Happy St. Patrick’s Day! The kids absolutely love when I do silly little things to incorporate the “minor holidays.” Just before midnight last night, I thought to myself Oh crap. I forgot to do something for them. Last year, we did footprints in the bathroom and they loved it. I tried to switch it up this year, and the results were less than stellar. I had the brilliant idea of trying to make leprechaun footprints out of some packing tape and parsley since I scoured the kitchen and it’s the only thing I had that was green. I envisioned how cute it would be and got to work. I very quickly realized that not only would it not be cute, but it would be a disaster of epic proportions. Todd walked in on me trying to align parsley in a footprint pattern on the tape and just about lost it with laughter. We had a hard time catching our breath and had tears streaming down our faces. It was that comical. We realized that the parsley looked like another herb instead, and we were worried that people would judge our leprechaun’s life choices. Knowing the kids would love it anyway, I decided to leave the abomination on the kitchen cabinet. I added more green foot prints made of paper, some leftover Christmas chocolates, some Mardi Gras beads, and some crumpled up dollar bills. Winning. I was so exhausted and could barely see straight at that point through the tears of laughter and the sleepiness.

It may not have looked pretty, at all, but the kids loved it. They were so impressed and scoured the house looking for the leprechaun’s point of entry. They were on their toes this morning to see if the leprechaun would play any tricks on them. They discussed it amongst themselves the whole way to school and are already planning on pooling their dollars and “saving them in one spot” so they could buy a new toy together. I may not have made pretty decorations, but I made my kids happy, and that is what counts.

Also, since I’m winning so much in the life department, I realized yesterday that we didn’t have anything green for T to wear to school. I rummaged through the back of her closet and found the dress I bought her for St. Patrick’s Day last year.  It’s a little short on her, but I stuffed the rest of her in it, told her not to bend over too far, and called it a day. She loves it, feels pretty, and is super excited. I do have to say, she looks adorable, too.

I think I legally have to make my coffee Irish today. Can you even imagine me bringing these kids into a liquor store? Yikes. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Have a fun, safe weekend!

The boys have been doing a decent job with using the bathroom on their own. I say decent, because honestly, they are stubborn as hell and sometimes they just don’t want to. Even with prodding them / encouraging them / bribing them, one refused to poop on the toilet, and the other will poop in his pull-up just for fun.

This morning, I asked both little men if they needed to use the bathroom. When they said no, I made them try anyway. Following through is half the battle, right? I ran upstairs to scrub the bath tub and toilet (because my life is glamorous like that) and as the cleaning spray was permeating my nostrils, so was the smell of poop. Both boys squatted behind their sofa chairs and crapped their pants. For fun. Since they apparently think it’s a game; I decided to play along. Joseph is now wearing a leftover Hello Kitty pull-up and not one of his beloved Thomas the Train ones. He’s clearly not pleased with me, but I’m okay with that.

Happy International Women’s Day! I am not on strike today, as many women around the world are. It’s pretty much impossible for me to strike, as a stay at home Mom, because my kids would dismantle the house; no joke.
I did give myself an extra five minutes in bed and ignored my alarm clock this morning, which made Taylor come into my room to try to get me up. I told her I wouldn’t get up unless there was coffee made. I overheard her saying “Daddy, Mommy won’t get up unless she gets some coffee, and I’m not making it!” At least she made me laugh. I’ve had lots of coffee since then.

A lot of women are wearing red today in support of this day. While I was explaining what this day meant, I asked Taylor if she wanted to choose an outfit with red in it. She said “No thank you. I want to wear my puffy pink shirt from Auntie because it makes me feel beautiful!” Now, I wouldn’t have had a problem if she chose to wear tie dye colors or leopard print, but the fact that she chose her own color for today because of how it made her feel, made me feel so proud as a mother. For me, that is what today is about. I am glad that she is empowered. I am glad that she knows what she feels the most beautiful in and that she has her own voice to express her opinions and feelings. I am so proud of the little girl Taylor is now, and can already see glimpses of the extraordinary woman she will be one day. I try to lead by example for her. She knows that girls can do anything boys can do. She knows how smart she is. She knows that not only is it okay to tell someone ‘no’ if they are bothering her and making her feel uncomfortable, but she also knows that if someone tries to touch her inappropriately, she can knock them out, with absolutely zero repercussions from us. I don’t teach violence, but I do teach safety, self-respect, and protecting yourself and am proud that she is learning these things.

I was lucky enough to be raised with incredible female role-models. Both my mother and my grandmother were always (and still are) instilling in me the notion that I could be anything and do anything I put my mind to. They lead by example by running their own very successful business for nearly two decades. My mom taught me that not only is it okay to be a strong, successful woman with a voice, but you need to make sure your voice is heard – – something she is very good at!

Taylor not only has me, my mother, and grandmother (how lucky are we that she is still around) to set good examples for her, but she has other strong female role models to look up to as well. My closest friends play an important role in her life. Taylor knows that Auntie loves her more than anything. She knows that Auntie is a teacher and helps kids at school. She knows that she can be a teacher like Auntie and G or she can be a doctor or nurse (like the many female medical professionals we have in our life). She knows she can be a paramedic, as she has seen Ann working on the ambulance, numerous times. She loves her teachers (female) and looks up to them with adoration and respect. She sees these women doing whatever it is they choose to do in life, and she knows that she has choices too. She can be anything and I can hardly wait to see what she decides to tackle in her lifetime. I’m certain that she will be great with whatever she chooses.

I know there is a bigger picture here, and that is what today is about, but I don’t personally feel the need to strike within my setting, although I fully support all who do! I know that women are important, and not all women are recognized and respected the way we all should be. It is a very sad fact and it needs to be changed. However, Todd respects and cherishes me to no end, and for that, I will always be thankful. He knows how hard I work, he appreciates me, and he always sets a loving example for the kids to see. Each one of our children know that Mommy and Daddy are partners in life. We are a team and we work together, always. They will however tell you “Mommy is the boss” if asked.

Tell the women and girls in your life how much you appreciate them. Show it in your actions each day and remember that we are all better together.

Have I ever truly said how unprepared I was for having boys? Well, here’s my confession. I figured raising boys couldn’t be that different than raising my sweet girl. I figured people were exaggerating when they said boys could bring you to another level of insanity. I now admit that boys are a breed of their own. I’m still not sure if it’s because there are two of them at once, or if Taylor is just so awesome that a comparison isn’t quite fair. Either way, wow. There is pee on every surface of the bathroom; even things that are not within direct “shot” of the toilet. The obsession with their penises is real. The obsession with poop is real. The things they come up with are insane. On Friday, we had a gorgeous day and I was airing out the house with windows and doors open. I am still working on getting the boys to use the toilet consistently. That afternoon, I washed them with soap on a washcloth (because they always stink, too) and told them they needed to dry off before they put their pull-ups back on. I turned around and they were gone. I found them in the kitchen with their tiny bodies pressed up against the screen door. I asked what they were doing and they said “We’re drying our penis in the wind! The fresh air makes it clean!” I suppose I didn’t have much of an argument against that logic, but it just wasn’t something I was expecting to see. They walk around touching themselves, like the thing is going to fall off if they don’t hold them. I told them that their penis is not a toy and they need to leave them alone and go play. Joseph looked at me and said “It is a toy. If I play with him, he gets bigger and bigger!” Jackson chimed in and said “Yeah! He gets super big, like our arms!” I’m way out of my element here!

Later that night, I was in their room reprimanding them for taking their sheets off and crawling underneath. It was after 10pm and I was exhausted. I’m also blind as a bat in the dark, without my glasses, which I conveniently wasn’t wearing. I went to leave the room after being super stern with them, and tripped over their beds and fell. I completely ruined my street-cred with that move. I’m only thankful that the little guys asked me if I was okay before they laughed at me. I must be doing something right.

We have been following the giraffe cam in this house. For those not familiar with it, April is a giraffe in a New York zoo who is going to give birth sometime soon and the zoo is allowing us to watch. The kids love it! Taylor mentioned that the baby was coming soon, so now Jospeh walks around saying “Baby is coming soon! Mama is having a baby!” People don’t understand that he’s talking about the giraffe and not me, so things get awkward.

The boys have found a new, adorable annoying way of keeping me on my toes. While driving on I-95, they scream “Look out! That truck is gonna get us!” at the top of their lungs. It’s definitely not something I need to hear while sandwiched between two eighteen wheelers. Damn backseat drivers.

For all those of you who have been wondering if the boys were simply behaving since I’ve lacked stories – well, there you go. I’m not lacking in the entertainment department because these kids bring it on every day. I’m simply lacking the brain power to sit down and write it all out these days!

Most days are hard and long. I find myself crawling into bed at night and being physically and mentally exhausted. I think it is just part of being a parent. My kids are sweet and adorable, but let’s face it. We all know they can be fresh. And exhausting.

Moments like this revive me and give me energy, and my kids seem to know when I need these special moments the most. Seeing my twins holding hands and knowing that they will always have each other does wonders for my well-being. Seeing my crazy daughter, with such a love for life, tickling her own feet and cracking herself up let’s me know that nothing is as bad as it seems. It’s going to be okay. As long as I have these three, I can get through anything.

Happy Thursday, folks. We’ve almost made it to the weekend.

One of my friends gave me a heads up that I had a package on the way this week. I’ve been impatiently awaiting its arrival, wondering what it might be. Since this friend is as crazy as I am, I knew the possibilities were endless. I feared that it might be something as insane as lost baby teeth or the skin her creepy snake recently shed, but I was pleasantly surprised.

This friend, Siobhan and I “met” each other in a small Moms of Multiples group that I happened to stumble upon when pregnant with the boys. This group got me through lots of tough times. I have formed close relationships with a few of the women in the group, and will forever be thankful for that. Siobhan and I are completely different in so many ways, but we became friends because of our twins. We further developed our friendship over a love of reading (and a love for the show, FRIENDS). For the past few years, we have read books together, gushing over the amazing writing of some of our favorite authors. We have read sappy books together, and read stuff so gory and frightening that we’ve been afraid to open the book again and have needed to talk it out in our own Facebooks therapy sessions.

Recently, Siobhan had the opportunity to meet one of our favorite authors, Colleen Hoover. She was doing a meet and greet in Texas and Siobhan went. Of course, I was jealous, but was so happy for her that she got to meet someone we held in such high regard. We spoke later that night and she told me how awesome it was, and how incredible Colleen was in person. When I got my package in the mail today, I teared up big time. Not only was there a very sweet note from my friend, but there was a signed copy of one of Colleen Hoover’s books, written out to me! I was floored. It’s so special for a book-nerd like me to possess an autographed copy of a book, but it’s even more special to know that my friend took the time to do this for me.

Thank you, Siobhan. You made me smile so big today, and have given me lots of love and encouragement throughout the years. I’m so thankful for our friendship. Love you!

It’s probably not a sign of a good day to come when your coffee machine has an error message on it. No matter what I did, I could not produce coffee from it this morning. Thank goodness for drive throughs, because Mama needs her coffee!

The kids were all tired and slow moving this morning. We did go to a super bowl party last night, but everyone was in bed at a reasonable time. I guess the excitement got to them! In true Taylor form, she wanted to be “fancy” for the Super Bowl (which she called “Super Balls” a handful of times throughout the day). I even helped her apply a swipe of shiny pink lip gloss! She looked gorgeous, as usual, and I had visions of helping her get ready for middle school dances. Slow down, time. That’s my baby.

While the boys have been pretty good lately, they are still relatively crazy and keep me on my toes. I have unfortunately had more than one fight with a small boy who was demanding that he only wanted to poop standing up…on the toilet. Not happening. The same child also needed to be asked to take his testicles off of the coffee table today. I don’t know why he thought that was a wise choice, but I looked up and there they were. This boy mom stuff is still an adjustment!

I also caught one of the boys taking the screen off of the living room window today. This is the main reason why those windows are never opened anymore. I just can’t look away from them for a second!

Today, we wear red in support and awareness of Women’s heart disease. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in women, in the US. It even affects more women than Cancer does.

Heart disease and awareness for it is something that is very near and dear to my heart (pun intended). My mom had life-saving open heart surgery when she was just a girl. My male cousin died of heart disease when he was in his early thirties. Joseph and I were actually both born with heart issues as well. Thankfully, ours are something that we can live full lives with.

I encourage everyone to take control of your health. Exercise. Keep your blood pressure in check. Eat healthy. I am slowly making changes in my own life to better myself. I am actually attmpting to multi-task and am writing this post from the treadmill! If you would like to further educate yourself on the topic, or if you would like to make a donation to the cause, you can do so here.

I feel that now, more than ever, it is important to empower our children. It starts at home. I think my kids are pretty incredible, but doesn’t every parent think that? I took the time to sit down and write out some of the things I love about my daughter; things I say to her nearly every day. Seeing these things on paper makes it so much more special. I always want Taylor to know how incredible she is and sincerely hope that this activity sticks in her meomory for a long time.

I remember seeing an idea somewhere (I can’t remember where) to write your kids little love notes. I made 28 hearts (one for each day of February) that say special things on them that are specific to my girl. I put them in a gift bag and will let her blindly choose one each morning. She will be able to put it on her door or bedroom wall after we read it together. I can not wait to see her excitement with this throughout the month.

Taylor and I started this today. She was so excited as I explained it to her, and she couldn’t wait to choose her first heart. As she stuck her little hand in the bag, she said “This is special, Mommy!” She lit up as I read her first message. It, quite appropriately said, “You are Smart.” She was elated and stuck it up on the back on her door with such gusto and a big smile on her face. The remainder of the morning, she kept telling me that she was smart. She couldn’t wait to tell her brothers about it. As we pulled into school, she said “Mommy, I really love my hearts and love that I am so smart. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow says!”

This excitement and this face made it all worth it. Love is everything.

It’s been a while…again, but things have been super hectic around here. Last week, after closely monitoring Taylor’s head injury and being elated that we were in the clear, we got hit with the stomach bug. Todd had the worst of it for a few days. I was unwell a few days later, but nothing like how he had it. I opened the windows and cleaned everything multiple times per day in hopes that the kids would avoid it, and it seemed to work. We had a wonderful weekend, and even got to spend some time at the playground on Sunday.

Come Sunday night into Monday morning, Taylor got hit with the bug – hard. She ran into our room (at 2am) and up to me in bed with handfuls of throw up. Poor girl. She had a few rough days but is back to her regular, happy self!

I was so excited that she made it through the entire school day with no issues today. When the boys and I went to pick her up from school, they were overly excited since we hadn’t been there in a few days. I was talking to one of the other moms as the boys were anxiously waiting for their sister to come out. They kept going near the sliding, automatic doors and putting their hands near them. I told them multiple times today (and on many other occasions) that they were not allowed to touch them and that someone was going to get hurt. They love watching the “magic doors” open and close. As I was standing there, I witnessed Jackson get hurt; it was almost like watching a slow-motion replay of something, but it happened quickly – within seconds, if that makes any sense. As the door was sliding open to let someone in, Jackson stuck his arm in between the doors, which quickly slid closer to him, consuming his entire arm. I screamed and ran to him (I was two feet away) and had to stop him from pulling himself, as I was afraid he was going to dislocate something or break his arm. At the same time, I was trying to pull the inner most sliding door (which was now stuck) off of him. I’m here to tell you that Mom-Strength is a real thing. I always wondered how people lifted cars off of people in emergencies, and although this doesn’t compare to a car, the door was heavy and not meant to be pulled apart. I somehow managed to pull it off of him, while holding him still. Another mother ran over to see if he was okay, and then to check on me once we knew Jacks was okay. Jackson screamed and cried and somehow walked away with only a small red mark on his arm. I am so relieved that he is okay and so irritated that he didn’t listen in the first place! These two goons can find trouble inside a paper bag.