It's been such a mild winter, it's hard to remember there is snow to be found! Kayla and Emily are lucky enough to have found some Heavenly snow with dad Dave R.
Perfect for two winter-time angels. Thanks to mom Sandra R. for sharing.
This is an original post to Mad About Multiples and is part of the Double Click Tuesdays photo series.
*This is a sponsored post. At the end, you'll find an invitation link to an upcoming talk about children's health and fever related information by Dr. Meg Meeker, hosted by Vicks. The stories, however, are all to true and any opinions are the authors own.*
By Valerie Terry
The first, and by far greatest, example is the stomach virus that ripped through us while on a "girls only" road trip. Starting with 10 month old Elise and touching everyone in our wake with a serious internal shaking mess of illness I remember desperately raiding the health isle at a Wal-Mart in Washington because I didn't bring a thermometer (or any thing else illness related for that matter). Oi.
Then there was the time we escaped to Hawaii--before the little girls turned 2 and we would have to purchase airfare for 5--and the morning we were to leave we pulled two warm-with-fever 18 month olds out of bed and onto an airplane. I'd have to say, the flight was quite easy as they just wanted to snuggle and sleep. But when the fever reappeared in big sister on the road to Hana, it was not quite so fun. Once again, we had to use our best judgement and old fashioned forehead feeling to tell how she was doing.
So it should come as no surprise, to me at least, when over Christmas time I picked up Elise (who is usually "patient zero") and felt the tell-tale whole body warmth of a fever. We were visiting Grandma and Grandpa in Idaho and of course our new-weeks old cousin and her big brother had just arrived for their visit as well. This time I had at least brought some children's ibuprofen, but once again I was left without a thermometer. I like knowing how high a fever is. I like being able to track the progress. I try not to go over board with fever suppressant because I know a fever is a natural germ killer. But when the numbers creep up, I also like to be able to give my little ones some comfort.
Now Grandma had a thermometer. And old-fashioned mercury filled glass thermometer. And Elise would have none of it. She screamed and would not close her mouth, she flailed about and wouldn't let it get placed under her arm. And I wasn't even going to try the third option with a hysterical 3-year-old. At home, we have a temporal thermometer. I love it. It's an easy swipe across the forehead and you're done. Even the faster digital thermometers can't compare for ease of use. But I don't remember to throw it into a suitcase when we leave the house. Doh. So we just watched her, let her rest, and kept her away from the baby. I'm lucky that with my girls we have never experienced a febrile seasure.
It looks like I need to start packing up a better health kit.
And good thing for me there is an opportunity coming up on Thursday February, 2 to listen to Dr. Meg Meeker speak on how to help keep your kids healthy during cold and flu season. Including all about fever and taking your child's temperature. Advice I think I might need. You're invited, too. Click on the invitation link below if you're interested for full details on attending the luncheon talk.
You're invited to a Winter Warm up with Dr. Meg Meeker--Hosted by Vicks
In the spirit of full disclosure: Mad About Multiples was contacted to help spread the word about the Winter Warm Up series of talks by Dr. Meg Meeker. The event is sponsored by Vicks, the maker of a new behind-the-ear thermometer and other health related aids. The talk is open to local San Francisco Bay Area bloggers and their non-blogging guests by RSVP. Please RSVP through the above link if interested. Mad About Multiples is not hosting the event and has no other connection to Dr. Meeker or Vicks.
We're taking one from the archives today, as mom Amy M. talks about having her twins in two preschools. Don't forget to join us tonight at the Cambrain Library for a parent panel discussion about all kinds of preschool options. Everyone is welcome!
~The Mad About Multiples Team
I am one of the few crazy people who signed up at two parent participation schools. Both kids in both schools. Yes, I know. CRAZY. Let me explain.
My kids (and I) were in the Together Time program at Explorer Preschool and one of the added bonuses (which I didn't initially realize) is that we had priority placement in the 2's class. Yippee! At the same time, I felt responsible for checking out other programs and schools in the area and had always heard rave reviews for the Los Gatos Saratoga Observation Nursery School (aka the Mountain School) so we attended the family open house and submitted an application.
This is where I should insert my rant: it truly annoyed me to be making pre-school decisions for my children when they were ~20 months old. Both Explorer and Mountain School are difficult to get in to for the 3's class (I was told 'virtually impossible' at Mountain School) so I felt like wherever we ended up for our 2's class would most likely be where the kids would be going to pre-school for the next 3 years. I abhor the rat race mentality and here I was, embarking down a road that felt very, very rat-race-ish. Mostly, I felt like I had so much more to learn about each of my children's very different personalities and learning styles and it was difficult to make a decision for them. What kind of environment would they best thrive in?
Long story short, we were accepted to Explorer, which was no surprise. Mountain School told us we were at the bottom of the wait list (it's a lottery system for non-legacy families). Great! No gut-wrenching decision to make! Woohoo! We love it and we're familiar with Explorer. It will be great. Would I take the Class Rep role for my 2's class at Explorer? Sure! Why not? We're in!
Then, in July, LGSONS called to say that there were two spots for us in the Saturday class if we wanted them. Really? Oh no. I thought I had gotten out of having to make a choice between the two schools. After some discussion though, my husband and I decided it would be a great opportunity for HIM to join the kids for some great pre-school experiences (and for me to have time for a pedicure or two) and that if we attended both schools, we'd have the opportunity to compare them side-by-side and have our choice in schools next year. It's only one day at each school per week after all.
Grand plan, right? I hope so. I've been anxious about the amount of time I'll be spending at meetings for each school. Not to mention the time (and money) spent on fund raising for each school. So I've spent the summer wondering if I'm making the wrong decision. If it will be worth it?
So far so good. Last Friday, the kids and I had a Meet the Teacher day at Explorer and it took me at least 30 minutes to get them to leave the school. We were slated for 15-20 minutes there, with some time overlapping with other families and my kids were just having too much fun. I've never had such a hard time getting them to leave a place. GREAT sign.
And this past Saturday was our first day of class at the Mountain School. The kids had a BLAST. There was some initial hesitation in picking out their name tags, but as soon as I carried my sometimes-a-spider-monkey son into the classroom, he wanted down and yelled, "Animals!" "Truck!" "CHOO CHOO TRAIN!!!!!" in progressively more excited tones as his eyes scanned the room. He played with the train for at least a half an hour. My daughter did the same, except the animal figurines was her Achilles Heel. Sucked right in to play immediately. Then puzzles, sensory play outside, and PAINT! They both painted the entire lengths of their arms purple and they were so happy. I loved it (even though there is always a small voice inside of me screaming). Cooking time (snack time) was beyond adorable with all the kids and their teachers sitting around a large table...kids trying to pour themselves water, parents at-the-ready with absorbent kitchen towels. After wards, it was down to the garden where Z. ate at least 30 cherry tomatoes, if not more, and A. played in water (aka mud). Circle time sitting on tree stumps under the oak trees was so peaceful and divine and perfect.
Yes, we had made the right decision. I think we're going to love our time at both schools, which makes the time commitments worth it. Call me crazy.
Original post to Mad About Multiples. Crazy Amy M. is the 2009/10 co-President of Gemini Crickets Parents of Multiples of Silicon Valley and mom to boy/girl twins. She is one busy mom!
Between all the sibling squabbling that comes with having more than one kid of the same age, are the moments that make you go "awww". Mom Jessica caught a sweet moment where Jesse (25 months) is feeding little brother Jackson (25 months). Thanks for sharing the sharing!
This is an original post to Mad About Multiples and is part of the Double Click Tuesdays photo series.
One last look back at the holidays as 11 month old Zachary (left) Sydney (right) wait for their first visit from Santa.
Thanks to mom Theresa D. for sharing her cuties. I hope Santa was good to them all.
This is an original post to Mad About Multiples and is part of the Double Click Tuesdays photo series.
*names have been changed to protect the guilty (but adorable)
What happened here? Was it a localized tornado? A wild animal attack? No, Dear Readers, it was two angelic 2-year-old girls, hereafter referred to as "Dis" and "Aster".
On the morning of the incident, "Daddy" sent "Mommy" a link to a video of a baby monitor capturing a pair of twins climbing out of their crib. Daddy thought it was funny, since his twin girls always slept securely in their cribs. Mommy recalls thinking at the time, "Thank god we don't have that problem." Little did she know what awaited her that very afternoon.
Naptime had seemed to go well. Yet, when Mommy opened the door, she was stunned to see this --
Our perpetrators, Dis and Aster, had figured out how to escape their cribs. Using their newly discovered climbing skills, Dis and Aster had then scaled the changing table and opened the closet door - its latch unbabyproofed since it had appeared unreachable. The intrepid duo then pulled every item of clothing out of the closet, every piece of tissue paper out of the box, every baby wipe out of the containers, and every single diaper out of the bag.
One can only imagine the smiles that must have been on those cherubic faces as they reveled in their new freedom. Yet, even in their glee, they managed to stay quiet enough not to alert Mommy!
by Rebekah Jensen
Before any of us had kids, we all had things we were sure we would never do as parents. We all had plans about discipline, education, and what sort of baby products we would buy. Then, as we all know, those intentions ran smack up against the reality of actually raising a child. We have to pick our battles very carefully, and I wanted to write about one battle that I’m – for good or ill – still trying to fight.
Anyone who goes shopping with me will find that I’m anti-trademark. By ‘anti-trademark’ I mean I don’t like to wear things with brand names plastered across them, or buy dishware from Martha Stewart Living™ and eat food with Twilight™ characters on it. I am less likely to pick up a breakfast cereal when it has a celebrity on it. I have brand loyalty, but to quality brands, not gimmicky ones. If Spiderman™ is on a chocolate bar, I wonder if the company took shortcuts on quality, since the wrapper would sell the bar. I don’t like being manipulated and advertising is all about manipulation – “Don’t Think, Just Buy!”
There’s the issue of quality, but a lot of it comes down to this – Why should I pay money to advertise someone else’s stuff? I’ve never understood buying a shirt that says Hollister™, a hat that says Nike™, or sunglasses that have someone’s logo in patterns on the frames. I’ll wear a t-shirt with someone’s name on it if I specifically want to support them, such as San Francisco Giants™ or Prius™. I also think that if you buy into a brand, especially if you really go hog wild on a brand, you can’t help but buy into that company’s philosophy and world view. I’d like to develop my own world view, thank you.
I realize this probably makes me sound smug and self-righteous, but everybody has things that they feel strongly about, and this happens to be mine. I honestly don’t look down on someone else wearing Bass™ beer hats, or sporting Limited™ emblazoned shirts and carrying a Gucci™ purse. I just assume that’s a brand that they value and don’t mind advocating. There are many brands that I like and support. I wear Junonia™ logo shirts and shoes with a big N for New Balance™ on them. I have shirts with college names or various computer company logos. I also have plenty of media tie-in products – magnets, jackets, books – for things like Babylon 5™, Star Trek™, and Highlander™. This is media that I like and want to ‘advertise’.My personal beliefs on trademark and media tie-ins have, as you can imagine, run smack into the realities of kids’ products. Even before birth, most things in a baby’s world advertise brand first, and product second. I needed to make immediate compromises. For instance, I put my boys in Sesame Street™ diapers from Pampers™, because they fit the best. I wasn’t about to toss out any useful gifts because they were heavily branded. I’ve got pictures of my babies on Microsoft™ blankets, wearing Cisco™ shirts and Dr. Seuss™ onesies.
For the most part, however, I’m holding on to my anti-trademark shopping philosophy by the skin of my teeth. I’ll pass by cute M&M™ and Bob the Builder™ shirts to buy the non-specific but also cute dinosaur or bulldozer shirts. I’ll skip the Fisher Price™ book on potty training that reads like a catalog of Fisher Price potty training products. Barney™’s Book of Colors will get beat out by a book by Eric Carle or Roger Priddy. And as much as I adore the Muppets™, I don’t need them on my Monopoly board. I’m very lucky that so far my boys have gone along with my choices. I know as they get older, it will be more of a struggle.
I do make exceptions, of course. I’ll get kid’s books with Elmo™ or Disney’s Winnie the Pooh™, if they seem to be well-written. We have quite a few John Deere™ toys, videos, books, and items of clothing, because I associate that brand with my Midwestern roots. For some brands, I’ll even seek them out, but I try to stick to ‘core’ items. For example, we have a lot of Thomas the Tank Engine™ wooden trains and a few books and videos, but no pajamas, posters or kazoos (yes, they make a Thomas kazoo). I love Blue’s Clues™, but have resisted clothing and stuffed animals so far, just books and videos.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m being overly picky (I hear a chorus of ‘Yes!’ even from my husband), then something comes along that reminds me all over again why have this attitude.
The all-out onslaught of merchandise for Cars 2™ is utterly obnoxious. There are at least 300 toys alone, plus everything from luggage to goggles to personalized Christmas ornaments. A child could dress every day for a month in different Cars clothing, from underwear to heavy coat, and eat their Cars Spaghetti-Os from Cars silverware. After dinner, they could color in the Cars activity book with their Cars pen, while being entertained by Cars tie-in videos. At night they could go to sleep with their Cars bedding, tucked of course into their Cars novelty bed. How is an individual parent supposed to stand against that all-out marketing offensive?
Because that’s really what it is – Individual parents fighting the advertising mega-machine. As I said before, I don’t like being manipulated and advertising is all about manipulation. I will actually argue with TV commercials, debating their claims and trying to figure out their angle. I hope to train my boys to do the same – maybe not vocally arguing with the TV (since that tends to annoy other watchers), but at least thinking critically about marketing. I want to help them realize that yogurt without Dora™ on it is not only good enough, but possibly even better.
So this year under our Christmas tree will be the original Chutes and Ladders™ game, not the Spiderman™ or Disney™ Princess™ version. There will be lots of Duplo™s, but no Thomas the Tank Engine™ Duplos, Winnie the Pooh™ Duplos, or Cars™ Duplos. I’ll skip the Handy Manny™ playsets, the Toy Story™ markers, the Mario Brothers™ memory game, and the Home Depot™ play drill. There will, however, be Tonka™ trucks, Hot Wheels™ cars, the Busytown™ game, and maybe even a pair of Mickey Mouse™ watches. Maybe the line in the sand that I’ve drawn on brands and media tie-in merchandise makes no sense to anyone else, but I’m back here with my checkbook-weapon, trying to hold that line.
When my boys get older and start asking for things by TV character names? That’s when the battle really begins.
Here are some of Gemini Crickets families who participated in the 2010 Los Gatos Holiday Parade. Lizzie's boys, William and Ronan at right, look strinkingly handsome in their caps and warm pea coats.
This is an original post to Mad About Multiples.