People always ask me if the twins play together. Most of the time they play side by side, which is pretty common for their age. They also torment each other like all siblings do. But sometimes they play together and it is so darn cute. Check ’em out in action in the video.
***Warning: They are screamers. You might want to adjust your speakers.***
I’m not the kind of mom who freaks out over every little scrape and bruise my kids get. At least not anymore. Maybe I was with my first one. But after number two, three, and four…you loosen up a little. “Get up. You’re okay. Brush it off. Quit crying.” And we go on. There’s no time for excessive whining. Get up and get over it. Unless it needs bandaged, then you get a few more extra hugs and kisses before we go on with it.
But what happened the Monday before last was terrible. I have never seen anything like it and don’t ever want to again. I’m still in a little bit of shock from the accident. Especially since it was my fault. It was an accident, though. And I know accidents happen…but I still feel horrible.
We were just going out the back door to let the dogs in and I shut the door behind me to wipe off muddy dog paws. Collin screamed. Everything happened so fast. Instinctively I flew the door open. Holy crap, it was shut all the way with his fingers in it! I grabbed him up and put him on the counter to look at it. That’s when I about passed out. The tip of his little pinky finger was hanging off, like the top of a flip top box of Crayola crayons. It was so unnatural looking. It looked dead It was purple and black and bloody. It looked like something from a horror movie. It was just hanging there by a tiny piece of skin. Blood was gushing out of a gaping hole and he was screaming. Tears ran down my face and I was freaking out. It was chaos, adrenaline, screaming, panic, frantic phone calls, and a million things all at once.
There were so many thoughts rushing and zinging through my head as I was trying to calm down (which I wasn’t doing a very good job at) and comfort my severely hurt child. And with each scream the blood gushed out of his finger even faster, obliterating a hand towel, and I was having a hard time not breaking down with him. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I called Brad immediately. I don’t even remember what I said. I was screaming at him because I was trying to yell over Collin’s screaming. I made sure he got the basics. Come home. Leave now. Emergency room. It’s bad. Hurry. Collin’s finger is practically falling off. It got shut in the door. Or something like that.
And you know, adrenaline does crazy things. All the while I am holding onto him and trying to comfort him, “Hold on, baby. Daddy’s coming. We’re going to go to the doctor and fix it,” and these crazy thoughts just kept screaming in my head each time I looked at his severed finger or the blood drops on the floor. What have I done? Holy crap! His fingers going to fall off! I’m a horrible mother. Don’t let that finger fall off. BREATH. If it does keep track of it so they can sew it back on. BREATH. I’m a horrible mother. I can’t even be left alone with my kids. I ruined my perfect child. What have I done? I can’t believe it is practically falling off. BREATH. Hurry up, Brad, and get here. Dammit, Mom answer your phone. Call Brandi. Call Mom. Somebody has to be here with the twins. I can’t leave the babies.BREATH. I’m so glad the babies are sleeping. Thankfully the dogs are outside. I was so afraid the finger would fall off and the dogs would eat it. This is terrible. This is really bad. BREATH. I need to get someone over here to watch the babies so I can ride with to the ER and make sure that finger doesn’t fall off on the way there. Holy, crap! I can’t believe it is hanging off like that. ANSWER your phone Mom! Call Connie. Get someone over here. I’m going with to the ER. Try to stay calm. Steady the room. BREATH. Don’t keep looking at it. Holy, crap. His finger is barely attached. Holy, shit! I’m a horrible mother. Stay calm. BREATH. Hold your baby close. I can’t believe it is hanging there! BREATH.
And the rest was a blur. A dash out to the car. I rode in the back seat with Collin. Brad told me to stay calm. I tried not to cry even more. “I feel so horrible. I didn’t mean to. I didn’t even see his hand,” I said, holding back bawling sobs. I sucked it in and tried to distract Collin with a game on Brad’s phone. He was crying and screaming the whole time. I can’t even imagine the pain my poor baby was in. Ugh!
They got us right in at the hospital. They called it a partial amputation. Holy crap! They gave him a shot…a nerve block…so he wouldn’t feel it. I went outside to get air. I couldn’t see the shot. His dad was there. I needed a breather and to collect myself. I needed to get it together for him. Which I’m usually pretty calm in situations, but this was just something else. I have never seen anything like it. And I felt so horrible!
They stitched it all the way around. Frankenstein finger. They bandaged it up and gave us prescriptions. You could tell the shot helped. Gotta love pain meds. Phew!
I went home and crashed.
I thought Collin would nap after all that. But he was running around. No bandaged finger was going to slow him down.
And I am so happy that he says the door did it….not Mommy. He points to the door and says, “Broke. Broke. Ow!” (Even though his finger did not get smashed way at the top.)
Cute video below of Collin comforting Mallie and then he showed her his owie and she kissed it. Awww…they can be so cute.
I know accidents happen….but I still feel horrible.
xxx
They say that as you get older you get wiser. I learned a lot today when we went sledding. I don’t know if I am any wiser, but I did learn that I don’t bounce like I used to.
When I was younger I had no fear. I would start at the top of the tallest hill, take a running leap and belly flop on the sled and go flying down the hill face first. We would weave in and out of trees. We even had double ramps and we always got plenty of air. And going back up the hill to do it again…no problem. And if we crashed, it wasn’t bad. We just shook it off and was ready to do it again.
But something happens to our bodies when we get older, at least mine anyway. When I crash, it hurts. I don’t know if it is because of age and I’m not as flexible as I used to be. Maybe it’s because I’m not as physically fit. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not lazy. I chase after four kids all the time. That is plenty of physical activity to keep me fit and trim. But when I crash now, it really does hurt. I go limping back up the hill, if I make it at all, trying not to think about how it looked to everybody else. And also knowing I’m going to be feeling this all week long. Dang, I’m just not as young as I used to be.
Maybe it is also because we’re more cautious now that we are older. We take into consideration all of the variables that could happen before we go sledding down that hill or doing some other stupid daring trick. I mean, I don’t have time to have a broken leg or arm. I have too many other people to take care of to be down like that.
But most of the time, I do it anyway. I’m just not quite as a daredevil as I used to be. This time there were no trees to steer between.
It all began when I was at the bottom of the hill watching the kids sled down. I was cheering for them and making sure they didn’t go too far and hit any obstacles. It looked like so much fun and eventually I was at the top of the hill sending the kids down to Brad. The extra sled was laying there, tempting me. Childhood sledding memories flew in like snowflakes and the reasoning part of my brain was frost-bitten and not working at that moment, I guess. I’m going down, I decided.
Now, I am smart enough that I didn’t start at the top of the hill. I started half way down. I don’t think it would have mattered where I started, crashing is always hard. I flew down the snowy hill and felt the rush of adrenaline. The next thing I knew, my face was in the snow and my hat flew off. I don’t know if I did a backwards somersault or just flopped over like a beached whale. Whatever it looked like I know it wasn’t graceful. But it did hurt. I just don’t bounce like I used to.
You know, I have always wanted to be the mom who participates in activities with their kids. I want to sled down the hill with them. I would probably even have a lapse of forgetfulness and try that ramp at the skatepark. But I try to remember to take it easy. There are some things I just can’t do like I used to. I can still play baseball, though!
I took it easy the rest of the day with our winter play. I was cautious. I didn’t do any more sledding. Instead I flung my kids down the hill as fast as I could so I could relive those childhood memories somehow. Hearing their giggles and laughter, seeing their rosy cheeks, and watching them crash was more than enough enjoyment for me.
We had a great time. We even made a baby snowman.
Do you still go sledding with your kids? Or do you cheer from the sidelines? I would love to hear your sledding adventures.
xxx
It’s always there. Everybody has it. It accumulates. It grows larger and larger every day. It’s exasperating the way these piles grow. We even add to it everyday, usually two or three times a day!
Laundry.
I have piles of darks, whites, towels, and jeans on my basement floor. I even have a whole load of pink clothes (I never thought that would happen. I love having girls, too!).
I walk up my stairs and a pile awaits behind the closet door and a basket in every room. Towels cushion my bathroom floor, they need washed too.
It’s everywhere!
And I have stacks. Stacks of clean clothes sitting in baskets and on top of dressers that need to be folded or put away. There is a whole tub of mismatched socks waiting for their mate.
It’s also never-ending because of all the great help I have. I was hanging shirts in the boys’ closet and I looked down; there is Mallie pulling out all of the jeans from the bottom dresser drawer. Really?! Great help, I tell you. At least they are cute!
Here are the girls in action helping me fold towels. Usually the floor is covered, but this time I left them only one.
And I remind myself daily not to stress out. “Don’t sweat the small stuff.” Because laundry…well, it never goes away and it will always wait. And seriously, look at how much fun they are having!
As long as we have clean clothes to wear, it’s all good.
xxx
The skateboard wasn’t Elsie’s Christmas present, but I think it was one of her favorites.
I can’t believe she held so still and didn’t fall off. I held my breath the whole time. Brad comes up with crazy ideas. The kids always have fun.
Check her out in action in the video below.
Mallie rode it also. She didn’t stay on it as long.
It was Cedrik’s Christmas present. Poor kid can’t even ride it. He broke his toe/foot playing dodgeball. Soon enough he will be up and on it though.
xxx
I am always asked if the twins play together and what it is like to have two of them.
I’ll answer the second question first. It is CRAZY having two babies at the same time! But it is also a lot of fun.
They sort of play together, but most of the time Mallie is stealing Elsie’s toys and Elsie just sits there and screams. But when they do play together, it is super cute.
Check out the video below. It is one of my favorites!
I was lucky to get it all on video.
xxx
I love baby gates. They are one of the greatest inventions; right next to the dishwasher, cheese slicer, and disposable diapers. I can get so much done in the kitchen all by myself.
The kids do not like the baby gates, especially when they know it is just about dinner time.
***Note: You might want to make sure your volume is down for this video.***
Aren’t they just adorable? Well, I think so, even if they are screaming and crying.
They were much happier with full bellies. They love their green beans.
And on a lighter note, here is a little bit of Collin cuteness.
And not so cute…
He just got done sticking his tongue out at me. heehee. I can’t even remember why he was mad. I think it was because I turned around to take Mallie’s picture. It’s rough being two.
xxx
I watch the kids play and they are getting so big. Bradley has a birthday in four days! I can’t believe he is going to be six. The girls will be one in less than a month! And Collin just turned two, and you can tell, he is perfecting the art of toddler temper tantrums lately.
Oh, my dear Collin. He is so cute and sweet…and ornery. He does love helping. though. The other day at my sister’s house Elsie was crying. Collin jumped down from his chair at the dinner table and swiped Mallie’s pacifier from her mouth and stuck it in Elsie’s. He then got back up and finished eating. One less baby crying. Poor Mallie, but she didn’t seem to mind.
Collin also loves fighting with his brother. Oh, they torment each other so much. Sticking their tongues out at each other or making faces. Collin will steal Bradley’s markers when he is doing homework and take off running. It can be a regular zoo around here sometimes.
My sister and I were talking:
“Where do these boys get this orneryness? I mean, Jonas did those same things when he was little,” my sister said.
“I know, and so did Bradley,” I say. “Couldn’t be from us! They must get it from each of their Dad’s side,” and I can’t help but laugh.
“Remember that time Bradley got so mad at you for eating that cookie?”
“It was one of the greatest temper tantrums I have ever seen.”
And sweet Mallie, I can already tell she is going to be his partner in crime, like stealing pacifiers and chasing her sister. You can read more at this previous post and watch a video. It’s too funny.
The girls are starting to get too big for the sink. I’m going to start having to give them baths in the tub. But they are so cute in the sink.
Mallie’s bubble beard. She tried to eat the wash rag full of bubbles.
Mallie finally has two bottom teeth AND she took her first little baby step the other day. She holds on and walks around the furniture like a pro. It will be no time before she is walking and chasing Collin.
Below is Elsie waiting for her bath.
She is finally crawling and working on pulling herself up and standing by things. AND she is finally starting to pick up her own food with her fingers and eat. Mallie shovels it in. Elsie will sit there with her mouth open and screams until you feed her. I finally just walked away and left her with her favorite treat. She started picking it up and eating. FINALLY! I think sometimes she would prefer to have you do it. She was the same way with her bottle. She wouldn’t hold it either until I just left it on her chest. She finally quit crying and started holding her own bottle.
Elsie is also really into clapping right now. She claps when she is happy…and she claps when she is mad. Check out the video below.
They get big so quick. I just try to remember to slow down and enjoy the little moments in this crazy, beautiful, busy life.
xxx
When they were in the NICU they were in separate isolettes. I longed to put them together in one crib. They had to be separated because of all the wires and tubes, but the isolettes were next to each other. Elsie’s covered in a yellow fleece blanket and Mallie’s in a lavender one. When one would cry, the other would look around for her sister. It broke my heart. They were so tiny.
Mallie was the calmer newborn. Elsie was more high-strung and cried louder, she also went through a lot more trauma with being smooshed on the bottom in the womb and the difficulties with the pregnancy. She was on oxygen longer. She was on a feeding tube longer. She just had a rougher start. They both did really, being born 5 weeks early.
I still remember the first time we put them next to each other, I think they were a little over a week old. It is like they knew they were supposed to be together. Their vitals were more stable when they were close. I cried when I seen them reach out to each other for the first time, grasping with tiny little fingers for their other half. I knew they must have missed each other, I mean think about it…they were in the womb together forever…all they knew was each other (and me and my heartbeat, it must have been kind of loud in there with all those heartbeats and outside noise). They could hear each other’s heartbeat, they could feel the other’s every move, they even knew when the other had hiccups.
When I finally got to bring them home, the day before Thanksgiving, I always put them together. They wouldn’t sleep very long unless they were next to each other. I would swaddle them in soft baby blankets and tuck them in close to each other. They cuddled so sweetly.
That lasted for the first 9 months or so. Now that they are more mobile it is a whole different story.
It started with stealing pacifiers. As soon as Mallie realized how to grab things and put it in her mouth, she was always after Elsie’s pacifier, even when she had her own. Elsie finally started to learn to do the same, she is just not as aggressive as her sister.
These are the peaceful moments I love. Sweet little sleeping faces; relaxed, calm, quiet. I love sneaking in and taking pictures at night, something to remember the little baby faces because they grow up so fast. I am extra careful because I fear waking them up with the flash.
Pure peacefulness. I love the way they snuggle – the closeness.
It doesn’t always last long, though. I’m going to have to separate these two into their own cribs, even though they are cute as can be in these pictures. I would love to keep them together, but it just isn’t possible anymore.
My head sinks into my pillow and I’m just heading off to dreamland when I’m jolted awake by screaming. It’s Elsie, I can tell, she has the high-pitched wail. I roll over and look at the clock. 10:12 pm. I lay there, listening to the screaming subside to fussing. Maybe she will stop. I close my eyes. A second later a bloody murder scream comes from their room. I stumble out of bed.
Mallie is mauling her sister. She has one pacifier in her mouth and the other one in her hand. She has her sister pinned down and is just smiling. If she could talk I think she would say, “Look, Mom! I’ve got two!” She is so proud. And poor Elsie is screaming her little head off under her.
“Mallie! you have one,” I tell her and take it away. She starts crying because I took one away…Elsie is still screaming. Now I have two crying babies. I stuff the pacifier in Elsie’s mouth and she subsides to a quiet whining and drifts back to sleep. I lay Mallie back down on her side of the crib and tuck her in. “Go to sleep now. And leave your sister alone.” She sucks on her pacifier and snuggles into her blanket.
I go back to bed and collapse into sleep…until about 4 am when it happens again. Geesh!
This type of thing also happens a lot at nap time, too. Just when I think they are down for the count I hear the screaming.
I go upstairs and Mallie has chucked her empty bottle on the bedroom floor. She is leaning over her sister, chugging Elsie’s bottle like a football player after a game full of touchdowns. Elsie just lays there screaming, poor thing.
It’s not always so rough. Sometimes you can listen to them playing in their crib, laughing and giggling and bouncing. Then I don’t want to separate them. And of course when they are cute and cuddly I don’t want to separate them. But I love my sleep and desperately need it… as you can tell from a few of my past blogs; No Need for an Alarm Clock, I Have Kids and A Letter to Sleep. I’m sure I have mentioned sleep, or the lack of, many other times, but those are the ones I know are all about sleep.
I decided I will put the cribs next to each other so they can be close…AND they will still be in arms reach so they can still torment each other, but Elsie wont be pummelled. Oh, the tormenting. Does it really start this early? But that’s what sisters do. I guess that is just all siblings, Bradley and Collin have it down to an art form, sticking out tongues, chasing, tackling, the whole nine yards.
Below is a cute video of them playing. Mallie is chasing Elsie and they are laughing and giggling…until Mallie gets too rough.
Oh, it is going to be interesting to see what the future will bring. I’m sure there will be lots of fights, don’t we all remember that with siblings? But there will also be lots of fun times and we will be sitting on the front porch laughing about them later.
xxx
September 5, 2011 Monday
I was so lazy this morning. I didn’t want to get off the couch. I just wanted to snuggle my afghan and watch the kids crawl around on the floor like ants.
I planned on not answering the phone and zoning out to the Pickers marathon on the History Channel. But I am one of those people who can’t ignore the phone, so when it started ringing I answered it. I’m glad I did.
It was Aunt Terrry, “Can you get out for a while? We are going to go on a road trip. I need to get this Alpaca yarn and you can see the butts of the Alpacas that the yarn came from,” and on and on she went. “It’s amazing out there. You will have so much fun and Sheri is so nice.”
“I don’t really feel good,” I said. I just didn’t want to do anything. But the more she went on the more interested I became.
“She makes her own yarn from the Alpacas?” I asked. I read about this once. I tried to talk Brad’s mom into getting Alpacas so I could learn to spin my own yarn, sell it, and make lots of hats and scarves with it. This is when I had time on my hands last year. Complete bedrest gave me all kinds of crazy ideas, with the help of Google, of course. “Okay. I will probably feel better if I get my butt up and around. When do you want to pick me up?”
We pulled up into the driveway. Moss roses covered a corner of rocky landscaping along with other beautiful flowers and shrubs. There was a cool country breeze blowing the long grass and wild flowers in the fields. It reminded that fall is soon on its way. I was glad I brought a sweater.
I didn’t think I was going to fall in love with these crazy looking creatures. The more time you spend with them you realize how sweet and special each one is. They were a little timid at first. Once I started to feed them they warmed right up.
This sign is so true!
I mean seriously, who can not love faces like these?
Sheri, the owner, was a wealth of information. She told me so much about Alpacas. Watch the video below, it is my favorite piece of information. Ladies, you will know what I mean.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eahkhbS7lUo
Skeins of Alpaca yarn, gloves, and socks lay on her kitchen table. I ran my fingers through the soft yarn, thinking of all the things I could crochet, if only I had the time. I really want to buy one of her bags and a pair of the super soft socks and I might as well add a pair of gloves in there, too. Oh, and a hat! All of her items are so soft and beautiful. They are well made, also. And if you met these sweet Alpacas you would not be able to say no. You would just be thanking each of them for their super soft coat that goes into making all of these goodies.
I had such a wonderful time. I am so glad I got to meet Sheri and her Alpacas. You can contact her at Tinymyt@aol.com for information or to buy her Alpaca goods.
xxx
Below are lots and lots of pictures of our day. Thanks again Aunt Terry for getting my butt of the couch and getting me out of the house. You just never know where a road trip will take you.
Alpaca love
Amanda St.Clair 