Update

Sorry I haven't posted in ages, Christmas flew by and now I am taking another online course so it's been busy. Christmas was wonderful. We hosted this year and my parents and sister stayed with us. My stepbrother and his family came for Christmas dinner and it was fun watching the girls play with their step-cousin Valentina, who is about 20 months. Emma and Maddie were really into the whole Santa thing this year and that just makes it so much fun. Emma will tell everyone that Santa is back at the North Hole (yes, hole not pole) making presents for her. They are also cute the way they point to the fireplace and say "Santa comes down there wif presents for me." The break was very enjoyable as John had the same two weeks off as me so we alternated sleep-in days. It is a lot easier caring for two almost 3-year-olds when you have someone there to do it with you!

The girls are at a very fun stage, learning and exploring and asking a gazillion questions (what's dat, what's dis, where does dis go, what's her name etc)! They get along pretty well but of course being siblings they also fight. Emma is much more of a tattle tale than Maddie. Maddie only blames Emma when John or I ask a specific question (who coloured on the couch, for example) but Emma will tattle on Maddie for anything. "Maddie spilled her juice mama" or "Maddie throwing her toy" or "Maddie moved her chair"etc even if I haven't asked and even if it's not an infraction! If Maddie happens to be in trouble for something and I say "Maddie you are not listening" Emma will make a point to say "I listen Mama". Or if Maddie is crying Emma will say "I not crying." It's quite funny. Maddie gets into trouble a lot more, but nothing major, she is just feisty and stubborn (sound familiar)?. She will go in time-out without fuss and "does her time" and then moves on. Emma is a lot more sensitive and she will cry when she gets in trouble and then she will make sure John and I still love her after. She will come over and say "you angry wif me? You happy now mama?" etc. She needs more reassurance.

Overall the girls are very well-behaved (thus far). They are typical almost 3-year-olds but have been quite manageable (I hope I am not jinxing myself). Those who knew me as a toddler or who have heard the stories can probably imagine what I thought we were in for. Mind you it is still early but I was already a handful by 2, so maybe I'm in the clear? Hopefully! I'll keep you all posted!

Sisterly Love

This morning we were getting ready to go to a kids Christmas party through John's work. I was in the bathroom and the girls were playing on our bed. John was horsing around with them and he was playing the "I'm going to get you" game with them. He pretended he was about to get Maddie and before he even touched her, Emma yelled "dad, don't toucha my Maddie" and Madison yelled back "don't touch my Emma" and then they gave each other a big hug! Super cute!

We got to the party and it was so much fun. Rogers puts on a kids party each year, and the cost is a donation for the daily food bank. We brought 4 cans of beans etc and the kids loved just putting the cans in the big box. Then there was a clown on stilts and a bunch of kids standing around him. When the girls walked up he was juggling and he "dropped" one of the balls and asked Emma to put it back in his hat. She did it and everyone clapped and she was just beaming! He seemed to pick up on the fact that they were sisters so right away he gave Maddie a turn. She was a bit shy but then she picked the ball up and threw it! lol Everyone laughed as it was cute and she hid behind my leg but then she picked it up again and put it in the hat and they all clapped for her. Rogers really goes all out for this thing. There are rides (a carousel, dumbo airplanes, roller coasters, bumper cars, jumping castles, slides etc), craft areas, face painting, pictures with Santa and with live reindeer, parachute activities, a live show etc etc. It was a lot of fun and we stayed for over 2 hours but then we had two very tired, overstimulated girls. They slept for two hours this afternoon. Oh, and each child gets an age appropriate present and the girls got a Backyardigans viewmaster, and they spent the afternoon pulling out and putting back in the different slides. It was a very successful outing!

Cheeky Monkeys!

We put the girls to bed at 7, like we always do. The past two nights they have been awake for at least an hour after this, giggling and squealing with each other. Last night I went in at 8:20 and told them it was time for night-night and they are to go to sleep. They were quiet shortly after that but were bears this morning from lack of sleep. Tonight, John and I were happily watching t.v and folding laundry. I thought I heard something so I asked him to mute the t.v. Sure enough, I heard them. We walked up the stairs and we could hear screams, but good, happy screams and giggles. I opened the door and Maddie was sitting bolt upright in her crib with her blankets over her head like a ghost. Emma was standing in her crib as close to Maddie's crib as she could get with her arm stretched out trying to reach her. When I opened the door they jumped into sleeping position and closed their eyes. Nice try girls. I told them calmly but firmly that it was time for bed. Maybe they are ready for a later bed time, but I'm not so sure I'm ready to give it to them! lol

Tonight when we were watching a Christmas special Emma blurted out "I hate Christmas!" I said "what? how can you hate it? That means no tree, no presents, no decorations or Christmas music. Do you still hate it?" and she said "yes but I love presents." Of course you do! The things they come up with. The other day she said "mama, you stupid." I said "what did you say?" and she said "I said you stupid." I said "Emma, do you know what that means?" "No." "Emma, where did you hear that word?" She was quiet and very thoughtful for a moment and then she said "um, grandpa." I said "really? from grandpa?" and she said "no, from Rhettsy." That's more like it! Rhett is the 4-year-old that goes to the same daycare as the girls. I told Emma not to say that word anymore as it is not nice. She said "ok mama." We'll see how long that lasts!

Maddie still wants nothing to do with Santa. I asked her if she thought she was ready to sit on his lap for a picture and she said "no, Emma sit, not Maddie." Way to throw your sister under the bus! I asked her if she was still scared of Santa and she said "yes, he scawy!" Maybe next year!

The haircut

I think it's a right of passage for girls to cut their own hair, or to cut their friends' hair. I cut my best friend Jasmine's hair in grade 7, and I think she returned the favour shortly after. I did not, however, expect it to happen so soon in my own daughter's lives! I picked the girls up from daycare the other day. It was an ordinary day until I stepped inside the house and Megan, Zoe's mum (Zoe is the almost-5-year-old who Julie also takes care of when she is not in kindergarten class) said to me "oh, I was hoping to make my escape before you got here." She said it with a smile and I sort of chuckled and asked why, to which she responded "um, well, it seems my daughter decided to give your daughter a haircut." At this point Emma came running around the corner and all I could see was wet hair up in a cute ponytail. "Oh" I said, "she wet it and everything." To which Megan responded "um, that's not water, that's vaseline." Yes, that's right. Zoe cut Emma's bangs and then proceeded to put "goop" in her hair. Her hair was covered in Vaseline. Nice! Her bangs were totally mangled and her hair looked ridiculous, and of course, I thought it was hilarious! John and I took pictures that we will pull out later to fully embarass her, of course! lol Megan was quite worried that I would be upset, but I assured her I wasn't! It's one of those stories that are worth telling and remembering! But I did tell Emma that next time Zoe offers to cut her hair she is to say "no thank you!"

I had to stay at work last night as it was parent-teacher interviews so John picked the girls up from daycare. I really miss them when I don't see them for a long time, so I called them from the school around supper time. John said "girls, there's someone special on the phone for you." Emma got on first and said "hello?" and I said "Hi Emma!" and she let out the cutest squeal of delight and said "are you mummy?" "Yes, I'm mummy. Are you Emma?" "yes, I Emma, I Emma!" Then Maddie got on and she has such a soft voice and I could barely hear her. So I said "Hi Maddie, can you talk louder for me?" and then she yelled "Hi mummy, hi mummy, it's mummy! Daddy, it's mummy on phone" etc etc. So sweet and it's so nice to get such a reaction from them. They were in bed when I got home and it was all I could do to convince myself I shouldn't wake them up to give them big kisses! When I got them this morning they were very excited to see me and I covered them with kisses! After dropping them at daycare when I was about to leave they said "you come here and take us home?" "Yes, I'll pick you up tonight!" I can't wait!

Getting in the holiday spirit

On the weekend we took the girls to the mall to sit with Santa. Maddie didn't want anything to do with him and has since told us many times that she is scared of Santa. Emma was thrilled and excited to go and sit on Santa's knee. When Santa said "and what does Emma want for Christmas?" Emma said "I dunno, what should I get?" and Santa looked at me and said "um, does Emma like Dora? Princesses? Barbies?" to which Emma responded "yes, all of dem." It was so cute. The next day I took Maddie and Emma back to the mall before it opens as I like to give them a chance to run around when it's cold outside, and they open their indoor play gym, which is great. We walked around and the girls noticed that Santa's chair and decorations were still there but no Santa. So I explained that Santa was sleeping at the North Pole. Just before leaving the mall we went to look one last time, and there was another little girl there with her mum. Emma overheard the girl ask where Santa was and Emma replied "he seeping at the North Hole." Yep, the North Hole! So funny, the other mum and I were laughing.

Although Madison is scared of Santa, she loves all of the Christmas decorations she sees. Auntie Julie put hers up and today and when we got to her house she went to every single one to check them out. She loves Frosty and the mini Christmas trees. I am going to get some decorations for our house this week and we will be putting the decorations and the tree up this weekend. I think the girls will really enjoy doing that. Last year they knew that Santa says "ho ho ho" and they sort of got that he brings presents, but this year they really get it. It will make for a great holiday season!

My Princesses

Those of you who know the girls will already know that they are obsessed with Princesses. They have all the princess paraphanelia and then some. They go to daycare in full Princess regalia etc. So they are bound to want to read books about Princesses. We have a few, and Emma loves one in particular as it has a wand that accompanies it and it makes music when you wave the wand over certain pictures. So last night we were reading the book together (Maddie was only somewhat interested at the beginning) and we got to the page where Princess Jasmine is in the cave of wonders looking for the genie. Emma said "I find genie for her. Mama, can I go in der wif her?" So cute! I explained "no Emsy, the book is a pretend story that we read, we can't jump into books we can enjoy reading them and we can think about them but we can't go into the books. Do you understand?" To which she responded "no"! I don't blame her, that's a pretty complicated concept. Although I think she understood it, she just didn't like my answer.

Once a month or so I treat the girls to a small toy at the Superstore when we are finished grocery shopping. I guide their choices so they don't choose inappropriate or super expensive things. When it came time to choose, Emma chose a Princess purse that came with a fake lipstick, brush, comb etc and Maddie chose a ballerina barbie doll. They coveted these toys and Maddie repeated all day "oh, sank u mummy, sank u, I love it, I love it a lot!" I was nervous that they had different toys as I assumed they would fight over things but they didn't. Each played with their own toy quite peacefully. Emma asked a few times for her own barbie doll but when I explained that she chose the Princess stuff she was fine with that. They both wanted to bring their new things to bed but John and I said no and there was a bit of a fuss but not much. We told them they can put it in a safe place of their choice and they can have them first thing in the morning. So they put them on the pillow we use when we change them in the morning. The next day when they saw them they were just as excited. They definately made the right choice in toy!

Halloween was a huge success

The girls had a great first trick-or-treating experience. We practised before, and when it was time for the real thing, they went and knocked on their first door. They shouted trick or treat well before the home owner was anywhere near the door, and when he did open the door, they marched right into the house. It was our next door neighbour and he thought it was pretty funny. So we had another tutorial after that and explained that they should wait until they see someone before yelling trick or treat and that they should wait on the doorstep. They did pretty well for the rest of the night. They caused quite a spectacle at some houses, with the "oh my goodness would you look at these two, I have never seen anything cuter." Much to John's and my delight! One lady even went in to get her mom to take a look at the twins. The neighbourhood really went all out. One house had a smoke machine, most houses had these enormous balloon-type blow-ups of ghosts, spiders and pumpkins. Another house even had a witch and a ghost on a pulley system. Most of the time the girls were fine going up by themselves (well, together) while John, Daniel and I waited at the end of the driveway, but a few times they needed extra support. Emma was quiet afraid of one kid's costume as it had a face mask and she couldn't see that it was just a child (probably around 7-8 judging by height) under it. But neither twin woke up with nightmares that night so all was good. They got a ton of candy. So much that I gave half to Sue and I brought the other half into work for the vultures I mean teachers to enjoy. I didn't want it in the house as I don't want to give into the girls' demands for a treat. I kept a few in the cupboard for their once in awhile treats. The next morning they asked "where candy?" and I explained that Halloween was over so the candy was gone. They accepted this answer (they won't for much longer) and that was that.

Yesterday when I went to pick the girls up from daycare Maddie was still asleep on the couch. I told Emma to go and wake her up gently. I didn't coach her at all, and she was so sweet. She went over to her and took her hand, touched her forehead and very softly whispered "Maddie, time to wake up." When Maddie woke up Emma gave her a big kiss. This is exactly how I wake the girls up (the odd time I have to) so it was cute to see Emma mimic me. Maddie was not so receptive and doesn't like being woken up (who does) so she yelled "leave me alone" and hurt Emma's feelings. Oh well! Julie says that they are quite sweet to each other at daycare but then they can turn on a dime and one is chasing/pushing/screaming at the other seconds later. Ah, the joy of sibling rivalry!