Bed Dilemma

So, I went to a consignment sale today and looked at some bedding after picking out lots of clothes that I had to eventually put back because of the long lines (I was on my lunch break and thought I could get in and out but everyone must have had the same idea). Toddler bedding is very scarce there and at stores and it got me thinking - do most people skip the toddler bed transition and go straight to twin beds? Informal polls of friends and message board groups seem to indicate that going to twin beds right out of cribs takes an edge over toddler beds unless the child is moved into a "speciality" toddler bed such as a racecar or a Dora or princess bed. So, I am weighing the options. Our cribs convert (supposedly - I looked at them briefly and as best I can tell they call a toddler bed just the crib without the front panel) to toddler beds, twin beds and full size beds. That means that the current mattresses we are using work for the toddler setting and all we would need is to get a comforter for each of them (looking for character ones that are decent looking, good quality, and affordable that they will be excited about that will hopefully keep them in bed), and of course we would actually have to figure out how to convert them too. If we went to twin beds we would need new mattresses and bedding, but they would last a lot longer and cut out what may be an unnecessary step. Realistically, they will probably be in twin beds for a while, but toddler beds will probably be only until 3, 3 and 1/2 at best. Some people even say that their kids stayed in a twin bed better because it was a bit bigger and wasn't as easy to get in and out of. A friend compared it to potties - people recommend not using the small portable potties because you end up training them twice - once to use those, and then again to use the "big" potty and that one is usually harder because they are older and used to the little one. For my kids, I think the smaller, shorter bed will work for longer than it does for some others because they won't outgrow it as quick. I know us, though, and it probably is better to just convert those things once - considering how "handy" we are. We've absolutely got to do something, though, so I'm looking at toddler bedding, twin bedding, mattresses, etc. and making a decision ASAP! I am already in mourning over lost sleep and it has only been a week or so - I guess I should just be grateful that we have enjoyed sleeping "late" (7:00 am) for over 2 years now and a lot of people don't even get that!

Saint Lance

Lance has been an angel today. He finally got the crud that the other three of us had, and of all days it really hit today when he had to watch the kids all day (on a rainy, windy day not conducive to playing outside and wearing them out) because I had an inservice at work but the kids had the day off. To add to it - the kids always have bad Mondays on long weekends (and even at school re-adjusting to the schedule) because they are sick of each other and lately even more because they aren't napping well. Tyler has completely mastered getting out of his crib, and Katie even tried it (and succeeded) a couple of times, too, at naptime on Sunday. So, today Lance had to deal with crabby, irritable, bored kids who then proceeded to not stay in bed at naptime. I got off a bit early so I came home and he got to nap (well tried to, but when you are sick even getting to lay down is better than nothing) while I took the kids to the Y with me - so it all worked out. We are going to change the beds as soon as we find the time, since there is no containing them now and we want to avoid them getting hurt since getting out requires some gymnastic shenanigans. We just have to figure out how to keep them in bed to actually get some sleep (them and us)!

Some more random photos!

The kids convinced their grandparents to get them some fun new toys at the "stuff store." Katie loves giving her baby a bath and Tyler is still obsessed with trains, especially now that it is bigger! He kept saying "this is neat." They both played with the train tonight for a good while with minimal fighting - a miracle these days!

Recently the kids figured out how to blow the little birthday party noisemakers. They were great fun while they lasted! Katie is enamored with birthdays (everyday she asks if it is her birthday) and especially cake so it was great fun for her to figure out how to do the birthday noisemaker (she figured it out before Tyler and really enjoyed that too)!

Wanderer

Well, it happened. The kids have been waking a bit earlier than usual lately - need to invest in some black-out curtains maybe since they seem to sleep until the sun comes up, but if it is cloudy they stay asleep longer - and going to sleep later too (Katie was a grouchy one this morning because she didn't settle down until 9:00 last night - about an hour and half later than usual). They are usually content and just talk quietly both when they go to bed and in the mornings, but this morning Katie was screaming loudly at Tyler demanding that he give her the Dora toy (that was left on the floor outside of their cribs when we went to bed). Well, even though it was early Lance decided to go in and see what was going on and as he got to their bedroom the door was opening and Tyler was coming to get us! Yep, he not only got out of his crib (without us hearing a loud thump or anything), but he also managed to open their closed bedroom door, and taunt Katie for good measure. I guess they are getting taller without my noticing, because just a month or so ago he was trying to figure out door handles but wasn't tall enough to get them - time for the door handle covers to go on the front and back door for sure! Tyler is an escape artist anyway - he runs away from me at school and gets to the place on the playground where I can't get him - like inside of a little house, or under the slide, manages to get out of his carseat no matter what I do to try to prevent it, and really finds a way into just about anything he isn't supposed to be in or near. So, now that he has done it and it was fun I am sure his staying in bed (and definitely the pack-n-play we use for nap) is a thing of the past. The kids sure are funny lately - the things they say and do really crack us up and they are quite fun to be around - but along with more verbal abilities and playing pretend, and comprehension, and general toddler silliness, also seems to be more stubborness, and defiance. I never knew, before I had children, that you could be overcome with pure joy and tears of love, laugh hysterically and be completely happy and content, and then be really annoyed and frustrated all in the span of 10 minutes! I wouldn't trade getting to be their mom for a minute, though and it is definitely not too early to move them to toddler beds, we just aren't ready to be up with the sun - time to get that tot clock for sure, I just hope it works!

Early Valentine's Celebration

We don't have a sitter for Valentine's so no plans for Monday, but we do today!!! The kids are going to Ray-Ray and So-So's house while Lance and I go to the Kentucky/Vandy basketball game. Should be fun, and hopefully Vandy will show up. Tyler was sporting dad's Vandy hat this morning, albeit also accidentally wearing Kentucky blue :). Katie has her Valentine's hearts on (a shirt Aunt Ashley gave her) and was eating a much loved cookie when we snapped the picture below. We should call Ashley "the reader" since everytime she walks in the door the kids bring every book they can find to her to read (sorry, Ashley). Speaking of readers, last night and this morning the kids asked for Liz - when Liz coming, where Liz? Liz reads to them when she comes over, too and my two little ones take after me and LOVE books and especially anyone who will sit and read with them! For now, I think it is a better bet to take the kids to the grandparents where they may get to read books there too, rather than the very crowded basketball game!

Monkey's Treehouse!

It's not snowing today (and the sun is actually out and melting everything now), but we got about two inches last night and the hills and roads weren't worth risking with the kids, which means today was a snow day! I decided to take the kids up to Monkey's Treehouse (actually had Lance drive us up there) and try to get some work done while they played. They love that place and I probably could have done some work if I would have let them be - but I just had to take a few pictures :)!

Tyler is still all about the train table, or the car table, or really anything that has a track!

Katie was all over the place, but discovered the doll house and the boat this time instead of just playing with the food store and shopping cart.

Tyler is our little mechanic - trying to figure out how everything works and getting so enthralled with the details. Katie doesn't quite have the same attention span and focus!

The way they made it to the slide is a perfect example in the difference in their personalities - Tyler realizes the stairs are easier!

Tyler made it down the slide a few more times than her - maybe that is why he was absolutely exhausted by the time we got home! It's always so much fun while we there - leaving is a completely different story!

"I Do It Self"

The kids are in a difficult stage (but I should say that I have a very, very annoying cold that doesn't help my disposition). They are testing out their independence and they want to do everything by themselves. If you make the mistake of helping them down the stairs or into their carseats, buckling anything, or helping them take their jackets off you are rewarded with instant crying and whining about "want to do it self," and then them asking to put things back on, walk back to where you picked them up, etc. so they can do it over on their own. I am usually ok with it, but it can drive you crazy when it is raining (or snowing more likely lately), when you are in an hurry, or when they are just being defiant when you have something you need to do. As much as their newfound, even more pronounced defiance toward us is frustrating - their new appreciation for each other is absoloutely adorable. This afternoon Tyler hit his eye with a book and asked me to kiss it and make it better. I was driving and couldn't so he looked at Katie and said - Katie kiss it. Katie blew him a kiss and said all better Tyler and he said thank you Katie it IS all better. So sweet, and just one example of how they are interacting lately. They are having more "conversations," and playing together with less (I know that it could just be for right now) fighting and whining. They are definitely in a tv stage - a few shows absolutely mesmerize them and they are starting to interact with them when Dora asks a question or Yo Gabba Gabba teaches them a dance. All in all everything is pretty manageable and the tv distraction admittedly helps and is a new consequence to throw at them for misbehaving, but if this is just the beginning of why people say 3 is worse than 2 then we are in for it!

Some random photos!

One of our only pics from the circus.

Tyler insisted on wearing his undies with his raindrop boots (that is what he calls them because of a book we read). We aren't working with him much, but Katie is doing great. She doesn't have accidents as long as we remember to take her to the potty - a step in the right direction, now if we can just get her to tell us when she has to go!

Katie in the rocker in Gatlinburg.

Whack-A-Mole was fun for our destructive twosome!