Catching Up…a Wonderfully Busy June

This is my favorite time of year—why does it seem to go by so quickly? Since the boys’ birthday at the end of May, we’ve been staying quite busy. Here’s what we’ve been up to:

• I celebrated my 29th birthday with a wonderful date night with just Ben and I. We had a slow dinner, went to watch The Avengers, and topped off the evening with Frozen Yogurt. I’m looking forward to a fantastic last year of my 20’s!
• Seth and Sam had their first dentist appointment. Our hygienist, Erin, encourages families to get their children in while they are still pretty young to get them comfortable for later appointments. The boys did surprisingly well, although were their normal shy selves at first. Eventually they let Erin brush their teeth and even let the dentist get a peak inside their mouths. Now they are very excited about their new dentist tooth brushes.
• Last weekend Ben and I went our separate ways: he went on a “man trip” to Diamond Lake with some childhood friends, and I braved the 6.5 hour car ride down to my parents in Lakeview BY MYSELF. It went about as to be expected—we were all ready to kill each other by the end, but made it.
• We celebrated 7 years of marriage on June 18. The boys’ and I drove back home from Lakeview that evening, so we met Ben at a restaurant for dinner and all celebrated together. Although it was far from a romantic date, it was really fun to all be together again as a family.

The next few weeks are going to fly by as well. Here’s what we’re looking forward to:

• The kids and I are going to Vacation Bible School at our church next week. I am taking pictures for the church, and the boys will be in their first little preschool class. Can they really be that old? I am looking forward to the week, but am interested to see how we’re all going to handle getting up and getting out of the house by 8:45 every morning (I know, pathetic, right?)
• We have Uncle Levi here all next week while he’s going to a basketball camp. We’re so excited to have him!

But the REAL thing that we’re looking forward to is…going to Hawaii in a couple of weeks! Woo hoo! Just Ben and I, no kids, for five nights, in Maui. Both sets of grandparents are graciously going to watch Seth and Sam for us. I think it’s going to be a wonderful adventure for all of us!

Here’s some pictures from our Lakeview trip:

Sam, Seth playing in Papa’s fishing boat

These train tracks are only a couple blocks from my parents house. There was some pretty awesome engines parked there! It was a boys’ dream:

This is exactly what I did as a child to smell flowers! Seth has so many of my little quirks!

Seth and Sam spent most afternoons out in my dad’s beautiful yard playing in the pool. Here Sam is trying to get Seth to play the “trumpet” with him. Seth joins in:

And check out this Woodpecker that flew right into the tree next to us. (How nice does my dad’s yard look?) I was so bummed that I didn’t have my zoom lens to take closer pictures of it.

The Social Life of My Twins

Twins are terribly intriguing. I’m fascinated by them daily; first, that they are mine. My children. I have twins. Second, because their relationship with one another is so special.

I have read about and seen identical twins that are very touchy with each other. My friend Melissa Marteney’s twins, Micah and Mason are the same age as the boys; she often posts pictures of them practically on top of each other watching a movie. Seth and Sam are not like that. They don’t touch often (unless it’s the usual play/wrestle touching). They are, however, always in the same room or interacting. If one is playing blocks, so is the other. If one is reading, so is the other.

But usually, their play together is something imaginative—and the “story” they are currently enacting builds on one another’s vision of what they are doing. For example: Sam decides they need to pack for a train trip. So Seth grabs the keys. Sam starts to pack his basketball clothes, Seth follows suit, but decides they need their shoes as well, which Sam goes and grabs. Seth wants to pack his animal friends, Sam grabs his as well. They get in the train together, wordlessly deciding who is the driver, and who is the passenger. Every day, all day, their games, their life, their imagination is intertwined.

I think every parent wonders and worries some about their children socially. Are they too shy? Or too abrasive? Seth and Sam, too, have their quirks in social situations. They most often stand back, watching, observing, staring—shoulder to shoulder. It is rare that they interact with another child—that is unless it is their twin brother, their comfort zone. But why would they need other friends? They have their built-in play mate 24/7. And truth be told, why would they need social practice? They practice every day, 24/7. Their life consists of sharing, fighting, working it out, tattling, practicing personal space, keeping their hands to themselves, etc. Every day is one big friend play day.

Another thing that is fascinating about Seth and Sam socially is that there isn’t one of them that is in the forefront. Often with twins there are very different personalities displayed—more often than not, one is the “show boat” and the other is quieter. Not with my boys. There is never one of them trying to grab attention from the other. If one is being silly, the other joins in the fun. They are a pair. It is so wonderful, so sweet.

After three years of being a twin mom, I’m still thankful every day God entrusted us to two at once. I have a feeling that each day, each year I will be intrigued by their relationship with one another. And I pray, with my whole heart and soul, that they will always be the best buds as they are today.

Sam, Seth

Oh the Things They Say…(And do…)

I’ve been trying to keep a running list of the funny things they say. These are the ones I wrote down in the last couple months (I wish I wrote/remembered more!)

• My mom was trying to explain to the boys that she forgot to bring her “Grandma book” to read. She told them, “Sorry, I choked.” Sam looked at her alarmed and asked, “You choked it?”
• Seth and Sam saw a big motorcycle in Costco and told me that they were going to buy it. When I asked them how much they thought it cost, they said, “Five moneys.” I tried to example to them that it was thousand of dollars—tough concept for 3 year olds! Fast forward a couple days: Seth and Sam were given $10 by their Great Grandma Morris for a birthday gift. We told them that we would all go to Fred Meyer together so they could pick something out. Sam said very seriously, “I get a motorcycle with my $10.” After much laughter on my part, I tried explaining to him that a) he was too small to ride a motorcycle, and b) he didn’t have enough money for a real motorcycle. Sam’s reply to when he’d get a motorcycle, “Yah, when I have a big bottom.”
• Sammy: “Jig, jig, jig. I’m using my jigsaw.”
• Seth was trying to change into his basketball jersey from his superman shirt later in the day. I told him to go put his superman shirt back on, because it was not dirty, and it’s not fair for mama to have to do lots of laundry (I’m trying to work on cutting down on outfit changes during the day). His reply, “But I have a basketball game.” My reply, “You can play basketball in a shirt, you know. Put your superman shirt back on.” “But mama, I’m not superman right now.”
• Seth is petrified of automatic flushing toilets. He had a huge freak out in the hospital as we were visiting cousin Alicia and her new baby Titus. As I was explaining to Alicia his fear, I heard Seth saying, “Yah, and then I go down the hole…” So we have now made it clear that he would not fit down the toilet hole.
• Seth: “Jesus is always our Saviors.”
• Seth: “I’m going to sit down to do this…my knee is hurting me.” (my knee has been on the fritz recently). Sam asks, “How did you hurt it?” Seth’s reply, “Ah…it’s a little sore from playin’ soccer.”
• Sam: “Boys don’t wear capri’s, only mans do.” (sorry buddy, you won’t wear them as a man either!)
• Signature word: “Last day.” May refer to yesterday, a couple days ago, a couple months ago, or even last year. General “in the past.”

And the things they do:

Sam came out wearing his new “motorcycle helmet” the other day. Since then, it’s been their hat of choice. Man, I’m gonna have some good Senior slideshow blackmail pictures of them! (Sam’s in gray jersey).

 

Sam on left with “helmet”, Seth on right wearing my boots with cool spiked hair

Cousins

I have the BEST memories of growing up with our cousins, Kristi and Caitlin. In the summer we would spend every Monday at our Grandma Minnie’s house playing with one another. We had a club, the Bubblegum Club, where we were detectives solving the mystery of why our grandma was smuggling gold (petrified wood) into her crawl space. We all got perms on the same day, in preparation for Labor Day and the Lake County Fair. We created and documented our pretend families, each with 10+ kids (and several sets of twins or triplets—who would know I’d actually end up with twins). Without divulging too many other top secrets, we had a blast with one another. And unfortunately, I do not have any pictures of us with our huge perms and bangs and awkward glasses scanned in and ready to share.

I do, however, have pictures of Seth and Sam with their wonderful cousins. We have cousins around the same age on each side of the family, and we’re so thankful. I pray that Seth and Sam have as wonderful memories of their cousins and Katie and I did.

My sister’s kids: Miriam (5), Aidah (4), Clara (2), Seth, Sam (3)

Morris side: Sam, Judah (2), Seth, Harlee (2)…and Judah and Harlee’s moms just had new babies—so soon there will be 6 in this photo!

Here’s a few more photos from the fun day we had in Estacada with our Morris cousins. Each year we try to do a little birthday celebration for Seth, Sam, and Judah together, because Judah’s birthday is a year a day behind the boys’. Aunt Tani pointed out that on Judah’s bday, all 4 of these kids are the same age!

We decorated sugar cookies for our treat!

Aunt Tani brought all the kids gifts: big flashlights and squirt guns! It was so fun!

It was a while until they realized they could squirt people, not just cars and the ground.

  This is Sam squirting baby Titus (who was in Alicia’s tummy)

First Shave

Uncle Tom and Aunt Julie always get Seth and Sam the coolest presents. This year they received “jerseys” (actually tank tops, but I was quick enough to call them jerseys so that we can throw them into the rotation) and their own personal shaving kit. Seth and Sam were bouncing with excitement to take a bath that evening and shave their faces like daddy. Ben, always the wonderful dad, dutifully showed them how to lather up their cheeks, hold the mirror and carefully “shave.” It was very sweet. I was excited for the nice cleanse it gave their always filthy faces! Thanks Tom and Julie—we’re excited to see you in Lakeview in a couple of weeks!

 

Seth, Sam

That’s How We Roll

In these first two pictures I’m pretty sure Seth and Sam were drawing mustaches and soul patches (like their Papa) on themselves or each other (I did not see the deed). I had one of those moments as a parent where you’re trying to be serious in telling them not to draw on themselves, all the while suppressing laughter. I told them their “punishment” was posing for a picture for me (I was trying to get them to put their heads together—Seth understood the concept, Sam did not).

Next is how the boys spend most their spring/summer days here at home: undies and sandals. Yesterday, they added backwards hats. Looking good Sam and Seth!

Lastly, we are LOVING having two bikes now. The boys were racing up and down the sidewalk and into the garage yesterday (we need helmets—they are going fast!) I love these pictures because they are both wearing their superman shirts. Usually they don’t wear matching outfits (they pick out their own clothes), but yesterday after much debate about whether or not they had a basketball game, I saw two naked boys streaking up and down our hallway with superman shirts in their hands (presumably saving the world). They both added their hats—which make them look like such big boys! Seeing them match, I can understand why many twin parents prefer to dress them alike (I personally like them to have the independence of picking out their own outfits…even when it leads to fits when no basketball jerseys are clean). It is very precious!

Seth sticks his tongue out just like I do when I concentrate/play sports.

Seth, Sam

Wordless Wednesday: Uncle Levi

LOVE these pictures. Seth and Sam love their uncles so much and have a different and special bond with each of them!