Tag: parenting

Today our twins are TWO!!!

On By twinmumtalesIn twins1 Comment

Today marks a very special day for us as we celebrate the second birthday of AG and HJ!

handa

Wow, I can’t believe how time has flown and we have officially survived the first two years with twins. It’s been tough, it’s been scary, it’s been fun, it’s been frustrating, it’s been crazy, it’s been wonderful, it’s been an adventure!

There have been many tears, but also many laughs, and even though the last two years have been the most challenging that IP and I have faced together, I think we’ve come out stronger than ever. I reckon if a marriage can survive the first two years of twins, it can survive a life time!

Looking back over the last two years, I have much to reflect on and there are so many memories flooding back; from our first month in the NICU with our 32-weekers, to the first steps, the first words, the first time my little girls put their arms around me, to just recently when they started saying “wuff you mommy”. Well, I love you too my girls!

You have turned our world inside out and upside down, but we wouldn’t have it any other way.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HJ AND AG! MOMMY AND DADDY LOVE YOU VERY, VERY MUCH!!!

Book Review: Annabel Karmel’s New Complete Toddler and Meal Planner

On By twinmumtalesIn book reviews, parenting, recipes, UncategorizedLeave a comment

20160531_140249When my girls started solids I really needed some inspiration for mealtimes, and it came in the form of this wonderful book: Annabel Karmel’s New Complete Toddler and Meal Planner.

The book covers feeding from first stage weaning for babies through to feeding toddlers, and provides great recipes and meal plans in all the main food groups. It’s easy to use and full of bright colours and illustrations, which make for a pleasant read.

I found some great recipes in here, with some of my girl’s favourites being the chicken and apple balls and the cocktail meatballs with tomato sauce.

I can highly recommend this book for anyone needing inspiration when it comes to feeding their babies or toddlers, and especially for those just starting out with solids.

I’ve been fortunate in that neither of my girls have been particularly fussy eaters and they love their proteins and veggies, but lately they have been a bit more picky about what they eat. I’m hoping it’s just the latest teething episode that has caused this, but I think perhaps it’s time to open Annabel’s book up again to get some ideas. First on the list I’m going to try Mummy’s Favourite Fish Pie.

If I don’t laugh I may just cry

On By twinmumtalesIn parenting, twinsLeave a comment

There are times in your parenting journey when you just have to laugh at things, laugh out loud from the belly, because if you don’t, you may just cry or end up going totally insane.

I’ve had a few of these moments over the last week, and even thinking back now as I write this I’m having a little chuckle.

It’s been a tough few days in our house with the girls both teething, and now they both have a cold. The nights have been particularly trying when we often have two screaming toddlers who take ages to settle back down again. So needless to say, there has been very little sleep for anyone in this household over the past week. The lack of sleep obviously adds to the general grumpy atmosphere and of course the smallest thing can turn into a big drama.

Added to this we’ve had a sick dog, first with a bladder infection, so she was peeing in the house, and now she’s been puking in the house…oh the joys!!

The defining moment of our crazy week happened on Sunday, when Chelsea, our pet Labrador, puked on one of my favourite sandals…while my foot was still in it! I screeched so loud that the neighbours must have thought I was being murdered. Both girls got such a fright that they also started screaming hysterically. IP came running downstairs to see what was going on and took one look at the scene and burst out laughing, and in my hysterical state I actually burst out laughing too. It was one of those crazy moments, which almost took place in slow action replay, and thinking back now I can only laugh out loud.

Parenting is this crazy, happy, maddening journey, and the bumps along the way shouldn’t be what defines our experiences, but should sometimes rather be moments that we can look back on and have a chuckle about, rather than shed a tear.

I’ve been trying to look on the bright side as much as possible lately. It’s not always easy, but for the sake of my kids I have to parent positively. I have to see the good, not always the bad. I know the next few days will be tough as IP is away on another business trip, and there have already been a few crazy moments as I tred along the single parent path for a few days.

Yesterday, as I removed AG’s nappy, and before I could put a fresh one on, she peed all over my brand new duvet cover. And as she peed she proudly pronounced “wee wee”. I didn’t know whether to be upset that she had just messed on the bed or super proud that she actually told me that she was doing it.

I guess it’s just another moment that I have to look back on and laugh about.

My week: the good and the bad

On By twinmumtalesIn parenting, twinsLeave a comment

It’s been a real week of contrasts in our household, with really great experiences interspersed with really frustrating moments.

These were the two highlights of my week:

IP is home now from his business trip and we got to spend a whole day together, just the two of us, without the kids. We went to the Waterfront, one of our favourite places to meander around, and enjoyed a day of shopping and an awesome sushi lunch. It was so wonderful spending quality time together and being able to just have fun and chat.

I got to have a night off from kiddie bath and bed time, and went out to the movies with some other mommy girlfriends. Appropriately, we watched Mother’s Day. Despite all the negative reviews the movie has received, I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was the perfect light-hearted entertainment that us tired mommies needed. It was a wonderful evening, and a much needed night off – in fact, my first mommy night out since the girls were born.

On the flip side…

The girls have been rather miserable, thanks to that horrible monster – MR Teething! HJ has her two bottom eye teeth coming out and, oh boy, have the nights been rough. She wakes up screaming and screaming, and it’s so loud that she wakes her sister up and then we have two screeching babes, and we have to calm them down, which takes forever, and so we have all had very little sleep in this house this week.

Added to this, IP has come down with a terrible case of sinusitis and has spent most of the week in bed. The poor guy has not been a happy chappy, but he was a champ last night, doing bath and bed time on his own so that I could have my night out.

But today is Friday – YAY for the weekend!

Here’s hoping that next week is better – oh wait, daddy is going away on another business trip…hmmm…..ok….I will choose to be positive about this. I’m going to remember my previous post about parenting with a positive attitude.

Yes…I think I can, I know I can, I think I can…

Parenting with a positive attitude

On By twinmumtalesIn parenting, twins2 Comments

20150919_113733

I read a great article the other day about how a stranger’s comment changed the way one mom parents, and it really got me thinking about my own role as a mother and how I view or react to things.

The writer is a mother of a toddler and a newborn and she writes about how, when walking past an older couple on the beach, while juggling all the toys and kids and trying to convince an unhappy two-year old that it was time to leave, the man comments about those where the days, obviously reminiscing about his own past as a parent of littlies. It made her stop and think about how she views being a parent, and that through all the hardships she encourages us to also remember the good side and savour the amazing experiences with our little ones.

Being a parent is super hard work, especially with twins, but there is also so much beauty in it, and often I think we get so bogged down in the details and the hard slog that we forget to look at the positive and happy side. Our twins girls are now 20 months old, and this is such a fun age. Every day is a new discovery or a new word said, and it is just so sweet to watch them as they interact with each other. I especially enjoy observing them when they’re not aware that I’m around, as this is when they truly come out of their little shell and play so beautifully together. From the screeches and giggles as they chase each other around the lounge, to how they insist on swapping their tooth brushes with each other every time we’re done brushing teeth, to the way they’re always sitting or lying on the floor or couch together, the bond between them is so strong, and it’s a privilege to see.

I just love being a parent, but admittedly, it’s taken me a long time to finally get to this point. The last few days have been especially difficult as IP is away on a business trip and I’ve been doing this parent thing all on my own. I’m exhausted, but every day I choose to see the positive, and just in the last week they have already changed so much, and it’s getting easier as we find our own rhythm. I am just loving this stage of their development and it’s been so fun to watch, and capture these moments on camera to send to daddy. They have really made me laugh over the last few days; if nothing else, it’s been very entertaining.

I’m sure there will be more dark days to come, and more sleepless nights and crazy moments, but I’m so grateful that God chose me to be a twin mom, and today I choose to remember the good times, savour the precious moments, and parent positively!

Read more about the ten things I love about being a mother.

Some days I just want to shop in peace

On By twinmumtalesIn parenting, twins, Uncategorized5 Comments

I don’t think I will ever get used to the attention I get when I am out in public with my twin girls. I recently wrote about this in the five most annoying questions for twin parents.

When I commented in a recent Facebook post that I was so sick of all the attention I receive when I’m out with my girls, someone commented that maybe  I need to adjust my attitude about this and that people are just coming from a good place of interest and looking at two pretty little girls. Hhmm…it’s all well and good for someone to say this when they have never been subjected to all the attention and constant comments and questions. You know what, some days I just want to shop in peace!

Sure, my kids are pretty and people will look as I push a big double pram around. But, honestly, I don’t understand the fascination. It’s not a freak show and we’re not a travelling circus. For one thing, twins are a lot more common these days, and there are plenty around, so it’s not exactly some weird phenomenon. Believe me, I’m not ungrateful to have these kids, and this is why this person’s comment really annoyed me, as they were implying I should almost be grateful for the attention. But people just seem to know no boundaries. I just want to do my shopping, get what I need and go home. I don’t want to be stopped every few minutes to answer random silly questions, or hear mutters of “oh, you must have your hands full” or “double trouble”. How am I even supposed to respond to this? Sometimes I politely smile and move on, other days I just completely ignore it, but, then there are other days when I seriously just want to throw out a sarcastic response or punch the next person who comments.

It can be exhausting, and I guess I kind of know now how a celebrity must feel, with people constantly in their face and wanting to know their business. Often we comment that they wanted to be famous, so they shouldn’t complain, but, honestly, I feel sorry for them (unless they’re a Kardashian, I don’t feel sorry for them!).

I think only another parent of multiples will truly understand where I’m coming from. I’d love to hear other twin mom’s thoughts, so leave a comment if you care to share…

Ten things I love about being a mother

On By twinmumtalesIn parenting, twins, Uncategorized1 Comment

beingamomI was recently asked what my favourite thing about being a mom was. I really had to think about this, as there are so many things that I love about being a mom, it’s impossible to just name one.

I could go on and on but here are ten things (some simple, some more meaningful) that I love about being a mom.

1) I love it when I come home and my two little girls come running to the front door with their arms held high shouting “mommy!” I have to pick them both up and for at least ten minutes they won’t let me put them down. There is such joy in their faces when they see me, and in that moment I feel so loved and cherished. I’m their mommy and I’m home.

2) I love watching and listening to them when they don’t even realise I’m there or observing them. Their little voices as they chatter away to each other, play with their toys and share their grapes with each other, is just so sweet.

3) I love looking at my children and seeing the amazing combination of my husband and I – knowing that they are half of me and half of him combined into these little humans, is just incredible.

4) I look at them and see the miracle of faith and hope – after the heartache of infertility, I know, without a doubt, that God heard us and answered our prayers.

5) I love seeing my children interacting with their daddy. I love watching how their faces light up when they see him. I love seeing him play with them, chase them round the house and throw them into the air and engulf them in big daddy hugs.

6) I am grateful that my girls have such an amazing father. A man who is firm in his faith and his discipline, yet a softy at heart who adores his children.

7) I love the feeling of my little girl’s arms around my neck, or her head resting on my chest. That contentment of baby cuddles is the best feeling in the whole world.

8) I love watching my girls interact with our pet Labrador. Our Chelsea dog is the most gentle soul and so patient with the girls. They love giving her cuddles and sitting next to her on the floor, and she definitely loves all the extra attention.

9) I love seeing my girls’ personalities develop. They are so different to each other and this toddler age is filled with adventure and discovery. Every day brings something new.

10) I love being out and about with my kids. And although the extra attention pushing a double pram around can be annoying, I am proud to be with my little ones, and beam when I have comments like “What beautiful little girls!” I certainly agree; they are beautiful children!