"Treat!" "Thank you!" "Next house!"

We began our Halloween evening at our annual neighbor- hood block party and potluck. After everyone had eaten, the kids strutted around in a parade, played for a bit, and then dispersed to ring doorbells and fill their buckets with candy.

Ace and Ben loved trick or treating this year. They started out saying "trick or treat" but after a few houses, shortened it to, "treat!". It makes sense, since that was what they wanted. And oh how they loved reaching in and grabbing their candy. After ten or so houses, it went something like this:

Ace: "Treat!"
Ben: "Ben treat too!"
(both grabbing candy (nicely))
Me: "Say thank you."
Both: "Thank you!"
Ace: "Next house!"
Ben: "Yea, next house, Ace! Come on!"

They really had it down. Ben was most excited at the house that was giving away lollipops. He said, "Oooh, suckers! I like suckers! Yea, Ben!" And Ace excitedly told his daddy all about the play dough one of our neighbors gave him. We stayed out so late that we missed all the trick or treaters that would have stopped by our house. If anyone needs some candy, head on over!

Pumpkin Painting

Check out our video!

Busy Halloween Week

In the last four days, we've attended three Halloween parties. And we have one more tomorrow. And this mommy is just about Halloweened-out. But tomorrow, we'll paint our pumpkins, join our neighbors for a block party, and then end it all with some trick or treating. The buddies can actually say, "trick or treat" this year (although I don't know if they'll say it at people's doors) and I'm excited!

A quick summary of the last few days:

Friday: Between the two of us, Steve and I, put in 16 man-hours creating Ace and Ben's train costumes, made out of diaper boxes and oatmeal canisters (two things we have in excess). Cute, huh?

Saturday: We attended their friend Mia's 2nd Annual Halloween Party. It was a blast with more than 70 people attending. There were games, play dough stations, lots of great costumes, lots of great food, and some drinks for the grown-ups.

Monday: Ace and Ben and I attended their Halloween Parade and Party at school. The parade was a hoot. The whole preschool dressed up and sang Halloween songs for the parents. Then, each class paraded around the gym in all their glory. Our two year old class didn't completely get it (or at least didn't want to sit and watch while the other classes paraded), but they had fun. Ace and Ben were very proud of their train costumes and strutted around the gym like they owned the place.


Tuesday: 11 moms, 1 nanny, and 26 kids came to our house for our 2nd Annual Halloween Party Playdate. The kids played in our bounce house and Play Hut maze, created Halloween magnet crafts, decorated cookies, strutted around in their costumes, and ate a festive lunch of mummy dogs and apple slices. After all the festivities, our house looked like a tsunami hit it, but everyone pitched in to clean up and we're back to normal now.

Check back tomorrow for pics from the big night!

A Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

The buddies and I met some friends at Sweetberry Farm this morning, to take part in their Pumpkin Patch and enjoy their many other Fall activities. Many of you may remember our trek to this farm in late Spring for blackberry picking. Our trip today was just as much fun, if not more so. Four other moms from my multiples club joined us and collectively, we watched after 12 kids, aged 3 and under. An interesting side-note is that those 12 kids came from only 5 pregnancies.

Sweetberry Farm's fall activities include: scarecrow stuffing, a cornfield maze, pumpkin painting, hay rides, homemade pumpkin ice cream, and an informal petting zoo of goats, horses, donkeys and chickens. Our kids took part in the petting zoo and a few enjoyed some ice cream. The rest of the time was spent running around and discovering the many pumpkins and gourds.

Ace and Ben's favorite part of the day was playing in the boat filled with pie pumpkins. They also enjoyed an old truck, filled with more pie pumpkins. These two enjoy many different modes of transportation, especially when filled with pumpkins. Ace is really into colors now and enjoyed telling all his little friends that the pumpkins were "organge". Each boy got to pick out two pumpkins and both hugged them all the way home.

Daddy's Fans

The buddies spent some quality time this evening watching their daddy's softball game. Five of the men on the team have twins (although two of them are my girlfriend's husbands, who recently joined the team). Ace and Ben and their friend Sawyer enjoyed running up and down the bleachers, scootching trucks, giving each other wagon rides, and occasionally yelling, "Yea, Daddy!". The final score was 10-6, but Sawyer's mom and I were so busy that neither of us know who won the game.

Umlauf Sculpture Garden and Museum

We had an errand to run downtown this morning, so we used the trip as an excuse to tour Austin's Umlauf Scuplture Garden and Museum. The museum opened in 1991, after Charles Umlauf and his wife donated their home, studio, and 168 pieces of his sculpture to the City of Austin. For a mere $3.50, the three of us toured the lovely gardens with bronze sculptures throughout.

The museum docent gave Ace and Ben each a "seek and find" sheet with a few photos of the sculptures and we enjoyed identifying and circling them as we toured. The buddies particularly enjoyed the small animal sculptures. They saw a rhino, a rooster, a wild boar, a horse, a hippo, and a dog all in one child-friendly area. Another favorite was the anatomically correct baby boy. They pointed out all of his many body parts - feet, hands, head, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and of course his "pee-pee".

My favorite sculpture, "Hope for the Future", depicts a father and mother holding up their infant son. Ace pointed out the "Mommy", "Daddy", and "Baby" in the piece. I wonder if he was confused that there weren't two babies...

Three Years of Pumpkins

Forgive me for being nostalgic, but after taking the boys by the pumpkin patch at their preschool this morning, I started thinking about our other pumpkin pictures. Is this really our third Autumn?? Each year, I've dressed the buddies in their favorite Fall clothes (okay, not this year - today's was a spur of the moment trip) and trekked them out to a pumpkin patch for pictures. Our first Autumn, they couldn't quite sit up, but I love the pictures of them slouched over the pumpkins. I remember thinking how much easier it would be to get a good picture when they could sit on their own. Last year, they could sit, but wouldn't sit still long enough for me to snap a picture. I remember thinking it would be easier when they could understand me when I asked them to sit still and smile. So, this year, I calmly explained to my almost 2 1/2 year olds that they should sit together, look at the camera, and say "cheese!". Ben obliged (at least for a second) but Ace was too busy bowling the pumpkins to bother. I love all three pictures like only a mommy could. Maybe next year it will be easier...

5 months old

17 months old

29 months old

Learning about Autumn

The buddies and I awoke to a glorious, cloud- covered sky this morning and headed out of the house to celebrate the first day that feels like Autumn. Well, it sort-of, feels like Autumn. The temperature here is 79 degrees but there is a distinctive crispness in the air. Really! At one of our favorite parks, we found a lone tree whose leaves decided to turn. The buddies took turns picking leaves off the poor little tree, proclaiming, "organge!".

They spent the next hour and a half tromping all over the park. They counted the dinosaurs a dozen times, practiced what they call "big jumps" off the larger playscape, played on the swings, tackled the balance beam, and ran through the neighboring woods. We had the entire park to ourselves so I guess our neighbors didn't find the ominous skies as inviting as we did.

All Is Well

After a short trip to the hospital with Ben on Thursday, we are all home and healthy. I don't want to take up too much blog space writing about coughs and sniffles and wheezies and RSV so I'll try to keep it short and post something a little more fun as soon as I can.

Ace was a model patient during his stay at Dell Children's and it is safe to say that he was a favorite among the nurses and respiratory therapists. He is such an easy-going kid and took everything in stride. A very nice Child Life Specialist brought him loads of puzzles and trains and once he felt a little better, he had a grand time playing in his bed. The new hospital has so many fun things to offer their patients. Ace was in contact isolation in his room and didn't get to check out most of it but during my early morning coffee run I saw lots of playrooms and many outdoor play areas. I hope we're never sick enough to return but I'm glad to know it is all there.

After this episode and considering their daddy's history of asthma, our pediatrician is fairly certain that both boys will eventually be diagnosed. Since respiratory problems are one of my slightly irrational mommy fears (funny, I prefer my kids breathing), I'll be watching them closely. My hospital bag is still packed with essentials like toys, books, movies, shampoo, protein bars (so I can keep my strength up and not have to leave the room to get food), a change of clothes, and a hair dryer. Hopefully, I won't need it and hopefully I'll find the strength to unpack it soon.

Ben's trip to the ER. It was an unnecessary trip but my mommy-fears got the best of me.

Ace sleeping with his little friends in the hospital. The middle bear, named "Woo-Woo", was given to him by the friendly EMT on the ambulance ride over. Get it? Ambulances go "woo-woo". Ace loved that!

What a Difference a Day Makes

Ace, yesterday.

Ace, today, at discharge.

Many of you know that Ace and I spent a few days at Dell Children's Center for his acute asthma attack, brought on by RSV. I'm running on fumes and will write more later, but wanted everyone to know that Ace and I are home and he is doing great (as shown in the picture above). Grandma arrived this afternoon and is taking good care of all of us. The buddies are thrilled to be reunited and spent the afternoon chasing each other around the house. We'll check back in with our pediatrician tomorrow and report back soon.

Two Speech Therapy Graduates

Ace and Ben have graduated from speech therapy!! Our ECI Service Coordinator came to visit today and re-evaluated both boys. Each is speaking and understanding at the level of a 30 month old. We're all caught up and even a little ahead!

To celebrate, when the boys woke from their nap, they donned graduation hats and we played "Pomp and Circumstance" and marched around with the usual fanfare. Silly, I know, but we're always looking for a reason to have a party around here. Ben loved his green hat and Ace enjoyed our party music.

We'll have one final visit with our speech therapist next month, since it was already scheduled. I'll be ready with all of my final questions and make sure I'm equipped to keep them moving forward. Way to go buddies!!

Fun with Friends in South Austin

Steve and I took the buddies to a play date with our good friends and fellow twin- parents, Traci and Cam. Their boys, Ripley and Max, known as the handsomes, welcomed the buddies and showed them around their fun-filled backyard. The four boys took turns on the play scape and the swings, bounced balls, threw rocks (oops!), and scootched trucks while the four parents relaxed with a few cold beers.

Traci served us an amazing brunch of migas and fruit and we all polished off cupcakes from my kitchen. Then, we were back out in the yard for more fun. What could be better?

Bubbles

It must be great fun to be a two year old, because everything is an adventure. This afternoon, we spent some time with bubbles. First, blowing and chasing them in the back yard, and later, in a tub full of them. Could these two be any cuter?

First Day of School

The buddies started their two-day per week pre-school this morning. Steve and I took them in together and they carried their Thomas lunch boxes proudly as they walked through the doors like big kids. They seemed excited about their day, that is, until Ace figured out we intended to leave them there.

Over the next 9 months, they will learn about colors, shapes, numbers and letters through theme- based curriculum and play. This week, they are learning about the color yellow and brought homemade yellow play dough to share with their new little friends.

Although they are not sure they like being away from their mom, I'm sure they'll grow to look forward to school days soon. When I arrived to pick them up, Ace was crying (I was not the first mommy to arrive, although I was early, and that ticked him off) and Ben ran out the door saying, "Bye bye, school" in his sad voice. I managed to make it down the walkway, through the parking lot, and to the car, with all of our stuff and two toddlers clinging to me, so I considered the pick-up a success. We'll try again in a few days.

Fun at Grandma and Grandpa's House

We are home after a long weekend at Grandma and Grandpa's house, one of the buddies' favorite places! Ace and Ben enjoyed lots of family time and outside time while were there. Lake Texoma is still 9 feet high, so the beach that we've been longing for all summer was still underwater, but we had a great time regardless. The pictures below tell the story of our weekend best.

Ben and Ace went swimming in the little pool out front many times.
Grandma even let them help refill it.

Another favorite pass time during our visit was jumping on the trampoline.
You can't beat that view!

Ben enjoyed cupcakes, watermelon, and other pot-luck staples
at the 2nd Annual Festival of the Testicle. Ace had a full helping of calf fries.

Ace thought he was a big kid when he took his turn at the pinata.
He scored some candy and stuffed it in his pockets!

Ben couldn't get enough of the ice buckets. His friend Mallory thought it was fun too.

Other interesting events included: 1) Steve and cousin Dale took first place in the 1st Annual Horseshoe Competition. They have t-shirts to prove it! 2) The buddies learned to say important Texoma phrases, like "golf cart", "Grandma", "Grandpa", "Granny", "Gramps", "lake", and "binoculars". 3) Steve hosted a 13-person poker tournament. 4) We enjoyed lots of trips to Ms. Jean's swing park. 5) The buddies played with all of Grandma's toys and ran around outside as much as they could.

Where are Austin's Ducks??

When we lived in Dallas, one of our favorite pastimes was walking 7/10ths of a mile from our front door to our neighbor- hood duck pond. The buddies were still quite young, but they enjoyed sitting in their stroller, watching the big kids feed the ducks. Now that they are old enough, they want in on the action. But where are the ducks??

In the year and a half that we have lived here, we have gone to countless parks, but never stumbled across a duck pond. After hearing that other families visit the Arboretum to play on the cow statues, eat at Amy's Ice Cream, and feed the ducks, we thought we'd check it out this morning.

The buddies had a fabulous time at the statues and licked their sweet cream cups bone dry, but the ducks eluded us. After more than an hour of searching in the hot Texas sun and asking several bewildered strangers, we gave up and headed for home. Since it was past lunchtime and both boys had filled up on ice cream, I tossed a few pieces of our "duck bread" to the boys in the backseat and they munched happily, all the way home.

Inflatable Wonderland

The buddies met their twin friends for a jumping good time at Inflatable Wonderland this morning. The kids jumped for two hours while the moms practiced our zone defense, each taking a section in order to keep an eye on all 29 toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Inflatable Wonderland is a 9200 square foot inflatable playground, featuring an 18 foot slide and several huge bounce houses. The buddies like the big slide the best but also enjoy the Disney Car's themed house. Once all the kids were exhausted, we headed to the food court for lunch. We got several looks from strangers passing by as they mentally counted our large brood.

<--- This is a picture of Ben in time out at my feet, after his third trip behind the counter with the toy prizes. He looks upset about his punishment, doesn't he?

Fun with Me-Mom

The buddies are feeling very lucky these days. The day after we said goodbye to Grandma, Me-Mom came to stay with us. During her visit, they showed her several of their favorite parks, two of their favorite pools, Waterloo (their favorite restaurant with a real playscape!), the Austin Children's Museum, Inflatable Wonderland, and introduced her to their friends at our regular playdate. Steve and I even got to sneak out and see a movie while she was here. Who will come see us next? Our guest room is ready!

Fun with Grandma

The buddies just finished spending three days with Grandma. They love this fun lady that brings trains and treats when she visits and teaches them important things, like their ABC's, 123's, and...how to remove a diaper. Anyone have ideas for how to un-teach the last one?

We had several great days while she was here. The buddies brought her lots of books to read, showed her how they they turned their chairs upside down to slide, showed off their skills in the swimming pool, and helped her bake a strawberry crisp. We tried to make a trip to Sea World, but heavy rains from Tropical Storm Erin forced us to turn our car around. We also made an attempt at a first trip to the movies, but Ben said no (very convincingly) at the door to the theater.

Now, we're gearing up for a visit from Me-Mom. We just love all the special family time!

The Austin Nature and Science Center

The buddies and I met my twin mom's group at the Austin Science and Nature Center this morning. Eleven moms and 32 (!!) kids joined us on this adventure.

The ANSC is a "living museum" with interpretive exhibits, programs, collections, and trails. Our favorite part was the dino pit, effectively a huge sand box filled with dinosaur bone replicas. Child-sized archaeological spades, shovels, and brushes are scattered throughout so that children can "discover" the fossils. We'll have to return when the buddies are a tad older and can appreciate the hands-on learning experience that this provides. Nevertheless, they highly enjoyed running around the pit and digging in the sand.

After we'd had our fill of the dino pit, we explored trails and creeks. The buddies were the only children there that splashed in the water, but that was probably because I was the only mom that allowed it. Their shoes and shorts are drying out now, but it was worth it.

After that, we were off to explore the animal exhibits, and saw birds, coyotes, and fish. Ace walked right up to the fish tank and said, "Yummy!" The other moms asked what kind of food we ate at our house (and then vowed not to join us for dinner).

All in all, it was a successful outing. We enjoyed seeing our friends and running around outside, and learned a few things while we had fun.