How to Survive an All day Power Outage with Multiples (toddlers) in the WINTER

When living on a coast line, there are certain things that you have to be prepared for, and Power outages are in the top 3.

 Items that are must haves:

Prepare an emergency kit and store it in an easy to-find location known to everyone in your home.

Flashlights; Batteries that fit your flashlights.

Easy to get at propane stove and propane.

Battery pack for charging your phone. Make sure you charge the battery pack.

Fridge lock, so little hands don’t keep opening it.

Basic supplies should include:

Hand-cranked or battery-powered radio and clock.

Extra batteries.

First aid kit, including prescription medicine if needed.

Non-perishable and ready-to-eat foods.

Bottled water: three-day supply (two litres per person per day).

Manual can opener.

Warm clothing and blankets.

Supplies for those with special needs.

Supplies for your pet.

Extra keys for your house and car.

Cash in small denominations.

Games, cards and books to entertain everyone.

A copy of your preparedness plan.

And in case of evacuation you should have your personal documents with you: driver licence, MSP, passport bank cards etc.

Important phone numbers and passwords.

 Items that make your kids life more manageable

SNACKS.

Glow n the dark glow sticks.

Juice boxes.

Their favorite toy/blanket; in case of evacuation.

 Cool ideas:

Glow in the dark sticks in blown up balloons.

Tent in living room and play camping.

Papier Mache balloons and make sunshine’s.

I spy with your flashlight.

Flashlight animals.

Propane stove and cook up some hot dogs outside.

 

In the event of a power outage, have yourself prepared with a backpack with some food, clothes, toys, your important numbers, medical stuff etc. This way you can relax in case you do get evacuated.

One time, we were evacuated and I put all of our stuff into a back pack and carried the kids and backpack in a wagon, while my dog believed she was pulling the wagon. We had to be out of the house for 5 hours because of a potential gas leak.  This meant no starting the car and driving away. The only thing that saved me, was that I had brought their babies, snacks, water bottles, crayons, colouring book and glow-in-the-dark sticks.  You never can be certain what will happen. Something I thought of after, I should have brought their car seats, although massive, when I was in the clear zone, I could have had a friend come and get us.

You know what…. YOU GOT THIS!!!

How to go to the Mount Washington Tube Park with 4 year old twins.

Congratulations, your going to take the twins tubing.

First, go to the mountains website and create a profile and reserve a tubing time (takes about ten minutes but saves you a headache once you arrive). You only need to pay for yourself, as the kids are free being under a certain height.

What to pack:

• Sunscreen
• Snacks
• Toque
• Neck warmer if the snow suit opens at the neck because you get going FAST
• Gloves, I find the longer ones that go into their jacket the best with a little thumb part.
• Snow suit are good except for bathroom breaks so two piece is best for us
• Snow boots
• Bring a water bottle and some snacks depending where you need to park
• A way of payment (VISA card)

Whats the rules?

• Print or bring your online RECEIPT with you in order to redeem your tubing tickets.
• 1-hr Tube Park Pass $18 (includes tube rental). prices subject to change.
• All riders must have a tickets regardless of age or height.
• Riders must be a minimum height of 42″ or 107 cm tall to tube.
• Riders under 42″ tall can ride free with an adult in their tube.
• All riders must be at least 2 years of age.
• Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult while in the Tube Park.
• Children under 12 can ride by themselves as long as they are tall enough.
• One person over 42″ or 107cm per tube only. Adults may hang onto their child’s tube in the lane. (conditions permitting)
• Ski Boots or hard shell are not permitted in the Tube Park for safety reasons.
• No sleds, toboggans or other self-owned tubes are permitted in the Tube Park.
• Rental goggles, snowboard boots, jackets, pants are available in the rental shop.
• Allergy alert: we use straw at times to reduce tube speeds.
• Max groups of 4 tubes in a square and the group sizes may be limited if the operator deems it necessary.
• Lanes maybe closed if the operator deems it necessary, (usually because of weather and speed).
• Do not pull tubes while occupied. Always walk or carry tubes to lift.

Basic Information

• Sliders should be prepared for varying weather conditions and temperatures
• Winter boots with good tread and appropriate clothing are recommended.
• There are staff stationed at the base of the lift, top of the lift, start of the lanes as well as in the run out lanes to provide assistance and instruction.
• Observe and obey all signs and instructions from tube park and lift operations staff

 So what happens exactly?

On the way there, the twins wear warm thin pants and a nice warm long sleeve shirt and socks. So once you are parked you stand them up on the front seat and get them dressed. *** Get yourself dressed first.

Once you get to the visitor station and get your passes, put your electronic pass in your left pocket for the automatic readers will read the pass BUT can demagnetize your visa. So keep VISA in your right pocket.

Then off to the tube park. We slide on our bums if the hills are too steep while walking.

You walk into the tubing area and they will direct you over. You sit on the tube first then your kid on top or in front of you.

They ask if you want a spin. I always say no, because it makes me sick.

Hold on to the child, my son has a tenancy of planking mid ride… LOL. No idea why.

You land in hay, so hopefully no allergies.

Then you carry your tube with child beside you (not allowed for them to sit in the tube) up the hill to the crazy carpet slider.

Put your child on the carpet first, you get on and you’re pulling your tube. Hold onto the child because it’s like a flat escalator.  Sometimes they teeter front and back or side to side. Sitting is not allowed on the carpet.

Once at the top, I picked mine up and put them on the side first, then I got off with the tube.

We went down about 5-6 times.

It’s a great time and really affordable.

A Morning in the Life of a Canadian Mom of Twins. I am sorry, I wrote a book,

I owe you an apology. I disappeared …..

I wrote a book. A morning in the Life of a Canadian Mom of Twins. The book has tips and tricks for families of multiples.  I decided to write the book because I was losing my mind fumbling my way through the day. I learned things the hard way and some things came naturally to me. You can pick up your copy directly through me. It’s $11.99 Canadian. If you live in Canada the shipping is free, anywhere else it’s a base rate of $15.99 CDN.

I will be back to blogging shortly I have more tips I learned through the holiday season. Check out my facebook at https://www.facebook.com/canadianmom.oftwins.9 or you can email me at Canadianmomoftwins@gmail.com

This is an exciting time and I am so happy to share my news with you. I WROTE A BOOK.. AHHHHHHHH

Lumberjack themed Camping trip with three year old twins

Its that time of year again to dust the camping gear off and make a campsite reservation. I love camping but I love themed camping trips more.
This time was a lumberjack, so here are a few pointers to help you plan a successful lumberjack, sorta red neck, themed camping trip.

Outfits:
Plaid, cut off anything, any shirt with a ridiculous message on it (animals, booze, sayings etc)

Food:
Meat balls, mashed potatoes and gravy
Ribs with corn
Scrambled eggs, bacon and sausage
Wieners cooked in BBQ sauce and macaroni salad.

The family gobbbbbled up those meals.

Decoration:
plaid table cloth, party lights, red solo cup anything.

Music:
rock, country, blue grass, almost anything but pop.

Games:
I created a kid friendly plastic AX THROWING game. Sure, I lost some friends on Facebook when I posted my red neck video but good ridden.
You can find plastic shields and ax accessories in the dress up part of any local dollar store.
Take neon bands and tape paper to them. Creating little circles that are light weight.
Take a paper clip to the top and tie string at different lengths.
Each circle represents a different number, I made 5 circles with numbers, 5, 10 and 15.
Play to 30.  Have back up paper circles, tape and felt to replace the ones that get torn down during the toss. This is what I created at home to practice before going out in the bush.
Take a rope and tie to tent poles, trees, antennas whatever you can. Make sure there’s no bushes or people on one side of the rope because you will hit them with your ax.
Make a line in the dirt where to throw from or use rocks to mark the throwing line.

Have teams. We did family teams so kids as young as 2 were throwing and old as 70.
On a separate sheet have a pen and get each family to name their own team. We had Lucky Lager Bears, Salty Sea Dawgs, Ax a Million, Lumberjax, Triple Threats, Dog Days.
Super fun and easy and no clean up.

Second game was a KEG ROLL.
Kegs are hard to come by but we were lucky enough to have one. Take a chair about ten feet from the starting line. One team member runs while rolling the unstable keg and does a FULL circle around the chair coming back across the line, where the second member does a full circle around the chair too.

Have someone use their phone as a stop watch. Write the times down. Fastest time wins.

Keep in mind everyone’s safety is important, Kegs are heavy so watch the toes and back:)

The twins went to bed at 8pm and slept till 8am.

This lil momma dream weekend of fun, fatty foods, and games with friends and family.

Why people stare at me.

• I talk dragon talk (deep raspy voice) with my twinions and they answer me in dragon voice.
• I use double negatives frequently, “I didn’t say you couldn’t not do that”.
• I’m dancing holding onto both children, pretending they are so light, while singing my heart out.
• When counting down I skip numbers, “get in the car, 10,9,7,5,4,3,2,1”. Sometimes in dragon talk.
• People overhear me reassure a child that sharts (poop farts) are totally normal.
• I have make up on one eye lid.
• My shoes don’t match my outfit.
• I look like I got run over by a moose….. Twice.
• I talk out loud to myself, when I’m alone and answer myself. Sometimes I laugh at myself.
• I don’t notice I have stickers on my clothes.
• I sing made up songs, out loud, in public.
• My phone is ringing in my bra or sock.
• I have twins.
• I pack all of our items like a donkey, while holding their hands trying to remember where I left the wagon.

Ghost poop?

Potty training always has its up and downs. You can read and read and talk to other parents for their tips and tricks but one day you will be forced to answer a question you have no idea how to.

My child had gone to the washroom, they announced loud and proud they were going to go poo.  I continued washing up the dishes until I heard my name yelled for the wipe.

Suddenly, there was a scream, “mommy its gone.”

I rushed into the washroom. Standing, looking into the toilet bowl was my child in tears. “whats wrong babe?” I asked.

“I pooped and its gone.”

I looked and I couldn’t see it. “Are you sure babe? Lets give you a clean and see.” I took the toilet paper and nothing came on it, no streaks, no brown…nothing..

I could see my child was so upset.  “Mommy I pooped and the toilet ate it.”

I replied, “I think it just went inside the pipe really fast and didn’t pop out for you to see.”

Just then a hand rushes towards the water to grab their poop. I blocked it. “Mommmmmmy wheres my poo?” full tears coming down.

“Its a ghost poop babe.”

“A ghost?”

“Its when you poop and there’s no sign of it, nothing to wipe, nothing to see. You just know you did it. They are rare but, very rewarding because there’s no real mess. Mommy doesn’t need to clean the sides of the toilet and we don’t use lots of toilet paper.”

“Mommy, why is there a ghost taking my poop?”

To be continued…..

What to bring to an outdoor music festival with twin toddlers:

A week before the family friendly music festival, you have purchased the veggie tray, humus, snap peas and little crackers. You have juice boxes, chips, glow in the dark bracelets and bubbles for the three year old twins.

If your like me, you’ve invited the family and friends on both sides and everyone has confirmed they are coming to the festivities. Our town was having a great big Canada Day celebration with bands, face painting, bouncing castle, petting zoo, tents, beer gardens for the family and a ton of food trucks. The location was on a grassy knoll near a lake. This recipe should make for the most perfect day when you have littles. I wasn’t in charge of cooking, music or cleaning my house- like a normal party. This was my party cheat day.

Okay, let me get down to business.

Don’t forget to pack the following items:

• Roll of tissue, sometimes outhouses dont have any and I guarantee someone will need to poop
• Blanket, there’s a chance they may actually want to sit down with you
• Hats, sun screen, change of pants, shirt, dress, favorite toy (my son can’t leave the house without his fire truck and my daughter without her pink puppy)
• Your food (examples I pack are mentioned above in detail), drinks, straws, napkins, wet naps
• Phone, camera, and novelty clothing like a flower lei, mardis gras beads anything new and fun for the twins.

From reading the above a few times, I am confident that’s all you need. Anything extra is a bonus. I’ve seen people bring iPad and little game things, but for me, less is more and I am blessed because my littles like to dance to any music and love to eat.

I usually wear something colourful so it hides the stains from their filthy little paws. Good shoes in case I need to run fast or flip flops, I can kick them off when chasing them down. Which reminds me a good bra because you will be dancing and probably running.

The festival was fun, everyone ate the snack food and we all danced together. Sometimes I need to carry both of them in my arms while dancing but that’s just the way it is when you have two. My favorite part was when grandpa bought them bubblegum ice cream and my son fell and he was so upset so when I picked him up and he put his arms around my neck he rubbed ice cream into my skin, hair and all over my dress. He was so upset and I didn’t care about me or outfit. At the end of the day, that little mans heart was broken and he needed a momma hug. I know I wont get them forever like that, I just suck it up whenever I can. I took a wet nap and cleaned myself up and luckily my colourful dress hid all the other evidence.

Go and have fun, dance, get dirty, over eat, sing loud and try and take a picture.

How to go on an adventure walk with twin toddlers

How to go on an adventure walk with twin toddlers:

Pack :
Water bottles, snacks, extra pants, shirts socks and depending on child shoes. My daughter refuses to wear wet shoes.
Toilet paper, trust me- someone will need to go poo.  Sun screen, bear spray, small first aid kit, cell phone.
Tell two people where you are going.
Depending on the adventure, sometimes I make them pack little bags to collect their treasures in, such as, pine cons, fern branches and sticks.

They should be dressed in weather appropriate attire. I layer mine including a light weight rain jacket. Mec has some awesome ones that are great quality. I love their online Clearance section.

Now for you….. Skip the coffee mug you won’t have a free hand because chances are you will be packing the bags full of treasures. Runners. Two sports bras, keep those ladies secure incase you need to run.  If you remember a backpack with the items you packed with room for your cell and car keys. Don’t leave them on the tire… Been there.. done that.. and it took forever to find them.

Just Remember your out of the house… Your doing fantastic… your an excellent mom.. They are going to have the best forty… Maybe twenty minute adventure hike ever!!!! Your doing it!!!
Oh, you might want to go poo before you leave the house.

.

 

What to do with an old crib?

Its time to move the twins from their cribs into the dreaded bunk bed. I knew I couldn’t sell their cribs because for the past month or so they had removed the mattresses every morning and were using the board to jump on. It was only a matter of time before the hardy board fell through and I wasn’t about to sell a problem to another parent.
So what to do with the materials? Build an inhome climbing gym. At first I wondered if I had gone mad. But as soon as I placed the end pieces securely against the wall they stated climbing.  The other end pieces I placed ontop of the dining chairs, creating a bridge. I don’t believe every crib could be transformed into two hours of activities but these ones could.
I’ll be the first to admit I’m a helicopter and lawn mower mom, but there something to be said about the sound of laughter as your kids climb their old crib boards.

Check Yourself First

The twins are three now and its been a joyous couple of months since I last wrote. Besides the usual life problems of a trailer roof collapse before camping season or a car break down, I’ve had the pleasure of researching and interviewing preschools. I have decided the twinions need a little more structure prior to going into full time kindergarten in 2019.

I will never forget the day we were to tour the facility. I had them in the cutest outfits, I thought must make a good impression. Teeth cleaned, fed so they weren’t hangry, matching outfits with no stains and hair brushed and for the little girl she had a cute high pony tail. Her pony tail only took an hour to convince and a few tears but she was content now. I had snack items, water bottles, juice boxes, their medical records, birth certificates and I had even had a chance to shower and it was before 10:00 am. Meeting was at 11:30, so I decided to load us all up and go get a hot coffee, collect my thoughts on what we were looking for and what I needed to ask.

I was ready.

Everyone was loaded up – success!! My flip flops showed off my freshly painted toes (I could finally reach after losing most of the baby weight). As we drove away from our home, we approached the postal boxes and I wondered if their pre-school prep books were in? My twinions were going to be so smart before kindergarten. I pulled over and jumped out with my mail key. I keep the key in the car at all times, I will forget where I put it, because the twins have sucked my brain out.

It was right at that moment standing in-front of my mailboxes, freshly painted toes, hair nice, make up done, teeth brushed, wearing a bra and a nice shirt, I wasn’t wearing my dress shorts. I had left them on top of the stairs so they wouldn’t get dirty breakfast and tooth paste hands all over them. I left the house without my FRIGGING SHORTS. i jumped back into the truck and quickly went home. I was banging on the steering wheel. Then my son started yelling “no mom, no more home” before I could answer my daughter chimed in “No mommy.” I tried to explain to the toddlers that I had forgotten to put my shorts on and that I was only running in. They definitely are strong minded and know what they want. I should feel proud of that. At this moment, i just wanted to be enjoying a hot coffee, looking at the ocean.

By the time I had gotten my shorts on, the kids calmed down, I got drive thru coffee, skipped the ocean we arrived at the facility. I was five minutes early. Now time to impress and research the sixth child care centre.

Was this going to be the one?

Why make nice with your neighbour when you have twins? Here’s why:

Why it is important to be friendly with your neighbours when you have twins.

Yes, neighbours can be tough, invasive, nosey, needy, loud, tattle tales, lonely people who have nothing better to do than rate your parenting. However, in saying all this, they come from a good place. Well let us hope. So here is a list of why you need to keep smiling and laughing at their jokes and taking their beer stain hand me downs.

1. Your twins are loud, you are loud and your dog is loud.
2. They have a garden and they will likely give you some yummy fresh veggies, baked good and canned items.
3. You will have a party and you do not want them to ruin it by calling you/police or knocking on your door.
4. Your kids will throw a toy/ball over the fence at some point and you will need it back.
5. You may need half their money when you build the gigantic fence to separate you from them.
6. You may need them to watch your house when you go on vacation.
7. You may need to borrow something from them.
8. You may need to park in front of their house.
9. A bear or raccoon may eat your garbage creating a huge mess and they will clean it up knowing you have twins? This one is iffy but a possibility.
10. Your tree may fall on their yard or your plumbing may break flooding their back yard…all crazy things that could happen and you want them not to sue you.
11. You may share a grape vine.
12. They may have a cabin at the lake and you want to rent it out.
13. They could be a president of a company or their daughter and you want in.
14. You may be going into the RCMP and need a good rapport before they interview your neighbours.
15. You may fall down stairs and need them to call 911 for you while taking care of the twins and not letting the dog out.
16. You may need them to water your garden while you are gone.
17. They may teach dance, music, cooking and you need free lessons.
18. They have magical powers.
19. They are crazy. However, the fact you believe they have magical powers you may now be crazy.
20. Because it is the right thing to do and that is how your momma raised you.

How to go camping with one-year-old TWINS

Congratulations, you made it to the one year and above mark. Moreover, you are ready to go camping (again?) there’s a few products on the market that are lifesavers. I am on a twin budget so I do not take spending money lightly but when it comes to a few hours of great mommy time where I feel like a human again- I am more likely to spend.

Here is a list of must haves for our family.

• Kids Milk:  Homo milk, bottles with the inserts, a box of inserts, drying rack, and little bowl to wash the nipples in separately. A cooler bag with ice packs for transporting the milk separate and keep this bag in the truck so it is easy to reach in case you have a long trip and need a bottle but cannot stop.
• Food utensils, bowls, bowls with lids that their hands can grab their cheerios from, fork, spoon, bibs, cups to drink from.
• Fold-able high chairs and lawn chair to attach them too.
• Pea pods for sleeping with a nice lightweight blanket and their favorite stuffed toy.  I bought the pea pod used and the brand name is Kids co, I like them because they fold up, are lightweight, take up no room at all and there’s no way for the minions to get out. LOL. Winning

• Your monitor and screen and a ton of batteries.
• Neon sticks to light up the room in case you camp with no power please its nicer on the eyes.
• Toys that they do not play with at home, beach blanket, towels and toiletries, various shoes, bubbles, crayons or chalk, paper, sun screen, hats etc.

• Onesies and a ton, socks, bathing suit with sun guard.
• Medicine bag. Benadryl, Tylenol. Alternatively, whatever else you use for your babies.
• Fun games to play
• DVD player for in the truck and in the morning when they wake at 6:00 am and you are not ready to face the world. Charge it before you go and bring a few of their FAVORITES.
• Diapers, wipes, back pack, propane, etc.
• We use a dog gate to go around the fire pit because ours are so adventurous and curious they try to touch the fire all the time. Fun.

Now, what food do i pack?  I am sure every parent has their own food they like to bring, but, here is a few examples of what I bring:

Breakfast: egg whites cut up peppers, sausage, and zucchini (cooked) shredded cheese, yogurt, blue berries, and oatmeal, with a fruit platter

Snacks: fruit platter, yogurt, cheese strings, cheerios, veggies chips, hummus and pita, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, crackers, grapes, fig bars, fruit smoothie bags.

Lunch: hot dog (boiled I do not like charcoaled food for the babes), cucumbers, noodles and sauce, sandwiches (cheese and ham melts, P and B, cucumber and cheese, cheese).

Dinner: lunch items and pasta, corn, rice, chicken, fish, pasta salad, potato salad, pizza that I brought already cooked.

The above list is something that I use as a guide for packing up the kids there is a bunch more stuff I bring for the trailer and me.  This could include the bikes and chariot, propane light and pit, tarps, axe, wood, rope, gazebo and freeze water bottles for ice and for drinking.  One time i forgot my bag of clothes. Everyone else had their clothes though, so that reminds me bring deodorant ahahha.

Whatever happens just remember there is always a store somewhere on the way or nearby. Some trips you will ask yourself why you took the time off to do this and you might want to check your brain but for the most part they really enjoy themselves and they will appreciate it more than you know.

Top 10 things to do on bed rest

Well the time has come and you’re getting closer to bringing the little one or ones into the world. Congratulations, what an exciting time. I bet you have everything ready to go? No? No problem you really do not need much. A blanket, an outfit, and lots of love.

Now it is time for you to be on bed rest. So many women that I have spoken to dread bed rest and I cannot figure out why. You really get to take this time to mentally prepare yourself for the little ones.

1. Mentally prepare for the little one. Take this time and think about things that you have accomplished in your life, think of how you have grown a little bundle of joy, the closeness you feel with your baby and partner. What life is going to be like, the adventures you will have the learning you will do. Mentally take a break from the world and focus on your breathing, your body and take a mental check in.
2. Write. Write yourself a note about how excited you are to meet the bundle of joy. Journal feelings of anxiety, hope, fear, excitement, joy anything. Write a letter to your baby and tell your baby how wonderful they were in your tummy and how you are looking forward to their arrival. Write your partner a letter thanking them for being strong, loving and caring during this time. Write anyone and everyone anything. I also wrote birthday cards in advance because I knew things were going to get busy and I am so glad I did.
3. Research. Food, allergies, pets, how to’s, unicorns, fast freezer meals, romantic comedies, anything and everything. I wanted to know the benefits of manure in your garden and bed rest was my time to find out. Take some personality tests, career quizzes, find out your spirit animal, name generator, how to relax and take some time for yourself. Sign up for free stuff and memberships (keep a list of login and passwords).
4. Rub peppermint lotion on your feet and legs. If you cannot reach get your partner to do it. It makes a world of difference.
5. Pamper yourself. Have a friend come in and give you a hair do, practice cute buns or braids for when baby comes and you don’t have time for anything else. Pluck your eyebrows, get something waxed (if you’re allowed to) or shave something using a mirror in the tub. Get a pedicure, have someone paint your toes and cut them. Paint your finger nails, read your angel cards or just play cards.
6. Read. Sort of like research but different, read about anything you’re interested in from gossip to gardening make it about you. I liked reading Archie comic books because they were not serious and my mind wondered between sleeping. I also enjoyed reading a little romance hehehe because my dreams were very elicit and I loved it.
7. EAT. Eat cherry tomatoes, strawberries, snap peas, carrots, bran muffins. If you have the energy you could make a few more freezer meals but this time is really about keeping your feet up and relaxing.
8. Talk on the phone. Give those girlfriends a call, great great Aunty Phyliss or whomever, learn about your family history or genealogy, call the radio station and request music or try and win contests. My mom loved hearing from me all day and every day and I think so did my dad.
9. Cry. Get it all out, even the ugly cry because now is the time to feel those emotions and get it over with. Yes it will take you awhile to be in a bikini, yes you will need to pray and beg and steal to get some sleep, and maybe cry over that good movie or tv show. I still cannot figure out why every episode of Dawson’s Creek made me cry but it felt good.
10. Be entertained. Watch whatever shows you want and binge watch (full seasons) get to know new shows and ask your friends for some new stuff to watch. Watch you-tube videos, play games, do crosswords, color, draw, sew, battle ship, Tetris, whatever you want.

The above list kept me sane during a very anxious time in my life. I was waiting for the arrival of twins and was told by the doctor -no more walking around. I am an entertainment/adventure/busy junkie and not a good listener… but I did it. I hope you enjoy this time because it is all a part of a very wonderful journey. Hugs.

The Joys of having Twins

I still remember at my 20 week ultrasound when it was discovered I was creating twins how my heart stopped. I remember looking at my husband’s face. He was blank, not upset, scared, happy, sad, he was in utter shock. I started belly laughing in disbelief.

Later that week (when the dust had settled and I had come to terms with the twin idea) I started searching for the joys of having twins. I found a lot of information on how to handle, soothe, stress reduce, “manage” twins but not an awful lot on the joy of twins.

I cannot speak for other twin families, I can only speak regarding our little bundles of joy. We have one little girl and one little boy. They have taught me so much about motherhood and babies. So, here is a list (not in any particular order) of my personal joys of having twins. Please feel free to comment below and tell me about your joys of having twins. I love sharing positive stories. These experiences are from birth to 17 months.

1. They sit on each other and play or they need to be touching
2. They used to share one crib but now sleep in the same room with two cribs. At first, I had the cribs separate but they were upset. I moved them side by side and now the babies hold hands while they sleep. Sometimes they switch toys and go to sleep with each other’s favorite bear
3. They share their bottles and food. They take food off each other’s high chair table (they sit side by side) and give each other food
4. They laugh and giggle and talk amongst themselves. Sometimes one will tell a story and the other will belly laugh
5. They chase each other around either crawling or running
6. The love hide and seek playing with each other
7. They help each other to get on furniture or try to jump over the baby gate. (we had to make a double gate for the stairs because of this)
8. When one cries, the other does not unless the other has been badly hurt (fallen onto pebbles at the beach) then the other cries
9. When one is sleeping the other tries to wake them up
10. When one is having mommy or daddy hugs the other wants some too
11. When one pulls their poop out of their diaper so does the other while laughing
12. They enjoy cuddling on soft blankets or teddy bears
13. They play with their toys together
14. They like dancing
15. They talk to each other on car rides
16. They like to hold hands when out for a family walk
17. They encourage each other to get into, behind or on top of furniture
18. They are a people magnet
19. They like to chase the dog around the house
20. They enjoy splashing each other in the bathtub
21. They sit back to back
22. They hug each other
23. They kiss each other
24. They read to each other or chew on the books together
25. They will always have each other
26. You are filled with the most love a momma could ask for.

They truly are little miracles.

How to go Tobogganing with TWINS

You will succeed and have a family filled day of fun. Congratulations for taking the first step in winter adventures with your babes.

So being time conscious here we go:

Buy a toboggan that’s big enough for the family. One that has a lip on it so the snow doesn’t blow in, wide enough that their fingers don’t drag and of course a rope.
We went with the beautiful hand crafter mountain boy. We borrowed one and it was fantastic. Check them out at the PERFECT toboggan

Tobogganing with 16 month twins was easier than I thought. I dressed them with:

Fleece onesies and undershirts
Very warm and water proof snow suits
snow boots (make sure they fit over the onesies)
Toques that secure under the chin (they can’t rip them off)
No thumb water proof mittens. The reason no thumb because they are easier to put on. Get ones with a tightening velcro at the wrist or ones with long arms to go inside their snow suit.
**dress them before you go as a dry run to make sure everything fits and is flexible for them to move around in.

In your back pack:
No spill cups in a zip lock bag (just in case) for their drinks, or bring water bottles (if they can drink from them) some granola bars, cheese sticks, a banana(always easy to feed them on the run because no knife needed) peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
Dry onesies
Diapers and wipes
Extra mittens-elastic or Velcro wrists they are HARD to keep on. I carried an extra in my snow pants and I needed them
Camera
Kleenex (for you and them )

Now depending on how far you go into the bush I always bring a small first aid kit with baby tylenol. I also bring a flare gun, but I am a Canadian back woodsy kinda girl and that’s what we do. It was a lot of fun, the one child screamed with joy the whole time and my other child just took it all in. They really enjoyed just being pulled on the toboggan on the flat ground. I highly recommend this to any family with twins. We brought our ergo carriers in case we needed to carry them but we didn’t need to we just packed them and pulled them on the toboggan.

Give me a comment  if you go and how it was:) Love to hear back from you.

How to Communicate on Date Night when you have kids

The art of “date speak” is not lost for parents.

I don’t believe that the art of date speak has been lost completely among parents. I know it’s not the same as when you were dating before kids, but why would it be? You have brought life into the world. It’s easy to get irritated with your partner for not talking or talking too much, but there is a happy medium. I promise. Believe it or not the art of dating speak is not lost among parents.

Webster’s dictionary defines communication as the act or process of using words, sounds, signs, or behaviors to express or exchange information or to express your ideas, thoughts, feelings, etc., to someone else.

I don’t know about you but I am instantly taken back to my last date night where I was distracted by the Christmas lights and my server’s fantastic fringe. I remember asking how the wine tasted, dinner tasted and dessert tasted. I remember asking about his work day… but then remember thinking how lame is this. Who cares how his work day was. It is work and most days its lame unless something awesome happens and if that’s the case there’s no need for me to ask, because it would be the very first thing he would say when he got home. “Hey babe, I got promoted today” blah blah blah…so if that doesn’t happen chances are there’s no need to have a big chat about the work day.

That brings me to the next lame thing that happened, I got asked how my day was…..well, my day was fun-tastic… I searched online for new food recipes that wouldn’t stain their clothes, I looked into potty training at 15 months after witnessing how blueberries can come out the side of a diaper. My favorite was when they were napping and the delivery guy dropped off the package I had ordered and the dog went awhal and woke the kids up. No, wait I lied my favorite was when they pulled each other’s diaper off and dropped them behind the couch that took me forever to find. Actually, it was when they put their food down the side of the high chair and I thought they had eaten it all and I spend 10 minutes quickly making up a new dish only to have it thrown on the floor for the dog to eat and they laugh at me. Or, when I went to do some online banking and forgot my password and was blocked so I called and forgot what my security answer was and got dismissed off the call – luckily not the mortgage payment just the cell phoneJ But to be honest, I think the highlight was stubbing my toe and peeling back the nail only to see how long my wolferine nails have gotten with no one saying anything to me… but how did I answer him…”Oh it was good, those little cuties just keep getting smarter every day and I got to do some reading which was nice.”

This is when I realized we had fallen into the TRAP. That nasty little, I am so exhausted I am just going through the emotions of date night. So, at that moment tasting my desert I kicked it up a notch and told him my first embarrassing moment that happened on a date. Well we laughed and then he shared a story and we laughed and then time stood still. He was reminded of who I was and I was reminded of who we were.. And why we were.. so this was when I learned that the art of date speak isn’t dead -we just need to make it reappear. So here are a few topics I thought I would share with you that I have used lately for our date nights. Except don’t use these at the movie threatre you may get kicked out:

• Any and all embarrassing moments. Sharing a laugh is so uplifting and positive. If you don’t care much about that then share a funny joke, movie you saw on preview, a blog post you read (wink)
• Something strange you had heard about or saw earlier that day/week/month and thought they would be interested in such as….
• You would like to learn to do…make…create..take..this could be a recreation activity, cooking, dance class and then talk about why
• A new book/idea/article/show/restaurant/magazine you heard about, learned about, know about. Anything to stimulate conversation
• Where you would like to visit one day and why
• Any items off your bucket list and if you don’t have one-make one together right there on the napping or your hands.
• Magic tricks are always neat on a date

If none of the above are stimulating the conversation do NOT get down on yourself they could be really tired and this new date night speak may be a little overwhelming for them, so I would recommend humming to yourself very low and a very fun song you love. If they hear you and ask what you are doing then you can tell them that you are just happy to be with them and you love that song and why you love it. Then talk about music for a bit. Anything to do with music. Music is always around us and is such a positive instrument in our lives. Talk about the evolution of technology and how when you were kids it was cool to do –[blank]— . Talking about being a kid is always fun and if that doesn’t work then it’s a great transition into talking about your kids.

Whatever happens just remember your both doing the best that you can. Some dates will be better than others. Just keep with it, the art of date speak is NOT dead for parents. It’s inside each and every one of us we just need to pay attention to it. It’s like an old bike, you know how to ride it you just need practice. Or it’s just that dusty old musical instrument, dust that beatch off and use it. You get the idea, without being a total cheerleader, communication is key to long lasting healthy relationships and try to be positive about it. I believe that by reading this you are already on your way. Have fun. OH one more thing, if you really are tired and don’t feel like talking go to a restaurant with a band playing, a jazz place or piano and just listen and be merry being in the company of each other… that is communication too..just non-verbal.

Heart Intelligence listen to your body -you already know

If you’re like me you have wondered what your next adventure will be after having children. You could take the easy road and go back to work, but what about that easy road is really easy? You could find part time work but applying and winning positions can be difficult when half your brain has been exploded by babies. With all this going on and the fact that you may also be the house manager, banker, nanny, mommy, wife, house cleaner, yard maintenance, gardener, researcher, grocery shopper, birthday card writer, Christmas card creator and writer, photographer, developer, email writer, receptionist, chef, laundry person and for a few…blogger. So I started looking into answers, after reading, googling, acupuncture, talking with friends/family, walking, it came to me…. HEART INTELLIGENCE

Heart intelligence is the flow of intuitive awareness, understanding and inner guidance we experience when the mind and emotions are brought into coherent alignment with the heart. It can be activated through self-initiated practice. The more coherent we are and the more we pay attention to this deeper intuitive inner guidance, the greater our ability to access this intelligence more frequently. (https://www.heartmath.org/support/faqs/research/) Accessed on December 15, 2015.

What is this? Well, to understand it we need to step back to heart coherence. Simply, Heart Coherence (in my humble understanding) is a phrase/idea/concept coined by HeartMath and is when the heart, emotions AND mind connect. From my understanding once they have reached a decision and you’re open to the answers you can be heart intelligent. SAY WHATTT? I have always struggled with understanding what decisions are emotional or logical. Most of the time they were too logical and my “gut” always reminded me of the “I told you so” later- when things went sideways. In an effort, to have my gut always be happy and my brain, I started to dig deeper into understanding Heart intelligence. In a very small nutshell, there are two outcomes positive feeling or negative feeling. Here’s the exercise,

The mood: be quiet, alone, no electronics, and have a pen and paper ready.

1. Think of a time at work where you felt negative a very strong horribly negative feeling. Now write down how your body is reacting to that feeling. Take a moment and start from the top of your aura and work your way down to your toes.
2. Think of a time at work where you felt positive feelings, maybe being recognized, appreciated, promoted. Now write down how your body is reacting to that feeling.
3. Now that you have your two lists thank yourself for being vulnerable and allowing your mind and body to go to both places. The idea is for your body to show you the different ways it feels negative and positive feelings.
4. Now think of the situation you are facing. It could be going back to such and such of a place. Write down exactly how your body is feeling. Try to analyse the feelings, be raw, don’t hurry it. Visualize the situation and really feel everything that it has to offer.
5. Now look at your two lists you created before and now look at the latest list. I think you will see the answer from your heart intelligence perspective.

My disclaimer isn’t that this will answer your problems, or is the right thing to do, it’s just an exercise that I did that I found interesting and enlightening. I am not going to base the future of my family on this exercise but rather be aware of how I can obtain my heart intelligence.

Here are some of the examples of a list I created for negative and positive feelings.

Negative: tightness in chest, difficulty breathing, hands sweaty, nervous or anxious feeling, dry mouth, stomach aches, headache, body aches, tears, uneasy gut feeling.

Positive: feeling free, light, breathe easy, relaxed, comfortable, smiling, strong, empowered, in control, jovial, and it feels right.

Looking at those two lists and knowing this life is once I am going to strive to meet my positive feelings whenever I can. I hope to at least bend the spectrum to reach for the positive. If you found this light reading interesting then I recommend digger deeper into the research and really understand what heart coherence is. The heart is a beautiful organ that just doesn’t pump blood. You can break it, heal it, burst it, love it, protect it….. But it also has messages for you.

Writing this post reminded me of a poem I wrote years and years ago when I was young and the world hadn’t taught me any real lessons.  I smiled when I remembered it. I believe I was 12.

Listen to the voice:
Listen to the voice deep within your soul

Listen to the voice wanting to let go

Why must we wait, for we could be late

Late to live and late to give

Give our ear because we care

Listen well, for it will tell

Accept the answer from within

That is why we must listen

For if we don’t we could fall into a bottomless pit of no voices

So listen.

 

 

 

Reindeer tree ornaments

Reindeer tree ornaments

This is a really easy, fun and festive Christmas craft.

All you need is:

• Clean baby food jars or mini mason jars
• Non-toxic water paint (brown, red, white, black)
• A container for water big enough to put their hand in
• Dish cloth for drying their hand off
• Paper towel for mistakes
• Tooth picks for detail work
• Q-tip for the reindeer nose
• Ribbon to glue onto the lid
• Hot glue gun
• Tree with pine cones or just a pine tree small branch

1. Go for a walk with the babes and find some branches on the road or on a path put them into a bag you brought
2. Later on after your baby jars are clean and dry, put your babies in a high chair
3. Take their thumb and dip it into the brown paint and make a finger print on your jar. I did four
4. Then wash the thumb and dry
5. Next take a bunch of fingers from the other hand and put the tips into white paint and press them all over the jar for snow flakes
6. Wash and dry fingers and check under the nails
7. Let the jar dry
8. While they are busy take your Q-tip and dip it into the red paint and make Rudolf’s nose. Then take a tooth pick and make the reindeer’s eyes and antlers. Mouths were a bit tricky so all my reindeers look cheeky
9. Then when they are dry stick the branch and pine cones (if you found some) and put the lid on the jar
10. Then hot glue a ribbon you tied big enough to go over the tree branch.
11. Next time if I have some Styrofoam around, I may take some and shred it and put it in the bottom of the jar for a snow globe effect.

Merry Christmas, this activity took maybe 30 minutes, it was fun and they will look great reflecting the lights of the tree. I could even give them to the grandparents!!

Poop aint no thang

When I was young, we had a Maltese and Shiatsu cross doggy and his poops were little. Back then it was okay for him to poop in the neighbour’s front foliage because I was young and didn’t know any better. Now, I have a lab and I bring poop bags everywhere we go, in fact, they are in the glove department and in my purse because her poops are big and not very cute and must be picked up.

Did this pre-train me for what was in store with twin poop? When I read about babies poo there was a lot of information of what signs to look for in your babes poop. What colour is it, how thick, creamy, chunky is it? Make note of anything “different” to discuss with your family doctor. I can’t tell you how many times I smelt the poop and pee. That may have trained me for today where I can smell their poop WAY before anyone else and I can tell you which child has pooped when they are 20 feet away from me.

I can still remember how excited I was when they pooped, that meant everything was working. I still have that excitement now when I see their various meal items in their poop. You may think this is disgusting but its natural. In fact, ask yourself…how many times have you looked at your own poop and thought, NOW THAT’S IMPRESSIVE. I know some guys who have been quite proud of their poops that plug the toilet, or coil, or form a number or …well you get it. The list goes on.

You may be absolutely disgusted right now, and if you are I am glad your still reading this because I hope that it lets your mind wonder about how poop really isn’t that bad. I will be totally honest with you and share a few stories about how poop aint no thang.

When I was 9 years old our family went to Disney land  when we arrived because of the excitement I had to go poo so bad.  When I went in the bathroom with my sister and step mom, I didn’t get a chance to read the out of service sign and after I pooped, I flushed and it floated to the surface. Then it floated over the toilet into the stall beside mine, where my step mothers flip flops came up and she was yelling. My sister and I were laughing so hard and we left her there. Then, when I was 11 years old, it was Christmas time and I wasn’t feeling very well and I fell asleep on the toilet and woke to find my sister filming me. I must remember to get rid of that. Over the years as a pre-teen, when my sister and I would fight it could end with us throwing hard dog poop at each other. Sometimes she would pin me down and pretend she was going to feed it to me while she was holding it in her hand. Thankfully she never did. That would have been horrible.

When I was 22 years old and went floating down the river channel with my boyfriend at the time, whom was hung over so when his bum hit a rock it caused him to poop himself. In the water, poop floats and it passed me as I was floating down the river. That same year, I was at work and went number 1 (pee) in the bathroom, I didn’t know that the person before me had plugged the toilet with their poop so when I flushed it- it allllll came up. I left the bathroom, with the toilet over flowing because I was not going to be blamed for that. My favorite, was when my best friend got married and we were doing photos in a park and she said “I have to go poo”. We went to the parks nice wooden (small) outhouse but there was no way her dress wouldn’t get dirty, so I climbed in behind her toilet seat bending over not to hit my head while holding her dress up and she exploded with diarrhea. The smell came up and I thought I was going to throw up but all I did was clear my mind and pretend I was somewhere else with someone else. We are still best friends and we will always be. She owes me one.

I have one girlfriend when pregnant was stuck in traffic and pooped her pants.When she got home, she put the pants into a garbage bag and with her toddler walked to the park and disposed of them in the public garbage.  Only to have her toddler tell her husband when he got home, “Mommy took her pants off and left them at the park, because she pooped”.

Another girlfriend was changing her daughter’s poopy diaper and found her pearl earring, and yes, she cleaned it and kept it. Why not? You created the little babes and who cares if you got to scrub a little poop off an earring if it’s the matching pearl?

As you can see, everyone has a poop story. But when it comes to your own kids it’s no big deal. Recently, I was very tired and one of my babes pooped a nice nugget and when I went to wrap the diaper, I moved to quickly and it flew out of the diaper. Thankfully, I found it in their laundry basket before they did. A couple of weeks went by and I moved their cribs and there was another nugget on the floor in the corner…I didn’t find the first time. Yikes. Another time, I was changing the other babe, I had my face quite close to ensure that I would get everything and they tooted blowing their poop on my face. The same babe later on tooted and blew their poop on the window. Have you ever tried to clean poop off of a window? It’s not as easy as you may think.  Today, my husband told me that he went to wipe a poop and the cloth slipped and he got it on his hand. He is a little squirmier then me.

I have more stories of poop, but I think you get the picture. It’s just poop. I have saved a few diapers recently by grabbing the poop with a cloth out of the diaper (that’s still dry) and throwing it in the toilet. Now, not saying that this is cost effective or a way to save money and is super clean. But you just do what you got to do some days. Sometimes you got to handle, shovel, throw, and clean up some poop… but really…. Poop aint no thang.

 

 

 

“I don’t know what this article is about….it is like you’re ranting.”

Great title? Well it is what my husband replied after I made him read this article. The following article is about whether or not I go back to work after my maternity leave has ended. It seems to be a complicated issue for me. But regardless of the jumping around, I believe the points are somewhere in there. Not every situation is clear and it’s important to brain storm all you options and know you are not alone in wondering about your future.

Here I am watching the rain fall as the babies are sleeping and I know I have one to two hours to get everything done- but I am exhausted. My mind wonders.
I make lists to make lists in the morning. I check the calendar to ensure I see some friends once a month without getting stuck in the routine of being a mom and a wife. But my stomach turns and aches as I see I am running out of time before I need to go back to work. I spent months, hours, and minutes trying to figure out how I didn’t need to go back to work, so I can be a part of my babies first 6 years. The truth is that I want to be home when they get home from school and be present at all their school events -it’s just not possible in today’s economy. I looked into moving to a smaller town with an inexpensive mortgage, an honest living and my own garden but that doesn’t exist anymore and that’s close to us. Then as the days pass, I started looking into getting a nanny and different day cares but they are expensive. I am on wait lists with the goal of them being together in the same establishment. I have talked to each and every woman/man in my life and some I just met for the first time at the grocery store, mall, baby group, library, gas station, and face book about what to do next. They all had the same thing to say… they didn’t know either but they suffered from gut rot too. Part of me wants to earn a large living (like I was) and my babies can have everything BUT then I think that isn’t what I want and I want to be with them and help them through these crucial developmental years.
Why is it so expensive? Then as I drift down that tunnel of confusion and unknown and I am brought back to the fact that I still haven’t brushed my hair today. They want me back at work? I know I haven’t made an entry in quite some time but to be honest I have been circling in my own thoughts as my time races to the finish line. I hope that this makes you feel not alone and that you find what you are looking for. Different things that I have done to brain storm are the following:
• Talking with people, strangers and family – everywhere
• Brain mapping and sorting all my ideas out
• Journaling my emotions and thoughts
• Writing a list of what I am good at and how I can do that part time or full time
• Brainstorming work options and flexibility –lower paying job more flex days?
• Work from home and odd hour jobs-apply and wait
• Research day cares and nannies- be prepared
• Get a freezer and make freezer meals
• Get a power outfit that fits in case I need to go to an interview or –back to work
• Have coffee with my friends
• Communicate my feelings with my husband
• Go to a spa
• Walk the ocean
• Go to the gym
• Go for a walk
• Colour a picture –its stress relieving
• Read a book about this topic
• Relax and have a cup of tea
And most importantly, be kind to yourself.

I have realized that whatever I figure out to do will be what is best and that regardless of what it may look like now. I will know. I may already know. In other words, you will know too. So have faith in yourself and in the process.

What no one told me before having babies…..

I was informed of my body changes, and everyone’s take on whether I should breast feed or formula feed, my career, diapers versus cloth but not one person told me the following list. To be honest, I would rather have the following list prior because no matter your plan of vaginal versus c-section it may go out the window and you need to be flexible with what is happening. Here are some helpful things to think and talk about. Keep in mind this is in my opinion.

• Look at all your finances: bank fees, do you need the American visa, how much travelling will you be doing, what does your visa do for you? Do you have a line of credit? Do you need one?  Apply for all extra finances now like a bigger visa before you go on maternity leave and I wouldn’t say you were pregnant. Make an account solely for the babies and don’t touch it.
• Is your car big enough for car seats, strollers, groceries, dog food and you?
• Have a book with you passwords and login information in case you’re in the hospital for longer and there’s no WIFI and you need to pay a bill. Which leads me to remind you to set up as many preauthorization’s as you can but I would recommend off your VISA. Again I get travel points so everything comes off my VISA and I pay it right away before I am dinged.
• Talk to all your service providers (cable, telephone etc.) are you getting the best deal. Look at canceling things and changing things. I know people that solely rely on netflicks in the summer months. I know others who cancel and change cable providers every six months to get the new client deals. I couldn’t manage to remember to do that.
• Donate perishables you will not be using. Throw out of old spices. Make a baby cupboard for all their bibs, cutlery, bowls cups etc.
• Fix things now. But throw out the cup you kept to glue the handle back on, you won’t trust that around your baby.
• Cleanse your living space….recycle old magazines anything you have collected that takes up space.
• Have a calendar ONLY for the babies, keep important date like first teeth, crawling, drooling, first anything and everything. When people come over etc.
• Sign up to online greeting card, Christmas card website this will be super handy for the holidays and thank you cards etc.
• Box your skinny clothes (just for now).
• Join clubs and do all the online set up NOW (online Facebook sites for selling and buying, group meet ups, big brand name stores, online stores for ease). Research grocery companies that deliver and find out what you need to do before. I know in British Columbia, Super store has a PC Plus card. It is not a VISA it is a regular point’s card so how much you buy will get you points towards money back. We buy everything there and then at Christmas use the money we have accumulated so it’s not such a blow to the wallet.
• Research, interview, investigate and look around for the perfect day care and two backups. Get on waitlists now. Check out the elementary school in your neighborhood, I have heard some have three year waiting lists… well its better to be safe than sorry.
• Buy a few months stock of pet food.
• Make a pantry or cupboard full of food like pasta sauce, noodles, coffee, canned peas etc. it comes in handy when you don’t feel like leaving the house.
• Research, interview and find a doctor close to you who will take on your babies as clients. There is a doctor shortage in Canada so sometimes you are on a waitlist for a while. Don’t get me wrong you can always go to a walk in clinic but I wanted the babes to have their own doctor for years.
• Sew anything that needs to be sewn or dry cleaned.
• Get an external hard drive you will be taking a zillion photos.
• Buy a book for all your babes’ doctor appointments etc. Makes life easier and buy one small enough to fit in your purse
• Read what to expect in your FIRST YEAR as well as what to expect when you’re expecting
• Sign up for free stuff on website such as Nestle, Similac, Proctor and Gamble.
• Discuss your sleep routine now with your hubby and what are both of your expectations are of house work, cooking, laundry, appointments etc.
• Give your vehicle the tune ups now (oil changes, vacuum etc.) do all recalls now.
• Buy New Born and size one diapers. Amazon is fantastic for delivering to your home.
• Go out for dinners and shows now.

I think that’s it, if I think of anything else I will add it in. But I am sure this is all I had to learn the hard way and the long way:)  I thank you for not minding my spelling, grammar etc. sometimes I just got to get the information to YOU before life gets crazy again.

How to leave the house with Twin Babies

How to leave the house with Twin Babies:

I cannot tell you how many times I get asked “how do you leave the house with twin babies?” So, I thought I would share:

• Have a list of places you need to visit and have a sub list for items you need to purchase or actions you need to take while there. I even go so far as itemizing my groceries by the way I walk through the store. Dairy, Deli, Frozen..etc.
• Wear comfortable clothes there’s a lot of bending over and shaking your booty for the babies enjoyment ahead of you.
• Have a soft cooler bag with empty sterilized bottles, distilled water in a thermos, your formula/milk, cloth for clean up in the bag and a small one in your pocket, and nipples. Once they are a little older, I use the food pouches and ensure I bring some spoons too.
• Look yourself over. Check your teeth (I’ve left without brushing before so now I have mouth wash in my purse), hair, face, clothes (are you wearing pants?) One time I drove a few blocks and then realized I was still wearing my pajama shorts. I had to go back home, unload the babies and put on proper shorts. It was BRUTAL…..way too much work.
• Change their diapers and clothes right before you leave.

The next bit is based on your living situation. If you live in a basement suite, apartment (with elevator) rancher, or cabin, then put both babies in a stroller and stroll them out and unload them and load the stroller. Keeping in mind, that you have packed everything in the bottom of your stroller (hence the soft bendable cooler bag) or hanging lightweight bags on your mommy hook.

If you are like me and live upstairs of a two story house your in for a work out. Place you babies securely in their vibrating chair and/or swing enabling you to run downstairs and place everything by the door go back up and get one baby at a time and securely place them in their car seat.  Go upstairs and get the second baby.  Now both babies are securely fastened in their car seats (on the floor-as you know never place a car seat at any height), you can quickly go outside and load the car.

Now depending on the weather, you may need to air out your car or warm it up. I always put my stuff in the car first, because I don’t like leaving babies in the vehicle. This includes your coffee, purse with phone, thermos (more coffee), diaper bag, cooler bag, reusable bags, and your to-do lists.  Then I click my babies into their car seat bases and triple check they are in their correctly.

We installed a keyless entry pad on the house front door and its a LIFE SAVER!!!! something similar to this keyless entry pad.

There you go, that is a brief description of how to leave the house with twin babies. I will create another blog entry on how to leave the house with one year old twins.  I hope you found this helpful:)

Camping with 9 month old TWINS and a 2 year old puppy

Are we crazy? No. Well maybe a little, but we wanted a life of “we can’s” over the easy road. You know something is worth it, if it takes a little extra to make it happen. The following is something I thought would be beneficial to share with you -a  parent, relative, friend whomever that has decided to camp with twin babies.

Recipe for success. – in my opinion 😉

1. Meal plan. Whatever you are using to feed your baby breast milk or concentrate or powder its very handy to have a few bottles of water prepared (either store bought or a camping water filter). A bowl for washing your items and your bottle cleaner and some soa p is very handy. Cooler should have ice and an ice pack. Keep checking and adding ice. Thermoses can be handy for pre mixed items and should be durable.  I had a little cooler strickly for the babies food so we weren’t going in and out of it.
2. Clothes. The following items will need to be duplicated I am listing the items for one child.  There will be a “bonanza” at some point during camping so bring two extra onsies. We packed two light weight zipper long sleeves with feet onsies so when the mosquitoes are out they were a little protected.  Sun hats, toque in case it gets really cold at night.  Two fleece overnight onsies. A few other outfits for hiking, swimming, whatever you like to do.
3. Led lights and glo sticks. They really light up a room and come in different colours.  The glo sticks help to see in the night but not bright enough to wake your sleeping babies.
4. Cloud machine. We have a giraffe that takes batteries and it was very helpful to keep the neighbours and motor cycle noises from affecting the little ones in their somber.  We had a sheet to hang up in the windows in case it wasn’t dark enough out. We like this one http://Cloud B Gentle Giraffe
5. Play pens (2). Our babies sleep in one each but there wasn’t enough room in the trailer for both so we had them in sleep sacks sharing one. We used the other one outside with a crib sheet overtop to act as a barrier for bugs and falling pine needles.  We ended up taking the sheet off and just watching for fallen stuff.
6. Extra batteries.  Our monitor and cameras are battery operated.  We hung the monitor by stick-on hooks (two for each camera) and the camera was placed in a zip lock bag and hung from the hooks (bite a hole in the bag).
7. Now for outside fun. There was gravel in our site so we put down a tarp, sleeping bag then a cheap blow up pool about two feet in height then a blanket over that because our daughter has two teeth and enjoys biting. Inside the pool we placed some toys they hadn’t played with in a few days. The pool kept our son contained for about 10 minutes.  So that’s where the jolly jumpers came in HANDY.
8. We tied rope between three trees putting a knot in the middle and then using a carabeaner we hooked up the jolly jumper (http://Jolly Jumper-gift Pack-exerciser + Playmat ).  Tighten the rope with rachet straps. Underneath one of the jumpers we put the dog’s bed. Under the other we used a twin floatation bed that we filled 80% with air and placed a sleeping bag over top decreasing the chances of it sliding around.  We used these underneath so they wouldn’t hurt their tootsies while jumping on the rough terrain.  I used hooks and hung some fun toys around and this occupied them for a while and us. Bring lawn chairs.
   

   After we rolled up the blue zap straps but left them in picture for you to see how we hooked it up

9. We used their car seats as chairs (rocking).
10. Medical bag.
11. We had a stake and cable combo set for our dog so she could roam.  Water dish, food dish and poop bags. A light up collar for night time in case she was roaming into the bush (she is a black lab).  A toy filled with peanut butter and kibbles frozen helped to keep her occupied when she wasn’t roaming or growling at people trying to come close to her babies.

That’s it for a successful night of camping with twins and a puppy. Of course you will still need to pack the items for you. I find that meal planning and prepping all your dinner items will save you time and sanity. Also remember your cooking equiptment, fuel, utensils, wine glass, coffee mug, if you have a mesh mosquito gazebo that would be beneficial but we just kept the fire going. Fire wood and axe that doubles as a hammer. Music, outdoor solar lights, and candles. Anyhoo, I am sharing too much, you know what you need you have been doing it for years and you are confident because you are about to embark on camping with babies…Have fun and member to bring a camera with full battery power;)

Twins create MASTERPIECES with Milk Powder and Food Colouring!

Babies Do ART

NON-TOXIC MILK BASED PAINT FOR BABY PROJECTS

I decided this morning that I would help the babies create some paintings for their grandparents. I have 8 month year old twins that like putting everything into their mouths. They are recently mobile so I needed an activity that was safe and fast.

What you need:

3 cups of milk powder (I bought it in bulk cheaper than by the bag)

1 cup of water

Food colouring

Paper

Tupper ware containers

Spoons for mixing each container

Paper towel for cleaning the floor up after

Two towels for drying the babies off

What to wear:

You: anything you don’t mind getting dirty. You will get dirty. Hair up in pony tail.

What the babies wear: Fresh diapers and an onesie you don’t care about (keep in mind the onesie shouldn’t cover feet if you want to do foot prints)

 What to do:

Fill sink with warm water for dipping the babies’ feet or hands in after they are done. Keep towels nearby.

Put 3 cups of milk powder in medium mixing bowl. Add water slowly to the dry mixture for desired consistency. I used almost a full cup of water.

Divide into tupper ware containers that are big enough to put your babies hand or foot in. I divided my mixture into 6 containers.

Add desired food colouring to each container and mix with metal spoon. Add water as desired.   I made green, yellow, orange, blue, purple and red.

What did I do with the babies? I put the construction paper on the vinyl floor in the kitchen with my pre mixed bowls. Then I undressed babies till they had on their undershirt onesies.

I had a play pen in the kitchen to keep one baby in with toys while the other baby created.

After each baby was done painting their masterpiece, I put their feet or hands in the sink to wash them and dry them. Switch babies and repeat.

Fini:

Place art high up off the ground FLAT to dry. Change babies.

Note:

Have fun. I got splattered, the floor was splattered (paper towel came in handy). My favorite part was getting the babies dressed after and a knock came on the door. Only after he left did I realize that I still had some paint on my face. Least the grandparents have some new art for their fridges and the babies are ready for some food and a nap!

Canadianmomoftwins