Manipulation... A Fine Art

Lately I’ve been thinking about the stats on who is winning the manipulation game, me or the twins. I thought I was ahead since I was able to convince the girls to allow me do their hair each day by letting them pick out of the bucket which hair accessory they wanted to wear that day and I am able to get them in the car for school in the morning in lightning speed with the thought of racing to the car and a cookie as a reward.

But, last night I had to question if they were ahead when they both were crying at 1:30am and I responded to the following requests, "TUCK ME IN MOMMY!”, done……”GET MY LOVEY MOMMY”…..done…...”WAIT..cry, cry”…..”COVER MY FEET MOMMY!”, done…..”MOMMY, GET MY SIPPY CUP”, done….”now, goodnight girls!”…..”WAIT…cry, cry…..” GIVE ME A HUG MOMMY”, done…..” KISS MY CHEEK MOMMY”, done….”now seriously girls go to sleep!”……”WAIT”..cry, cry,… “YOU DIDN’T COVER MY ONE FOOT WITH THE BLANKELY MOMMY”, done……”BUT MOMMY, I NEED A KISS ON MY OTHER CHEEK”, done…..”I love you both but I’m going back to sleep now so good night for realzies this time”.

Once I got back in bed, I found myself lying awake plotting my revenge. I would plan a full on manipulation assault at the breakfast table in the morning by seeing who could finish their entire breakfast before I counted to 20.

I'll keep you posted on the score!

Breaking Bad Habits

I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately to get rid of the pacifiers (binkies) since the girls are almost 2 ½ , they don’t look good in pictures and the girls frequently drop them in the night requesting me to find them which is not a sustainable sleep pattern for me.

We had a party last weekend and I decided to use that time to celebrate a “going away party” for the binkies. I discussed with Emily & Lilly a few days ahead to prepare them for what was coming. At the party we all sang “happy going away to you, happy going away to you, happy going away, little binky, happy going away to you”. Then, since I wasn’t organized enough to purchase balloons that would lift the binkies up and away, I decided the girls could just throw them over the wall in our backyard. Ben and I each held one of the girls as they zinged their little binkies over the wall with a smile.

We went on to have an Easter egg hunt since we were all too sick Easter weekend with the stomach flu to do anything. We had about 10 kids over so it was a lot of fun for the girls. Then I gave each of the kids some different flower seeds in little cups and gave them a little digging tool and set them free in the back yard to plant flowers. They were so excited and so was I thinking about what might pop up in about 4 weeks time. I’ve been doing this planting flowers exercise with the girls for a few weeks now, so I can just imagine the possibility of one day looking out at an English Garden in my own back yard. Won’t that be fun!

The party wound down and the girls were ready for bed. At that point Emily was very upset that I did not have her binky. She said, “Mommy, I need it, I need it” as she cried. I told her binkies were for babies, not big girls like her. She responded with, “I AM A BABY!, I need it!” I felt horrible for her. Can you imagine someone introducing you to cigarettes, and then once you’re addicted, asking you to throw your cigarettes over the wall never to be seen again. I felt awful about not giving in right then and going to get the binky (I went around the fence earlier in the day and scooped them up, not wanting to litter and in case my entire plan failed). I stayed strong and she calmed down after a while and drifted off to sleep.

The next night I went in to check on them before going to bed myself and Lillian was still awake lying in her bed. I heard this little voice squeak out, “mommy?” and I went over close to her to see what she needed and to give her a kiss. She said, “Mommy, I accidentally threw my binky over the wall”. I almost started crying. I explained to her that it was ok and that the binky needed to go back to binkiland in order to help other babies that were just starting out. She said, “I’m a big girl and I don’t need a binky?!” It sounded like a statement and a question at the same time. I brushed her hair back and gave her a kiss; put her ceiling stars light on and said goodnight. Emily woke up at 1 am and refused to leave my side and so we slept in the spare bedroom together. I think I have become the replacement to Emily’s binky, which does not bode well for my restraining order ideas.

I think they are doing well now and binkies are behind us. We've moved on to facination with the toilet. Good stuff!

Bloggers Block

When I first started blogging I had to hold myself back, I wanted to blog every single day but didn’t want anyone to see the obsessive compulsive side of my personality. But now, it has been 5 weeks since I’ve blogged and I’m feeling a bit of “bloggers block” as I like to call it (Ben says that term is not as funny as I think it sounds, again…… I disagree). I actually went in today to enter my blog and I couldn’t remember my password so I had to go through the process of resetting it. But now..... here I am...... trying!

I have given some thought on several topics to blog about, like how Emily wishes I was a kangaroo so she could ride around in my pouch like a joey. Ben says I should file a restraining order against her because he feels it’s getting out of hand. My mom suggested I buy and wear a baby carrier type sling for a 2 year old and see how she likes that, but I don’t think they make them for 30+ lb toddlers. Emily would absolutely love it,my back on the other hand would not, which is why I’m not looking into that one any further.

Another blog topic I thought about was one where I document all the accidents or mistakes Ben and I have made with the girls so far, and what we learned from each of them. But, once I got finished writing down how I almost snipped off the top of Lilly’s finger with the nail clippers and hearing her blood curdling scream or when Ben lost Emily’s grip as she slipped on the bathroom floor and we had to hold her down screaming while she got stitches; I just thought, this is sad and not funny and I definitely don’t want these stories documented in detail in a blog that will be a book for my kids one day.

So, bare with me while I take baby steps here in getting my daily/weekly/monthly blogs worked out…..more fun to come…promise!