Movin’ and Groovin’ Babies

I think I mentioned that M is all roly poly now, rolling here and there and the other place getting into all sorts of trouble. As of yesterday she is also pushing herself up on all fours getting ready for a proper crawl. D went in the other day and found her that way in the crib, and all day she’s been pushing herself up, not moving from there yet, but strengthening her muscles.

The Bean doesn’t seem as interested in rolling around or crawling yet, but she can’t get enough of standing! When you try to put her down in a sitting position her knees lock so that you have to hold her up standing. And she beams. She is so darn happy with herself about standing. It’s pretty much the best thing ever. Today I stood her in front of a little bench so she could support herself. Her smile is contagious.

This afternoon both babies were fussing, so I put on some Jack Johnson and took a turn dancing around the room with each of them. Bean especially can’t get enough, though M seems to prefer bouncing games in my lap, “This is the way the ladies ride, the ladies ride, the ladies ride…”

They are discovering all the amazing things their bodies can do. They lift their hands in the air and rotate their wrists, waving like Miss America. They reach up and rub the hair on top of their heads, then grab their toes. They grab a slippery piece of banana between thumb and forefinger. And mouths! Mouths are awesome. Bean was making farty mouth sounds the entire day. Throat clearing noises, lip smacking noises–it’s amazing what lips and tongues can do! They are completely delighted with their bodies, with life.

 

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Empathy, Sharing, and Eight-month Olds

At what point do we develop empathy? The twins definitely seem aware of the emotions around them. If you smile at them they smile back. If you’re upset they’re upset. And if one of them cries, the other inevitably cries.

But at what point can they put themselves in another person’s place? That is surely a more advanced skill, but one I feel the need to lay the groundwork for already. 

What I’m thinking of especially is sharing. This is not a concept they get. What they do understand is that the toy their sister is playing with is by far the most interesting toy in the room. 

M is now scooting and rolling around so that she can get where she wants to go, whereas Bean is still relatively content sitting and playing with toys nearby. M has been rolling over to where Bean is sitting and stealing whatever toy she’s playing with, then rolling away again. Bean immediately screams in outrage.  

If I see it happen I restore the toy to the original twin. But if I hear that telltale cry when I’m in the other room, there’s no way for me to enforce what’s right.

Last month when we had a play date with some younger babies I found myself getting self-conscious about my parenting, as my babies systematically stole all the toys from the younger two. “No, that’s their toy!” I kept repeating. “They were playing with that. You already have a toy.”

I know this is only the beginning of the discipline road. It isn’t really even discipline yet, just explanation and moving toys back and forth. Still it’s interesting. Whenever one of them steals a toy from the other they look very pleased with themselves, grasping the desired object as the other screams in outrage. But they also look a bit mischievous, as if they suspect this might be wrong and they wonder what will happen next. Am I projecting? 

Funny Search Terms That Have Brought People to My Blog

WordPress gives you all sorts of information about how people find your blog: what websites they link from, in what countries they live, and what search terms they used to find you. Turns out the search terms are pretty entertaining. (Or at least I find them entertaining.) Here’s a list of a few of the search terms that have brought people to this blog. I’m listing them exactly as they were used, typos, quotation marks and everything. Italics commentary is mine 🙂 :

feeling trapped at home with newborn twins (well yes, this one makes sense)

funny things people don’t know about me (what are you expecting to find…)

do monkeys breastfeed each others

celebrities with twins (that’s me!)

people who don’t like kids (…hmm)

googoo monkey toy

breastfes baby has stinky poop

dream that I can’t drive

baby booger picker

booger picker for babies

space monkey baby clothes (sign me up!)

unusual space objects 2014

crabhead toy

poop diaper

“the babies” prunes diaper

“jar of prunes” shit diaper

monkey萬聖節2013

But then again, people also found it with these:

positive thinking around the holidays

value of nicu nurses

so thankful for my husband on christmas

So judging from this I have a very sappy blog involving lots of bodily fluids. Nice.

ps: I do not recommend googling anything having to do with poop.

The Fresh Air Drug

Something happens to your brain when you don’t leave the house. It isn’t a good thing. On the first day you become lazy. The babies are asleep, D arrives home in the evening and asks if I want to go out for a walk. Nah, it’s freezing out, and dark.

The next day the worries start to creep in. Not enough “likes” on a blog post sends you into a tailspin of insecurity. Why are you looking at the Internet when you should be ticking things off the endless to-do list, working toward achieving goals, cleaning the kitchen for the third time that day, washing the bibs for the umpteenth time, preparing to move in two weeks, playing with your babies who smile hopefully every time you look over at them? These four walls are suffocating, and now you have a headache.

You’re just one workout away from a good mood. 

Thank you to D for alerting me to this catchy mantra. I used to run regularly. That went out the window soon into my twin pregnancy. But even short of exercise, just getting fresh air does wonders. In the past, the only reason a day would pass without my having left the house would be if I had the flu. Welcome to my new life with twin babies in a walk-up.

Today, Bean screamed for the entire time it took me to carry everything and everyone up and down the two flights. (She was sitting in a bouncy seat outside my neighbors’ apartment for most of this time–sorry neighbors!) In addition, the stoop was icy, which was nerve-wracking to navigate with screaming baby. But we made it.

A few inches of snow fell yesterday and it was still all over the ground, making pushing the double stroller difficult in parts, but frankly I couldn’t care less because the air was so bright and crisp and I was outside. Here are a few things we saw in the park:

A girl jumping rope in an allée of bare sycamores.

A shimmer of snow drifting out of a tree, through a beam of sun.

A flock of starlings eating seeds off of a honey locust, shaking down little drifts each time one landed (this reminded me of a poem I love by Robert Frost, “Dust of Snow” which you can read here)

Two young boys hugging the trunk of a snow-laden pine tree, trying to shake snow onto themselves.

And then I forgot to be depressed.

Thank you Sunset Park.

Liebster Award – Here are Some Blogs I Like

I am honored to have been nominated for the Liebster award by the awesome K, Twin Mom over at TwinMomLife. Thank you K! This award is designed as a way to discover new blogs, so hopefully you’ll find some here to follow. (Also, if you’d like to know the origins of this award you can click here.)

Upon accepting the Liebster Award, here are the rules as I’ve received them:

*Link back the blogger that tagged you
*Nominate ten others and answer the questions of the one who tagged you
*Ask ten questions for the bloggers you nominate
*Let your nominees know of their award

Here are my answers to the ten questions: 

1. In which country/state do you live?  What is one positive and one negative about your state?

I live in Brooklyn, New York. I’ve lived here since the year 2000, but crazily we are now moving to Pittsburgh. My favorite thing about New York is definitely the wonderful people I know here. Amazing, generous, interesting friends. One negative…well, expensive, and no space. (Okay that’s two.)

2. What brought you to the blogging world?  Has your blogging changed course at any point in time?

Being home alone with babies brought me to blogging. Also wanting to motivate myself to draw and write regularly. I couldn’t really predict what the blog would become, but it turns out I really love blogging. The blog has changed as I learn more about the form, and the blog world.

3.  What is your favorite baby and/or pregnancy and/or comfort item?

My favorite pregnancy item wasn’t really an item, it was Netflix. I was on bed rest, and Netflix kept me sane. Watched all of Battlestar Galactica… My favorite baby item keeps changing as the babies grow and change their interests! My babies currently have comfort items, though–they each have a little rabbit lovey that they sleep and nap with.

4.  What was the highlight of your 2013?

The babies being born. Not the birth itself, but their arrival in the world!

5.  What is your big goal for 2014?

Keep up this blog. Find a new job I love.

6.  You’re stuck in major traffic.  What are you listening to for stress relief?

Hm. Something I can sing along to. Maybe Prince, or Cole Porter, Frank Sinatra or Joan Jett, or any number of things.

7.  What’s your idea of a great date night?

Dinner at a nice restaurant (local, sustainable, cozy atmosphere). A glass of wine, maybe thin crust pizza, and something satisfying to split for dessert! And if we’re really dreaming, dinner and a movie.

8.  Is your blog anonymous or do you tell your friends & family in the real world about it?

I’ve told people. Keeps me honest!

9.  Who is your hero?

I don’t know about heroes, but right now Jane Goodall, Rachel Carson and EO Wilson are coming to mind. Smart champions of the environment, close observers, great writers, conscientious folks.

10. What’s a topic you’ve been wanting to write about but just haven’t had the time, or weren’t sure how to write it or if it was “appropriate”?

Well, something I think about but wouldn’t blog about are body issues. Breastfeeding, how my body has changed post-pregnancy, things like that.  I don’t feel comfortable sharing all with the Internet.

Whew. Okay, now the nominations.

Here are the ten blogs I enjoy following:

Postcards Without Stamps – Beautiful photos. She has a toddler son. Thoughts on life–inspires me to de-clutter.

Marissabergen602 – Rock and roll supermom. Funny. She lives in LA, from NY originally. I just really like this blog.

Wise and Bold Little Souls – Boy and girl twin mom living in Geelong, Australia. I find this blog inspiring (besides being jealous of the weather).

A Game of Diapers – All sorts of posts on all topics mom-related. She has a three year old, twin one year olds, and dogs.

Put the Kettle On – Olivia FitzGerald’s blog. Advice and funny anecdotes on motherhood and raising twins.

Baby Duck Monologues – Funny and entertaining, usually pictures of the baby ducks (toddler twin boys) with captions.

Living in the Deep End – Often laugh-out-loud funny. Will make you stop trying to be perfect and just feel good about life.

Pittsburgh Rules – A very honest mom in Pittsburgh. I’ve been enjoying this blog since we’re moving!

Journey to the Finish Line – She is a Speech-Language Pathologist and just started blogging about language-related games to play with your baby. Fun!

The Monster in Your Closet – Has a young son, very thoughtful and seasoned blogger.

Okayest Mom – I enjoyed some recent guest blog posts she had about premature infants, twins, and interracial adoptions.

Picture This Book – Every post is about a fun children’s book. I like the recommendations.

Enjoy! Happy blog-discovering!

And finally, here are my ten questions for the nominees: 

1. What is something you saw today that was beautiful?

2. What is one good thing that happened to you in the last 24 hours (could be as small as talking to someone you like on the phone).

3. What is a food that reminds you of your childhood?

4. What do you see out your window?

5. What has surprised you most about blogging?

6. What was one embarrassing mom-moment you had this year?

7. Any book you’d like to recommend?

8. What’s one thing you like to do to relax?

9. If you were an animal, what animal would you be and why?

10. What is your favorite place in the city or town where you live?

Thanks for reading. And yay blogging 🙂