"I Yike It!"

It's funny to think I was once worried that Lucie and Ryan weren't talking enough. Now, we can't get them to stop talking. Not that we would want them to, especially with all the hilarious and interesting (and sometimes bossy) things that come out of their mouths.

Here's the latest on the Lucie and Ryan soundtrack:

"Mommy, it's nawh workin!" (Ryan) A favorite phrase for everything from used-up glue sticks to faulty straws. Ryan expects things to always be in working order. If they're not, he's the first to head to the toolbox.

"I yike it!" or "I don yike it!" (Ryan and Lucie) They both say this all the time. Ryan tried to claim that he didn't like a strawberry milkshake after drinking 3/4 of it in mere seconds. We don't believe that one, buddy.

"Mommy, I wanna see you outside in one minute!" and "Ryan, we don't throw food, we eat it!" (Lucie) Sometimes I feel like I'm hearing my own voice coming out of my two year old daughter. (Hopefully I don't sound that demanding?) Lucie definitely keeps us all in line.

"Meow! Meow! I being a baby kitty cat!" (Lucie, usually followed by Ryan's echo) You never know when a little girl or boy will turn into a baby kitty cat in our home, but one thing's for sure - they always come in pairs.

These photos are from two visits from Grandma and Grandpa and Gigi and Papa. Trips to the zoo and Legoland were both followed by a resounding, "I yike it!" Lucie and Ryan had a blast.

Two Booster Seats, Please

Chris and I recently decided that we should start taking Ryan and Lucie out to eat in restaurants more often. We do it when visiting with family pretty frequently, but rarely do just the four of us go out, especially after our infamous Red Robin incident last fall. Ugh. But, we can't let a little throw-up and some dirty looks stop us. It's good for kids to learn to eat in restaurants. And what better way for them to learn than with practice? (or so I tell myself...)

We ventured out to breakfast this weekend. Breakfast seems to be the best meal to go out as everyone is well rested and the atmosphere tends to be casual and kid friendly. R & L did great. They sat in their booster seats the entire time, with not one attempt to get down or dump salt and pepper shakers. It helped that the restaurant made Mickey Mouse pancakes (with much more symmetrical ears than my own creations) and that we were seated outside on a practically empty patio. We were all so entertained by Ryan's first experience with smoothie "brain freeze" that by the time we knew it, the check had arrived and we were all happily full and satisfied.

It's funny how having kids has made the small details in life seem like such an accomplishment. Things that once were taken for granted - a peaceful car trip, a full night's sleep, a relaxing meal out - are now so cherished and celebrated. It sounds silly, but I never knew I could feel such pride from watching my kids sit nicely and enjoy a meal in a restaurant. These little moments make the tough times blur together into a foggy dream. It's definitely the brain freezes and Mickey pancakes I'll remember instead.

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All Grown Up

While preparing for a visit from baby Natalie this week, Lucie and Ryan took some time trying out their old play mat. Ryan had to make sure all the screws were secure, while Lucie tried her best to fit her entire body on the mat (a pretty tough task). It's hard to believe that two short years ago, they both fit with plenty of room to wiggle and kick.

Speaking of growing up quick, here's a funny story about Lucie. Brushing teeth is always an adventure (or should I say chore?) for Ryan and Lucie. They absolutely hate it and can't understand why their two seconds of sucking toothpaste off the brush isn't enough cleaning.

Chris and I make up little games as we brush their teeth — sometimes using silly voices, others pretending there's something fun to be found in the back of their mouth. Last night I joked with Lucie, "Hey, who's in the back of your mouth? Do I see Elmo? Or is it Duckie?" Usually she giggles and plays along. This time she was fed up. "Just get it out!", she cried, "I wanna read my lyberry book!" There's no fooling this girl.

Painting the Tub Green

Ryan and Lucie could spend hours in the tub, and sometimes do! Lately on days when we stay indoors (rainy day, runny noses, etc.), I've been filling up the tub for a good chunk of playtime. Because the majority of R & L's baths are squeezed in a short window between dinner and bedtime, it's nice to have an open period of time just to let them play in the water. I don't even try too hard to get them clean, as evidenced by today's bath where they came out a tinge greener than when we started. Obviously, the bath paints were a hit.

Another thing Lucie and Ryan love to do in the bath is play with their "icebuggas!" (Ryan-speak). I got this tip from another twins mom. At the end of each bath, R & L choose a small bath toy for their iceberg. We fill a plastic cup with water, put in the toy and place it in the freezer. (You would not believe how much debate goes on in our house about the optimal way to freeze a bath toy in the exact center of a plastic cup - it's harder than it seems!) Then at the beginning of each bath, everyone gets to watch their bath toy appear as the iceberg floats and melts in the warm bath water. Though I haven't tried it yet, you can also add food coloring before freezing to make the iceberg really stand out. I guess I figure R & L's bath water is colorful enough as it is right now.

A Potty with a View

We've been having a lot of fun with art projects lately. With a fridge full of "Happy Birthday Daddy!" creations (everything is made for Daddy), we had to find another gallery. Why not the bathroom? I thought it might increase interest in the potties, and it seems to have worked. Well, at least for this morning...

When it comes to art, Lucie can color, paint, glue or draw for hours on end. Ryan is more of a quick burst artist, coming in for a period of intense work, and then buzzing off to do something else. During a recent book making project, Lucie took her time selecting images to cut out from a magazine while Ryan ran around with his play drill "fixing" the table and rolling up and down the glue sticks. Ryan enjoyed working the stapler so much he made five books in the time it took his sister to color in her first page.

The same goes for their approaches to music. Ryan loves working the CD player so we usually only hear half a song before he decides it's time for the next. I bought them a few books on CD including Caps for Sale,a favorite at Gigi and Papa's. (My Dad has read it to them so many times I can almost hear his voice when we read it!) Lucie is happy looking at the pictures while listening to the story. Unfortunately for her, that doesn't happen often as her brother is eager to declare it time for the next story when we've only made it through page one of the first. The only way we've been able to hear the whole story of the peddler and monkeys is when our little DJ is strapped in his high chair enjoying dinner. Otherwise the CD player is too big of a temptation.

Again, it's hard to say if these differences are a boy/girl thing, genetic predisposition (Ryan definitely seems to have the engineer's mentality of his two grandfathers, father and uncle) or simply unique personalities. It's fun to watch though, and certainly good for them to be exposed to each other's styles.