My Wife!

Teagan gets quite jealous when I hug someone else or hold another child (apart from her sister). She will usually try to weasel her way into the love :)

Jenn and I grabbed a hug the other day while the girls were eating their lunch. Our hug was interrupted by loud screaming, followed by, "MY MOMMY!!!" Teagan attempted to lay down the law with Jenn.

"My wife!!" Jenn replied.

"No Mama, MY WIFE!" Teagan responded back.

"No TT, MY wife!" Jenn said firmly.

"MY WIFE!" Teagan tried again. It was a lost cause and was funny by this point.

Ten minutes later, when lunch was finished, I walked over to Teagan to wipe her face with a wash cloth. When I finished cleaning her up, she grabbed my arm, gave me a kiss and said, "my wife" with a huge smile on her face. Well played small fry.

First Day of Preschool!

I meant to post yesterday since that was the girls official first day of preschool. It was an emotional one that started off difficult and ended perfectly.

The school hosted an orientation last week. The girls got to see their classroom and play for an hour. We met their teachers and the coordinator. Last week, we talked about school and tried to explain that I would be dropping them off (and saying goodbye) and then coming back to get them. They are doing a 2-morning per week (2.5 hours) program.

I had some first day of school jitters. I also felt quite emotional since the girls have been with me since they were born (apart from time with family and a couple of babysitters). I knew that it was going to be hard for me, especially if they were upset.

Don't let these faces fool you. They actually
seemed excited on our walk to school.

Upon our arrival at the school, Quinn happily trotted up the stairs. Teagan insisted that I carry her. We found their cubbies and hooks. Quinn changed into her indoor shoes. When I tried to take Teagan's knapsack off, she freaked out. Quinn then walked into the room to check it out. I was impressed. Teagan, on the other hand, wouldn't let me go. I didn't want our goodbye to be long and drawn out. I gave them both a kiss and told them that I would be back to get them after school. At that point, Quinn flipped out and started crying. She had thought that I was staying. Teagan was hysterical and had to be pried from my leg. I walked out and could hear them wailing from the sidewalk. 

Knowing that they would be fine and would eventually have fun didn't make that experience any easier. I called Jenn immediately. I stayed strong...until I got home. I had a cry and the boys consoled me. I then took them for a long run. 

About an hour and a half into school, the coordinator called. She was calling everyone. The girls settled after about 10 minutes and were playing happily at the sand table while we spoke. They were already making friends with the other kids. While I knew that would be the case, I was grateful for her call. 

My brother and I picked them up before lunch. They were in the playground. Quinn saw me when we arrived and immediately gave me a hug. She then ran off to play. Teagan spotted me just before she went down the slide. She smiled, slid down and then headed straight back up! I chatted with their teachers for a few minutes. I gave them a five minute warning, which probably ended up being longer. I was thrilled to see them having fun.

Here's to hoping tomorrow morning is much of the same!

After their nap, we headed to the park. I snapped a few pictures of my preschoolers. They looked older :)

Monkey Business

This picture doesn't look like much. It is what you don't see that makes it. 

You don't see Teagan in her own crib in this picture. You don't see the mattresses, sheets and stuffed animals tossed all over the room. You don't see Jenn rushing up the stairs because of the loud banging. You don't see two little monkeys climbing back and forth between cribs. You don't see mattresses on the floor so that the little monkeys can jump on the boards below. 

I thought (read: REALLY, REALLY hoped) that we had until January before the monkeys started climbing out of their cribs. Given their destructive history, I've been dreading the switch to beds. Quinn made the first move two weeks ago at nap time. She climbed out of her crib three times in 20 minutes. For the next week, I lay on their floor at nap time until she fell asleep. Fortunately for me, she fell asleep quickly. I was delaying the inevitable, I know. 

Jenn walked into their room at nap time yesterday to find Quinn asleep and Teagan standing in the middle of their room naked with her clothes, mattress and sheets everywhere. She was chatting (to herself) about "sleeping Mimi" and was apparently an inch away from grabbing her. I'm grateful that poop has remained IN their diapers. 

Needless to say, toddler beds have been ordered. Wish us luck!