Snack Traps!

I've been wanting to do a post for a while about the best baby invention ever!!!! The Snack Trap!

These have to be the one indispensable item I have for the kids (aside from diapers and pacifiers) and is the source of so much happiness for them. Before these little traps, I was constantly handing the kids snacks, piece by piece, or having to put them in their chairs just so they wouldn't make a mess all over the house. Now car rides are smoother, the living room is cleaning, stroller rides are almost a breeze...all the while, the kids feel like they are in charge and independent. I don't leave the house without them!

I have two sets of them...one for dry cereal and one more more messy snack. In the mornings they each get a trap of cheerios while I get their breakfast going and get the day started. Saves a lot of whining and grabbing at my legs at 7:30am. Their 10am snack is usually fruit so now days I fill it with grapes, blueberries, diced apple, etc (this would be the messy snack). Afternoon snacks are crackers, chex, rice cakes, goldfish...you get the picture. I can also so more heavy "snacks/lunch" like cut hot dogs and cheese in them for long car rides.

morning cheerios in the closet!

The possibilities are endless. The only draw back is sometimes I can't find where the kids leave them. Because they run all over the house eating, I find them in the strangest places! And sometimes I find more than just snacks in them...those crazy kids!

Super Baby!

Cameron loves to put clothes on...and take them off. She is always carrying a shirt or pants or anything soft around the house trying to put it on her head. She found the bibs the other day and was walking around putting it on and off, on and off, on and off...gotta love repetition! The only thing is she put the bibs on backward so it's sorta like a super baby cape!!

Trying to get the velcro fastened...nice and secure..

Super Baby is off on her Super Rockin' Doggie to fight some baby crimes!!"

Academy of Science

The new Academy of Science opened a little over a year ago just a few blocks from our house. I've always been weary of taking the kids #1 the huge crowds and #2 it seems for older kids, maybe 3yr and up. Well, thank goodness for my fellow twin mom's that have brave the museum before me. Virginia takes her twins all the time and turns out they have this great tots room just for ages 0-3. She graciously let us come along on her membership so we could check it out.

I didn't get pictures because it was so crowded but we started out at the penguin area and the kids were completely fascinated by the swimming penguins. We have a book on penguins so I think they actually knew what they were.

But the best was the tots room. What I really like about it was how contained it all was. Virginia and I could actually carry on a conversation while the kids ran around. It was just big enough for them and just small enough for us.

Cameron and Trevor climbing up into the tree house. They kids loved this swinging bridge...they walked across it over and over and over again

Of course Cameron found the chairs while Timo and Lexi cooked up something good in the boat kitchen.

There was quite a shoving match but both kids got a chance at driving the boat.

I'm not sure if I've mentioned, but Timo loves puzzles so he spent a good part of the time in the puzzle area

Once Cameron found this scuba mask she would not take it off the rest of the time there. Let's not talk about the final scene of trying to put her in the stroller, give her a snack and sneak the mask over her head...not pretty.

One final bye-bye to the sea lions and Mr. turtle.

New Toys!

Our neighbors were having a yard sale last week of all her 24 year old daughter's toys. Everything was $1!!! We stocked up on some great "vintage" toys for the kids. We were able to get a little table and chairs for the kids too. The love to sit there now and have their snack and milk. Cameron just likes sitting the the chairs just her size. And she LOVES the little rocking doggie. It's the first thing she runs to every morning and after she wakes up from her nap. This little toy is also the cause of quite a few shoving matches between the two kids...at least they are learning how to work things out themselves...I hope.


I think it's funny to see the 1980's version of the Fisher Price school bus and the 2000's version. My how toys change over the years. Today's version even has a little wheelchair boy...so pc. And this little kitchen has been a huge hit with Timo, go figure.


Here is Cameron enjoying her rockin' doggie...until the end when she spots Timo drinking out of her sippy cup!

Sock Fuzzies

I know it's an odd thing, but the kids have a new fascination with picking the fuzzies from their socks out of their toes. It's pretty chilly here in SF right now so I'm always putting sock on the them. They now enjoy taking their socks off and hunting for fuzzies! Such concentration...

"I know there are some in there"

"Got one! Now how I just have to get my socks back on..."

"Hum, how do I get in between my toes?"

More Box Fun!

As if the kids don't have enough toys...they have to make a slide out of a box for some fun!

First Carousel Ride

A few weekends ago we met some friends of ours in the park to play and ride the carousel! They were passing through SF, heading home from their vacation up north so it was a good opportunity to get all the kids together. Just by coincidence, some other friends of ours were in the park at the same time and our playgroup expanded! The kids all had a blast playing together and ridding the carousel for the first time. The kids started out in a seat with me but Timo got adventurous and wanted to be on a horsey with Daddy! Such a brave little boy.

Timo making new friends at the park, I have no idea who these people are... and Cameron sticking with her friends...having a little snack with Jasper.

Cameron trying to decide if she wants to ride in the spinning bucket, hum, maybe not. Timo found the chimes and pretty much stayed there making all sorts of noise...um, I mean music...

riding with mommy on the carousel. Cameron just kept say "woha, woha, woha..." over and over again. We had time for one last slide down on the huge side at the park...Timo really loved it even though he doesn't really look it in the pic.

Night Away!

This past weekend, we had the luxury of spending some time together between just the two of us.... i.e., no kids. Sorry Timo and Cameron, we love you guys but it had to be done. We were blessed to have the Wohlers graciously volunteer to watch the kids and took them up on the offer without a second thought. For all of you other friends of ours, we're waiting for your offer too ;)

Sara entered a gingerbread house contest a few Christmas' ago and won a one-night ocean view prize at the Ritz Half Moon Bay. Needless to say, we were waiting for just the right opportunity to use it. We arrived Friday afternoon and checked in to our amazing room overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

We tried to partake in all the luxury the hotel had to offer. That said, the luxuries of sleeping in, leisurely reading the paper over breakfast, and not living on a kid-friendly scheduled were the most rewarding.

The kids had a blast with the Wohlers and didn't even miss a beat, or so they tell us. Thank you Gordon & Lea Anne! We owe you.

Roseola

How can a virus with such a sweet name reek such havoc on a little baby?? Cameron started with a high fever (102) on Sunday night and it continued until Wednesday morning at which point I took her to the doctor. She had no other signs of sickness, just this unexplained fever that wouldn't go away. The doctor suspected she had roseloa and wanted to wait a day to see if the fever would break before running all sorts of blood test. She told me to be on the lookout for a rash to start. Sure enough, her fever broke a few hours later and by bedtime she was getting red bumps on her chest. This morning when she woke she was covered in this rosey rash all over her body.

The fever was horrible! She was so hot, so red and shaking will chills most of the time. All she wanted was to be held constantly, which Timo hasn't liked one bit, and sleep a lot..our poor little baby. She also lost her appetite and lost a few ounces, uhg! But as bad as the fever was...the rash is worse!! The doctor told me she would be somewhat fussy and want to held a lot but that's an understatement with Cameron. She was up at least half the night last night crying, was fussy all morning and cried for 3hour after she woke from her nap today. It doesn't seem like she is in pain, just really sensitive. The moment Timo comes too close to her she freaks out or if I put her down to go pee she will scream or if I tell her no, no for whatever reason, like pulling my hair, she will have a complete meltdown.

I talked to one of my friends tonight, her daughter also had roseola, and she said her daughter wanted to be held constantly. Her daughter had just learned how to walk when she go the virus but by the time it was all over she had forgotten how to walk, she got held so much. The only downer about my situation is having two babies at once. Timothy is in desperate need of attention right now, he is acting out way more than normal. He gets so upset and just wants have mommy to himself. So tonight when Young got home he took Cameron for a bit and I got some good Timo time in with my baby boy.

Again??

I remember when the kids were just happy to pull the clothes out of the drawer! They just have to keep pushing the excitement level to the extremes. This is actually extremely dangerous and we took them out immediately (as soon as I snapped a picture). They are getting bigger so the dresser could fall over on them, yikes!! Looks like Daddy needs to put some baby lock on these drawers too...

Popsicles!

It hasn't really been hot enough here in SF for popsicles but I saw this little popsicles holder at IKEA and had to have it for the kids. I tried it out the other day, making mango coconut sickles for them. Coconut milk is a big food for Cameron's high calorie/high fat diet (yes, we are still trying to put some weight on her).


Their first Popsicle experience went over OK, but not met with the enthusiasm I had hoped for. I don't think they knew exactly what to do with them! They kept trying to bite them but couldn't stand the coldness for very long. And the whole concept of licking it was completely foreign to them. But I think they liked the flavor and ate about half...then we moved on to a much more manageable snack...blueberries and crackers!

Urban Recess

We took the kids to this indoor play space here in SF that I had heard about from a few other moms, Urban Recess. Your first visit was free...we like that! The space was great, just large enough for the kids to really run around but small enough to keep track of them. There were lots of activities for them and a great indoor slide(see video). Timothy found all the pull toys and pulled something most of the time while Cameron, our little dare devil, rode the coaster and slide practically the whole time. She has a total melt down when we had to let some of the other kids ride the coaster!

Oh, and Timo took over the train table...no surprise there!!

I had packed a lunch for the kids and they had a separate eating area just for the little ones. Little tables and chairs along with high chairs and a full equipped kitchen! I thought our kids did really well at sitting in the little chairs and eating their lunch. But it didn't last long...way too much going on in the room to distract them. Don't they look so big sitting at the table and eating??