Yay Maggie! Yay Benny!

There has been a lot of cheering going on in our house lately.  First of all, I think that we are well on our way to what I would consider our first big step to potty training.  Maggie has been peeing on the potty!  Yay Maggie!  We had been trying awhile ago to just sit on the potty during each diaper change with a few successes here and there for both of them.  Lately, we decided to try it again (Maggie was asking for it) and Maggie will almost every time you put her on the potty pee at least once.  We had been doing it while sitting with her reading books, and one day I was busy changing Ben, so I just sat her there and worked on his diaper.  I wasn't paying attention when all of a sudden she stood up (naked of course, her favorite way to use the potty), threw her arms in the air and yelled Yay Maggie!  I was amazed.  What seems to be the trick is not watching her.  Now, what I'm amazed and confused about is that she likes to pee sometimes 3-4 times in a session.  As in pee, yell Yay Maggie!  Fwush it! And we all go off to the bathroom.  And then repeat.  And then again.  Ben likes to flush it and yell Yay Benny! because he's a big helper.  The one time recently Ben peed on the potty he also peed on his knees, the carpet and a book.  How do you teach him to point down???  I'm wondering if my daughter is doing Kegels, because how else do you stop your pee 3 times in one sit down???

We're also very excited about other things we are doing.  Well, they are excited.  It is so funny to watch them be proud of themselves for doing something.  Maggie put her shoes on for the first time all by herself the other day.  She had them on the wrong feet and was walking funny, but hey, she got them on.  She was pleased as punch with herself.  Ben likes to climb on things, balance and yell out Yay Benny!  with a big smile on his face.  I am not always quite as impressed. 

Mommy and Daddy also do things that get cheered.  Mommy brought us applesauce.  Yay Mommy!  Daddy put the train together.  Yay Daddy!  I am sure this is all healthy at this age, and everything has the potential to be exciting, but at what point do we cut it off and say, hey, that was nice, but nothing to cheer about so we don't have egomaniacs on our hands?  I mean the potty is one thing, but putting all your peas back on your plate after you've gotten the Mommy scolding and mean look?  Not that exciting. 

Maybe now would be a good time to bring up the Mommy scolding thing.  First of all, I am tired of being the bad guy.  Being the grownup is no fun, and being the Mommy who is enforcing the rules does not make me the most popular gal in the house.  You know how everyone talks about the Terrible Twos?  I really didn't believe it.  Especially with twins, it seems like things should get a little easier as they get bigger.  At least they are more independent right? 

That would be a big fat no.  I mean, good God, I love them to death, but I am so tired of bad behavior!  There are definitely things they are doing just to test us or make us mad, and we are surely losing.  Take this everyday example.  Since we got our new kitchen table, they sit with us at the table in their boosters.  In general, this has improved a lot of their table manners and it is a nice way to sit together as a familly.  But little Miss Sassy has one very persistent problem.  She pushes the table with her feet so her chair tilts back.  Of course, the first time she did this, I am picturing a broken head and a trip to the ER, so she was told very sternly to stop.  This occasionally works.  She has figured out (as have I) that it is a hard rule to enforce at every meal, especially since Mommy and Daddy are trying to eat too.  My options seem to be putting her back in a regular highchair, turning her around (where she can't reach her food) or give her the chair on the booster so she can't fall backwards.  The tray was supposed to be a "punishment" but she likes it.  And then, to make it all worse, Ben will push the table, say "No push table, Benny" and look at us hopefully because he wants his tray too. 

Goose.  Gander.  Everything in my house (including discipline and medicine) seems to have to be fair.  Maggie has ordered Ben into the corner when she was the one in trouble (and he goes, poor little pushover) because it seems fair even if he didn't do anything wrong.  On a related note, Maggie will put herself in the corner, or when we send her, she will giggle in the corner. 

Sigh. 

But they are cute.  They are sweet.  I had to cancel a subbing job this morning (grrr) because I hurt my back yesterday and couldn't manage to get the kids to the sitter, go to school and then pick them up again.  I remember identical back pain in the past where lifting a much lighter Ben was, well, the straw that broke this camel's back.  I figured somewhere between getting them out of their cribs, getting them into their carseats where I have to twist funny to even get Ben in, and carrying them into the sitter's house, there was no way I could do all those steps and not make things worse.  I think Andy is irritated with me, but won't admit it. 

Okay, back to the cute from that story.  I walked into the living room after breakfast and slipped on a book on the floor, jarring my back as I slid.  I reacted without swearing (go me) but enough that my two little munchkins were concerned about me.  Ben ran over and gave me kisses.  On my knees, but whatever.  Lately, kisses for them are necessary for injuries, and he figured I needed one too. 

I have taken very few pictures of my own this week.  It was kind of nice not to have the pressure, but I wish I had more time to get gung ho about my practice better photography plan.  I did get a book from the library but it is still sitting on the dining room table untouched.  I do have some pictures to share though from our 2 year pictures at Portrait Innovations.  They look so grown up, like little adults, and I can't even believe that in 5 days, they will be 2.  Where did the time go? 

These are uncropped from the itty bitty resolution files you get.  Some are outtakes that I just thought were funny.  And guess who the ham in my family is? 

I'm going to try to do a birthday post closer to their birthday, and I'm sure to have some photos from the big birthday bash that I am frantically trying to get organized for.  I am also expecting a new nephew any day now, and I am sure there will be some pictures of him soon!