Mary Lena's Family

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I’ll work backwards here. 
Tonight was a typical night of putting Joel to bed.  I put it off for an hour – I needed a break and he was watching TV.  I usually just wait for him to come find me and ask to play a game with him.  We tried playing ping pong with no table.  It didn’t go well, so we read our 2 books, brush teeth, tonight we flossed, went potty, peed on the floor, cleaned that up, changed into scooby doo jammies.  Joel started singing the scooby doo theme song, which I was surprised he knew – that’s always fun 🙂  Read scriptures, Joel didn’t even pretend to pay attention tonight, usually he humors me.  Said prayers.  Then he has to jump from the bed and give me a gigantic hug that knocks me on the floor… twice.  He gets under the covers and asks me to rub his feet.  So I rub them fast like I’m trying to warm them up.  Then the coversation becomes very one sided and goes something like this:  "Now rub my back.  No not like that, fast like my feet.  Ok, now under.  Yeah.  Ok no do this." (wiggles his fingers) "Where did you get this idea, does Daddy rub your back like this?"  "Yeah.  Now squeeze my neck.  Not hard.  Ok now push on my back.  *little-kid-grunt*  Ok, now will you rub my back again?"  "No.  Goodnight.  Love you.  See you in the morning."  (Either Mary runs out before the child can use that cute little voice to persuade her to stay, or the child is tired enough that he blows kisses and lets her leave).

Back up 2 hours and this is the twins typical bedtime routine.
(Imagine noise everywhere…. TV is on, babies are squaking, the husband is telling a story and the 4 year old is making power ranger sound effects) 
Babies are in their high chairs and starting to yell at me.  I ask if they want out and they start patting their chests.  This is the sign for bath.  They actually do this after breakfast, lunch and dinner, but only get a bath after dinner. :o)  So I carefully step near the highchairs around all the goo and crumbs on the floor, pull them out of the chairs and out of their clothes.  If I’m smart, I’ve opened the bathroom door and I’m working quickly.  So the trail of food from those little bodies goes in a straight line into the bathroom – a No-No area so, of course, they make a beeline.  As long as the refrigerator door is closed, I’m pretty sure they’ll head to the bathroom.  But the challenge is getting the second one out and undressed before the first one makes it to the toilet.  What is it with babies and toilets anyway??
If I get there in time I turn on the bath water really fast and then THAT becomes the most interesting thing in the world.  Noah stands on the tips of his toes like a ballerina so he can get the whole pressure-washing effect.  I don’t think he’s fallen in yet.  They’ve both fallen out of the tub though, from leaning over so far.  Crazy babies.  What’s funny is not a minute after they are in the tub they are trying to jump out.  So baths don’t take up nearly the time they used to.  One at a time they’ll put a leg over the side of the tub.  But I give them a look and say no, and they’ll get back in.  I love that, I hope it lasts and they always do what I say.  *sigh*  So I lay Naomi down to get her hair wet and Noah lunges.  Washing Naomi is tricky because I have to do it one handed.  The other hand is keeping Noah from body slamming her.  Yeah, I’ve thought about bathing them separately, but what’s the point if the other one is just going to be right next to me on the side of the tub leaning over so far they fall in?  Last night when I soaped up Noah, he was laying on his back and he lifted up one foot and nudged Naomi in the nose.  That was a new one.
I pull the towl off the rack and they’re both jumping at me.  I usually yell at Joel to get me some diapers.  He’s very good at this.  He knows to get a size 4 for Noah and a size 3 for Naomi.  It’s a race to get the second kid out of the tub here too because I don’t want the first one crawling or walking through the dinner mess on the kitchen floor.  If Andrew is home this is where he steps in and takes over with one baby.  If I’m alone, I herd them into their bedroom and they get jammies and put in their cribs and cry until I come back with bottles. Noah can down his is 6.2 seconds.  Naomi is too distracted to finish hers fast.  So Noah gets his teeth brushed first.  Then Naomi.  That’s fun….It’s like wrestling someone with 4 arms.  How can people so small move in so many different directions?  I pretty much have them in a headlock and the toothpaste is all over their face by the time I’m done.
Then they get a song or a book and it’s lights out.  There is no pattern to it, but one will throw a fit before they go to sleep.  That’s one nice thing about my twins.  So far — if someone throws a fit, the other just watches.  It’s like they’re thinking, "Good work N.  That red face really added something.  I’m on break right now, but you’re doing a fine job."
And that’s why I need a break and I don’t ever put Joel to bed until I absolutely have to.

Thanks for humoring me.  I know my blog sucks.  But I decided a few days back that I’m not writing enough stuff down.  I’m never going to remember all this.  Especially with this mommy brain that apparently stays forever.

I HAVE THE CUTEST KIDS IN THE WORLD!

Can I just say Thank Goodness for Girl Time!!!

I am so blessed to have a husband that pushes me out the door for movies and game nights and dinner out with friends.
Thank you Andrew!

ABC’s of Me:

A – Age: 28
B – Bed size: Queen
C – Chore you hate: Dusting!
D – Dad’s Name: Keith
E – Essential start your day item: brushing my hair…..weird, huh?
F
– Favorite actors: Brad Pitt 🙂  Sarah Jessica Parker, Kate Winslet, Robert De Niro, Adam Sandler, Jim Carey, Sandra Bullock
G – Gold or Silver: Silver
H – Height: 5′ 3 3/4”
I
– Instruments you play(ed): piano, violin
J – Job title: Balancing-on-the-edge-of-sanity-stay-at-home-mom
K – Kid(s): 2 boys 1 girl
L – Living arrangements: Own/occupy a duplex with hubby and kids
M – Mom’s name: Christy
N – Nickname: Mar
O – Overnight hospital stay other than birth: getting my gall bladder out
P – Pet Peeve(s): wet socks, long fingernails, liberals
Q – Quotes you like: Do you want to be a power in the world?  Then be yourself.  — Ralph Waldo Trine
R – Right or left handed : Right
S – Siblings: Michelle, Marcia, Angela, Alicia, Evan, Andrew
T – Time you wake up: sometime between 7 and 8
U – Unknown fact about you: I’ve shaken hands with 3 apostles !!
V – Vegetable(s) you dislike: Beets, Asparagus
W – Ways you run late: last minute diaper blow out, deciding to try and make myself look nice
X – X-rays you’ve had: lungs for pleuracy and pneumonia, broken arm, ultrasounds for babies and gall bladder
Y – Yummy food you make: GF waffles, bread and cookies!
Z – Zodiac: Scorpio