Come On!

This is Timo's new word...or words. "Come On", or "come om" as he says it. Not sure where he got it from, maybe because I'm always saying that while I'm trying to round them both up to do something. "Come on, get your shoes on....come on, time for a nap...come on, let's get our seats for dinner....come on, let's go!"

Here they are running around the kitchen and I think Timo wants Cameron to chase him around.

Waking Up With Daddy!

Young was so excited to see the kids Saturday morning when they woke up...he climbed into bed with Cameron. She is usually a little slower in waking up than Timo so Daddy climbed in to snuggles with her. I wouldn't try this at home! We're lucky the bed held him....crazy daddy!

Ice Cream Fun!

We took a little ice cream break last Sunday after the kids woke up from their nap. We ordered our ice cream and put a few dips into cups for them. They had more fun just dipping their "poons" into the cup and getting a little taste of something sweet than actually eating the ice cream. I think the cold sensation is too weird for them...strange kids...

I think Timo looks like a little kid in this picture...not my little baby boy!

Cameron really liked the chocolate (surprise, surprise) while Timo was more of the neutral butter pecan fan. (my little southern boy)

Skype!

I don't want to harp on Young being out of town but I'm so surprised on how the kids have missed him. He travels quite a bit with work but is usually only gone a day or two...three days max. And he hasn't traveled in about 6 weeks so I guess during that time period the kids have developed enough to notice Daddy not being around. Typically they only really notice when someone is right in front of them.

Anyway, we decided to Skype last night so the kids could see and talk to Daddy. We've have used Skype before with most of my side of the family in North Carolina but I think the kids thought it more entertainment that a connection with the person they were seeing. But last night they were so excited to see Young on the screen. Cameron was jumping up and down, clapping while Timo just kept saying "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy" over and over. Young sang a song for them, made funny faces and got kisses from both. Eventually Timo just couldn't resist trying to press all the keys on the keyboard so we had to end the call.
Here is a short video of Cameron singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star to Young. I use the work "sing" loosly because only I know she is actually singing. You can somewhat make out the "twinkle, twinkle" and see her head swaying back and forth.

We Miss Daddy!

Young is out of town all week...ugh! Last night, around the time Young usually gets home, the kids were staring out the window saying "daddy, daddy, daddy". Cameron actually got herself so worked up saying daddy that she started crying. I decided to call Young so the kids could hear his voice...worked like a charm. They "talked" to him for a little while and Cameron was happy again. And when I say "talked", I really mean just played with the phone, said "daddy" and "hi" over and over. I think this is the first time the kids have really missed their Daddy...I know it's so hard on Young to be away. Count down till Friday!!

Dump Truck Ride

We have a little hill in our back yard that the kids love to ride their dump trucks down. They ride them down, push them back up, ride them down over and over. Cameron was the one who figured out how to push the bed of the truck up and sit on it and she was the first to brave the "big" hill...Timo was soon to follow. Weeeeeeee!

Tents and Tunnels

A fellow twin mom gave us these great tents and tunnel after her kids had outgrown them. We don't really have that much space for them but we set them up in the hallway so the kids could test them out. I feel bad because Cameron was coming out one of the side doors and hit her head on the wall...poor baby. But the kids love climbing in and out of the tents, through the tunnel and out again. We only set them up every couple of days to play with because of how big they are, so the kids think it's a fun treat!



Even more fun when Daddy climbs in the tent with us!!

We Have A Rash!

Sure enough, Timo's Rosella rash came out last night and exploded today. He as been sooooo cranky! I can't wait for this to be over so I can have my happy little boy back. I feel like he has been crying all week long, it's so sad. I hope today was the worst of the rash and he'll be back to normal tomorrow. Praying!!

Can Man

Timo raided the grocery bags the other day before I put it all away, grabbing all the cans. He loves to roll them across the floor and stack them up. This day he decided to make it a bit more challenging...stack them up on the garbage can. He got 3 high and then knocked them over, crashing to the floor. (now the rims are dented up and hard to open) He also enjoys stacking them when he is in the shopping cart or throwing them out of the cart to the floor...which isn't so bad unless it's a glass jar..."clean up in isle 7"!

Roseola Again??

We think Timo has roseola now. He has had a unexplained fever for two days now and super duper clingy/fussy. We've been watching Thomas the Train over and over again because it's the only thing that calms him down. And Cameron has been such an amazing little sister. She has played happily by herself, brings her brother juice or snacks, kisses his head when he is crying and doesn't seem to get jealous that I'm holding Timothy all the time. Such a difference from when Cameron is sick...Timo gets so jealous and doesn't play well by himself.

Anyway, he should be getting a rash in a few more days...as I recall from when Cameron had this, the rash will make him super duper cranky! Good times!!

Potty!

Yes, we are on to the next stage of toddlerhood...potty training! Well, sort of...we have the potties. I know what you're thinking..."they're only 18mo old!" Yes, I know but Timo has been showing signs of understanding his poop and pee pee so we thought we would get the potties just to have them when he was ready. I hear boys are much harder to potty train than girls, so the fact that he was showing interest in it...I didn't want to miss out on that.
I brought them home and let the kids just play and "get the feel" of their new best friend...Froggy the Potty!

I am so not prepared to start potty training just yet so it's more of a novelty for the kids right now. I'm just starting to read up on how to start the process and apparently I need to get some stickers and lots of M&Ms for rewards. Our big potty time right now is before bath time. So far Timo has peed and pooped in his potty!!! And he is so proud of himself, he has to turn around and check it out. Cameron hasn't really taken to hers yet...she keeps pulling the insert our and carrying it around the house...and a few accidents right next the the potty. I think it's a bit too big for her right now so she needs to grow just a little for it to be comfortable.

Timo catching up on his board book reading while Cameron has places to go

"Mommy, look what I did!"
(I'll spare you the picture of what's inside...but it's going in the baby book!)

I have to get up the energy to start the process soon. I hear between 18-24mo is a great time to start and I've been talking to a lot of experienced moms who say earlier is better. It's just going to take a lot of energy on our part to get the ball rolling and not look back. I'll keep you posted....

monkey see monkey do

I was trying to teach the kids how to jump the other day, which they just can't quite get the hang of. They were practicing again after their bath but it quickly turned into another Monkey See Monkey Do play time.

San Mateo County Fair!

I've been really wanting to take the kids to some kind of county fair this year. I have such great memories of going to the fair when I was kid, I couldn't wait to treat the kids to some fair fun! The sights and smells made me do a little leap of joy...


Of course, there wasn't a whole lot the kids could participate in but they watching all the action going on...even the turkey races! We made the most of what we could and spent most of the time in the bard yard/livestock area. Timo loved to see the chickens and bunnies in cages and cow is one of Cameron's new words so she kept saying "cow" over and over and over...as we walked through the livestock barn.
Timo chased after this duck all over the place...never did catch it! Cameron was a little scared of the animals. You could feed them food so all the animals practically attacked everyone looking for food.

Cameron loved this deer...I think b/c it wasn't moving around. Timo was trying to feed it some straw.

Cameron trying to ride the saddle while Timo loved his view atop the huge cow!

I was hoping the kids could ride more rides but most had height requirements to even ride with a parent. This was the only ride we could ride with the kids. But they loved roaming all around checking out all the other little rides and games. We were worn out just chasing them down.

Getting them back in their stroller to leave was a struggle so we used all the weapons we could! These M&M ice cream bars were given out for free so why not let the kids have a little nibble or two...or three...


After we were all stuffed with corn dogs, onion rings, funnel cake, chicken strips, fries and ice cream...it was time to go. We stripped the kids down to get in the car because they had ice cream all over them! We were hoping they would fall asleep on the car ride home but no such luck. I think they were on a sugar high therefore unusually cranky/screaming the whole way home. But I didn't let it ruin how much fun we had at the kids first fair!!

New Lunchbox!

I know it's not very exciting for most people, but it's very exciting to me to have a more clean, neat way of giving the kids lunch when we're out and about. We typically take their lunch with us to church on Sundays b/c the kids fall asleep on the way home...so we can just carry them in asleep and not have to worry about feeding them. I also pack up a little something if we are going to a restaurant that I'm not sure if they cater to kids...

I found these little bento boxes at this Korean supermarket we shop at...so easy to pack them and the kids love having their own little meal in front of them. It's much better than packing 3 different containers of food and having the kids tackle me as I tried to feed them. Having their own meal also makes it easier for them to stay seated while not in a high chair. They also work great for feeding the kids in their car seat too.

And I couldn't resist...Target was having their back to school sale...so I picked up a new lunch box for them too. (both bento boxes fit in perfectly!) I think Cameron likes her new froggy lunch box!

Little Helpers

When you have twins you have twice the mess but twice the help cleaning up!!

Found It!!

We lost the battle with the remote controls a long time ago...it was easier to let them just play with it and get board than the constant "no, no". Well, the kids have a renewed interest in the remote now that we've let them start watching a little TV. They will now bring us the remote and ask for "George" which is Curious George or hand us the remote and dance meaning they want to watch their Praise Baby DVD.

This particular morning I was making breakfast while the kids were running around and I wasn't really paying attention to where they were playing or, more importantly, what they were playing with! Someone thought it was fun to put the remote in one of of the kitchen cabinets. I turned the whole house upside down looking for the remote. Young came home and looked everywhere. I tried to retrace their steps that morning...thinking, thinking, thinking...where would they have put it. Then I remembered Timo opening this one cabinet that he gets into all the time (we can't baby proof it b/e it has a large pot in it that keep the door from closing all the way). I opened the door and yelled "found it!!" Can you see it tucked away to the left...

The remotes are now being put out of reach....

Eatin' Good

The kids have been really eating well the past few weeks. My personal opinion is they are finally getting some teeth! Cameron has 4 molars coming in and 2 bottom front and Timo has 2 molars popping up. Needless to say, we've been dishing out the Teething Tablets and Tylenol but for the most part the kids are being real troopers.

But I'm also a little convinced that they now know if they eat a good dinner they will get a treat. My treat of choice these days is watermelon or animal crackers.

Here are a few pictures and video of some of their meal time fun time..

I've tried corn on the cob a few times before only to have it end up on the floor. But not this time! Both of them sunk their teeth right in and chomped away. Granted, they only took about 5 bits out of each cob but at least they get the hang of it.

Cameron is very serious about her watermelon...or wamumemul as she calls it.

Fun with Animal Crackers!

Souvenir Presents

We were kinda late in thinking about a vacation this summer and now it's a little too late for Young to get some time off of work. (Praise God he is super busy) We try to take little day excursions when we can and maybe a long weekend coming up not a major "park up the car and heading out of town" vacation. Thanks goodness we have such good friends who thinks of us when they are on vacation and bring souvenirs back for the kids...it's like they were there too!

Our neighbors just got back from a cruise in the Carribean and got the kids these cute stuffed dolphin and crocodile. Cameron has them kissing each other...


The Wohlers went to Disneyland a few months ago and spotted these cool sunglasses for the twins...


A while back the Busbees went to the San Diego Zoo and thought of our monkeys immediately when they saw these cups. I've had them put a away but just brought them out for our teeth brushing at night.

Bubbles

Here is Cameron in her nightly ritual...handing me the bubbles. You will also notice Timo has something on his finger and really wants me to know about. He tend to get a little obsessive when he has the tiniest thing wrong with his nails or something on his fingers...life just can't move on until Mommy takes care of it...hummm

Timo and His Puzzles

I feel like I put up a lot of video of Cameron only because she is so animated and seems to pick up on new things faster. But Timo has tricks of his own. He tends to spend time with one toy, learning it, mastering it and getting VERY frustrated when he can't do it just right. (we're having major issues with him throwing toys across the room when he is frustrated) Can you say perfectionist? So puzzles are right up his alley. He will sit and play with them over and over until he can figure them out. I had to break this video into two parts b/c it wasn't loading as one long one. (you will hear Cameron playing with her doll house in the background)

Clean Plate Club

I think the kids are going through some kind of growth spurt because they are eating everything in sight! Cameron especially, which is good thing for her. And even though they usually eat most of what I make for them, rarely do they clean their plates...unless is hamburgers and mashed potatoes! I tried a suggestion from a friend of mine of pureeing some kale and mixing it into mashed potatoes. After I cooked the hamburgers I made a little gravy (on Cameron's high calorie list), mixed it with the potatoes and they never knew the difference. Timo actually abandoned his spoon at one point and just shovled the potatoes in. The funny part was I didn't have any extras to give them...I had just made a little of every thing because I wasn't sure how it was going to go over. So they got a nice dessert of bananas and whip cream!

Pleasanton Friends

This past weekend we escaped the foggy cool weather of SF and headed out to see our friends in Pleasanton for warmer and sunnier skies! Liz and Salvador have a cute doggie named Bablu who grunts when he is excited. Timo was happy to pet Bablu and give him a treat but Cameron was a little more reserved about the grunting. They both enjoyed watching Babalu run around playing with his ball. We took the kids over to a great little park by their house which had a huge open field that Timo had a blast just running as far as he could. Cameron stuck to the swings and slides, as usual, and enjoyed her snacks...as usual. After an early dinner we packed up and headed home to the land of the fog. Thanks Liz and Salvador for such a fun day in the sun!



Timo running and running, chasing Babalu and just hangin' with the guys


We took the wagon with us b/c the kids love it so much more than the stroller! The kids must have worked up an appetite in the park...they at a whole plate of spaghetti, mac n cheese, fries and beignets for dessert!