Cousins at Christmas

During the holidays we get a chance to see family members we don't see as often as we'd like.

Since we were driving to Louisiana my Mom offered to keep Leo. She was also keeping Sadie, Leo's cousin (Brian and Jamie's black lab). The puppies humored me and wore red bows and posed for this holiday shot.

Canine Cousins at Christmas

Connor and Chloe got the chance to play with the Swan cousins while we were visiting for the holidays. Here's a shot of everyone.

Sadie is the young lady on the couch with the pink tights, green dress, and mad expression. Although you might not know if from this picture, she was festive and fun all night. So much fun Connor followed her everywhere and did everything she did. Needless to say he had a little crush on Sadie.

It's so fun to see your cousins at Christmas!

Simple Toys

This year the kids received so many really fun toys. I'm actually a bit embarrassed at everything they opened.

One of the really cool gifts were the leap frog toys. Cousins from our Christmas Eve party gave each of the twins their own leap frog leap pad, it's like a mini lap top and Carl had to sync it to a computer before they kids could use it. When the leap pad is started up it says each of their names, too cool.

My Mom also got them an electronic leap frog toy that lights up and shows you how to trace numbers and letters. All of these were great on the car trip to help distract for a little while.

What kills me is once we get to JoJo's they discovered this wooden toy and nothing else existed.

Traveling on Christmas

I think I tried to cram too much in too quickly this holiday season. We went to a fun Christmas eve party, the kids had a blast and stayed up too late. We were hoping they'd sleep a little later, but no such luck.

We had family over Christmas morning for a yummy brunch and then when it was nap time we headed out to see Carl's side of the family. I thought it'd be great to see both families on Christmas day but it wasn't really a very good plan.

Chloe busted her lip right before we left and cried until she fell asleep. They both slept well in the car for the first few hours.

The problem was it's about a 7 hour drive, and on Christmas day the only place to stop and take a break is at yucky gas stations. We were all ready to get out of the van when we arrived in New Iberia at 8:30pm.

I gave the kids a quick bath, but it still took another 45 minutes for Chloe to really settle down and let me put her in bed.

Once again we thought maybe they'd sleep late since they were up two nights in a row past bedtime, but of course, they were up 30 minutes early this morning.

The traveling sucked, but they're already having fun and playing with everything this morning. I'll plan better next time.

So Ladylike

Sometimes when Chloe doesn't get her way she puckers her lips and makes a sour face. Aunt KiKi has been around on several occasions when Chloe "didn't get her way" and commented that she wasn't making a pretty face.

The other night, while having a cracker snack, Chloe decided to practice blowing raspberries. This is for you KiKi.

Halloween 2011

I've gotten a little busy and haven't had as much time to keep up with the blog lately. So, even though it's late, Halloween this year was really amazing and totally worth sharing.

Connor was a lion and Chloe was a pink leopard. Carl and I dressed in khaki safari garb to round out the family theme. (Yes I know we were khaki bee keepers last year and I can't get away with khaki every year, but I think two years is OK)

Getting the costumes on the twins was a battle.  Neither wanted to put on their costume and cried like it was covered in acid and I was burning them. Maybe they thought it was the "trick" part.

But as soon as they figured out trick-or-treating, it was a whole new ball game. Of course Chloe picked which part of the statement she wanted to say and to make it clear to neighbors she only said, "treeeaat!" Why even bother with the rest.

Our neighborhood is great for families. Most of the yards were decorated for Halloween and there was a block party at a neighbor's house with a chili cook off. Connor's favorite part of the block party was his bag of Fritos. He also got to have a lollypop that evening so it was The Best Party Ever for him.

Chloe loved trick-or-treating but was totally worn out.

It was a wonderful, happy Halloween. I loved it!!!

Pumpkins at the Arboretum

Sorry it's been awhile. Two, two-year olds is busier than I expected.

Last week we had a wonderful time at the Arboretum. My Mom and Aunt Karen, joined Maria and me with the kids. It was two on one and I was still totally worn out when it was over. The kids had a blast. I have a couple of great shoots from the day thanks to my Mom.

We had a picnic lunch that Connor totally embraced. He really mastered lounging on the blanket. Gotta love that guy!

Testing Out Halloween Costumes

So I think we've decided on Halloween costumes for this year. I thought Connor could be a lion and Chloe a tiger. Then Carl and I can recycle our khaki (bee keeper) outfits from last year and be big cat trainers this year. I got Carl a whip to go with his khakis and maybe I can get him to carry around a stool.

The challenge isn't how the adults will dress it's if I can get the kids to do it. The other day we tried costumes on but Connor wouldn't put on his lion outfit, only the headpiece. But that was enough to get him in the lion spirit.



I could get Chloe to try on the tiger outfit, but she really didn't want to wear the headpiece. When I put it on her she pouted and fought to get it off.



We'll see how it goes when it's actually time for the Halloween events. I think we'll try to go to the Arboretum for Goblins in the Garden and we'll trick-or-treat and hit our neighborhood block party on Halloween.

Sweet with the Great Grans

I took this picture when we had the family over for the twins second birthday celebration. When my Grandmother and Grandma had settled in on the couch Connor grabbed a book, hopped up on the couch to read and share it with them.

Just love this sweet shot.

Dancing Style Update

The twins have always loved music and like many kids they love to dance. The other night Carl had to work late so we had a little dance party before bath time.

A few things to note:

• Dancing requires a prop, for Connor it's a black hanger, Chloe has an orange water pen
• Falling down is part of the new dance style, it's cool to fall
• Cheer when the song is over and run over to the iPod to check out what the next song will be

Bargin Ballons

The twins birthday was last week and we celebrated with family last Saturday. When I was getting ready for the party I headed to a party supply store near our house, but it was no longer there. Instead there was a dollar store so I went in to see what they had. I walked out with a "Happy Birthday" sign, 6 bottles of bubbles and an order of 7 balloons and a base all for $10.

We picked up these balloons on Saturday morning and they're still going strong. I'd never shopped at a dollar store but I may have to check it out more often.

Feeding Giraffes

Our last visit to the zoo we got the chance to feed the giraffes. It was honestly a really amazing experience.

Not only did they eat right out of our hands, they'd let you pet them. Totally recommend this!

Super Fun Birthday Two

We celebrated the twins birthday with family last weekend and had a really great time. It was planned as a brunch and I'm not sure if it was a good time for all our guests, but that morning timing worked great and allowed us all to take a nap in the afternoon (and I do mean allowed me to take a good nap, such a luxury)

Since the kids had been putting blankets over side table and making little tents we got them a pop up play house/tent for their birthday. They went crazy over it.

Chloe got a baby for her birthday, but thank heavens she got two babies because Connor is really interested in feeding the baby. Especially inside the tent.

Everyone had cupcakes and it was a fun party for all!

I was a little distracted at the party and didn't take any pictures, so thank you to Uncle Martin, KiKi, and GiGi for capturing the memories of our second birthday!!

Turning Two

Yesterday Connor and Chloe turned two. I pulled a picture of them from a year ago and took a couple of shots while they ate breakfast. It's amazing how much they've changed.

September 2010

Two years old! Chloe September 2011

Two years old & I love my toast! Connor September 2011

They did get a few gifts on their birthday. Connor hugs his panda, Chloe drops her kitty and then for some reason both animals attack their Daddy. It's the Swan Zoo!

Plan To Get Rid of the Pacifier

Connor turns two this week and still uses his pacifier. We only let him have it for naps and bed time, but he ask for it when he's upset and I really can't imagine him going to sleep without it. I'm not overly worried about it in the big scheme of things, but I know we'll have to learn to go without the paci some day soon. Our cousin, Laruen, mommy to Andrew who is the same age as the twins, made a plan to get rid of the paci. They're expecting a baby girl in November and Andrew was headed to school for the first time. She was sweet enough to send me her plan and I've shared the email below. When I first read this I has to hold back tears. I can't imagine this process with Connor. "As far as the paci is concerned, I hope that what I say and my expereince helps.  It wasn't easy to do, but I am sooooooo glad we did it and it is over. First off, you have to want to get rid of it.  If you are on the fence about it, just wait until you are 100% ready.   And when you are ready...JUST DO IT. Second, get rid of every paci in your house except for one. Okay so this is what I did. The morning I took it away we went about our normal morning.  I took his paci and clipped the end off of it (THIS IS A KEY STEP...FOR YOU NOT HIM), then layed it out on the coffee table so he could find it. He saw it on the table and grabbed and said "ahhhh my paci" with a huge grin on his face. (at this point my heart broke and i had tears in my eyes).  He put it in his mouth and tried to suck on it....Took it out...looked at it and then tried again.  He brought it to me to show me.  I told him "oh no...your paci is bust."  He says "bust" when things are broken.  So, we talked about how things get broken, does he really need his paci, he is a big boy, etc.  So, then he just handed it back to me and walked away.  Went about playing around the house.  We eventually left for errands and came back for lunch and nap. At naptime, we got his sleepsac, lovie and 'busted' paci and I layed him down like normal...trying to pretend everything normal.  He told me his "paci was bust", but other than that didn't seem to mind.  Well, about 2 min into nap time he started screaming and crying for his paci.  I let him cry for about 20 min but couldn't take it anymore.  So, at the advice of a friend, I picked Andrew up and again we talked about the broken paci and what we do when things are broken.  I asked him if we should throw it away in the trash.  He agreed and he was the one to open the trash and throw it away himself.  I honestly think this was the best advice I could have gotten.  After he threw it away, we watched a quick episode of Dora and then I laid him down again.  He cried for about 5 min but then went to sleep.  He napped his usual time, and when I went to pick him up the first thing he said to me was "momma my paci trash".  These were his favorite 4 words for a week straight :) That night was a lot harder.  He cried, but we didn't give in.  This is why cutting the paci and getting rid of all of the others is key.  If I would have had a paci available to me, I would have given it to him in a heartbeat.  Not because he was crying exactly, but because I know how much he loves it and missed it.  Even Kevin said how sad it made him. I would say it took about 6 days total for Andrew to completely get over having his paci.  He wasn't really himself, kinda fussy and needed extra TLC.  But, it was easier than I thought it would be. Anyways, now that I scared you to death with my detailed play by play analysis, I hope that this helps. Every kid is different, so it may not bother Connor that much.  I have a friend who took her little girls away (she was 23 months) and it was a non issue.  I have another friend who took her sons away (he was 25 months) and he cried every night for a month and was destructive at bedtime...no joke. I also have a friend whose girl is 3 and still takes a paci."   We've decided to wait a little longer with Connor. I don't know when I'm going to do it, but I'm not looking forward to how sad it will make him.

Lions Up Close

We made another trip to the Dallas Zoo this weekend and I never get over how close you get to the lions at the Serengeti Grill.

Upgrade Your Read

We're lucky both twins really like reading. I hope it continues.

Connor, however, has decided to upgrade his reading a bit. He's OK with Brown Bear, Brown Bear every now and then, but he also likes to check out the FedEx Annual Report over an apple snack. When we saw Connor was reviewing the revenue per pound shipped growth year over year Carl asked him to provide a top line with recommended action when he was finished.

Hiding Spot

On Monday we had beautiful weather here in Dallas. For the first time in months the temperature dropped into the 80's during the day. It was so nice we opened all the windows in the house.

The kids loved it.

Additionally, Connor has a new habit. When we tell him "no" about something, which happens pretty frequently, he cries and runs off to his private hiding spot. It's in the front room, next to the couch, behind the side table. He snuggles down and hides and cries until someone gets him.

On Monday, we were in the back family room when we told Connor "no" about something. He trotted off, fussing and crying and we knew he was going to his hiding spot. We heard a crash and looked at one another, but honestly, we hear crashes all the time so we didn't think much of it. I casually got up, walked to the hiding spot to coax Connor out and I found him outside the window with leaves stuck in his hair and all over his clothes.

I guess, making his was to his hiding spot, he decided to climb on the lower shelf of the side table. Normally that would be fine with the window there, but when he pushed his head up against the window it was actually the screen and he fell outside. I wish I had a picture but I started yelling for Carl that Connor fell out the window and it was a little too dramatic for pictures. He was totally fine, just a little surprised and we all ended up laughing. We had to step outside to brush all the leaves off him.

We've decided to keep that window closed.

Suckers

Last weekend we made a trip to Toys R Us for training potties and a birthday gift for the twins. After we got everything we needed we decided to let Chloe and Connor each pick a new stuffed animal. Did they need new toys, no. Why did we do it, because we're sucker parents. They were so cute with their new stuffed animals.

Chloe picked a cow with a red bow around it's neck and Connor picked a crazy real-looking lizard. It was totally worth it to see them playing with their new animals. So fun!!

Chloe dancing with her cow

Bringing Work Home

Earlier this week we had a shoe shoot for a brand I'm working on called Uwezo, which means ability in Swahili. The Uwezo product is currently safari boots and slip-on shoes with hair-on hide. They're really cool and will sell for about $150 a pair. Proceeds from the sale of shoes benefit the non-profit Empower African Children providing vulnerable African children with a premier education.

I love the shoes and boots, I love that they benefit the children of Africa, and I'm really loving my job right now.

I brought a couple pairs of shoes home so Carl could see them in person and then Connor wanted to try them on. This picture of Connor is a little blurry, but I love his GQ hand on the wall, leg crossed pose. What a charmer!

This is the shoe Connor has on,  Uwezo men's slip-on

Sweet Bedtime Stories

Bedtime is a great time. We really enjoy reading and snuggling before it's time for "night night."

Great Placemats for Eating Out with Kids

Our  electricity went out Sunday, which means no A/C. It was OK for a little while but to keep cool we decided we'd go out for a bite to eat. Carl snapped this shot of Connor and it reminded me I wanted to share how great these place mats have been for us.

They fold up flat so they fit easily into any bag, even a purse. There's adhesive strips on the back so they stay in place. With a couple of colors they're entertainment before food comes and they make for super easy clean up when the meal is over.

I love these!

Splash Park = Good Nap

Our twin group had another play group at the Lake Highlands splash park this weekend and the twins wore themselves out.

Since it was right in her neighborhood, we invited my Aunt Karen to join us. In addition to Carl and I keeping an eye on the twins we had both GiGi and KiKi and it was a ton of help.

Played so hard can't even stay awake through lunch. Now that's a good play date!