Kindergarten

Last night we had a supply drop off and meet the teacher time. Both the kids agreed that we could all go to Adam's classroom first. His teacher is Mrs. Felix and he was very excited to distribute his supplies to the different areas of the classroom.

I couldn't believe the rooms actually have a smart board in them for Kindergarten!

Shannon and I made the decision early in the summer to let the kids be assigned to the teacher or teacher(s) the school chose. Some parents of multiples feel strongly about keeping their children together, for various reasons. We felt like Adam and Sara would be fine in the same classroom, but they would also be fine in separate classrooms. We have had them do quite a few things independently. They still have a strong twin bond but we encourage them as individuals. Sara can have a tendency to be bossy and sometimes Adam doesn't let Sara do something on her own because he thinks he can do it better. There is also a tendency when you have twins that many things are a competition or a comparison. We thought this would help them be individuals.

Off we went directly across the hall to Sara's classroom and to meet Mrs. Brown. Sara was excited her room was decorated with an ocean theme. Remember that comparison comment? Adam was disappointed that his room was just plain! Sara had to fill out a scavenger hunt sheet, finding various important areas in the room, to earn a prize.

Today was their first day of Kindergarten. They were both up at 6:15 and ready for me to get them breakfast. We moved thru our morning routine quickly with no meltdowns and had plenty of time for pictures before heading to the bus stop. I know for sure not every day will go as smoothly as today!

They ran down the driveway ahead of me. It was neat to see them experiencing the same thing for the first time together. Adam stopped along the way and wanted to pick a pretty purple weed that was blooming for his bus driver but he couldn't get it pulled off the stem.

This is my absolute favorite picture and is such a good depiction of how Adam has been protective of Sara and watched over her since they were babies. When they were around 1 and had moved to separate cribs, he would stand in his crib, waiting for Sara to be put to bed. Once she was tucked in, then he would lay down. Once they saw the bus coming (7 minutes early!) Adam said "Come on Sara" and walked her to the door. I waved to them and got a little choked up as I yelled have a good day. I am so excited for them to start this next phase of their life!

I didn't really know what time the bus would drop them off since it was a half day but I calculated it based on the bus stop route we received. I was certainly caught off guard when I saw the bus thru the front door 10 minutes earlier than I was expecting! I hurried down the driveway and the bus driver was hesitant to let the kids off but the neighbor waiting for her kids convinced her that I was coming.

They had a great day with lots of exciting stories to tell. The only downfall was that someone bit Sara on the arm I think during recess. The marks were still red with every tooth defined as we ate lunch. She treated it like no big deal but I called the school to inquire about the situation and what to do.

We ate an early dinner and they were tucked in bed at 6:30. Tomorrow is their first full day--I wonder how exhausted they will be!

And I received a nice little anonymous gift to brighten my day - thanks, friend, whoever you are!

Miniature golf

A few weeks ago we decided to have some family time by playing miniature golf. It made me laugh when the kids came downstairs dressed because they wanted to match what Shannon and I were wearing.

Sara didn't think it sounded very fun because it was golf but once we got there, she changed her mind.

They especially liked the holes with the water features. I'm not sure how many balls we dug out of the water on this hole. Then when Adam discovered he wasn't hitting it hard enough, he really smacked it and sent it over the ramp and thru the trees.

This one was pretty fun because it had a cave at the end, although Sara didn't really want to go in there because she claimed it was too dark.

The weather was perfect that morning--not too hot. It even started sprinkling at one point and the kids thought we should leave right away. How come when they are home they want to go out and play in the rain but if we are out, they don't feel the same way?

We had a great time and I look forward to many more fun little outings.

They really did a great job and even got some in the holes with just a few shots.

Vacation Bible School

The kids were so excited to participate in Vacation Bible School again this year and had been asking all summer when it was going to start. Of course it was one of the weeks I was on total bedrest so I couldn't go see any of the decorations when picking up and dropping off. My neighbor had to drive them on the night Shannon was teaching a night class. Mom stayed late each day to help with dinner and getting them wrangled for each of the themes.

These pictures from Super Hero Night just crack me up! Sara wanted to be Wonder Woman. Adam wanted to be Captain America. We did our best with random supplies from home.

Then it was Mismatch Night. It's hard to see from the photo that Sara has vertical pin stripe shorts on. They both picked their own outfits.

And Wacky Hair Night!

Every night they flew thru the door to tell me what they talked about, a new button they got, the games they played, and the "snack" they were offered. It was a mad dash for Shannon to get them into bed because they were so exhausted they couldn't even function since it was 2 hours beyond their normal bedtime. Thus, it was also nap week!

Out of the mouths...

The kids say so many things that make me laugh or seem much older than they are, it's hard to remember and record them. Here's just a few that have made me giggle lately.

Yesterday we were checking Sara's flower box to see if the flowers needed a drink. After finding her watering can and noticing it had mulch and dirt in the bottom she said "There's still all this crap in it!" I paused for a moment and asked her to repeat what she said. Yep, that's what she meant to say. My mom was quietly giggling to herself even though Sara probably learned the word and correct connotation from her as I was explaining that was not a word Sara got to use.

A few weeks ago the kids were in the bathroom as I was using some mouthwash out of a brand new bottle. As soon as it got in my mouth, I was screaming with my mouth closed and finally had to spit it out. Adam asked what was wrong and I told him the new bottle Dad bought was really spicy. Adam said "You better get used to it, Mom...Dad bought a really big bottle."

My mom is a little hard of hearing and it doesn't help when the kids talk fast or mumble a little. Instead of just asking them to repeat themselves and slow down, sometimes she makes a ridiculous guess of what they said. Recently Sara got frustrated and told her emphatically "Grandma, you don't hear very well--you need a hearing test!"

While I always have cute stories to tell, I also have to document officially that it is not always a picnic with these two. They have their moments of drama and not being sweet or cute. In fact, Adam and Sara when you are reading this down the road, know that we have gone thru some very trying days lately. Sara can act like she is about 15 with an eye roll, hand on hip, and glare that goes along with a disrespectful tone that expects everyone to do things for her. Then when she is mad she will either stomp off or bang her hand on the table while glaring at me. Or give me a tone when she declares "I said I didn't want that."

As for Adam, he can be sweet one minute giving me a kiss and 15 seconds later he is upstairs tackling Sara and "roaring" loudly in her face. If I tell him to do something he isn't interested in lately he will blatantly tell me no and storm out of the house, crying because he didn't get his way. He just seems to have moments the past few weeks where he is totally out of control. Last night I told him his behavior was disrespectful and unacceptable and if it continued all his stuffed animals, including his beloved blankie were coming down out of his bed for bedtime. His response? He stuck his tongue out at me. Needless to say he was not happy I followed thru with my warning. Then we spent the next hour listening to him pound on his wall, kick and scream and cry, complaining that his bed was so uncomfortable. In fact he just came in the house crying telling me one story and Shannon corrected him that he was hitting Sara over the head with a baseball bat! Hopefully we can figure something out soon to hit his reset button before he gets expelled from Kindergarten in the first week!

4th of July trip

Our spontaneous 4th of July trip started by heading to Dubuque, Iowa for the fireworks. We got there in time to drop our bags and head to dinner. The kids loved the hotel room--I think it's just fun for them to be away from home. We found a good parking spot and caught the last bit of an air show.

While we waited, there was plenty of people watching to do. And since our blanket was right next to a funnel cake stand well, why not! It was about 3 tiers tall and covered in powdered sugar. It better be good for the $8 they charged us for it!

More people watching, then watching a couple guys get in a fight and the paramedics had to work on him in the dark. Fun times!

It was after 10:00 before the fireworks started. They were great, one of the best I've seen. But about halfway thru, Adam said "Mom, do you know what I would really like to do at the hotel? SLEEP! Can we go there right now?"

I was so glad I brought the wagon. We caught the end of the fireworks while walking back to the car. What a madhouse getting out of there. It took us over an hour to get back to the hotel (which was only a few miles away) and we finally got the kids tucked in bed around 12:30.

Adam had decided he didn't want to sleep on his cot because it was starting to poke him in the back. He was starting to reach the weight limit. Instead he wanted to sleep with Dad like they did in Boston when Sara and I were in the hospital. Adam was very excited about it, Shannon not so much as he wasn't left with much room.

The next morning we headed to a great little family cafe for breakfast and then hit the waterpark inside the hotel. I thought it would be a bigger hit, especially with Sara. But she had a bit of a cold and was running a very low grade fever so she kept getting chilly. She was not feeling very dare-devilish.

Their favorite part was the lazy river.

Shannon said "Sara...I'm toe-ing you!" I'm surprised she got his pun.

After a few hours we got dressed to head to the Mississippi River Museum.

This photo of Sara totally cracked me up. She started out being afraid of the statue, walking way around to avoid it. Then when I sat down and started telling her about how Mark Twain wrote books, then she wanted to sit in his lap and talk to him.

After the museum we headed to Cedar Rapids for dinner at Grandma and Grandpa Mollenhauers and to spend the night. The next morning we headed to Dyersville for the Tractor Museum.

I think Shannon would have liked a little more time looking at the older tractors, especially the ones he remembers driving on the farm as a boy. Adam and Sara were very excited to have a little money to spend from the grandparents. Sara picked out a little stuffed animal cow and a sticker book. Adam bought a red disc implement which he later decided he needed a new tractor to go with it.

It was nice to get away for just a few days and enjoy some family time.

Baby Mo update

I had been feeling pretty good until the 4th of July holiday weekend hit. We decided pretty last minute to head out of town for a family vacation. While I was trying to not overdo it, the walking and 8+ hours in the car over 3 days did me in. I spent all day Sunday on the couch and in pain every time I would just walk to the bathroom. I had some feelings similar to just before the twins were born so I played it cautious and called the doctor's office first thing Monday morning. He was out of the country on a medical missions trip but another person could see me Tuesday.

That Tuesday, July 8, became Day 1 of my bed rest. I was starting to dilate and only being 23 1/2 weeks, it was just too early to take any risks. My whole world changed very quickly.

Thankfully I was already equipped to work remotely from home for my part-time job. We started dispersing a few tasks and running paperwork back and forth. And we bought a laptop desk to be used while I was on the couch.

My mom started staying longer and coming extra days to help with the kids without me even asking. And Shannon's parents came with freezer food and to catch up on laundry.

Some friends from my twins group brought meals. One person even brought me a tub of school supplies the kids needed. 

It was quite the adjustment for the kids. One morning when Shannon had to leave for work before they woke up, he got breakfast prepped for them. They came downstairs and their eyes lit up! He had dry cereal in a bowl on the table, 1/2 a banana, glasses of juice for them in the refrigerator, and milk in a small container that they could pour on their cereal themselves. They thought it was the neatest thing! We bought walkie talkies to communicate with each other. And we came up with creative things to do to spend time together--puzzles, coloring, reading books. Adam and I even figured out a game outside while I laid on a lounge chair and would roll a kick ball across the deck and down the stairs for it to bounce and him to catch. The biggest challenge was that they kept playing me and mom against each other and weren't sure who to listen to when we were both here.

After a week, my doctor was back in town and he felt like my body was holding on and not progressing any further with labor. He wanted me to move around a little more at home and return in another week to check in again.

That was last week and we were so excited to learn that things still looked good. The dilation had stopped and my cervical length was long. The enzyme test also came back negative--that would have indicated if my body was producing chemicals to go into labor within the next 2 weeks. He released me from bedrest but said continue to take it easy when I need to. I am still working from home except for one afternoon when I go in for a meeting. I also limit how many times I go up the stairs, watch how much I lift, and try not to do any excessive cooking. I have another appointment in 2 weeks when I will be 28 1/2 weeks.

This photo was taken at 24 1/2 weeks.

Sara is just head over heels with me being pregnant. She has such an instinctive motherly demeanor. I can't tell you how many times a day she talks to the baby, gives my belly a hug, kisses my belly, tells the baby good night, etc. It shocked her the night she felt him kick! I'm sure she will be an excellent helper once he is born.