A Blast From The Past...I Snuck 2 Past the Goalie!

Another favorite memory...This is my 2nd edition of  "A Blast From the Past..."  This is when they were a little over 1 month old - Enjoy!


I snuck two past the goalie!

PICTURE ABOVE:  Ady is on the Left and Riley is on the right - this is when they were a little over 1 month old.  How cute they are cuddling with each other!  Their twin bond is just as cute today as they'll be 3 in October.

About two weeks before we were going in for our very first appointment with Dr. Stumpf, I remember thinking about the possibility of twins.  About a week before we went in I remember having a very quick conversation about it with Sara’s dad – Bob. 

Now – Bob has twin nephews, but I’ve always heard of twins skipping a generation.  Now is that a myth or is that true?

“Hey Bob, do twins run in your family?”  O.K. – maybe a stupid question because he looks at me as if I’m a total idiot, and I know what’s going on in his head….. “Oh my, who in the hell did my daughter marry?” Because he has twin nephews that I have met and hung out with.

So, I catch this look right away, and I try again, “What I mean is, are twins in your family or are they in your Brother-in-Law’s?”

The look vanishes, somewhat, although I think at times he still thinks I’m an idiot, which I have come to accept.  Anyway, he tells me that he thinks his grandma was one of a twin.

While all of this is going on, my very intelligent, beautiful, ALWAYS CORRECT, wife, says, “There is no way I have twins, I don’t feel sick at all, if I had twins, I would feel really sick”.

So, I put the thought aside and just kind of let my wife thinks she is correct, like she always is, but that is another story I suppose.

Oh man, all of this first time parents stuff, we go in and we get there early and check in and sit down and are sitting there not knowing what to expect and super excited at the same time.

A nurse walks out of the backroom, where only special people can go and announces “Sara Ketterhagen?”  Sara and I basically jump out of our chairs and she leads us into that special backroom and then into Dr. Stumpf’s office where we learn about the “birds and the bees” of pregnancy.

I know Dr. Stumpf told us all kinds of important “Do this, don’t do that” kind of stuff, “take your prenatal vitamins”, etc. but I can’t remember for the life of me what he said, which is totally o.k. because of what followed…

Sara and I were led into a room where Sara experienced her first ultrasound…..VAGINALLY!  I watched, while Dr. Stumpf lubed up this probe, this long, uncomfortable looking dildo-looking thing, and then all of a sudden said, “Deep breath”, and inserted this thing in Sara – OH MY GOD!  I think I felt the pain more than Sara as I imagined this thing being inserted into her.  It seemed like forever as I watched this thing disappear into Sara and all of a sudden, within seconds, “O.K. there it is, there is the heartbeat and as we were looking, we saw this little blob that had a tiny, tiny blob inside of it blinking a hundred blinks a second – it was there at that exact second when I felt like a MAN, like I am doing my duty to society.  It was also at that moment when I let out a huge sigh of relief.

Remember every time you got kicked, hit, punched, etc right square in the nuts as a kid?  Well I believed in that myth where if you got kicked hard enough, you might not be able to have kids – well, that started affecting me because it took Sara and I a couple of months of “practicing” (that’s what I like to call it), and I started thinking that maybe it was me, maybe I was “shooting blanks”.  Now that I know that I can add to our overpopulated world, I think I would like to practice more before the actual game time!  Sara on the other hand thinks it should be game time the first time we try – I don’t think so – I want it to be just right, which is why we need the practice!

I remember the hardest I have ever been kicked in the balls before, I mean testicles, I’m suppose to be using proper language around my daughters – says Sara.  I was helping my buddy out, who was a coach at Milwaukee Juneau for the boys basketball team when we were running up and down the court and there was a steal and a fast-break coming the other way and I went to take a charge and I put my hands up and the kid came square into me with his knee.  I have never doubled over so quickly because my penis, my testicles, my scrotum and everything else that is down there went numb.  It was an unbearable sensation that I would not like to feel ever again!  I totally lost feeling in my junk – sorry girls – but that wasn’t the worst thing – the worst came next when the influx of pain came and the numbness wore off – let’s just say I want to forget that part too!

Back to the blinking blob inside of the blinking blob.  I can’t tell you the feelings that I felt, tears filling my eyes, and how my wife reacted when we saw that blinking blob.  Sara absolutely glowed, I was so proud of her and how she and her body were going to embark on this unbelievable journey.  She was my hero and still is to this day.  My mind was completely wandering, when Dr. Stumpf said, “Oh, I have a little surprise for you”.  I knew right then and there that there was another blob with another blinking blob inside of it.  I swear on everything that I know, I knew we were having twins, my inside voice told me to expect twins weeks before we went into that ultrasound – I just knew!

“And there is the other heartbeat” Dr. Stumpf said.  Immediately, Sara asks in a panic tone, “What does that mean?”  “You’re having twins” the doc says with a casual smile, like it is no big deal.  “Yeah, what does that mean?” Sara asks again, a little more panicky and a little more concerned.  Sara went on to ask that question at least two more times and all I could think of was – I knew it, I knew it – we’re having twins!  Dr. Stumpf on the other hand was probably thinking, “Hey idiot, you’re having twins, two babies, what do you mean, what does that mean?”

It also meant that we were going on a less traveled path – remember the “birds and the bees” talk about pregnancy – well, everything had changed.  “Remember everything that I told you before?” Dr. Stumpf said, “forget it, because that was for one baby, you’re going to have twins” – Sara still didn’t understand however.

See, Sara is our reality check, she is the one that always takes things into perspective.  She understood what twins were, she was just thinking about all of the things that we were going to have to do to get ready for twins.  I, however, was in La La Land, which if you ask my wife, I am a regular attendee.  I was thinking how I not only snuck one past the goalie, but two – I’m the man! Almost a hat-trick – WAIT – THANK GOD there was no hat-trick!  I was daydreaming about what lay ahead – way ahead, I was thinking that I would have two shooting guards! 

I always get back to reality, but it usually takes me some time and it usually gets Sara annoyed and/or me in a lot of trouble.  It did at that moment because she was absolutely freaking out and stressing and I was grinning ear-to-ear with no thought of the work, craziness, and absolute insanity that lay ahead.

Twins?  I mean, honestly, how crazy can that be?

ADYRILEY

Well - it's a ton of work, but I wouldn't trade any of it for the world - I mean how cute are they?!?!

A Blast From the Past - Mya, hi, and uh-oh...

Every once in a while I want to revisit favorite memories, otherwise these memories would be forgotten because they happened before my launching of my blog.  This is my 1st edition of  "A Blast From the Past..."  This is when they were just about 1 year old - Enjoy!

Mya, hi, and uh-oh…

All three of these things have brought great conversation between Sara and me, the girls and me, and sometimes me and me!  These three words have proven to be Ady and Riley’s favorites among all of the other noises and sounds that come out of them.  Or, maybe the only three words that Sara and I are able to understand.  Either way I look at it, they are amazing, incredible, and cute all at the same time.  When in doubt we hear one of these words being used in many, many different ways.

           

The girls started using these three, very difficult, words about 4 months ago and they have developed over the past couple of months as ways for them to ask for things, demand things, complain, and express every kind of emotion that they’re feeling at any given time.  With me being a history teacher, I can now appreciate the advancement of communication and language from caveman time.  I am waiting for Ady and Riley to catch up to the times and begin to express themselves with anything other than these three words.  However, I am also very fond of these three words

           

This morning I found myself smiling in my sleep at 3:48 A.M.  Anyone other than my wife would find that particularly odd and strange, but Sara knows what a complete goofball I am.  I only know the time because at 3:43 A.M., Sara and I leaped out of bed to almost let Lola outside to puke instead of puking on our throw-rug coming in from the patio.  So we cleaned the puke up, let the dogs out just in case so we wouldn’t have to get back up from out of bed when they started to whine, and then went back to bed. I laid there for a minute or so and all of a sudden the monitor started making noise, “Hi”… “Hi”… “Hi”…then some gibberish that I have no clue what it meant and then silence.  So, I’m laying in bed at 3:48 in the morning on a Tuesday smiling because my lovely daughter, Riley is saying the word “Hi” as sweetly and cute as can be.  Oh, and yes I can tell whether it is Ady or Riley talking because they have distinctive cries, noises, and voices, although they say the same things.

           

Ady’s way of saying “Hi” is way more direct than Riley’s.  Riley says it so cute and sweet that it melts you when she says it.  Ady says it so directly and powerful that it makes you want to say it right back right away.  Both ways are great and all, but each has there own meaning and personality behind it.

Ady’s is a quick “Hi!”  She says it very abrupt and it comes with that, I mean business, tone of voice.  Ady also says it where she lowers her head where her chin goes to her chest and then her eyes look up.  You can really tell she means business.  And if you don’t say “hi” back, she’ll keep on saying it over and over, “Hi!, Hi!, Hi!, Hi!”  She is like a machine gun – a very cute one!

Riley’s is a much higher pitch hi.  Riley has that drawn out “Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii”, in a much higher pitch and she kind of cocks her mouth to one side and then also adds a southern accent feel to it. 

Both are extremely cute because they are my daughters’ first words and because they are said so differently highlighting different aspects of their personalities.

Word numbers two and three, Mya and uh-oh are just as cute.  I have come to realize that these three words make up their entire vocabulary.  Both Ady and Riley can say each of these three words hundreds of different ways to get their point across.  Whether they are mad, sad, happy, grumpy, tired, excited, etc. they can get their point across. 

Pictured Above:  Ady is on the right and Riley is on the left - how cute are they - wow!!!!!

After much experience with all three words, I have come to know, for the most part, because of how they use it at different times of the day, the different way they say it, what their non-verbals are that go along with it, and am beginning to realize why women get so frustrated with men when they don’t communicate as effectively as they could!

Mya, as you know is our very loveable, dopey, goofy, dog who gets her name yelled more than called.  She manages to get herself in every kind of trouble that you can think of and that has definitely played a huge role in one of the girls’ first words because of how often they hear it.  Mya can be said in more ways than I ever thought imagined, but Ady and Riley have managed to think and use every single one!  Here are just two examples – one from each extreme:

M-eye-yuh – This is said very softly and sweetly and usually is said in a high tone by one of the girls.  If it were written out, it would be followed by a question mark because of the accent put on the end as well.  Ady and Riley are simple asking Sara or I a question – always relating to where Mya is, even though she may be right in front of them giving them kisses – very wet, slobbery ones!

M-EYE-YUH – This is said very sternly and businesslike.  This followed by a bunch of exclamation points because they are repeating exactly what Sara and/or I have just said – oops!  There have been plenty of times when the girls also hit Mya after or during they say this.  Talk about teaching our girls bad habits!  This one is definitely my fault as I am usually in charge of disciplining our dogs and more often than not Mya is the one who gets in trouble and there are times that I tap or hit Mya on the nose while saying her name rather sternly (above explanation).  The moral of this one is that – I have to make sure who my audience is before I do anything!

Uh-oh is one of Ady’s and Riley’s top three words as well.  It is used in a variety of ways whether it is followed by something dropped on purpose or accident, Ady or Riley trips or falls, mommy or daddy drops something (we do it only on accident), among many other kinds of situations.  My most favorite use of the word is when Ady or Riley throw, wing, drop, chuck, or fling something on purpose.  Which ever one that they do and with whatever they do it with whether it would be food, a toy, or something else, it is always followed by a smirk or smile and then “Uh-oh”!

I can’t tell you how many times this happens and how many times it makes me laugh when I’m trying to keep a straight face and let them know that it is naughty and that they shouldn’t do it.  I will be the first to admit that I am a complete failure when this happens because it is so ridiculously funny and they are so damn cute when they do it.  I mean come on, am I really suppose to keep a straight face, discipline them (because it is usually both because they feed off of each other), and tell them “No!”?  I don’t think so – no way – instead I laugh and then catch my wife glaring at me because I’m not helping at all!

This is just another example why being a father is just so damn hard!

Potty at Target

As I took my girls (Ady and Riley) to go potty yesterday evening, two things came to mind.

1.  At what age are girls too old to be able to go into a men's restroom? 

AND

2.  How in the world can boys/men be so disgusting?

I suppose I will get back to those in a minute, but let me catch you up.  When we go shopping, we usually do it in a method where I drive the van to the store and then I become the drop-off and pick-up man while telling the girls that Mommy will be right back.  Depending upon their moods, I get a CD playing so we do sing-alongs, I have the option of a fine selection of DVDs, I drive around and talk their ears off and vice versa, and/or I go park and do one of the above options.

We had my father-in-law along because he wanted to stop off at Men's Warehouse to pick up some sweaters because of a great sale.  So we did that and then Noodles for dinner, and then Target.

I dropped Sara off at the entrance and then went and found an easy accessible parking spot so I could be out of the way and still be able to see the exit when Sara came out so I could have a quick and easy pick-up.  Dora was playing on the DVDs, so Ady and Riley were watching and Kinsley was listening (she is still sitting backwards - poor girl).  We got in our stall and I put it in park and then Riley says "Daddy, I have to go potty" and then I hear an echo, "Daddy I have to go potty toooooooo". 

Come on really?  I have to say, thank goodness Bob was along because he stayed back with Kinsley so I could take the girls.  I gave them a pep talk about listening to me and doing exactly as I say, while also reminding them that if they don't listen to me, I will take away their ice cream cone that I promised them on the way home from McDonald's - love those 49 cent cones - ABSOLUTELY LOVE THEM!!!!
So off we went (I honestly don't know what I would have done if Bob weren't along because I don't know how I would have done it with holding Kinsley also).

I took the girls out of their seats, and held on to each of their hands as we walked across the parking lot to the door.  In we went and to the restroom we went.  We got in and the first question popped into my head:

AT WHAT AGE ARE THEY GOING TO BE TOO OLD THAT I CAN'T BRING THEM INTO A MEN'S RESTROOM?

We walked in and the hadicapped stall was open - SCORE!  There was another stall that someone was going #2 in and letting everyone know about it - I thought the girls handled it very nicely: 

RILEY:  Daddy, a man in there?
ME:  Yes there is honey (I was whispering).
ADY:  Daddy, that man going poopy?
ME:  Yes, he is going poopy (I was still whispering).
(the man farted)...
RILEY:  Tooted (as she smiled...)
ME:  (I chose to ignore that comment...) O.K. girls, no touching anything.  O.K.?  Riley you go first, Ady, stand here and don't touch anything.

As I lifted the seat with my shoe, I noticed someone before me had the diarhea because there was shit everywhere - under the toilet seat, all over the bowl - it was disgusting - which is where my second question came in:

HOW IN THE WORLD CAN BOYS/MEN BE SO DISGUSTING?

RILEY:  That's dirty daddy, poopy (as she points to the toilet - very closely as she almost touches it - like I can't see which poop spot she is talking about).
ME:  Riley, don't touch it!
RILEY:  Daddy, I not touching it, just looking (in a very sweet tone).
ME:  O.K. - don't touch anything.
ADY:  Daddy, Riley wasn't touching it, just looking (as she was shaking her head no the whole time).
ME:  Thanks Ady.  Riley, I am going to hold you over the toilet so you don't touch anything.
ADY:  Daddy, you going to hold Riley?
ME:  Yup.  O.K. Riley go ahead.

So Riley goes and I button her up and Ady is touching everything she possibly can, while I am scolding her not to, and I can only imagine what this guy next to me is thinking as he is pooping away. 

RILEY:  Flush it daddy?
ME:  Yup, WAIT! (I grab her before she touches the lever) Whenever you use a public bathroom, you always use your foot, like this (I show her as I pick her up, line her foot up with the lever and let her push it with her foot).  Sara would be so proud - she is usually our clean-freak!
ADY:  My turn daddy?
ME:  Yup - your turn.

Same exact thing - Ady asks same questions as I hold her over the bowl and Riley is touching everything in sight.

We get done and take turns washing our hands and back out to parking lot where our van, Grandpa, and Kinsley await us.....

By the way, we beat mommy who was just picking up a few things and as we left the restroom, the man next to us was still pooping!

Big Beds?!?!

Ady and Riley are a little over 2 and a half (34 months old).  My wife, Sara and I have been discussing when would be a good time to get them into big beds and if it were to continue to be up to us, they would be in there until they were like 5...or so.  It was a good plan until, the girls started to magically appear out of their rooms after nap and during the night time.  Hmmmm...what do we do now?  The inevitable!

WE GOT BIG BEDS!

We had a plan, a plan that was going to make this transition as easy as possible.

Sara was taking the girls shopping for new pillows and pillow cases while having a conversation about big beds and how they were getting to be so big that they did not need cribs anymore.  She was explaining how Kinsley still needed a crib because she was a baby, but not them because they were getting so big!  Sara even took them for ice cream to put a little bribery in.  Over ice cream, she explained how I was taking apart their cribs at home and replacing them with big beds!

Poor Kinsley, it would have been a great time for me and her to have some daddy-daughter time, but she was my audience for taking apart two cribs and putting together two toddler beds.  What a trooper, she sat and played with her toys and let me work, while I talked myself through the directions and every once in a while had time to make conversation with her.

Cribs down, beds up, Kinsley down for the night, and just waiting for Sara and the girls to get home...

ARRIVAL TIME!

I met them in the garage and got them situated until I could get the video camera all set so I could capture the moment on camera.  In the house they came, down the hallway, and into their rooms with excitement!

The excitement lasted until we got ready for bed and put them into their beds, prayed, sang, and gave kisses and high fives.

Before we got down the hallway to look at our video monitor, Riley was out of bed at the door.  I went down to pick her up and put her back into bed with instructions that it was night time and that she needed to stay in her bed.  I left while Riley was throwing a fit, which got Ady going.  As I got back down the hallway, both girls were out of their bed, ready to escape, so Sara and I went in to pick up, put down, and use more stern instructions to keep them there (we will take something from their bed if they get up again - blanket, stuffed animal, etc.)

High pitch screams, tantrums, and full body flailing followed.  Two more trips and two items confiscated sent them into more of a tizzy and escalated the situation enough that it woke Kinsley. 

By midnight Ady is asleep and Kinsley went back down when Riley finally gives in - MOMMY AND DADDY WON THAT BATTLE!

Night #1 with Big Beds down!

OODLES MORE TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!

ABOVE - It did not matter that Sara and I got a KING SIZE bed because the girls took it over!!!!!!

Look at them - they remind me of a roller-coaster ride!

Pony Tails...

Having 3 girls, I knew I was going to have to learn a whole new repertoire of things.  I have mastered all kinds of different shades of pinks and purples and have understood what goes with what and what clashes, etc.  I have even added more pinks and some purples (I like pink a lot more out of the two) to my wardrobe!

Now, I can add the ability to do a pony tail for my twins hair!  We absolutely love pony tails by the way.  We go to sleep with them in, we have to redo it if is loosens slightly, we have to put it in right away after our nap or when we get up in the morning - WE LOVE PONY TAILS!!!!

Ady and Riley have noticed how good I am because this is an area that the twins have placed their faith in.  I feel a great sense of pride when they come and ask me to put one in, even when mommy is right there and is a viable option!

I really like when they do the piggies (Pig Tails), but they don't like it so much, so we stick to ponies!!

CHECK OUT MY WORK!!!!!!

HERE IS ADY'S FRONT, SIDE AND BACK VIEW...

NOT BAD HUH?????






HERE IS RILEY'S FRONT, SIDE, AND BACK...

TALK ABOUT NICELY DONE PONIES!!!!  I WOULD ASK ME TO DO IT AS WELL!!!!!!

Ady's and Riley's First Brewer Game!!! GO BREWERS!!!!

On Friday, August 27th we brought the twins to their first Milwaukee Brewers game.  I am a huge BREWER fan and am beginning to recruit 2 new fans!  We went with four of our friends (two couples).  So we had 6 adults to our twins - talk about totalling outnumbering them!

We got through the game with zero meltdowns and didn't get home until midnight!  WOW!!!!!

How to get through a Brewer Game with zero meltdowns:

• One "Sharing size" bag of M & M's.
• One bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos, Cool Ranch Doritos, and Frito's Scoops.
• Two toddler lawn seats to make them feel cool and part of the gang.

BELOW - How cute are those chairs?????  They were just munching away and sucking on their tailgating drinks (juice)!!!!!

• Their own water bottles (theirs were filled with juice - I better make sure to make that understood!) as we enjoyed our tailgating beverages.
• 4 cell phones so they could talk to each other and play with them (Sara and I know not to give them ours because they have re-programmed them, called people, texted people, and thrown them into pools before).
• 2 potty's in the parking lot (We took them to the driver's side of our van, opened the door, dropped their pants, Sara held each one at a time, I blocked the view, and they peed between our van and a car next to us).
• Shoulder rides into the park.
• Once there...
• A picture with the Bernie Brewer statue.

BELOW - We spotted the Bernie Brewer statue on the way in and had to stop for a picture to get the full experience!!!!

• Sitting down and switching laps/seats about 87 times.
• Their own water bottle...again!
• Their own tub of popcorn.

BELOW - Ady and Mommy - Popcorn smiles!!!!!!             

                                               

RIGHT - Riley is trying to clap and eat popcorn at the same time - that is tough!!!!!!!!

• The WAVE!
• Watching Bernie Brewer and hoping for a Brewer home run so he can go down the slide - COME ON FELLAS!!!!
• Switching laps/seats about 43 more times.

BELOW - Daddy and Ady - Trying to explain what the hell is going on (the rules of baseball).

THE WAVE - Oh man did we love it - we tried to teach the concept and follow it all around the park.  Sometimes they just kept their arms up for a while.....

...Then we got to the point where we yelled while we did the wave - oh my was that fun!!!!!

 

• Cheering/watching the sausage race!
• Handing out high-fives for hits/runs and just to do it!
• Two potty breaks to the restroom.
• FINALLY watching Bernie go down the slide after a Brewers 7-2 win (Home runs would have really helped...)
• Watching a 15 minute fireworks show after the game out in the parking lot - total luck at that because we didn't know about the fireworks show until it was announced at the game!
• DORA on their DVD players on the way home.

WHAT A GAME - I think I saw a total of 15 minutes of it!

NO!!!! MUMMA DO IT!!!!!

I can't tell you how much of an untapped resource that I am.  My potential as a father has not gotten past "the tip of the iceberg" of fatherhood!  Let me give you a little big of insight...

• One or both twins falls down and hurts themselves.  I am right there ready to swoop them up and be the hero where I can comfort them, but they scream, cry, whine, etc - MUMMA, NO!!!  MUMMA!!!!!
• "Up pease" (we're having trouble with our L sounds these days) - so if Sara is busy, or has her hands full, I will come over and say, "Here Ady/Riley, I will pick you up, come by daddy!". - NO, MUMMA! (And that phrase can be said many, many different ways!
• "I have to go potty"...
• "I have to go poopy"...
• "Change diaper?"...
• "Juice pease"...
• "Take a bath?"...
• "Read books?...
• Etc, Etc, Etc.

I offer all the time to help, but I get the same response - NO, MUMMA!

It has come to the point where I don't even offer my help anymore and just say, "Sara, the girls want you, they won't let me help them."

OR

Depending on the situation, I pretend like I didn't hear what they said and just do it anyway while they scream and cry because their mommy didn't do it and although it is done now, they still want Mumma to come over and do whatever they wanted, because for some reason I must have done it wrong...

OR

I try to sound really, really fun and try to persuade them to want me to help them or do whatever they wanted Mumma to do.  THIS NEVER WORKS BY THE WAY!

I have determined that I am the guy that is suppose to do all of the dirty work and the "behind the scenes" work.  I can't tell you how frustrating it is because it makes me feel like an incapable, awful father that can't do a thing correctly and is NOT WANTED!

It makes me think that I fall into that category of:  DEAD-BEAT DADS.

I am not a DEAD-BEAT DAD - I have a ton to offer and I have a ton of unused potential that is just waiting to come out.  I really hope that my daughters use this resource in the near future because Sara is going nuts in a different way because my lack of wanted help!

Sorry, Sara - I am trying to help as much as I can!!!!  :)

Mumma's Side?!?!

This is another area that reminds me how unwanted or undesired I am.  I am only needed as a father as a last resort and I would say, for the most part that is very upsetting, annoying, and absolutely RIDICULOUS! 

I don't know what it is, but Sara can do everything better than I can - AND I MEAN EVERYTHING!!!!!

There are several areas where "Mumma's Side?!?!" sticks out:

• Mommy and Daddy's bed (But it is really Mommy's bed, I don't know why I sleep there!)
• Our van or SUV and where they get to sit.
• When we go for walks.
• When we go for bike rides.
• Actually, when we do anything where there is an actual choice of having MUMMA or plain old daddy there.
• THERE CHOICE IS ALWAYS MUMMA!!!!!!

Now that the girls are in big beds, they wake up in the morning and come directly into our bed because it is usually before 7:00 and we (Sara & I) are not ready to get up.  However it is an ongoing battle for the girls to get Mumma's side of the bed.  This baffles me because they girls would rather have the edge of the bed and only be by Mommy.

WHAT?!?!

REALLY?!?!

They would rather be on the edge of the bed by mommy, rather then be in between me and Sara and have the best of both worlds - WOW - how awful does that make me feel?  I feel like the scum of the earth when this one happens!

It also depends what type of mood they are in as well - because sometimes they are just so sweet and cute and they don't try to make me feel bad, but they want Mumma!  So, they ask so sweetly and politely in a nice, quiet, sweet voice, "Mumma's side?"

I mean how can you say no to that?  So Riley usually calls dibs on Mumma, so I say, "Of course you can have mumma's side Riley, but that means that ADY GETS DADDY'S SIDE!!!!!!", with as much conviction and enthusiasm as I can muster as I am now trying to make me seem like my side is better - YEAH RIGHT!

There response, is usually, "Mumma's side on way back then?"  It is never, "YES, I GET DADDY'S SIDE!!!"

Riley usually calls dibs when she wakes up in the morning:
"Going bub-bye today?  I get Mumma's side today?"  When I think about it, it is hilarious how their little minds work and how much Sara is their world!

Other times, however, it is often expressed, "MUMMA'S SIDE NOW!!!!!!!!!!  NO MUMMA!!!!  NO MUMMA'S SIDE!!!!!"

That is when it is the most upsetting because they are as adamant as can be about it, and there is no turning back or giving in - sometimes I wish I was a woman!

:)

Another constant and popular battle that is ongoing, is when we travel.  This one doesn't make much sense to me either because they fight for Sara's side, but that is the side that is directly behind her and she can never see them and they can't see her.  I have the better view of the twin who is on Sara's side while I drive and have the most contact, but it is ingrained in their brains!

All I know is that if something were ever to happen to Sara, the girls and I would be lost because I CAN'T DO A THING RIGHT!!!!!

Don't go anywhere Mumma because this is what happens when Ady and/or Riley don't get "Mumma's Side"!

LEFT - RILEY TANTRUMING:  This is our little Riley after a mental breakdown of not getting what she wants!!!!  This is a typical tantrum after not getting "Mumma's side"!  Now you can sort of understand how bad it makes me feel when they want nothing to do with daddy!!!

BELOW - RILEY LATER IN THE TANTRUM: 

 Riley continue's the tantrum to make sure I understand how she wants "Mumma's side" and wants nothing to do with me!  She is adamant and determined!!!!!  That part I love!