Sunday 22 July 2012

Moar Fotos


My mother gave me a sound telling off about not updating my 'Family Blog' often enough. (It's been - ahem - about ten months). She was about to revoke my membership of the human race if I didn't get my act together, so I pulled together some holiday photos in a hurry. Since I've been frantic overwhelmed totally overwhelmed utterly overwhelmed busy lately, I thought I would share them here too because I certainly wasn't going to get the chance to write anything else in case anybody needs to know what nearly-three-year-olds look like in the rain. 

They turn three tomorrow, actually. I had planned to write something lyrical about what they are like, on the cusp of three-dom, but see above. I will summarise it by saying: mostly they like Thomas the tank engine, Hello Kitty, Peppa Pig and yelling at each other. Okay, now that's done - here are the pictures.


They are always doing this. Okay, maybe not. Alright, I totally told them to kiss, but hey, they did it, so I figure I win at parenting. For once. 



Pink on the carousel in Honfleur. As you can tell, she loved it. Blue, on the other hand -
"I NOT go on carousel! Carousel too scawy!" This joins a long list of things that are too scawy, including watching Finding Nemo and eating meat.


After two minutes on the carousel - already feeling pretty nonchalant about it. Carousel? Whatever.



Whatcha doin, twins?

Uh.... just hanging around.  (Sorry, had to be done).



More kissing. I guess I win at facilitating grandparent / grandchild relations, too. 


The beach! It was very warm and sunny. Obviously.

 It was a gorgeous beach, actually. This was pretty much the only two minutes of sunshine we got all week, but those two minutes were lovely.



 Giving us the look that sums up one of her favourite phrases: "I BUSY!"



 so grown up.
 such a baby.
  
 So beautiful.

So unaware that he is not actually a dog.


 We went to an aquarium. There were lots of fish.

 It was freakishly, ridiculously, insanely rainy. It rained every day. Actually, it poured every day. This day, Blue and I ran down to the beach to build sandcastles in the rain - J and Pink were too chicken tired. We got thoroughly, utterly, bewilderingly wet. And for ten minutes, as we got soaked to the skin and I kept digging in the sand with my boy anyway, I truly felt like a good mother. 

Ten minutes after that, of course, I told him that we were going go back inside, and my mum got these pictures. Please note how self-satisfied I look, due to aforementioned temporary feeling of competent motherhood. However - wearing this wet wool cardigan is probably the only time I have ever stood next to him and realised that I smelled the worst of the two.   
 
 More kissing. I'm sensing a pattern. However: I don't want to criticise my two-year-old's technique, but please note that I am not the one going straight in with an open mouth. French kissing indeed. 

And that's it, I think. Freaking out a bit here. Tomorrow, they are getting their very own potties (with Peppa Pig and Thomas on them, of course). I know they are ready - this isn't just because they are turning three. So, um....anybody got any tips for potty training? AARRRRRGGGHHHHHHHH!

25 comments:

  1. So much adorableness!!

    Hurray for three - 'round here, three has been so much easier than two.

    (Re potty training: cover all furniture with towels and bribe shamelessly with overpriced toys. Bite lips firmly in the event of anyone peeing themselves while standing next to the potty screaming 'no, I no need go potty, NOOOOO'.)

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    1. oh, that sounds like a bundle of fun! Glad to hear what you say about three, though - I've heard mixed reports on this stage. I do absolutely love that they are so much more able to talk to each other and to me at this stage - there is starting to be SLIGHTLY less random and mystifying yelling.

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    2. My son also loved a book called Pirate Pete's Potty. I found most of the potty books out there were very wordy, which was not where we were at. Of course, he did have a clue anyway. It's not like I've been in the bathroom alone since Aug 2009.

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  2. I can't imagine potty training two at the same time. When my daughter was two and a half, I stripped her down to just a t-shirt for a week. When she would squirm or outright ask for a diaper/pull-up, we'd go and sit on the potty. We spent a lot of time in there; reading, singing songs, and occasionally using the facilities as they were meant. Eventually, they all get it, but prepare your bathroom so you're comfortable in there!

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    1. that's a really good point. I think I'd better give the whole place a good scrub and move a radio in there!

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  3. M&Ms for pee in the toilet, Lollipops for poop. Nakednesss. Cloth diapers on hand to clean up messes. Diapers for bed, naps and car rides.

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    1. one of my friends recommended that we switch to pullups for bed, car and naps. Whaddya think? I definitely think they will need to be wearing something absorbent... I do not like the idea of washing wee out of their car seats.

      And fortunately, I just bought some m&ms! Do I get to have some too?

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  4. Oh man! Potty training?? Please figure it all out and let me know ok?

    As always your photos are inspiring!

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    1. well, if it goes badly I'm sure you can look forward to many, many more blog entries on the topic... then at least you will know what NOT to do, right?

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  5. love love these beautiful photos. good luck with the world of three. we decided to just skip that stage entirely. ;)

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  6. Chocolate button bribery works wonders! Your pictures remind me of our beach holiday in England two summers ago (sunny weather HAD been predicted) - we set off to Poole and it kept raining harder and harder- when the rain was actually going sideways over the car I burst into tears. We ended up spending the day in the aquarium in Bournmouthe with most of England and half of Wales. Good times!
    Amy x

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    1. Oh wow, I so feel your pain. The awful feeling of sadness that says 'But this is my summer holidaaaaaay!' I hope you're getting some long-deserved sunshine now, Amy!

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  7. Potty training? Just don't do it. Run away screaming. Oh? You wanted helpful advice and not my trauma over this supposedly "normal" phase of development? Too bad. We don't always get what we want. Like potty trained children. Because who gets a house without diapers? Certainly not me! Okay...going off to sulk in a corner quietly now.

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  8. Beautiful photos! Missed you :)

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    1. Hey R... when are YOU going to update your blog??? Surely you have some stuff to share????? Hey???

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  9. Love all the kisses. Happy Birthday, twins!

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    1. Thank you! They are having a very happy, sugary birthday so far!

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  10. Ok, that look that pink is giving you in the photo titled "I busy" ????? Get used to it. You're going to be seeing that ALOT.

    And hahaha. Potty training. hahahahaha. That is going to be your subject matter for blogging for hmmmm, I wanna say oh, about, the next year--if you're lucky. (pardon me while I go giggle into my coffee) Have fun with that. Really. hahahahaha.

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    1. Honestly, I would be lost without your compassionate encouragement, L. LOST.

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  11. Oh, they are so beautiful. Remembering the day you found out they were coming. Joy.

    Potty training: Can you use the fact that there are two of them to your advantage somehow and make it a competition? That is probably very bad parenting (and why I have only a cat) but I'll bet it's very good for potty training!

    I would make up a "you went in the potty" song and make singing it a big deal. They love music and dancing about. (YOU still get M&Ms, though, of course.)

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  12. Hi Claudia! Regular follower, rare commentator here :) (is commentator the right word? only one I could think of!)
    I love, love, love the photos! The beach photos would make such a lovely collage.

    As for potty training - I used the reward system my son's day care introduced and it worked like a charm! I made a chart and stuck it on the bathroom door. Every time he went in the potty instead of using his pull ups, he got to add a sticker to his chart. I let him pick his favourite stickers, so he would look forward to it. He was so proud every time he noticed the chart, it encouraged him to use the potty more. We used pull-ups instead of diapers since it was more convenient on the rare nights he would actually wake up to go potty instead of going in his diaper in his sleep .It also helped in the day time with accidents since I couldn't face the prospect of cleaning our carpeted apartment every couple of hours! :).

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  13. You are hilarious. And indeed, a great mom!

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  14. Happy birthday babes. Tips on potty training? I thought we had crossed that off our to-do list. That is until I walked into Taz's room this morning and caught him peeing in the trash can. More investigation points to the fact that he's been doing this all week. Sigh...

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Over to you!