Silly

This picture is one of a few in a series I took the other day. Obviously candid and unplanned. That's why it's so funny. And, no, I did not drug my children. Just caught them at a funny moment. Some of the others are more endearing, sweet, and definitely more photogenic--but not as interesting or laughable.

Card Club

Brett, Corinne and I have formed our own little card club. We mostly play at night after E and S are in bed and, of course, it's all about the princess cards. One night recently we played "Go Fish" but we have also been known to play "Memory" and just this morning I taught Corinne "Old Maid" so we can play it with Brett, too. Sometimes Corinne loses interest by the end of "Memory" (who was the genius who thought a 3 year old would sit for 56 cards to be paired up, even if they are princesses?!). And, yes, some would say that Brett has lost some man points for allowing himself to be pictured holding--and playing with--princess cards. (To that I say, that's just the tip of the iceberg for this guy!! He loves his girls and would do anything for them.) But on a more serious note, I am looking forward to playing games more as a family. Corinne is at an age now where we can do things like this and I love it. It's such a powerful learning tool and it's also a terrific way to have fun together. I can't wait until Ellen and Sophie can join in. (Mark and Leah: you guys have done such a great job of this with your family...you inspire me!)

Furry Friend...or Foe?

Ellen and Soph are so incredibly interested in the our cat, Lily, these days. They will stop mid-babble and even mid-cry if Lily walks by. I am so secretly thankful to our cat for that! Because other than that she's become a nobody around here and, truth be told, we would find a different home for her in a heartbeat if we could! (Any takers??) Sophie will reach out for Lil and try to grab her--no fear. Ellen is more tentative even though she is fascinated. That goes along with the girls' personalities to a T.

Pull Ups

...and for once I'm not speaking of the potty kind! Ellen and Sophie are beginning to work on pulling themselves up. They have the right idea (and great form) but, so far, no luck. I think we've got some work to do. And I kinda hope they're fast learners because I'm finding it extremely difficult to help two babies pull up and then balance at the same time...and it's all they want to do. They're twisting and turning out of my lap in every direction they can to get where they want to go these days, and they aren't really interested in sitting down so much anymore. It's all about getting to standing up.

Telling Secrets, Giving Kisses

Isn't that what girls do?

Gaining Some Independence

A lot of people have been asking how the potty training has been going. So here are a few recent conversations and an update...

Conversation #1:
Corinne: (after having used the potty successfully) "No, Daddy, you're supposed to wipe me from front to back!"

Proof that she does listen to what I teach her!!

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Conversation #2:
Betsy: "Corinne, you need to try your best to "hold it"sometimes so you don't have an accident. Like when you wake up from your nap and you have to go potty but I haven't come in to get you yet. Or when we're riding in the car. "
Corinne: "But I don't want to do that, mommy. Then my hand will be all wet!"
Betsy: "Oh, Corinne, let me explain what I meant by hold it. That just means you have to keep your body from letting yourself go potty if you're not sitting on the potty. I don't mean for you to use your hand!"
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All in all, Corinne has done pretty well with the potty training. She doesn't fight it as much anymore and if she has to go then she goes with no problem. We've had some accidents along the way, but not at times that I would expect. For instance, she's never had an accident while we've been in the car--even on long rides (like when we were part of/stopped at/an accident scene in the snowy weather on Friday and had to wait for the fire and police, plus drive the rest of the way to my mom's...) or when we're out running errands. Nope, not even then! And actually, Corinne has used the potty at both Joseph Beth Booksellers and Target, no problem (except the yucky public restrooms). So Corinne is potty trained for the daytime, but I haven't forced night time yet. And the best thing is, she washes her hands by herself these days after using the bathroom. Which has carried over into more independence on other fronts, too. Hooray! Thanks to everyone who wrote to send along encouragement during this process. It was so helpful in my frustrating moments!

Change of Pace

Ellen eating a cracker at the table Sophie prefers a wooden block!

What a long week...Brett out of town a few nights, snow (did I mention that I got out the snow blower while Brett was gone and did the driveway and walkways?), potty training! So we packed up at the end of the week and went to my mom's for the day. Such a comfortable place to be and new scenery and toys for everyone. Plus great naps taken by all the girls, including a short one for me. It was a nice change for all of us and I'm so thankful for my mom's always open arms.

Corinne's New Year's Resolution

Truth be told, Corinne did not make any New Year's Resolutions. But perhaps potty training will be her 2011 New Year's Resolution--in hindsight. Let's hope so! I've let it go until she turned 3 due to knowing that I wasn't able to devote the consistency that she needs in order to get it done. And even now it is going to be my own version of potty training because, unfortunately, I can't stick to Corinne like glue to make the three day version of potty training work for us--at least not with hands free. We've been talking about using the potty for a long time now, we've had the princess underwear for a while, and let me be clear: Corinne knows exactly how to do it and what to do (or not do). She's one smart kid and there's nothing about it she doesn't already know. The whole routine is not lost on her. But here's where it gets interesting. Potty training, like many new experiences in her life will be, is so telling into who she is and how things work for her. I'll try to explain. Corinne is a combination of a "slow to warm up" kid but also just plain stubborn. And sometimes it's hard to tell which one is causing her behavior. She's definitely cautious, hesitant, and reserved/shy in new situations and with new people. Corinne is not one to just jump right into new things; in that way I think she can be super sweet. She'll watch on the sidelines awhile before she participates. But she's stubborn too, in the sense that she doesn't like to do things "on cue". Like in conversations with adults...she's not always willing to talk or assert herself in the conversation (can be SO frustrating for us!) but do you see how that could also be her "slow to warm up" side? Very hard to tell the difference, unless you know her. And both of these traits are showing themselves as we embark on the long journey of potty training. Today's report: Corinne had a fairly productive first full day. She went potty about 5 times successfully on the potty and was stubborn (?)/ slow to warm up (?) the other times. The biggest accomplishment for her today (and my biggest relief), which was thankfully right before nap time, that she finally went poop on the potty! A "giant one" she told me. (And it was!) But only after I left her alone a minute or two to do it by herself, and only after she told me, "Don't say 'good job' mom," did she succeed. And after holding it in awhile (stubborn? slow to warm up?) and trying to get away with doing it in her underwear--but I wasn't holding a baby at the time and was quick to snatch her up and plop her on the potty. We did have a setback or two: the biggest came after nap time when I found her sitting in a wet spot on her bed after she woke up. Oh well. Nap time is a bit harder to conquer, right? So I'm hoping that tomorrow will be even smoother (though I know it's possible that it won't), so that by Thursday when Brett gets home from work, after having been out of town all week, he will be super impressed with me for how far we've gotten into the process of potty training!

Cousin Time

Corinne's cousins were in town the week after Christmas and we had fun, full days with them for a week! Each day went something like this: pack up the three kids and all of their gear, head to Grandma and Grandpa Schatz's house, sled ride and play games all day long, and then come home having had a really great time and fall into bed! Corinne loved it and so did Brett and I. But let me be clear: we were all exhausted by the end of the week :) The good kind of exhausted, though. One afternoon we took everyone to Eden Park where we visited Krohn Conservatory and the live Nativity they host every year (since 1939), then to the (frozen) pond with our loaves of bread to feed the ducks...except I think we maybe spotted three. Even so, it was fun to see Corinne play with her cousins. We're so glad they made the trip!

Not One, But Two

Sophie EllenI cannot help but reflect on one year ago today. Our morning began very early as we woke up to snow and ice that covered Cincinnati in the early morning hours, just as predicted. The day began even earlier for my mom, who was scheduled to come over and stay with Corinne so Brett and I could go to our first ultrasound to find out the sex of our baby...at 22 weeks. Except that we found out much more than what we had ever dreamed, expected or planned for. We found out there were two babies, not one. Every detail of that day will be forever ingrained in my memory. The story of that day is one we have told many many times, and one that I'm sure we will enjoy telling Ellen and Sophie someday. We have been so richly blessed by having two babies. Though it has definitely been hard these first eight months; it has tested our family for sure. But as I recently told a friend who is having twins--it means a few months of hard followed by a lifetime of double the blessings. It is crazy that we have only even known about the twins for one year, exactly--and yet they turn eight months old on Thursday. I marvel at God's plan...not always an easy one, but so much better than my own. I am incredibly thankful for Ellen and Sophie and all this experience has taught me. It's quite a story. And I see more examples every day of how the Lord's hand has been over us throughout the entire journey--even yesterday and today as I sat at the doctor's office with Ellen who is fighting an infection that is sapping her strength. I am reminded that "Every good and perfect gift comes from above..." Certainly Ellen and Sophie have been two of our good and perfect gifts.