Luci and Nicholas at 26 Months
2 Comments posted by Kristi on Thursday, December 23, 2010 at 9:41 PM
When Isabella was exactly the age the twins are right now, Luci and Nicholas were born.
And then I really question my sanity about having my children relatively close in age. What was I thinking? There are positives to close-in-age children. There are negatives to widely spaced kids. But if I had to do it again, I think I would have waited until Isabella was at least 2.5 before doing the FET. I really think my life would have been a hell of a lot easier.
The dynamics between the two of them right now are not good. There is a lot of fighting over things. There is a lot of physical contact. When they're side-by-side in the double stroller, they often pinch each other's faces or pull hair.
And yet, none of this occurs when we're outside the house. So, I make it a point to be at home with them as little as possible during the day. Going out with three of them is still challenging, but it's getting easier. I have taken them to the museum and library a few times recently on my own, and have realized that it's a whole lot easier than it was even a few months ago. I still have to mainline the coffee before heading out the door, and it's far from a breeze, but we're getting there.
That's startling to me, because when I look at the two of them, I still see babies, which means that she was a baby, too, when they arrived.
And then I really question my sanity about having my children relatively close in age. What was I thinking? There are positives to close-in-age children. There are negatives to widely spaced kids. But if I had to do it again, I think I would have waited until Isabella was at least 2.5 before doing the FET. I really think my life would have been a hell of a lot easier.Moving on!
Nicholas continues to be a funny, charming, and simultaneously maddening and "spirited" child. His vocabulary rivals Isabella at this age. He speaks in full and complex sentences ("Yay! Nickey took a nap! Santa is happy and mommy is happy!") -yes, he is taking about one nap a week now, which is better than the previous 30 days during which he did not nap once. I'm not sure what I'm going to do once Christmas is over, and I can't threaten him with an angry Santa anymore, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Every single morning, he asks to wear a red shirt. "Nickey wear a red shirt today?" and at least 20 times a day, he asks me, "Mommy, what we having for dinner?" And I'll tell him, "chicken" or "macaroni" and he'll say, "what else?" The boy loves to eat and loves to talk about food.
He is still prone to inexplicable crying fits. I find myself treading on eggshells a lot around him, desperately trying to keep him on an even keel and from flying into one of his rages, which last 20 minutes or longer. You would never suspect this behavior from him unless you spent as much time with him as I do. When the people in the gym daycare mention how awesome he is, how loveable and how sweet, I agree with them because he is. They are then shocked to hear that he has this other side of his personality.
I'm going to chalk it up to being two and hope it goes away really quickly.
He loves books and is always asking me to read to him ("Mommy, sit on couch and read Nickey Clifford book?"). When I rock him to sleep, he asks for his stories, which I've made up for his bedtime ritual ("Nickey in the Forest with Bunnies, mommy?" or "Puff, Puff, Puff, Puff" (loosely based on this book).
Nicholas loves to run up to me and spontaneously kiss my leg, and he loves to bring me things ("Mommy, get you coffee. Be right back!"). And when he's pleased about something, he'll literally shout, "Happeeeeeeeee!" at the top of his lungs.
Luci is very tuned into the potty business. She likes to follow Isabella into the bathroom, and as soon as she has a dirty diaper, she'll tell us to change her. She also has picked up on Isabella's potty talk lately. Awesome.
The phrase "Looks can be deceiving" was coined for her. She appears small, sweet, and completely angelic. But in reality, she is the dominant twin, and she knows exactly how to push Nicholas' buttons. If he says his standard line each morning, "Nickey wear red shirt today?" if Luci is feeling particularly hostile, she'll say, "NO red shirt today, Nickey!", which she knows will make him scream and cry. And he does.
Luci loves playing with dolls, and heavily covets the Baby Alive monstrosity that mamacita gave Isabella for Thanksgiving (yes, Thanksgiving). Isabella no longer takes it out of her room because she doesn't want Luci to "run down the batteries." Fortunately, Santa heard the pleas of the tiny terror and is bringing her one (who speaks Spanish!) for Christmas, and who incidentally does not require diaper changes because the "feeding" is simulated.
Nicholas loves to run up to me and spontaneously kiss my leg, and he loves to bring me things ("Mommy, get you coffee. Be right back!"). And when he's pleased about something, he'll literally shout, "Happeeeeeeeee!" at the top of his lungs.
Luci is very tuned into the potty business. She likes to follow Isabella into the bathroom, and as soon as she has a dirty diaper, she'll tell us to change her. She also has picked up on Isabella's potty talk lately. Awesome.
The phrase "Looks can be deceiving" was coined for her. She appears small, sweet, and completely angelic. But in reality, she is the dominant twin, and she knows exactly how to push Nicholas' buttons. If he says his standard line each morning, "Nickey wear red shirt today?" if Luci is feeling particularly hostile, she'll say, "NO red shirt today, Nickey!", which she knows will make him scream and cry. And he does.
Luci loves playing with dolls, and heavily covets the Baby Alive monstrosity that mamacita gave Isabella for Thanksgiving (yes, Thanksgiving). Isabella no longer takes it out of her room because she doesn't want Luci to "run down the batteries." Fortunately, Santa heard the pleas of the tiny terror and is bringing her one (who speaks Spanish!) for Christmas, and who incidentally does not require diaper changes because the "feeding" is simulated. She is an awesome sleeper, often sleeping from 7pm until 8 or 8:30am. And when she wakes up, she just sits in the corner of her crib, holding her stuffed bunny, and waiting until I show up to get her, never uttering a peep. Her naps are generally good too. Mama loves a baby who sleeps.
Luci is not as verbal as Nicholas. I would say she is about 1-2 months behind him, although she's steadily improving. She loves to sing the Luci version of "Tomorrow" from the Annie soundtrack, "Tomorrow. Tomorrow! I wuv ya, tomorrow. Only a day A-WAY!" and she knows and sings lyrics to several Christmas carols as well.
The dynamics between the two of them right now are not good. There is a lot of fighting over things. There is a lot of physical contact. When they're side-by-side in the double stroller, they often pinch each other's faces or pull hair.
And yet, none of this occurs when we're outside the house. So, I make it a point to be at home with them as little as possible during the day. Going out with three of them is still challenging, but it's getting easier. I have taken them to the museum and library a few times recently on my own, and have realized that it's a whole lot easier than it was even a few months ago. I still have to mainline the coffee before heading out the door, and it's far from a breeze, but we're getting there.
Those sticker pictures are hysterical. :)
Having two children 27 months apart is the hardest thing I've ever done. Truly. I can not imagine doing that w/twins to boot. Eight years is a highly recommended child spacing. :)
They do sound absolutely adorable. I'm glad things are starting to get easier. It will get easier and easier, I promise.
You know, I keep having the same thought. Lizzie was a little over 22 months old when the twins were born. We transitioned her to a double bed when she was 20 months old! My twins will be 21 months old tomorrow and I too still see them as babies. Lizzie seemed so much older to me!
My girl twin is also the dominant twin. She's definitely the little terror in our house and loves to scratch and pull her siblings hair.