In The Midst Of Big Changes, It Turns Out They're Still Lovin' It™.

Alternate title: Funny Today, Maybe Not So Funny Tomorrow.

Part II of the "There Gonna Be Some Changes In Here" plan hasn't happened yet, but it involves repainting the room and moving, readjusting and/or heavily securing the furniture and window – and I'm not talking your typical wall anchors and window locks just in case you were wondering.

My main involvement however will be keeping the boys out of the house and/or at least out of their room for the better part of the day. As such, I've been talking it up a bit and when one of my boys asked earlier today about french fries I said, "It just so happens that we're going to have french fries on Friday – Mommy is taking you out for lunch!".

My guys can recite Sunday through Saturday off the top of their heads and typically know what day follows what if you pick a random day of the week.

Apparently when french fries are involved though, all bets are off.

Nate and Seth were more chatty tonight at bedtime than usual and since I was in the next room and could hear everything I decided to transcribe a small portion of their conversation* because it was too funny not to.

• • • • • • • 

N: Not Monday today.

S: It's Tuesday.

N: It's Friday today.

S: It's not Friday today. No. We have french fries on Friday.

N: Friday is tomorrow.

S: Not Friday today. It's Monday now. French fries and chicken nuggets.

N: Cheeseburger.

S: Tomorrow! Seth have chicken nuggets and french fries. Tomorrow, not now. Today is Monday. Today.

N: We having cheeseburgers.

S: Tomorrow.

N: Tomorrow.

S: French fries and chicken nuggets.

N: French fries and cheeseburger.

S: And chicken nuggets too!

N: And a cheeseburger too! 

• • • • • • •

*The actual conversation ran approximately 30 minutes before they wore themselves out. I'm not sure how tomorrow is going to pan out when I have to break it to them again that it is still a couple of days away from Friday, but at least I will know what to order when the time comes.

- L.

"Mommy Fix 'Dat!"

For at least the past month, whatever you call the strip of metal that sometimes separates two rooms where the floor surfaces are different had started to become increasingly loose in the boys' room. One by one as the screws kept falling out (always accompanied by one of my boys saying "Uh-oh, Mommy! Loose screw!" and then handing me said screw), we ended up with only 3 screws out of 6 still holding that piece of metal down.

In other screw-related mysteries (and around the same time), the screws that held one of the drawer inserts in place on the bookshelves in the boys' room had also found their way out. Upon closer inspection one of the screws was never connected to anything to begin with which might have accelerated things a little, but with both missing it had become a hazard since the boys could easily slip the whole insert out and use it to stand on to get at other things. Also, it's not exactly the safest thing to be standing on in the first place.

And since my boys DO like to challenge a secure room they also managed to loosen the joints on one side of their wardrobe drawer, so with just a bit of a tug it was pulling the whole thing apart.

Last week I decided it was time to take a page from the toddler handbook in the form of "I do it self!".

I fixed the loose metal strip, the drawer insert and the falling-apart drawer. It took me less than 30 minutes using a screwdriver, some wood glue (for the drawer joints) and a whole lot of elbow grease. I felt so good once it was done and even better to realize that I really did "do it self".

And my boys were at least a little impressed too as it turned out, even though I thought they'd lost interest 10 minutes into the venture. Of course, I didn't realize that until halfway through making their lunch and heard them saying "Screwdriver! Screwdriver!" from the next room. I went to investigate and found they had built this:

It's a Duplo screwdriver, and I think a Flathead judging from the well placed breadstick on top.

And since it's not obvious from just one pic, here's another: 

Because yes, it swivels.

As I'm sure you can imagine, it became THE coveted item of the day as my boys took turns using it on all the new screws while saying "Mommy fix 'dat!".

Which of course made me feel like a bit of a super-hero... at least for one day.

- L. 

PS. Nate said the "M" on the screwdriver was for "Nate's motorcycle", Seth said it was for "Mommy". Cue a thoughtful pause followed by "... and is for Mommy too!" from Nate. Toddlers are beyond awesome with their thinking and logic and even though this stage can be infuriating at times, it's also hands-down the most hilarious.

PS. My boys also put together a reasonable facsimile of a toothbrush the same day, which I'm taking as a positive sign that the toothbrushing wars are nearing an end:

... although most likely it's Raffi related – but that's a post for another day.

Not Uncle Brent Day

As I was tucking my boys in tonight – after the usual cuddles and goodnight kisses and requests for water and "more stories" – the following conversation took place...

• • • • • • •

Me: Alright you two, it's sleepytime. And you want to make sure you get a good rest tonight – tomorrow is Mommy's Day!

N: Mommy's Day...

S: ... is tomorrow!

N: Not Daddy's Day!

Me: No, not Daddy's Day. That's not until next month.

S: Not Grandma's Day!

Me: Er... no. Not Grandma's Day either. I'm not sure when that is actually.

N: Not Boys' Day!

Me: Ha ha. Well, every day is Boys' Day.

S: Not Uncle Brent Day!

N: *giggle* Not Uncle Brent Day!

• • • • • • •

I knew it was game over at the first giggle, since it always is. The next 15 minutes were filled with non-stop declarations of "not Uncle Brent Day!" and fits of giggles until my guys wore themselves out and fell asleep.

And much like a "not no" in the absence of yes, I have a feeling I'm going to have to interpret a whole lot of "not Uncle Brent Day!" interspersed with much giggling tomorrow as a "Happy Mommy's Day!" from my best guys.

Oy. 

- L.

Not No.

In the absence of yes, "not no" is the new go-to phrase at the OP – and I don't know about you, but I think I rather don't not like it.

Clear as mud, not no?

- L.

Slide!

There's a new video up on our YouTube™ channel, and I don't want to ruin the surprise ending so you'll just have to head over and check it out for yourself.

- L.

PS. While Gamma Rita was visiting, I had the opportunity to have a mom's-only dinner out with the twin moms from the prenatal class we all took together. Over appetizers I happened to mention something about the kinds of capers my boys get up to since they work so well (and by that I mean sometimes a little too well) together. At the time I didn't have a quick story at the ready – I barely managed to make a weak reference to the Penaten Capers – but this would be at least a fair-to-middling example of what I meant.

At least when they're using their super-twin powers for good, that is.

PPS. I have at least 5 videos in need of editing and a host of other pics and stories that have accumulated, including some unfinished birthday business. Tonight's video took precedence for reasons that will become clear at the end.

Really, go check it out.

Fix It!

There are occasions as a Mommy where I have been called upon to "fix it!".

"Fix it!" was, in fact, Seth's first sentence.

It's a popular term around here. Sometimes it's because something is actually broken, but more often than not (at least so far), it applies mainly to things that aren't as they should be.

Legos that they can't get apart. A shoe that has fallen off. A letter in the bath that doesn't stick quite right.

Easy things to fix and my boys are always amazed that "Mommy fix it!".

On those occasions, I get to be a super-hero with hardly a thought.

Of course it all comes out in the wash because there are those times when I really have to work for it.

I think it goes without saying that today was one of those times. Stuck legos do not make for good copy after all.

This is Teddy:

Specifically, this is Nate's Teddy, but Seth has a nearly identical one. Both of my boys go through bouts of love coupled with complete disinterest over Teddy. 95% of the time, that fleeting love is contained to brief morning snuggles while they're still struggling to wake up. The other 5% of the time, they prefer Teddy to come with when I lift them out of bed. 

Today was a "Teddy!" day for everyone. 95% or 5%, my boys are always 100% in sync that way.

There wasn't much going on at this point since we'd only just gotten up so I was a bit surprised to hear those two little words. But there they were:

"Fix it!".

And there was Nate, clutching his Teddy with a lower lip that was looking more than a little trembly.

Being the super-hero Mommy that I am, I looked Teddy over carefully and finally said, "Teddy's OK, Nate. There's nothing to fix". 

At which point Nate dissolved into a puddle of misery on the floor. 

Oh dear.

Had I missed something? I checked again, but Teddy was perfectly in order. Again, I reassured Nate that Teddy was OK but he was not having it.

What was I not seeing?

Since I already know the answer, I will start by telling you that I was not seeing with eyes that are nearly 22 months old.

Teddy looked perfectly fine to me exactly like this: 

But it took this to "fix" him: 

As soon as Teddy was sitting as upright outside the crib as he typically does inside the crib all was right with the world again.

At which point Teddy was promptly ignored and once again, it was business as usual.

Really, it was that simple – while at the same time being complicated enough it took at least 10 minutes and more than a few Nate puddles for me to solve the problem.

Behold the toddler logics everyone!

- L.