Singleton Day v. 2...

...also known as "The one where the mom of twins eats a slice of humble pie." Because in my last post, I talked about how easy it was to have one kid. I should've known that would totally come back to bite me in the form of this sweet baby boy:

Yes, he is sweet, but he is a handful for sure. I hadn't anticipated having another Singleton Day so soon, but my mom figured out that yesterday would be the only day she could do it for awhile, so I dropped Charlie off with her at about 10 a.m. and Jensen and I were on our way. First stop: Costco for some necessities. Mr. Dude and I had a fine time shopping and sharing a snack of apple slices.

Next stop: The mall. We hadn't gotten Jensen fitted for shoes for awhile, so I figured a trip to Stride Rite was in order. And here's where I made my first mistake: I let my not-even-two-year-old come into the mall with me without a stroller. Partly because I don't even have a single stroller and I didn't want to mess with the double, but also partly because I thought, "Hey, we are only going to two stores. How much trouble could it be?" Well, Jensen held my hand for about the first minute and a half we were in the mall...and then he was off. At record speeds. When we made it to Stride Rite, Jensen patiently got his little feet measured and fitted for a new pair of shoes (size 7 wide...yep, those feet have grown quite a bit!). He then proceeded to tear through the store like a wild man while I tried to pay for his shoes. The best part was when he noticed a display of Sesame Street-themed shoes...I watched as he walked over to them, casually picked up three shoes (a Big Bird shoe, an Elmo shoe, and a Cookie Monster shoe) and went ahead and RAN AS FAST AS HE COULD out of the store and into the mall. Great...my little shoplifter!

Mr. Dude's new kicks.

As we made our way to the car, Jensen discovered something delightful: the escalator! I had carried him on the way down, but he insisted on standing on his own this time. And then running away from me and getting on the escalator up to the third floor. And then riding it back down again. And then...well, you get the idea. He likes escalators. I finally picked him up and carried him to the car...by the time we got there I was literally sweating, and I woke up this morning with very sore arms!

After our havoc-wreaking at the mall, we met Daddy for lunch at Jason's Deli. Lunch with Charlie was relaxing...with Jensen, not so much. He wasn't terribly-behaved, but Brian and I found ourselves retrieving a few food items from the floor and getting sprayed down with water from Jensen's straw.

After lunch, Jensen and I headed home and played outside for a bit. Whereas Charlie happily hung out in the driveway (seriously, I could have kicked back with a cold drink and my Us Weekly), Jensen repeatedly tested his limits by waiting until he thought he was being sneaky and making a break for the street. By naptime, he was exhausted and so was I!

My dude woke up from naptime with a bit of a runny nose, so we hung out inside for the rest of the afternoon. Mr. J plopped himself on my lap for some Elmo, and I enjoyed the view:

Chubby little feet are the best!

My main man. Excuse the food on his face.

Whew! Keeping up with that little guy is one exhausting job. I think having Singleton Day with Charlotte first totally caused me to think Singleton Day (and having one kiddo) would be a breeze...perhaps that's not the case! Anyhow, exhausting or not, my little guy is an absolute treasure. And with two Singleton Days under my belt, I can't wait to have even more one-on-one time with both of my stinkers.

Hooray for Singleton Day!

A month or so ago my mom came over and said she had a "great idea!" I was a bit skeptical of course, but once she explained her idea, I was on board completely. The idea? We call it "Singleton Day"... my mom takes one kiddo all day and I take the other, allowing us both to have individual time with either Charlotte or Jensen.

Yesterday, my mom picked Jensen up at about 10:00 for our first Singleton Day. Charlotte and I got off to a bit of a rocky start (what with her tearful cries of "Grandma! Grandma!" as my mom left with Jensen) but we ended up having a great time together. First stop was Kohl's for a bit of shopping...

Next up...a trip to the library. We sat together and read books, then Charlotte played with a few toys and read some magazines.

After the library, we had a Mommy-Daddy-Daughter lunch. Charlie was such a good little girl and it was so nice for Brian and I to be able to really focus on her.

Then it was naptime. But when Charlie woke up, we  resumed our day with a quick trip to the grocery store. There were a couple things we needed, and a trip to the store can indeed be quick with only one toddler in tow! I promised her we'd play outside when we got home, so play outside we did!

Charlotte was so happy and content all day. I had such a nice time just hanging out with my girl...she's such a sweetie and I think she really enjoyed having me and Brian to herself. Oh, and don't worry about Jensen...he had a great time playing at Chick-Fil-A with my mom, her friend Robin, and her grandson Christian:

"Christian, you are so COOL!"

I did of course miss him a ton! It's weird and (here's where I make singleton moms mad!) almost unsettling how uneventful it is to have just one kiddo. But I will admit my mom was right: Singleton Day was a great idea for everyone! I'm looking forward to next week's date with my little dude.

Un-Girly Girl!

Here is a pic of my Bug after breakfast this morning. She is wearing sports-themed pajamas (picked out specifically for her; not her brother!) which she insisted on wearing last night ("Ball PJs! Ball PJs!"). She is doing some light reading of her book called First 100 Trucks (again, purchased specifically with her in mind) which she obtained by sitting in her high chair yelling, "Truck book! Truck book!"

Not sure if it will ever be princesses and ballet shoes for this little tomboy! Wouldn't change her for the world.

18 Months! (And, er, 19 and 20 and 21 Months, too!)

Well, apparently the monthly posts have gone the way of swaddles, formula and bottles. So instead of the usual monthly rundown, I'm going to do a "What I Love Right Now About Charlotte" and "What I Love Right Now About Jensen". (I totally stole this from Lisa!)

Charlotte Anne at 18, 19, 20 & 21 Months:

Weight and Height: Can't remember stats from our 18-month appointment but my little Bug has shot up to the 90th percentile for height. I knew she was getting tall. She is still hanging out around the 25th percentile for weight.

What I'm Loving Right Now About Charlotte Anne:

The talking! Our pediatrician said to expect what she calls a "language explosion" from the kids, and Charlotte has certainly exploded. She talks all the time, repeating things we say and also saying many things unprompted. One of her favorite things to say is "Jensen Todd!" which actually comes out sounding more like "Ensy Todd" but is ridiculously cute. She likes to tell me when things are Jensen's (i.e., "Jensen's shirt!", "Jensen's diaper!" etc.). The other day she was just walking around saying, "Jensen Todd! Jensen Todd!" so I said, "Can you say your name?" She replied, "Youurrrr naaaaame!" Little smarty-pants! 

The singing! Along with the talking has come a love of songs. She sings the ABCs (her own special version of course), Happy Birthday, Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Old MacDonald Had a Farm. She sings all.the.time. In fact, last night at about 3:00 a.m. she decided she might as well wake up and put on a little concert for Mommy and Daddy. I guess if anything's going to wake me up at 3:00 a.m., it might as well be that sweet little voice!

The helping. Charlotte has turned into quite the little Mommy's Helper. She really tries her best to help me around the house with things like laundry...she takes her duties very seriously and it's quite cute to watch her intently try to fold shirts. She is also becoming quite motherly and will rock her baby dolls. 

What Makes Charlotte Anne a Challenge These Days: 

The ATTITUDE! She's always had one and it certainly hasn't gone anywhere. It has proven to be quite a challenge to get her to say "please." And even though she's capable of saying pretty much anything, she doesn't always choose to say what she wants...sometimes she just finds it easier to throw a little tantrum! 

"Who, me?"

The sensitivity! My Bug is still a very sensitive girl and remains very unsure in new situations. But since I now know to expect this, it's not a big deal. I just know going into new situations that Charlie will probably be glued to my side. And that's okay.

At a December playdate at our house, Charlie was quite unsure of all the little strangers in her house. She stuck close to Mommy.

Jensen Todd at 18, 19, 20 & 21 Months:

Weight and Height: Same as Charlie...I can't remember numbers but he's around the 95th percentile for height and just below 50th for weight. Big boy!

What I'm Loving Right Now About Jensen Todd:

JOY! This kiddos is pure joy. He's lucky he isn't a girl, or I would seriously be considering changing his middle name to "Joy". He just truly seems to live life to the fullest and take in each new experience with his little arms wide open. He's not afraid of anything (except Santa) and I love his spirit. He's taking after his Grandpa and is turning into quite the tease as well! I think he's going to have a wonderful sense of humor. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: His laugh is the single best sound ever.

"NO!": Jensen is still a man of few words (but it's not that he isn't trying; he talks constantly. We just don't understand a lot of what he's saying. And I think we are beginning to run into the issue of Charlotte talking for him). But one of the words he has mastered is "No"! I wish I could upload videos because the way he says it is so stinking cute. He shakes his head and says (in a high-pitched voice) "Naooo." It is just crazy adorable and often we will ask him questions just to hear him say it.

"Where's Jensen?"

"Peekaboo!"

The sweetness. My little dude is a sweetheart and loves to pucker up and give me kisses. Sometimes I don't even have to ask...he just comes up and plants one on me. He is still very sensitive toward his sister and does not like when she is upset. Actually, he doesn't like when anyone is upset. He is visibly concerned any time another child is upset or crying.

What Makes Jensen Todd a Challenge These Days:

He's all boy: As I've said numerous times, he's into anything and everything. He doesn't slow down and he doesn't stop. Keeping up with him is exhausting...he rarely walks; running is where it's at. If he sees something he wants, he leaves Charlotte and me in the dust and goes for it. And he does NOT want Mommy holding him back; in fact, he threw an all-out tantrum the other day because I made him hold my hand in the school parking lot.

 

And speaking of tantrums...he is throwing some big ones these days. They aren't pretty and I'm not going to lie, it can be quite embarrassing. Like when he's face-down in the school parking lot and I'm getting offers of help from sympathetic strangers. Or when it's time to go inside and eat dinner and Jensen would rather stay outside playing with the neighbors...and the resulting tantrum is so bad that the neighbors can't help but laugh out loud. Yes, the boy has a temper and I have a feeling the tantrums are going to get worse before they get better.

And finally...a few pics of Charlotte and Jensen together.

Rain gear!

Watching Sesame Street together in Mommy and Daddy's bed.

Charlie insisted on wearing Jensen's fireman costume to Costco.

Choose Your Own Adventure

This crazy little dude...

...has quite the sense of adventure. He always has. He's always ready to jump right in to new situations and is rarely afraid of anything. This sense of adventure has led to a few interesting events the past few days.

First, on Saturday, as we were getting ready to go to Piper's birthday party, Brian and I had a little...let's just say miscommunication. This miscommunication resulted in (and I should not be admitting this on the blog) the door to the garage (as well as the garage door itself) being left open and Jensen escaping. Brian wandered in to the laundry room (where I was getting dressed...I may or may not have been tossing dirty clothes in the dryer in an attempt to make them look fresh and clean) and asked "Where's Jensen?" One glance toward the open door and we both ran outside frantically. Fortunately I spotted his little figure right away and fortunately he was safe. He had, however, traveled across the cul-de-sac and was standing on a neighbor's porch three doors down from us. It is INSANE how fast he can get from one place to another these days.*

Jensen's second adventure occurred later that day at the birthday party, where he (once again, I am painting a delightful picture of us as parents) used the craziness that is a four-year-old's birthday party to escape from the room we were in at a bounce-house place and cause yet another frantic search party. This time we found that he had traveled out the door, down a hallway, and was standing in the doorway to a room containing big bounce houses (and another birthday party)...just holding his balloon, checking out all the action. I am starting to think I am seriously going to need a leash for him. He escapes in what seems like the blink of an eye.

So today, when I picked the kids up from school, I couldn't help but laugh at the note Mrs. Clark left on Jensen's daily report:

 

I sent the above photo to my mom and Brian. In typical grandmotherly fashion, my mom said, "We love it too, don't we sweetie?" In typical fatherly fashion, Brian replied, "That's a nice way of saying he's always getting into things." 

I found out later this afternoon just how into things he could get! We were playing outside when a neighbor came over to chat. As we stood in the cul-de-sac chatting, her daughter (a second-grader named Rylee whom Jensen adores) took her dog into the house through their garage. I kind of absently watched Jensen follow Rylee into the garage...he goes in their garage quite a bit and Rylee plays with him, shows him her bike and scooter, etc. She keeps an eye on him and entertains him, and I just kinda figured that's what was going on. But a short time later Jensen came walking down the neighbor's driveway holding something...a bag of tortilla chips. Rylee's mom and I laughed and figured Rylee had brought them out to Jensen. A couple minutes later, Rylee appeared. And asked where Jensen got the chips. Long story short, she hadn't even seen him enter their house, let alone given him the chips. 

So to sum up, Jensen:

Entered our neighbor's house undetected.

Located their pantry.

Carefully selected himself a snack of tortilla chips.

Brought the tortilla chips to me to open.

Fortunately my neighbor thought it was funny that my child raided her pantry. And fortunately Jensen came out of yet another adventure unscathed. Unfortunately, I think I'm going to have to start tying a bell around his neck.

*I know I am making light of this incident but it was seriously terrifying and could have ended so badly, and we are so thankful it didn't.

Picture Perfect

Lots of family pictures to share! It is absolutely crazy to me what a good photographer can do...not only capture great images but also edit them to perfection. First up are our family pictures from November taken by Paige Walker at the Fort Worth Stockyards:

When I say these pics are edited, I mean they are REALLY edited...in the photo of all four of us, Paige had to take Charlotte's head from another photo and switch it onto the pic you see above. The only time we could get Charlotte to smile was with me tickling her...she was in one of her moods that day and was not enjoying being photographed. But the finished product is great and the recipients of our Christmas cards were none the wiser!

Charlotte and Jensen also got their first school pictures taken! This was quite a while ago and I actually can't remember if I have posted them or not and it turns out I'm too lazy to go back and look. At any rate, here they are:

I love his little finger because I can just picture him sitting there tapping his finger nonchalantly while waiting for them to take his pic.

This was the best one of Charlie...as you can see she was unsure of the picture-taking and the rest of the pictures (that I didn't order) feature her looking downright mad.

And here is the pic of the two of them together. As you can see, Charlotte is getting less and less pleased.

And finally, if you can remember back to last year at this time when we had pictures made with Brian's side of the family, we finally got those back. If you recall, Charlotte was having NONE of the picture-taking (hmmm, notice a theme here?) and was screaming her head off during what was supposed to be the group photo of the kids. Here is a picture that Brian's mom ordered us to commemorate the moment:

That is Charlotte over there by herself. Jensen is mad because Laird was supposed to be holding him up but was apparently too distracted by Charlotte's screaming. I love the looks on all their faces.

So the photographer removed Charlotte from the scene and managed to get a pic of all the kids looking happy. Then he got a pic of Charlotte looking happy by herself. Edit them together and what do you get?

It's just crazy to me that Charlotte wasn't even in this picture at all. The photographer just did some cutting and pasting and there she is in the middle of it all, looking happy as a clam!

Magic, I tell ya. Magic!