No More Diapers ??

Well we have reached a milestone in the development of our girls, potty training. Yes, I know that all parents reach this point, but as a parents of twins, this is an especially happy time for us. See when you have to buy diapers for twins, the expense adds up quickly. 

Our potty training success came in two phases, Lanier then Harlan. We tried several methods to encourage the use of the potty, but for each child, we had to use a different tactic. 

For Lanier, we tried, bribes of candy, praise, you name it we tried it. Finally the method that worked for her was the threat of a bath every time she did not use the potty and made a mess in her panties. Yes this seems mean, but it only took 3 or 4 times before she understood the situation. During this time, we did give lots and lots of praise for when she did use the potty. Now, we did not use this method for nighttime accidents, as that, in and of itself can take much longer to master. More on that further down in this post. So for now, we are 2-3 weeks into panties every day, with only the occasional accident, which was more a result of a stomach bug than not using the potty.

For Harlan, we tried the same methods and none worked. What seemed to do the trick was the praise we were giving to Lanier, because after about a week, she started waiting to use the potty and wanted to wear panties. She too has now gone about 1-2 weeks with only a couple of accidents, mainly at the beginning. 

For both girls, we have moved to no diapers at night as well. Bother have taken to this very well with only a handful of accidents. When they do have a nighttime accident, we let them know its OK and that it happens to everyone when they are learning. 

For both girls they are getting the hang of peeing and pooping in the potty, so if they continue down this road we may not have to buy any more diapers.

Video Uploads - Finally

Well I have put it off long enough. If it waited much longer we would have missed an entire years worth of videos. So now that I have a good reason to edit some video (new iMovie) I have finally started cutting it up.

Since the hard part is done (uploading to the computer), I can finally start the fun stuff. I always enjoy going over the old video of the girls. Its amazing how much they change in a short period of time. This time I’m going back to May 2008, not too bad, but still behind.

The method to my madness on editing is two fold, 1) edit for the year end DVD, this is for family and 2) YouTube clips of the highlights for family and friends. This time around I’m going to “jazz up” the youtube edits using some of the new features in iMovie ’09. Now I’m not the greatest editor in the world, but I do what I can and people seem to enjoy them. Well enjoy them as much as they can in watching other peoples kids running around.

So you can find the new ones on my youtube channel, our me channel or under the movie link above, which will direct you to youtube. 

So over the next couple of days, new videos will be showing up. Enjoy.

3rd Birthday

Well yesterday the girls turned 3. Hard to believe it has been 3 years. So to celebrate, we went to the Georgia Aquarium and then to the grandparents house.

At the aquarium, the girls seemed to have a good time, especially Harlan. She even walked up to Santa and started talking to him. This was not in her nature to do such a thing. Lanier, I believe, was a bit scared if you can call it that of the whole situation.

Afterwards, we headed to Athens and the grandparents for dinner and some cake and presents.

More later, when I can add some photos

Attack of the cantaloupe

As a work from home dad, I don’t go into the office that often. Well on Thursday was one of those days where I needed to go in. Well wouldn’t you know it, I would miss all the excitement.

Apparently Harlan was having some fruit for her morning snack, yes I said fruit, cantaloupe, and was eating it at a pretty good clip. Well Dana was in the next room, when Harlan comes running up pointing to her mouth. She does this sometimes to show us and other times to say she doesn’t want to eat it anymore. Well this was a new point at the mouth message.

Apparently she had started choking on one of the bigger pieces. Dana tried the Heimlich, to no avail. Harlan was even trying to put Dana’s fingers into her mouth to get it out. Well after a few attempts and different approaches to getting it out, it finally came out. It upset both mom and babe.

Dana said she was seconds from calling 911. Of note, Harlan is not turned off of cantaloupe.

Rough Days

Well over the last several weeks, Harlan has been a handful. When she is not sleeping (rare that she sleeps), not eating (eats all the time) she is having a fit about something. Doesn’t want to go out, doesn’t want to stay in, doesn’t want to play, doesn’t what to go to the basement to play and so on. After a few hours of this a day, she crashes out for a nap. Only to wake up wanting to eat again.

Repeat cycle

Be glad when the terrible two’s are gone.

Lanier has her moments, but are easier to deal with since they only happen rarely.

IMPORTED COMMENTS

looking forward to the 3's

Hate to tell you. None of my kids had the T  2"s its the 3's.  A few months before turning 3 and through out the third year is the Terrible 2's

Thursday, August 14, 2008 - 09:06 AM

New Pics, Vids on the way + Misc stuff

I’m close to being able to load some more videos and pictures of the girls. Hopefully if the weekend is slow I can bust some of them out.

In the mean time,

1. •The girls have been going to MMO (Mother’s Morning Out). they seem to be having a good time, but odd thing is they switch personalities when they get there. Very odd.
   
2. •Both are getting the hang of the potty, but we still have some issues with it. The stickers they get as a reward seem to be helping.
   
3. •Harlan is trying to eat us out of house and home. I swear see puts away as much as I do and she doesn’t get big, she just burns it off. Granted that’s easy when you go at 100 mph all the time. Just need to get her to eat more veggies. Lanier loves her veggies, Harlan tolerates them, sometimes.
   
4. •The twitter updates seem to be working, when twitter is working.
   
5. •If we had more folks that viewed video on the web, I would set up a Stickam page and then the girls can get on the air live. If this is something that would be interesting, post a comment and I can set something up. This would be private, so you would need to sigh  up for a free account.
   

Twitter and the girls

Well I have found that it is rather difficult to come and update this blog on a regular basis. Especially since so much stuff is happening with the girls. So I thought I would try something new. There is a service called twitter that is like little blogs. I have created a page that shows those updates. So now when something interesting is happening I can update it there.

I still plan on updating the blog section with more detailed events, since twitter only allows 140 characters or less.

The new page is listed across the top and its called girls tweets. Enjoy.

If you want to follow the girls tweets on your own drop me an email and I will send you there tweet name.

Go Fly a Kite

Well we had a nice windy day and we decided to see if the girls would get how to fly a kite. We only got dollar store kites, so they weren’t the best for staying up in the air but they did OK.

At first they really didn’t get the need to run with the kite and to move around, but after a bit they seemed to better understand it.

Harlan got the running down, but didn’t really get the kite in the air thing. Lanier on the other hand got the kite in the air part, but would stop and look at it.

So on the next windy day we’ll try it again and see if we can get some video and pictures.

Mommy’s Morning Out

Well we decided that it was time for the girls to spend some time with some little ones their size without spending a fortune doing so. So we found a Mommy’s Morning Out down at the local Methodist Church. It was for 3 hours each Wednesday.

The girls had a bit of trouble being left, but by the time we made it to the car, one of the ladies came out and said they were doing great. When we picked them up, they were ready to go and apparently had a good time. So we’ll do it again next week. Well worth the ten buck for 2 kids.

While there they got to play outside, had a snack and did good overall. Harlan did sneeze a lot, but we think this is an allergy thing.

IMPORTED COMMENTS

I.C. Jackson

That's a good idea - I didn't know that local churches and orgs sponsored things like that.

And for only $10 for 2 kids?

Where do I sign up! LOL

Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 12:54 AM

The Harlan and the Thorn

Not quite the story of the Lion and the thorn, but the Harlan and the thorn comes close. Some how Harlan had gotten a massive splitter in her heel. Needless to say she was not happy. After some pin moves (pinning Harlan not the thorn), we were able to get it out. She was not happy about that, but she felt better afterwards.

Potty Training

Well we have found/heard that getting twins to potty train was always bit tougher than for a singleton. That being said we are on the road to getting this accomplished. We thought that Harlan was going to be the first, but she hit her terrible two’s and doesn’t want to do anything she doesn’t want to do. Lanier on the other hand has been a little more willing. At first she was scared of it, but over the last week she will now sit on it. She has in the last two days pooped and peed in the pot. So now we hope she continues to progress. One thing we have read is that sometimes the second twin will start to follow the first in using the pot, but it can work the opposite way and the first one will stop using it since her twin isn’t using it. Needless to say we are hoping for the follow the first method.

Poo-fest 2008

Well yesterday while I was in the office, yes it was a Sunday, I called home to check things out and see how things were going. Well I found out that Harlan had decided to make some artwork with some poo. She managed to cover the front door and several toys before Dana noticed. Ah the fun.

2008 Easter Pics

I have some Easter pics posted, only Aperture 2 won’t talk to the web design tool I have, so for the time being just use this link.

Web Gallery

Really talking now

Well Lanier is just talking and talking. Granted we can only make out a few things. But she is getting some sentences out. If you sneeze, she will say “You OK’ . Harlan is coming along as well, but just doesn’t seem as talkative as Lanier does.

Harlan does have one funny, I was laying in bed with her to get her to go to sleep. Dana was in the hall, and while laying there I passed gas rather loudly. Harlan’s eyes got big and she said woooo, then she reach around and patted her rear and looked at me and said “You poo-poo,” it was way too funny

Harlan’s Busted Lip

Well after a fun day of playing with Lanier, Harlan got the worst of things when she slipped on the slide we have . They have been playing a bit rough, kinda like WWE (wrestling). Well here are the pics.

Girls First Snow

Well we got out rare snow in Georgia and the girls loved it. We dressed them up and off to the deck we went. Both girls learned to say snow real quick. Lanier even had the while tongue out to catch the flakes down pat. When we brought them in, both were real upset about not being able to play in it more. But it was getting late and they were tired. Plus Harlan kept finding the deck with her butt. I have some pics in the web gallery of the fun. I will be posting some video later.

Harlan and JoJo

Harlan and JoJo, as in JoJo from JoJo’s circus. It seems that over the last few weeks we can not go an hour without hearing Harlan yelling JoJo and running back to her room to watch JoJo. We have put a few on DVD and are getting more for Christmas, but it still doesn’t seem to satisfy the JoJo craving.

Harlan is aware of JoJo only because she is up at 6:30 am and Lanier is still alseep.