and then vomit at night, or be find for two days and then off the next. We took her to the doc and they ordered a blood test and stool sample. John took her in for blood work (he knew I would be too anxious about it and she would pick up on that) and he said she was a very brave little trooper. She resisted at first but knew she had to get it done. Results came back with a few things higher than normal, we should know more next week once the doc analysis her poop.

Had a great weekend with the girls. The weather was nice today so they rode on their scooters and drew with sidewalk chalk (hopscotch too, which is super fun)! Then we watched John play hockey. They did well and came in third. The girls enjoyed watching their dad and also playing all the video games. Emma is still pretty tired so we left early to get them home for a good night's sleep. After our nightly routine which includes me singing them a lullabye Maddie says "mummy, when I grow up I am going to sing that lullabye to my baby too." I teared up and told her how happy that would make me and how much I love her! Emma said she would sing it too! Told her the same as I told Maddie. The thought of my girls having babies of their own one day is thrilling and yet I don't want it to happen too quickly! lol

Back to normal!

Monday was the first day back to work after the break, but I stayed home due to the girls being ill. We finally got everyone on the mend and back to the regular routine. I picked the girls up today from Julie's and they were beaming with excitement! They had gone outside to play and they saw bugs and they poked them with sticks! Apparently this is uber exciting for 4-year-olds! Equally exciting was the juicy orange they got to eat and Maddie chimed in with "and I got to eat lot's and lot's of broccoli!" Yes, my kid adores broccoli! So much so, that last night she threw a bit of a fit because we didn't have broccoli for dinner (we were having noodles, at her request)! She is funny, she is VERY set in her ways and stubborn (sound familiar)? This morning she decided she wanted pancakes, which she has every Sunday with John. I explained that today was Wednesday and we wouldn't be having pancakes and she went into her "want pancakes now" routine in which she reverts back to being a 2-year-old! I calmly told her she needs to speak in her big girl voice because she sounds like a baby. She then slid under our dresser and decided she wouldn't come out. All of this happened before she even got dressed for the day! Sigh. She finally snapped out of it and then she was happy as a clam! Strange!

As I was getting ready to run tonight Emma says "you can't go running mummy because I love you the best and you need to stay here and fight the crocodiles!" Uh-huh! They always ask to run with me and I tell them when they are older they can so Emma says "when I all growed up I will run too, like this" and she proceeds to run around our bedroom! Too cute!

Sick kiddies are now on the mend

Emma and Maddie caught some sort of bug. Saturday morning at 3 am Maddie came into our room as she had thrown up in her bed. She threw up again at around 3, 9 and repeated the whole thing the following night. Sunday Maddie seemed to be on the mend and then it hit Emma. Emma didn't get it as badly as Maddie, but she still threw up twice yesterday and was very listless. I stayed home today to make sure they were over this thing and to ensure they didn't pass it along to the little kids at their daycare. It is now 3 pm and after a bout of fighting (a sure sign they are better) they are playing happily in the fort I made them. When they were fighting I gave them a warning that if it kept up I would take the fort down. I walked over a few minutes after and Maddie says "see, we are playing. She is smiling and I am smiling. Emma is happy and I am happy. See? See? We are friends. Don't take the fort down!" lol

In spite of their illness, we had a nice weekend with my parents who were here Sat- Mon. It was reassuring have them here with the girls being sick as they are parents and have been through many rounds of us sickies! I tend to panic, and this was the girls time they had thrown up in 4 years (not including spit up as babies) so I was a tad worried but they are fine now.

Gorgeous March Day

We had another gorgeous day today. I think it reached 20 degrees. It was a tad cool in the wind in the morning, but other than that beautiful! The girls and I kickstarted our day with a trip to Loblaws to get groceries. They were very good listeners the whole time and it was a real treat having them help me choose the fruits and vegetables (their faves are strawberries, blueberries, pink lady apples, broccoli and baby carrots). After dropping the groceries off at home we went to the park. The girls had a blast and we were there 2 hours. Emma came over to tell me that one of the big boys didn't want to play with her and it made her cry. Poor thing! Maddie would call out to me each time she got through the tunnel "by myself!" as this was something she could not do last year. Huge difference at the park. I could actually sit on the bench and watch them without fear of them falling off or getting tousled around when the bigger kids play "grounders." After a fun day we went home and watched The Princess and the Frog. Love that movie, as do the girls. Another great day of March break. It's going by too fast! Tomorrow we head to the "snake zoo" (the Metro Zoo) as Emma likes to call it!

Maple Syrup Festival

We took the girls to Bruce's Mill to see the Maple Syrup Festival with Jenn, Jeff and Kaitlyn. It was lot's of fun and a beautiful day (17 degrees woo hoo)! The girls got to go on a pony ride, a wagon ride and touch the animals in the petting zoo. Funnily, none of the kids wanted to touch the animals. With age brings a certain fear. Emma and Maddie used to pet any animal when they were 2 and 3, but now they are more aware I guess and therefore more hesitant. We then walked through the forest to see the maple trees and sap buckets and we got to sample some of the syrup. I couldn't eat it, I had a lick of Maddie's, but the girls all drank it like a shot! Gross! I mean it was good, but super sweet. Then we ate lunch at a picnic table and bought some maple syrup and maple syrup lollipops (oh, and fudge for John and I) at the store. All in all it was a great trip and we will definately go again next year. We will go earlier so we can sit down to pancakes. The line up was way too long so we skipped that part.

After the festival we stayed home and watched Princess and the Frog. I love that movie, and the girls needed quiet time. After dinner they had a bath and then went to bed without too much stalling. They were zonked! Great March Break so far and still a few days left!

4 year olds say the funniest things!

I was singing in the car today and Emma says "mummy, can you stop? It's ridiculous and disgusting." What a little sass! It was so funny. I may not be a Canadian Idol contender but surely disgusting was a bit harsh! lol We had a great first day of March break. Lot's of time to play with their new toys. The weather was nice so we got outside for a bit. Tomorrow the girls and I are going for pedicures as part of their birthday present. They are very excited for Beauty Shop!

Yesterday we enjoyed a fun day at the ROM. The dinosaurs and gems went over really well. Emma hurt her finger (it was a papercut) and later she said she doesn't want any more birthdays because when she grows up she gets owies! lol So cute.

Maddie was out of sorts for a few minutes today and she picked herself up and went under the dinning room table with her blankie and her bookies. I asked her what was wrong and she said she just wants to be by herself. A few minutes later she came back in and was totally fine. Cute!

What a great 4th birthday party!

The party was a huge success. What a great place to have it and the girls and their friends were the perfect age. They started off colouring a chef's hat (made of paper) that they got to wear. Then they got some pizza dough and they got to roll it into a pizza crust and put their own toppings on. Both Emma and Maddie said no to the cheese they were offered. They both don't like to eat cheese on it's own, but don't realize that they eat cheese every time they eat a slice of pizza. So I snuck some on when they weren't looking. Maddie ate every bite and she said it was yummy. Then each kid got an 8 inch round piece of vanilla cake and they put icing on it and got to decorate it with a piping bag (different colours) and candies. The decorating part was hilarious. The girls tended to focus on colours and patterns and all the boys put their icing and candies into these huge mountainous piles. The organisers said it happens every time! Must be something in the chromosomes! It was such a great place because the kids were engaged the whole time. There were no meltdowns and they were busy creating pretty much the entire time. The presents they got filled an entire shopping cart and took us the rest of the afternoon to unwrap and (in some cases) assemble. There were a few meltdowns this afternoon but overall the girls were very good. They were tired by mid-afternoon. Too much excitement as they had their musical right before their birthday. That was good too. Most of the kids didn't say much but Maddie and Emma rhymed off a few of their lines. The kids were all pretty shy but the teacher said this happens at every performance and it's just good to get them used to performing in front of people. Tomorrow we are off to the R.O.M to see the dinosaurs and then family and friends are coming over for another birthday celebration. We get to actually eat the cake that the girls decorated! Yum!

1 more sleep until Em and M are 4! Party is today!

The girls woke up this morning around 6:50 but played in their room until 7:30 (I so love that they do this now)! Maddie must have asked me 10 times in 5 minutes what time her birthday party is among other questions she fired off without pause. Here is how the conversation went:

"Mummy, is it my happy birthday today?"
"Well Mads, actually your real birthday is tomorrow, but today is your party with all your friends."
"Oh. What time is my happy birthday party?"
"It's at 11, after you perform your Lady with the Alligator Purse show."
"What time is the show?"
"10"
"What time is the birthday party?"
"11"
"What time are the candles going to be there?"
"Not sure, maybe 12:30 or so?"
"What time is my birthday party? Is it NOW?"
"Nope, you have about 3 hours"
"And when are my candles going to get there? What did you say mummy? Is it now that my candles are going to be at my happy birthday party with all my friends, and my presents, and Rhetsy and Auntie Julie? And are there going to be muffins, I mean cupcakes or big cakes? Will the icing be pink or purple? Are we making pizzas mummy? I want lot's of peppe-yoni but just a little cheese and no green things. What time is the party, do we get to go now?"

She is one excited little girl! Emma is excited but much more subdued about it. She is more interested in being the star of their Music class show (she is Miss Lucy and knows all her lines)!

2 more sleeps!

The girls will be 4 on Sunday. Wow, wow, wow. I still cannot get over it. I guess the passage of time is something that flits by, especially once you have kids. I am excited for them to embark on this new phase and yet it is bittersweet, as they really are little girls, and not babies or even toddlers anymore. I know, I know, I say they will always be my babies, and they will. But they will become more and more independent of me and that will be hard. I love the cuddles, hugs and kisses and the fact that they still want "up" (I remember when it used to be "uppie peas" instead of "can I come up please mummy")? But since I can't stop it, I will try and embrace it. They are super excited about their birthday party. They had a mini one at daycare today and then tomorrow will be their party with 12 of their friends and on Sunday we will celebrate with just our family. Emma will be so excited to get her Queen Clarion (please send vibes that she doesn't lose the darn thing within a day) and hopefully Maddie loves her mermaid Barbie (the kid changes her mind within minutes)! Tomorrow they are also performing in their musical, "The Lady with the Alligator Purse." They know all their lines, it's just a matter of whether or not they decide to perform on demand! It's right before their b-day party. Tomorrow will be a very exciting day!

Emma's loyal to her grandpa!

Emma was being super cute today slurping her cereal and milk. John said "Emma, you are so cute" and Emma said "do you want to marry me?" and John said "yes, Emma, will you marry me?" and Ems replied with "no dad, I really like grandpa."! Maddie chimed in with her desire to marry "Rhetsy" (a.k.a Rhett) and she said "I will marry him but I won't kiss him." John was happy with this arrangement but I asked why she wouldn't kiss him and she said "because Rhetsy doesn't like kisses, he runs away. But can I hug him mummy? You think that would be ok?" Ha! So Maddie is chasing boys to try and kiss them already! Yeesh! What will the pre-teens and teens be like?

5 more sleeps until they are 4!

The girls are very excited about their upcoming birthday party. Whenever it is mentioned they say "we are going to make pizza and decorate a happy birthday cake!" I have heard great things about the place we are going to, so I hope it turns out well. Emma has been so consistent with what she wants for her birthday: Queen Clarion and a purple barbie with a purple horse. After finally successfully completing Operation Queen Clarion (only available for purchase in the states. I had it shipped to a friend's friend in Chicago, who my friend was visiting last week so she picked it up and will deliver it to me this weekend) I managed to track down purple barbie with her purple horse. Miss Maddie on the other hand changes her mind all the time. If she sees a commercial for Strawberry Shortcake she wants that. If we are watching a movie, she wants whatever character is in the movie. I can't keep up and she is so inconsistent. I finally got her Barbie mermaid, which she has asked for a few more times than any other item, and Buzz Lightyear. Let's hope those gifts go over well!

6 more sleeps!

My babies will be 4 in 6 more sleeps. I find it so hard to believe! Sometimes I look at them and marvel at how grown up they are. They get dressed themselves, and understand and respond to so much. And yet when they are tired, curled up and cuddling on my lap, or want to be carried up to bed and tucked in, I remember that they are still my precious babies, and I hold on to them literally and figurtively. I know that one day in the not-so-distant future, they will be too big to sit on my lap, or they won't want to. So every time my Emma or my Maddie want to snuggle up on the couch I drop anything and everything and cherish every second!

Maddie has a crush

My cousin Dan is in town from Madison, and our own Madison is quite smitten! She followed him around the entire visit and this morning she asked if he would be coming with them when their dad takes them out for pancakes. I told her yes. 5 minutes later she came to me and asked:

"mum, is the funny guy who sleeps in grandma and grandpa's room going to sit beside me?" and I said "his name is Dan and you will have to ask him." So cute! We got a great picture of them snuggling together on the couch. She will for sure throw a fit when he leaves tomorrow!

I ran in a 10 km race today and I came in first. There were only 20 or so people running, but still, I will claim that first place! I ran it in 54:45 which I was ecstatic about as I just wanted to break 60 min. I can definately improve in the next race because this was a fun run and I wasn't implementing my true race style (faster in the beginning for example). I told John to go for pancakes with the girls as is their usual Sunday routine, but I regretted not having them there to cheer me on at the finish line. Oh well, next time.

When John took them to the mall today they ran into Old Navy and Emma hugged the mannequin family that is on display in the front of the store. So cute! She also said she would marry John (it's always grandpa) when she is older, after her Happy Birthday.

Interesting bedtime conversations!

During tonight's tuck-in at bedtime Maddie says "mummy, do all humans get dead?" Not quite what I was expecting considering our normal routine consists of stories about princesses, cuddles and kisses. I asked her what she meant and then she went on some strange tangent about Tarzan and subsequently forgot her original question, so I've dodged that one indefinately. John and I are very honest with the girls but we keep things age appropriate so as not to scare them and so they understand what we are telling them. Yesterday at a friend's house Emma asked him about the tattoo on his arm. He hesitated as he did not know if he should tell her it's a tattoo (he doesn't have kids yet but his wife is expecting a girl). I told him to tell her the truth. Kids absorb a lot and are aware of a lot, no point in lying to them. But I wasn't about to have Maddie worry that all humans get dead! That's a conversation for another time.

Emma and I were watching the cross country 50 km marathon during the Olympics. There was a skiier way out front ahead of the rest of the pack. I guess she couldn't tell if he was in front or behind because she says to me "I think that fella is lost!" So cute. She also asked if dad (John) was my husband and I replied that he was. She then says "did you get married in the marrying castle with the kiss of true love?" to which I responded "um, yes, I suppose we did!" lol

Great job mama!

Tonight's dinner was a big success for all three family members. I made brown rice pasta with tomato sauce with ground turkey. John said "this is so good" and them Emma chimed in with "yeah mama, great job, this is really yummy. You did a good job so you get to sleep with my favourite puppy!" So cute. Maddie ate a huge bowl and wanted more but then decided she wanted some of John's birthday cake so she couldn't fit in any more. All this after both kids said they didn't want any dinner! Ha!

Great job mama!

Tonight's dinner went over very well with all three family members. It was brown rice pasta with ground turkey tomato sauce. John said "this is so good" and Emma chimed in with "yay mama, you did a great job. This is so good you get a treat. You can sleep with my favourite puppy!" Aw, how sweet! lol Maddie inhaled it too, and all this after both saying they didn't want dinner, just cake (John's birthday cake). So they only had a few bites of cake because they were full from mummy's yummy pasta!

Dad's Happy Birthday

It's John's birthday tomorrow and the girls are very excited. They know that with birthdays there is usually a cake. It's funny because even though they go on and on about cake, when they are actually served a piece, they never finish it and tend to just pick at it (and of course, mummy finishes it)! I told them we are getting dad golf shoes but that they can't tell dad it's a surprise (he already knew what we were getting him as he picked them out himself). So what do they do as soon as they see him today? "dad, we have a surprise for your happy birthday. We got you golf shoes." Good thing I wasn't really expecting them to keep it a secret. But to play along I said "Emma and Maddie, you ruined the surprise, we weren't supposed to tell dad until tomorrow". They looked a bit forlorn and Emma said "how about we pretend that dad's happy birthday is today." Well that works, but we don't have any cake!

The girls have taken to giving me one of their toys in the morning and I am to take it to my school. It's quite touching as a few times I have had the privilege of taking their favourite things. Today I got Emma's holiday barbie and yesterday I got the dog that Maddie sleeps with. If I forget to put it in my purse, they always remind me and get really upset if I've actually forgotten to bring the item into my work!

Outdoor Skating Rink

On one of my runs the other week I came across an outdoor week within a few blocks of our house. Of course John ran right over to check it out. The town of Aurora maintains it and there is even a hockey net on it. It is quite a large size. We haven't been able to go on it lately as it's been too cold, but yesterday with the mild weather we decided to try it out. It was great fun. The girls still use their skating trainer thingies but they are getting more adventurous and using it less and less each time. This rink was less slippery than the indoor rink, so that helped, but it was a lot bumpier so it made for a few spills. After a few minutes of skating they got John's hockey stick, and the stick of another child who wasn't using it and they started shooting it into the net. They would yell "he shoots he scores" and John would correct them with "she shoots she scores" (my dad would be proud)! They had a blast. After that wore thin they decided they wanted to put their boots on and roll down a nearby hill instead. They were laughing hysterically while doing that and had a great time. They came home with big smiles and rosy cheeks. I love when we do active things as a family. I hope they find something they love to do that keeps them healthy and fit. They already want to go running with me when they are bigger. I hope they do, I think that'd be great fun!

You are not my mummy!

Emma can be a bit of a bear when she wakes up in the morning. This morning she was not a happy camper when I asked her to go to the bathroom. For some reason she refused and I calmly explained we wouldn't be getting her dressed or leaving for Julie's until she has tried to go pee. She proceeded to flounce around on the bathroom floor and then she said "you are not my daughter, only Madison's daughter" and I said "actually Emma, I am yours and Maddie's mummy, you are my daughers now and always." She then said "no, you are not my mummy, only Madison's mummy." I asked her why she said that and she said "cause you are not a nice mum you are a mean mum." I said "I'm sorry you are feeling that way but I am not changing my mind, you need to try and pee. A few minutes later she was fine, went pee and we were on good terms! She is so flightly! lol

On the way to Julie's we started talking about how we would be able to clean the outside of the car together once it is warmer. I asked if they would like to help wash the outside with buckets of soapy water and then Maddie says "and a peach?" It took me a minute to put it together but I remembered she calls the sponge in my parents bathroom a peach. So I said "yes, you can scrub the outside of the van with a peach!" Ha! So funny!

Turtles and Frogs

Maddie was watching me brush my teeth this morning. She asked me to spit. When I was finished I cleared my throat and she said "mummy, you have a turtle in your throat!" I laughed as I knew she meant a frog in my throat. I have asked Maddie before when she has phlegm in her throat if she has a cough and she has said "no mama just a frog in my mouth!" So cute!

The girls are still in swimming and really enjoying the lessons. Maddie finally put her face in the water after 1.5 sessions! Her instructor even said that she has improved so much from the first day, so her confidence is definately improving.

Emma is so proud that she is ready for kindergarten, she reminds us everyday after she has zipped her own jacket or put on her boots by herself. We have put their names on masking tape on the floor of our mudroom so they line their boots up every day when we come home. I still have mixed feelings about them getting bigger. I am so very proud of who they are now and they are so much fun, but I love them at this age and want it to slow down a bit! When they go off to school in Sept I will definately be a wreck, but a proud wreck!

Bedtime Stories

The girls love when John and I tell them stories at bedtime. We always read them books but they ask for "a story from your mouth, no book" and so we spend a few minutes rattling off a story about Princesses Emma and Madison. Last night the girls were in hysterics because John named the Princesses Memma and Adison. It was hilarious how funny they thought it was. Throughout the story he would switch the first letter of each name, so I was "dom" and he was "mad". It was funny. I always include a crocodile, hairy beast or octopus in my stories (at the girls' request, of course) and in my story the girls fight over who will get rid of the villain and then they decide that it's better to share the slaying of the beast. Ha! After John's story last night (which was VERY funny) he ended with ...and they lived happily ever after the end. The girls were in an uproar because he forgot to include the part about the crocodile etc so he added that in and they were happy.

We've been watching the Olympics at every chance we get and the girls love the figure skating and the ski and snowboard races. They choose an athlete and decide that is Emma, Maddie, Mummy, Daddy or Auntie Julie. So in one of the races when someone fell they said "uh oh, mummy, you fell" (funny how their athletes never fell. Harumph)! It seems that if an athlete is all in yellow, then it becomes Auntie Julie. I am anyone with "yellow" hair and they are anyone with brown hair. Dad is an obvious male athlete (with some it's hard to tell). They get such a kick out of this game!

Emma wants to marry...

On our way home from daycare today Emma said "can I marry grandpa in the marrying castle when I get bigger?" I said "um, well, you will have to ask grandpa" and she said that she would! Too funny! Maddie is still upset that we don't all pack up and leave for Ottawa the minute she wants to go, but she is much better today than yesterday. I packed te Benadryl for her so she is good to go once she seems the cats. Poor thing loves them and is allergic to them!

I've been noticing lately that Emma needs everything quiet and no distractions in order to concentrate on doing up her zipper. Maddie does it in a flash, but Emma is easily distracted by other things that are going on and then she is unable to focus. She then can't do it or she splits the zipper and she gets frustrated. Julie and I are encouraging her to take deep breaths and it's cute to watch her actually do this. Once she is focused and no one is talking around her, her mood becomes calm and she can do it. Fascinating. She may be like me in the sense that she can't read something unless there is total silence! I'll be the one in staff meetings when we have to read something for professional development that has my hands over my ears to block out the people around me who are talking!

Superbowl 2010

I have absolutely no interest in football but I do love an excuse for a gathering. We had some people over for the Superbowl. There were 7 adults, 5 kids under 4 and a 3-month-old. It was lot's of fun. We let the kids stay up and that meant mine got to bed at 10 (that is my regular bedtime)! They were wild by 8 pm and all 5 kids were running around and around the house giggling, hiding followed by taking a small break. The girls went all day today without a nap and of course within a minute of our house (literally on our street) Emma falls asleep. I carried her in, took her boots off and put her on the couch (still in her jacket). I tried waking her 3 times but she was out like a light, poor thing. We finally got her awake and she was not happy. She went right to bed within a half hour so she was exhausted. Maddie napped a little longer in the car but was still very tired. She had a major meltdown before bed because she wanted to leave for Ottawa today to see grandMA, grandPA, Rocky and Bailey. I managed to calm her down (barely) by telling her I would read her 3 stories on mummy's bed (this is a big treat, apparently) before bedtime, so that worked well. The cuddle and the stories seemed to work and my little girlies are off in slumberland as I type.

My friend Nicole, who was at our house yesterday and has a son, Ben, is visibly pregnant. As Emma sat on my lap she patted my belly and said "mummy, can you put a baby in there too?" I said "do you want mummy to have another baby" and she said "yes please." I told her she would have to share me with Maddie and the other baby, and share her toys too. She said that would be ok. I asked her if she wants to be a big sister and she said she did. I then broke it to her that I was not ready to have another baby but maybe another time. She seemed ok with this. Nicole is trying to get Ben (who is 3) used to her baby, who is due in July. When asked if Ben would share his toys with the new baby he said "no, I want to throw the new baby in the garbage!" Uh oh, they are in for it! Ha ha! She asked Ben what they should name the new baby and he said "Thomas" (after Thomas the Train) and Nicky asked what if it's a girl to which Ben replied "if it's a girl we name it Oatmeal!" Kids are hysterical!

Feb 5th

Not much to report for this past week. The girls are happy and as fun as ever. They really enjoy entertaining each other by dressing up in full princess regalia which includes the dress, shoes, veil, gloves, ring and purse. Today they played Cinderella and the Stepmother. Maddie was happy to be the stepmother to Emma's Cinderella. But their story had a twist as Maddie would pretend to clean up but in the movie it's the sisters. They have the gist of the story though. Emma said "the glass slipper doesn't fit the sister because they are mean inside. But it fits Cinderella because she is nice." Sweet! They are still stalling at bedtime but not by much, and they are nowhere near as difficult as some of the stories I hear from other mums. They were very tired tonight and apparently Emma had a big tantrum at Julie's today. Julie said she has never seen her do that before. She worked herself up to the point of gagging. We have only seen her do this a few times and it's not fun. She gets so upset. And then she was fine. But they were both tired enough that they went to bed early with no problem. Let's hope they sleep in tomorrow as it's Saturday! Ha, fat chance!

Registered my babies for kindergarten!

The girls are officially registered in Junior Kindergarten. I can't quite believe it. It seems I blinked and almost 4 years have gone by. My dad once told me in my mid-twenties that life goes by really fast especially after you have kids. How true. The line-up was fast. My type A personality made sure I was there well before 9, so I was about 6th in line. This means I should get my request for Tuesday/Thursdays and alternate Fridays. I also need the girls and their friend Ben to be in school on the same days. This should work out too as per the receptionist. Ben's mom will be picking the kids up after school and I will be taking all 3 kids to Julie's on alternate days. It's a great arrangement and the girls and Ben are already great buddies.

The girls were very tired after Julie's today. They were up late last night as Ben was over for a playdate but got up at 7 for daycare. Maddie was asking to go to bed at 6 but I cuddled with her on the couch and kept her up until 7. She was asleep practically as her head hit the pillow. Emma was a little better but she tends to crash right before bed and gets cranky. They are both very excited about their birthday. I sent a few invitations to Julie's today as she often has the older kids (like Zoe and Rhett) on PA days. We don't see them a lot so I figured I better give them the invites today or else. So that sparked an entire "it's our birthday" discussion where I had to explain "not for another 6 weeks, that's a LOT of sleeps."! Emma wants this Queen Clarion figuring. It's a tiny thing for $12 but that is all she wants. Unfortunately it is only available in the states so we are trying to finagle some sort of arrangement where we get it shipped to someone we know in the states and they send it to me. Crazy! But she never wavers after she decides what she wants. Maddie is the opposite and it varies depending on what she is watching on tv! If' it's Dora, she wants a Dora doll. If it's Ariel she wants baby Ariel. I wish she would stick with one thing! lol I am sure they will love whatever we get them!

Skating Take 2

We took the girls skating for the second time today and it was fun but we had a bit of a cranky-pants in Maddie. She had a nap today as she was just zonked. I had to wake her up to go to the public skate and she wasn't fully awake! lol We went with our friends who have a 3-year-old named Ben. He is a good friend and calls them "the girls!" He told his mom when he gets older he is going to bring "the girls" to Vegas! Yikes! Anyway, at one point Maddie shouted "I want to go home with Ben so we can play right now!" and she sat on the ice with her arms crossed! Too funny. They are doing really well on skates, and Nicole, Ben's mum also said the same (so it's not just me being a biased mummy)! I am sure we will go again next week!

We came back here and watched the Chipmunk movie and had a nice dinner. The kids had way too much sugar (cupcakes AND timbits, I am definately not getting Mother of the Year for that dinner) and were bouncing off the walls until 9:00 pm! They finally got to bed after a busy day. Earlier in the car I told them dad would be bringing them to Auntie Julie's tomorrow because mummy would be saving them a spot in kindergarten. Emma was so excited she started jumping up and down saying she can't wait to go to school! Huh, wonder how long that enthusiasm will last!

Giggling Girlies!

John and I can tell when the girls have crossed over from tired to overtired. They get giggly. Not just a little laugh here and there but super, crazy, drunk-like giggly! This happened tonight around 6:30 but we managed to wait until 7:20 before going to bed. It's funny as when Emma laughs a lot she always gets the hiccups and of course those make her laugh even more. They had a serious case of the sillies when we were trying to put them to bed. They were telling lot of poo poo jokes and blowing raspberries while trying to tuck them in! But within 5 minutes of saying our last goodnight both girls were sound asleep. I couldn't hear a thing and I thought for sure they were still awake since it had literally been about 4 minutes. I peeked in and they were conked right out! There is nothing sweeter than a sleeping little girl, especially my sleeping little girls! I heart those two!

Tomorrow we are going skating again. Ben, Nicky and Jon and coming too. The girls can't wait, they are really excited about going again. We were thinking of getting one of those walker type things toddlers use when learning to skate but I think we will save the $$. They didn't need it last week and we didn't have to bend over all that much so our backs were ok. I am excited to see the progress they make this week. Last week they were fantastic!

Gearing up for Kindy registration

Not sure where the time went but my girls will be starting kindergarten in Sept. Registration is on Monday and I am still stunned that I am in the middle of this whole process. I am happy they will be in school as I think they will really enjoy it. But I am sad because my babies are growing up so quickly. I am grateful that they still want to cuddle with me and they will still let me hold them, hug them and kiss them. Ems still snuggles in bed with me in the morning (Maddie prefers the tv, but that's ok, she prefers her snuggle time at night). They are very affectionate and loving little girls.

They are really into jokes now, specifically anything that has the word "poo" in it. Making toot noises is apparently particularly hilarious. When I incorporate this in my bedtime story I am a big hit even to the point of the girls getting hiccups from laughing so hard.

We have a busy weekend planned including Music class. The girls will perform in the play "The Lady with the Alligator Purse." Emma is Miss Lucy and Maddie is the lady with the alligator purse. Can't wait to see it! We will also go skating with friends and have them to our house after. The girls love skating seeing as they have only been once, they want to go again and again! I am still amazed at how quickly they picked it up. Let's hope round two is just as fun as the first time!

First time skating!

We took the girls to the public skate at the local arena. We had the best time. They started off with total spaghetti legs but after a few minutes they were much more comfortable and the last half of the skate they were doing it on their own. Emma wanted to do it by herself and could even get up on her own after she fell. We think Maddie's skates might be a tad too big but she was amazing on them. They loved every minute and did not want to get off the ice. We promised them we would take them next week and we can go when we are in Ottawa. They looked so sweet with their helmets with cages! Emma wanted to dance and twirl like some of the other people! I said after a few more practises she could!

My little big girls!

My babies are growing so fast. They have just learned to zip up their jackets by themselves. They can officially get dressed for outside on their own! This includes: boots, snowpants and jackets. Unreal! There are some grade two's in my school who cannot do up their jackets. Thank you Auntie Julie! When they zip them, they are beaming with pride and they say "we are ready for kindergarten!" I guess they are and enrollment is in less than 2 weeks! YIKES!

Tonight the girls and I were snuggling in my bed watching a bit of tv while John was out at hockey. Emma said "mummy, you sleep in here with dad?" and I replied that yes, I do. Then Maddie says "and what about grandma and grandpa, do they sleep in the other room? Let me go and check." So she runs to the guest room and comes back and says "no, they not there, they are in Ottawa in their bed with Rocky and Bailey and Santa." Good thing my parents have a big bed as that's pretty crowded, especially with Santa in there too! Ha ha!

Whining, hitting and fighting. Oh my!

We've noticed a slight increase in whining and swatting with Emma (she sometimes makes contact and the swat turns into a hit). It happens when she is tired and when she wants her own way. Julie assures me it is just a phase, as of course my concern is she will be a hitter in kindergarten, and the teachers will have a preconceived judgement on her as a behaviour problem (I've seen this happen at my own school). But, as Julie has said, it may just be a phase. Luckily it doesn't happen often, and she goes right into time out and always apologizes later. When asked what she did wrong, 95% of the time she will say "I hit Maddie" (or whoever it may be) but sometimes she will dig her heels in and say "I don't know" when of course, she does. Still testing those boundaries!

Maddie is on a whining kick, but that has lessened recently (and, like in Emma's case, Julie told us it was a phase, she is so smart and we are so lucky she watches the girls for us)! When she forgets and does whine, we just say "say it again with a big girl voice" and she will.

We are emphasizing problem solving when they fight as well. So instead of putting one of them, or the toy in time-out, we ask them if they can think of a way to share it or play with it together. Surprisingly, they have come up with some great ideas! They put both dolls in the toy shopping cart and pushed the cart up and down the hallway together for ages. Or, if they fight over a toy dog, I'll say "how about the other is a cat and they can chase each other" and they are all for it. So while they are fighting a bit more these days (the weather, being cooped up inside) they are also learning to problem solve.

I guess I won't be retiring early

We asked the girls tonight what they want to be when they get bigger. I was fully expecting to hear "a princess" or "a ballerina" or even "a mummy" (Maddie loves to pretend she is mummy to a plethera of dolls we have around the house). But no, Emma said a "type"-rope walker and Maddie said she wants to blow big pink bubbles. Anyone know what the pay is like for those jobs? Ha ha!

We picked up their kindergarten registration packages. Yes that's right. My babies are going to school this year! I cannot believe how fast the time has flown. John and I have decided to start them off in separate classes if we can (they go on Mon/Wed and alternate Fridays or Tues/Thurs and alternate Fridays). Obviously I want them on the same day for logistical reasons, but if they have a few kinder classes we will put them in different ones. The schools tend to encourage that twins be in separate classes eventually, so why not start them off that way from the get-go. I never worried about mine being in the same class as they really have their own identities and they are not dependent on each other socially, as some twins are. But, I don't want them to be in a situation where there is too much competition, or where a teacher will be comparing them to one another. Imagine "I got an A on my test and she only got a B." Or whatever the case may be. If they have different teachers, the learning environment will be different and it will take away a bit of that competition. Auntie Julie is getting them ready for school so they already know how to get their snowpants, jackets and boots on all by themselves and they can do the whole potty thing by themselves. Yes they have been potty trained for ages, but I would still lift them on the toilet and wipe them. They do that now by themselves. They can put on a backpack and even zip it up. My little girls are growing up. WAH!

Kids say the darndest things part who knows?

I've lost track of how many times I've used this title or a similar title. We were sitting in the parking lot of Shoppers today while John ran in to get a bday card for our nephew. We were talking about how mummy and daddy have other names too (Pam and John). Emma asked what grandpa's other name was and I said "Peter." Maddie chimes in with "oh no, no, no, no, no, grandpa is not Peter, grandpa is a human." I said "of course he is a human and his name is Peter." She says again "oh, no, no, no, no, no he is not Peter Pan he is a human. Grandpa can't fly and he doesn't know Tinkerbell." Ha ha ha! She is a hoot! I said that she was right, grandpa is not Peter Pan and he is a human AND his name is Peter, but she can call him grandpa! Emma would let out a huge giggle each time Maddie said "oh, no, no, no, no, no!"

Swimming Sunday

The girls have been asking since we woke up this morning when we are going swimming. The party doesn't start until 3 so it's been a long day! They were up this morning around 7:30 and went and turned on their cartoons. The tv was loud so it woke me up but it's ok as I was about to get up at 8 to get ready for my Sunday run anyway. The girls are much better at accepting that I go running 3-4 times a week. They see me in my running gear and know where I am going. They have asked a few times if they can go too and I tell them when they are older. I hope they do want to run with me, that would be great.

Emma has been off this weekend which might mean she is coming down with something (it usually does). She is super clingy and seems low in energy. They don't really nap much anymore but I feel today she could have used one. But we are leaving soon for the pool party, so unless she naps on the way there it's not going to happen. Hopefully the distraction of swimming and the party after will be enough to get her out of this mood.

Maddie was cute this morning. I told her she couldn't have a piece of gum and she came over to me, stuck her face in mine and said "I don't like you mama." I said "I love you Maddie" and she said "no, you can't love me because I don't like you." I said "you can be mad at me for saying no to come, but you can still love me at the same time." At this point she gave a look like she was really thinking about what I had said. I asked her if she loved me and she said "I think, well, yes." But it was in a very angry voice! lol So cute!

Musical Monsters!

Today was their first day of Musical Maestros. Not sure what was up with my two girls, but the sweetie pies that are usually Emma and Maddie were replaced by these horrific, whiny, cranky-pants! At one point when I was trying to get them dressed, to the washroom and out the door for class I had had it with Emma (who was not listening and not co-operating when getting dressed). So I said "I'm leaving, and you aren't ready so you can stay home with dad" (who was upstairs sleeping as it was his sleep-in morning). I went out to the garage to start the car (knowing she would think I was leaving) and when I came back, she was sobbing so hard that she was practically convulsing and was definately dry-heaving! It reminded me of when she got the H1N1 shot, I thought she would vomit! This kid really works herself up! She has only done this a handful of times, when I first started time-outs, when she got the shot and today as she obviously thought I was leaving without her (little does she know that was never my intention but I admit I wanted her to think it was). So I calmed her down and asked her if she was ready to be a good listener and ready to get dressed and she said she was. She later apologized. It's funny, as I never force them to apologize. Why bother, as they are only saying it because I am forcing them to, they don't mean it. But both kids almost always apologize for whatever major infraction albeit they do it hours later. Maddie often does it at night! It's almost like she is confessing her sins before bed! lol She will say "sorry I hit Emma and then sorry I spilled my chocolate milk" and I have to think for a second to when she did that. "Oh right, ok Maddie, thanks for saying sorry." But when they say it of their own accord, I know they actually mean it. So hours after the class was over, Emma came over and said "sorry I wasn't being a good listener." Sweet! When we got to the class it was a bit strange. They had no problem when we started dance class and swimming classes. They ran to the instructors without even noticing I wouldn't be there. But this morning, Maddie was clinging to me and Emma wanted up (saying she was shy. Yeah right. I could think of a thousand adjectives for Emma before using shy to describe her). They didn't want me to leave even when I assured them I would be in the lounge. And this is the same building that they went to for dance. They are with two of the same kids, but something was off with them today. They eventually went, but when I picked them up after the class was over, Emma said she didn't want to go back. I asked her later in the day if she liked it and wanted to go again and she said yes, so maybe she will be more into it next week. I hope so!

Tomorrow is Makua's second birthday party (Makua is my nephew) and it is at a pool. I told the girls that mummy and daddy would be swimming with them tomorrow and Maddie says "ok mummy, you can go but dada has to watch." I asked her why and she said "cause dada don't have any hair." I asked her why that mattered but she didn't explain it to me, she just kept repeating he has no hair so he can't go swimming. It's funny how their minds work!

First week after holiday!

We survived the post-holiday week back to work and daycare. The girls were excited to see Julie and Bruno (I was much less excited to go to work). Julie has been taking the girls out in the snow and she pulls them around in the sled. They also love to make snow angels and their favourite thing is to make "tracks" in the snow with their footprints. Emma has really become attached to this toy fairy that Kristina, her friend at daycare, has. She holds it all day long and often has it in her hands when I pick her up. She always gives it back to Kristina and asks me if she can have her own. I have gone to 5 stores looking for this thing over the last few weeks and no luck. I am going to try and track it down online for her birthday. The girls love watching the Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas cartoon and they sing along to all the songs and say all the words. It is the cutest thing and Maddie is particularly fond of it. She can actually turn on the tv and dvd by herself!

They loved their swimming lesson on Tuesday. They are in different classes: Maddie is in Sea Turtles and Emma is in Salamander. They have the same instructor though, Andreas. Emma has all boys in her class and Maddie has all girls. I had to take them to their first lesson by myself, one was at 6 and one was at 7. Maddie and I sat and watched Emma's lesson first. If I had a dollar, no, if I had a penny for every time Maddie asked if it was her turn yet during that half hour I would be able to retire comfortably! But she was good, other than that slight annoyance! Then Emma and I watched Maddie's lesson. I had packed a snack for them and as Emma munched on her snack she said "this is like the fuatre" (theater). "We are watching Maddie at the fuatre."

They are fighting a lot more over toys and things, and they take turns antagonizing each other. It's grating on our nerves at times, but a normal part of raising children. We are still finding the counting system extremely effective and the girls know if they hit each other they go to time out without warning, and if they fight over a toy the toy gets a time out. Let's hope this system lasts!

I watched Dateline tonight and it was the story of the little boy, Sean, who was kidnapped (parental kidnapping) by his mum when he was 3. His dad fought for his son to come back to the US for 5 years (the mum actually died and they still didn't return Sean to the US). Anyway, the story was devastating, but the father and son are now reunited and the dad has full custody. I cannot imagine being separated from my girls for that long. Heartbreaking! Sometimes when I am annoyed with the girls or I don't want to play barbies with them (barbies is so boring, people) I think about people who have lost children, and it puts a different spin on things. I get a little less annoyed and playing barbies on the floor for a few minutes doesn't seem so horrific, I look at it more like time spent with them. I tell them I love them all the time, but I know actions speak louder than words, so I want them to feel they are loved. If that means playing Barbies with them, or reading them the same story for the 50th time, I will do it gladly!

Girls and Video Games

As I type I am watching the girls play a wii game where they race on cows. They are fiercely competitive already! While playing each one is cheering for themselves (Maddie screaming "go Maddie" and Emma doing the same for Emma). They know who has won and the non-winner puts the controller down and slinks off into the corner and gets very upset and angry. John and I have told them umpteen times that it's just a game and it's for fun but they haven't internalized this yet.

The girls had their first day back at school today. They missed Julie and were happy to be back. Julie said they had a great day and were very well-behaved, playing with the other kids. They were tired when I drove them home. This morning when I was getting them into the car, Maddie said "it's too early for this girl mama, I tired!" I thought for sure they would nap, but nope. As for me, my first day back was fine but I am already looking forward to the March break!

Day 3 of 2010

I'll come up with more interesting titles as the year progresses, I am sure. Today is my last day of the holiday vacation (I was off for two weeks). It's depressing having to go back but at the same time I am looking forward to getting back into the routine of things. I told the girls they would be going to Julie's tomorrow and they were fine with that. They asked why and I said "mummy and daddy have to go back to work" and Emma asked "why?" (her new favourite word) and I said "to make money so we can live in our house and have food to eat" and Maddie said "food like broccoli?" Yep, like broccoli. I have been enlisting the help of the girls over dinnertime. I have found that they try new things if they have a hand in making it. Emma never ate broccoli but I had her help me make a dressing that we sprinkled over broccoli and she ate all of hers. I couldn't believe it. She keps saying "this is delicious!"

The girls were playing in the playroom today on their etch-a-sketch type toys. Emma came into the kitchen and said "mama, may I have a word?" It was so cute! I said "of course" and it turns out she wanted me to see her drawing. They are both very good at drawing. Maddie in particular as she spends more time on hers and she colours everything in the lines. She can draw whales and faces really well (better than me)!

This is going to be a busy week getting back into the swing of things, and it's a cold one (- 17 and worse). Hopefully it's not too bad Wed and Thurs when I go running. I skipped my run this morning as it was - 24 (winds from the North at 50 km/hour)! The conditions didn't look safe so I gave it a miss. Turns out I could have gone, the other die-hard runners were out there. Next time I will just do it!

Day 2 of 2010

We've had a great holiday this year. NYE we had some people over. We decided the girls could stay up until they started to crash. They lasted until 11! I was amazed. When they are overtired they start to get crazy and wild! Once that happened we put them to bed. They only slept in until 8, which is not much later than normal. They lasted until about noon on New Years Day and then told me they were too tired to do anything so they had a nap. Woke up 3 hours later! I couldn't believe it as they don't tend to nap anymore these days, but they obviously needed a catch up. They keep wishing John and I a Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Happy Birthday! It seems like it's been one celebration after another! My cousin's daughter, Katie, also had her birthday party today at a play gym and the girls had a great time.

Behaviour wise they are still very good. Emma is trying at times as she is quite bossy and gets upset when things don't go her way (sound familiar)? She can grab toys out of people's hands and we have to nip that in the bud. She actually bit Maddie a few weeks ago and Maddie had a bruise on her cheek for a week. Emma has never been a biter, but Maddie grabbed her barbie and she just sort of snapped. She has not done anything like that since and she was very embarassed and remorseful after. They do swat at each other now and then (always over a fight about a toy) and they come and tell me right away and almost always apologize to each other right away, so that's good. They still stall at bedtime, but I don't mind, as it isn't as bad as it has been for some of my friends and their kids. They like it when I tell them stories. Emma says "tell us a story, not out of a book, from your mouth." They like it because the heroines are Princess Emma and Princess Maddie and I link it to the events of the day. They think it's funny when I put on voices and when I mimic them fighting about something. It reminds me of when I was little, my dad would tell stories about Alemap (my name backwards). After that story, they want to be tucked in and then we go through a routine of telling each other secrets. It starts with what we are doing tomorrow (ie. tomorrow we are going to a birthday party or we are going to do a puzzle or whatever it may be) then it turns into a silly secret (ie. dad's feet smell like poop-poop). They think the silly ones are hilarious. We never say them about the girls, only about John and I. Then we have to shoo the monsters, caterpillars, pirates, ghosts and spirits out of their closet (this has to be done by mum most of the time) and then another hug and kiss followed by lot's of I love you's and good nights. It's hard to stand firm with the stalls when it's such a cute time of night.

Emma had a balloon from Katie's birthday to day and she put it between her legs and said "look at my big peanut mummy!" Yeesh, that kid is a hoot! Maddie was super cute at the play gym, she hung from the bar and walked across the balance beam and was beaming herself that she was able to do it. She can be so stubborn at times and yet so sweet and caring. I measured her today outside of our bathroom (there is a mark from last Jan so I wanted to compare) and I said "you are so much taller this year" and she said "and Emma too? What about my sister?"

We have explained to the girls that they will be in different swimming classes this season. Emma is in Salamander which is Tuesdays at 6 and Madison is in Sea Turtles again which is at 7:00. I couldn't get them in at the same time (the 6 slot for Maddie's was all full). It's a real pain to have them at those times, but John and I are so busy ourselves during the week that we decided we had to keep it on the same night. Monday and Fri John has hockey, Wed and Thursday are my running nights, Saturday they have music and Sunday I run again, so Tues is the only night. Oh well, it's only a few weeks. I am curious to see how they do in separate classes and at separate times. So one will watch the other and it will give us one on one time with each daughter.